Panasonic and Sony Join Forces for Mass Production of OLED TV Panels

Sony and Panasonic recently announced that they have decided to team up to create mass production technology for super high-resolution TVs based on OLED technology. The companies said that this is also part of a concentrated effort to drive mainstream adoption and revive the companies' struggling television businesses. Panasonic and Sony are aiming to develop an effective way to print large panels that use OLEDs by 2013, according to a statement from the two manufacturers. In addition to that, both companies signed an agreement that includes sharing their technology and jointly researching mass production techniques.

Televisions based on OLED technology are widely considered to be superior to LCD televisions, which are currently the mainstream standard. The only downside is that OLED TVs are much more expensive than LCD TVs. OLED TVs are capable of producing their own light which means they do not require backlighting like LCD TVs. This means that they can display darker blacks and use less power while also providing better contrast and brightness in a much thinner frame.

In theory, OLED TVs can also be manufactured more efficiently than LCDs due to the fact that they can be printed straight onto a base material whereas the liquid crystal of the LCD screen is usually injected into tiny pockets. OLED screens are even widely used in phones and tablets nowadays, though cheap mass production of OLED TVs is still a major hurdle that needs to be overcome.

Sony debuted the world's first OLED TV back in 2007 with an 11" model that was only 3mm thick. The device initially wowed consumers and techies alike, though that enthusiasm was quickly tarnished by the device's $2,000 pricetag. Samsung and LG have both showed off super-thin 55" OLED models this year with Samsung stating that its TV will go on sale during the second half of 2012 in Korea for about $9,000. As a comparison, LCD TVs from Samsung that are the same size cost about one-fifth of that price.

Sony and Panasonic both saw record losses in the last fiscal year as costs increased in their TV businesses, with prices for LCD TVs dropping significantly. However, despite the depressing numbers, both companies have stated that they will not abandon the flagship product, even though efforts to revive sales through features like 3D and networked services have yet to generate any real profits for either company. Sony  stated that it will continue to contribute its knowledge and research into OLEDs, while Panasonic said it currently has production equipment and know-how that should be applicable to large-screen OLED TVs. 


Source: PC World - Sony, Panasonic to Team up to Mass-produce OLED TV Panels

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Samsung and Sony End HDTV Discounts in Stores

Got your eye on a slick Sony or Samsung HDTV that would totally bring your entertainment center together? Does the price seem a bit too high for your bank account? Are you waiting for Black Friday or some other day when that set goes on sale? If you answered yes to that last question then I have some bad news. Samsung and Sony have both announced that they will not allow retailers to sell their HDTVs at discounted prices below the suggested retail price of the device.

Discounts on things like HDTVs are amazing for consumers, though retailers don't particularly like the idea of discounts, especially amid dwindling profit margins. That is why Samsung and Sony have decided to force retailers to drop the heavily discounted pricing schemes in hopes of boosting profits and making more money. The Wall Street Journal reported first that Samsung and Sony were introducing new pricing plans that were specifically designed to increase the lackluster prospects of big name retailers like Best Buy while also trying to help other physical stores compete with online retailers that typically charge less for HDTVs.

This new pricing policy from both companies went into effect last month and prevents stores from advertising or selling Samsung and Sony TVs for less than prices that have been set by the manufacturers. Unfortunately, this plan is extremely risky. The main risk factor is that consumers may simply pass on these name brand TVs for other ones that are on sale, not to mention the fact that other name brand companies, like LG, Panasonic, Sharp and Vizio, are still offering sales and discounts. This could mean that Samsung and Sony's plans could backfire, losing more money for the companies than gaining.

HDTV manufacturers and retailers have suffered dramatically from slowing sales and declining profit margins for a while now, though some manufacturers are hopeful for this year. Both LG and Samsung saw profit margins of just over 2% in 2011, which isn't very impressive, though it is still better than breaking even like the companies did in 2010. In addition to that, retailers have been struggling as well. Best Buy announced in March that it was closing 50 of its bigger stores and replacing them with 100 smaller outlets that will focus on phones, tablets and e-readers but not TVs.

If you still want deals on Samsung and Sony HDTVs, you will have to turn to the internet and online retailers for them as Samsung and Sony's pricing scheme doesn't carry over to online stores. However, you can still get name brand products from physical stores as LG, Panasonic, Sharp and Vizio still think discounts are a smart business decision.

Source: PC World - Samsung, Sony Put the Kibosh on TV Discounts

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Panasonic Adds New Features Their 2010 Viera TVs

Panasonic has added Netflix streaming and a Blu-ray player to their 2010 lineup of HDTVs. This Netflix feature will be free for existing Netflix customers. These new TVs will also come with Viera Cast Internet service, which will allow you to surf the internet right from your TV. Panasonic has even added USB connectivity to their Viera-enabled TVs, so that users have the ability to hook up a keyboard or a wireless LAN adaptor for easy navigation.

