The world of multi-directional antennas, or “rabbit ears” as some like to call them, doesn’t get much attention these days in tech news. RCA is trying to refresh the category by unveiling some flat antennas designed to pair with flat panels as the coming analog to digital television transition creeps up.

The highlighted antenna is the RCA ANT1500 Flat Indoor Antenna, priced at around $60. RCA says consumers should pair this antenna, and others like it, as it is “designed to pick up more channels than a traditional “rabbit ears” antenna. Local broadcasters are now sending multiple digital TV channels to supplement their main programs.”

Mitsubishi recently introduced two new flat panel televisions with a integrated sound panel to meet the demand for surround sound in limited space settings. These new Mitsubishi Premium Flat Panel TVs with Integrated Sound Projector are the LT-46149 and LT-52149, pricing at around $3,400 and $3,700, respectively.

The Mitsubishi Premium Flat Panel TVs with Integrated Sound Projector come in 46- and 52-inch screen sizes and have built-in a a 16-speaker array that creates a 5.1 channel sound field. These speakers are managed by an “advanced algorithm” to generate this sound field and come with a graphical user interface to help consumers setup their room setting.

VIZIO, in addition to the new XVT series flat panels it unveiled, also rolled out a few new more budget focused plasmas. These are the VP422 and VP322, priced at around $800 and $600, respectively.

The VIZIO 42-inch VP422 and 32-inch VP322 are highlighted by VIZIO as offering 30,000:1 contrast ratio, longer life and increased brightness. Both models offer 720p native resolution with “enhanced picture controls, multiple color temperature settings and independent Red/Green/Blue adjustment” to make video performance reportedly improved.

We haven’t heard from cheap flat panel CE company VIZIO much since CES earlier this year. The company is back though in the news today with some new HDTVs, priced at between around $1,500 and $1,900.

The new models in the company’s XVT series are the SV420XVT, SV47XVT and VP505XVT. Key features include Silicon Optix REON HQV processing, 30,000:1 contrast Ratio, 1200 nits brightness and 5.1 virtual surround sound. You can get the full scoop on these new flat panel HDTVs after the jump via the full press release.

Westinghouse is introducing a new 40-inch LCD 1080p display which pulls double duty as a DVD player. It is known as the Westinghouse VK-40F580D and you’ll find it pricing around $1,150.

The Westinghouse VK-40F580D offers 1080p resolution on its 40-inch display, bringing to HD lovers as well two HDMI inputs and an integrated ATSC/NTSC/ClearQAM tuner. It also has built-in a front slot loading DVD player which, unfortunately, does not seem to offer upscaling.

Sharp has now announced a wireless option to its super-thin X-series LCD displays today. Sharp will incorporate Amimon WHDI (Wireless High Definition Interface) 1080p wireless tech into their thinnest flat panels. This means that you won’t have to connect any cables to your TV, aside from the power cord. All the connectors and tuning paraphernaila are in the set-top box you see in the pic. Wires will be officially out of a job, making your life easier, but making them sad like little emo children.

It’s hitting Japan first and will follow in the U.S. It works at distances of up to 100 feet and can even go through several walls. The only bad part is the cost. The wireless capability will add about $800 to an already-expensive $4,000+ 46-inch Sharp X-Series HDTV. But if you are already dishing out that kind of money, I don’t think it will be a problem.

Samsung today put word out through the lands of tech about the availability of its Series 6 and Series 7 LCD HDTVs. These displays range in size from 19- to 52-inches and pricing from around $480 to $3,500.

The Series 6 displays should mostly be available now, with the Series 7 units come out in May. Samsung’s most touted design features with these displays is its “Touch of Color” which draws from “several artistic inspirations” and features “a hint of red color naturally blended into a semi-transparent piano black bezel.” Excuse us while we go wipe the marketing barf off of ourselves - you can read the rest of the Samsung love fest after the jump.

