Update (January 22, 2007): I spoke with Philips officials at the 2007 CES and they said Philips has no immediate plans to produce the MiraVision TV in the USA.
Royal Philips Electronics is Europe's largest electronics company. Philips is based in The Netherlands. The company slogan is "Sense and Simplicity."
European companies with a focus on home decorating like IKEA and Eurway are making an impression with the American consumer. Therefore, the Philips introduction of the European-released MiraVision Mirror TV to American soil is not a surprise. On a side note, Philips says movie stars Demi Moore and Joey Pantoliano own one.
Concept of MiraVision: MiraVision could be one of the most innovating ideas to hit the television market in years...at least externally. The premise of this television is to combine two existing technologies into one - the mirror and the television. When the MiraVision is 'on' it is an ordinary LCD TV; when the unit is 'off' it becomes a mirror.
Home and Office Decorating Advantage: MiraVision opens the possibilities for anyone wanting to wall-mount a LCD TV while preserving good room decor. Display options for the MiraVision include above a dresser in the bedroom or above a fireplace to add a little depth to a room. These options aren't new to wall-mounting LCD TVs, but the end result would be a mirror, not a black canvas. Which do you think would look better when not in use? Philips says the MiraVision will also fit neatly into a standard picture frame.
Release Date and Price: Philips is expected to release the 32" and 42" models of the MiraVision Mirror TV sometime in the 1st quarter of 2006. A specific date has not been announced. However, there are 17", 23" and 30" models available in the European market, which means you could get a sneak peak of what the 32" and 42" models will likely look like click here for sneak peak. I speculate that the price for both models should fall somewhere between $2500-$3500.
Specifications: Specs are not available for the 32" and 42" MiraVision TVs. However, both models will be HD-ready. The 42" models should come with a built-in ATSC digital tuner because of FCC requirements for models that size. The 32" compliance date is July 1, 2006 so I would hope the 32" comes with a built-in tuner, but that is an not known at the moment. Detailed specs will be posted when they are available.
