Flash back to 2009 , my comments on the Blu-ray industry and more

Fun going back and seeing my comments from almost 4 years ago. How about that $99 price needed on a Blu-ray , and my concerns over IPTV (compare that to latest release from NPD), as well as the industry need to promote the VALUE of the innovation and technology we provide, vs the consumer just waiting for a cheaper price.

Ah if I was only so good with picking Lottery Numbers!!!!!  ;-)

JZ

By Greg Tarr -- TWICE, 2/23/2009
NEW YORK — As the economic storm clouds grow darker, consumer electronics manufacturers are looking at a handful of growth categories — including Blu-ray Disc players — to hedge the industry's bets, but one major retailer told TWICE that he fears the category is still not the slam-dunk some perceive it to be.

Some manufacturers believe the economy could actually have a positive impact on the fledgling Blu-ray category this year. As consumers hunker down in their homes and avoid expensive nights out, they can become more willing to spend to upgrade their entertainment experience at home.

“We're still in agreement with CEA's estimates that Blu-ray decks have the potential to double this year to roughly 5.7 million units,” said Tim Alessi, LG Electronics product development director, who said he sees the cocooning encouraging that adoption. “Also, a new category of Blu-ray-based home theater has begun to emerge which will also add to the installed base. We believe that providing home-entertainment options will be a key to growth.”

Similar to the CEA, market research firm FutureSource Consulting is predicting U.S. stand-alone Blu-ray Disc player sales at 6 million in 2009, up from 2.5 million in 2008. At the same time, sales of Blu-ray-enabled PlayStation3 consoles are forecast to rise from 3 million in 2008 to 5 million in 2009. By 2012, the research firm sees the PS3 in more than 20 percent of U.S. homes and stand-alone BD players in 50 percent.

But at least one retailer wasn't as optimistic. Jonathan Zupnik, Sears audio/video/TV DMM, told TWICE: “I continue to have concern about Blu-ray. It did not hit industry expectations last year with production issues. I also believe the economy has had more of an impact than believed. The simple reason being the difference is not demonstrable in comparison to VHS to DVD. Standard DVD looks very good on a 1080p TV. Unless you are watching on a 60-inch-plus TV, it is hard to see the impact [of a 1080p Blu-ray Disc]. I do not believe the industry numbers will be hit this year, unless they drop the price.”

Demand was generated in the fourth quarter of 2008, largely through the price promotions and system bundling run by manufacturers and retailers during the critical holiday shopping season, some industry watchers have said.

Major price promotions were offered by leading discount chains, such as Wal-Mart's $129 special, Target's $149 special on an Olevia-branded player and Best Buy's $169 sale on an Insignia-branded model.

Since then, most prices have trended back up to more than $200.

According to a consumer study conducted by SmithGeiger in 2008 for the Digital Entertainment Group, 60 percent of respondents listed higher cost as the largest reservation they had in making a Blu-ray Disc player purchase. Additionally, some of those who do use Blu-ray mentioned price as one important factor when considering the purchase of a Blu-ray Disc title.

Sears' Zupnik said, “As we are hearing the opening price point is already flashing $149 — it needs to be $99 to really get things going. Even with that, as long as the movies are over $20 that will continue to keep things at a relatively slow pace. The consumer is used to [disc prices of] $13.99 at launch and picking through bins at $3.99.”

From a hardware perspective Reid Sullivan, Samsung digital audio/video marketing VP, said that he is wary of Samsung moving player prices downward too quickly.

“While price will always be an important consideration, especially in a soft economy, we believe there is a great opportunity to improve the consumer experience by offering more value,” Sullivan said. “The biggest opportunity to increase Blu-ray sales is to attach to the large and growing base of HD flat panel TVs. Consumers that may have recently purchased a HDTV now realize that only Blu-ray can deliver a true 1080p experience and bring out the full potential of their HDTV.”

Sears' Zupnik agreed, saying: “1080p is the only call out that seems to attract consumers to Blu-ray, they are well aware of 1080p due to the TV spec, and matching it up is easy.”

In addition, Samsung, LG and other hardware manufacturers introduced Blu-ray Disc players that add IPTV applications with the ability to download various forms of audio and video content through built-in broadband connectivity as a value-enhancement.

“For LG, new player adoption begins with providing the best access to content for consumers,” Alessi said. “To do this we've partnered with the best in the industry, players like CinemaNow, YouTube and Netflix.”

Samsung's Sullivan said: “We also think more and more consumers will find video-on-demand and other content services appealing as they become easier to use and offer a wider selection of content.”

But Zupnik said the IPTV message has not gotten across to most consumers yet.

“I have not seen much of an impact from IPTV, but the younger generation is comfortable with a significant amount of streaming and this may be part of why Blu-ray hardware's install base is not as large as we all would like it to be yet. I don't believe HD on demand, and quality content that is easy for the consumer to download is a threat [go packaged media].”

As for the wider crop of Blu-ray players adding BD-Live as another form of added broadband functionality, Zupnik said he believes retailers and manufacturers need to do a better job of getting the message out.

“BD-Live is not a requested feature,” he said. “Disney has done a good job [promoting it], almost to a fault, where you would think only Tinkerbelle and such titles they have advertised have this feature. If there isn't a stronger marketing campaign to draw attention to the increasing number of titles that are BD Live, I am not sure it will be worth much to consumers.”

In general, Zupnik said, the industry needs to generate more excitement and awareness for their products.

