Monday, February 27, 2006

Sony seeks top spot in LCD TV market

Japanese consumer electronics giant Sony Corp aims to recoup its top position in Taiwan's rapidly-growing television market this year by launching more and bigger-sized liquid-crystal-display (LCD) TVs, a company official said yesterday.

The Japanese TV brand regained the leading position in the mainstream 32-inch size segment in Taiwan in December last year, with the help of its lower-priced "Bravia" sub-brand last year.

"The Bravia series is very successful. We have been trying to catch up with consumer demand since we launched the brand," said Hiroyuki Oda, president of Sony's consumer electronics division in Taiwan. "We hope the growth momentum will carry into this year," Oda said. "We hope to take the number one position this year," he said. Oda also said Sony aims for double-digit growth in sales for his division this year from last year.

Sony lost its top position in the nation's LCD TV market to Matsushita Electric Industrial Co, which sell consumer electronics products under the Panasonic brand, in 2004 and 2003.

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Tuesday, February 21, 2006

Sony leading LCD-TV charge

Sony is helping drive the market for LCD-TVs towards larger models at lower prices with its low-priced Bravia 40-inch screen set, according to market researcher DisplaySearch. Bravia is driving the LCD-TV mainstream to 40-inch screen sizes from 37-inch, according to DisplaySearch, part of the NDP Group.

"Sony has been very aggressive with their marketing. Their strength is their name brand. As soon as they dropped their prices, people rushed to buy," said David Hsieh, a vice president at DisplaySearch in Taiwan.

Sales of LCD-TVs overall are expected to reach 37.7 million units in 2006, up nearly 80 percent from 21 million units last year, according to the researcher.

By comparison, the company forecasts sales of PDP-TVs (Plasma Display Panel) to rise 56 percent this year to 8.9 million units, from 5.7 million units last year.

"We're very optimistic about the LCD-TV market," Hsieh said. "Sell-through has been really strong."

Sales of older CRT (cathode ray tube) TVs are expected to continue their decline to 139.9 million units from 155.4 million units last year. Europeans have been the most active buyers of LCD-TVs over the past few years, said Hsieh, while the North American market is expected to grow faster as this year goes on.

Choose the Right Stand for a 42 Inch LCD TV

Unless you're mounting your new 42 inch LCD TV on the wall or on the ceiling, you'll need a solid and reliable stand to support it. Many TVs come furnished with an appropriate stand, but some require that the stand be purchased separately. If the manufacturer furnishes your 42 inch LCD TV stand, and it meets your needs in terms of styling, you're in great shape. Because your 42 inch LCD TV could become an integral part of the room's decorating scheme, though, you may choose to purchase a stand that matches the needs of your viewing habits, your home, and your sense of style.

Because a 42 inch LCD TV is reasonably heavy, the most important requirement is that any stand must handle the weight of your particular 42 inch LCD TV and must provide a stable base in case it's bumped or jarred. For that reason, make sure the stand you purchase meets the unique weight and strength requirements of the 42 inch LCD TV you purchased. The last thing you want to have happen is for your new TV to become damaged simply because your stand wasn't up to the task. The owner's manual for your 42 inch LCD TV will specify all the requirements of a suitable and effective TV stand for that model.

There are a few other considerations besides strength, though. Let's look at a few other decisions you'll want to make to ensure you get the maximum enjoyment from your 42 inch LCD TV.

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Tuesday, February 07, 2006

How to Buy a LCD TV in 3 Easy Steps

I've got a confession to make. I love television. And I love big screen TVs. Especially the new flat panel models. Before you know it, everyone will forgo their traditional CRT television sets and own a LCD flat screen TV. This idea really isn't as strange as it sounds. LCD flat screen TVs are becoming more and more popular, and with good reason.

But, you may be wondering, what exactly is a flat screen TV? Flat screen TVs have displays only a few inches thick. This makes them attractive and extremely convenient. You can now hang this kind of TV on the wall, or place the set in thin areas. A LCD flat screen TV can save a lot of room in your home and look stylish doing so. However, there are a few things one should know before he or she buys a LCD flat screen TV.

1. LCD vs. Plasma.

What About Plasma TV?

Plasma TVs heavily rely on the fluorescent light bulb. A plasma flat screen display consists of cells. Inside each cell are two glass panels separated by a narrow gap. These gaps are injected with neon-xenon gas and sealed in plasma form. The gas is electrically charged when the plasma TV set is in use. The gas strikes red, green, and blue phosphors. This is what creates the TV image.

Because plasma TVs use the burning of phosphors to produce an image, they can suffer from the same drawbacks of traditional TVs, such as high heat generation and screen burn-in. Also, plasma TVs tend to be very expensive.

2. Learn about LCD TVs.

What to Know About a LCD Flat Screen TV

A LCD flat screen TV consists of primarily two transparent, glass-like materials, which are polarized, and "glued" together. One of the plates is coated with a polymer that holds the individual liquid crystals. Electric current is then passed through individual crystals. This allow the crystals to pass or block light to create images. Unlike plasma TVs, an external light source is needed.

LCD flat screen TV screens range from 15-inch models that are primarily used as computer monitors or secondary TVs, to 40-inch wide screen TVs. (Although Sharp makes a magnificent 65-inch flat screen TV in its Aquos brand lineup.)

3. Become a True Expert. Know what you are talking about when you purchase your LCD TV. These pointers pale in comparison to the rest of the story. Learn all about LCD TVs today.

Thursday, February 02, 2006

Samsung Reaches 1M Mark in LCD TV Sales



Samsung has announced a milestone in flat-panel TV, having reached the one million mark yesterday in sales of its V-shaped LCD TV series. The product came to market just one year ago in February 2005.

"The global market for LCD TVs exceeded 19.6 million units in 2005," said Samsung, quoting figures from iSuppli. "This means that out of every 20 units sold worldwide, one was a Samsung 'Rome series' LCD TV."

The "Rome" series differs from the square-shaped design of conventional TVs, with the bottom half gently sloping to form a "V". Slim speakers are mounted on the lower part, integrated within the "V"-shaped motif.

In the future, design will be an important factor in determining the winners and losers in the flat screen TV market," commented Sangheung Shin, Senior Vice President of the Visual Display Sales & Marketing Team at Samsung Electronics. "Samsung Electronics will continue to apply a design differentiation strategy to LCD TVs as well as plasma TVs and DLP TVs to create more 'million seller' models."