Merwan Merbey, vice president of Panasonic North America stated, “The addition of Netflix to our 2010 Viera Cast offerings now gives consumers access to the leading online movie subscription service right from their 2010 Viera Cast-enabled Viera HDTVs and Blu-ray Disc players. The features now available on Viera Cast provide consumers with access to a wide range of the leading entertainment and interactive sites, which allow them to enjoy high-definition movies and connect directly with family and friends right from their HDTV in the comfort of their own living room."

Viera Cast was introduced by Panasonic at the Consumer Electronics Show in 2008. They had hopes of offering YouTube, Picasa Web Albums, and Bloomberg News. In 2009 at the CES they added Amazon Video on Demand to their content. Now in 2010 Panasonic has added access to Twitter, Skype, Fox Sports, Pandora, and Netflix.

There are five different Viera HDTV series from Panasonic that will have the Netflix capabilities, including: VT25, VT20, GT25, G25, and G20. From those series there will be 13 different sets available to choose from. Netflix capabilities will also be available on seven of Panasonic’s Blu-ray models.

If these aren’t the type of TVs that you’re looking for, check out some of Panasonic’s other TVs like the Panasonic TC-PVT25 3D TV.

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New Details About Panasonic's Viera VT25 Series 3D Plasmas

Panasonic's new Viera VT25 Series 3D Plasmas (with full HD) should be here soon and the company recently announced more details, including pricing. The first four models include 50, 54, 58, and 65-inch models which will be available later this month and in June. This is great for people looking for 3D plasmas - most new TVs have been LCDs.

Pricing and availability is as follows:

50-inch TC-P50VT25 will be $2,599.95 and was available on May 3

54-inch TC-P54VT25 will be $2,999.95 and is available on May 3

58-inch TC-P58-VT25 will be $3,399.95 and is available in June

65-inch TC-P65VT25 will be $4,299.95 and is available in June

Each of the 4 TVs relies on a pair of active shutter 3D glasses, which cost about $150 per pair (the TVs come with one pair). They all have 5M:1 native contrast ratios with minimal reflection, which comes from the company's Infinite Black Pro Panel, TXH certification, Viera Cast Wifi with Skype Video Conferencing, and access to online entertainment such as Amazon Video on Demand, Fox Sports, Netflix, and Bloomberg News.

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Panasonic's Portable Digital Viera TVs

Nobody likes to be bogged down with cords and wires these days. Every piece of technology we acquire these days has to be wireless, or at least have the ability to go wireless, or we don't want it. Due to the consumers desire for no wire, devices like computers, video game systems and even DVD players are all coming portable. But portable TVs seems to be the best idea of them all.

While portable TVs are not a new thing around the world, the idea never really caught the attention of us folks here in the U.S. But that hasn't stopped companies like Panasonic from rolling out the devices, especially in places like Japan. Over in the technological wonderland, Panasonic has unveiled two new digital Viera TVs, the DMP-HV100 and the DMP-BV200.

The 10.1-inch a-Si TFT TVs are so much more than simple portable TVs. Both sets sport a 1024x600 native resolution and can be connected to wirelessly to a Panasonic DVR to stream content via WiFi dongle. There are a few small differences between the HV100 and the BV200. The 200 model can act as a bulky PMP allowing you to download multiple forms of media files, like DivX and H.264 through an SD card.

Both models are able to watch any type of AVCHD Video from an SD, SDHC or SDX card including MEG-2, MPEG-4AVC/H.264 AVCHD, and ISDBT Mobile. Jpeg and MP3 can also be downloaded via USB or SD card. Once your DMP-BV200 or DMP-HV100 is connected to your wireless network, depending on whether or not you have a Panasonic Viera Home Theater and DVR, you can then receive streaming video or watch videos stored on your Panasonic DVR from the comfort of your couch or bedroom. This wireless option also allows you the ability to accessing YouTube or any other type of video available online.

Both these TVs have a lot of stuff crammed into them and seem like really great products. However, as of now there is no price tag attached at all as well as no official release date or whether or not the TVs will be available in the States. Until more details arise we will just have to wait and listen.

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NVIDIA's 3DTV Play

NVIDIA has just announced there newest product NVIDIA 3DTV Play, a software solution that allows consumers to connect their GeForce GPU-powered desktop or laptop to any new 3D TV. Now many of you have probably been hearing the trouble going on when NVIDIA was faced with a certified standard for 3D and not having any GPUs that were able to meet it. Currently, the NVIDIA 3D Vision-compatible cards dish out the necessary pixels over DisplayPort or dual DVI plugs while the official specification for 3D TVs is an HDMI 1.4 plug which accepts data from both plugs simultaneously.