“Customers don't get it about consumer electronics as a whole,” he said. “Vendors and retailers do not do a good job building awareness and pent-up demand for new technology — other than the iPhone, the iPod and the last round of video game consoles. If there is no awareness or education before the product is released, the customers do not have any opportunity to apply a value to the benefit the technology will be for them, and determine if they need it right away or are willing to wait. This generally keeps the majority willing to wait until it hits a price, but the price is not based on what the technology is worth.”

Connected TV / Smart TV / IPTV , why the TV?

This article nails it!

What is the best way to get streaming content to your TV, read below and let me know if you agree.

JZ

Connected TVs face platform fragmentation as critical challenge

Michelle Clancy | 03-12-2012

Connected television is predicted to break into the mainstream soon with over 220 million smart TV sets set to be sold worldwide in 2017, up from the 54 million that will be sold this year, according to Informa Telecoms & Media's latest smart-TV device forecasts.
However, big obstacles in terms of platform fragmentation and replacement cycles will prevent the sets from commanding the centre point for the digital home any time soon.
These numbers are promising for apps developers and consumer electronics manufacturers, but the success is not going to be enough to overtake the lead that games consoles and media-streaming devices, including set-tops like Apple TV and Roku, have in the market, Informa predicts.
The researchers said that 31% of households worldwide will own at least one smart TV in five years' time, with household penetration much higher in North America (63%) and Western Europe (64%). However, with their long life cycles, TVs are simply not the right device to be the hub of the digital home, the company said.
"Informa estimates that in 2017 more than half of the 800 million smart TV sets by that time will only be used as dumb screens," said Andrew Ladbrook, senior analyst at Informa Telecoms & Media. "Moreover, while any 'smart' TV bought in 2011 or 2012 can be used for streaming online video services for a few years, they lack the processing power and the necessary hardware to perform those smart TV functions that will be standard in 2015. Simply put, any smart TV purchased in 2012 will be effectively obsolete by 2015."
Instead, devices that are regularly replaced, including smartphones, tablets, set-top boxes, media streamers and games consoles, will be the key devices in the digital home experience. Smartphones in particular, with their short lifecycles and rapidly increasing processor power, will continue to define what 'smart' means, the analyst reasons.
The manufacturers' short-term support for their smart TV products will also prove a hindrance. New services will continue to be launched solely on the latest smart TV models – HBO GO, Skype, Onlive, BBC's Sport app – which means that users who bought last year's device are excluded. Apps cannot be easily released across multiple devices, since each smart TV platform demands bespoke development.
Thus, the fragmentation of platforms and standards continues to plague the smart TV market. This situation benefits the current market leaders Samsung and LG as they attract the top services first due to their strong positions. And, while Informa believes that Google TV or Android will come to be the default OS for smart TVs, this is still some years away.
"If TVs are going to be truly smart, they must do more than offer a wide variety of online video services," Ladbrook said. "Instead they must add advanced functionality including voice control, motion control, advanced advertising, attractive user interfaces and two-way communications with other smart devices – so-called 'second screens' – allowing these devices to send video to the TV and also know what is being watched. Manufacturers should focus less on adding more content and more on improving how users can interact with that content."

Mitsubishi drops out of consumer Television market

It did not seem that all that long ago I was selling a new 35" CRTV console Mitsubishi Television for over $4,000 dollars to customers in West Hartford, CT. I do find it to be a sad day to see another brand basically exit the TV market, and what that indicates for the future of Brand Choices in Televisions in the not too distant future. I even remember when 27" Tube TVs in stereo for Mitsubishi sold for almost $1,000. Then they shocked the industry by dropping tube tvs way before the end of CRT and went directly to Projection Televisions only. Bringing the world 50" plus size televisions so we could chase after that dream of bringing the Movie Screen big screen to our house. Those where the days (oh and people actually cared about quality audio with that setup as well back then). Can the industry correct itself? Well one more company has decided it can't. They will continue to drive Business to Business , Professional Video equipment, but for the consumer it is over. I wish Max and his group nothing but the best. Very happy to see them moving on within the group and the B2B business.

JZ

Mitsubishi Drops DLP Displays: Goodbye RPTVs Forever

A pioneer of big-screen rear projection TVs, Mitsubishi (MEVSA) was the last hold-out in DLP displays, and finally is discontinuing the line as part of a corporate restructuring.

So long, RPTV—the only big screen I’ve ever known. Meet my family and our 15 years of Mitsubishi in the slideshow below.

View this slideshow

By Julie Jacobson, December 01, 2012

Page 1 of 2
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Mitsubishi Electric was the last hold-out in the rear projection TV (RPTV) business, and now the company is dropping the line, CE Pro has learned.
Mitsubishi Electrical Visual Solutions America, Inc. (MEVSA), the group in charge of the RPTV and other video product lines for both residential and commercial markets, has sent a letter to authorized service centers (reprinted below) indicating they are “discontinuing the manufacture of 73”, 82” and 92” DLP projection televisions.”
The memo, issued by MEVSA president and CEO Junichi Nose, indicates that the move is part of an “important change in business direction, which will necessitate a corresponding restructuring of the MEVSA organization.”
Nose says MEVSA will continue to be headquartered at its current Irvine, Calif., location and adds, “We expect that these changes will have a minimal effect on you and your business.”
Reached early this morning, Max Wasinger, long-time exec with Mitsubishi’s video products and currently executive vice president of sales and marketing for MEVSA, tells CE Pro, “We are in the midst of an orderly exit from the DLP TV business. MEVSA will now focus on B-to-B (projectors, display wall, printers, digital signage, monitors, etc.) and the home theater projector business.”

