Calcutta, May 7: Bored with your old bulky television? Wish it could slim down and get a sleek new look without burning a hole in your pocket? Well, your dream’s about to come true.

Samsung has introduced an ultra-slim television that will cost you 10 per cent more than a flat one but much cheaper than the LCD range. A 21-inch set will sport a price tag of Rs 10,500 to Rs 11,000. A 21-inch flat television costs between Rs 8,000 and Rs 9,000 while a 29-inch model comes for Rs 18,500-25,850. A base 20-inch LCD model will cost around Rs 30,000 and a 32-inch model will be Rs 60,000.

The ultra-slim sets will be fitted with a picture tube that is 40 per cent slimmer than the flat models.

“The ultra-slim version is for consumers who aspire for an LCD model but at a lower cost. The television has the look and feel of an LCD set and can be mounted on the walls,” said Ravinder Zutshi, deputy managing director of Samsung India Electronics.

Samsung is eyeing a 50 per cent market share in the flat TV segment.

A Videocon colour television costs between Rs 6,500 and Rs 9,000, while the starting price of the LCD model is Rs 17,000.

The price of an LG colour television is Rs 7,400, while that of the LCD model is Rs 23,000.

Last year, almost a lakh flat television sets were sold and this is expected to go up to four lakh units in 2007. Many budget hotels prefer the flat sets to the LCD models because of the price difference.

According to an ORG analysis, the colour TV industry has grown 45.6 per cent to record volume of 2.87 million units in the first three months of 2007.

The flat television segment has grown 90.5 per cent against 3.3 per cent for conventional sets. The LCD television category grew 901.5 per cent.

Samsung is the first company to manufacture LCD television sets in the country.

It will manufacture both flat and LCD television models at its new factory in Chennai. The plant will start production from August this year, increasing the overall capacity of the company to 3.5 lakh units.