RSSToshiba debuts 'SRT' upconverting LCD TVs
By Ed Oswald | Published September 4, 2008, 2:44 PM
Toshiba's new functionality -- dubbed Super Resolution Technology -- makes its debut in the company's Regza line of televisions, and promises to upconvert standard definition television to HD-like quality.
Toshiba has made several moves over the past few months following HD DVD's collapse that almost make it seem like it wants to sabotage Blu-ray, and this latest play could be considered one such move. It also announced plans in June to add firmware to SD DVD players to improve picture quality of regular DVDs.
With SRT, essentially, new algorithms will improve image sharpness, brightness, and color -- the three topics of complaints often heard from A/V aficionados when they're viewing standard-definition content on an HDTV.
Regza series RV535 and XV545 LCD sets will be the first to include this technology, Toshiba says, and should be available this month. Pricing will range from $1,399 to $2,799, and be available in 42", 46", and 52" models.
"The TV industry is now hyper-dynamic, with faster change in both technology and price points," marketing head Scott Ramirez said. "We are introducing new leading technologies, like SRT, and also strengthening our core models for the key selling season."
Both product lines will support up to 1080p resolution, and include four HDMI inputs, and Toshiba's SoundStrip technology and PixelPure 4G 14-bit internal digital video processor.
The XV545 sets, particularly, will also include a special gaming mode to improve screen response time, and ClearFrame which improves the picture quality of moving objects on the screen.
Last month, Toshiba launched its AV502 series sets with 720p resolution launched in August with three models, and two models in the RV525 series that support 1080p resolution will be shipped over the next two months. Another 22" LCD in the AV500 series is scheduled for release this month at a price point of $499.
I think its a good business move on Toshiba's part. I much as I hate it but most of cable/DBS programming is still SD. For every HD channels carried by most cable companies there are 6-10 SD channels. So most of the viewing is still SD content. Majority of people have not invested in Blu-ray player and won't for quite some time. SO to give them a TV set that does 120Hz, 1080p and very good upconversion is a win. If Toshiba prices and markets this aggressively then they have a very good shot.
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|At price points similar to 1080p units, its hard to see a groundswell running to embrace this .
Now, if they could add it at or near existing prices, something Sony has failed to move BR to. it would provide a strategic marketing advantage where they might truly be onto something.
Until then, I don't see either dominating the market.
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|Foxfyre I do not get your point in that it is 1080p and they are only list prices whicn do not mean much in the real world,but it's mean reason being that this new technology is supposed to give virtual hd quality to sd signal,but saying that my 16 month old
Samsung 1080p has a fairly good stab at it having not viewed any full hd on it yet.
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|Fox... this tv is 1080p... so that why it is price accordingly. The main reason for this "new" technology is that Toshiba is trying to get a better chip for upconverting regular 240 lines of SD to a clearer picture on the 1080 pixels the set is boasting. If they do this anywhere near as good as the technology they use for upconverting DVD to "HD" than this should be a pretty impressive set. Though before to long, SD will be a thing if the past anyway.
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|Im liking this technology. Hopefully others will follow. Like you said, its amazing even how much clearer my upconverting dvd player is compared to my old dvd player. Ofcorse it still lacks the quality of true 1080P but that is expected.
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