TV ANALYST SAYS ...
The microdisplay category had a great run and was really the first “thin” big-screen TV. Unit sales for the microdisplay RPTV category hit point of 2.2M units in 2006. The category remained significant thought 2007, and in 2008 shipments fell dramatically to a little over 500,000 from 1.3M in 2007. It was in 2008 that we really saw big-screen LCD TV take off, with sales of 52” models over 1.5M.
Recently, the category has remained relevant only in the size 70” and above, with 70” struggling as well this year. Volume for 2011 fell to 210,446 units and this year we are projecting sales flat or below. The rental channel was the category’s main supporter in recent years, but as large flat-screen manufacturing prices declined, the rental channel quickly moved to LCD TVs.—Tamaryn Pratt, principal, Quixel Research.

Wasinger will take on the position of executive vice president of sales for all Mitsubishi Professional Products and solutions. Frank De Martin, vice president of sales for MEVSA, is staying with the organization, Wasinger says

Sharp says there is concern about it's survival

I have a large concern about the state of Consumer Electronics and it's future. Having another large company exit the category will just increase the issues we have. Just as another Retailer leaving the industry as Circuit City did will not be a good thing for Consumer Electronics. This is becoming very unhealthy and will lead to further problems in the industry. This is not just a Vendor issue, or a Retail issue, or a parts supplier issue. We all need to step back and take a hard look at what we are doing, how we are doing it, and stop sliding down the slippery slope we are already on. COMMODITY - that is what we are saying about the industry - just like NAPKINS. There is a large difference in what it take to bring new Electronics to market - it can't be treated like NAPKINS.

JZ

Sharp admits 'doubt' on survival

By Jonathan Soble, FT.com

November 2, 2012 -- Updated 0115 GMT (0915 HKT)

A customer checks LCD television sets made by Japanese electronics maker Sharp on November 1.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Sharp has admitted there is "material doubt" about its ability to stay in business
• Comes as it warned of a second year of record losses and deepening Japan gloom
• The losses are blamed on failed investments in liquid-crystal display manufacturing
• Came a day after Panasonic stunned investors with a second consecutive $10B loss

(Financial Times) -- Sharp has admitted there is "material doubt" about its ability to stay in business as it warned of a second year of record losses, deepening the gloom surrounding Japan's once dominant consumer electronics industry.

The century-old company said it expected to end the financial year to March with a net loss of Y450bn ($5.6bn), worse than the Y250bn loss it had predicted in August. Last year it lost Y396bn. The losses are blamed on failed investments in liquid-crystal display manufacturing.

The warning came a day after Panasonic stunned investors by projecting a second consecutive $10bn loss. Panasonic's share price dropped a further 19 per cent on Thursday.

Sharp and Panasonic, along with Sony, are the most consumer-focused of Japan's large technology companies. All three have suffered as prices for flatscreen televisions and other household items plunged globally.

A strong yen and competition from lower-cost manufacturers elsewhere in Asia have turned the products that once underpinned their success into financial millstones. Last year, the three groups suffered a combined net loss of Y1.6tn -- a figure that Sharp and Panasonic will come close to matching between them this year.

"Sharp is in circumstances in which material doubt about its assumed going concern is found," the company said in a statement to the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

Funding problems arising from the ballooning losses have forced Sharp to mortgage its headquarters building and seek a rescue investment from Terry Gou, the Taiwanese billionaire who founded Hon Hai Precision Industry, the contract manufacturer of Apple iPhones and Sony PlayStation video game consoles.

A deal with Mr Gou has been in limbo since it was tentatively agreed in March, as the two sides haggle over terms. Mr Gou had agreed to pay Y67bn for a 10 per cent stake in Sharp and partial ownership of an underused display factory near Osaka, but has been pushing Sharp to lower the price to reflect a precipitous decline in the value of its shares.

Sharp's stock price has fallen 75 per cent this year, more than that of any other company on the 1,600-member MSCI global index. In addition to mortgaging its headquarters, Sharp is selling several overseas factories and cutting jobs and wages -- the first retrenchment of its kind for the company since 1950.

In September, Sharp secured Y360bn in loan extensions, which the company says will be enough to fund its operations until at least next June, when the loans come due. By then, Sharp says its restructuring measures will have borne fruit and it will be generating a stable flow of cash.

Its position remains precarious enough, however, that analysts at Moody's and Standard & Poor's have cut its credit rating to junk.

In the six months to September, Sharp said it made a net loss of Y387.5bn as a result of rising restructuring costs and falling demand for LCD televisions. It booked Y84.4bn of extraordinary charges as it wrote off the value of surplus display inventory and pulled out of solar panel manufacturing -- another area where it has struggled to earn a profit -- in the US and Europe.

The company also wrote off Y61bn of so-called deferred tax assets -- corporate-tax credits it could redeem if it returned to profit, a prospect that now looks more distant.

Sony bucked the trend of worsening forecasts on Thursday by sticking with its projection for a narrow Y20bn net profit this year, a result that would break four consecutive years of losses. But it will have to improve its performance in the second half to achieve the target, after posting its seventh consecutive loss for the July-to-September quarter.

Panasonic said on Wednesday that it expected to end the financial year with a net loss of Y765bn, a reversal of its previous forecast for a Y50bn profit. It will not pay a dividend this year for the first time since 1950.

Shares in Sony fell 4.1 per cent, while Sharp shed 1.7 per cent ahead of its results.

4K LCD Television sales expected to start very slowly

I would agree with the point of view on the sales of 4K Television sets. 5-8 years , and still it will represent a small portion of the total sales. Below estimate is about 1% of toal units in the next 5 years. They nail it on all the right reasons. Price, and more importantly the lack of space in most homes for 60+ inch size televisions that have historically been less than 2% of the market year over year. Even if that was to double or triple it would still be a very small number to the total.

