Samsung readies LCD TVs with HDMI 1.3, LED backlights

Continuing its series of CES announcements, Samsung tonight revealed a large collection of new LCD TVs, all targeted at improving the oft-maligned color accuracy of flat-panel displays. At the head of the announcements is the company's 81 series. The company says the new LCDs, ranging between the 40-inch LN-T4081F and the 57-inch LN-T5781F, all mark the first LED-backlit TVs with local dimming. The new lighting technique dramatically improves the color gamut to 105% of the NTSC range, promising images that perfectly match the source material. Local dimming on the lights also boosts the contrast ratio to an exceptional 50,000:1 by selectively reducing light for pixels that display darker colors in a given scene. All the sets should be 1080p-capable and will include three HDMI ports when they go on sale in July for an unrevealed price.

News of the company's HDMI 1.3-equipped LCD sets follows after the jump.

Complementing the LED sets will be Samsung's mid-range 61 series. Although they will keep to the more conventional backlighting of previous models, the 40-inch LN-T4061F, 46-inch LN-T4661F, and 52-inch LN-T5261F will all have three HDMI 1.3 ports for improved colors from compatible sources such as the company's own BD-P1200 Blu-Ray player or the PlayStation 3. The displays should also provide color accuracy superior to 2006 screens, according to Samsung: new Super Patterned Vertical Alignment (SPVA) panels reach a capable 92% color gamut and an 8,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio. Release information for these enhanced models is currently unavailable.

Samsung is concluding its LCD announcements with the entry-level 53 series, an update to the 52 line of 2006 that primarily adds the improved 92% color accuracy (for 32- and 40-inch models), 7,000:1 dynamic contrast, and a USB 2.0 port for viewing photos directly from a camera or external drive. They will sport three connections for the earlier HDMI 1.2 standard and will launch in March for prices of $529 (19 inches), $849 (23 inches), $1,299 (26 inches), $1,699 (32 inches), and $2,299 (40 inches).