industry news

Hitachi Wins the Race to Full-HD in a 42-inch PDP
by Ken Werner

December 8 – Hitachi and its subsidiary Fujitsu Hitachi Plasma (FHP) Display are the first to announce the development of a 42-inch plasma display panel (PDP) with full high definition (1920 x 1080 pixels). In October, Pioneer, Panasonic, and Samsung showed 50-inch Full HD panels at CEATEC Japan and Flat Panel Display International with great fanfare, and Samsung had previously made it clear in a technical presentation at IMID ’05 in July in Seoul that Full HD 42 was a serious objective, but only FHP has even hinted that they have reached this technically difficult goal. Ramp-up will take a while, though, with Hitachi predicting market entry in Q2 ‘07.
Hitachi is apparently viewing the Full HD 42 has a strategic product. Although there is a serious question whether consumers can see the difference between 720p HD and Full HD on a 42-inch screen at normal viewing distances, TV set makers feel that Full HD will be a critical attribute in the marketing wars to come. The plasma contingent’s strenuous efforts to attain Full HD in “small” panels is driven by the need to head off the LCD makers, who can readily implement Full HD.

Insight Media, 203-831-8464, kwerner@insightmedia.info

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