THE FRONT LINE: MAY 15, 2007
Mitsubishi 2007 Line Show
Mitsubishi is placing its bets this year on an all-1080p lineup, including an expanded line of LCD HDTVs.
The last ten years have seen remarkable changes in the size, shape, and performance of HDTVs. And no company has been affected as much as Mitsubishi, which began that same decade as the undisputed high-end leader in rear-projection CRT technology, sold through home theater dealers, but now relies mostly on big box stores and wholesale club distribution
It wasn’t unusual to attend a Mits line show in past years and see as many as 21 different models of RPTVs on display, along with a bevy of VHS player/recorders, DVD players, and even hard disc video recorders, all linked by the company’s NetCommand FireWire control system.
Today, the company’s offerings are much more modest and their suggested retail prices have plummeted as the price wars continue unabated. Gone are the accessory players and recorders, along with (presumably) the Mitsubishi “promise” of future upgrades to consumers so their CRT HDTVs would stay current with changes in technology — all casualties of the commoditization of HDTV.
It was in that spirit that the 2007 line-up was revealed to the press, arrayed around a modest room at the Westin Hotel in New York City. There will be 17 new HDTVs in the line-up, and significantly there are almost as many LCD models (eight) as there are 1080p DLP rear-projectors (nine).
The emphasis was clearly on 1080p across the board, and it’s evident that price pressures have forced Mitsubishi up in screen size for rear-projection sets. LCD rules the day up to 52 inches, while the newest DLP sets start at 57 inches
Figure 1. Mitsubishi’s LT-52133 (left) and LT-40133 (right) are entry-level LCD HDTVs for 2007.
LCD MODELS
Four series of LCD HDTVs will be offered with 40-inch, 46-inch, and 52-inch screen sizes. The 133 Series contains three models (LT-40133, $2,699 SVP; LT-46133, $3,399, and LT-52133, SVP $4,499) with three HDMI 1.3 inputs and support for the xvYCC expanded color gamut. There’s also an LT-40134 ($2,899) that adds NetCommand and a fourth, side-mounted HDMI 1.3 jack.
Stepping up one level more, you’ll find the LT-46144 ($3,899) and LT-52144 ($5,099). These sets have side-mounted component video inputs in addition to the extra HDMI input and also use 120 Hz processing with black frame insertion to reduce motion blur. At the top of the line, the Diamond LT-46244 ($4,499) and LT-52244 ($5,699) top everything off with CableCARD slots, TV Guide 24-hour daily EPG, and Mitsubishi’s PerfecTint processing.
Mitsubishi claims these LCD HDTVs are unique in their use of a super-thin frame that has a mullion thickness of one inch — about half that of conventional LCD HDTVs. (I have to admit, these are the thinnest frames I’ve seen on any flat panel HDTV so far.) Finishes for each series of TVs are platinum black with platinum metallic (133), 100% platinum black (134and 144), and black pearl (244/Diamond).
Although these LCD HDTVs use conventional cold-cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFLs), Mitsubishi has set them up to show the xvYCC expanded color gamut. The HDMI 1.3 interface also supports Deep Color (up to 48 bits) for smoother gradations between different luminance levels. The company also claims they can achieve “25% more color than standard LCDs” which I took too mean a wider color space.
Support for xvYCC is interesting because there’s no packaged media currently coded in that color space, nor are there any plans soon to transmit HD programming to the home in anything other than the REC.709 or EBU color spaces. Such content would likely appear on gaming consoles and computer software before anything else.
Figure 2. The WD-65833 is one of nine all-1080p rear-projection offerings.
DLP MODELS
It’s “1080p or bust” for Mitsubishi this year, starting with the 733 Series. The 57-inch WD-57733 ($2,499), 65-inch WD-65733 ($2,999), and 73-inch WD-73733 ($4,699) all use Mits’ six-color wheel, also support xvYCC, and have three rear HDMI 1.3 inputs plus a front component (YPbPr) jack complement.
Stepping up to the 734 series, you’ll find the WD-57734 ($2,799), WD-65734 (no price given), and WD-73734 (no price given). These three sets add a dark detail processor, PerfecTint color shading, dynamic contrast, user-adjustable edge enhancement, NetCommand, and a front HDMI input.
The line is rounded out with three Diamond 833 offerings. The WD-57833 ($3,399), WD-65833 ($3,999), and WD-73833 ($5,899) include 120 Hz processing for sharper motion detail and for 3D gaming with active shutter glasses, TV Guide OnScreen, FireWire inputs for connection to third-party HD recorder/player devices, and RS232C control. Finishes are platinum black for 733 and 734 sets and black pearl for 833 sets.
ANALYSIS
Because prices have dropped so low on RPTVs in general, the Mits strategy for 2007 is to push customers to buy bigger screen sizes. (Their mantra was that 73 inches is the new 65 inches!) All of the 2007 RPTVs have slimmer cabinets (17.5 inches), so a larger screen won’t necessarily seem as bulky as it would a year ago. Perhaps that fact, combined with lower prices, will tip a customer towards the larger screen.
While this emphasis on bigger screens is and interesting strategy, the MD RPTV segment above 60 inches traditionally has not been a very large market — although Mitsubishi’s director of product development David Naranjo claims the company will capture better than 25% of that 60”+ business this year, which the company estimated to be over 800,000 units worldwide.
Figure 3. Mitsubishi’s 3D gaming demo was impressive when viewed through active LCD glasses.
It’s clear that Mits has finally conceded the space below 57 inches to flat panel plasma and LCD, both of which are still more costly to manufacture than MD RPTVs in screen sizes above 60 inches. The 46-inch and 52-inch LCD models should do well if their prices remain competitive against plasma.
The LT-52133 out of the gate is already at a $800 — $1,000 price disadvantage to Samsung and Panasonic’s 2007 50-inch 1080p plasma HDTVs, both of which have much better black levels and color performance, based on my observations at each company’s line show. And you can buy 58-inch 1080p plasma HDTVs for $600 — $700 less than the LT-52144 will sell for.
The 40-inch sets, while they looked quite good, will probably succumb to the whirl and tumble of aggressive pricing and wind up moving best through wholesale clubs and big box retailers. Mitsubishi’s MSRPs on these sets are high for tier 1 brands and command a substantial premium over up-and-coming 2nd tier brands like Westinghouse Digital.
Where the playing field tilts heavily in Mitsubishi’s favor is at 57 inches and above. The WD-57733 enjoys a $2,000 advantage in price against the Panasonic and Samsung 58-inch 1080p plasma HDTVs. Even the top-line WD-65833 sells for $700 less, and those margins should be sustainable throughout the rest of the year.
The 120-Hz capability on the DLP sets provided a nice 3D gaming experience for those members of the press willing to take a test drive. 3D gaming will be a hot category in the coming year; Samsung is also providing 120 Hz image refresh for active stereo viewing on some of their DLP rear-projection sets.
