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Panasonic Prices and Dates Plasmas and LCDs for Japan
Fri Feb 10, 2012 at 12:00 PM ETTags: Panasonic, Plasma TVs, LCD TVs (all tags)
Details on the US versions of the sets aren't available yet, but we can glean plenty from the Japanese pricing.
There's a three stage cycle to TV releases from Japanese companies and we're at the really frustrating one. The first step is showing off new sets at CES. That's an exciting one. The final step is releasing the TVs in the US - also exciting. Right now, we're at the point where companies are going to be releasing their sets in Japan, which does us very little good. Still, we can get a little glimpse of what to expect from the US releases by what's announced for Japan.
Panasonic revealed that its upcoming VT50 series of plasmas will be hitting Japanese stores on April 20th. the 50" version runs 360,000 yen or $4,664, while the 60" set comes in at 500,000 yen, or around $6,478. Pricing tends to be a bit lower in the US, but don't expect to see huge drops.
LCD TVs will be coming out on March 9th along with GT5 plasmas. Of particular interest is the ET series, which is the first from Panasonic that uses passive 3D glasses.
Source: Engadget
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Panasonic Unveils 2012 Plasma TVs
Mon Jan 16, 2012 at 12:00 PM ETTags: Panasonic, HDTVs, Plasma TVs, CES 2012 (all tags)
Six new series are launching, only one of them lacks 3D.
Panasonic is launching a total of 17 new TVs this year, with sizes and features ranging from the entry-level to the high end. Every single one of them packs a 1080p resolution, and all but one - the U50 - offers 3D capabilities.
At the top of the six different lines is the VT50. You'll be able to pick up Panasonic's flagship in 55" and 65" sizes and you'll find everything you've come to expect from a high end television. You get 3D capabilities, the Infinite Black Ultra Panel for dark blacks, built in Wi-Fi, Viera Connect for your internet apps and 2D to 3D conversion.
The VT50 also packs CALMAN calibration software and an ISFcc calibration mode so you - or someone who knows what they're doing - can get your set looking just right. It also gives you 8-Train speakers with 3D Real Sound for more immersive audio. Though if you're buying a top of the line TV you should really shell out for some speakers.
The VT50 and the rest of Panasonic's new plasma sets will be available this year though a specific launch date and price have not yet been set.
Source: Panasonic
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Samsung Announces New TVs at CES Including a 55" OLED
Wed Jan 11, 2012 at 10:00 AM ETTags: Samsung, LED TVs, Plasma TVs, OLED TVs, CES 2012 (all tags)
LG isn't the only company bringing a living room sized OLED to market in 2012.
Samsung kicked CES off with a bang, announcing new televisions in their plasma and LED backlit lines, but the big news is the company's 55" OLED display.
The folks at Samsung are referring to their new set as the Super OLED TV. It gives you everything you'd expect from an OLED set - fast response time, bright colors, deep blacks, slim design - and adds a few extra features. One of the most interesting is a Smart Interaction camera, which gives you Kinect-like voice and gesture control as well as facial recognition to easily switch user profiles. There's been no price announced for the Super OLED TV and no specific release date though Samsung does expect to have it on the market in 2012.
As usual, Samsung put a great deal of emphasis on their LED backlit sets. At the high end are the UNES8000 and UNES7500, both of which offer micro dimming for a brighter and more accurate picture as well as all the Smart TV features you've come to expect. One big change - they're utilizing a dual-core processor.
Samsung has plans for plasma as well, as shown by the PNE8000. The set features a new bezel design which includes a transparent border which Samsung says will create a more immersive experience. The 8000 also has the deepest black levels yet in Samsung's plasmas thanks to the Real Black Pro Panel.
All of Samsung's new higher-end TVs offer 3D and Smart TV capabilities as well as dual-core processors and a few other extras.
Source: Samsung
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LG Launches a Touch Controlled TV Line
Mon Aug 29, 2011 at 12:00 PM ETTags: LG, Plasma TVs (all tags)
You'll need a PC attached to use it, but the PenTouch is a pretty slick setup.
Touchscreen displays aren't exactly new. They've been used on computers for a while, and if you own a smartphone or a tablet, you almost certainly have a touchscreen in the house. LG wants to take that a step further by putting a touchscreen display on your TV.
The LG PenTouch TV uses a stylus for control and can recognize two at once. It's all about a new way to interact with TV, aimed especially at families. "The PenTouch TV brings all the excitement of touch displays, computers and the Internet to the world of television, with functions and programs that are great fun and really educational," says senior VP Jay Vandenbree.
The PenTouch software gives you the ability to draw pictures on the screen, browse the internet with your stylus, play with your own digital pictures, create a family calendar and more. The downside is that you'll need a dual core PC with a decent graphics card to make it all work.
The 50 inch display will run $1,099 when it's released. The THX certified 60 inch set comes in at $2,199.
Source: eCoustics
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Don't Count Plasma Out Just Yet
Thu Jun 23, 2011 at 12:00 PM ETTags: High-Def Retailing, Industry Trends, Plasma TVs (all tags)
Plasma HDTVs sure did get off to a rocky start. Early models created (and exacerbated) worries of higher weight, cost, and energy usage versus similar sized LCDs. And let's not forget the pesky problem of "burn in," a technical flaw which hasn't been a problem for years, yet still plagues customer awareness. But the truth is Plasmas have always offered better black-levels than LCDs, as well as a better ability to display fast motion imagery without the need, as LCD did, to add awkward technology that makes movies and television look and feel off.
