Mitsubishi launches slew of new LCD and DLP HDTVs

Looks like Mitsubishi has been pretty busy lately, since they've just announced eleven new LCD and DLP HDTVs, with all but two of them sporting 1080p resolutions. The crowd of displays is headlined by a pair of 73-inch DLP sets, which both feature a host of marketing speak from Mitsubishi like Tru1080p (don't worry, it's 1080p for reals), TurboLight 180 (which claims to boost brightness by 10%), and the fairly meaningless NetCommand and ClearThought which manage connectivity. The WD-73732 and WD-73831 both include dual HDMI inputs, along with a FireWire port, CableCARD slot, and multi-format card readers. Rounding out the DLP displays are 52, 57 and 65-inch 1080p displays, which feature a new 6-Primary Color System that mixes cyan, magenta and yellow in with the usual RGB in order to create a supposedly brighter and more color accurate picture. Mitsubishi has some love for their LCD line as well, with two 37-inch (LT-37131 and LT-37132) and two 46-inch 1080p displays (LT-46131 and LT-46231), featuring similar connectivity to the DLP line but replacing CableCARD with DVI-I. Finally, we have the 52-inch and 62-inch 1280 x 720p LCDs, the WD-52531 and WD-62531, which claim 20 percent more brightness than last year's models, along with dual HDMI ports and Push720p tech to take care of analog and 1080i signals. Until we get a good pic of these, we're picturing Mitsubishi's laz0r projection set that they still have in the works. No word on pricing or availability for any of the models.

[Kyle @ Apr 7th 2006 6:09PM]

Do they input 1080p though the HDMI and is the HDMI 1.3 compatible? Also is it wobed?

[NT @ Apr 7th 2006 6:16PM]

They should throw one in when you purchase a new EVO

[EatingPie @ Apr 7th 2006 6:23PM]

NetCommand actually ain't meaningless! It's their interface for adding devices so that the TV can control all your junk. One of it's goals is to allow you to use only one remote, and in my older Mitsubishi model, it *almost* achieves this.

But, yeah, I hate market speak as much as the next guy.

-Pie

[yeah @ Apr 7th 2006 6:30PM]

Lolz0rz to the people that said that 1080p would take 10 years to take off.

[Anthony @ Apr 7th 2006 7:24PM]

to #2: There is still no 1080p content other than computers. How exactly has 1080p taken off?

Also, are these 1080p DLP sets actually 1080p or still just wobulated?

[nuggetbro @ Apr 8th 2006 3:17AM]

There was a time people where mitsubishi made the best monitors around (next to sony) lets just hope these are comparable.

[Jeremy @ Apr 8th 2006 3:27AM]

RE: 3.
The majority of 1080P display devices currently available ONLY support 1080P when input through the VGA D-Sub connection (i.e. they won't accept it through dvi/hdmi/comp)... Not to mention that even if the display device DOES accept over dvi/hdmi/comp, you'll be hard pressed to find more than ten consumer purchase-able devices that actually output 1080P...

That being said, 1080P sets are 1080P native and must upscale and/or deinterlace everything input to them (assuming you have one of the few sets that accepts 1080P over dvi/hdmi/component...and assuming you don't have one of the handful of devices that actually output 1080P). This extra step can degrade video quality and introduce video-lag.

Another issue with 1080P is the fact that it is most tailored/applicable to the upcoming HD-DVD/Blue-Ray players. So think about how long DVD has been out and consider the fact DVD (both content and player) quality is just now reaching it's zenith. I think you'll find that the first generation (if not generations) of HD ContentPlayers will actually produce video that is NOT as good as the best (not necessarily most expensive) DVD setup. While this is not technically a "fault" of 1080P, it is still, nonetheless a factor in it's widespread use.

[Andy @ Apr 8th 2006 10:08AM]

This looks like a good display. Im in need of a new one for watching tv.

[EatingPie @ Apr 9th 2006 10:30PM]

It's fallacious to say that "LCD/Plasma panels are so much better looking."

Every display technology has its strengths and weaknesses. Plasmas go green (unless that's been fixed) and suffer burn-in. LCD has HORRIFIC screen door effect in tons of models. DLP has the rainbow thingy. CRT can't do 1080p, but owns your blacks like they're Johnny Cash.

The variety of display technologies is a good thing. It allows people to pick/choose what they like best. I have a CRT because I *personally* think it does HD movies better than anything. If gaming were my main schtick, I'd go LCOS or, if I didn't have the money for that, DLP/LCD.

But see, that's just me. You could throw me a million reasons why LCD/Plasma rock your world, and you'd be right. Not for me, though.... but that's why the variety of technologies is actually good.

-Pie

[Ben Hobbs @ Apr 10th 2006 1:18AM]

Actually I was talking about ergonomics, Theres no way you can say that its "fallacious" to say that generally the smart, compact LCD/Plasma models that can be mounted on/in-walls etc.. are better looking than the wooden box Behemoth's that rear projection sets typically are.

Sure, some of the newer ones are getting slimmer and better looking, but they still look, well "90's" for the lack of a better word.

I've yet to see screen door on an LCD TV and Plasmas going green is something I remember from 5+ years back.

I admit that the best picture quality (at a low size) is likely to come from a CRT set, but thats because they've had so long to perfect the technology. Which is pretty outdated nowadays, I doubt anyone looking at buying a new HD or large TV screen is contemplating CRT.