JVC on Sunday unveiled an LCD TV less than 3 inches thick, calling it the world's thinnest flat-screen television, as the CES Show began in Las Vegas.

Also at the show, JVC said it would unveil four new LCD models that each sport a built-in dock for the iPod, Apple Inc's market leading portable digital media players.

The ink had barely dried on JVC's statement when Pioneer was already claiming its "kuro concept TV" that was less than one-fourth as thick.



JVC said its new slim TV, which includes a TV tuner, measures 1.5 inches or 39 millimeters (mm) at its narrowest, with a maximum depth of 2.9 inches (74 mm) at the center.

Rival Sharp in August revealed prototype 52-inch LCD TVs, which were 20 mm thick. Its conventional 52-inch TV is 81 mm thick.

JVC said its new slim design televisions would be available in 42-inch and 46-inch diagonal screen sizes in early summer and that it planned to announce pricing at that time.

JVC said its new P-Series TVs, which range in size from 32 inches to 52 inches, can be used to play videos or music or view photographs stored on an iPod placed in a dock on the TV.

The TV's remote control, which has a circular keypad that mimics the iPod's control wheel, can be used to find and select content on the iPod, JVC said.

The company forecast availability for the 32-inch and 42-inch TVs with iPod docks in March; an April launch for the 47-inch model and a summer launch for the 52-inch model. It did not reveal prices.