Perhaps consumers are starting to be less afraid of perceived issues, and more aware of the improved picture quality available in the current generation of plasmas, which include 3DTVs. The Plasma Display Coalition, which includes manufacturers like Panasonic and LG, announced yesterday that over 1 Million plasma HDTVs were sold between January and May of 2011. For those lacking photographic memories, that's a 25 percent growth rate over the same period in 2010, as well as a 12 percent revenue gain (it seems margins are thinner). LCD sales for the same period, it seems, are only up 2 percent.
Source: Market Watch
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LCD and Plasma Growth Takes a Dive
Wed Jun 08, 2011 at 10:00 AM ETTags: LCD TVs, Plasma TVs, Industry Trends, High-Def Retailing (all tags)
Both display formats are still growing, but that growth has slowed significantly.
LCD and plasma televisions have been experiencing a great deal of growth, especially over the last year, but it seems that growth spurt has ended.
In the first quarter of 2010, LCD TV shipments grew by 50 percent. That was spurred on in part by the World Cup, but 50 percent growth is remarkable no matter how you slice it. In 2011, the first quarter growth was just nine percent.
Plasma sets were in a bit of a resurgence thanks to lower prices and the busting of a few common plasma TV myths, but this quarter they're down to six percent growth - not exactly mind blowing.
Interestingly, plasma TVs still improved a good deal in the 720p category. Analysts cite low prices for large screen sizes as the primary cause.
Source: Home Media Magazine
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Samsung Launches New Plasma Sets
Mon Mar 21, 2011 at 02:00 PM ETTags: Samsung, Plasma TVs (all tags)
The very top of the plasma line, however, won't be available until April.
This month marks the release of seven new plasma TVs from Samsung, all of which take advantage of Samsung's new Plasma+1 design.
Thanks to a new plasma design, Samsung has been able to up screen size by a full inch while at the same time reducing the bezel. Sure it's only an inch, but going from a 50 inch set to a 51 inch set is nothing to scoff at.
With the entry-level plasmas already out, this month sees the release of the similarly inexpensive D490 series in both 43 and 51 inch sizes. The height of this month's releases is the D6500 which introduces Wi-Fi and an ultra-slim design.
If you're looking forward to the top of the line D7000 and D8000 models, then you'll have to wait until they hit in April.
Source: Samsung
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Fujitsu Develops Curved Plasma Tube Array
Thu May 13, 2010 at 02:00 PM ETTags: Plasma TVs, Advertising (all tags)
Pillar and corner mounted plasma advertizing (plasmertizing?) is on the way.
It's hard not to envision 'Blade Runner' while thinking about Fujitsu's new curved plasma display. It's designed for advertizing after all, and that was one of the most memorable things about the film. But it's such an overused comparison so we'll go with 'The Fifth Element.'
Either way, Fujitsu's display is a very cool step forward. It uses the display technology created by Shinoda plasma that was demonstrated a few years back. Millimeter high plasma tubes are stacked tightly in batches of red, blue, and green. That allows the display to be not only flexible, but thin as well.
The displays are a meter square, and can be curved to fit different structures. You won't be able to get the full 90 degree bend, but a nice gentle curve on a large pillar works out nicely.
Fujitsu's new screens won't be available until later in the year, and there's no telling when we'll start seeing them out in public.
Source: Good Gear Guide
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Plasma Defense Coalition Calls For End To Misinformation
Wed Oct 14, 2009 at 06:00 PM ETTags: Plasma TVs, Industry Trends (all tags)
Plasma displays could soon be banned for sale in California, but according to the PDC, the information leading to that ban is just plain wrong.
The California Energy Commission has been considering a ban on plasma displays for some time now and it seems that the information they’re going by is a little bit off. Jim Polumbo, president of the Plasma Defense Coalition sums up some of the inaccuracies.
“The Commission's FAQ document shows a chart that compares CRT, LCD, and Plasma technologies. However, they use three examples of products that have never been marketed in the United States,” he says of some of the information they’ve shown. “Further, the energy efficiency comparisons for these imaginary televisions are grossly exaggerated.”
A chart on the CEC’s website comparing LED to plasma displays uses some fairly odd numbers as well. It states that a 42” LCD television – presumably the average – uses 203 watts, while a 42” plasma uses 271. According to Panasonic’s website, their new 42” Viera S1 plasma has an average power consumption of 173 watts. According to the PDC, Energy Star certified plasmas range from 142 to 195 watts, far under the 271 reported.
Polumbo concludes, “We have objected to this inaccurate and misleading portrayal of our industry's finest products, especially given the enormous strides that our members have made to increase energy efficiency over the past several years.”
Source: Earthtimes
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Pioneer’s Legendary Kuro Brand Not Completely Dead
Wed Jul 15, 2009 at 03:00 PM ETTags: Pioneer, Industry Trends, Plasma TVs, Kuro (all tags)
It’s only a flesh wound! A revival is “theoretically possible.”
Mike O’Mahony stated in a recent conversation with Tech Radar that the Kuro brand revival is “theoretically possible.”
That might not seem like much, but plasma enthusiasts are already speculating on the revival of Pioneer’s unmatched televisions. The Kuro line of televisions are well known for their quality of picture, and the announcement in February that they would be discontinued was in many minds the death knell of Plasma television.
Don’t get too excited though, as the return of the brand doesn’t necessarily mean the return of the TVs. As O’Mahony elaborated, "To my knowledge, there are no immediate plans to resurrect the brand. The plan for the moment is to focus on the core areas – audio is absolutely key. Maybe the Kuro brand is too ingrained in the flat-panel market – we're just not sure"
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