Retailers And Panasonic Respond To Sony LCD TV Claims

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Mass market retailers as well as the specialist CE channel are claiming that the recent Panasonic advertising campaign promoting plasma over LCD TV technology was a good thing for floor traffic. Panasonic claims the campaign was not misleading and that Sony has got it wrong.

“Consumers are confused and any education is better than none,” claims the head of JB Hi Fi Richard Uechtritz. “I have seen Sony’s recent statement and to be honest there are arguments from both sides. I am in favour of any campaign that drives sales of flat screen TVs,” he said. “If a retailer is confused we will sort them out on the shop floor”.

Bing Lee general manager, Phil Moujeas said, “The Panasonic campaign has been highly succesful. It has driven traffic into our stores and that is a good thing”. We support both platforms and long term the consumer will work out for themselves which is the best TV technology for them”.

In response to Sony’s claims that the recent Panasonic plasma campaign was misleading Panasonic has said it categorically refutes the comments made by Sony.

 

“Panasonic takes very seriously its commitment to provide its customers, both retailers and end consumers with fair and accurate information upon which judgments can be made.”

International research organisation Synovate conducted a study commissioned by Panasonic Australia in March 2007. The survey results revealed that 69% of Australian research participants preferred the overall image quality of plasma over LCD in screen sizes of 40 inches or larger.

The results of the Consumer Study undertaken by Synovate are available to download from www.whychooseplasma.com.au with test conditions clearly disclosed. Consumers are able to make their own assessment from the information provided.

GfK data confirms that plasma continues to dominate the large screen segment, representing more than 63% of flat panel TVs purchased between January and April 2007 in screen sizes 40 inches or larger. The main complaint raised by Panasonic’s competitor relates to the lighting conditions employed in the Synovate test. As a manufacturer of both plasma and LCD TVs, Panasonic fully agrees that lighting conditions are an important consideration for consumers when determining which flat panel TV to buy.

Panasonic is absolutely confident that the survey lighting conditions were representative of the conditions under which Australians are viewing TV in their own homes – predominantly between 5pm and midnight, in low or indirect light. In fact the majority of research participants confirmed that the test conditions were similar to their viewing conditions at home. The fact that the survey was conducted in 50 Lux conditions is made very clear in the research results.

 

This fact has always been available and published. Another complaint raised related to screen burn. Panasonic reiterates its view that screen burn will not occur under normal viewing conditions. Modern plasma TVs feature pixel shifting technology along with improved phosphors and gas mix to greatly reduce the likelihood of screen burn. It will only happen under the highly rare condition that a high contrast image is displayed for a very long time.

As far as LCD response time is concerned Panasonic will let the Synovate research results speak for themselves. Twice as many Australian consumers surveyed rated Plasma as being better than LCD at reproducing fast moving images. In all screen sizes tested, Plasma scored higher than LCD for response speed.

Len Wallis at Len Wallis Audio said, ” While I don’t particularly agree with everything that Panasonic are saying (or implying), there is a lot of truth in what they are trying to achieve. For years we have maintained that plasma was the better of the two formats in sizes where both are available (42″ and above.) We have tried, generally unsuccessfully, to get general media journalists to come in and judge for themselves, rather than ringing stores to get (vested, biased or uninformed) opinions. It really is simple. Assuming that the screens are set up correctly and playing the same content though the same hardware, standing in front of them and using nothing but your eyes a plasma will outperform LCD every time”

 

He added, “There is some irony in the fact that it has taken now for someone to pick this up. When people initially began pushing LCD over plasma there was a considerable difference. However during this period LCD has improved considerably, while plasma has pretty well stood still. While we still have a preference for plasma, the difference is now reduced.”

He went on to say “With regard to Carl’s response I agree that any such comparison should be done under realistic conditions, however all of our comparisons are done in a fully lit, non-fluorescent showroom, which is probably closer to the conditions that he describes. The results are the same”.

“I would certainly take issue over the ‘burn-in’ factor. We were one of the first outlets in Australia to sell plasma (we were the first retailer to sell a Fujitsu screen in Australia), and over the years have sold many thousands of screens. I can promise you that I can count the number of problems that we have had with burn-in on one hand”

Len Wallis claims that most importantly, the crux of the problem revolves around his point outlining the success of large screen LCDs at the expense of plasma. “This has nothing to do with LCD being better, but everything to do with the consumer being told that LCD is better. To be honest 99.5% of all outlets will take the easy sale. If the customer has been convinced through blanket advertising that LCD is better, backed up by journalists who add credibility by rehashing media releases without taking the time to check for themselves, why endanger a sale by trying to prove otherwise (assuming the salesperson on the floor even knows.)

“As far as confusing the customer – I doubt it. However it might encourage the consumer to make decisions for themselves, and it may even drive the customer back to a specialist outlet in the hope of getting something of an informed explanation.”    

 

If you have an opion on this debate send it to: dwr@4squaremedia.com  


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