Hitachi Cable News Vol.355 ::: Flat Panel Displays [Chapter 1]

Thanks to Their Slim Dimensions, Large Screens, and High Performance, Demand for Flat Panel Displays is Growing.

Flat panel TVs such as LCDs and plasma TVs rank among today's top-selling products. The TV sections of electronics stores are filled with a wide range of flat panel TVs to better attract customers.
The main reasons for the growing popularity of flat panel TVs are their large, dynamic image displays and their slim dimensions, which allows for space-saving installation. While the maximum screen size of CRTs is limited to 36 inches, LCD TVs and plasma TVs are currently available in 40V*-plus and 60V-plus sizes, respectively. While a 36-inch CRT TV is bulky and extremely heavy, with a depth of approx. 60 cm and weight of approx. 80 kg, a plasma or an LCD TV with a similar screen size is approx. 10 cm in depth (screen section only) and weighs approx. 20 to 30 kg. Because of their extreme slimness and relative lightness, plasma and LCD TVs can be mounted on walls.


Despite having such useful features, flat panel TVs did not sell well in their early years due to extremely high prices and image quality that was inferior to CRT TVs. However, technological developments in recent years have led to steady price reductions and an image quality that is now comparable to that of CRT TVs, triggering explosive growth in popularity. Major events such as the Athens Olympic Games in August this year, the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany, and the nationwide commencement of terrestrial digital broadcasting are also spurring sales of flat panel TVs. Growing sales of these products are expected to play an important role in boosting consumer spending in Japan.

* The number preceding "V" indicates the approximate screen size based on diagonal dimension of the effective screen area (image display area) of a flat panel TV. For CRT TVs, the size designation is based on the distance between the diagonally-located outermost corners of the screen, including screen edges which are covered by the screen frame and do not display images.

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