Panasonic puts plasma TVs on a diet
Sharp's 23-millimeter thick Aquos XS1 comes to the U.K. this fall.
(Credit: Engadget)We had inklings that thin was in for the HDTV business this year after CES, but the sets being shown off at IFA in Berlin this week confirm it.
Panasonic showed off the 50-inch version at CES in January, but brought out 58-inch and 65-inch versions of the startlingly thin TVs at IFA at the Berlin trade show Thursday.
Unsurprisingly, Panasonic is saying that the sets are not as heavy as normal plasma TVs. Plus, the prototypes are being made with WirelessHD inside, which means fewer pesky wires. Keep in mind, this is not a real TV. It's just a prototype for the gadget hounds at IFA to drool over.
But, it'll likely happen eventually. Plasma is actually one of the last of the HDTV technologies to go super skinny. Sony set the standard with its ridiculously slim OLED TV, and Hitachi showed up at CES with a 1.5-inch thick LCD.
Now Sony's trying thin LCDs on for size, as my colleagues at Crave UK found out.
Sharp also has its Aquos LCD TV on a workout regiment. The XS1 is a mere 23 millimeters thick, and comes in 52-inch or 65-inch panel sizes.
This one's actually a real product, but for now only available in the UK beginning this fall.
Erica Ogg is a CNET News reporter who writes about consumer electronics and PCs, mostly as chief correspondent for Crave. She's also one of the hosts of CNET News' Daily Podcast. In her non-work life, she's a history geek, a loyal Dodgers fan, and a mac-and-cheese connoisseur. E-mail Erica.
- Topics:
-
Televisions,
-
Gadget news
- Tags:
-
Panasonic,
-
plasma,
-
televisions,
-
HDTVs,
-
IFA
- Share:
- Digg
- Del.icio.us
-->
But now that HDTV has taken off, it's all about who can make the THINNEST screen! Actual production TVs (not prototypes) have, on average, gone to smaller screens. Why is THIN a big deal? Are we more concerned with how a TV looks when it's OFF??
In February, the stations are all broadcasting in digital, not HD. And if you already have AT&T or Cable, you don't have to worry about it.
The thinness of the set is only going to be a consideration for people that mount it on a wall, not people that just keep it on a stand. I can't imagine buying a $3000 TV and not mounting it on a wall, but people will pay he money and put it on a stand and show off how thin their TV is, but on a stand it won't really matter. With a "Low Profile" wall mount, the television is going to be about 3 inches total away from the wall, which in my opinion is the best looking way to go. 1.5" for the mount and 1.7" for the TVs.
Shop around, you'll be glad you did and when you finally get a plasma, well, there is nothing better for tv or video viewing!
durrr