Sony recently said that it plans to put Blu-ray into a variety of CE products. Now, Funai says “me too!”

Starting next summer, the company will saturate shelves with combo Blu-ray/LCD TVs at low-low prices. Crunch Gear says that 20 percent of Funai’s current U.S. TV sales are based on TV/DVD combos, so the company must be doing something right.

For those not familiar with Funai, this parent company pulls the strings to discount brands such as Symphonic, Emerson and Sylvania. Many of their products can be found in a variety of electronic retailers. Wal-Mart currently has their Sylvania Blu-ray player for $299.

Considering the prices and brand names involved, don’t expect something too eye-popping. However, the idea of a low-priced combo unit could pull in a few more Blu-ray fans.

Of course, no specs have been announced yet. A release date and pricing aren’t available either, but a 42-inch LCD/Blu-ray combo is expected to cost between $1,100 and $1,300.

Rachel Cericola - Contributing Writer

Over the past 15 years, Rachel Cericola has covered entertainment, web and technology trends. Check her out at www.rachelcericola.com.