VK-40F580D
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Westinghouse launches more HDTVs than we care to count at CES
No wonder we haven't seen a fresh TV from Westinghouse since July of last year -- it's been hoarding 'em up for a CES extravaganza. The company is dishing out no fewer than 14 new sets (yes, we caved and counted), so let's not waste any time here. The 120Hz collection consists of the 21.6-inch PT-22F380S, 37-inch TX-37F510Z, 42-inch TX-42F970Z / TX-42F450S, 46-inch VK-46F260S, 47-inch VK-47F140S and 55-inch TX-55F350Z, all of which look to boast 1080p panels, a decent array of ports and an ATSC / NTSC / Clear QAM TV tuner if you're lucky. The lower-res sets include the 18.5-inch PT-19H340S, 21.6-inch PT-22H340S, 26-inch SK-26H630S / SK-26H735S / SK-26H570D, 32-inch SK-32H635S / SK-32H820S / SK-32H570D and the 37-inch SK-37H730S. If any of those caught your eye (we know, it's a blur), feel free to hop past the break for the spec-by-spec breakdown.
Westinghouse's 40-inch VK-40F580D LCD HDTV / DVD combo gets reviewed
While we tend to view a built-in, non-upscaling DVD player as a bit of a waste, CNET reviewers felt otherwise. Westy's latest 40-incher, the VK-40F580D, recently hit the test bench at the aforementioned site, and while nothing seemed to drop jaws, the entire package appeared decent enough for the casual buyer. The relatively inexpensive sticker, deep blacks, accurate colors and satisfactory picture controls will likely be everything the HDTV novice is looking for, but those with loftier demands may be put off by the limited port selection (two HDMI, one component) and lackluster remote. All in all, it sounds like this one's not too bad for the price, but unless you're actually intending to pay a bit more for integrated DVD support, you could probably do better elsewhere.
Westinghouse releases slew of new 1080p and 720p HDTV LCDs
Westinghouse continues their habit of releasing well-spec'd but average-performing displays today with a slew of new LCD HDTVs. On the 1080p front, the TX Series comes in 42, 47, and 52-inch flavors along with the 40-inch VK-40F580D -- a 1080P DVD combo player that's (aside from the $1,099 price) ironically missing Blu-ray. The less-expensive 720p LCDs in the SK, PT, and W series come in anything from 16 to 32-inch screen sizes, the PT series being portable. So what's the big deal? The 1080p TX-52F480S 52-inch display retails at only $1,999 US, a tough number to beat in that spec range. Meanwhile, their respectably-sized 26-inch SK-26H730S is priced at just $599. So, hooray for affordable HDTV, and stuff.
Westinghouse VK-40F580D LCD embodies HD's divided state
It's some strange times in HD-land, and all that strangeness is brought together in the Westinghouse VK-40F580D LCD. Things start off pretty good with a 40-inch, 1080p LCD with NTSC, ATSC, and clear QAM tuning. Our eyebrows arched when we saw that Westinghouse also builds a DVD player into mix. We know that Westinghouse had a price point to hit with this unit, so we're not disappointed to see Blu-ray left out. But the real stick in the eye is that the DVD player does not upscale. So here we have a 1080p display that is both helped (in convenience) and hurt (in performance) by its built-in player. This is exactly the sort of thing that will keep consumers confused and/or disappointed with their $1149 purchase. The word "separates" usually has a snooty connotation, but here's a case where we think it's easy and affordable enough for everyone.
