Super-size your HDTV

At that size and above, plasma TVs are cheaper to produce than LCD. But the cost of producing such large LCD TVs is dropping, and certainly, fall below 50inches and a winner is clearly emerging.

Where a couple of years ago the cost of even a 40inch LCD TV was prohibitive, now people are quickly switching their loyalty to the technology over plasma at that sort of size.

Samsung, which is launching both plasmas and LCDs this winter said it is now concentrating on the former at the upper end and the latter at the smaller end of the scale. In early November it comes out with its latest 50inch and 63inch plasmas, costing Dhs12,000 ($3,333) and Dhs34,000 respectively.

'LCD has a lot of advantages, but it was very expensive [at large sizes]. At 50inches and above people still tend to buy plasma. Below that, they buy LCD. So we're concentrating on big screen plasmas,' said a spokesman.

LED backlighting

The company is also producing LCD TVs that use LED backlighting to improve picture quality, giving greater blacks, deeper colour, and better contract. The technology is still expensive to develop, so it will initially be available on only two TVs, a 53inch and 70inch. In the Middle East, only the 70inch will be available, costing Dhs170,000. Like other TVs on show at Gitex, it is full HD, but has a contrast ratio of 500,000:1, which helps give it its bright picture.

But if it's contrast ratio you are after, then head to Sony for its new Organic LED (OLED) TVs. Seven years in development and soon to emerge from prototype, they are stunning to watch and mere millimetres thick. The average remote control is twice as thick as these TVs.

Although currently only 11.3inches in size, the company said a 27inch version will be available at launch in the December/January timeframe. The bad news for those living in the Middle East is they will be released only in Japan, and the Sony was not discussing roll-out plans for the rest of the world. But there is no doubt that once the products begin to sell, and any technical difficulties are ironed out, they will be released globally.

High contrast ratio

The screens, by today's standards are tiny, but they come with a contrast ration of a whopping 1,000,000:1 (and they don't need a backlight). That creates an extremely bright picture. A Sony spokesman commented: 'When we talk about higher contrast rations the benefit is higher details in dark conditions.'

It gets its detail and picture definition by being able to produce 90 per cent of the colours that humans can see, more than current TV technologies are capable of doing.

The small screen size will limit its audience, but OLED TV is a new technology, so expect sizes to quickly grow. Being a new technology, that also means prices will be high. A price was not given, but we'd be surprised if there was much change from Dhs200,000.

A couple of years ago Panasonic wowed the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas with its 103inch high definition plasma 1080p TV (available for Dhs265,000, should you be interested). By CES this January, Sharp had pulled ahead not only with an HDTV of 108inches HDTV, but LCD as well. The Sharp Aquos was on show again at Gitex, but now has a scheduled release date for the UAE market. It comes out next year and will set buyers back $90,000 (approx Dhs325,000).

A hefty sum for sure, but for those rich enough to have huge rooms to fill, it might just about look to scale!

See also:
More Gitex news
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Radio Gitex 2007 - Off-peak with du's 'Business Everyday'