Sony dumping all rear-projection TVs to focus on LCDs?
By Nilay Patel 
posted Dec 19th 2007 7:49PM
posted Dec 19th 2007 7:49PM
From: [redacted]
Sent: Tuesday, December 18, 2007 10:01 PM
To: [redacted]
Subject: FW: Sony #-LCD and SXRD Announcment
To All-
I've spoken to some of you regarding Sony's announcement yesterday re: the discontinuation of all MDPJ sets including E-series 3-LCD, A and XBR-series SXRD. Here's an unofficial statement from our internal news:
Sony to Stop MDPJ Production
Dec. 17 - Due to the high consumer demand for BRAVIA flat-panel LCD televisions combined with the accelerating industry trend toward flat-panel displays, Sony Electronics will discontinue producing rear-projection televisions based on 3LCD and Silicon X-tal Reflective Display technologies.
- All backorders for KDSZ70XBR5 are now cancelled as this set will not be produced.
- We do expect to fill existing backorders for KDF46E3000 and KDS60A3000 – if you need either of these models, LAST CHANCE, ORDER NOW and we will do our best to fill your orders – no promises!!!
As I was seriously considering adding a KDS-Z70XBR next year, I suspect this is why the link to the KDSZ70XBR5 info was taken off the Sonystyle.com website about a week ago, although it can still be found here...very sad, especially given the reviews of its predecessor:
http://209.85.207.104/search?q=cache:6rBaV6p-aBYJ:www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay%3FcatalogId%3D10551%26storeId%3D10151%26productId%3D8198552921665156111%26langId%3D-1+sony+KDS-Z70XBR5&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=us
theres a rumor that one of the major rptv manufacturers are going dlp. i guess that leaves sony out of that, but it looks like its jvc, since jvc hasnt dropped rptvs but hasnt really made any new lcos sets, so they will prob go laser dlp.
So Sony will be all LCD? Haven't they already dropped plasma? I guess they were all LCD anyway, since their RPTV's were LCD.
Sony will be LCD Flat panel and LCD Front projection now, I guess.
I still have a thing for Plasma...well actually CRT, but they can't get as a big as I want.
Actually, Sony makes SXRD (LCoS) front projectors and rear projection units (the A2000 and A3000 as well as the XBR series). Looks like they are discontinuing the rear projection units. I like LCoS better than DLP, but who knows! I have a JVC HD-ILA (LCoS) and it is great - but I do have a problem or two with it.
Now JVC might be the only one left with LCoS RPTV, but accorinding to the other poster, they are not releasing new models either. Weird. I guess my next TV is going to be a front projection unit!
Sounds like they're trying to force a shift in consumer demand that's slightly ahead of its time. If the old sets were still selling, it seems rather sudden.
Uhhhh...
This is great if we want a *big* 52" (that was sarcasm) LCD for our home theater.
Honestly - if you want a 60" TV, you can get an awesome RPTV for $2500 or so. A good plasma is going to cost a lot more money to buy and cost more to fix.
I would understand if they were going to drop 46, 50, 55-inch models, but 60 and 70-inch RPTV's are still in their own league, especially with LED and other long-life technologies.
Wait...screw all of this, I'm just getting the VPL-VW200 and the biggest Carada Masquerade my room can accommodate.
that sucks, i was just about to pull the plug on there 50" sxrd, but i guess i will have to do the samsung led dlp thing
As a consultant/installer of HT products, my clients are not always "big league" when it comes to higher-end HT setups, sometimes they want to do a 70 incher quite honestly and that is big enough for them vs. 60-65" diagonal measurement sizes. There are usually a couple rows or a curved seating area of 5-6 reclining seats, depending the space provided; sometimes the application calls for 12 feet from the heads of the viewers (or less).
In either setup, a 70" Sony RPTV was used, be it the older LCD RPTV in 2004-05 or the more recent XBR2...so now NO 70" sets from Sony?
What do they think: My clients will buy their $33,000 70 LCD panel set or be "stuck" with their much-smaller 52" LCD panel (the only other size)?
NO WAY...I will move them to the LCoS 70" JVC if they still make them and buy/recommend everything else that is NOT Sony, too, if that is the way Sony want to "market" its products!
The only other thing I can possible think of is 65" Plasmas from Panasonic or 65" LCD panels from Sharp in the Aquos line and move the seating up a foot or so.
As for pricing, sometimes I can get good discounts on the 65" sets, especially the LCD Sharp models, sometimes within several hundred of the recently-dumped XBR5 70" from Sony, too, so that is not an issue for most of my clients when they hear of this.
Even if Sony starts (if ever) selling 65" LCDs, these will be so cost-prohibitive (See their XBR5s), that I STILL won't recommend them after this.
I just got a 50-inch sxrd yesterday! why would Sony just drop production of it, i love mine. if you have no reason to hang your new tv on the wall the sxrd rear projection is definitely the way to go. the picture is superb at any viewing angle, and if the bulb dies, just replace it and you have essentially a brand new tv!!
Let's hope other companies won't follow. Dropping support for RPTV means fewer low-cost HDTV options, thus fewer people getting into the HD market and switching from DVD to HDM.
Would've thought Sony would think of that, but then again, Sony isn't low-cost to begin with.
I think Sony wasn't making enough money off the SXRD line as the price dropped so quickly. So I am betting this was done to put emphasis on the more profitable Bravia LCD line. But if you are fan of 60" to 70" size HDTV's, which I am, it's a sad day. Right now the 52" LCD is the biggest afforable one one and really it is not all that big. I guess the 60" Pioneer Elite Kuro is going to get much more popular because of this move. I just hope Sony keeps making the lamps for these TV's for a good long time. I may have to stock up on a few extra bulbs.
