Sony's XEL-1 OLED TV pre-sales begin in Japan

While it's not scheduled for release until December 1st, Sony is now taking pre-orders for its super-slim XEL-1 OLED TV. Japan only, though we're hopeful for a US release too. Sure, it costs ¥200,000 (about $1,800) for 11-inches of set that will only last about 30,000 hours -- less than that of an LCD. Still, that's only $0.0018 per unit of its 1M:1 contrast ratio. See, affordable.

[Via Impress]

[Qsat @ Nov 14th 2007 5:08AM]

Who care?? Top of the line LCD and plasma have great contrast ratio and are much cheaper inch for inch. And what's wrong with a 42 inch TV that' 2 inch thick ?? I never encounter someone saying that it's plasma was too thick. They just want to create a need where there is not.

[shuyin198x @ Nov 14th 2007 5:25AM]

A big difference to be honest. Oled vs led backlight,3mm vs 50mm. The price is very steep because there isn't anything to compete with it.
24-30" of this panel would make a marvelous monitor.

[Godskitchen @ Nov 14th 2007 6:53AM]

Who cares? Me, thats who!

"Top of the line LCD and plasma have great contrast ratio" wake up and smell the marketing will you! As soon as OLED becomes mainstream all the manafactures will be telling you how good the contrast is compared to Plasma and LCD.

But wait you ave them telling you now.............if you are happy with blacks that look grey then stick with your LCD, you sholdnt be alowed to buy a OLED if you cantsee the difference!

[Qsat @ Nov 14th 2007 7:00AM]

To Godskitchen ; You should stop shopping at walmart for LCD if you have dark grey instead of black. All top of the line LCD now have very good black, maybe not beyond black, but still black enough to be.... black.

Your comment may have been true 2-3 years ago but LCD is now perfect as it is. BTW, my LCD is from Sony and i love their products, even my ps3.

[Ryan Trevisol @ Nov 14th 2007 7:29AM]

OLED TV's will be the next great technology as far as TV's are concerned. However, this particular model, being the first one ever, is completely useless.

It has a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio? Oh, great, it'll be easier for old folks to see . . . oh, wait, it's only 11".

I mean honestly, who REALLY has use for an 11" TV that costs almost 2 Grand? Is anyone watching TV while they cook and going "Jeez that LCD is do darn thick, and the black of Emeril's cast-iron looks so washed out!

If this was a technology for an ultraportable laptop, I'd be all for it. But the uber-clunky ballast precludes that.

[SerpentineSolution @ Nov 14th 2007 5:35AM]

Marvelous ,but for 1800$ for jus 11" thats jus gonna last u for 3.4 years thats a huge looks for functionality trade off!

[Iceseven @ Nov 14th 2007 5:44AM]

3.4 years? Do you watch TV all the time or do you take some time outs for, say not so important things like working and sleeping?

When you watch 8 hours TV per day, this thing'll last about 10 years.

[shuyin198x @ Nov 14th 2007 5:51AM]

Its not being left on 24/7 for 3.4 years. 30k hours would make it pretty obsolete in 3-4 years anyways.

[JamesR @ Nov 14th 2007 12:42PM]

30k hours at 8 hours a day, every day (gah!) is 10 years. Not sure how much TV you watch...

[NineT9 @ Nov 14th 2007 5:40AM]

No need to be negative, obviously this isn't for everyone.

For the few that are looking for something like this, and can afford it...It will be well worth it obviously.

But of course...This IS the internet, and everyone has to be so dang negative about every product no matter how powerful/cool/cheap/portable it is. So go ahead, reply with your typical negative-about-everything im waiting...

[Andir3.0 @ Nov 14th 2007 6:07AM]

"This IS the internet, and everyone has to be so dang negative about every product no matter how powerful/cool/cheap/portable"

Especially if it's Sony.

[hemmy @ Nov 14th 2007 6:38AM]

All new technologies usually are expensive. The important thing is that by Sony (to their credit) putting this out, will compel other companies (and we've seen some announcements already) to compete, and drive prices down. OLED will be much more affordable not too long from now.

And 30k hours is pretty damn good for new tech, and it should last you at least a decade if you have a life and if not (get a job, hoser!), should last you long enough until you'd want a new one anyway :)

[TKWarrior @ Nov 14th 2007 6:52AM]

Great tech, tiny displays... for now.

At 11 inches, these will be at all the checkouts in walmart in about 15 years.

[tekdroid @ Nov 14th 2007 8:09AM]

nice way to test the market (Japan only) and gauge responses, build up brand image (wow, look at that, Joe sez, enhancing the brand's image as a tech pioneer) and start production on display products using new technologies (which are to be refined in time, no doubt).

Good way for Sony to get know-how and a leg-up on competitors (who will no doubt use similar tech) by actually making them and releasing them. The actual longevity thing I have no doubt will be solved in time.

[hipso @ Nov 14th 2007 8:13AM]

45 W power consumption... that is a bit much... don't you think?

[FrankTheCrank @ Nov 14th 2007 9:22AM]

People who have seen it say it LOOK amazing.

1M:1 contrast? That sounds ucking amazing.

This is just a stepping stone...hopefully, they'll get it right and release a 42" panel in a couple of years.

[palehorse @ Nov 14th 2007 10:31AM]

Has anyone seen a timeline showing future OLED development? I thought I saw one after the last CES, but I can't find the damn thing...

I need to know when OLED will hit 50" at less than $3000... until then, it's a pipedream! lol

[GrahamB @ Nov 18th 2007 6:21PM]

I have a Fossil OLED watch, and the display is almost impossible to read in daylight. OLED is great when ambient light is low, but with strong sunlight, good luck.