Is 200Hz TV technology old hat? Yes according to Panasonic Managing Director Steve Rust who is shortly set to start marketing a 600Hz plasma TV which also has a 2,000,000+:1 dynamic contrast ratio.
For the last three months Sony has had 200Hz technology to themselves however this is set to change with Samsung and LG set to launch new 200Hz TV’s and Panasonic a 600Hz TV say retailers who attended a gala dinner recently for the launch of Panasonics new plasma range.
SmartHouse has seen and played with the new 54″, 1-inch ultra-thin Z1 Panasonic Plasma TV which incorporates Neo Full HD and 1080p technology as well as Wireless HDMI HD capability. It is impressive and well worth the wait however we still want to do a shootout with the new TV Vs the Samsung LED offerings and a Sony Z Series TV.
“We have a distinct edge over Sony and other brands that are pushing 200Hz TV’s said Steve Rust and we intend to market the fact over the coming months”.
While Sony is left promoting 200Hz on LCD TV’s as their key point of difference Samsung is set to fight the display battle with new LED TV technology TV’s that also have 200Hz.
Unfortunately Sony, who are struggling to make a profit with their Bravia TV range, does not have LED TV technology in their range and it is doubtful that they will have it this year due to the fact that they are outsourcing the manufacturing of their LCD TV’s to Chinese and Taiwanese manufacturers as well as Samsung who have refused to manufacture LED TV’s for Sony despite the two companies being in a joint venture partnership to produce LCD TV’s.
In two key demonstrations, one with 42″ Panasonic plasma running the 2,000,000+:1 dynamic contrast ratio engine and up against a 200Hz Sony Motionflow 42″ HD LCD TV, the difference was significant with the Panasonic delivering richer and sharper images to the screen.
In a separate demonstration of Samsung’s new 9 Series LED TV that also had a 200Hz engine Vs a Samsung HD LCD TV running at 200Hz, the LED TV was significantly sharper with the blacks appearing to be significantly richer that with the LCD TV.
LED backlit technology (light emitting diode) is the latest generation in LCD TV technology. According to several experts that SmartHouse and ChannelNews have spoken to it is a significant step up from traditional LCD TV technology currently being sold by several vendors. LED TV technology delivers very noticeable but at the same time, significant improvements in picture quality over the traditional fluorescent bulb backlit LCD panel.
Its advantages start with the fact that they can be produced in much slimmer sizes than traditional LCD’s, some led backlit LCD’s can be as slim as 6mm and below.
It’s not just the slim form factor where Plasma and LCD panels excel, the nature of the led backlighting technology in the LED TV’s is much more accurate at producing colours and has a much more wider range of viewable colours than traditional LCD TV technology say experts.
Unlike a traditional flourescent backlit LCD TV panel which has a single light positioned behind the panel, LED LCD’s have multiple LED lights scattered all around the TV and some of the newly released LED panels have almost 400 LED’s positioned around the panel.
A senior Samsung Australia executive said “LED is the next generation in TV technology and it will come down to Plasma Vs LED at the premium end of the market”
Privately, several TV vendors have admitted that there is little difference between 100Hz and 200Hz “But there is a big difference with what is coming between LED and LCD and 200Hz and 600Hz said a Harvey Norman Franchisee.
