Vizio unveils first sub-$1000, 42-inch plasma HDTV

In a slew of announcements meant to coincide with next week's large-scale Black Friday sales, Vizio today revealed both a new 42-inch plasma display as well as a series of new LCD TVs. While the pricing will initially be limited to a one-day Costco sale, the VP42 will be the first plasma TV of its size to reach a $1000 price level while still offering real HD resolutions, Vizio claims. A slight upgrade to the existing P42, the VP42 carries over many of the existing features such as 720p/1080i video support, a built-in ATSC tuner for HDTV broadcasts, and HDMI input.

A further highlight today is the VX20LHDTV, a 20-inch LCD that Vizio says is the least expensive 720p-capable TV with an ATSC tuner in the market at $400. The company has additionally released the VX32L ($700), VX37L ($1000), and higher-end Gallevia GV46L ($1,650) LCD sets at sizes of 32, 37, and 46 inches respectively. The company did not mention the exact improvements found in these models but expects them and the VP42 to be available in time for Black Friday sales events at stores such as BJ's, Costco, and Sam's Club.