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Global plasma shipments only rose 3% in the second quarter
This last quarter was suppose to be another 'golden quarter' for display makers thanks to the most watched event in television history. These manufacturers were expecting the World Cup to help flat-panel shipments score. (sorry, had to) While shipments did raise 3%, it wasn't the goal (sorry again) that they were expecting. Plasma makers were expecting somewhere near 8% instead of the 3% they ended up with. The World Cup just didn't garner the amount of demand that was expected.
Sony's "hide-and-seek" Bravia TAV-L1 gets pricing and release details
It's coming out a little later than we expected, but Sony has finally announced a solid release window for the Bravia TAV-L1 complete home theater system that we first spotted all the way back in February. As you may recall, this model consists of a 32-inch LCD monitor covered by a motorized panel containing speakers and a slot-loading DVD/SACD player, along with a single HDMI input and two vibration-canceling subwoofers in the base. Knowing full well that consumers love to personalize their gear, Sony will be offering the L1 with optional green, gray, burgundy, orange, or silver speaker grills for $100 apiece starting in September, about a month after the product itself is released. Also on the horizon is a $1,300 system called the RHT-G1000, which features speakers and a receiver built right into a TV stand, allowing users to hook up their own flat panel sets and rear satellites for the full home theater experience. Expect the G1000 to be available sometime in October, while the $4,000 TAV-L1 is scheduled for release next month -- well past the May launch we'd first heard, but also a lot cheaper than the $7,000 we originally reported.
Best Buy exec: Flat panel price drops are A-OK
As research reports and analysts continue to predict a sharp case of oversupply that will lead the plasma and LCD HDTV markets to drop sharply in price as manufacturers battle, Best Buy apparently doesn't see that as a problem (as consumers waiting to buy cheap flat-panels neither do we). Citing the much higher average price of the new TVs versus the screens they have been selling for the last several years, as well as their expectation that sales will accelerate as prices drop, the only problem Best Buy seems to have is getting enough in stock to sell. Apparently the World Cup created an American shortage as manufacturers shifted panels to eager European buyers.Enough talk about the coming flat-panel price crash, wake me when it happens. I've got a 42-inch widescreen spot on the wall just gathering dust. If prices don't drop soon I'll just have to...buy one at the current prices. In the face of that sort of threat, it is impossible to see how the industry can continue to hold out.
Rig of the Day: Floating monitor
Here's a clever set up. Flickr user Brendan Lynch shows off a white MacBook 2.0Ghz connected to a wall-mounted Mitsubishi E35 18.1'' Flat Panel. It looks real nice, Brendan. If you could go the extra step and somehow hide the MacBook, you'd have a super-clean look."Clean rig" posted by Brendan Lynch.If you'd like to see your own rig featured here, simply upload photos into our group Flickr pool. We select one image to highlight each day, and crown a Rig of the Week on Sundays.
Viewsonic's 32-inch and 27-inch "future-proof" LCDs
ViewSonic, a name already well known on our computer desk, is now making a play for our living room with a set of LCD TVs that promise to delight us now, and keep us "future-proofed" into the, um, future. Both new models -- the 32-inch N3251W (pictured) and 27-inch N2751W -- feature 1,366 x 768 widescreen displays, 1000:1 contrast ratios, and zippy 8ms response times, along with HDCP-compatible HDMI inputs, S/PDIF digital audio outputs, and as a bonus, integrated digital ATSC tuners. Even better, the prices for these displays -- available now, at your favorite ViewSonic distributor -- aren't stratospheric, with the 27-incher going for $800 and the 32-inch model setting you back a grand or less.[Via HDBeat]
LG puts their biggest 100-inch LCD on display this weekend
If you're looking for a place to catch The Sopranos season finale on Sunday, let us make a suggestion. If you live in San Francisco, you may want to stop by SID (Society for Information Display) 2006, where LG will be publicly showing off their record setting 100-inch LCD HDTV.Or maybe you wouldn't want to...oh who are we kidding you know you would. If you were to accidentally make off with the massive 5ms refresh rate and 3000:1 contrast ratio monster, post up a pic or two in the flickr group of how you got it to fit in your living room.
