RPTV sales fall 50%

[hugh]

Worldwide rear prjection televisions fell 50% in the third quarter of 2007 to 370,000 units according to a recent report by DisplaySearch.

The firm reports that rear projection televisions sales constitute under 1% of all television sales. RPTV accounted for just 0.7% of all television sales, down from 1.6% in the third quarter of 2006 on continued share losses to flat panels.

By technology (within RPTVs), DLP remained dominant with a 57% share, down from 63%, on flat growth. 3LCD accounted for a 26% share with LCOS at 17%.

[dnaranjo]

I think it is a little misleading to quote the numbers as stated.
On a worldwide basis, RPTV has always been a small share of the entire TV market. On a worldwide basis for 2006, according to Displaysearch, the TV market was:
CRT - 68.8%
LCD - 24.3%
PDP - 4.9%
CRT PTV - 0.6%
DLP - 0.6%
LCOS - 0.3%
3LCD - 0.3%

In 2007 through Q307 according to DS, the WW TV market is:
CRT - 57.1%
LCD - 36.6%
PDP - 5.3%
CRT PTV - 0.2%
DLP - 0.5%
LCOS - 0.2%
3LCD - 0.1%

If you look at only North America (since RPTV's) are a unique big screen TV for the US, the numbers are quite different. In 2006 and 2007, the DLP, LCOS and 3LCD still enjoyed a 6% market share. The largest category of course for all regions in the world is CRT direct view based TV. While that segment is declining, no one is predicting the total elimination of that category. Therefore, before you sound the bell for a technology, it is best to place it in context of region of the world as well as in contrast to other TV technologies. As an example, according to DisplaySearch, PDP also saw a decline in Q3'07 from Q2'06 and even Q2'07. I do not hear anyone sounding the bell for the demise of PDP. Why is that? Please report fairly and accurately in order to best educate consumers reading your article.

[hugh]

What spin? Those numbers are virtually verbatim from Display Search!

The facts are:

• RPTV sales were down 50% in the third quarter of 2007 vs. the third quarter of 2006.
• RPTV global share fell from 1.6% (Q3 2006) to .7% in Q3 2007.

95% of RPTV sales are in North America so yes the market share in this part of the world is higher than the rest of the world but no matter how you spin the numbers, sales are down 50%!

The above is fact, now here is some anecdotal evidence to support the fact that RPTV has a dim future.

• Walk into you local big box retailer and you'll find the floor space dedicated to microdisplays continues to shrink so the opportunities for increasing sales is limited.
• Several manufacturers I have spoke to believe they won't be making RPTV for much longer.
• Consumer Reports says RPTV has much higher defect rates than flat panel
• RPTV more expensive to operate than flat panel thanks to high cost of bulbs

Personally, I don't see a bright future for RPTV.

[shabbs]

Originally Posted by hugh

Personally, I don't see a bright future for RPTV.

It's a shame - I totally love them. To be honest, I have not seen another set that beats the PQ of my Sony RPTV. I have been super impressed with the PQ. I can see where the additional maintenance and cost of bulbs can be a factor. I still believe they deliver the best bang for the buck. Would love to get me a KDS-60A3000 1080p set.

[57]

RPTV's Future thread:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=69479

[jumpy27]

I walked into the FS in Kelowna last Thursday and could find only 2 RP sets being used as demo models--they looked old. EVERY other set was a flatscreen LCD or Plasma. No dark pictures anywhere.

[shabbs]

Are profit margins higher on flat panels over RPTVs?

[dnaranjo]

If you took those numbers from a press release, I would be careful. DS is known for modifying their numbers and forecasts. Those press releases are often time released too early to generate interest in their reports. I subscribe to the actual data, and if one were to predict the demise of any technology, you should include PDP as well. The reality is that Canada has never been a mature market for RPTV. This technology is more of a US phenomenon. In addition, there are other technologies on the horizon that will change the game for what people perceive as a RPTV.

[Tom.F.1]

Now you've got me wondering, I was about to buy the LED RPTV.
I thought the LED models got rid of the bulb and increased the reliability?
If I buy one, am I going to end up with a dinosour?

People were telling me CRT's were dead 2-1/2 years ago when i got the HD CRT. Still a great picture but it's going to be hard to put on a shelf in the bedroom at 24" deep.

