Flat-panel TV sales jump 23% over last year, Vizio leads the way
By Donald Melanson 
posted May 11th 2009 5:38PM
posted May 11th 2009 5:38PM
We'd already heard that Vizio has vaulted back into first place among LCD TV manufacturers, but a new series of numbers compiled by the folks at DisplaySearch is now shedding a bit more light onto how much the flat-panel TV market as a whole has surged over the past year. Apparently, about 7.2 million flat-panel sets were moved during the first quarter of 2009 alone, which represents a sizable 23% increase over the numbers from the first quarter of 2008. DisplaySearch also expectedly reconfirms Vizio's number one status, although its figures are a tad more conservative and peg Vizio's market share at a still impressive 18.9% (as opposed to the 21.6% found by iSupply), which is well above the 8.5% earned by the likes of rival Funai (producer of TVs for Sylvania, Emerson and other low-cost brands). As you might expect, higher-end brands like Sony and Samsung weren't as able to buck the economic downturn quite so easily, and they actually saw their sales decrease compared to the same period last year.
I bought a 42 inch 1080p Vizio last year and I still love it. Great quality for the price.
I bought a 42" 1080p LCD last year too. I love the T.V. The only thing I wish was better was its black levels, but I can live with that.
I bought a used 34" Sony Trinitron for $20 last month and I still love it.
I got a free 32" CRT on craigslist last week. I'm Lovin' it!
I got a free 60" Philips on Craig's list a couple of weeks ago. Took $30 on materials, and 5 hours of work. The only bad thing is after having this monster screen, a 50" 16:9 will look small!
Seriously though, there are some crazy deals to be had on Craig's list if you don't mind older tech. I know it will hold me over for a couple more years while prices drop and tech gets better.
Probably because analog is going out, and nobody wants to get a stupid converter box.
And flat panels are cheaper and lighter than before with even better picture quality.
I picked up a 32" AOC for 400 bucks last year. We love it to death!
Higher end makers need to start realizing that the masses aren't looking for the perfect picture and all the latest tech.
Vizio and many other lower end TV's are doing great by offering good (but not necessarily the best) TV's at an affordable price.
For the normal viewer, this is all they want.
Yeah, and they'll want those TV's fixed out of warranty, should they break, and will find out that all of these 'cheap' brands (in all senses of the word) have absolutely NO option for repairs, not even from the factory. People are never happy when they bring us their TV and talk about how much they paid for it only to find that once it's broke, it's broke - you can't find parts, and you can't get schematics to fix boards.
Meanwhile, they guy that "spent too much" on the Sony (or Samsung, or Panasonic, or any major brand) will first be less likely to need his TV fixed, and should it break, find the cost of repair, and the fact that these companies actually HAVE service literature for the repair shops to use, well worth the extra money they spent to get a better quality TV.
Top brand TV + repair
Top brand + repair
Also,
Outlets such at Wal-Mart, Sam's, and Costco should be thanked for assisting in helping sell these TV en mass to the public.
Yes, you may be able to get a better deal online, but vast majority of people prefer to be in person for their large electronics purchases.
Agree especially many not tech savy and also most online store will gave your hard time return back to them if is defective consider the heavy shipping cost.
I agree.
I saw so many great deals online, but the return policies for stuck/dead pixels turned me off, as well as the possibility of my TV spending some time sitting at my door in the middle of the ghetto as well as the surprise of possibly getting a broken TV delivered to me and then needing to send it back made me say screw it to online shopping and go to Costco for a Vizio instead. It just makes more sense to me to buy big ticket items locally so if there's any problems, I'm waiting hours, not weeks to get a resolution.
Very happy with my 19" Vizio in the bedroom aside from volume level 1 being WAY too high and of course, waking up to the glowing logo in the middle of the night. It's the kind of stuff nightmares are made out of. Vizio-sponsored dreams.
That is no surprise considering the digital tv transition and the lower prices for bigger sets.
I just recently upgraded my 2 1/2 years old 23" Olevia HDTV bought at US $379.99 with a Panasonic Viera 32" HDTV for US $456 including tax. I must say that Panasonic produces the best black level compare to the other lower end models from Samsung and Sony.
I just bought a 32" Panasonic Viera yesterday - and in the 24 hours I've had it, I love the picture quality.
I got a 42" Panasonic plasma about a year and a half ago, and I'm still really pleased with it. Black levels were probably my main reason for going with plasma.
