Envision unveils 32-inch HDTV for budget set

Envision this afternoon fought to lower the barrier for entry into HDTVs with the L32W661, a 32-inch display geared towards students and others who might not have the space or money for larger screens. It should ship for $649 but will be one of the few in its class to offer meaningful input and image quality; in contrast to the earlier W698, the W661 brings dual HDMI inputs that gives users space for an HD DVD player or a PlayStation 3 without disrupting their main TV link. Envision also musters a 1,200:1 static contrast ratio and a 178-degree horizontal viewing angle that prevents color shifts for multiple viewers.

Also part of the design are a 16-watt stereo speaker set with an SPDIF interface, dual component and single VGA inputs, and the by now mandatory ATSC and ClearQAM HD tuners to pick up unencrypted HDTV broadcasts without a separate cable box. Envision says the set should be available now, though has not said whether it will drop the similarly-priced W698 from shelves.