19TH OCTOBER 2009 PP 01-12 TO USE:Layout 1 14/10/09 15:04 Page 11
> > H D F E A T U R E
F E AT U R E
HIGH DEFINITION POSSIBILITIES
IT DOESN’T MATTER WHERE YOU LOOK: HIGH DEFINITION IS EVERYWHERE, AND IT’S HERE
TO STAY. PREDICTIONS ACROSS THE BOARD ARE FOR STEADILY INCREASING MARKET
SATURATION UNTIL IT BECOMES STANDARD. WITH MANY CONSUMERS CURRENTLY
CONSIDERING A TELEVISION UPGRADE BECAUSE OF THE SWITCHOVER TO DIGITAL AND THE
CURRENT, RECESSION-BASED TREND OF INVESTING A LARGER AMOUNT OF MONEY IN A
PRODUCT WHICH WILL LAST THEM A LONG TIME INTO THE FUTURE, RATHER THAN SAVING
ON A PRODUCT WHICH THEY MAY HAVE TO REPLACE OR REPAIR SOONER. AS CONSUMERS
definition, they might presume that it’s
SEE THAT HIGH DEFINITION SEEMS TO BE THE WAY TELEVISIONS ARE GOING, THEY’RE
not enough for their needs and that a
LOOKING TO BUY ONE NOW – AS THEY’RE ALREADY BUYING A HIGH-TICKET ITEM – AND
true high definition product is
SAVE THEMSELVES NEEDING TO SPEND OUT IN A YEAR OR TWO’S TIME.
essential. This is often not the case
and for many consumers’ usage,
480p or 720p image capture and/or
Over the last year, consumer display will give the result they want
spending on entertainment has shown at a more attractive price point and
a marked shift towards home so is perhaps the better option. That
entertainment. In preparation for a said, for consumers who will fully
prolonged period of financial appreciate its full capabilities, true
restrictions, people have cut back high definition is the only way to go,
their budgets on going out for and of course for anyone working
entertainment and are spending this professionally or at an enthusiast level
money on improving their home with video in particular should be
entertainment facilities, with home looking at high definition as possible
cinema, audio and gaming all faring for the capture and display of their
better over the last year than cinemas, images. For home, family and casual
restaurant chains want outdoor use though, one of the lower
attractions on the whole. This spend specifications can be enough to offer
is always amplified before public significant improvement in viewing
holidays and school holidays, when experience over what they are used
people anticipate spending more time to if they’re new to HD.
at home and possibly need to keep up to 32”. We believe the There are currently different logos to
children entertained. These markets digital switchover has contributed to help consumers easily recognise
are also areas which traditionally do this increase. Many people whose store to their full whether a product is HD ready at
well in the run up to Christmas current TV is a few years old are potential, you’ll need a high definition 1080p or HD ready and not 1080p.
(cameras, movies on DVD and Blu- opting to buy a new HDTV rather television set. Letting consumers see The ‘true’ HD ready sets can be
Ray, less expensive devices) and the than purchase a digital box. This images they’ve just taken in labelled with the HD logo in white on
January sales (larger electricals, seems to be particularly true for high definition is an easy way to black with ‘1080p’ underneath it,
brown goods and home cinema) second sets which are usually make a big impression and possibly whereas 720p and ‘i’ sets are
and, whilst overall spending figures watched in the kitchen or bedroom, close that sale. labelled with the logo in black on
may well be down, there’s no reason as people do not want to clutter up There is, of course, also the issue of white.
to expect these trends to be different these rooms with extra boxes. what the consumer really wants. High Def sales certainly shouldn’t be
this year. “Full HD 3D will be the next step in When presented with the idea of missed out on in the future, and with
“With more and more HD content consumer entertainment. At the “true” high def and in the a potential boom over the festive
becoming available, we have seen CEATEC exhibition in Japan last understanding that 480 or 720p is season, now could be the time to give
the total HDTV (full HD and HD ready week, Panasonic showed a prototype not what is known as true high yourself a head start.
TV) market increase in volume over 50-inch Full HD 3D compatible
the past year, with full HD TVs plasma display panel (PDP) which
showing the largest growth in terms enables the viewing of, true-to-life 3D
of sales,” Panasonic told Pixel. images in the living room. We are
“Although the total market for HDTV aiming to bring Full HD 3D TVs to the
screen sizes has shown a volume market in 2010.”
growth over the past year, we have Consumer knowledge of high
noticed that there has been an definition image capture is, at the
increase in the sales of screen sizes of moment, lagging behind the take up
of high definition display. Most
consumers have not yet come across
high definition in cameras and, of
those who have, most are unaware of
what this really means or what these
cameras are capable of. Of course,
to demonstrate these capabilities in
PIXEL 011
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15