The good news is that all of NVIDIA's cards upgrade to HDMI 1.4 no problem and every 3D Vision customer will receive the upgrade for free later this spring. 3DTV Play allows you to connect any compatible NVIDIA GeForce GPU-powered PC or notebook to 3D TVs. NVIDIA 3DTV Play can be run on GeForce GPU-based computers that have an HDMI or DVI connector, comes with full support for all HDMI 1.4-compatible 3D TVs, has advanced NVIDIA software and graphics drivers which automatically converts over 400 games to stereoscopic 3D in real time, allows you to enjoy full HD Blu-ray 3D playback with real-time GPU accelerated decoding and playback on GeForce GPUs, watch streaming 3D movies and directly view 3D photos.

Senior Vice President of Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company Bob Perry said in a statement, "NVIDIA is a premiere choice for gamers, and 3DTV Play delivers an easy way for them to game on the big screen, for the ultimate, immersive experience. We are pleased that NVIDIA shares our commitment to providing awesome technology to savvy customers, and we are happy to offer NVIDIA the opportunity to highlight their 3D solution as part of our nationwide road show." The roadshow mentioned, of course, is Panasonic's coast-to-coast 2010 "Panasonic Touch the Future Tour". NVIDIA will be showcasing their new 3DTV Play as Panasonic shows off their VIERA Full HD 3D TVs which launched this month.

They way this is looking you are probably thinking that the only way to get the 3DTV Play is by having all of NVIDIA's 3D Vision stuff. However, NVIDIA is going to be nice and offer this product in a standalone version for $40. This allows you to use the stereoscopic 3D glasses that come with your 3D TV. NVIDIA has all the high points of the HDMI 1.4 under control with 1080p24, 720p60 (considered the official specs for gaming) and 720p50. The cards themselves will also support 3D Blu-ray so it looks like you got everything you need. If you have ever wanted to throw down some sick 3D PC gaming on your giant living room flat screen then your wish is about to come true.

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Panasonic G20 HDTV

Many people today think that the way of Plasma is coming to an end. However, more and more information is coming out to prove that that statement has been severely exaggerated. A perfect example is Panasonic's latest and greatest G20. The tv has already been put through a serious of tests to which the G20 barely broke a sweat. The G20 has an insane 5,000,000:1 contrast ratio as well as infinite viewing angles, rich colors and deep blacks all without the annoyance of any active cooling fans.

When companies improve from one model to the next, their improvements are generally considered revolutionary. However, the G20's improvements over the G10 are said to be evolutionary. The black levels are around the same and there have been slight improvements to the network functionality. Last summer, Panasonic acquired KURO technology from Pioneer and people are excited to see if the company has benefited from it.

The G20 comes with a very nice spec sheet with many features resembling the already popular G10 series. The G20 has a panel size of 42" with a native resolution of 1920x1080 and a 5,000,000:1 contrast ratio. It has 16.7 million color support with an 8-bit signal processing for each color. It has infinite viewing angles in both the horizontal and vertical formats and the panel type is Plasma G13 (Panasonic). Full dimensions come in at 65.4cm x 102.9cm x 8.2cm without the stand. Input formats for the G20 include 480p/i, 576p/i, 720p, 1080i and 1080p.

The G20 has a slew of inputs that includes one VGA, one Audio In, two indgange SCART, one S-Video, one Composite, 4 HDMI and one HDMI 1.4. Output wise the G20 has one Audio Out, one SCART and one S/PDIF (optical). It also has Analogue, DVB-T, DVB-T (MPEG4), DVB-C and DVB-C (MPEG4) tuners. The G20 does not have an actual DVI input but that can be converted through HDMI.

Overall the G20 from Panasonic looks to be a solid device. Viewing angles are great and performance all around is top notch. The G20 truly shows us why plasma is not dead.

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Panasonic's 2010 Plasmas & LCDs are Awesome!

Panasonic launched it's new line of Plasma and LCD TVs in January, and last week they gave a "formal demonstration" of their new televisions, according to CNET.com. The TVs, which will be in stores over the next few months, are said to have lots of great new features and a lot better picture quality than previous models. Here is a look at what you can expect from the company, according to CNET.

The Panasonic TC-PVT25 series is 3-D compatible and comes with a pair of 3D glasses. It has a 96Hz refresh option for 1080p/24 compatibility, short-throw phosphors, Pro Setting user menu with advanced controls, and ISFccc mode. The 50 and 54-inch models will be available in May or June and a price has yet to be determined.

The TC-PG25 and TC-PG20 series both have infinite black panel with 5,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio. They are THX certified, feature VieraCast, which adds Netflix, Pandora, Twitter, Fox Sports, and other content, and Skype video calling. They have optional Wi-Fi connection, VGA-style PC input, two USB ports, and an image viewer that handle both video and photos. Aside from a few cosmetic reasons and their compatibility with a network camera. The TC-PG25 series includes, 42, 46, 50, and 54-inch models. They will be available in March or April and range from $1199.95 to $1999.95. The TC-PG20 series will only include 50 and 54-inch models, and will also be available in March/April, but prices are currently unknown.

