TWICE: Hitachi Presents 60Hz 1080 Flat-Panel Lineup
Hitachi formally unveiled here a full line of “1080” HD flat-panel sets, highlighted by three plasma models that will employ the company’s “Reel 60” 60Hz frame-rate technology.
At the same time, the company has elected to drop the rear-projection TV category that has been its trademark for over a decade to focus solely on the growing flat-panel business. The company will continue to carry front projectors, but only as a business-to-business offering at this time.
This has been in the works for some time, as I commented back in February:
Hitachi formally unveiled here a full line of “1080” HD flat-panel sets, highlighted by three plasma models that will employ the company’s “Reel 60” 60Hz frame-rate technology.
At the same time, the company has elected to drop the rear-projection TV category that has been its trademark for over a decade to focus solely on the growing flat-panel business. The company will continue to carry front projectors, but only as a business-to-business offering at this time.
This has been in the works for some time, as I commented back in February:
Playing the Glaucon to my Socrates, he confirmed that Hitachi sees no point in gussying up the RP business, since its days are numbered due to the increasing acceptance and decreasing price points of flat panel technology. Don't forget, after Sony debuted the WEGA flat-front picture tubes in 1998, the entire industry chased them, trying to offer flat-front tubes of their own. In 2001, Hitachi very pointedly abandoned the tube television business entirely.
Microdisplay rear projection used to be the cutting edge of new technology video displays, but that was five years ago. Now, it's all flat-panel, all the time. Given the prevalence of inexpensive flat-panel tvs, don't be surprised to see other brands join in putting rear projection out to pasture.
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