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View SlideshowPlasma TV. It used to be one of the luxury purchases that signaled you had made it. You were hip, rich, beau monde. How times have changed. Now LCD is king and high-quality plasmas are a steal at three figures from Costco.
When Pioneer announced earlier this year that it was exiting the TV market altogether—and taking its esteemed Kuro line of plasma TVs with it—many had to wonder if that was the death knell for the one-time technology king of flat-panel TV.
After all, there are far more LCD manufacturing plants than plasma factories, which has increased competition among the LCD suppliers. That won’t change since it has never been economically feasible to make a plasma for less than 37 inches (and even Panasonic no longer makes a 37-inch), while LCD TVs run the gamut from 5- to 65-inch screen sizes.
There are lots of people, consumers and TV reviewers alike, who hope the end of plasma is far down the road. Many still prefer the rich colors, deep black levels and dark-scene detail of plasma TVs compared with the relatively washed-out look of LCD TV. No question, LED backlights on newer LCD TVs are narrowing the delta when it comes to more accurate colors and black levels, but high-end plasma still rules when it comes to picture quality, viewing angle and motion response.
Consumers and reviewers aren’t the only ones still devoted to plasma. For now, at least, Panasonic, LG, and Samsung remain committed to plasma TV, although they all offer LCD TVs as well. For 2009, look for all of the companies to step up with higher end models to fill the void left by Pioneer’s Kuro line. Bargains exist at the entry-level as well after Vizio, too, announced it would end plasma TV production this year.
LG
“As a leading provider of both plasma and LCD, including core panel technologies for both, LG sees LCD and plasma coexisting in the marketplace for years to come,” according to John Taylor, vp of public affairs and communications for LG Electronics.
Taylor notes that LCD sales have outpaced plasma to this point because industry sales figures include small screen sizes—where LCD owns the market—as well as larger sizes. When it comes to the high end, though, LG is all about plasma. “LG positions plasma as the ultimate home theater experience for large-screen viewing with a more film-like quality,” says Taylor.
Despite Pioneer’s and Vizio’s recent moves, LG maintains that the demand for plasma TVs is still growing. This year alone, LG expects to sell 3 million plasma sets, representing a projected 19 percent of the total plasma TV market. LG will focus primarily on 50-inch and larger screen sizes where demand is highest.
For 2009, LG is pushing advanced features including Internet connectivity, 1080p resolution and “frameless” designs with minimal bezels. The 50- and 60-inch plasmas in LG’s PS80 series include broadband connectivity for access to Netflix, YouTube and Yahoo Widgets; THX display certification, 4 HDMI inputs and a USB slot for enjoying digital pics and music from a thumbdrive.
Don’t expect to se a 65” OLED TV for another 20 years. Well, I actually mean, a 65” OLED that you can afford to buy. Right now they don’t make them that big, the vast majoity are only and inch or two, used in cell phones and MP3 players. The one I saw was 10 or 12 “, and it was $2400. The picture was far better than any current TV technology can produce.
Plasma will be positioned as the premium technology for the foreseeable future until OLED (or perhaps SED) or another technology is better, faster, cheaper. Smart retailers will advise consumers to buy the technology that’s best for their viewing habits and environment, which for most households means buying both.
I have plasma and a couple LCD’s and I get glued to my plasma. LCD still has a few years of improvements to go for me to consider it. It is fine for a 32” bedroom tv or 19” kitchen tv but for the living room/home theater, 50” or bigger plasma can’t be beat yet. DLP is running on short time. I don’t think you’ll see much more of it within next 1-2 years. Only cheap quality DLP’s at Walmart maybe. Consumers are going towards flatter and manufactures will kiil DLP soon no matter its benefit/cost ratio. Just my 2 cents.
I suggested my LED DLP Samsung to my work and they bought it for a conference room to replace a projector and screen for presentations. Then after connecting a HD signal from several local TV stations, to it, several people in my company bought the same set and all of them love it. I believe that is produces a picture as good as some plasma sets, and far better than any LCD. Only the fastest LCD’s screens and produce great motion for fast paced sports. The LED DLP has no problem in that department. Let the buyers feedback on Amazon speak for itself, or try your favorite AV group. Taking all the good and bad of Plasma and LED DLP into account, and LED DLP comes out the winner for me. You could cook your breakfast on the heat comeing from most plasma TV’s. We have enough heat here in Florida, we don’t welcome more from our appliances, including TV.
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I have had the LED DLP for 3 years, and I would not trade it for any LCD panel made 3 years ago. I would like to get one of the 60 LED LCD panels I’ve seen though. I would not say anything bad about Plasma, because some of them do have one of the best pictures of any TV. It is the down side of Plasma that keeps me from buying it. Just like the down side to standard DLP. I would not touch a DLP until they lost to light bulb and the spinning mirror. They did that when Samsung used the LED light engine developed at MIT. No matter what comments any of you have for LED DLP, you may be confusing it with the older DLP. I have zero complaints with my Samsung LED DLP. My next TV will be LED LCD. Remember, all of this is time relevant. Draw a time line and look at the period of time that Plasma was a dog. Lots of people bought Plasma that burned out so many pixels they either gave them away, or tossed them in the garbage. Nobody said that they didn’t have a great picture, when they worked. The days of Plasma burning out pixels might be a thing of the past. I guess the same could be said of some older LCD panels.