Samsung Plasma TV's No more...

afterlife2

afterlife2

Audioholic Warlord
Samsung hammers final nail into plasma TV’s coffin, will end panel production in November 2014

<cite> By Caleb Denison — </cite><cite><time datetime="2014-07-01T14:13:36+00:00" pubdate=""> July 1, 2014</time></cite><cite> </cite>


<article class="m-content " itemprop="articleBody"> It appears the plasma television has finally met its end. According to Reuters, Samsung SDI issued a statement claiming it will cease plasma display panel production in November 2014. Digital Trends reached out to Samsung’s consumer electronics division for comment but had not heard back at the time of publishing.
The death knell was tolled last year when Panasonic announced that it would no longer produce its award-winning plasma televisions. At the time, videophiles and TV enthusiasts in general let out a collective sigh of disappointment, though some solace could be taken in the fact that Samsung was still producing top-notch plasma TVs. Samsung’s excellent F8500 series in particular is generally considered to be the last truly high-end display readily available to consumers outside of wildly expensive OLED televisions, which remain hard to come by.
Though Fujitsu gets credit for producing the first full-color plasma display panel in 1992, it was Philips in 1997 that produced the first plasma television to be sold to consumers – the display was 42-inches diagonally and begged a premium price of $15,000. Pioneer quickly followed with its own plasma television line later that year, and thus the “flat-screen” TV craze was born.
Plasma televisions work by sandwiching electrically charged gasses between two panes of glass. Early versions of the plasma television were heavy, bulky, extremely power-hungry, and suffered from screen burn-in problems. By contrast, LCD-based televisions were thinner, lighter, and far more energy efficient. As a result, LCD-based televisions began overtaking plasma in 2006. Though plasma TVs are now lighter, brighter, thinner and more efficient than ever, the technology’s poor standing in the public’s eye has relegated it as a second-string choice for all but the most tech-savvy – or budget conscious – buyers.
While low-end plasma models will continue to be sold in the coming months, premium, high-performance plasma options are expected to dwindle quickly. After Panasonic announced it was ending plasma TV production, its award winning ST60, VT60 and ZT60 series televisions began flying off store shelves. Today, it is nearly impossible to find a new, in-box ST60 unit, and availability of the two higher-end series are all but gone as well.
LG now stands as the last major manufacturer still producing plasma televisions, but it is highly likely the company will bow out soon enough, since plasma televisions no longer make sense from a financial perspective. Regardless, it is safe to say that the best plasma televisions are now behind us.
At this point, those looking for the best possible picture quality must look to OLED, a TV technology that remains prohibitively expensive for most, though prices have come down in the past two years. Currently, LG leads the charge in premium OLED production, introducing five new models at CES 2014 earlier this year. Samsung also offers a single OLED TV model, which was introduced 2013 and stands as the most beautiful television we’ve ever reviewed.
</article>

Read more: Samsung is quitting the plasma TV business | Digital Trends
 
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fuzz092888

fuzz092888

Audioholic Warlord
With news like this, I may look into going projection full time when my Panny dies.
 
Adam

Adam

Audioholic Jedi
4k intrigues me a lot for a computer display. I'll be watching OLED prices for my TV display, I think.
 
fuzz092888

fuzz092888

Audioholic Warlord
I might have to also, although I have no room for it, ah maybe 4k TV. :)
I've heard those curved Samsungs are pretty crazy/awesome looking. I know that in the distant future I would very much like one of those curved anamorphic PJ screens.
 
