Originally Posted by PC World

First Pioneer, now Vizio. As a flat-screen TV technology, plasma's days appear numbered.

Vizio, the Southern California-based upstart that's built a successful business selling relatively inexpensive HDTVs in warehouse stores such as Costco and Sam's Club, will stop selling plasma TVs and focus on LCD sets. The news is the second blow this week for plasma proponents. Pioneer, maker of ultra-pricey plasma sets for home theater aficionados, earlier announced that it's leaving the TV business altogether.

As The New York Times points out, the departure of Pioneer and Vizio leaves just three major players in the U.S. plasma TV market: LG, Panasonic, and Samsung. Given consumers' overwhelming preference for LCD models, Vizio's decision to ditch plasma isn't too surprising. According to industry researcher Display Search, LCD outsells plasma by a 7 to 1 margin. And since Vizio's current product lineup on its website shows just 5 plasma versus 20 LCD models, the change shouldn't prove too jarring for its customers.

Despite consumers' preference for LCD, many videophiles believe that plasma offers the superior picture, particularly for home theater settings. Plasma sets cost less than comparably-sized LCD models too. Then again, LCD displays are brighter are often work better in light-filled family rooms.

But don't write off plasma just yet. Shipments of plasma TVs actually rose 28 percent during the 4th quarter of 2008 (the holiday shopping season), and were up 10 percent for the entire year, according to Display Search. By comparison, LCD shipments in the 2008 holiday quarter actually fell 2% versus the same period in 2007

Originally Posted by Big Vito (Post 235879)

I don't believe Pioneer will drop plasma.

Originally Posted by Business Week 2/13/09

CONSUMER electronics company Pioneer, manufacturer of what many regard as the best quality plasma panel in the world, has announced it will pull out of the display business by March 2010.

The company decided to withdraw after recording its fifth straight year of losses in the plasma division which, coupled with the economic downturn, forced a restructure of the business.

Originally Posted by Big Vito (Post 235953)

after I posted it I went to my garden of eden for AVS info a sad day indeed :( Pioneer made the best plasmas on the market. first DLP goes bye bye, now plasma lost the front runner for PQ, a hard hit to the chest for me.

Originally Posted by icehog3 (Post 235964)

Pioneer was just too expensive even if they were the best.....you can get a Plasma that is almost as good to almost any untrained eye by Panasonic or Samsung for a fraction of the price.

Good news is that if you already have a Plasma, the technology should still serve you well for many years.

Originally Posted by Big Vito (Post 235981)

true but I was waiting for the "holy grail" ( how fitting as that as well has been elusive)

unfortunately my eyes are trained and spoiled by the beauty that is an Elite set. I will set out to spy for a 50 or 60 inch Elite 9G. for those not immersed as I am wont understand what a blow this is. just add it to the list for this years crappy start :rolleyes:

the price has always turned the general buyer off. as my old boss used to say "oh well"

Originally Posted by icehog3 (Post 235990)

If they are still in the game until March 2010, maybe you can get one before they discontinue them?

Originally Posted by Don Fernando (Post 236018)

there has been some talk in the Euro parliament about forbidding plasma as a plasma used 4 times more electricity then LCD.

Originally Posted by Don Fernando (Post 236018)

there has been some talk in the Euro parliament about forbidding plasma as a plasma used 4 times more electricity then LCD.

Originally Posted by King James (Post 236155)

interesting when plasma has actually been catching up to LCD in the past few years. I think they have always had better color, but their screen life and that has been greatly improved. Weird.

Originally Posted by Big Vito (Post 236320)

catching up:confused:

Originally Posted by Big Vito (Post 235981)

true but I was waiting for the "holy grail" ( how fitting as that as well has been elusive)

unfortunately my eyes are trained and spoiled by the beauty that is an Elite set...

Originally Posted by King James (Post 236323)

I prefer LCD (or have so far) because they had better screen lives and you can watch LCD in a room that has light. Plasma screen sucks if light is hitting it. And I believe LCD has (or at least had) a better viewing angle

Originally Posted by bazookajoe (Post 236359)

:tpd: I much prefer the contrast and richness of a plasma, and was waiting until I could afford the Pioneer... well I've got the waiting part down... OLED?

Originally Posted by BORIStheBLADE (Post 236361)

If all LCD's had the glossy screen finish that Plasmas do people would be saying that they suck too when light hits them too.

