should there be a 'modular' hdtv? [Archive] - Audio & Video Forums

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stan2
06-10-2005, 07:11 AM
Eg., one where you could buy a upgrade display chip(s).. somewhat like a desktop computer where i can upgrade my soundcard, mother board, hard drive, etc... basically, in a bigass tv, there are a number of components that remain ok, but the technology that changes the image is the dlp chip, in a dlp tv, for instance. we don't really need to toss out the box, audio, lens (maybe), projection mirrors, screen, etc.. i realize some of those components are optimized around the design of the chip probably, but it would be an eco-friendly tv if you could upgrade w/o ditching the whole thing. clearly, the manufacturers consider how they can extract the most money from the buying public, so they want to sell a new model as often as they can. but there is some average replacement cycle in effect, whether it's 4 yrs or 8 yrs or whatever. in the meantime, they are selling me nothing, other than maybe repairs.

as it stands, if i want a better picture, i have to buy a whole new unit. so i wait several years before doing that. on the other hand, if i could buy a new display chip every 2 yrs for a couple hundred or more, i might do that. eventually, the rest of the box will become out of style or need more repair of other parts of the overall system, and i'll get a whole new thing.

whaddya think? they might even get a little milage out of being eco-friendly, not that most people seem to give a rip about that, but some do. kinda like buying energy star appliances. (and this kind of thing - waste reduction - is my job, so i gotta be thinkin about it)

edtyct
06-10-2005, 09:57 AM
To me, the prospect is attractive, for the very reasons that you give. As you say, we obviously have this privilege, to some extent, in the high-turnover computer industry, as well as, oddly enough, the upper echelons in audio, where companies like Meriden and Lexicon offer consumers upgrade opportunities for some of their big-ticket items by card, now and in the future. Computers, however, are largely manageable devices, in terms of their size and basic layout, for which user-installable parts exist simultaneously with the ones already in the computer. The system is geared to swapping out computer chips and cards relatively cheaply and easily. The high-end audio components capable of user upgrades are confined to the higher reaches of the arcane and the expensive; both the components and the upgrades for them tend to cost a lot of money and thus sell in small quantities. Moreover, the companies involved are little more than cottage industries, compared to the major TV manufacturers or the computer consortium.

RPTVs are often big, ungainly, and mysterious. Most people would not be comfortable opening one up, and they could easily disrupt something in doing so. Furthermore, simply unplugging one from the wall does not always eliminate dangerous voltages. As one who has been stung by a the insides of a CRT, I don't recommend anyone going inside without knowing exactly how to do it. The elements on a DLP or LCD chip would not seem to permit the comparably rough, or inexpert, handling that computer chips can stand.

You also have to ask what's in it for the various manufacturers? Take the DLP chip, which comes from Texas Instruments. Is it in, say, Samsung's interest to allow Texas Instruments to sell upgrade chips directly to their consumers? Or is it in Texas Instruments' interest to do so when most of their bread is buttered by manufacturers of scale? Sony at this point is even wary of consumers doing their own firmware upgrades for fear of how problems might rebound on the company. True, other companies seem to have no problem with it, but Sony's willingness to draw their line a little earlier might be a clue to what other companies would do when pushed a little further. Then, is it in Samsung's interests to stock and sell chips for TVs and technologies that have planned obsolescence written all over them? You can bet that the price of TVs takes into consideration the very life cycles that you mentioned. Regardless of how chip replacement might appeal to a small segment of the TV buying public, it's hard to imagine that the various manufacturers would see much benefit to it.

Well, that's my 2/100 of a dollar.

Ed

stan2
06-12-2005, 08:57 AM
To me, the prospect is attractive, for the very reasons that you give. As you say, we obviously have this privilege, to some extent, in the high-turnover computer industry, as well as, oddly enough, the upper echelons in audio, where companies like Meriden and Lexicon offer consumers upgrade opportunities for some of their big-ticket items by card, now and in the future. Computers, however, are largely manageable devices, in terms of their size and basic layout, for which user-installable parts exist simultaneously with the ones already in the computer. The system is geared to swapping out computer chips and cards relatively cheaply and easily. The high-end audio components capable of user upgrades are confined to the higher reaches of the arcane and the expensive; both the components and the upgrades for them tend to cost a lot of money and thus sell in small quantities. Moreover, the companies involved are little more than cottage industries, compared to the major TV manufacturers or the computer consortium.

RPTVs are often big, ungainly, and mysterious. Most people would not be comfortable opening one up, and they could easily disrupt something in doing so. Furthermore, simply unplugging one from the wall does not always eliminate dangerous voltages. As one who has been stung by a the insides of a CRT, I don't recommend anyone going inside without knowing exactly how to do it. The elements on a DLP or LCD chip would not seem to permit the comparably rough, or inexpert, handling that computer chips can stand.

You also have to ask what's in it for the various manufacturers? Take the DLP chip, which comes from Texas Instruments. Is it in, say, Samsung's interest to allow Texas Instruments to sell upgrade chips directly to their consumers? Or is it in Texas Instruments' interest to do so when most of their bread is buttered by manufacturers of scale? Sony at this point is even wary of consumers doing their own firmware upgrades for fear of how problems might rebound on the company. True, other companies seem to have no problem with it, but Sony's willingness to draw their line a little earlier might be a clue to what other companies would do when pushed a little further. Then, is it in Samsung's interests to stock and sell chips for TVs and technologies that have planned obsolescence written all over them? You can bet that the price of TVs takes into consideration the very life cycles that you mentioned. Regardless of how chip replacement might appeal to a small segment of the TV buying public, it's hard to imagine that the various manufacturers would see much benefit to it.

Well, that's my 2/100 of a dollar.

Ed

i'm sure you're right.. if there is ever to be any upgradability, it will be more of a service tech operation than merely adding some ram to my computer, tho it seems that could be designed around... but the bottom line, as usual, is the bottom line: the big mfgrs want to sell the whole new deal. it'll take some changes up and down the line, from consumer to retailer, to service tech, to manufacturers - to effect anything along this line. as i said, this is kinda what i do, so maybe i'll have a chance to mess around with the idea. talk to some industry folks in the context of 'reducing electronic waste', etc... already people are talking about 'take back' programs for old electronics, as well as other products (out of date pharmaceuticals, eg.) so this may not be out of the question in the future.

HAVIC
06-14-2005, 11:34 AM
About the most I've ever seen as far as upgradeability was with my Mitsubishi TV. Although it did not upgrade the picture quality it offered other features. Mitsubishi called it the promise box. It was a $999.99 box that had to be professionally installed.

If I recall it only added digital audio connectors, a firewire port, and a high def component connection.

I just went to check on Mitubishi's website and they do not even list it for sale anymore. So much for a promise that my tv would be capable of working with new technologies. They never even offered a box with dvi-d or hdmi, that I would have payed for as I believe my HD picture is great but I might need dvi or hdmi to work with bluray/hd dvd or and upconverting dvd player. Oh well