Seven from Sony: new BRAVIA flat-panel LCDs
Even though we've all gone out and bought HD-DVD players already (not really), Sony is trying to woo consumers over to the Blu-ray camp with a snazzy new line of BRAVIA-brand flat-panel LCD TVs, five of which sport the coveted XBR designation, and five of which offer 1080p resolution for maximum enjoyment of the BDP-S1 that Sony is hoping you'll pick up this summer. All of the XBR sets -- the 46-inch KDL-46XBR3 and KDL-46XBR2, 40-inch KDL-40XBR3 and KDL-40XBR2, and 32-inch KDL-V32XBR2 -- feature a built-in ATSC tuner plus one VGA, two HD component, and three HDMI inputs, along with the usual flurry of patented picture enhancement technologies, with the XBR3s sporting that shiny piano black bezel which is so popular nowadays that it's showing up at some of the finest bars along the Jersey shore. Rounding out the bunch are the 46-inch KDL-46V2500 and 40-inch KDL-40V2500, which also give you 1,920 x 1,080 pixels, but no digital tuner, one less HDMI input, and no option for interchangeable, multi-colored bezels as with their XBR2 counterparts. Prices for these models -- which will all be available in September -- range from $2,500 for the 32-incher up to $5,300 for the stylin' 46-inch XBR3 (pictured), and of course, whatever you end up paying for that Blu-ray player.
ALU Media Wall makes wires disappear easily
If what you really want is a neat cable-less living room, a flat-screen seeming to be suspended on its own and don't want to tear into your walls to connect everything, ALU may have the television stand for you. It's a fake wall plus shelves for your equipment, that will support up to a 47-inch 185-pound flat-panel TV on its aluminum frame. We haven't seen this show up in the HD Beat flickr group yet, anyone willing to lay down $1,398 for the privilege?[Via QJ.net]
Mitsubishi's new 21-inch RDT212H monitor for Japan
Mitsubishi has just announced a new 21.3-inch flat panel monitor for the Japanese market, and even though it offers two DVI ports and a UXGA resolution of 1,600 x 1,200, we're not sure how many folks will be willing to part with close to ¥200,000 (about $1,775 US) to have this model on their desks. The RDT212H, in silver or black, does offer a pretty nice 1000:1 contrast ratio, but the 16-millisecond response time won't impress any gamers, and the 300cd/m2 brightness is nothing special, so we're struggling to discover what those hundreds of thousands of yen are really buying you. We'll have to wait a few weeks to find out, though, as that's when this LCD is scheduled to hit stores -- stay tuned to Engadget Japan for the latest.[Via Impress]
Solid state TDEL flat panel HDTVs -- still -- coming soon
Cheaper than LCDs and plasmas plus better picture quality in a 1-inch thick flat panel HDTV? That's what iFire has been promising for a while now and it may be one step closer to reality. Their parent company Westaim hopes to bring the thick-film dielectric electroluminescent technology (TDEL) screens to market in 2007 at a price point of less than $1000 for a 34-inch model. It involves no gases, liquids or vacuums and requires no backlighting. Instead the materials are layered directly onto the glass which they say provides better PQ and a wider viewing angle, with half the production cost of LCDs. Much like the fabled SEDs which we still haven't seen, we've been looking out for these since Engadget first mentioned them in 2004. If/when either technology debuts, it will be very interesting to see how it affects the existing high definition flat screen market.
Philips spins off Liquavista to develop thin Electrowetting displays
A bunch of venture capitalists have been poking around Philips' R&D labs lately, and it seems that they like what they see. New Venture Partners has joined with the Dutch electronics giant to spin off several companies based on technology first developed by Philips Research, with the first collaboration, Liquavista, being announced today. Based on a thin-display technology called Electrowetting, Liquavista will attempt to integrate its products into DAPs, cellphones, watches, and other portable devices where high brightness and rapid refresh rates are valued (which is like, all of them). Electrowetting supposedly provides better brightness and response time than competing reflective display technologies while using essentially the same manufacturing techniques, and according to a handy comparison chart on MobileRead, is just about the best thing ever. Skeptics will be able to peep the displays for themselves in early June, however, when Liquavista will present some prototypes at the Society for Information Display's 2006 exhibition in San Francisco. [Warning: PDF link][Via MobileRead]
Samsung updates PVA LCD line with 32 and 40-inch "Bordeaux" models
Samsung has added two new models to its PVA lineup of LCD TVs. The new screens, available in 32 and 40-inch models, have a solid 6ms response rate and 5000:1 contrast ratio. The company has tagged these "Bordeaux," for no reason we can see other than the fact that it gave Samsung an excuse to introduce them with pics of a model holding a glass of red wine. Both models (the TVs, not the one holding the wine) look pretty good, with integrated bases, a slim profile and on-bezel controls. No word yet on pricing or release dates.
