By Kim Yoo-chul
Staff Reporter
Full High-Definition LCD televisions are increasingly becoming the mainstream in the bullish TV industry amid faster technology development and rising demand for more realistic images.
Samsung Electronics said Sunday that it will introduce 32-inch full HD LCD TVs this month in a pre-emptive measure to take the ``niche’’ but ``promising’’ segment.
``We have finally decided to release the mid-sized full HD television set as sales of video sources and contents including games made for Sony’s PlayStation 3 console have been increasing at a solid pace,’’ a Samsung spokesperson said.
According to DisplaySearch, a market research firm, the demand for full HD LCD televisions will reach about 20 million this year, compared with some 98 million LCD TVs projected globally. Industry estimates show that the full HD LCD TV sector will expand to 57 million by the end of 2011.
The current HD-TV standards pertain to three separate display resolutions: 1280X720p, 1920X1080i and 1920X1080p, all measured in terms of pixel count. The third mode is commonly dubbed full-HD and has the best quality, enabling users to connect and take advantage of full capabilities of advanced home theater components, such as Blu-ray players or gaming systems.
``It is quite interesting to see whether other TV makers such as LG Electronics and Japanese manufacturers will follow suit as difference in the resolution on screens of less than 40 inches can be almost indistinguishable,’’ an analyst from a local brokerage house said.
Although prices of full HD LCD TV sets have steadily fallen over the past years, it seems highly unlikely to see a rapid penetration of the full-HD sets to households in a few years because of poor contents fitted to higher resolutions.
``The greater adoption depends on not only consumer preference but also how broadcasters are willing to create more contents,’’ an LG Electronics official said.
``I can say consumers will buy a full HD LCD TV set when the contents become more widely available,’’ the official added.
DisplaySearch data shows that the typical panel price of 46-inch full HD display declined some 5 percent in early February from four months ago and the price is expected to drop 4 percent more in the first quarter of this year because of a policy shift to digital broadcasting in the U.S. and the approaching Beijing Olympics.
But 42-inch full HD LCD TV set still costs between $5,000 and $6,500, while the lower resolution HD ready models of the same size sell only at maximum $2,500.
``Right now, advanced resolution still does not necessarily mean a lot for most consumers,'' another LG official said.