CES 2014

Toshiba never really went anywhere, but they’ve kept a low profile for the past couple of years. No longer. The company’s Ultra HD 4K models, scheduled to roll out this summer, are a step back into the game.

Three lines of Toshiba 4K sets were announced. The featured attraction is the L9400U range, available in 65- and 58-inch sizes. Toshiba’s so-called Radiance 4K Full Array LED panel is the star of the show here, offering full local dimming by zones and Toshiba’s CQ 4K video processing engine. The L9400U sets provide HDMI 2.0 inputs, HDCP 2.2, and decoding for H.265 (HEVC—the compression algorithm that appears to have the inside track on becoming the 4K consumer video codec). The L9400U sets also offer Clearscan 240Hz and voice control.

The L9450U “range” is similar to the L9400U except it’s only available in a single size: 84-inches. It has a different backlit LED local dimming panel, suitable for the bigger screen.

The L8400U is the “entry-lever” Toshiba 4K line, with 50- and 58-inch sizes, 120Hz, but no backlit local dimming (presumably edge-lit dimming, though our information isn’t clear on this).

Toshiba also has a wide range of new “standard” HD sets (or in the current, potentially confusing industry vernacular, “Full HD”). The most interesting of the bunch is the top of the line, 55-inch L7400U. Like the UHD models, this series also offers full array backlit local dimming. The standard 1080p HD sets should be available by March—much sooner than the Ultra HD lines.

No prices were announced for any of these upcoming sets.