4K Killed Panasonic’s Plasma?

HDTVtest makes a compelling case for why Panasonic would stop making plasmas, but I can’t help but feel that OLED isn’t quite ready to replace it in their display lineup. I want to believe that OLED and 4K are their path forward, but I have to wonder if it’s not more about Panasonic’s health as a company than anything else. Hopefully Panasonic will have a few nice surprised to talk about at CES.

Either way it’s well worth the read to find out why 4K and PDP don’t mix.

“Will they? Won’t they?” Years of speculation about whether Panasonic will pull the plug on its loss-making plasma TV division came to an end last month, when the Japanese manufacturer officially announced that it’s going to stop making plasma display panel (PDP) by the end of this year, with sales of both consumer and commercial plasma TVs scheduled to end on the 31st of March 2014. As industry experts reflect on the demise of yet another class-leading lineup of television sets (just like the critically acclaimed Pioneer Kuro before it), it has transpired that 4K Ultra HD, or lack thereof, was the main factor behind Panasonic’s plasma exit.

HDTVtest

  • Thanks.  That was a cool

    Thanks.  That was a cool read, didn’t even know about half that stuff about how plasma worked.

    • Yeah, very interesting. I was

      Yeah, very interesting. I was wondering why they didn’t just use 4x 42″ PDP to make a 4k – now we know. Thanks EU ;).

  • Very interesting and

    Very interesting and informative.  I was only slightly aware of the power requirements for a plasma, which would have probably removed it from my short list for my next HDTV.  I just bought three replacement bulbs for my rear projection LCOS HDTV so I’ll probably be hanging onto it for quite some time. 

    My electric bills are already through the roof so I need to look into whatever energy saving devices that are available when I upgrade anything.  I’ve got a 26-year old water heater that’s living on borrowed time and I’m thinking about going with a newer heat pump model.

    • My LED/Laser DLP projector is

      My LED/Laser DLP projector is my most power efficent entertainment device.  But it requires a fairly dark room for optimal viewing which is a trade-off many can’t make in their setups.

    • The crazy thing about it is

      The crazy thing about it is that the power cost really isn’t that great, and would take years to offset the difference in up-front price (PDP v. comparable LED LCD) @1080p. The math doesn’t really make sense unless you leave the TV on all the time, so it’s a silly thing to make policy around.

       

      • I assume the policy isn’t

        I assume the policy isn’t about individual savings; it’s about the combined power usage of the population at which point it makes more sense.

        • I understand that’s the idea,

          I understand that’s the idea, but it doesn’t work. If you want to have a real impact on macro behavior in a market driven enconomy you need to make something cost more. It really is that simple. The relationship b/w petrol cost, CO2 taxation and fuel economy in the EU v. US are a perfect example of how this works.