The new DVI Extender Kit from IOGear packs some serious high-def distance into a relatively affordable package. The DVI extender has the ability to send both a video and audio signal up to 100 feet away through a single CAT 5e/6 cable connection, and can be yours for just shy of $500.

Granted, $500 is getting close to the price of some decent high-def displays but if you have a nice system that you would like to keep away from high traffic areas or just out of the way this is a pretty sweet solution and is way better than trying to use a 100-foot DVI cable. The kit includes two boxes, the local and remote DVI extenders with the remote extender having a 3.5mm jack for connecting your stereo speakers at the other end.

Mitsubishi earlier this week rolled out the carpet on a variety of new HDTVs for release this year. These new models come in a variety of screen sizes and body configurations and should all begin being available this month in staggered releases.

General details of these new models include what Mitsubishi says is thinner frame and brighter DLP models as well as “ultra thin frame” LCD HDTVs with better sound. There’s also upcoming the first ever laser powered television. If you are curious to learn more, check out the entire press release after the jump.

Pantel seeks to bring the fun of HDTV to the outdoors with its new LCD panels. These models are known as the 42-inch PAN420 and 32-inch PAN320 and they price at $4,450 and $3,950 respectively.

Pantel has built its HDTVs to be weatherproof, operating in conditions the company says can reach -40 or 140 degrees Fahrenheit. The panels sport over 1,000 nits of brightness, reportedly make them bright enough to see outdoors. Resolution is set at 1366 x 768.

Consumer electronics company NuVision, which specializes in HDTVs, is out with a line up of 10 new models centered around its Lucidium line of HDTVs. Screen sizes range from 22- to 65-inches, according to Dealerscope, and pricing tops out at around $12,000.

The NuVision Lucidium line are all 1080p compatible. Depending upon the model, features possible across these models include Silicon Optix Realta HQV image processing, dual ATSC tuners, up to four HDMI 1.3 inputs and a new cabinet design.

GalleryPlayer, a self-described pioneer in lifestyle imagery, is adding Mitsubishi to its grouping of CE manufacturers whose HDTVs you can use to show off “full HD 1080p fine art and photographic images.” Panasonic is among the others already doing this.

GalleryPlayer said its technology will be embedded into 2008 Mitsubishi HDTV models launching this spring. This technology will allow for the playback of GalleryPlayer’s “rights-protected HD images.” The technology company and Mitsubishi are also developing a co-branded Web site which wil let Mitsubishi HDTV owners “access the GalleryPlayer online store and easily download, manage, and export images from such top partners as The Metropolitan Museum of Art and National Geographic.”

Samsung launched some new plasma TV’s in Korea build in collaboration with Electronic Arts to provide a superior “3D” gaming experience. The company released two new PAVV HDTV’s, one measuring 42 inches and the other 50 inches, equipped with USB 2.0, HDMI, HD resolution, the Samsung DNIe+ (Digital Natural Image engine+) anda 1,000,000 to 1 contrast ratio.

Nothing quite says my boardroom is state of the art like a snazzy flat panel display mounted on the wall. NEC is one of the latest to showcase a display for this capacity, announcing today the NEC MultiSync LCD5220. It is priced at around $8,150.

The NEC MultiSync LCD5220 is a 52-inch display NEC says is the first of its type “based on a professional-grade panel.” It’s got a very thin bezel and can be used standalone or as part of multiple-display, video-wall implementations. It supports 1080p and comes with a color calibration kit for self-described “color uniformity and fidelity.”

Amongst the other LCD HDTVs VIZIO was showing off last week at CES, one line which is being called “contemporary styled” is the new VU “Envy” series. It is set to be available sometime this year, though plans are finalized as of yet.

VIZIO said the VU series, which consists of 32-, 37- and 42-inch displays, offers up a side “HD Game Port” for easy connectivity to HDMI enabled devices. VIZIO said these models offer “exceptional video performance with reduced pixel noise and color equalization.”

Get more details on the new VIZIO VU series after the jump.