The TC-PS2 series features 2,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, an improve anti-reflective filter, and Clean Touch bezel. The 42, 46, 50, and 54-inch models will be available in February and March and range from $899.95 to $1,599.95. The 58 and 65-inch models will be available in June and will cost $1,899.95 and $2,799.95 respectively.

The TC-PU2 series has 1080p resolution and both the 42 and 50-inch models will available in March for $799.95 and $1,099.95 respectively. The TC-PC2 features 720p resolution and an image viewer for photos. The 42, 46, and 50-inch TVs will be available in March or April for $599.95, $699.95, and $799.95.

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Promising New TV Features in 2010

There are going to be a multitude of new features found in TVs that will be released in 2010. TV’s are promised to be bigger, better, and more reasonably priced this coming year. New features are said to include more LED backlighting, faster refresh rates, 3D features, and built-in Internet connectivity.

The vast majority of the TV market that accounts for the sales in the U.S. are flat-panel, LCD TVs. This means that most of the TVs released in 2010 will possess these qualities. Bigger TVs are constantly being pushed by providers, but this year will also show other features that will differentiate one TV from the next. LED backlighting and higher refresh rates are something that will show great improvement in the coming TVs. Many will use backlighting in either an “edgelit” configuration or a full backlit design with local dimming to provide better blacks. Faster refresh rates are a guarantee as manufacturers are wishing to drastically reduce motion blur in TV sets.

Another very interesting development that is going to be pushed this year is TVs with 3D capabilities. Sony and Panasonic are the companies that have been talking the most about their 3DTVs. This feature could branch out into more than just 3D movies but also television broadcast in 3D. How cool would it be to watch a football game with the players jumping right off the screen?

The last of the most interesting developments of 2010 is the Internet capabilities that will be included within the set. With all the advances that are being made, soon enough Internet features will be found standard on TVs. This should be one of the things that manufactures are sure to push hard for.

Thin is in, so most of the newly released TVs should be even thinner than what’s already on the market. The LED backlighting technology takes up a lot less room allowing for the thinner screen. Manufacturers are also pushing more energy efficient TVs, so expect to find more environment-friendly TVs at a much more reasonable price.

OLED TVs are beginning to get plenty of attention these days, but they are not going to be mainstream any time soon. This coming year, it is expected that there should be a couple sets that are 15 inches or larger, but they will cost you more than a 32-inch LCD TV.

We can definitely look forward to these fantastic developments in 2010. Manufactures will be offering their best in the coming year.

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Panasonic's New $30,000 85-inch Plasma

If you want a really big Plasma TV, Panasonic's got the deal for you! For a mere $30,000, you can purchase Panasonic's TH-85PF12U, which is being called the industry's first 85-inch, full-HD, 1080p plasma.

The body depth is 3.9 inches and it weighs approximately 260 pounds. Screen dimensions are 74.4 inches by 41.8 inches. According to CNET, the screen size would be the equivalent of putting four 42 inch plasmas together. But according to Panasonic, the TV is still much thinner and lighter than most Plasmas.

While large Plasma Televisions don't usually provide the best quality, this model has been said to do just that as it features Panasonic's NeoPDP technology. This technology has been used effectively in smaller Plasmas and provides not only a quality picture, but uses a lot less energy.

Sony to Sell 3D TVs by 2010

Today, Sony announced that is plans to sell 3D televisions by the end of 2010. So far, the 3D industry has focused mainly on theater (over 7,000 digital 3D screens are expected to be in theaters worldwide by the end of 2009), so the Sony announcement will come as a big boost to the 3D world. Sony chief executive, Howard Stringer, is expected to announce that Sony will sell 3D Bravia television sets and also make the company's Vaio laptops, PlayStation 3 consoles, and Blue-ray disc players compatible with the new technology, at the IFA technology trade show in Berlin. Sony believes that 3D is "on its way to the mass market through technology, distribution, and content," but does insist there are still some issues to be face, including agreeing on a single 3D standard and avoiding a format war.

While there are several types of 3D technology, Sony will be going with "active shutter" technology, which means using electronic glasses with tiny shutters that open and close in sync with images on TV. This creates a 3D impression and is different from the "polarisation" technology used in theater that only works when viewers are sitting at a certain angle.

Many in the electronics industry believe 3D will soon be the new HD. Hyundai is also currently working on 3D television sets for Japan and Panasonic has announced it has plans for 3D TVs in the works. Neither company has matched Sony's commitment, however, to making 3D TV mainstream.

There has been no word on exactly how much the TVs will cost, but analysts predict the earliest versions to cost several thousand dollars. Hyundai's 3D TVs currently retail for about $4900.