Hold on to your wallets, everyone. No really. This is one big-screen TV that doesn’t require you to hand over all of your savings. This February, Hitachi is bringing a 1,080 line 50-inch plasma HDTV to the U.S. for under $2,500.
       
Hitachi’s new HD1080 50-inch HDTV (model P50H401) incorporates breakthrough technology that is the result of extensive research and development and more than 1,300 patents for flat-panel technologies. By engineering a new method of energizing pixels on a panel, Hitachi says they have improved picture quality by increasing the resolution to match the dominant 1080 HDTV broadcast format in the vertical domain. The new TV will feature a total of 1.3 million pixels utilizing a 1280 x 1080 pixel array.
 
In addition to the 50-inch P50H401, Hitachi’s 2007 H401 series includes the 42-inch (P42H401) and 55-inch (P55H401) models. These models feature an all new black industrial design with subtle titanium gray trim, emphasizing the picture and de-emphasizing the frame. The models use discrete speaker venting below the screen.
 
New for 2007, Hitachi includes three picture setting memories and three timers for each input for picture tuning flexibility. Since every set-top tuner and disc player is different, and lighting conditions vary from morning to daytime to nighttime, Hitachi offers three discrete picture settings memories for each input. The presets will allow the image to be customized according to source and room lighting conditions and can be customized to change automatically. The picture memories are designated as “Day,” “Day Dynamic” and “Night.”

Hitachi’s 42-inch and 50-inch plasma models feature HD1080 technology, which boast denser pixel structure for fine details.
 

• $2,499.95
• Availlable in February
• 1080p PictureMaster IV video processor
• Three 1080p-compatible HDMI inputs with SimplayHD certification
• 42- and 55-inch models also available (pricing TBA)

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.