Vizio Announces Theater 3D HDTVs

HDTV giant Vizio announced a new lineup of HDTVs today, ranging from 22 to 71 inches across their budget-friendly E-series, stylish M-series, and high-powered XVT-series TV lines.

All of these TVs will support Vizio's Theater 3D feature, which uses circular-polarized 3D glasses to produce a 3D image, similar to the inexpensive, lightweight glasses used in 3D movie theaters. This is a marked difference from previous home 3D TVs, which all used active-shutter glasses that required batteries, weighed more, and cost as much as $150 for a pair. Vizio claims that their polarized 3D technology reduces crosstalk (meaning you won't have to deal with ghosting image issues that earlier 3D TVs had) and looks twice as bright as active-shutter 3D sets.

Each of these TVs also include Vizio Internet Apps ("VIA"), which allow the TV to stream media from Netflix, Amazon VOD, Vudu, Pandora, and several other services. The higher-end XVT3D476SV and XVT3D556SV models, however, will incorporate Vizio's new "VIA Plus" features, which includes Google TV support, so you can browse the Web from your TV and more with an included Bluetooth QWERTY remote. What's more, you pick up Vizio's new Android tablet or smartphone, VIA Plus HDTVs will be able to play nicely with them.

The E-series HDTVs will come in 32-inch, 42-inch, and 47-inch models, with the 32-inch model stuck with a 60hz refresh rate and the 42-inch and 47-inch models with a 120hz refresh rate. None of the E-series TVs have Bluetooth remotes, so you'll have to move up to selected M-series or XVT-series models if you want Bluetooth support or LED lighting.

The M-series TVs will come in 42-inch, 46-inch, 47-inch, and 55-inch models, each of which feature Vizio's 240hz SPS ("Scenes Per Second") refresh rate and the standard Vizio Internet Apps implementation. All of these include Bluetooth support and edge-lit RazorLED lighting.

Vizio's flagship XVT-series HDTVs will range from 22 inches to 65 inches. The smaller sets (22-inch and 26-inch) are stuck with a 60hz refresh rate and an infrared remote, while refresh rates vary across the board from 120hz and 240hz to a whopping 480hz. The larger sets include either Vizio's edge-lit LED lighting ("RazorLED") or full-array LED backlighting ("TruLED"), and the two VIA Plus models include a special Bluetooth remote that has a touchpad to take advantage of the Google TV features.