Toshiba's first HDTV to incorporate a Cell processor - essentially the same CPU found in the PlayStation 3 could be out by the end of the year.

The Japanese giant began promising such a telly in 2007, and demo'd such a beast at the January 2008 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Toshiba used Cell to deliver what it claimed would be exceptionally high-quality picture upscaling and to deliver picture-in-picture functionality that could extend to dozens of channels simultaneously.

Toshiba outlines its plans for Cell
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To be fair, Toshiba always said the Cell-based TV might not appear until 2009. And now it has said that the debut will take place in Q4, albeit only in the Japanese market.

Masaaki Oosumi, President of Toshiba's Digital Media Network Company, said the TV, which will appear under the company's Regza brand, will be its flagship model. He likened the impact of the Cell telly's appearance to the arrival of colour television.

And it'll be rather pricey too, he admitted.

Toshiba said Cell Regza TV specifications will follow shortly. Last year, it said the screen would have a native resolution of 3820 x 2160 - four times that of a standard full HD set - and an LED-array backlight. ®