JZ

IHS: Initial 4K LCD TV Sales To Be Marginal

By Greg Tarr On Oct 4 2012 - 12:57pm

El Segundo, Calif. ” Consumer demand for new 4K ultra-high-definition TV displays will remain quite small for at least the next five years, according to a new study released by market research firm IHS iSuppli.

The IHS iSuppli Television Market Tracker Report” said shipments of high-profile 4K displays from Sony, LG, Toshiba and others will remain less than 1 percent of the global LCD TV market for at least the next half decade, before worldwide shipments climb to 2.1 million units in 2017, (or 0.8 percent of the global LCD TV supply). That will be up from just 4,000 units that are expected to sell this year, the study predicts.

LCD TVs are called 4K or ultra-high-definition when they have a dense pixel structure of 3,840 by 2,160 dots, or four times the pixel count of today™s FullHD 1,920 by 1,080p TVs.

Introductions of 84-inch 4K LCD televisions were recently announced by Sony ($25,000 suggested retail) and LG Electronics ($20,000). Toshiba offers a 55-inch model at $10,000 in Japan.

Hisense and Konka of China have also announced plans for 84-inch 4K sets later this year.

However, IHS said it believes that neither consumers nor television brands will have the interest required to make the 4K LCD TV market successful.

If you have a television that is 60 inches or larger and are watching video that has a 3,840 by 2,160 resolution, then a 4K television makes sense, said Tom Morrod, IHS TV systems and technology research director. “However, a very limited amount of content is available at the 4K resolution. Meanwhile, because of high prices and other issues, the market for super-sized, 60-inch and larger sets is very small ” at only about 1.5 percent of total television shipments in 2012. Furthermore, for most people, the 1,080p resolution is good enough. Because of these factors, combined with the massive price tags, the market for 4K sets during the next few years will be limited to very wealthy consumers or to commercial uses.

He added that 4K LCD sets may serve the high-end of the TV market as transitional technologies until AMOLED TVs arrive in the mass market.

“The 4K sets can fill the gap at the high-end of television brands™ product lines until the arrival of the next-generation AMOLED TVs, Morrod said.


Japanese brands are offering 4K product because they need to have a competitive alternative to the AMOLED TVs being sold by their rivals in South Korea, Samsung and LG Electronics. Meanwhile, the South Korean companies are having difficulties producing AMOLED panels, saying they will need two more years to achieve competitive volume and pricing. Therefore, the Korean brands are offering 4K sets as a transitional step until their AMOLED televisions are more widely available.

500K people cut cord from Traditional TV

I will point out that this is .0038% of the households in the US.

But - it makes news so please read on about how the world it dropping traditional content for streaming sources.

JZ

Nielsen Cuts 500,000 U.S. TV Homes on Census, Web Viewing

By Andy Fixmer - Sep 25, 2012 2:46 PM PT

The number of U.S. TV households fell by 500,000, reflecting the popularity of online viewing and results of the 2010 census, according to Nielsen, producer of the weekly ratings that help set advertising prices.
The adjustment in U.S. TV households to 114.2 million took effect Aug. 27 and will apply to the television season starting this week, New York-based Nielsen Holdings NV (NLSN) said today in an e-mailed statement.
“We have had no household formation over the past several years, and I believe there is a modest amount of cord-cutting happening in younger households and in lower-income households,” said Paul Sweeney, Bloomberg Industries’ director of North American research.
Nielsen said it’s working with TV and advertising clients on what should constitute a TV home and how to account for new products such as tablet computers. It has already begun incorporating online viewing into ratings. This is the second straight year it has reduced the number of homes with TVs. In May 2011, Nielsen adjusted the number to 114.7 million, a 1 percent drop and the first decline since 1990.
In the past year, three of the four largest broadcast networks experienced drops in audiences ranging from 2 percent to more than 8 percent. Comcast Corp. (CMCSA)’s NBC, bolstered by the Olympics and football, increased its viewership by 19 percent, according to Nielsen data.
Nielsen said its estimates for the 2012-2013 season are the first to reflect demographic details from the 2010 census, including age, sex, ethnicity and ethnic households. For that reason, the reduction amounts to an adjustment rather than one-year population changes.
“To the extent that there is cord-cutting, over-the-top companies such as Hulu and Netflix (NFLX) are benefiting,” Sweeney said. “These households then fall out of Nielsen’s total household mix.”

HDTV - Ultra HD 4K or 8K - great article

Best article I have read to date on the subject of the new 4K or 8K televisions. Summed up perfectly in the last paragraph. Reality is that a large portion of the US market still watches in SD even if they own an HD television. The complete transition to HD is many years off, so a transition into 4K and / or 8K is a long way away.

JZ

The last 15 years have been an exciting time for home theatre enthusiasts thanks to the introduction of the DVD Player, the Blu-ray player, the personal video recorder (PVR), digital surround audio technologies, the switch to digital television and of course, the introduction of large screen flat panel high definition televisions (HDTV).

