Toshiba’s latest Cell Regza LCDs are Slim, but don’t go calling them 2D

Tokyo-Toshiba Corporation (TOKYO: 6502) today unveiled the most recent additions in its line-up of CELL REGZA LCD TVs integrating the Cell Broadband Engine™1, designed for superior multimedia processing, and the advanced CELL Platform. The three new LCD TVs, the CELL REGZA 55X2, CELL REGZA SLIM 55XE2 and 46XE2, all offer comprehensive 3D capabilities2, including 3D Super Resolution Technology that upgrades 3D content to superior near high definition content, and 2D3D Conversion Technology3 that enables users to enjoy 2D content as wonderful 3D. The CELL REGZA SLIM 55XE2 and 46XE2 might be available from the beginning of October, and the 55X2 from the top of October inside the Japanese market.

As 3D TV moves into the spotlight, Toshiba has made sure that its new CELL REGZA TVs offer an unsurpassed 3D experience. 3D Super Resolution Technology, takes 3D content separately brought to the left and right eye in the course of the side-by-side system4, the system most widely adopted for 3D broadcasts, and brings it to near high definition quality in 3D. Similarly, Toshiba\’s 2D3D conversion technology captures and analyzes image composition and movement in 2D content and converts it to 3D with precise rendering and natural, high definition images.

Superb 3D is complemented by state-of-the-art picture quality. The hot CELL REGZA 55X2 offers viewers a dynamic contrast5 ratio of 9,000,000:1, and integrates a Mega LCD panel specially designed to interface with the CELL REGZA\’s high luminance LED. This mixture assures 3D images with stunningly bright whites, while the wide dynamic range achieved by backlight luminance adjustment delivers deep, detailed blacks.

CELL REGZA TVs also offer unrivaled image-enhancing capabilities that utilize the arithmetic processing capabilities of the CELL Platform. The recent TVs adopt \” CELL REGZA Block Noise Clear\” , an HD distortion removal technology that delivers clearer HD TV program, and likewise supports quadrupling of the effect of ClearScan 2406, a four-times scan frame rate that improves processing of fast action content for a clear, crisp picture.

The hot CELL REGZA TVs continue to provide storage capacity of a 3-terabyte (TB)7 harddisk. A 2TB harddisk dedicated to the CELL REGZA\’s \” time-shift machine 2,\” 8 that may simultaneously record up to eight channels of digital terrestrial broadcasts. Inside the earlier model, the CELL REGZA 55X1, a maximum recording time of approximately 26 hours was fixed for each channel. With the recent models, recording times will change counting on the channels9 which might be set-up for simultaneous recording. Also, easy operation of playback of recorded programs includes \” Jump to the start\” function, which allows viewers to playback a program that continues to be being recorded using the time-shift function.

When connected to a REGZA Blu-ray Disc recorder10, the CELL REGZA TVs can record programs directly11 to a Blu-ray disc as they’re recorded to the hard disk using standard recording, not the time shift function.

Toshiba will continue to advance the CELL REGZA series as the cutting-edge of TV technology that attracts on synergies between its semiconductor and storage device technologies. The company will continue to expand the line-up, to create and deliver new value to the market and to anticipate and respond to numerous user needs. For overseas markets, LCD TVs that build on the CELL REGZA concept and that meet market demands inside the U.S. and Europe will probably be rolled out sooner or later.

Background to Development

As Japan approaches the tip of analogue broadcasting in 2011, demand for digital TVs continues to increase. The market has now entered a period of diversifying customer requirements, as initial requirements for HD images and slimmer TVs are joined by demands for playback of high image quality 3D content, a recording function supporting simultaneous viewing and recording of multiple programs, and access to broadband content. In response, Toshiba developed the CELL REGZA integrating the Cell Broadband Engine™ and its innovative CELL Platform. Utilizing the arithmetic processing capabilities of the CELL Platform, Toshiba has now developed the second generation of CELL REGZA LCD TVs, the 55X2, 55XE2, and 46XE2, which provide advances in picture quality, recording function and network capabilities.
Key Features of the CELL REGZA

1. CELL Platform Super Resolution Technology achieves near high definition images

The CELL Platform supports one of the most advanced version of Toshiba\’s super resolution technology. Faithful image reproduction includes enhanced edge detail and color saturation, and likewise extends to higher rendering of video from the net.