Adam

Adam

Audioholic Jedi
I've heard those curved Samsungs are pretty crazy/awesome looking. I know that in the distant future I would very much like one of those curved anamorphic PJ screens.
They probably aren't as bad as I think, but I shy away from the curved screens because I often sit off to the side (probably about 30 degrees off axis).
 
fuzz092888

fuzz092888

Audioholic Warlord
They probably aren't as bad as I think, but I shy away from the curved screens because I often sit off to the side (probably about 30 degrees off axis).
I'm not really sure what the deal is with TV screens, since AFAIK, the whole point of the curved screen is to get this:

A curved screen reaches into the viewer’s peripheral vision creating the illusion that they are being drawn into the picture. This perceived reality is further reinforced by a curved screen’s ability to cover the center AND the right & left channel speakers. This is important because it joins the image with the sound from the three forward points of sound origin (Right, Center, & Left Channels) creating a sound stage effect that results in a more realistic association between sound and the picture. Lastly, a properly curved frame design eliminates a visual artifact known as “pincushion effect”. Pincushion effect happens when (on a 2.35:1 or other wide-angle screen) the distance to the right & left edges of the projected image are larger than the center resembling an hourglass laying on its side. This is caused by light expanding over the greater distance it travels. The further the distance, the larger the light “footprint”. On a cinemascope projection screen, light must travel a greater distance to the right/left edges than it does at the center. The distance actually causes the image to expand disproportionately on the sides creating a sideways “hourglass” image where the center of the picture is smaller than the right & left ends are. Since the right/left edges of the screen are curved forward on a “curved” screen, it allows the light to travel the same distance to any other point on the screen as it does to the center. This results in a “uniform” image that is free from distortion. With all the benefits that a curved frame projection screen has to offer, more and more dedicated home theater aficionados favor them.
Which would obviously benefit a large PJ screen. I'm not sure a 65" TV or even a 75" is big enough to really get the benefit that they're talking about above. Plus, unless I'm mistaken, I thought I had read that the curved screen TVs are still 16:9. If my screen is a curvin' I want anamorphic, wide angle viewin'.
 
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GranteedEV

GranteedEV

Audioholic Ninja
Just sad news. People just don't want the best quality anymore, =(
 
C

chris6878

Audioholic
I might have to also, although I have no room for it, ah maybe 4k TV. :)
Just a warning, as of now the 4k tv's Ive sen cant touch a good plasma at all in the 1080p department. I have a samsung 4k tv and its not even on the same planet in terms of black levels with my sam or panny plasma's. THe 4k tv on shines on 4k content. And we all know how much content is out in 4k. I hope oled 4k is perfected by the time my plasma dies. Ive contemplated buying another plasma as back up.
 
T

tcarcio

Audioholic General
Glad I got a Sammy 60" 5300b before they are all gone. Got mine for $650 a couple of weeks ago and I love it. Sad to see Plasma go but hopefully my new one will last a good long time. I still have a Panny Plasma that is 8-9 years old and still working perfectly.
 
D

DaleAV

Full Audioholic
I purchased a PN51F8500 last month and am very pleased. It replaces a 7 year old PN50A650 plasma which I ended up selling and was still performing very well.

I think OLED will replace the gap left by plasma. Given enough time for improvements, more sales to reduce prices etc. etc. it may become the new standard for HDTV in time.
 
j_garcia

j_garcia

Audioholic Jedi
Price of OLED is driven by yield during manufacturing. The manufacturers are getting there so costs should come down as they focus more on solving those issues.
 
H

Hobbit

Senior Audioholic
Just sad news. People just don't want the best quality anymore, =(
Is that really true today? My ~8 year old plasma Panny was replaced about a year ago with an LED/LCD tv that cost ton less. Sure blacks were deeper on the plasma. OTOH, the room had to be pretty dark to watch any B&W movie on the panny. Even in a dark room at night some of the older B&W movies were still too dim. I love the old classics so this annoyed the hell out of me. The overall brightness and colors seem better to me on the LED/LCD TVs (reviews seem to state that this wasn't true with the colors on the recent models).

The only other pluses I'm aware of for the plasma was viewing angle and blur. Neither I find an issue on the newer LED/LCD TVs unless I'm trying to watch a show while peeking in from another room:( You could also feel the heat emanating from the panny too....

It could be the panny was just dying a slow death? But overall I would much rather be watching my new LED tv.
 
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