 

If you’re like most consumer electronics enthusiasts, you purchased one or more of these products in the last decade only to find out a few months later that an enhanced, updated, faster and cheaper version had since been released.
Fortunately, home theatre enthusiasts who have recently purchased a 1080p Flat Panel HDTV with a Blu-ray player and 7.1 A/V receiver capable of decoding the latest lossless audio formats can now sit back in their recliner munching popcorn knowing they need not worry about their home theatre system becoming technologically obsolete anytime soon.
Now before you get too comfortable in your La-Z-Boy, let me introduce you to a new standard in HD television called Ultra High Definition Television or UHDTV.
Similar to HDTV, which comes in two primary flavours (720 and 1080), UHDTV comes in two flavours called 4K and 8K. The primary advantage of UHDTV over HDTV is increased pixel resolution – more pixels typically means a more lifelike, more immersive and ultimately more enjoyable viewing experience.
How much more resolution does UHDTV offer compared to HDTV? In the case of 8K, more than 32 times the resolution of 720p (the standard resolution of most cable and satellite providers today). Think of going from a VGA 640 by 480 pixel digital camera of 15 years ago to a 10 megapixel digital camera today and you get a sense of how much more information is captured in an 8K video image.
To better understand UHDTV, let’s review the pixel resolution of three most common digital video formats, now called ATSC standards, developed in the early 1990s by a consortium of electronics and telecommunications companies.
The first is standard definition digital television, which is what you see when you tune to satellite TV or digital cable station. Broadcast in a 16:9 aspect ratio, the video image consists of 720 pixels across and 480 pixels down. Multiply that out and it means that 337,920 pixels – just over a third of one megapixel – is lit up on your screen.
The second and most common HD format is 720p. Today, most cable and satellite providers broadcast in 720p format which displays 1280 by 720 pixels for a total of 921,600 pixels on screen. That works out to just under one megapixel of information.
The final type is 1080 which comes in two variants, 1080i and 1080p. A Blu-ray player pumps out 1920 x 1080p video and delivers 2,073,600 pixels or just over two megapixels of information to your television screen.
In summary, SD delivers a third of a megapixel to your screen at any one time, 720p delivers about one megapixel of information while 1080p tops out at just over 2 megapixels.
UHDTV specs approved on August 23, 2012 by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) defines two formats, 4K and 8K. UHDTV 4K has 3840 by 2160 pixels of resolution which works out to 8,294,400 pixels, exactly four times the resolution of 1080p HDTV. UHDTV 8K delivers 7680 by 4320 pixels onscreen totalling more than 32 megapixels of resolution.
In summary a 4K digital image will have 24 times the number of pixels on screen as a SD signal and nine times the number of pixels as the common 720p signal broadcast by most television stations today. In addition to the vast increase in resolution, the Japanese have been calling on the ITU to include a new audio format that calls for up to 22.2 channels of discrete audio! So when can consumers expect these new UHDTVs?
While the spec was only recently approved, consumer electronics companies have already jumped on the bandwagon.
Beating its competitors to the punch, LG Electronics says it plans to roll out an 84-inch 4K TV in North America, Europe, Asia, and Latin America in September. The cost? Just over $22,000. While that may seem like a ridiculous sum of money, remember that the first generation of 42-inch plasma televisions sold in North America cost close to $40,000. In addition, Sony last week announced plans to sell the 84 inch XBR-84X900 4K UHDTV in North America beginning in December. Toshiba, which is calling its 4K sets Quad Full HD, is set to begin selling 4K sets in the first half of 2013.
No firm has announced plans for an 8K set.
Is UHDTV the future of HDTV?
The transition from analog to digital television began almost twenty years ago and continues today. After almost of two decades, the bulk of North American television viewing is still in standard definition with the complete transition to HDTV still years away.
UHDTV is another quantum leap which would require cable companies, satellite TV companies, television stations and consumers to invest billions of dollars in new equipment without any commensurate increase in revenues.
While UHDTV can deliver a superior video image, the benefits are only discernible when you play UHDTV source material (not available today) and on flat panels over 80 inches in size (not practical in the vast majority of homes).
In conclusion, UHDTV is a decade or two ahead of its time and not something consumers need think about anytime soon.

LG's new 27" Smart TV - would you want one

See the article below on a newly launched 27" TV meant for dorm room , bedroom and such. Is this something you would buy? Would really like to hear some feedback. Size / Features? Thought of where you would use it, would you use it? Is it well ahead of it's time in regards to IPTV and content and streaming and gaming? All concerns in my mind - let me know what you think.

JZ

LG Unveils Personal Smart TV, Game Portal

LG's 27-inch 2792 Personal Smart TV, which is being shown this week at IFA in Berlin, features Cinema 3D and a host of smart TV functions including connection to a new 3D Game Portal.

Berlin – LG Electronics unveiled at IFA 2012 here a personal smart TV with IPS LCD technology that incorporates LG’s smart-TV functionality, Cinema 3D and Cinema Screen design.

Model TM2792 is a 27-inch LED IPS LCD TV that’s well-positioned for bedrooms and dorms, with a host of interactive and connected features. The company described its cosmetics as “the perfect complement for a sleek, modern interior.”

Also at the German technology fair, LG said it will launch globally later this year a smart-TV game portal called Game World, which will provide downloadable casual 3D games that can be played on devices using LG’s Cinema 3D smart-TV technology.

The portal is said to provide “a user-friendly way to search, purchase and play game apps — in both 2D and 3D — through an intuitive interface. Many of the games can be played with LG’s Magic Remote or with any third-party game pad.”

Game World will be launched globally in the second half of this year.

Meanwhile, the TM2792 will be released into the European markets later this month, but the company did not disclose pricing or U.S. plans. The personal TV set includes LG’s Cinema Screen narrow-bezel design.

“The TM2792 is an exceptional TV, offering an engaging, cinema-quality viewing experience that allows users to immerse themselves in a vast and customizable world of content,” said J.J. Lee, LG home entertainment IT business unit head and executive VP. “Our top-of-the-line personal smart TV takes entertainment to the next level, whether it’s watching a video recorded on a smartphone, a favorite classic movie or anything else in between.”

