VIZIO shows 2010 3D TVs, first passive model for 2011

Portable Gadget
June 23, 2010

Many of Vizio’s new LED-based models will feature the company’s Apps Interactive platform. Vizio announced its 2010 3D TVs at CES in January, and on Tuesday provided a few more details on the upcoming sets. It also showed the first 3D model for the U.S. market to offer passive glasses technology. Although the January announcement included pricing, Vizio now says all three3D TV models, which range from 42 to 55 inches, are “price $TBD.” As is common with the company, other details have changed as well: there’s no 72-inch screen size anymore; the release date has been pushed back from “August” to “Q4″ of this year; the “XVT Pro” designation has changed to “XVT3D”; and the glasses will not incorporate Bluetooth technology–instead relying on infrared like those of other TV makers.Most of the other important information remains the same, including the presence of a local dimming LED backlight (full-array on the 55- and 47-inchers; edge-lit on the 42) and a superb feature set with the same QWERTY Bluetooth remote, built-in Wi-Fi and apps platform we liked so much on the current 2XVT series (we’re hoping the external styling gets a facelift though). Check out the original CES announcement for additional details. The company did not specify whether it would include the necessary active-shutter 3D glasses, or how much extra glasses would cost (currently about $150 a pair from other TV makers) with these sets. A company rep told us pricing on the TVs and glasses, as well as the question of glasses inclusion, might be finalized in as little as four to six weeks, however. Speaking of glasses, Vizio also showed a 65-inch 3D TV that uses passive technology, similar to what’s used in most movie theaters in the U.S. The simple polarized glasses are much less expensive than the active variety found on current 3D TVs, but the display itself costs more to manufacture. Vizio’s rep said the TV would be out in the first quarter of 2011, and although pricing was not announced, he expressed regretful skepticism that the price would be kept below $3,000. Vizio will ship its XVT3SV series, which features the same three sizes and essentially the same feature set–minus 3D capability–in July. One key difference: all three sizes, including the 42-incher, include a full-array, local-dimming LED backlight. The company also showed home theater sound bars, Bluetooth headphones designed to work with the company’s Bluetooth-equipped TVs, and even a wireless router. We’ll cover those in a separate post.

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