Honeywell CE, in an attempt to enter the U.S. market with a big splash, is including a 303-pound, 82-inch HDTV in its lineup.
The monstrous Altura LE 82" features 1080p, a 120,000:1 contrast ratio, 3 HDMI inputs and a viewing angle of 178 degrees on its LCD screen. Taiwanese company Soyo will build the televisions under the Honeywell brand. There's no word yet on pricing or exact availability.
Along with the 82-inch model, the LE series will include four smaller sizes and itself as one of four lines that Honeywell is bringing stateside.
Speaking with HD Guru, Honeywell's marketing director Ed O'Brien said his company is targeting Vizio as a main competitor and plans to beat the Irvine, Calif.-based company on design, engineering, quality control and a 5-year warranty. Honeywell expects to sell the TVs at regional and national retailers, warehouse stores and big-box locales like Target -- so basically, everywhere.
Some reports on this story question Honeywell for entering the market in such shaky financial times, but a fall release could actually be a clever idea, especially if these TVs indeed undercut their competitors on pricing. The recent demise of Pioneer televisions shows that consumers are looking for cost-savings over quality right now, and it's not like people quit buying during the holiday season. Honeywell just might show up right on schedule.
