LG Bows 'DoubleLife’ Plasma Sets
By Greg Tarr -- TWICE, 9/6/2004
INDIANAPOLIS— LG will announce at CEDIA a line of fully integrated digital cable ready (DCR) televisions and new “DoubleLife” technology it has developed to extend the life of its plasma display panels to 60,000 hours.
Leading LG’s Digital Cable Ready HDTV line-up is a series of plasma HDTV sets with integrated ATSC tuners and CableCARD capability. Integrated plasma models are offered in the 60W-, 50W- and 42W-inch screen sizes and deliver 1366-by-768 resolution.
Suggested list prices are $16,999 for the 60W-inch DU-60PY10p; $6,999 for 50W-inch DU-50PY10 and $5,999 for 42W-inch DU-42PY10. All three models are planned for fall delivery.
Inputs include DVI+HDCP, HDMI, IEEE-1394, RS-232C and PC. Flexible PIP/POP/split-zoom and twin-picture features allows sub-windows to be moved, resized, swapped and split into up to nine windows. Built-in stands and speakers also are included for ease of installation.
Brightness on the panels is listed at 1,000 cd/m2, and the contrast ratio is said to be 3,000:1. Additionally, the new model incorporate LG’s new 60,000-hour “DoubleLife“ technology and four exclusive image-sticking prevention options to reduce “screen burn-in“ issues inherent in plasma displays.
“DoubleLife“ technology is said to extend plasma panel life to 60,000 hours, or “more than 20 years of normal viewing, eight hours a day, 365 days a year.“
Panels also include LG’s “XD Engine“ for enhanced picture processing performance.
All LG DCR HDTVs include the Gemstar TV Guide On Screen interactive program guides.
Other DCR products to be showcased by LG at the show include two DLP-based microdisplay rear-projection HDTV sets. Models DU-52SZ61D and DU-62SZ61D feature 52W-inch and 62W-inch screen sizes, respectively, each with 1280-by-720 resolution using Texas Instruments HD-2 “Mustang“ Digital Micromirror Device.
Also added is LG’s fifth-generation light-engine, ATSC tuner and CableCARD slot.
The DU-52SZ61D, which ships this fall at at $3,499 suggested retail, offers HDMI, RGB and IEEE-1394 connections, as well as dual-tuner PIP, POP and split-screen options, 3D Y/C comb filter, 3:2 pull-down cinema correction and Dolby Virtual Surround Sound.
The DU-62SZ61D will be available this fall at a price to be announced.
