Vizio Ceases Plasma TV Production

A

admin

Audioholics Robot
Staff member
This week Pioneer wasn't the only company indicating it will retreat from the plasma TV industry, Vizio has now made it official that they will no longer produce sets with the technology. Vizio is only 5 years old, but as a company they gained historically fast market share through big box retailer deals and aggressive pricing tactics that left them as the low-price leader in many markets.


Discuss "Vizio Ceases Plasma TV Production" here. Read the article.
 
smurphy522

smurphy522

Full Audioholic
RIP Plasma

I would be very suprised if all remaining manufacturers don't follow this route. The 2008-20XX Depression will be the demise of the Plasma TV.

Think about it, if a given plasma panel is more $ to manuf. vs. an LCD panel then why would manuf. seek to continue selling them. Aren't they having a hard time as it is? The Plasma sets were the loss leaders (compared to the profit margins of LCD sets) as LCD technology has evolved. I'm going to call it (I'm sure it already has but in a different light or twist) that with the current economy; Plasma sets will cease to be sold/made beyond 2010.

Hopefully once the survivors of the depression emerge we can get onto making the LCD panels as good as the best Plasmas.

Rest in peace Plasma.............
 
Hi Ho

Hi Ho

Audioholic Samurai
I disagree, smurphy522. I don't think Panasonic will be pulling out of the plasma market any time soon. They have far too much invested in the technology and (rightly so, IMO) very little invested in LCD. Plasma panels are also cheaper to produce than LCD panels in larger sizes.

If it does happen then I will be screwed. I have yet to be impressed with an LCD TV. Case in point, the Sony KDL-55XBR8 vs Panasonic TH-50PZ85u side by side and calibrated in a light controlled room. $7,500 vs $1,500. These are two sets that aren't even close to the same price bracket. In my opinion the Panasonic looked better. To be completely honest, the Sony, even with its triluminous LED backlighting, had a greenish hue to blacks that made the picture look washed out. Get a little bit off axis and it's game over for the Sony. No contest, plasma wins. Did the Sony look better than any LCD I've seen to date? Yes. Would I buy one at that price premium? Definetely not. Would I buy one for the same price as the Panasonic? Also, no. All my opinion of course but the point is, LCD has inherent flaws that I don't believe will ever be completely overcome. If plasma goes away and I need a new TV I'll be waiting for OLED.
 
highfigh

highfigh

Seriously, I have no life.
This week Pioneer wasn't the only company indicating it will retreat from the plasma TV industry, Vizio has now made it official that they will no longer produce sets with the technology. Vizio is only 5 years old, but as a company they gained historically fast market share through big box retailer deals and aggressive pricing tactics that left them as the low-price leader in many markets.


Discuss "Vizio Ceases Plasma TV Production" here. Read the article.
Do you want me to send the release from Pioneer, as a PDF? That's how I got it from one of my distributors.
 
J

jamie2112

Banned
No more Plasma?
 
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R

rekced

Audioholic
This week Pioneer wasn't the only company indicating it will retreat from the plasma TV industry, Vizio has now made it official that they will no longer produce sets with the technology. Vizio is only 5 years old, but as a company they gained historically fast market share through big box retailer deals and aggressive pricing tactics that left them as the low-price leader in many markets.


Discuss "Vizio Ceases Plasma TV Production" here. Read the article.

Vizio uses B-grade Panasonic screens in their plasmas and sells them for the price of a real Panasonic. One can only assume that Vizio/AmTran cuts every corner in the electronics & parts, yet they can't even be competitive in price. Big shocker they don't want to try to compete anymore!

Besides, Vizio/AmTran is the absolute perfect brand for people with the LCD mentality anyway.
 
smurphy522

smurphy522

Full Audioholic
I disagree, smurphy522. I don't think Panasonic will be pulling out of the plasma market any time soon. They have far too much invested in the technology and (rightly so, IMO) very little invested in LCD. Plasma panels are also cheaper to produce than LCD panels in larger sizes.