·3D Super Resolution Technology: Self-congruency captures edge detail

The Side-by-Side system is applied to high-definition broadcasts, including CS digital broadcasts, BS digital and SKY PerfecTV! HD, for the broadcasting of 3D contents. The Side-by-Side system divides each frame into two and delivers a 960-pixel image to each eye. To succeed in HD output to check that of the 1,920 pixels of the entire HD panel, the photographs brought to each eye should be doubled in size. Toshiba\’s innovative \” 3D Super Resolution Technology\” upgrades 3D content delivered through Side-by-Side system to near high definition image quality. Within 3D Super Resolution Technology, \” Reproduction technology\” reproduces faithful images of the threshold detail and image texture of the lower resolution image from the original and detects areas which might be improved through the strategy of enlarging the dimensions of the image. \” Self-congruency\” then reconstructs the threshold of the picture with more detail and bigger realism. It samples successive patterns with an identical intensity around the brink of images, and then copies pixels from these more defined areas to other parts of the brink. The end result is more precise detail and more realistic near high definition 3D images.

·2D3D Converting Technology

Toshiba\’s 2D3D conversion technology CELL TV allow users to enjoy various 2D content as nice 3D. The 2D3D conversion technology relies on an algorithm that combines high speed with high precision. It allocates depth by capturing the characteristic of the input image and by detecting and recognizing vectors of movement of several objects.

·High Luminance Mega LED Panel (For CELL REGZA 55X2)

CELL REGZA integrates a Mega LED panel specially designed to interface with the CELL REGZA\’s high luminance LED. Together they achieve outstanding picture quality it truly is further enhanced by the CELL Platform. A peak luminance of 1,000cd/m2 (the display\’s highest level of brightness and the maximum yet achieved within the industry) assures stunningly bright whites, while the wide dynamic range achieved by backlight luminance adjustment delivers a dynamic contrast ratio of 9,000,000:1, assuring deep, detailed blacks. The LED block array function divides the display into 512 (16 x 32 blocks) areas. This increase enables much closer management of image contrast and brings out image detail to the whole.

·AutoView Function for 3D

When watching 3D content through 3D glasses, the color contrast, brightness, impression of the outline of imaged object, and image gradation, all change. The 256 point 16 bit output gamma table and complete 3D color management which were integrated into the CELL platform realize more faithful color reproduction. Also, the brightness of TV and color contrast of the encompassing area will change when looked at through 3D glasses. Optimum picture quality is achieved by automatic fine-tuning of backlighting and white balance in response to the changes in color contrast and brightness. Moreover the \” X2\” model, through the use of the Mega LED backlight\’s peak luminance of 1,000cd/m2 realizes brighter 3D content. The 3D glasses integrate Toshiba\’s crosstalk control technology, and controlling the on-off switching of the backlight and the open-close of the shutter within the 3D glasses minimizes crosstalk12 and image blurring, providing clearer, more solid 3D images.

·CELL REGZA Block Noise Clear

The hot CELL REGZA comes with HD distortion removal technology that removes distortion of HD images based on analysis of 8 x 8 blocks of pixels. It estimates the strength of block distortion, the maximum luminance of the surroundings and maximum image inclination, and then reproduces original images, all in real time.

·Quattro High Speed Clear

At the side of the four-times faster 240Hz LCD panel that improves reproduction of fast paced video images, Toshiba\’s \” Quattro High Speed Clear\” frame complementary technology controls blurring and realizes crisp, clear images. \” Quattro Motion Clear\” technology inserts three frames containing an analogous image to enrich an original image with a frame rate of 60Hz, including digital terrestrial broadcasting, and so realizes smooth rendering of video images. By detecting the movement across a neighborhood 30 times13 wider than Toshiba\’s current LCD TVs, \” Quattro High Speed Clear\” creates a complementary frame, also in response to the short movement. For original sources that have a frame rate of 24Hz, similar to movies, \” Quattro Motion Clear\” produces and inserts nine complementary frames.

