Vizio intros 55-inch 1080p XVT HDTV, soundbar, more goodies

Chrismakwanzika has come early for anyone remotely interested in Vizio kit, and quite honestly, even for those that aren't. From the top, we've got the 55-inch VF550XVT1A, a 1080p HDTV with 120Hz Smooth Motion Video technology, a 50,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, five HDMI inputs, SRS TruSurround HD and a $1,999 MSRP. Next up is the firm's own soundbar and wireless subwoofer kit (VSB210WS), which has finally escaped rumor purgatory to pop official. The kit sports four 3-inch speakers alongside a single 1-inch tweeter for each channel, and the long throw 6.5-inch subbie makes sure the lows are well addressed, too. Just a single cable is needed to connect the VSB210WS to any flat-panel, and just $349.99 is needed to bring it home. On deck are a trio of smaller LCDs: the 19-inch VA19 ($249.99), 22-inch VA22 ($349.99) and 26-inch VA26 ($449.99), with the middle guy becoming Vizio's smallest 1080p HDTV ever. Closing things out is the 26-inch VMM26, a 25.5-inch "multimedia monitor" with a 1,920 x 1,200 resolution, HDMI / USB ports, touch-activated menus and a $429.99 sticker. All but the first two products mentioned are on sale now, while the first two will be available just before your '09 Super Bowl bash.

[dagreenman18 @ Nov 20th 2008 9:42AM]

so, are they worth it?

[CarlosRossi @ Nov 24th 2008 1:57PM]

I read on this Engadget review of a guy who had a friend whose uncle started Vizio. Man I'm proud of him.

[NayLoMo6C @ Nov 20th 2008 9:47AM]

My friend's uncle is the guy who started the company...
man am I proud of him

[ZaxCG2 @ Nov 20th 2008 10:28AM]

YES - and I'm 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon... but I'm not proud of him.

[El Taco @ Nov 20th 2008 8:37PM]

OMG no way! My friend's uncle started GE

and my other friend's uncle is bill Gates

and my other friend's uncle was the first astronaut to circle the planet Venus.

/sarcasm

[nxp3 @ Nov 20th 2008 9:52AM]

I was thinking of getting a vizio from Costco for some gaming and a little tv watching. Thought they weren't that great with picture quality and the sound wasn't good at all considering the huge speaker attachment at the bottom.

I happen to have bought a couple of vizio for work for a display, we didn't need the speakers so I took it apart. In that huge speaker box was a 3 inch speaker...the same you find in a PC. Man what a piece of junk. If you are going to stick cheap ass speaker, no need to fool the people by hiding it in a huge speaker box...that's just wrong. That thing is so small you could have just stuck it inside the tv. I have since lost all desire to buy a vizio, no matter how cheap it is....beacuse it really is made cheaply.

[Chad @ Nov 20th 2008 10:05AM]

Ever seen the speakers in a Bose system? I'm not saying the speakers in a Vizio aren't cheap but the small size doesn't make them cheap.

[Will C @ Nov 20th 2008 12:38PM]

No highs, no lows... must be Bose...

Filth.

[Colin B @ Nov 20th 2008 9:53AM]

you forgot channukah! it's chrismahanukwanzakah.

[Mike C @ Nov 20th 2008 10:05AM]

Chrismakwanzika = Christmas + Kwanza + Channakah

[Colin B @ Nov 20th 2008 12:19PM]

fair enough...it's still Chrismahanukwanzakah though.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrismahanukwanzakah

[Dmas @ Nov 20th 2008 10:14AM]

Speaker size is no indication of quality. The sound quality of a speaker is determined by three things - the quality of the driver (speaker), the size of the enclosure (larger makes it easier to tune for better bass) and the quality of the amplifier.

Not to say that Vizio speakers ARENT cheap, but complaining that the speaker was small in a large enclosure proves absolutely nothing.

I Picked up a 32" 1080p Vizio LCD for the bedroom a few months ago and have been completely happy with my purchase. I cross shopped it with 32" LCDs from Sony, Samsung and JVC and preferred to all of them for less money.

