Honeywell is such an old company that in order to survive the changing manufacturing needs of the country, it’s been forced to reinvent its product line numerous times. Over the last 103 years, it has sold everything from home thermostats, to Garrett turbochargers, and even cluster bombs and napalm (!).
Now, Honeywell is partnering with Taiwanese company Soyo to launch a new line of LCD televisions. And in order to get the attention in a market saturated with TV manufacturers and decimated by the economic depression, they’ve decided to come out with the high-end, super-sized (303-pound), 82-inch 1080p Altura LE LCD in the next few months.
Consider us firmly aware, Honeywell, but also slightly confused. Our first reactions come down to this: Soyo, really? And 82-inches, wha? Soyo’s previous LCD panels have been panned for their below-average image processing and quite poor black levels and really don’t inspire confidence.
As for the size, we find it difficult to believe that anyone would pay a huge premium for size without assurances of excellent picture quality. They haven’t mentioned a price, but somehow I don’t think this will be any cheaper than $5,000. Currently, the only TVs that are selling well are LCDs from top companies that have significantly reduced their price points. And the only high-end pricey TVs that are showing up on Amazon’s top 50 list are the Pioneer Kuros, generally considered the best overall TVs.
Owning an 82-inch screen is an admittedly sexy idea, but the reality is that people are broke and even high rollers are hedging their bets. Plus, you could just pick up a Mitsu Laser TV and enjoy yourself with a cool new technology.
Still, we wouldn’t mind checking it out all on someone else’s dime. It will feature a 120Hz refresh rate (eh), Full 1080p HD, 178 degree view angle, and a bunch of other HDMI, Component, and VGA ports. Plus, it will have a 120,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio (already surpassed), and come with a potentially cool, but somewhat strange five-year warranty that loses small warranty privileges over the years, like labor and LCD panel repairs.
The Honeywell TVs will also come in four smaller sizes,and will be available everywhere in a few months for an undisclosed price.
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