OTHER TECH

Wall-hugging RPTVs

Large, boxy rear-projection TVs have traditionally been an easy sell here in the land of McMansions and basement rec rooms. But to judge from the anemically thin RPTVs on display at CES, set-makers have become desperate to shed bulk from the TVs - a predictable development given the fast-closing price gap between bigscreen flat-panel and projection models. Two good examples of the trend toward RPTV anorexia were JVC's 58-inch HD-58S998 (above - $3,300) and 65-inch HD-65S998 ($4,200, March). The cabinets for both 1080p-rez HD-DiLA models were about 11 inches deep - about the same as a stand-mounted LCD or plasma TV. And their perfectly level backsides enable them to fit snugly against a wall, where they can better pass themselves off as flat-panel sets. - Al Griffin