NEC Residential Series

NEC on Thursday took a further step into becoming a genuine HDTV producer with five new LCD sets. First is the completely new MultiSync Residential series; the 40-inch SC40 and its larger cousin the 46-inch SC46both display 1080p but are said to have an edge over most home HD sets with an in-house signal processor which NEC claims produces better images; officially, however, the company nets 1,000:1 and 1,200:1 static contrast ratios respectively with 8ms pixel response. Both screens are built with custom home theaters as an option and can be plugged in either through HDMI or HDCP-encrypted DVI as well as legacy component video. ATSC TV tuning is optional, NEC says. Both ship today at $3,300 for the SC40 and $4,200 for the SC46.

Three sets also kick off the launch of the AccuSync Residential series. Capped at a 720p resolution, the 32-inch PV32, 40-inch PV40, and 46-inch PV46 compensate with a much higher 5,000:1 contrast ratio and an integrated ATSC tuner. The PV46 is one of the most complete HDTVs in its class, according to the company: a removable 50-watt speaker system with simulated 3D sound are strong enough to replace stand-alone speakers in tighter environments. Every set should be available today at prices of $900 for the 32-inch model, $1,400 for the 40-inch version, and $2,000 for the largest set.

By Electronista Staff