Quixel: Plasma Sales Rose 14% Over Last Year (HDTV)

twice.com ^ | 12May2010 | Greg Tarr

[Las Vegas Dave]

By Greg Tarr -- TWICE, 5/12/2010 Portland, Or. - Plasma TV shipments rose 14 percent between Q1'09 and Q1'10 according to a new study release Wednesday by Quixel Research.

The firm's Q1 2010 USA Large Area Display Report revealed that unit sales of 40-inch-plus plasma TVs registered a larger volume increase than the 40-inch and larger LCD TVs in the period.

"Plasma TV sales are still strong because they provide a great value, and when consumers do a little homework, they understand that Plasma TVs offer picture quality that is just as good and sometimes better than LCDTVs," stated Tamaryn Pratt, Quixel Research's principal. "It also helps that almost all the Plasma TVs available today are offered by top tier brands and for many consumers that seals the deal."

The overall Large Area Display category was up 7 percent in units year to year, with 40-inch-plus LCD TV volumes increasing 6 percent for the same time period.

Typical seasonal decline and a recessionary marketplace were the primary contributors to a 32 percent quarter to quarter unit dropoff for the large area display segment in Q1'10.

From Q4'09 to Q1'10, LCD TV volumes were down 24 percent, plasma TV volumes were down 46 percent and MicroDisplay Rear Projection TV volumes were down 21 percent.

Revenues for the large area display category were off 32 percent quarter to quarter but had a softer landing year to year with a 13 percent decline from Q1'09 to Q1'10, Quixel said.

Increased sales of 55-inch and 60-inch models were the fuel for the LCD TV category and the overall Large Area Display category in Q1'10. Sales of 55-inch LCD TVs were up close to 600 percent year to year and down only 7 percent quarter to quarter.

Signaling a major shift, 55-inch LED models outsold 55-inch CCLF models for the first time during the quarter, according to Quixel.

[Las Vegas Dave]

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[pnh102]

Must be all of those strategic defaults.

[WackySam]

"Plasma TV sales are still strong because they provide a great value, and when consumers do a little homework, they understand that Plasma TVs offer picture quality that is just as good and sometimes better than LCDTVs,"

IMHO, Plasma always has a better picture quality- unless you're watching in a very bright sunlit room, or under the blazing lights of a big box store.

[RangerM]

I’ve never seen any bigscreen TV that could top Plasmas’ viewing angle and contrast.

Maybe the new LEDs do, but I haven’t shopped in awhile.

[LibLieSlayer]

I have both... and LCD with LED lighting comes close... almost as good in top tier sets.

LLS

[TSgt]

I’ll be in the market for one soon. We have a little one on the way and I’ve convinced my wife that we need to get ride of the projection LCD to make room for a playpen. LOL!

I’m looking at Sony and Samsung.

Got a preference?

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Yep. Panasonic.

[Moonman62]

The new Samsung plasmas are cheap, energy efficient, and in some cases lighter than the same size LED. But if you want 1080p the cost goes up quite a bit. From what I’ve seen you can get away with 720p for the 42 and 50 inch sizes.

[Moonman62]

I’ve never seen any bigscreen TV that could top Plasmas’ viewing angle and contrast. Maybe the new LEDs do, but I haven’t shopped in awhile.

I would say that almost all LCD's have caught up in the past three years.

[Gay State Conservative]

Just bought the Sony 46XBR8 and I *love* it.Thought about buying one of the Pioneer Kuro Elites but they were almost twice the price.I can't imagine the Pioneer's PQ being twice as good as the Sony's.

[LibLieSlayer]

If you like a bright picture in a room with daylight... LCD rules... if you view in a darker room... and black levels are import to you... Plasma excels. The difference used to be stark... but the gap in high end LCD’s is catching up. On the best LCD’s, you need to have side by side comparisons to see any difference... and those differences are minimal today.

LLS

[MississippiMan]

I’m looking at Sony and Samsung.

I've been a diehard Sony man for decades, but I have to say I think Samsung has the edge now. I was in Fry's a few days ago and stepped over to the TVs just to get an idea of what's going on. I was blown away by a couple Samsung LEDs. Picture quality was superb and the thinness made for beautiful aesthetics. One of them looked to be about a quarter-inch thick. That one was way expensive @ $6K+, but others--still thin but not quite that thin--carried normal price points.

As an aside, the Samsungs had a 3D functionality that I didn't even know existed. They were playing an Avatar Blu-Ray disc, which was a standard Blu-Ray off the shelf, not 3D, and the TV was creating a 3D effect that I flat couldn't believe. The TV was capable of full 3D, with glasses of course, but this was WITHOUT glasses and WITHOUT real 3D content. It was amazing and I would think it would be an incredible effect when used on video games.

MM (in TX)

[RangerM]

Couldn’t agree more.

Got a top-o-the-line Viera Plasma in Jan, 2007.

[SunkenCiv]

A lot of the big plasmas at blowout prices at the warehouse clubs were 720p. The SC near here has an exec special, $50 off a 50 inch LG plasma 1080p, and $100 off a 60 inch. Both have beautiful pictures (as one might expect) and the big on is $1697 or something like that, before the hundred off.

[Las Vegas Dave]

The $1697 is a good price for a 60” plasma if it is 1080p.

My advice, the year is almost 1/2 over, if one can wait, black Friday prices are approximately 6 months away...

[RayChuang88]

Alas, this may be the last time we see improvements in plasma TV sales. California's new law regarding TV set power consumption and the updated EPA Energy Star regulations may put plasma TV's out of business by 2012.

Of course, by 2012 LED backlit TV sets will be the norm, and in 2012 we will start to see Organic LED flat panels in the popular 40" to 55" sizes with power consumption that makes today's LCD panels seem like power guzzlers in comparison.