The unit’s SmartShare technology is a gateway to external devices on the Home Dashboard that allows users to browse and share files with laptops, smartphones and external hard drives.

Also included for screen sharing is Silicon Image’s Mobile High-Definition Link (MHL), which works with HDMI and Intel’s Wireless Display (WiDi) systems. With MHL, users can display photos and play games from their smartphone on the personal smart TV while the phone is charging.

WiDi makes wireless screen sharing with laptops more convenient than ever and with DLNA and Wi-Fi Direct, content stored on smart devices can easily be accessed and shared.

Other features include LG’s motion- and wheel-controlled Magic Remote and Home Dashboard menu system.

Access to video-on-demand (VOD) content is also provided with 3D World, Game World, LG Smart World (LG Apps) and the Social Center.

The screen is based on in-plane switching (IPS) technology, offering high-resolution images at wide viewing angles without inducing eye fatigue.

The TM2792 includes LG’s Cinema 3D technology for viewing 3D images with battery-free glasses, like those used in movie theaters.

3D Sound Zooming enhances the 3D experience by simulating the movement of sound in correlation to the movement of images on the screen.

LG ships $20,000 Television - global economy must be great

Flying in the face of the global economy, LG launches a $20,000 television in Korea.

4K is officially here in the 84" listed in the article below - now don't everyone run out and buy one today, I mean, it is only $20,000.

JZ

LG Launches 84-inch 4K LCD TV In Korea

 

Seoul, South Korea – LG Electronics made good on one of its new TV technology promises from January CES by officially putting its 84-inch “Ultra Definition (UD)” 3D LCD TV on sale in the Korean Market Wednesday.
LG said “the world’s first 84-inch UD” flat-panel TV – which it is reportedly expected to sell for around $20,000 – produces a whopping (3,840-by-2,160 pixels, or so-called 4K resolution) and introduces a number of new smart features with the aim of providing greater convenience and simpler interaction.
LG said distribution of the set will roll-out in North America, Europe, Asia, and Latin America starting in September, and it will be a center point of the LG booth at the upcoming IFA show in Berlin, Germany.
“The 4K display market is still in its infancy but it was important for LG to claim a stake in this space,” stated Havis Kwon, LGE Home Entertainment president and CEO, “LG’s UD 3D TV represents a whole new level of home viewing experience because it offers every advanced technology we currently have to offer.”
LG said the set produces up to four times the resolution of today’s FullHD 1080p displays, in part, through the use of an advanced Triple XD Engine and Resolution Upscaler Plus technology that allows images from external sources such as hard drives and user-generated content websites to be rendered in higher detail.
Naturally, the set also includes LG’s Cinema 3D (Film Pattern Retarder) technology that uses inexpensive passive 3D glasses, like those used in movie theaters.
LG said the UD technology enables an even more immersive 3D viewing experience through the use of 3D Depth Control that allows viewers to fine-tune the “distance” between near and far objects on the screen for a custom 3D experience.
A 3D-Sound Zooming feature then analyzes the on-screen objects to generate sound according to their location and movement.
LG includes its new Magic Remote that allows intuitive access and navigation of the set’s Home Dashboard.
The company’s Smart TV ecosystem now includes approximately 1,400 apps and access to an ever-expanding community of premium content services such as 3D World that provides a wide array of movies and games.
The set will also access content from compatible portable devices such as laptops, mobile phones, tablets and flash memory drives using Smart Share Plus.
LG includes an imbedded 2D to 3D conversion engine to expand the availability of 3D content. It also allows two viewers to see different images when simultaneously viewing from the left and right side angles of the screen, for “Dual Play” head-to-head video game play on one screen.
Other features of the set include a 2.2 Speaker System with two 10-watt speakers and two 15-watt woofers, which reinforce the sound.
LG also showed its 55-inch AMOLED FullHD 1080p TV at CES last January. Although that set has been showcased in the other parts of the world, the company still has not announced U.S. marketing plans.

Apple TV becoming Cable TV - New Patent approved

Apple has run into the wall of providing content for Televisions. Turns out it is much different game then what they pulled off with the Music Industry.

Can't beat them - Join Them.

Be interesting to see how Apple serves as a content provider and has to go toe to toe with the cable industry and satellite industry.

JZ

Apple gets a patent for an Apple TV cable box

Apple TV users will be able to watch programing like Letterman and HBO, and record shows, according to the patent.

by Donna Tam

August 14, 2012 11:04 AM PDT 

(Credit: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office)

Apple TV will upgrade to live TV, complete with regular and cable channels, and recording abilities, if Apple acts on a patent it was granted today.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted Apple a patent that allows for a video device display that would have an onscreen menu that pops up over the display while video is playing, and lets the user to essentially change the channel.

The patent application, originally filed Oct. 12, 2006, has mock ups of screenshots with various TV programing, including CBS, ABC, FOX, and HBO. There are several screenshots depicting a Letterman segment and other popular shows. Another screenshot shows a list of recorded shows. The patent applications also has images of search and browse functions, so it seems like the new features will be fully integrated with the old system.

If Apple comes through on these designs, this could really boost the functionality -- and popularity -- ofApple TV, which has been limited by a dearth of native channels. It's greatest asset has been with connecting Apple devices for those who own many of them, but for everyone else, there has always been other choices to go to for TV programing.

Television - Can 4K help the industry stop losing money?

