Panasonic skip their plasma flagships

[admin_exported]

Interesting news from CES 2011, Panasonic announce they will not continue the Z-model, which is their high-end/flagship plasma .. as they say, the Z-model is too expensive for their customers.

This leaves Panasonic without any high-end / flagships in their plasma line.

One could interpret, that high-end plasma sales is dropping and not profitable any more.

 

[aliEnRIK]

Anyone interested in top natch plasmas would still be going for the Pioneers (Of which, although very rare, are still being sold here and there)

So I doubt anyone would have been interested in the Z series whilst the Pioneers still exist.

 

[Anonymous]

aliEnRIK:
Anyone interested in top natch plasmas would still be going for the Pioneers (Of which, although very rare, are still being sold here and there)

So I doubt anyone would have been interested in the Z series whilst the Pioneers still exist.

First Pioneer to redraw from the high-end plasma segment, now Panasonic - who will be next ?

 

[Andrew Everard]

"That's great, it starts with an earthquake, birds and snakes, an aeroplane - Lenny Bruce is not afraid.

Eye of a hurricane, listen to yourself churn, world serves its own needs, dummy serve your own needs."

 

[Clare Newsome]

Going back to the OP - this is NOT news; Panasonic didn't renew the 'Z' line-up last year, either.... Its flagship models are now (as they were in 2010) the VT series, which are due a step up in performance/spec this year with the introduction of features including Infinite Black Pro 2.

That's hardly 'pulling out' of a market

 

[aliEnRIK]

Clare Newsome:

the VT series, which are due a step up in performance/spec this year with the introduction of features including Infinite Black Pro 2.

That there is pure marketing drivel

Another fancy name for 'high contrast' which doesnt really count for anything

 

[Clare Newsome]

See also Pioneer Kuro - Kuro meaning black

But seriously, I think a lot of movie lovers (and indeed gamers) would disagree with you.... If you're struggling to see detail in darker scenes (or indeed if those darker scenes are merely dappled shades of grey) then it's not a great experience.

 

[aliEnRIK]

I simply meant that black is black. On a purely 'measureable' scale, most decent tvs these days are very similar with black levels.

All Panasonic are trying to do there is get the ratio of black to white even greater so they can claim some silly contrast ratio is possible on the tv.

 

[StanleyAV]

A Flagship ought to be synonymous with state of the art - cost no object product. The VT30s or whatever we get in the UK will be built to a price and performance will be evolutionary as Clare puts it, not revolutionary.

The old Z series was a statement product because of the wireless technology and the build quality.

I'm not convinced that 3D with glasses is a statement or where we need to be in the future with TV technology. Higher contrast - Infinite Black XYZ does not define the VT or other high contrast TV designs as being unique.

There is a finite limit to what the human eye will put up with in terms of absolute brightness ( in order to achieve or disguise the actual black level).

I suppose we can be thankful that Panasonic has tamed that brightness with dark filters : TOO LATE for me though - now have chronic migraine

I will email you on that Clare, if you are interested - heaven help those who develop 3D related health issues!

I do love the styling of my Z1, and it is kind to my eyes in terms of brightness. Panasonic can do style but not often! hahaha

 

[Anonymous]

Clare Newsome:

Going back to the OP - this is NOT news; Panasonic didn't renew the 'Z' line-up last year, either.... Its flagship models are now (as they were in 2010) the VT series, which are due a step up in performance/spec this year with the introduction of features including Infinite Black Pro 2.

That's hardly 'pulling out' of a market

Agree with StanleyAV " cost no object product" - in order to name a model high-end/flagship, some criteria has to be met - quality, design, features, fame, mark, PRICE. 2011 VT models are just a brush-up of the 2010. Not to confuse with the best/most expensive in a producline is automatically called a high-end TV.

If the VT is a high-end / a flagship, how shall we cattegorize B&O, Loewe and the Z1 ? Ultra high-end ?

I dont think the high-end buyers ( billionairs etc ) would consider a VT model for their saloon, Cost no issue, would you select a VT ?

