Apr 4, 2011 12:31 GMT  ·  By

It seems that NEC is finally ready to have its large screen liquid crystal displays cross over to LED backligthing, although only two products of this type have, so far, been officially introduced.

NEC revealed many commercial displays over the years but it looks like it only now has decided to take a step towards higher energy efficiency.

As such, when it put together the 46-inch X461S and 55-inch X551S large screen LCD displays, it used LED backlighting.

As the first of their kind to employ this technology, they will be showcased at Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco, California, during the Customer Engagement Technology World 2011 event (April 27-28).

They are thin but still feature a native resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 pixels, plus a typical brightness of 500 cd/m2 (the maximum one is 600 cd/m2).

Additionally, the products have a contrast ratio of up to 4,000:1 and both portrait and landscape orientations, plus 5W speakers and a low power draw (as little as 2W in standby).

“The introduction of the super-slim models to the award-winning NEC X Series is a step into the future, as they offer the most innovative technologies to date,” said Rachel Karnani, Product Manager for Large Screen Displays at NEC Display Solutions.

“LED backlit displays offer a much slimmer depth than traditional LCD displays, providing more flexibility during installation and a sleek appearance.”

NEC's panels are capable of 10-bit color over HDMI and can be scheduled to power up or shut down via the real-time clock.

Finally, the displays have carbon footprint meters and optional accessories like wall mounts, stands, media players and even external PCs.

Sales should commence in May (X461S) and June (X551S) for the prices of $2,399 and $3,799, respectively. The products have 3-year limited warranties (parts and labor, including the backlight).