Syntax-Brillian looks to LG.Philips LCD for help expanding
To compete in todays flat panel television market, you gotta have size, and Syntax-Brillian has found a way around that. Today they announced they will be buying their LCD screens from LG.Philips in sizes from 20" to 47". This means S-B will be able to ensure they can get their Olevia branded televisions on store shelves, and LG Philips LCD knows there will always be someone to buy them, especially with the constant reminders that overcapacity is imminent.This is one of many such partnerships, you'll need a scorecard (if you already don't) to keep track of who actually made the TV sitting in your living room.
Another plasma hiding fireplace
This is better than some of the furniture challenges we just heard about. There are some times that you just don't want to show off your flat panel. Of course, we can't think of one of the top of our heads, but there must be a time. Anyway, with a press of a button, you can hide that flat panel behind a nice marble fireplace. This new one adds space for some audio/video equipment under the fireplace which would also fry up any lingering dust bunnies among your wiring. This "hot" boy is available across the pond in the UK for $8,687.
Love your Sony Bravia so much you can't turn it off? Good, you might not be able to
That's what Sony informed Reuters today. About 400,000 of the flat panel displays and rear-projection TVs in the Bravia or Grand Wega line have faulty software that could leave users unable to turn them off (kinda bad) or bring them out of standby mode (really bad). Affected owners can simply unplug the sets to reset them and/or visit Sony's website Update My TV . Depending on model, you can either update the firmware yourself or you may need a technician to do it for you. Hopefully this problem is not more widespread than they think, the Bravia line has been very popular for Sony.[via Engadget]
Flat panel price wars: Are Pioneer & Hitachi big enough to sit at this table?
Size does matter, at least if you're an LCD manufacturer. While 2005 may have ended without the oversupply and price crash many had predicted, as LG & Samsung continue to add production capacity prices will (someday) drop, and smaller manufacturers may be squeezed out. The outlook for plasmas is similar, with Matsushita (Panasonic) currently holding one-third of the market, and also with plans to expand production rapidly over the next few years. What can smaller manufacturers do? A few things, like partner up. For a company like Pioneer, maybe it's time to start focusing on features, not price and volume. They could start by offering 1080p TVs that accept 1080p inputs (oh wait, they already do that), provide in-home calibration, longer warranties, Ethernet ports for streaming, something. Maybe by the end of this year they'll be willing to throw in an HD-DVD or Blu-ray player just to differentiate themselves.
LG in the black thanks to LCDs
LCDs are doing LG.Philips good. If it was not for the flat-panels they would not be so far in the black. The sales of these TVs soared past last years numbers (duh) as they competed against their peninsula rival, Samsung. Their net profit jumped 91 percent to 312.2 billion won ($318.3 million).LG.Philips was the largest LCD supplier from last year with LCD panels under numerous brands. Their high-end consumer lines still fall under ether the LG or the Phillips name, but these sets are never in the news. We hear about Sharp and Sony all the time but nether LG or Phillips comes up. Does anyone own any of these sets? We've had good experiences with them in the past and they seem like good deals but would you buy one of these average consumer products instead of spending a few more bucks for a Sony or Sharp?
Onkyo TV stand with center and front speakers built in
Want better audio but just cannot stand to put speakers next to your beautiful flat panel? Onkyo has a stand for you that includes the center and front speakers right in the stand. This is the second generation of this product and Onkyo is a quality audio company so you can be sure this stand is worth almost $700.The Asian market gets this stand first and since it looks a heck of a lot better then the one in our market, lets hope we get this one soon.
Yule log broadcasts a preview of new art forms?
Perhaps. As flat panel displays continue to drop in price, some people believe we'll have so many that this new trend will take off with "ambient video" and this is just one early example of it. We already saw the live log feed on INHD and the log DVD earlier, and as the CEO of ScreenDreams came by to mention, it will also be available in next generation DVD formats whenever they become available.Will this take off, will I walk throughout my house as my networked LCD wallpaper reacts to my movements and mood? I dunno if I really want it to, plus I'd probably have to change it all around when my parents visit.
