Hitachi 1.5 Series - TV

The 1.5 Series from Hitachi combine form and function to offer a 1080p LCD tv in a cabinet that is only 1.5 inches deep. Intended for "luxury living" with the corresponding premium price tag, Hitachi markets this line of sets for affluent homes that want the TV itself to be an aesthetically addition to the room. Hitachi claims these sets are the "world's thinnest" in contrast to JVC which makes the same claim. Both are correct in their own way, as this Hitachi set lacks integrated tuners, and is more technically called a monitor, while the JVCs contain the television tuners.

Pros & Cons
Pros:

•Ridiculously thin
•Wide viewing angle
•Sleek design

Cons:

•Very expensive
•No tuners
•Limited video/audio input options

More information

Specs

•1080p native resolution
•120Hz
•15,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio
•450-500cd/m2 brightness
•IPS-Alpha panels
•Two 6-Watt speakers
•Inputs: HDMI x 1, VGA x 1

Due to the slim nature of the design the TV's inputs are limited to only 1 HDMI and 1 VGA. When used in conjunction with a receiver this may be sufficient, but for those that wish to connect more devices directly to the television, an external "Audio/Visual" center can be purchased for $299.

IPS-Alpha Panels - Hitachi uses the same panel technology as Sharp which allows for greater viewing angles without a loss in color and contrast ratio. Hitachi claims that the TV will retain a 100:1 contrast ratio at an angle of 178 degrees. IPS gains the greater viewing angle at the expense of color vibrancy found in the panels used by Samsung and Sony.

Models

The 1.5s are available in two distinct lines, the Director's Series, which is more expensive than the companion Ultra Vision series, as the Director's Series comes with a two year warranty as opposed to one, and most likely improved specifications but exact details are unknown at this point.

Director's Series

UT32X802 | 32" screen | $1,999 | March 2008 | 720p | No 120Hz
UT32X812 | 32" screen | $2,299 | August 2008 | 720p
UT37X902 | 37" screen | $2,999 | April 2008
UT42X902 | 42" screen | $3,699 | May 2008
UT47X902 | 47" screen | $4,699 | September 2008

UltraVision -- V Series

UT32A302 | 32" screen | $1,799 | August 2008 | 720p | No 120Hz
UT32V502 | 32" screen | $2,099 | August 2008
UT37V702 | 37" screen | $2,799 | July 2008
UT42V702 | 42" screen | $3,499 | July 2008
UT47V702 | 47" screen | $4,499 | September 2008