R.I.P RPTV (sonys out the door)

[pixelthis]

This was posted in another forum, but this one is more traveled and this is deserving
of attention.
When I was a "newbie" I made the consevative prediction that RPTV and DLP in paticular
were soon "going by the boards".
And I was crucified for it. Well, now I get to say I told ya.
Sony has annouced that they are getting out of the RPTV form factor completely,
this includes SXRD. They are going to focus on flat panels, mainly LCD.
Sales of RPTV were down by half in 2007, and are projected to be around 600,000 in 2008.
Phillips, toshiba, and Hitachi are already bailing out.
Soon, the only market for sxrd and DLP (if that) will be front projection.
The battle is over in the 60' and under categeory and soon will be over in larger screen size categeories.
Soon it will be just plasma and LCD, then just LCD as plasma becomes the last
surrivor in a cheap LCD onslaught.
Its like the turn of the last century, you had gas, steam, and electric cars , soon it was just gas.
Now you have several form factors for TV and HT, and it appears that LCD is going to be
the dominant monitor choice in the near future.
Will this limit consumer "choice"? Well, I spent most of my life with just one choice,
the CRT, and I never felt "limited".
With just one display tech labs and manufacturers can work on improving it instead of dead end tech that has seen better days.
Now, Sony doesent sell DLP sets, true, but with RPTV sales projected at 600,000
total for lcd and l-cos, and DLP its only a matter of time that DLP will be relagated
to business projector duty, and with cheaper LCD projectors that will soon be over also.
I know that to most who frequent this forum quality is key, as it is to me, but the best picture quality is HAVING A PICTURE.
And sleek flat panels are allowing a lot of henpecked husbands to finally have the big screen they have always dreamed of

[drseid]

This was posted in another forum, but this one is more traveled and this is deserving
of attention.
When I was a "newbie" I made the consevative prediction that RPTV and DLP in paticular
were soon "going by the boards".
And I was crucified for it. Well, now I get to say I told ya.
Sony has annouced that they are getting out of the RPTV form factor completely,
this includes SXRD. They are going to focus on flat panels, mainly LCD.
Sales of RPTV were down by half in 2007, and are projected to be around 600,000 in 2008.
Phillips, toshiba, and Hitachi are already bailing out.
Soon, the only market for sxrd and DLP (if that) will be front projection.
The battle is over in the 60' and under categeory and soon will be over in larger screen size categeories.
Soon it will be just plasma and LCD, then just LCD as plasma becomes the last
surrivor in a cheap LCD onslaught.
Its like the turn of the last century, you had gas, steam, and electric cars , soon it was just gas.
Now you have several form factors for TV and HT, and it appears that LCD is going to be
the dominant monitor choice in the near future.
Will this limit consumer "choice"? Well, I spent most of my life with just one choice,
the CRT, and I never felt "limited".
With just one display tech labs and manufacturers can work on improving it instead of dead end tech that has seen better days.
Now, Sony doesent sell DLP sets, true, but with RPTV sales projected at 600,000
total for lcd and l-cos, and DLP its only a matter of time that DLP will be relagated
to business projector duty, and with cheaper LCD projectors that will soon be over also.
I know that to most who frequent this forum quality is key, as it is to me, but the best picture quality is HAVING A PICTURE.
And sleek flat panels are allowing a lot of henpecked husbands to finally have the big screen they have always dreamed of

While I wasn't really surprised by the Sony move (considering the way the market was/is heading), I am a bit disappointed. The SXRD line is truly an outstanding RPTV line, and one that Sony should be proud of. While I confess to owning one of their Bravia LCD sets for my bedroom system, I was hoping to one day upgrade my main system to a larger SXRD set in a couple years... I guess it will have to be one of those OLED sets everyone is switching to designing right now. I suspect CES will have many of these OLED sets on display.

---Dave

[Rich-n-Texas]

Glad I bought my > $2K 57" Mitsubishi DLP TV when I did!

Thanks for doing the marketing research for us Pix. Two cookies are in the mail.

[blackraven]

I don't necessarily agree that plasma will go by the way side. Panasonic seems very commited to plasma TV's. I've always thought that DLP would not last as well. They still havent figured out the bulb issue and they are bigger than plasma's and LCD's. And IMO, they dont give as pleasing a picture.

[Rich-n-Texas]

Actually blackraven, TI did figure out the bulb issue by replacing it and the color wheel with LED's.

[jim goulding]

Speaking for myself, a discriminate consumer who will purchase an HDTV is the coming year, something has kept me from buying in to RPTV's. For me, it's between plasma and LCD. I'm hoping that Samsung, ironic, I suppose, with their promotion of DLP technology (not really ironic at all if you look at it from a purely marketing standpoint) will deliver an LCD with a faster refresh rate and richer color (pretty damn good already) in the coming year. But so long as they are improving on their models, I wouldn't anticipate a drop in price.

When the Pioneer Kuro came out, it's predecessor was available for a very short time thru Best Buy for $1400 (42"; 720p). Had I have gotten myself together in time, I wouldn't still be in the market. But, as I am, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for LCD. Then I'll buy an Oppo DVD player and I'm pretty sure I'll find happiness.

[blackraven]

I've seen those LED DLP's and they have a ways to go on the picture quality from what I've seen at best buy. Also, the LED's drive the price way up. I guess its a trade off, replacing a bulb every few years vs the upfront cost of the LED's.

[pixelthis]

Glad I bought my > $2K 57" Mitsubishi DLP TV when I did!

Thanks for doing the marketing research for us Pix. Two cookies are in the mail.

I have kept up with the slow death of RPTV, but credit for this news goes to a poster in the HDTV (I beleive) section. He has links to Sonys announcment.
But its kinda dead over there so I thought I would post it here.
One thing about this, Sir T , self described Sony shill, has said NOTHING about this,
which either means that his position in the company IS making the coffee, or hes' holding out on us, or hes' totally el-fako.
Whats the use of a company weasel (excuse me, shill) if he doesnt keep you current?
And I too love the SXRD series, but you can still get l-cos from JVC, I beleive.
But you might wind up like democles, except instead of looking for an honest guy with a latern you'll be wandering the web looking for a Bulb.
they are making LED laptops now, very expensive, dont know if for illumination (backlight) or display, but that would improve PQ in LCD if they had a LCD backlight, could even sell some retrofit kits(todays backlights shift toward green).
But no matter, the asteroid has hit for RPTV, which is signifigant.
Its always news when a form factor or way of doing things goes by the boards