| Plasma sales down 10%, but not with specialists
SmartHouseNews: Shipments of 40-inch LCD panels totaled 7.8 million units in 2006, 400,000 units more than the 7.4 million units for plasma TVs, according to the latest market share figures from Displaybank. This is being driven by mass rertailers selling low priced LCD TV screens. However, according to the research, high-end retailers are still selling more plasma than LCD TV's. LCD panel shipments surpassed those of plasma's since August 2006, noted the research firm, adding that LCD shipments rose at a monthly rate of 5%, while plasma shipments plunged by more than 10%. Shipments of 40-inch range LCD panels jumped from 90,000 units in 2004 to 1.2 million units in 2005, and then skyrocketed by more than six times on year in 2006, the research said.
Sharp unveils 65 inch portrait mode LCD HDTV
Sharp has introduced the PN-655RU, its first 65 inch LCD high definition TV designed to work in portrait mode rather than landscape. Whilst it's not a practical home solution, there are plenty of commercial applications for a tall screen, such as digital signs, medical imaging, and flight information display. It's a full 1080p monitor with 1080x1920 resolution, and features Sharp's Advanced Super View (ASV), a response rate of 6ms, and a four-wavelength spectrum, cold-cathode fluorescent backlight that provides an enhanced color spectrum including deeper, more vibrant and vivid reds. The screen has anti-glare and low-reflection properties, and a decent 170 degree viewing angle, so is ideal for outdoor applications. Available in the US this month, it'll set you back a cool $30,000.
Samsung LN-S4692D 46?
Quick take: The Samsung LN-S92D series consists of three LCD flat-panel TVs: the 32-inch LN-S3292D, the 40-inch LN-S4092D, and the 46-inch LN-S4692D. All three share the same native resolution of 1,366x768, which means they can display every detail of 720p material. Since we have not reviewed these sets, we cannot comment on their image quality. We have reviewed Samsung LCDs such as the LN-S3252D and were pleased with their image quality, but we don't know if the LN-S92D will provide similar performance. In terms of connectivity, all three are the same, featuring two HDMI inputs, one component-video input, and a VGA-style PC input. All three of these sets also have built-in HDTV tuners, which means they can receive over-the-air HDTV without an external set-top box. The LN-S3292D, the LN-S4092D, and the LN-S3692D are all currently available, with list prices of INR 83,921, INR 106,005, and INR 132,507, respectively.
Sharp Q3 profit up on TVs, Pioneer cuts forecast
TOKYO - Sharp Corp. posted a 13 percent gain in quarterly operating profit on Wednesday as a new panel plant helped it cope with steep falls in flat TV prices, and it stuck to its annual forecast for a 10 percent profit rise. But smaller consumer electronics makers had less success in weathering the fierce price competition. Victor Co. of Japan Ltd. (JVC) saw its profit fall by almost half in October-December, while Pioneer Corp. cut its full-year profit outlook by one-third, underscoring a widening gap between winners and losers in the flat TV industry. Osaka-based Sharp controls half of Japans liquid crystal display (LCD) TV market, but trails South Koreas Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. and domestic rival Sony Corp. globally. In a bid to better compete with its larger rivals, Sharp last year brought onstream the worlds first plant that handles efficiency-boosting eighth-generation glass substrates, which can yield eight 40-inch-class panels -- up from three panels from the sixth-generation substrates used at its adjacent plant.
|