Just my opinion.

 

[steve iow]

no news on the ZT30 then

 

[Anonymous]

steve26351:no news on the ZT30 then

Well - lets see what will be the replacement ..... a new 21:9 ?

 

[Anonymous]

Didn't Panasonic buy the Kuro tech when Pioneer bailed? If so, when are we likely to see it in Panasonic's lineup?

Its a sad indictment of the 'competition' that Pioneer's 2007-8 Kuro's are still the reference standard for TV's in 2011.

 

[The_Lhc]

Damien Buckley:Didn't Panasonic buy the Kuro tech when Pioneer bailed?

I don't think so no, they may have taken on some of their engineers but not the actual technology.

 

[Anonymous]

One of the main forces, as I undetstand it, was that Pioneer used top quality scalers. That comes at a price, and I dont think we will see a Panasonic TV with high-end scallers with their present low-cost product strategy.It is not a matter of "who can beat who", but a question of product-market strategy.

Apart from this - the plasma technology has moved quite a lot since Kuro - one major improvement of the technology is the extra bright plasma cells - I personally think this has a much higher impact on the PQ than any of the Pioneer probrietary technologies.

Talking strictly full HD material. the Kuro has already been beaten/equaled by several TV sets in my opinion, Set a Kuro and a Sony HX903 in a livingroom a saturday afternoon in July, and compare.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Now I think you're just putting your own gloss on the subject, but are you really saying the Sony is only better than the Kuro on four afternoons a year?

 

[staggerlee]

Actually the price of the flagship panasonic was ridicolous and such is the pace of technology, a £4k TV one year is suddenly out dated and old fashioned 12 months later. If i wanted to make a statment and spend that kind of money, I would buy a lowe or a B&O TV.

 

[Anonymous]

staggerlee:
Actually the price of the flagship panasonic was ridicolous and such is the pace of technology, a £4k TV one year is suddenly out dated and old fashioned 12 months later. If i wanted to make a statment and spend that kind of money, I would buy a lowe or a B&O TV.

The price of my Pansonic 50PX600 plasma was in 2006 > 4K. So was the Kuro/Pioneer.

Think people are now used to ( expect ) to buy a top TV set for 1.2K. The plasma technology has reached a level where little can be improved I think - LCD is approaching this moment too - they way I see things now, is they stuff more and more into the sets, for a lower price - sacrifice is product quality, SD PQ etc. Flagships cost-no-issue is in my opinion not ridicolous, but an other segment for those who want the best, also in product quality and design - and are willing to pay the price.

Else Porche, Mercedes, BMW, Audi would be ridicolous too - and we would all drive Wartbourg, Lada, Fiat etc.

 

[micks_address]

Hi Clare,

Have Panasonic stated the contrast ratio acheived yet by Infinite black pro 2 ?

Thanks,

Mick

Clare Newsome:

Going back to the OP - this is NOT news; Panasonic didn't renew the 'Z' line-up last year, either.... Its flagship models are now (as they were in 2010) the VT series, which are due a step up in performance/spec this year with the introduction of features including Infinite Black Pro 2.

That's hardly 'pulling out' of a market

 

[The_Lhc]

PeterHerz:The price of my Pansonic 50PX600 plasma was in 2006 > 4K. So was the Kuro/Pioneer.

The 9G 50" Kuro's were NEVER £4k. The 60" models might have been but not the 50s.

 

[Deleted member 2457]

the_lhc:PeterHerz:The price of my Pansonic 50PX600 plasma was in 2006 > 4K. So was the Kuro/Pioneer. The 9G 50" Kuro's were NEVER £4k. The 60" models might have been but not the 50s.

I think he is talking about the 6th generation Pioneer TVs mate

 

[bigboss]

the_lhc:Damien Buckley:Didn't Panasonic buy the Kuro tech when Pioneer bailed? I don't think so no, they may have taken on some of their engineers but not the actual technology.

Actually, they have acquired the technology as well. Check this.

It's another matter if they decide to use it or not.