Philips 63" 1080p Plasma MSRP $3500

[JohnW]

That's PROJECTED MSRP. It'll probably be less.

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-12760_7....html?tag=blog

Oh, and I'll be selling these.

Yes I will.

[Quo]

awesome.

[Jon Liu]

Nice, John! 3500? I remember when the 50" plasmas were 10k MSRP. That was only like 2 years ago.

[Serren]

Good info. At least I'll have something to compare the 70" Sony SXRD against when my 65" Mits dies someday. It is funny that in 2001, my Mits was also had an MSRP of $3,499! I paid a bit over $3k for it though. Worth every penny...

[GoatMother]

Awesome. This will be perfect for me! I think Costco will have the Vizio's in March (well they have a coupon for like $300 off the 60" Vizio at that time-frame).

Of course I'd take the Phillips if I was a pimp!

[Wood Ghost]

Nice price. My wife is about to get a new plasma maybe we will wait & check out the quality. I like the part where it asks you veiwing questions then set up per your choices. Then my wife can set it up without me saying "no it should be like this".

[alter_ego_trip]

Originally Posted by Wood Ghost

Nice price. My wife is about to get a new plasma maybe we will wait & check out the quality. I like the part where it asks you veiwing questions then set up per your choices. Then my wife can set it up without me saying "no it should be like this".

Your wife rocks. Mine is content to watch on a 27". She still can't figure out why I built a ht room.

[JohnW]

Originally Posted by Serren

Good info. At least I'll have something to compare the 70" Sony SXRD against when my 65" Mits dies someday. It is funny that in 2001, my Mits was also had an MSRP of $3,499! I paid a bit over $3k for it though. Worth every penny...

Still loving mine too...but I am leaning towards FP...

[tampabuc]

That's great news John...thanks.

Start saving now for that option, the 108" Sharp LCD, or this one (SED may be DOA)....

CES 2007: Pioneer Kicks SED Tech in Groin
Announces new plasma display technology it claims is better than Toshiba/Canon's CES 2006 standout.
by Matt Casamassina

January 7, 2007 - There's no doubt that Pioneer makes a mean plasma, but now the manufacturer says it has developed new display technology that "surpasses both LCD and SED regardless of lighting conditions."

A bold allegation. We were on hand at last year's CES to see SED television in motion and we were so impressed with the clarity and black levels of the displays, which combine the elegance of flat panels with the performance of traditional CRTs, that we named it the tech of the show.

Pioneer stated from CES 2007 that its new unnamed SED killer "will change the competitive landscape of the flat-screen market." Evidently this new display breakthrough is the result of a re-engineered infrastructure, including an enhanced panel and filter. In side-by-side comparisons with competing formats, including SED, this new Pioneer mystery tech just looks better, offering deeper blacks and more vivid colors, even in brightly lit rooms. Unfortunately, we haven't yet seen this new display for our ourselves so we'll have to take the company's word for it -- at least for now.


"Our strategic position in the television market is to ensure that plasma technology is seen as the clear competitive favorite in the flat-screen television market and that Pioneer continues to be regarded as the gold standard with plasma," said Ken Shioda, general manager of product planning for displays at Pioneer Corporation. "By re-engineering our plasma technology from the ground up, we've accomplished that goal. We are not simply making marginal improvements in certain aspects of the viewing experience, rather we are making a quantum leap in all areas that impact the viewer experience."

This re-imagined line of plasmas boast better black levels than ever before. Disappointingly, proper contrast ratio figures were not provided by Pioneer, but it did have an enticing excuse, saying: "The test equipment typically used to determine the variance between peak white and peak black does not have enough range to measure Pioneer's display so a contrast ratio specification is not yet determined."

The displays also draw scenes with richer colors, including those in dark scenes. And finally, unlike some high-tech TVs on the market today, Pioneer's future plasma line performs brilliantly in bright rooms, according to the manufacturer.

"This new display type is going to wake consumers up to high definition all over again and reinvigorate the market for superior technology," said Ross Johnston, senior vice president of marketing and product planning for home entertainment at Pioneer Electronics. "Our ability to showcase the new technology to U.S. retailers gives them the opportunity to rethink their display strategy. We believe retailers will give this display a place of its own in their stores because a side-by-side comparison could be detrimental to sales of other products."

Pioneer stated that it initially intended to have the new display tech ready for the U.S. market in 2008 in time for the Beijing Olympic Games -- incidentally, the same time frame SED was scheduled to hit (prior to recent delays at the hands of lawsuits) -- but an "accelerated timetable was put into place and Pioneer expects to have product in the U.S. market this summer." Youch. If Pioneer's technology proves to be as impressive as it is boasting -- and boy is it boasting -- the SED boys at Toshiba and Canon could have a really big problem on their collective hands.

Of course, there are still a lot of mysteries surrounding what we're unofficially dubbing Plasma 2.0, for lack of a better name. The biggest, of course, is price. Pioneer's plasmas are already some of the most expensive on the market so exactly how much will these new and improved sets cost? For now, at least, the company isn't talking. The other question is, what sizes will these sets be available in? Standard 50 and 65-inch, or much bigger? We'll do some digging from the CES 2007 show floor to bring readers more insight into the new tech. For now, though, videophiles should keep a watchful eye on this news as it could very well be a show-stopper.

http://gear.ign.com/articles/753/753475p1.html

[dmiller68]

Now that your getting up into the 108" I might look at lcd/plasma again.

[alter_ego_trip]

Originally Posted by dmiller68

Now that your getting up into the 108" I might look at lcd/plasma again.

I can't even imagine what that would cost.