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.

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)

—James K. Willcox