- Panasonic marketed 30 different CRT models a year ago. Now, it offers just one.
- Retail giant Costco won't sell CRTs after the holidays this year.
- Sony, which established consumer electronics dominance due in large measure to its fabled line of Trinitron tube TVs, will only make two different CRT models next year, down from 10 two years ago. And both of those will be widescreen digital models.
The culprit in the precipitous demise of the CRT? You guessed it: flat-panel LCD and plasma displays, which are rapidly coming down in price as additional production facilities in Asia are meeting consumer demand for the new technologies. Think about it this way: do you know anyone who has actually purchased a CRT at all, let alone one to be used as their primary television, in, say, the last two years?
Posts
3 comments:
Yup me. I latched onto a Toshiba 57H94 model rear projection CRT about a year ago. For the conditions that I'd be viewing my TV, the CRT gave me the best bang for the buck. Personally, I think the only reason that these companies are stopping making these TV's is greed. The CRT market just doesn't have the markup that LCD and Plasma do. I know my previous CRT lasted 15 years without any realy hicups, and I don't think the TV companies like that a bit.
With DLPs they have you paying for a new bulb every other year. Color wheels will fail probably twice in 15 years too. With LCD and plasma, you'll be replacing the bulb (very expensive) within 15 years, and you'll have many dead pixels by then.
I agree... not everyone wants to pay for a LCD/Plasma when a plain old CRT is fine for most uses (non-HDTV). To say that no one you knows has bought a CRT in two years just shows that you don't know many lower-income people. I'll admit that the new CRTS are having more quality issues than the old ones as manufactures try to cut costs and improve margins... but I'm going to be fine with my CRT to 2009 and beyond.
Great news for people that have the space for a CRT. As people are moving to flat panels they are getting rid of some nice CRT TVs for some ridiculous prices. You should be able to get a used 34"-36" top of the line Sony XBR TV for $500-$600 with plenty of life left in it. Invest another $300 to $400 in ISF calibration and you are all set. My dream TV is a 38" HDTV Loewe Aconda (CRT). I should be able to find a used one in another one to two years for under $1000. If you know anybody that is trying to unload one pls let me know(hobles@sbcglobal.net).
Post a Comment