What great business sense Sony has. Let's stop producing a product that is so popular that it's on backorder.
I can't wait until the death of Blu-ray and Sony along with it. This company sucks.
I'm more of a dlp fan myself, but a friend of mine just picked up a 55" sxrd and its really quite beautiful. I think its tragic that they'd cut the sxrd line. They're great products
I bought the 50" Sony A2020 for $1300 this summer - an AMAZING price, IMHO, for a set that large with that many features. I've been very happy with it (other than occasionally being miffed at the Silk Screen Effect), and can't imagine spending more money on LCD just to have a flatter TV.
If they do stop making them, it's a real shame.
TK
I bought the 60A3000 in October for $1599. I doubt there is much profit at that price. Plus, flat panels allow for much easier display options in a showroom. I do love my 60" SXRD though.
I think the fact Sony was making little to no money on the SXRD line is the main reason they are being discontinued. The prices feel too far. $1599 for a 60" HDTV is a fantastic price.(and SXRD HDTV's have a great picture) But sometimes it works to end the product line when the prices get too cheap.
jeff n. has brought up an interesting point:if the sxrd line is being discontinued,will sony continue to manufacture the bulbs for all previous¤t users?more than likely,the bulbs used in the sxrd are proprietary to sony.does anyone know of a company that manufactures bulbs to fit sxrds just in case?
You think that Sony doesn't want to continue to provide you with $200 bulbs for your RPTV? It is basically an endless supply of cash with no R&D for them.
I say good. I dislike the horrible viewing angle, I hate going to people's houses that have one and am forced to sit off-center or god forbid want to walk around. I hate when TVs tell me where I have to be to watch them. It makes me mad, then Firtch smash.
I just confirmed with a Sony Distributor that yes indeed, Sony is phasing out their rear-projector line. How unfortunate.
According to the link below, sales for RPTV have surged 30% and dominate latest American HDTV sales figures. Sounds smart to me Sony, "Give people what they actually want." Unbelievable job of researching the market - discontinue a popular line with tremendous brand and image. RIP SXRD
http://www.engadgethd.com/2006/11/10/rptv-sets-dominate-latest-american-hdtv-sales-figures/
So is Sony basically saying "we don't care about sports fans"? Even the newest LCD units have motion blur problems, especially with football (this is based on reviews I'm reading).
Basically they are, because i can confirm the motion blur problems. That's the whole reason i bought the SXRD, Formula 1 races look like crap on the LCD's because of the motion blur.
Oh, You big Babies let me get you a tissue, If Sony wants to consentrate on LCD let them. This is a good thing, all their resources will be focused on perfecting the perfect LCD TV. With all the Sony Engineers sitting/standing working together on one project, I'm sure they will figure a way to make the new technology more affordable for everyone. I for one will wait for their newest masterpiece. If you want to talk yourself out of buying a Sony TV, don't kid yourself. Everyone wants a New Sony TV.
Oh Yeah!!!!
so sony has shit in the consumers houses then runs a mile how typical
"were future proof were the best were so much up our own backside that we can flog the consumer any old crap and they will buy it because of our name.
next they will be telling us blu ray is future proof top of the market greatness!
I'm a freelance TV photographer that has been making my living with professional/broadcast Sony products for over 10 years. My main HD set at home is also a Sony 60" LCD RPTV, that I was planning to update with the 70XBR5 when it was supposed to be released in early '08. Sony makes top-notch products on all levels of it's business and I have always been pleased with the quality of almost everything Sony I have purchased, whether it be for personal or professional use.
Now to the point of my post... Sony does this to ALL of it's customer bases, not just on the consumer side. There have been more discussions and bitch sessions than I can count, on TV photographer message boards, etc., about Sony's infinite wisdom about product decisions/features/availability/discontinuation, etc. In fact, there has been one about Sony and ABC going on for several days now. And if you think Sony has you over a barrel in the consumer electronics world, it's nothing compared to the professional/broadcast TV equipment side, where there are only a few real players(manufacturers) and major product purchases like cameras can run anywhere from $20K+ to over $80-$100K on a single camera.
So, I guess I'll be hanging on to my three(?) year old Sony RPTV for a little while longer. But on the plus side, I guess I can spend more money and get the Denon receiver I'm really wanting...
I should have also mentioned that about two years ago, they started phasing out almost all or their CRT monitors on the professional/broadcast side for LCD's also.
Here is the real reason Sony is stopping RPTV production!!! I own a KDSR50XBR1 and the picture was great for about 16 months and then we started seeing yellow anomolies and the optical block was replaced in October. It looks good now, but the internet blogs say it is only a matter of time until it fails again. February 2008 is when the courts are suppose to approve the settlement to the class action litigation and Sony will have no RPTV replacement for the SXRD TV's by that time, how convenient is that??? Their SXRD TV's are junk!!
http://www.sonysxrdtvclassaction.com/main/home.sfx
that sucks, i like rear projection DLP. Its better picture, brilliant colors and no burn in. Oh yeah and better value. This is a mistake by sony.
Sony is dropping the line because they as will others be going to laser. I saw the first laser last January at the CES at the Mitsubishi display and they will again at this years show next week. It is a far superior technology to lcd, plasma, or dlp. It is far cheaper to produce and does not have size limitations. So look for very large laser televisions. The latest from Mitsubishi is possible production as early as spring. Sony also has a prototype laser. I would look to laser to replace all bulb lighting. They will last the life of the television without any reduction in brightness. See link http://laser-tv.org/