Unlike Analog to Digital, just at the same time as Flat Panel technology was launching - 4K and OLED will not enjoy this same opportunity. No one is telling you your current set is no good. The difference in the picture unless you finally have room for over 100 inch screen in your home is not going to be the difference you saw with Analog to High Definition. Same issue with OLED being a little more thinner than current Flat Panel, and not much of a savings boost from LED to OLED just as LED is not much of a savings over LCD as we see now.

How does this save the industry from giving away TVs below the cost to develop and sell this technology? I don't see an answer here, just more of the same.

JZ

• August 14, 2012, 10:42 PM

’4K’ Video: A Hope for Japan’s Electronics Makers?

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By Daisuke Wakabayashi

Associated Press

Sony chief Sir Howard Stringer showed off the company’s new 4K home projector during the 2012 International CES in Las Vegas earlier this year.

These are dark days for the electronics industry in Japan. Sony Corp. is working to regain its mojo (and profitability after four straight years in the red), while Sharp, which once ruled Japan’s television market, is now facing a cash crunch that has raised questions about its long-term future.
The opportunities to script a comeback also appear grim. Smartphones are dominated by Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co., the tablet market is ruled by Apple, and the television sector is a dog-fight that leaves nearly everyone awash in losses. So where can Japan Inc. turn to for a hope for brighter days?
One possibility is “4K” technology. The “4K” name refers to the number of horizontal pixels, about 4,000, in the image, which is four-times the resolution of today’s high-definition video. Projectors using 4K technology are already used in many movie theaters, allowing super-sharp images even on a massive screen.
Sony is a leader in 4K technology. It produces everything from the image sensors used in cameras that capture the ultra-high resolution videos to the 4K projectors that display the images. A Sony F65, the world’s first commercial camera that can take 4K video, is being used for the filming of “After Earth,” an upcoming science-fiction movie featuring Will Smith. It will be distributed by – yes you guessed it – Sony.
The company’s executives have said it is currently developing a 4K television although it will not be the first to market with one. Toshiba Corp. uses a 4K display in a glasses-free 3-D television it released last year, but the 55-inch model sells for about 780,000 yen, or about $10,000, in Tokyo.
Similar to how high-definition video helped to spur a new round of television sales, Sony and others are hoping that 4K may provide consumers with new incentive to upgrade their TVs.
Sony Chief Executive Kazuo Hirai has said one of his areas of focus will be to find ways to adapt the company’s most expensive technologies geared for business customers for consumer applications. This also means finding ways to reduce the price of the new technology to a level palatable to the mass market. Mr. Hirai has pointed to 4K as a prime example of his efforts.
Japan’s technology firms have tried this before. In 2010, Sony, Panasonic and others aggressively promoted 3-D displays with the hopes of revitalizing the television market. Even with the growing availability of 3-D movies, the technology received a lukewarm response from consumers. The lack of 3-D content and the need to wear special glasses stunted the growth potential of 3-D. While 4K will not require special glasses, it may need to overcome the same shortage of content problem as 3-D.
Corrections & Amplifications: The “4K” name refers to the number of horizontal pixels, about 4,000, in the image. An earlier version of this article did not clarify that the figure referred to the number of horizontal pixels.

Sharp Televisions - the future is in question

Not looking good for a large competitor in the CE industry. Gives a good insight to the challenges faced by all in the Consumer Electronics Industry. They have more than most with little else to fall back on while key categories are challenged.

JZ

Hopes dim for Sharp amid Japan's TV industry sunset

 

A salesperson walks among Sharp Corp's Aquos liquid-crystal display (LCD) televisions displayed at an electronic store in Tokyo in this June 8, 2012 file photograph.

Credit: Reuters/Toru Hanai/Files

By Tim Kelly

TOKYO | Fri Aug 3, 2012 6:56am EDT

TOKYO (Reuters) - Sharp Corp shares tumbled nearly 30 percent to their lowest closing level since 1976 on Friday as investors questioned whether Japan's last major maker of television panels will survive the sunset of the country's TV industry.

A day after the century-old company warned of an operating loss of 100 billion yen ($1.28 billion) for this fiscal year, Moody's and Standard & Poor's cut their credit ratings and rival Fitch warned that Sharp could lose investment-grade status unless a planned restructuring succeeds.

Sharp's mounting losses, a symptom of Japanese TV makers' increasing uncompetitiveness against rivals from South Korea and elsewhere, leave it scrambling for a fresh cash injection.

Analysts say its future may hinge on whether Hon Hai Precision Industries, the flagship of Taiwan's Foxconn

"Sharp has been helped by Hon Hai, they may need more help," said Yuuki Sakurai, CEO of Fukoku Capital Management, the asset management unit of Japan's Fukoku Mutual Life Insurance. "Japan's TV makers are just relying on their past legacies. As long as they depend on TV they will face tough competition."

Revealing expectations for an operating loss this business year of 100 billion yen and announcing 5,000 job cuts, its first in six decades, the maker of Aquos TVs on Thursday insisted it retained the backing of its main banks, Mizuho Financial Group and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group.

Investors were unconvinced and dumped the stock, which slid 28 percent on Friday to 192 yen, its lowest level in 36 years and cutting the company's market capitalization by more than $1 billion to $2.72 billion.

SHARE COLLAPSE

Sharp, which got its start 100 years ago making mechanical ever-sharp pencils from which it derived its name, declined to comment on the share collapse.

Adding to Sharp's woe and handicapping its ability to raise fresh funds, Moody's Investors Service on Friday cut the company's short-term debt rating from Prime-2 to Prime-3, the lowest investment grade.

