Mitsubishi's LaserVue rear-projection 1080p DLP television was a knock-out at the Consumer Electronics Show last January. We were genuinely blown away by the vivid color and sharp detail of this prototype screen. But, we wondered, when would it ever see retailers' shelves? The answer, we now learn, is soon.
The 65-inch LaserVue will arrive this Fall (Q3) followed by a 73-inch
set later in the year. The display will be 10 inches thick — bulky
compared to the competition but exceptionally thin compared to
traditional rear-projection TVs. Also unlike earlier generation
rear-projection sets, the LaserVue is a 120-Hz display. However, the
biggest innovation is its laser-light source, touted by Mitsubishi as
being the purest light source available. One thing is for sure: The
colors on the prototype were superb, and the blacks were impressive as
well.
Also, reportedly, the LaserVue will be 3D-capable (glasses required). Not a bad thing, considering the full slate of 3D movies in the Hollywood pipeline.
Price, as they say, has not been announced. But Mitsubishi logically hinted that the sets will be priced comparably to the similarly-sized competition. Green customers will be encouraged to learn that the LaserVue consumes about half the power of an LCD or plasma display. The question is: If LaserVue provides a picture that looks better than LCD or plasma, will that be enough to overcome its thickness penalty? —Ken C. Pohlmann
