Budget TV designer Vizio is planning to overturn the US TV business with a 52-inch LCD, claim sources near Vizio's Taiwan manufacturer Amtran. The American firm will reportedly use a combination of an LG-Philips LCD panel and its typical design process to launch a large TV at $2,200 -- well below sets from Toshiba and other mainstream brands, which often sell sets well over $3,000 at the same size. Specifications are unknown but are unlikely to include premium features such as a 120Hz panel or an advanced dynamic contrast system. Shipping models are allegedly due to reach Costco stores next month, the sources add.

The claim supports Vizio's recent aggressive goals for its sets, which it believes should make large screens practical for buyers who would otherwise be forced to consider bulkier rear-projection sets or else smaller displays. Its 60-inch VM60P plasma is its most recent example, costing roughly half the amount of equivalent sets at $3,000.