Pioneer To End TV Production, Spin Off DVD Development

[ZIPPO]

Who's next?
Sony, with their $7000 XBR8 LCD?
Hitachi?

[Blu Titan]

Well, the global economy stinks and all companies are feeling the sting. Hopefully, things will get better soon.

[My_Two_Cents]

Originally Posted by Woody

The LCD is going to be the death of all other technologies until something comes along that is cheaper.

Cheap, cheap, cheap. That is the way we are headed.

Why do you say that? From what I've seen, you can get a comparable quality plasma cheaper than an LCD of similar quality/size.

Unfortunately, I agree that this does not bode well for the future of plasma, though it should open the door for more Panasonic market share. I'm glad I have my plasmas, and it looks like I will definitely be upgrading to a 58" 1080p sometime this year.

[sokrman14]

Maybe the will get back into production with another technology like OLED someday.

[jc480]

We're treading water until laser tv folks. Laser TV is the future but it's about 2-3 years away.

[Jeff Kleist]

We're treading water until laser tv folks. Laser TV is the future but it's about 2-3 years away.

Laser TV is here now, and virtually all retailers are killing RPTV. It's pretty much dead in the water.

[jc480]

Laser TV won't be mainstream until about 2-3 years from now when economies of scale kick in. $20k TVs won't get much play at Costco, Sam's Club or Best Buy.

[jc480]

K so....with Pioneer getting out of the TV business...what do you guys think the possibilities are for deals on the Kuro...hell I'm dreaming of a 60" 6020 unit....right now it's about, what, $4.5k? A defunct manufacturer...is there a chance we can see $3k fire sale prices on this unit in the next 60-90 days?

[My_Two_Cents]

Why start a duplicate thread on this?

[Sonny]

OLED has been around since the 70's & like I said it's just no where close to being ready for consumers sets in the sizes we all love. The prices of OLED will make pioneer kuro's look like they were in the Vizio price. They have made some products that use OLED screen like picture frames that new sony phone & some other small screened products. 30+yrs of R&D & that's where there at...since the best HDTV's are now on there way out, OLED better step it up which they won't be able to even in the next 5+yrs easy, but hopefully they do. Panasonic has the ball in there court. Next week should be intresting as far as annoucements go. We will just have to wait & see what happens???

Also pioneers new BD players were/are gunna be sweet. Kuro like sounds frickin sweet , 13 picture setting or the player will auto calibrate the picture when used with the 9G!!! Oh my dreams have been crushed.

[CasualKiller]

Originally Posted by ZIPPO

Who's next?
Sony, with their $7000 XBR8 LCD?
Hitachi?

Probably not Hitachi, although not very popular with Americans they remain a steady seller in Canada.

I'd put my money on Samsung or LG.

[mr.hidef]

Unbelievable...............

[Trix]

Originally Posted by CasualKiller

Probably not Hitachi, although not very popular with Americans they remain a steady seller in Canada.

I'd put my money on Samsung or LG.

Uhm, last I checked, Hitachi closed their Canadian operations almost a year ago when the new models came out. They couldn't support Canadian headquarters and staff. So, there goes that idea?

[CasualKiller]

The Canadian operation will be consolidated with HHEA's U.S. headquarters in Chula Vista, Calif., and HHEA said it will continue to serve and compete in the Canadian market from the U.S. The Mississauga office had been managing HHEA's Canadian consumer and business electronics sales, marketing and service activities.

The move is scheduled for completion on or before March 31, 2009.

I have no idea what you are talking about, as a matter of fact I'm not sure you do either.

Source:http://www.itbusiness.ca/it/client/e...s.asp?id=51905

[Trix]

Originally Posted by CasualKiller

I have no idea what you are talking about, as a matter of fact I'm not sure you do either.

Source:http://www.itbusiness.ca/it/client/e...s.asp?id=51905

What I'm talking about is all the employees being let go, and Hitachi televisions not being available for sale in Canada. That's all.

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by Sonny

Price was the factor with Pioneer. There manufacturing costs were just to high. & theres no way in heck OLED will be cheaper. OLED will not help one bit...(unfortunately) OLED has been around since the 70's & it's still going to need more time. This hurts all the way around, it's never good to lose the best of anything & when its Pioneer & you love BD it's the worst.

Since the 70's? Which OLED technology are you talking about. They have been researching it for a while, but the tech only became feasible with the advent of nanotechnology in the 90's.

Sony themselves expect that large screen OLEDs will sell for 1.1x the price of the equivalent size LCD...

[graf1k]

Originally Posted by CasualKiller

Probably not Hitachi, although not very popular with Americans they remain a steady seller in Canada.

I'd put my money on Samsung or LG.

I doubt Samsung, despite the fact that South Korea is worse off in the current economy than most countries, Samsung has a lot of market share as well as business from making panels for Sony, although I guess that doesn't really count anymore now that Sharp will be making Sony's panels. My guess would be LG possibly getting out of the TV market, although Panasonic just announced they're laying off 15,000 earlier this week.

So, first of all, do we know yet if this is 100% true? I would have imagined that we'd know one way or another by now. If it is, anyone have any guess as to how this would affect warranties?

[dobyblue]

Originally Posted by naturephoto1

If this is in fact true, it could have an adverse affect on the whole Plasma TV industry and further hurt Panasonic ultimately. Panasonic would lose the opportunity of making the Glass for Pioneer as well as the technical advancement in the industry that is provided by Pioneer.

Rich

I don't think so though, Pioneer barely scratch out 3% of the PDP market on any given year. It's only people in the know that will notice their departure at all.

[naturephoto1]

Originally Posted by dobyblue

I don't think so though, Pioneer barely scratch out 3% of the PDP market on any given year. It's only people in the know that will notice their departure at all.

But unless I am mistaken, Pioneer's continued research in the area of Plasma TVs will be lost. Perhaps they will sell their technology, but will a company also take on the responsibility of employing the entire research team that has been assembled by Pioneer?

Rich

[CasualKiller]

Originally Posted by naturephoto1

But unless I am mistaken, Pioneer's continued research in the area of Plasma TVs will be lost. Perhaps they will sell their technology, but will a company also take on the responsibility of employing the entire research team that has been assembled by Pioneer?

Rich

This is what I wondered too, since Pioneer and Panasonic had a deal for panels perhaps Panasonic will purchase the current tech and research?

Kind of doubtful about the whole research team though