Amazon breaks out the major-brand Black Friday TV deals

As we get closer to Black Friday shopping, Amazon is rolling out some additional TV deals—and this time there are some specials on major-brand models, including Panasonic, Samsung, Toshiba, and Vizio.

In a previous post, we noted that many of Amazon's known Black Friday deals were on lesser-known brands, including Coby, Haier, Hiteker, and TCL. (We also wrote about how some well-known brands aren't what they seem.)

Among the Amazon deals that look promising are a 40-inch 1080p 60Hz LCD TV from Toshiba, model 40E220U, for just $179. That set is currently selling for $378. For those looking for a very large set, Amazon will be offering Vizio's 60-inch E601i-A3 1080p LCD TV with an LED backlight and the company's VIA smart TV platform, for just $688. That set is now selling for $1,000.

Panasonic will be represented by the Viera TC-L55ET5, a 55-inch 1080p 120Hz LCD TV with an LED backlight, 3D capability, and the company's Viera Connect Internet platform with a full Web browser, an apps market, and access to streaming TV shows and movies, for $899. The set, which comes with four sets of 3D glasses, currently sells for $1,215. We already noted that Best Buy will be selling this same model for $900.

Amazon will also offer a 32-inch Panasonic LCD TV—a 720p 60Hz set—for $189, down from its current price of $260. Best Buy will have this set for $190.

For those looking for a Samsung set, the 46-inch UN46EH5300, a 1080p LCD TV with an LED backlight and Samsung's full Internet platform (Web browser, apps market, and streaming movies and TV shows), will be priced at $598. That sets currently sells for $764.

A 32-inch 720p 60Hz Samsung model (UN32EH4003) will be $248, about a $50 drop from its current price. This model has an LED backlight.

For those who don't mind a lesser-known brand, Amazon will have these specials:

• A 23-inch Coby 1080p 60Hz LCD TV/monitor with an LED backlight (model LEDTV2326) for $78, down from $150.


• A 32-inch Haier 720p 60Hz LCD TV (L32A2120)for $97, down from $179 now.


• A 50-inch Hiteker 1080p 60 Hz LCD TV (model L50Z10AH-TP), for $288, down from $600 currently.


• A 42-inch 1080p 60Hz LCD TV from TCL (L42FHDE30) for $179, currently selling for $329.

Other non-TV deals include the Roku HD streaming-media player for $39 (down from $60), Panasonic's DMP-BD87 3D Blu-ray player with Wi-Fi for $68 (it's $80 now), and a Samsung soundbar (HW-E350) for $98 (it's selling for $144 now). Amazon will also be offering a soundbar from Sceptre (which also makes TVs) for just $38. The speaker, model SB2020B, currently sells for $100.

Amazon says that it also be offering specials pricing—not yet announced—on these major-brand sets:

• Samsung 39EH5003 (a 39-inch 1080p LCD TV with an LED backlight)


• Samsung 55EH6000 (a 55-inch 1080p LCD TV with an LED backlight)


• Samsung 65EH6000 (a 65-inch 1080p LCD TV with an LED backlight)


• Panasonic VIERA TC-L24X5 (a 24-inch LCD TV with an LED backlight)


• Panasonic VIERA TC-L32X5 (a 32-inch LCD TV with an LED backlight)


• Panasonic TC-L50EM5 (a 50-inch 60Hz LCD TV with an LED backlight)


• Panasonic TC-P60U50 (a 60-inch 1080p plasma TV)


• LG 47-Inch Cinema 3D 1080p LCD TV with LED an backlight (no model given)


• LG 55-Inch 1080p LCD TV with LED an backlight ((no model given)

So far, the exact timing of these specials hasn't been announced, so you'll need to keep monitoring Amazon.com for additional information about these and other Black Friday deals.

—James K. Willcox