If it does happen then I will be screwed. I have yet to be impressed with an LCD TV. Case in point, the Sony KDL-55XBR8 vs Panasonic TH-50PZ85u side by side and calibrated in a light controlled room. $7,500 vs $1,500. These are two sets that aren't even close to the same price bracket. In my opinion the Panasonic looked better. To be completely honest, the Sony, even with its triluminous LED backlighting, had a greenish hue to blacks that made the picture look washed out. Get a little bit off axis and it's game over for the Sony. No contest, plasma wins. Did the Sony look better than any LCD I've seen to date? Yes. Would I buy one at that price premium? Definetely not. Would I buy one for the same price as the Panasonic? Also, no. All my opinion of course but the point is, LCD has inherent flaws that I don't believe will ever be completely overcome. If plasma goes away and I need a new TV I'll be waiting for OLED.
Well I guess I expected a comparison between Plasma/LCD (please note I was not taking sides and am also distraught about the loss of a superior technology). Fact is that LCD panels of sizes less than 50" are cheaper today to make than their Plasma counterparts. 50" and less is the higher margin and most popular category for HDTV sets. What it comes down to are the masses speaking and buying more LCD panels (at cheaper prices and yes at many times of lesser quality as well). Even then, for most situations in a TV veiwing area there is genrally little concern or attention put towards light control. If not calibrated and put into a brightly lit room I tend to say that LCD wins. Not always but more often than not the LCD will look better out of the box and in a brighly lit room.

I would suspect that if it were not for the economy Vizio and Pioneer (to name the recently fallen/announced ones) would be making Plasma panels still. Note that prior to the economy downfall, or at least prior to our Govt. acknowledging it, Pioneer stated they would start to not focus as much R&D on Plasma technology.

I was aware that Vizio did not make their plasma line (Duh...). Without good entry level offerings like Vizio there tends to be an even a longer time of development for our technologies; which we love. I always get a chuckle out of somebody bashing a company especially when they don't have or never did have the product. OK, if you got screwed by a company then so be it. But just chiming in to say Brand X sells rebranded doo-doo; I digress.

Think about...it if companies like Vizio weren't around, competition wouln'd be as fierce and the average consumer would have to put off that HD upgrade for longer and thus we, video/audioholics would not get as good a price on the middle and top end products. Hey then we might have to wait to upgrade as well! That's how much of this industry works.

I anticipate that Panasonic will make an anouncement in the near future stating the end of their Plasma development (not the sales mind you) just the actual engineering R&D. Eventually LCD will be replaced by something too, that's just how this technology works. Remember CRT's, when's the last time you saw a Mistubishi 40" or a Panasonic Super Flat or even an Sony XBR Trinitron on a shelf? Yeah, that's what I thought.

Like I said before RIP Plasma
 
Hi Ho

Hi Ho

Audioholic Samurai
Remember CRT's, when's the last time you saw a Mistubishi 40" or a Panasonic Super Flat or even an Sony XBR Trinitron on a shelf? Yeah, that's what I thought.
Not long ago I'm afraid. Think two days ago when I had to move a 36" Panasonic. I've moved my fair share of large CRTs including the Mits and Sony 40" tubes and I am not so fond of them for that reason. ;)

I don't know the ins and outs of plasma and LCD production but judging by the retail prices it appears that plasma still has a price advantage at the 42" size. A good 42" Panasonic 1080p plasma can be had for under $900 if you shop around and still under $1,000 at most places. That is cheaper than any name brand LCD of that size that I have seen.
 
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G

Gusgt

Audiophyte
Is the plasma versus LCD popularity similar to the Betamax versus VHS battle of yesteryear?
 
R

rekced

Audioholic
Is the plasma versus LCD popularity similar to the Betamax versus VHS battle of yesteryear?
The recent battle was HD-DVD vs. Blu-Ray. This time around the superior format prevailed. It looks like the superior flat panel technology for televisions is struggling though. Hopefully it will hang in there long enough for the next major technologies to replace both LCD and plasma.
 
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