Diamond Bar, Calif. — A mass market for 4K Ultra High-Definition TV may have arrived a bit earlier than many had expected Monday, as value CE manufacturer Seiki Digital unveiled a 50-inch 4K Ultra HD LED-edge-lit LCD TV at an eyebrow-raising suggested retail of $1,500.
Seiki’s 50-inch set is one of the smallest announced to date offering native 4K by 2K (3,840 by 2,160) resolution, which is four times that of FullHD 1080p.
At $1,500, it beats Westinghouse Digital’s previously announced low price point for a 50-inch Ultra HD model by $1,000. Westinghouse has also announced plans for a 55-inch Ultra HD model at $3,000 and a 65-inch version at $3,995.
Sony recently announced it would be shipping a 55-inch 4K Ultra HD XBR LED LCD TV set at a $5,000 suggested retail and a 65-inch at $7,000, to join its currently available $25,000 Ultra HD 84-inch set.
LG has not yet issued pricing on its previously announced 55- and 65-inch models, due later this year.
Seiki said the set is slated to ship to retailers in late April, and is the first such set to be introduced in the U.S. by Seiki.
The company plans to roll out a 65-inch screen size model in 2013. The 50-inch model will be available through select authorized retailers, including Amazon.com and QVC, the manufacturer said.
“The introduction of Ultra HD TV is perhaps the biggest news since the first arrival of HDTV, and Seiki is leading the charge to make the next generation of high-definition entertainment attainable for today’s television buyers at an affordable price,” said Frank Kendzora, Seiki executive VP. “The Seiki 4K2K picture quality is stunning with clarity and vivid colors that far surpasses conventional HDTVs. At the Seiki price point, today’s TV buyers can future-proof their next purchase with the latest Ultra HDTV technology, enjoy current high-definition video content, and be ready to experience 4K content as it becomes available in the near future.”
The Seiki 50-inch 4K by 2K Ultra HDTV model features a 120Hz response rate with built-in digital and analog channel tuning, and multiple video and audio connections to support current high-definition video content.
The model is also packaged with an HDMI 1.4 standard cable to enable video resolutions beyond 1080p.
Seiki said its Ultra HD and HDTV products are backed by “an industry-first one-year, no-nonsense, replacement warranty” through its U.S.-based technical support at (855) MY-SEIKI.
