Hitachi pulls the plug on RPTVs in North America

Hitachi has announced it's stopping production and sales of its LCD- and CRT-based RPTVs in North America. The production facility in Mexico which serves the North American market was actually shut down this summer. While this might not come as much of a surprise to us, this is a sure sign that the average consumer's idea of what a "big screen, HD" TV is has shifted from a monstrous box to a slim flat panel. The torch has been passed, and recent announcements indicate that Hitachi is smitten with the "thin is in" concept as well. We expect to see similar decisions from other manufacturers in the future as LCDs and PDPs continue their roll. There's some nostalgia for the huge behemoths that were our introduction to HDTV, but you really couldn't pay us to go back.

[blade417 @ Nov 8th 2007 10:40AM]

Hopefully that means a price drop on the huge projection screens everywhere. I'd still buy one.

[John @ Nov 8th 2007 10:43AM]

Do you mean "RPTV" by "RTPV"?

[John @ Nov 8th 2007 10:43AM]

(i.e., check the spelling in article!)

[Steven Kim @ Nov 8th 2007 2:13PM]

@John: Fixed up, thanks for the catch!

[Zini @ Nov 8th 2007 10:50AM]

Understandable, but sad...they're good TVs if you have the space. I'm on my second bigass Hitachi HD right now...gotten both of them for comparative pennies off of craigslist as rich college kids upgraded to 'sexier' units.

[charles @ Nov 8th 2007 12:23PM]

If you have the space, 1080p DLP RPTVs are still a better product at a better price than you can get for their size. I agree that flat seems to be the trend though, and good quality 1080p LCD HDTVs are coming down in price at 37" and 42". The Plasma 1080p TVs are still really expensive.

Wall mounting is sick. It adds a lot of space to rooms.

[Bill @ Nov 8th 2007 12:29PM]

While some manufacturers will undoubtedly pull out of the RPTV market as the focus moves to flat panels, I don't see RPTV dying out anytime soon. It is still the cheapest way to get a nice big HDTV screen, and the costs of DLP and LCD chips are dropping just as fast as LCD and Plasma flat panels. New technologies like SXRD and LED backlighting continue to improve contrast and black levels.

Sure, a high quality flat panel will always beat a projection set, but for much more money, especially when you get above 60".

I've had a 50" Samsung for three years now, and am still enyoing great HD images on it. I never have to worry about ghosting or burn-in, and it plays content from my Dish network DVR, a computer hooked up through VGA, and my Xbox360. One day I'll swap it out with a panel, but I'm in no rush.

[Steven Kim @ Nov 8th 2007 2:19PM]

@Bill: I agree with you on RP as a technology, but that will move more towards DLP and LCoS and away from CRT-based setups.

[joe @ Nov 8th 2007 12:38PM]

That's a shame, but I saw it coming. CRT RPTVs still give a great picture, but they're huge. I've got a Hitachi CRT RPTV that I bought new six years ago (and paid much more than what a larger flat panel would cost today), and it still gives a beautiful 1080i HD picture. But it weighs 175 lbs. and is over two feet deep-- not something you can fit in every room.

[jimmy @ Nov 8th 2007 12:59PM]

Shame. The CRT rear projection offers the best initial price and best operating price. LCD and DLP projection sets need to have the bulbs replaced about every 2 years, with bulbs around $200.

[bcollinstex @ Nov 8th 2007 1:26PM]

I don't think wall mounting adds a ton of space considering you still have to use space for a DVD player, a couple of game consoles, HTPC, reciever/amp, etc.

[Marshall @ Nov 8th 2007 1:44PM]

I still enjoy my 1080i CRT RPTV. 51" for $1200 3 years ago, I don't think I did too bad. At it's size it held it's value for 3 years, more than can be said for the new technologies.

Marshall
---------
The Real HT Info Podcast

[Phil @ Nov 8th 2007 2:57PM]

Good riddance - terrible picture and viewing angles in something the size and weight of a piano isn't my idea of a good product.

[jimmy @ Nov 8th 2007 4:15PM]

Have you seen a Hitachi CRT projection TV? They got great picture and great viewing angles.

If that doesn't convince you, consider this:

DLP bulb=~$200
Lasts for 2000 hours
Comes to 10 cents an hour of watching. On top of TV price and electricity costs.

[System48 @ Nov 8th 2007 3:10PM]

You still can't beat the price of a 60" DLP or SXRD RPTV, you'd spend almost twice as much on a comparable plasma.

[cory yalowicki @ Nov 9th 2007 9:53AM]

My 60' SXRD supposedly has a 6000 hr bulb life and i got it for 1500 bucks. I cant complain one bit.