[shabbs]

Originally Posted by Tom.F.1

If I buy one, am I going to end up with a dinosour?

If you worry too much about the future, you'll end up buying nothing.

If I were replacing my 60" Grand Wega RPLCD today, I'd replace it with another RPLCD. One of the Sony Bravia LCoS ones for sure. They are spectacular and we have a very big room so it fits well.

With the price of Plasma's and LCD's coming down, everything is an option now. 42" 720p plasmas are very affordable at this time with all the 1080p madness going on. I've got my eye on a few for our bedroom that's for sure.

Cheers.

[hugh]

The reality is that Canada has never been a mature market for RPTV. This technology is more of a US phenomenon.

RPTV is expected to be 6% of the market in Canada in 2007. That is about the same as the U.S. according to your numbers so how can you say that Canada has never been mature market for RPTV?

dnaranjo, since you subscribe to the data, you are obviously in the industry and you're posting from California so I have to ask, do you work for a certain DLP company or company whose profits are generated from RPTV?

I thought the LED models got rid of the bulb and increased the reliability?

Well they get rid of the UHP bulb but obviously they have a light source. As far as reliability, the manufacturers claim with LED the days of switching bulbs is essentially over but it will likely be several years before we know.

People were telling me CRT's were dead 2-1/2 years ago when i got the HD CRT. Still a great picture but it's going to be hard to put on a shelf in the bedroom at 24" deep

Tom, I have an LCD RPTV and I love it. Even if they stopped making CRT or RPTV, it doesn't mean you can't continue to enjoy it for years to come so I wouldn't get too freaked out about it. Finally, I don't want to go off topic but I think the days of CRT are numbered especially in North America. (there are several threads around here about the death of CRT so please lets keep this thread focused on RPTV!)

[WestCDA]

I have been super impressed with the PQ.

Interesting - personally, I've never seen a RP set that I thought had a decent picture. A few were passable if you happened to be at just the right elevation and angle of view, but even the better sets always looked somewhat washed out to me.

Prior to the single panel RP sets hitting the market, misconvergence seemed to be a common issue, requiring a lot of ongoing tweaking. That's one thing I really can't stand to look at - though it was a shortcoming of similar FP displays as well.

I won't be sorry to see RP dwindle away - it was the best way to achieve a relatively large display in a fixed set at the time, but I think technology has passed them by.

[shabbs]

Originally Posted by WestCDA

Interesting - personally, I've never seen a RP set that I thought had a decent picture.

That is interesting. I did a lot of looking around when I was shopping for a new TV. This is going back over 2 years and at the time "big screen" plasma's and LCDs were very expensive. There were some bad LCD RPTVs and DLPs as well. The best RPTVs I found were the 3LCD Grand Wega's from Sony and offered what I though at the time was the best picture and viewing angles that I could find, and the price was right.

Times have changed, technology has improved, we now have 1080p sets, a lot more HD sources and prices are dropping.

[JKL1960]

Are profit margins higher on flat panels over RPTVs?

Not that I'm aware of but RPTVs are big compared to flat panels. They take more retail floor space to display and more warehouse room to stock. The big box guys figure everything out to the Nth degree. With slightly higher prices and smaller footprint, flat panels are likely viewed by management as being more efficient profit generators.

I also think that the flat panel is more appealing to consumers because it is a newer idea. So people will drop the money on a cheap off brand flat panel rather than buy a high quality RPTV even if the RPTV has a better picture. I think we'd all be shocked at the number of TVs that are purchased without ever being viewed at all.

Those are my wild guesses and I'm sticking with them.

[JonO]

Originally Posted by shabbs

If you worry too much about the future, you'll end up buying nothing.

If I were replacing my 60" Grand Wega RPLCD today, I'd replace it with another RPLCD. One of the Sony Bravia LCoS ones for sure. They are spectacular and we have a very big room so it fits well.

With the price of Plasma's and LCD's coming down, everything is an option now. 42" 720p plasmas are very affordable at this time with all the 1080p madness going on. I've got my eye on a few for our bedroom that's for sure.

Cheers.

Agreed. And oddly enough we have very similar setups. Which Grand Wega do you have? I have the Kf-60WE610 and am looking for a 42" for the bedroom. (although I promised myself I would wait until SA released a multi-room DVR that sources HD material too - too much of my tv watching is PVR)