Toshiba demos 55-inch SED with 100,000:1 contrast ratio

SED could hold the greatest promise in the world of HDTV, but when? Here at Engadget we get excited about SED because it holds the promise to release us from the compromises we are forced to face today -- we feel like we have to have that big TV hanging on the wall, but miss the great contrast ratios we have enjoyed for years on our CRTs. This week SED inc, the joint effort between Canon and Toshiba, demoed the first SED with a 100,000:1 contrast ratio at the FPD International 2006 in Pacifico Yokohama convention center; previous models we saw at CES were only 50000:1. There is still no solid release date and all indications point to 2008.

[jjmancini Posted Oct 19th 2006 5:58PM]

Impressive...

I long for the day that TV's can get to 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio. Because my eyes can see the difference.

[wyldtek Posted Oct 19th 2006 6:23PM]

JJ,
Yours eyes can see it, but could your wallet handle it?

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 19th 2006 8:23PM]

Who has the equipment (measurement device) sensitive enough to measure the minimum light output in order to determine the contrast ratio? I'm betting 99.9999-percent of the population doesn't have access to, let alone own, devices to prove their claims differently.

While I have great hopes for SED as a display technology, I could do without the marketing spin claims from manufacturers, which are often manifold over reality. BTW, what is the ANSI contrast rating?

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 20th 2006 3:55PM]

You know, I hate to sound smug, but some of us just buy beautiful CRT HDTVs now -- and are very very happy. And 34" is just fine for our apartments. And we spent LESS money. Get a Sony while you can.

-Christopher

[gt350 Posted Oct 21st 2006 3:40AM]

having seen sed it is the best picture tech so far=== to 55'' they should have no problem selling in the high end. ITS that good, but as others get better picture price will decide--which is Visio land and know one wants to talk about that their picture is good enough, for most consumers/then the money=== better plasmas are out their, but for to much. a 25% better picture costs 50% more so Sed has a narrow window to win. THeres always a faster car.