JVC, purveyor of LCoS-based rear-projection HDTVs including the well-performing HD-56FN97, announced a pair of superslim models in mid-December, and showed them again at CES 2007. The sets are designed to "easily fit on most stands and furniture designed for flat-panel TVs" according to the press release. The 58-inch HD-58S998 (January, $3,300 selling price) and the 65-inch HD-65S998 (March, $4,200) occupy a mere 10.7 inches and 11.6 inches of depth, respectively. The company is marketing a stand (pictured at right) and a wall-mount bracket that allows these TVs to hang over the fireplace, plasma TV-style.
Given the fact that a comparably sized plasma, such as Panasonic's 58-inch TH-58PX60U, currently goes for about $3,300 itself, we expect JVC's selling price for the 58-inch model to drop pretty quickly. The 65-inch model should also fall in price given the recent introductions of a couple of less expensive big-screen plasmas, such as the 65-inch Philips for $3,500 and the 60-inch Vizio for $2,999. It's also worth noting that some previous attempts at superslim, wall-mountable, rear-projection HDTVs, such as RCA's HD61THW263, compromised picture quality to a certain extent. If JVC's sets do not, and their prices fall enough to remain competitive with plasma sets, they may help stave off the inevitable death of rear-projection HDTVs.