·Quadrupling the effect of ClearScan 240 (CELL REGZA 55X2)

Toshiba\’s ClearScan 240 defines the humble for blur-free fast-paced images, but with the CELL REGZA the company sets the bar even higher. By combining the four-times faster panel and its 240Hz scan rate with its new Backlight Scanning technology, Toshiba now achieves four times the effect of ClearScan 240 scanning, making action scenes crisper than ever.

2. Support for Multiple recording and playback functions

·Time Shift Machine 2

Another feature of CELL REGZA is its 3-terabyte (TB) storage capacity. A 2TB HDD is dedicated to the CELL REGZA\’s \” time-shift machine 2,\” which could simultaneously record programs from up to eight channels of digital terrestrial broadcasts. Within the earlier model, the CELL REGZA 55X1, a maximum recording time of approximately 26 hours was fixed for each channel. With the hot models, recording times will change looking on the channels which were initially set-up for the simultaneous recording. As an example, if time shift recording is decided for two channels, they could record up to approximately 102 hours of programs. Another 1TB HDD supports standard recording of selected programs. Also, easy operation of playback of recorded programs includes \” Jump to the start\” function, which allows viewers to playback a program that continues to be being recorded using the time-shift function.

·REGZA Link Recording

Connecting a Blu-ray Disc recorder \” REGZA Blu-ray\” 10 via an HDMI cable with LAN cable function allows the CELL REGZA LCD TVs to record programs directly11 to the Blu-ray disc as they recorded to the 1TB HDD using standard recording, not the time shift function.

·Other functions

-Simultaneous connection of up to 8 USB hard disk drive drives14
-Supports the playback function for recorded programs used by SKY PerfecTV! HD15
-\” Roaming Navigation\” that supports relevancy-based searches
-\” Recommendation Service\” , an on-line service that enables viewers to work out rankings of programs aggregated from programs recorded to the Blu-ray Disc recorders and HD recorders connected to the service.
-Double recording function16 that enables simultaneous recording of 2 programs to the 1TB HDD simultaneously in standard recording mode, while watching digital terrestrial broadcasts.

3. Network functionality

Support for Opera browser
A browser supporting full HD, based on the Opera17 browser and co-developed with Opera Software. Access to on-line content includes provides full support for viewing YouTube18 videos at near HD level quality. As well, CELL REGZA supports:
- Broadband service
- DLNA19

4. CELL REGZA Audio System 2

CELL REGZA\’s picture quality is complemented by a specially designed audio system and multi-amplifier system that delivers vibrant, full-bodied sound far surpassing that of current TV sound systems.
-CELL REGZA Speaker Unit is developed with Foster.
-Double woofer unit, soft dome tweeter unit; passive radiator resinous slim enclosure.

5. Others

·Screen Size: 55X2: 55-inches, 55XE2:55-inches, 46XE2: 46-inches

·Hard disk drive: 3TB (Built-in)

·Dimensions:
55X2: Monitor: 129.2 x 91.6 x 35.5cm (W x H x D) (including stand)
(Monitor only: Depth 5.0cm)
Tuner: 43.6 x 10.9 x 38.7cm (tentative) excluding external projection

55XE2: Monitor: 129.2 x 91.6 x 35.5cm (including stand)
(Monitor only: Depth 2.9cm)
Tuner: 43.6 x 10.9 x 38.7cm (tentative) excluding external projection)

46XE2: Monitor: 110.0 x 79.3 x 28.8cm (including stand)
(Monitor only: Depth 2.9cm)
Tuner: 43.6 x 10.9 x 38.7cm (tentative) excluding external projection)

For further information, visit http://www.toshiba.co.jp/regza/
(The above website is in Japanese)

6. Specialize in Environmental Considerations

Mitigation of world warming
- Power consumption is controlled by maintaining optimum image brightness.
- The TV automatically goes into stand-by mode if no command is received from the remote controller for roughly three hours.
- Stand-by mode operates when the TV is ready to external input and no signal is received for roughly 15 minutes.

·Effective use of resources

All CELL REGZA components that use over 25g of plastics indicate the materials used and are designed for recycling. Moreover, polylactic oil and fat of plant origin are used that contributes to the reduction of oil resources and reduction of CO2 emission.

·RoHS20 and J-Moss21 (Green Mark)compatible

CELL REGZA contributes to moves toward environmentally conscious products by observing the requirements of the european\’s RoHS and Japan\’s J-Moss.