I'll probably pick up the new back lit 55" when it releases. Seems like a decent tv for the money. Im mostly interested in increasing my size... and yes Im still talking about my tv.
Do they even make crt based tv's any more?
Tiny ones.
I have a 42" Westinghouse that is almost 2yrs old. Although it isn't perfect (black levels etc), for the price it more than exceeded my expectations. I am just waiting for 52" 1080P LCDs to get below $1k before my next purchase.
I stopped buying higher-end TV and AV devices simply because I rarely had an ideal enough room to take advantage of them. The room was either too bright, too tall, too open to the point that getting the better gear didn't improve the experience enough. At 50% of the price, I am willing to have 80% of the performance and 100% of the features. I just wish Vizio would hurry up and release their Connected TVs with DIVX streaming. Once those release and the price drops I am sold.
Easy to see Vizio leading the pack when they're plastered in the entrance at Costco.
No suprise consider Vizio has great design that look upscale but has a affordable price tag.
I went through 2 Vizios with serious audio issues and I decided to get another brand. (My neighbor also has audio problems with her Vizio as well). I'm sure that living in the same area, we probably got a bad batch shipped to our neck of the woods. Got mine from the local Costco, so thankfully it wasn't a hassle exchanging a couple times and finally going for a different brand.
I'd say they are good entry TVs, but I'm hesitant to recommend Vizio for the time being.
I wonder if you did not like their surround mode on the vizio tvs. I have a 42 inch Galevia 1080p set. Its their older design. It has the bigger speakers. They sound decent and are pretty loud. My mother likes to turn it up really loud because shes getting older. I can hear it in my bedroom. I know the newer vizios have smaller plastic housings and smaller speakers. That might be an issue. You could always disable them and run the tv into a home theater receiver. I do that with my current tv. It sounds so much better through my full speakers. You should try turning off the surround mode if its distracting. Its on by default on the vizios.
Sorry but my next TV won't be a flat panel. My 46" Samsung looks like it's getting smaller everyday and 65" LED DLPs are under $2k now!
It's no surprise really. Large LCDs are getting much cheaper. This past December I purchased a 1080p 37" for 550 and felt like that was a steal. Today I walk into a store and see Vizio 47" 1080Ps for 900?!
I think many people also now have multiple LCDs in their home since prices have gone down. Right now I have a 47" Sony, a 37" Vizio upstairs and a 32" Vizio in the bedroom. With prices so low i'm tempted to upgrade to another 42" for my gaming TV.
Vizio's are nice and are not cheap junk like you'd expect for the price. On my 32" I have very, very low buzzing if the contrast is turned down low, but that's it. No problems with the 37". The 32" Vizio has decent, almost bad sound quality, but the new Vizio's have improved sound quality. The 37" has perfectly acceptable sound quality. Sound on flat screen TV's is just plain terrible usually unless you get a Sony or Samsung.
Consider this - Best Buy's most recent ad has lots of 40 and 42 inch HDTVs for under $700. Psychologically, investing in an HDTV now is probably one of the best things someone can do. Heck, even 32" HDTVs are now going for under $400. The only thing holding more people back is that Cable/Satellite service isn't offered where they are so they'll almost never see an HD picture unless they buy a blu-ral player.
Wireless 3D HDTV over WiMax in ever car/plane/house.........Vizio - make it so!
Chance Stevens
Editor, http://www.tvlampsnbulbs.com
you know whats funny about vizio? in italian, "vizio" is standing for "defect".
Good catch! I haven't been to Italy in years and forgot that word.
I have a 42-inch SVT series Vizio. I settled on it after buying several other brands and trying them. Bought the Vizio at BJ's Wholesale Club (similar to Costco, not sure if they're national or not). The Vizio is awesome. It can be everything you want. If you are having issues with black or with perceived quality, dig into the settings. The cheaper brands lack two things: Inputs and Options. The Vizio exceeds expectations in both areas. Four HDMI inputs!!!! Awesome. Just awesome. I didn't know how great HD was supposed to look until I had the Vizio.
You will not regret buying one.
Where's the hot Asian chick?
Doubtful that Vizio can afford hot asian chicks to stand in front of there tvs.
All I know is if you're satisfied with Vizio, you need your eyes examine. Probably the worst upgrade from CRT. My '05 32" Sharp LCD has better color and clarity than the new '09s.
I bought a 32 inch Vizio LCD about 2 years ago. There are black streaks on the screen that I can not clean off. How do I get my screen clean? Any help will be appreciated.