Zenith
Zenith led off with promises of four plasma TVs, a 30-inch widescreen LCD model, 52- and 60-inch LCD rear-projection sets, and a trio of flat-screen tube models with USB inputs. More interesting is that, while other companies are mostly providing HDTV monitors that need outboard high-definition digital tuners, Zenith will market more direct-view HDTVs with built-in tuners. In fact, the company will lead a crusade against set-top boxes. Zenith also announced a multidisc DVD changer with DVD-Audio capabilities.
 Panasonic's first "e-wear" A/V recorder, the tiny SV-AV10 |
Panasonic Panasonic revealed its usual cornucopia of new products. Its first E-Wear A/V recorder, the SV-AV10, is smaller than a Canon Elph digital still camera. It uses SD (Secure Digital) memory cards and will benefit from the just announced 512-megabyte (MB) card, which has a much faster data-transfer rate than previous SD cards and retails for about $1 per megabyte. However, a 1-gigabyte (GB) card will arrive later this year. Panasonic also debuted its collaboration with famed lensmaker Leica, the four-model Lumix camcorder line, and a very compact model it calls the Multicam that records still photos or MPEG-4 video at about $2,195.
 Panasonic's 80-pound, 45-inch, widescreen LCD rear-projection HDTV ($4,000) |
On the large side, at least in screen size, Panasonic showed perhaps the lightest, thinnest big-screen TV on the market, an 80-pound, 45-inch LCD, widescreen (16:9 aspect ratio) rear-projection set for about $4,000. The company also bragged of teaming up with Microsoft to support Windows Media Audio. The company announced three models, ranging in price from $200 to $400, that will play both MP3 and WMA compressed-audio files. Two of them are low-profile models that stand less than 2 inches tall.
 The TS-D160R, one of Pioneer's new car speakers made to look like fancy wheel covers. |
Pioneer
Pioneer has continued improving and promoting its organic electro-luminescent (OEL) displays, which are currently used on car stereo head units and promised for larger displays sometime in the future. It showed photos of the new Lincoln Continental concept car that has eight OEL panels across the dash -- four for standard driver information and four for optional information and video. Pioneer believes OEL will ultimately be cheaper and easier to manufacture than LCD, will provide a wider viewing angle with greater brightness, and use less power. According to Pioneer, OEL also exhibits a "3-D effect."
