Plasma Displays Outsell Rear-Projection TVs

[James Fee]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,1849266,00.asp?kc=ETRSS02129TX1K0000532' target='_blank'>http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,1849266,00.asp?kc=ETRSS02129TX1K0000532</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Shipments of plasma televisions reached a record high during the second quarter, as the category passed rear-projections TVs in total sales. Plasma TV shipments reached a record high of 1.13 million units during the second quarter, up 24 percent and 89 percent year-over-year, according to market research firm DisplaySearch. Meanwhile, the RPTV market declined 27 percent quarter-to-quarter and 17 percent, year over year. As a result, plasma sales now total 2.9 percent of all units sold, while RPTVs fell to 2.5 percent."</i><br /><br />I'm not surprised as these Plasma TVs (as well as LCD) are much easier to ship from Asia to around the world. Plus, other than North America who has room for huge a 65" RPTV (I do!)? I haven't entered the world of flat panel HDTV, but it seems like by the time I replace my existing TV, I'll probably not have a RPTV choice. That would be fine by me. 8)

[Felix Torres]

Well, now, I'm a-thinking this summary/study is slightly flawed...
...as in well-nigh useless...

Because it compares products not by technology but by form factor and in the process obscures the real trends in the industry.

Specifically, it doesn't distinguish between HD micro-display RPTVs (a booming tech) from crt-based rear projection boxes (a fading tech that is being phased out) and it lumps LCDs (an HD tech starting to come down in price and explode in market share) with Plasmas (a mature, mostly ED tech that is at its peak and has nowhere to go but down).

To say nothing of the fact that any lumping of shipments on a world-wide basis will favor the older/cheaper Plasma ED tech because HD is really only relevant in NorthAM and Japan, and since most microdisplay tech is of US provenance, it will perforce be directed at the needs of the local market first; HD instead of ED.

Anybody want to bet that as Europe deploys HD, microdisplay RPTVs will enjoy a boom in sales as they find it the cheapest way to get great quality giant screens? (A 60" 1080p DLP can be had for around $4000 US vs $8-10,000 for a comparable LCD or 720p Plasma.)

What I *would* find meaningful would be a breakdown by market (North Am, Japan, EU, and others) by technology format (SD vs ED vs HD) and technology (crt vs vs crt projection vs microdisplay vs lcd vs plasma).
Then one could make some meaningful judgments as to where the market is going.

Otherwise one is left with the obvious: europe likes plasma because the ED versions are cheap and bright and thin and america likes HD microdisplays because they are cheap and bright and weigh the same or less as plasmas while only occupying a couple more inches of shelf space than the more expensive and smaller plasmas.

To put it another way:
right now, $2000 buys a 42" ED plasma display with a 9-12" footprint or a 50" microdisplay HDTV with a 14-16" footprint at any of the three major retailers in the US (Best Buy, Sears, Circuit City).

In the US, this matters; elsewhere it doesn't.

So fear not, rear projection will remain a viable option for a while, yet.

[Felix Torres]

Follow-up:

Plasma is "so dominant" in the market that there is a glut of product and prices are looking to drop 25% this autumn to drive up demand.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/20/technology/20tvprices.html

As the article points out, plasma has serious competition from LCD and microdisplays.

The game is barely getting started.