[EUPHOR1C @ Nov 20th 2008 10:19AM]

My Vizio 47 XVT looks every bit as good and better than my older Sony 50 inch LCD projection. You won't be disappointed with your purchase of a Vizio. If you get it from Costco as well, they have an awesome automatic warranty policy to boot.

[horizontaleight @ Nov 20th 2008 10:46AM]

Coincidentally Vizio typically uses OEM Sony LCD and Plasma panels.

[horizontaleight @ Nov 20th 2008 10:50AM]

Scratch that, maybe it was LG.

[ZaxCG2 @ Nov 20th 2008 10:29AM]

Vizio is doing a great job of bringing HD to the people! :D

[nxp3 @ Nov 20th 2008 10:50AM]

I know speaker size is not indicative of sound quality, but the reason I took it apart in the first place was that the speaker box is huge and the sound quality is bad. I'm just wondering what is in there considering it's in such a nice enclosure. The speaker I'm talking about in the vizio IS the same computer speakers used to make bios beep sounds...I mean that cheaply....I can tell the difference between a cheap speaker OK. Now if you got a sound system already by all means get the TV...but don't look for good sound coming from the TV itself.

[Dravor @ Nov 20th 2008 12:01PM]

The speaker god/know it all has spoken. Therefore he is right.

[Uchiha Sasuke @ Nov 20th 2008 12:04PM]

Okaaaay gurl fren........now don't be mad someone called you out because you have no idea what you're talking about.

[projekt84 @ Nov 20th 2008 12:20PM]

If anyone's interested you should look up how Vizio came to be... it's considered a small business but outsells Sony and Samsung in the HDTV market in America... funny stuff.

[bandigolo @ Nov 20th 2008 12:42PM]

Has anyone checked the markdowns on CC lately for big-ish HDTV's?

check it - $2,199 for a 52" Sammy Series 6

I'm sure that the $1,999 price tag on this Vizio will come down just in time for xmas, but if you're a bit sketched out by the Vizio brand (understandable as the majority Vizio sets are underachievers), you will still find awesome deals.

[bandigolo @ Nov 20th 2008 12:43PM]

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Televisions/sem/rpsm/c/1/catOid/-12867/Ns/accm_num_unts_sld|1/link/ref/N/20012866+20012867+4590+5990/link/ref/rpem/ccd/categorylist.do

[Ike Skelton @ Nov 20th 2008 1:47PM]

What’s the word on Vizio? I’m in the market for a large TV and would like a 55”, but 52” is generally the norm, so this is very appealing to me. Is Vizio a quality brand? My brother has a 42” Vizio, and it looks good and all, but it was from Walmart, and I don’t generally equate TV’s from Walmart with highest quality, but maybe things have changed in the past few years? I was almost settled on a Samsung 52”, but this 55” is the perfect size for me!

[royce @ Nov 21st 2008 2:50AM]

Vizio is sold pretty much everywhere. Walmart has nothing to do with it, they sell all the major tv brands.

[SVTruong @ Nov 20th 2008 1:50PM]

I'm still waiting for their 505 plasma to come out. LCD's is great... but Plasma IS just soOOo much better. =)

[Jonny4 @ Nov 20th 2008 5:12PM]

I looked at the other XVT line and they don't have brightness or contrast controls. I thought it was worth mentioning.

[Julie Gibbins @ Feb 16th 2009 7:18PM]

Hiya,

I recently purchased one of these speaker systems, the quality is superb (real audiophile), i am well impressed/

The Vizio VSB210WS Sound Bar Speaker System is fantastic.

Great Post :), be back again, and have bookmarked your blog site.

Julie Gibbins

[Julie Gibbins @ Feb 16th 2009 7:21PM]

Hiya,

I recently purchased one of these speaker systems, the quality is superb (real audiophile), i am well impressed/

The Vizio VSB210WS Sound Bar Speaker System is fantastic.

Great Post :) be back again, and have bookmarked your blog site.

Julie Gibbins
http://www.simplyaffiliates.co.uk