Plasma is officially dead

[Smokey]

With Panasonic and Samsung already ending Plasma TVs production, the last remaining Plasma TV maker LG is als throwing the towel.

LG's home entertainment division president Ha Hyun-hwoi said that LG would be suspending plasma production in the near future. Ha cited the lack of demand for the technology, and an increase in demand for UHD 4K and OLED.

That will end 20 years of Plasma TV production run as back in 1995, Fujitsu introduced the first 42-inch PlasmaTV.

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

And once again technology marches backwards towards the future. In this years AVS flatpanel shootout the LG OLED and the Samsung PLASMA tied for first place over all of the UHD OLED and LCD panels. Imagine, a 1080p plasma beating a 4K UHD LED LCD panel. Both the LG and the Samsung dusted the competition, and consumers are still choosing LED LCD panels and all the quality problems that come with them. When we made the transition from CRT to Plasmas and LCD, it took both of them nearly a decade to catch up to the CRT in performance. Now we are choosing LED LCD over plasma's, and plasma outperform them. I wonder how long it is going to take for UHD panels to catch up to the highest performing plasma?

I am not thrilled about OLED or 4K right now. There is no 4K software available, and OLED has manufacturing issues that will take years to iron out(low yields on their panels). I am much more thrilled about Dolby Atmos than OLED and 4K. At least with Atmos the spec's have been laid out, and basic speaker layouts released, and all the manufacturers have to do is release the new receivers and speakers with the technology.

I am really glad I purchased that Samsung plasma. Not parting with that anytime soon.

[Smokey]

Imagine, a 1080p plasma beating a 4K UHD LED LCD panel.Really that is not surprising. TV Manufactures are moving toward 4K, and at same time they are carrying LCD shortcomings to new 4K TVs. Lack of deep black level being number 1 issue :)

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

Really that is not surprising. TV Manufactures are moving toward 4K, and at same time they are carrying LCD shortcomings to new 4K TVs. Lack of deep black level being number 1 issue :)

Not to mention dynamic contrast, off axis viewing, color resolution, motion resolution....shall I go on.

Most people around here( you know, the haters) think I just throw my money at any technology that comes along, and that supposedly cements some 1% type image(which they think I think makes me better than the masses LOLOL...right). But those folks are as wrong as a man with 14 right legs, and no left ones. If a new technology cannot prove a performance plus on many levels, it does not get my support or my dollars. Having heard Dolby Atmos for myself 5 times, that is a technology I am going to support. Having seen the early 4K televisions, I am not convinced entirely that it is a step in the right direction(no clearly defined high resolution standards besides 4K-No Rec 2020 standard, no HDCP defined standard above 2.0, and let's face it, no test disc or test ANYTHING to calibrate a 4K set). 4K needs to get its act together sooner rather than later if they want 4K to become commonplace.