Moody's cited "concern that the company's operating performance and additional restructuring costs will continue to pressure its cash flow downwards, thereby increasing its dependence on external sources for liquidity".

Those external sources so far include Hon Hai, which in March agreed to buy into the ailing TV maker.

S&P's decision to cut its rating came after the Japanese company on Thursday expanded its annual net loss forecast to 250 billion yen from 30 billion yen.

The net loss of 138 billion yen in the three months ended June 30 has already taken a big chunk out of Sharp's capital. Its shareholders' equity ratio slumped to 18.7 percent from 23.9 percent at the end of March, falling below the 20 percent threshold generally considered to be healthy.

"With Sharp's losses growing to this level, there's barely going to be any net capital left," said Makoto Kikuchi, CEO of Myojo Asset Management in Tokyo.

WANING DEMAND

Like rivals Sony Corp and Panasonic Corp, Sharp has been hammered by waning global TV demand and aggressive overseas competitors led by Samsung Electronics that are grabbing a bigger slice of a shrinking pie. Sony's stock fell 7 percent on Friday to 897 yen, its lowest since 1980, while Panasonic was off 3.8 percent.

Combined, the three Japanese TV makers this business year expect to sell around 10 million fewer TVs than they did the previous year.

While Sony has movie studios, an insurance business and a gaming unit, and Panasonic builds batteries and automotive devices that can offset TV losses, Sharp, which invented transistor calculators and pioneered LCD TVs, has fewer options to retool.

Underlining a looming cash crunch, Sharp's credit default swap spreads - the cost of insuring its debt against default - have been widening since February, with the 5-year contract currently at an all-time high of 833.3/1000.

In the past month the CDS curve has shown a dramatic inversion, which means it is now more expensive to buy insurance against default for shorter maturities than longer maturities.

Such an inversion is usually seen in small, fragile companies. (for CDS graphics, click on r.reuters.com/sys79s and link.reuters.com/xys79s)

"The availability and cost of credit will be affected if lenders continue to be concerned about the company's prospects," Fitch said in a report Friday.

Sharp's next financing hurdle is a 200 billion yen convertible bond that matures in September next year. It was issued in October 2006 when the stock was trading above 2,000 yen at a conversion price of 2,531 yen.

"They'll get support from the banks and get through their immediate funding concerns... but they're going to have to do some equity financing to strengthen their capital base," Myojo's Kikuchi said.

HON HAI HELP?

One option for Sharp could be to seek more investment from fellow Apple Inc supplier Hon Hai.

In March it agreed to buy a 46.48 percent stake in Sharp's LCD plant in Sakai in western Japan. Much of the company's losses stem from the underutilized facility.

Hon Hai also agreed to purchase new Sharp shares worth 66.9 billion yen, giving it an 11 percent stake in the Japanese company. Hon Hai has yet to stump up the money for that deal, in which it agreed to pay 550 yen for each new share.

Speculation has swirled that the Taiwanese company may renegotiate given the fall in Sharp's share price, and it said in a statement on Friday that Sharp had agreed it did not need to honor the deal.

"Due to the volatility of Sharp Corporation's share price, Sharp Corporation agrees our company does not need to honor the share purchase agreement signed on March 27, but Sharp Corporation will still reserve the right for our company to purchase the same percentage of shares," Hon Hai's statement said.

Sharp's president, Takashi Okuda, had said on Thursday that Hon Hai would honor the deal at the agreed price.

In June, when Sharp's shares were trading above 400 yen, Hon Hai Chairman Terry Gou told an annual general meeting the firm was in talks with Sharp about increasing its stake. Local media later reported that Hon Hai hoped to seek a board membership in Sharp.

Although saddle with ballooning losses, Sharp remains an attractive partner for Hon Hai because of its research into new technologies such as next generation ultra thin high definition screens and advanced manufacturing processes it has honed at Sakai, the world's most advanced LCD plant.

Sharp, however, may not be easy to woo despite its ballooning losses. Okuda told his company's shareholders at their annual gathering in June that there would be no more capital coming from Hon Hai and that there was no plan to invite Gou or any of his executives to join Sharp's board.

(Additional reporting by Reiji Murai, Mari Saito and Dominic Lau in Tokyo, Clare Jim in Taipei and Umesh Desai of IFR in Hong Kong; Editing by Edmund Klamann and Alex Richardson)

Samsung Profit Rises 48%

Samsung reports profit - due to Televisions, haha, only kidding. Smartphones drive 2/3rds of the results. Though Display Division did run a profit and not a loss.

JZ

SEOUL—Samsung Electronics Co. said Friday that its second-quarter profit jumped 48% to another company record as it increased smartphone sales and experienced cyclical recoveries in its chip and display component businesses.

The launch of a new, high-end smartphone helped its telecom division continue to have the most impact on Samsung's overall results. The unit accounted for nearly two-thirds of the operating profit for the world's biggest technology manufacturer by sales.

LG Display posts a loss

Samsung just announced a small profit for the quarter in their display division. LG not able to turn to a profit yet. More sales doesn't mean more money in the bank. CE industry has to stop driving sales at a loss.

JZ

LG Display Reports Higher Sales, Loss

TWICE Staff -- TWICE, 7/26/2012

Seoul, Korea - LG Display reported higher revenue and a loss during the second quarter.

Revenue was 6.91 trillion won, up from the prior year's 6.04 trillion won. LG Display reported a net loss of 112 billion won, compared with profits of 21 billion won in the prior year's second quarter.

LG Display blamed the loss on slow second-quarter demand for TVs and the price fixing case in the U.S. last year that, accounting for the three defendants, was up to $380 million in penalties.