Confused between all the expensive LCDs and plasma TV sets in the market? Aabhas Sharma does a quick check of the fare.
Over the last few years, Indian consumers have changed drastically. People prefer big cars to small ones these days. Bigger phones are in, as long as they look good and are high on functionality — look at the craze for the Apple iphone. It’s the same with television sets.
Until not too long ago, a “big” TV was only for the elite, perfect accessories for their swanky, spacious lounges, while for the majority, it remained an aspiration. But now most people seem to have graduated from normal colour TVs to plasma and LCD TV screens which, apart from scoring high on looks, also rank extremely high on technology and give a theatre-like sound quality.
Realising that more and more customers were looking to replace their “small” TVs, most consumer durables brands are pushing LCDs with new launches in this space almost every quarter. There were reports some time ago that the market for plasma TVs was seeing a decline but that for LCDs has been on the up and looks to grow even further.
Among the most popular of these is Sony’s Bravia range of LCDs which start at Rs 40,000 and go up to Rs 3 lakh, depending on the size of the screen. For instance, the 52” W series, which has a display resolution of 1920x1080 and delivers over two million pixels — costs about Rs 3,00,000. In the middle rung of the price bracket is Sony’s V series, with a 46” set in this range, which has excellent picture resolution and surround sound system, costing around Rs 1,24,000.
LG’s latest offering is the “Jazz” TV which has auto sliding speakers, built-in 3.1-channel virtual surround sound and in-built woofers and gives 500w sound. The speakers slide out from either side of the TV set when it is turned on and go back in once it’s switched off.
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According to Amitabh Tiwari, business group head, consumer electronics and kitchen appliances, LG Electronics India, “Jazz will redefine expectations for television sound.” The 32” Jazz series costs Rs 50,000 while the 42” one is for Rs 85,000.
LG’s Scarlet series is another range of TVs to hit the market which has attracted a lot of buyers with its stylish looks. The Scarlet series comes with intelligent sensors so that the TV gauges the brightness of the room and then alters the picture to achieve the desired resolution and brightness and colour levels. A 42” inch set in the Scarlet series costs around Rs 1,10,000 while the bigger, 47” one is priced at Rs 1,60,000.
Tiwari feels that going forward, aesthetics fused with style, design and smart technology will play a major role in capturing customer loyalty.
Samsung’s Series 6 range of LCDs has an ultra clear panel which helps reduce glare and gives better picture resolution. The Series 6 50” TV is priced at Rs 3,00,000 while the 32” one is for Rs 62,000.
There are other, extremely high end LCDs available as well but these are primarily targeted at niche audiences. For instance, there is Samsung’s 70” TV which incorporates LED smart lighting technology and costs Rs 24 lakh. This TV intuitively senses signals and adjusts brightness levels by turning on and off the backlight units. Samsung also claims that it is one of the most environmentally friendly TVs available in the market, as it consumes significantly less power.
Brands such as Panasonic and Philips too have an entire range of high-end LCDs to choose from. The price range of Panasonic Viera starts from Rs 32,000 for a 26” and goes up to Rs 75,000 for a 40” one.
It’s unfortunate, given the advanced technology that such large TV sets have to offer, that all one can watch on them is the overdose of reality TV that channels these days churn out. But you could, of course, watch movies or sports on it. Or you could plug your consoles and take gaming to another level.