If all LCD's had better blacks and no motion blur LIKE all plasmas then I can see all the hype. but....

Originally Posted by Big Vito (Post 236380)

Lets not turn this into a LCD vs plasma thread ;)

Originally Posted by Big Vito (Post 236372)

If you are looking for a non Elite Pioneer the 50 inch is around $1,900. The 9G is still far ahead of the curve.

OLED is Organic Light Emitting Diode, I am on my iPhone otherwise I would post a link :)

Originally Posted by Don Fernando (Post 236018)

there has been some talk in the Euro parliament about forbidding plasma as a plasma used 4 times more electricity then LCD.

Originally Posted by AD720 (Post 236526)

Bottom line is the today's consumer wants lots of inches for little bits of dollars and really isn't interested in the picture quality.

This fact is evident due to the people that buy the $750 42 inch at Sam's club and leave it in factory torch mode with every setting at 100% and say "Hey it's a 1080p look how good it looks." while it's being feed with a composite cable and the colors are so over saturated that the grass on the football field is blue.

I am not surprised in the least that companies are dropping Plasma in favor of LCD, they are cheaper to make, cheaper to transport and move faster of the shelves due to the lower price.

I don't want it to seem like I am knocking LCD at all, there are some that look absolutely amazing when they are set up right. I went with a Plasma but with one of today's higher end LCD's I would probably be happy too.

Originally Posted by JE3146 (Post 236664)

Lately Plasmas have been the bang for buck, not LCD's. Companies just like the higher profit margins of LCD's. Even though they're inferior when compared dollar for dollar, inch for inch in most A/B tests that I witnessed while shopping for TV's and helping people shop for TV's over the past few years.

Only thing LCD's offer is no burn in :rolleyes: Which is non-existent anymore.

Originally Posted by Don Fernando (Post 236018)

there has been some talk in the Euro parliament about forbidding plasma as a plasma used 4 times more electricity then LCD.

Originally Posted by ChINaMaN1472 (Post 236787)

You can find great deals on plasma TVs if you spend the time to look. In which case if you're ready to drop a few hundred or thousand dollars on something you use hours a day everyday, why not do the research right?

Plasmas do produce the better picture. The general public just still believes they have horrible life span, high power consumption, and burn in, because it was true 10-15 years ago when it first came out.

I refuse to believe burn in is a problem, since I use my plasma as my computer monitor. Surfing the 'net all day hasn't made any burn ins yet.

Originally Posted by AD720 (Post 237063)

Bang for the buck maybe...but as far as out and out cheap I've yet to see a $399.99 plasma at the grocery store.

Originally Posted by ChINaMaN1472 (Post 237148)

You're more likely to get a new TV before your plasma TV reaches the half life.

In any case, I think it'll hurt the market a bit since the "king" is retiring, but I doubt plasma TVs are going anywhere, at least not until OLED becomes affordable for the average consumer.

Originally Posted by JE3146 (Post 237479)

You don't see many 19" Plasmas either... outside of 'The Office' :r

Originally Posted by Michael Scott (Post 237437)

That is a 200 dollar plasma TV you've just killed. Good luck paying me back on your zero dollars a month plus benefits salary, babe!

Originally Posted by Big Vito (Post 237525)

killed is more like it

Originally Posted by AD720 (Post 236526)

Bottom line is the today's consumer wants lots of inches for little bits of dollars and really isn't interested in the picture quality.

Originally Posted by Don Fernando (Post 236018)

there has been some talk in the Euro parliament about forbidding plasma as a plasma used 4 times more electricity then LCD.

Originally Posted by icehog3 (Post 237765)

Perhaps killed themselves by pricing the Plasmas out of reach of the average consumer, Perry?

Originally Posted by Junior (Post 237873)

That is what I understand the problem is. You know the nut job eco's are going to save the world one company at a time. Don't get me wrong I like the eco friendly tech, but they are going too far on a few things.

Originally Posted by Big Vito (Post 238031)

no, by having the competitor build the panels.

Originally Posted by icehog3 (Post 238218)

From all I have read, this talk of "4 times the elcetricity use of LCDs" just isn't the case at this point.



You have researched this more than I have, Brother, so I will defer to your thoughts. :)

Originally Posted by Big Vito (Post 238230)

If I don't get the Elite I will buy the JVC projector and screen :)