14 DAY TRIAL // Mustek is a very well known peripherals producers. You probably associate the name with the Bearpaw scanner series, but they also sell wireless headsets, webcams and DVD-players. Nothing new here, except the fact that they have recently decided to enter the LCD market. And they are planning on hitting the market as hard as they can with the introduction of the all-new LCD line.
Mustek's new LCD televisions are due to come out in January and will be probably showcased at the CES show. Leading the pack is the high-end LTV-4210, a 42-inch LCD capable of a full 1080p resolution. The set will pack a plethora of components including HDMI and VGA inputs for digital sources, ATSC (HDTV) and NTSC tuners, and a 10-watt speaker system. The panel is also said to provide a response time which will be faster than 6.5ms and a pretty impressive 1,200:1 contrast ratio. Not bad for a 42" panel but nothing out of the ordinary either.
At the time of the launch, Mustek will also ready some smaller panels including a 32-incher and even a 27-inch model. Both of them will be capable of outputting 720p HD signal but there will be no support for 1080 modes. Mustek has not revealed its price roadmap, but the final products will be priced very aggressively and will probably compete with other budget LCD manufacturers such as Westinghouse and Vizio.
As a reminder, 40-inchers that compete in the value segment generally come cheaper than $1,000 and still manage to offer 1080p output with HDMI capabilities. It is not an easy battle for Mustek, but if they manage to produce cheap yet solid panels, they have a chance of making some hard cash.