Toshiba delaying SED sets until 2007?
If the translated story
is accurate, we won't be seeing SED sets in
2006 after all. What a cryin' shame since we're not so secretly lusting after the flat-panels that mash the best of
CRTs with a slim screen. Apparently, Toshiba can't procure or produce enough panels to create the SED sets that they jointly developed with Canon, so
their current trial run of 1,000 units per month won't be increasing. The basic tech behind SED isn't that different from
CRTs; instead of one giant electron gun for all the pixels there are individual electron emitters near the screen
surface for each pixel. Sounds like the emitters are easy to find or build; it's those darn CRT SED
panels in a 50-plus-inch size.
















Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mike @ Feb 22nd 2006 9:06AM
Hello, these aren't "50-inch CRT panels," nor do they use anything similar from a CRT.
Kevin C. Tofel @ Feb 22nd 2006 9:10AM
Mike, not sure I follow. The technology is very similar to CRT. There is a phosphor coated screen that is "excited" by electrons just like a CRT. Can you help me understand why there is nothing used similar to a CRT? Thanks!
Mike @ Feb 22nd 2006 9:16AM
the technology is fundamentally similar to CRT in terms of electron emission at a phosphor coated screen, true. Then again, you could say plasma uses a phosphor coated screen as well. But neither of those screens is the same as a CRT screen. If you've ever seen a CRT *tube* alone, you may have noticed that it's, well, a tube, with screen permanently attached. Vaccuum inside the tube and all. SED is obviously nothing like this. There is some conceptual similarity, but the parts are very different.
Kevin C. Tofel @ Feb 22nd 2006 9:26AM
Mike, I see your point now. It's the use of "CRT" and "panels" together; I just edited the post to be more accurate. Thanks much!
Mike @ Feb 22nd 2006 9:37AM
Thanks for listening :)
Andy Sullivan @ Feb 22nd 2006 10:04AM
It will be interesting to see what hot, new technology will be announced by the time SED is on the store shelves.
gromit @ Feb 22nd 2006 10:09AM
Hey look! It's Engadget's Best HDTV of 2005! I guess now it can be their best HDTV of 2006 and *still* not actually be a shipping product.
All beating-of-a-dead-horse aside, this is a bummer but not really all that surprising, if true. It's not a good sign that Canon/Toshiba didn't have even a prototype of something bigger than the 32/36 inch (nobody seems to agree) SED panels they first showed off in 2005. That just doesn't bode well for shipping a product this year. I'm thinking of buying an HDTV later this year and would liked to have considered SED, but with other display techs steadily improving (1080p Plasmas, bigger LCDs, LCoS, LED light engines) I'm not sure I can wait around for this vaporware.
Jason @ Feb 22nd 2006 12:34PM
How much money do you think Sony (LCD) and Panasonic/Pioneer (plasma) ponied up to make this happen? Forget about SED competing directly against the other two. Just the thought of it coming out is enough to stay away from that junk. So probably best that joe-public doesn't start thinking about it anytime soon. Money talks.
BruceW @ Feb 22nd 2006 3:12PM
A delay doesn't concern me, just more time using the LCOS 720p I have now.
What does worry me is Toshiba's doing a repeat of their LCOS, which they dropped like a hot potato when the light engines developed issues.
bob @ Feb 22nd 2006 7:36PM
This is Bull$hit! Toshiba and Canon did not invest
US 1.7 billion dollars (180 Billion Yens) to produce 1000 panels a month! They are supposed to go to 15000 a month production in January 2007 ramping up to 70000 a month by the end of 2007. Toshiba better get there act together as these SED panels need to have some visibility and need to be on the Japanese and US markets by early Q4 2006 (even if it's in limited supply). They need to be able to maximize the
"I don't care how much it costs I want the best HDTV for the SuperBowl" customers for January 2007. Then slowly but surely release larger and larger quantities to the market so by September 2007 anyone with the $$$ doesnt have to be on a waiting list to get one.
If only Toshiba would DUMP HD-DVD and concentrate ALL there efforts on SED... Canon needs to b****slap them!
SED TV fan @ Feb 26th 2006 11:55AM
What are the SED TV's going to cost if and when they ever do come out? This delay is not going to help win any new customers.
SED TV Reviews
Erik @ Apr 20th 2006 3:27PM
More about SED and OLED Displays at:
http://www.oled-display.net