Where do you see TV technology/prices going?

Bagel Fuzzynuts

Bagel Fuzzynuts

CAG Veteran
I was thinking about jumping on the $1000 Best Buy 46" Sony LCD and PS3 deal prior to Christmas, but I didn't because my eyes were getting bigger than my wallet. I'll be in the market for a new television soon, but wanted to know what some of you, with more experience in these matters, were thinking would happen in the short term/long term.

A friend who works at Best Buy advised me that prices would fall on Plasma/LCD tv's around Super Bowl time, in order to make room for LED's. I didn't ask if these would be permanent price drops. Weren't LCD prices about 30% higher this time last year?

So, I'm wondering how long before Plasma/LCD are phased out and LED or another technology take over completely? What will compete with LED, in your opinion? Will there be a lighter weight/brighter screen techology, or will it stay LED for a while, then go straight to a light peice of plastic you hang on your wall that displays HD television?

How will costs drop for different types of televisions in 3 months, 6 months or a year from now?

I would think costs would drop slightly for LCD/plasma in a month or two, probably hover around that for the next six to eight months, and drop significantly again as we approach the holiday season. Probably also because LED will continue to gain popularity. As far as technology that will compete with LED, I can't think of any. I suppose projectors would get better, and may be a more attractive option for many.

Sorry if this is posted in the wrong forum. Mods, please move if this is the case.
 
The next big thing in TV is OLED. But the tech is still very young and extremely costly. For example, Sony sells an 11" non-HD OLED tv for $2000+. So yeah, no need to worry about tech after LED backlit LCD tvs anytime soon.

Anyways, aside from the holidays, Superbowl weekend is a good time to buy. Your friend is right about that. Another good time is when new tv models are released(although, you'll be getting an old model, instead of the latest and greatest). Normally, this is around Spring time.
 
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Eddie is spot on. Sales cycles on TVs generally culminate in the best deals around and on Black Friday all the way to Christmas, with fewer good deals usually after Christmas unless there is a glut of inventory (not the case this year), then get fantastic again the closer you get to Super Bowl.

If you miss the Super Bowl sales, the final real big push comes as noted above in early Spring to clear out older models in inventory and make room for the new, but the manufacturers/retailers don't generally broadcast these sales as "last year model blowouts/closeouts", generally they market these sales around March Madness hype and call them March Madness/Final Four sales.
 
LED backlighting is the next technology above and beyond CFL backlighting. It makes for truer blacks and better colors, though the pricing for LED backlighted TV's is more than their CFL-backlight counterparts.

OLED will be the next big thing, though that pricing is far beyond most of the people buying TV's, as seen above.
 
What are your thoughts on a timeline for LED backlit tv's becoming the standard, and being priced close to what LCD and Plasma are right now?

edit: How do I change my title from "CAG Veteran"? Is there a post count I need to get to before that's available?
 
pending your usage, plasma is considered the best image quality. The newer plasmas from panasonic do not have the old burn in issues anymore. I would keep an eye on slickdeals when you have some cash, there are always TV deals on there.

I would consider a 42G10 Panasonic. The LCD tv's may look better in stores, but that is do to the lighting used there. If you do any research Plasma's are still considered superior to LCD and LED tv's. The only LED's close in performance to Plasma are the $3-4K Samsung local dimming tv's.
 
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