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Sony Halts Sales and Production of OLED HDTVs

- By - Source : Tom's Guide US

Could this signal the beginning of the end for OLED TVs?

If I could have anything in the world, I would want a big-screen OLED HDTV. While technology (and the market) isn't ready to make large OLEDs yet, it seems that such devices in their smaller forms aren't doing so well.

News reports today say that Sony has pulled the plug on both production and sales of its $2,000 , XEL-1 11-inch set.

Sony said that it will continue to sell the OLED TV in Japan until inventory runs out; and it will continue R&D and supply to North America, Europe and other overseas markets.

"We will continue to consider new products and applications including OLED TVs," Sony spokesman Shigenori Yoshida said in a Reuters report.

According to Japanese source AV Watch (translation), part of Sony's reason to discontinue the TV in Japan is due to a new legislation for filtering controls of adult content for the protection of youth. Rather than re-tool the XEL-1 for the new filters, Sony likely found it to make more sense to just remove it from the market.

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elel 02/17/2010 12:04 PM
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How come this kind of headline doesn't worry me anymore?

sicpric 02/17/2010 12:10 PM
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What do they expect charging $2000 for an 11' TV...

NoCaDrummer 02/17/2010 12:34 PM
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touchdowntexas13 02/17/2010 12:40 PM
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Bert R 02/17/2010 12:54 PM
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So, to quote you, just to be sure I understand your article, this is how the article is supposed to read:

Sony Halts Sales and Production of OLED HDTVs
Could this signal the beginning of the end for OLED TVs?

-and then-

Sony's reason to discontinue the TV in Japan is due to a new legislation for filtering controls of adult content for the protection of youth.

-and finally-

Rather than re-tool the XEL-1 for the new filters, Sony likely found it to make more sense to just remove it from the market.

Am I missing something here?

TheDuke 02/17/2010 12:56 PM
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this isn't alarming for the future of OLED at all.
especially when they will continue R&D
misleading title

doorspawn 02/17/2010 1:09 AM
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It'd be so nice if TVs and monitors displayed images and transmission decoder boxes sent them the raster data.

Then TV manufacturers wouldn't have to worry about content filtering, which can vary country to country.

Also, you wouldn't have to upgrade your screen when a new signal type arrived (eg fibre or digital), nor upgrade your decoder when you wanted a larger / clearer TV.

Perhaps the cost would be duplicating the AC/DC transformer? Maybe make this separate too. (Perhaps later on you can get DC power all generated from one transformer per household).

JohnnyLucky 02/17/2010 1:30 AM
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I bet they come out with a new line in the future.

hakesterman 02/17/2010 2:14 AM
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porksmuggler 02/17/2010 2:35 AM
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hakesterman :
It's a typo, it states that it is a Bigscreen, so that means that it is at least a 42" TV.



um, not a typo, the XEL-1 is 11"

Athreex 02/17/2010 2:46 AM
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hakesterman :
It's a typo, it states that it is a Bigscreen, so that means that it is at least a 42" TV. That is still alotof money for a 42 inch TV, than again if you want the latest and Greatest your going to pay for it. Ithink it's all moveing too fast. Both my Bro and i have 120HZ Big screen TV's, we both have Blurayplayers and have Comcast and neither the cable stations or the bluray movies are useing 120HZtechnology yet, and their selling 240 HZ already and were stuck wathing everything in 66HZ 1080I. Thanks Comcast and Thanks HollyWood for those slow picture refresh movies.



Dude. IT IS an ELEVEN (11) diagonal MEASURE INCH OLED TV. I've seen it live in the Sony Store Showroom. It is pretty small, although the picture makes it look huge. Do some googling/binging so you can compare its size with other TVs or any other objects. :)

bolap 02/17/2010 2:48 AM
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Bluray is 1080p, 120hz is just refresh rate, doesn't have anything to do with prog or interlaced.

justiceguy216 02/17/2010 4:11 AM
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bolap 02/17/2010 4:53 AM
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justiceguy216 :
Actually those things are all related... Thumbs me down if i'm wrong, up if i'm right.



They're related as far as pull down adjustment is concerned but the op worded in a way that unless you have a 120hz tv you cannot watch bluray movies in 1080p.

bolap 02/17/2010 5:22 AM
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Of course 1080p @ 120hz 24 fps BD will look better than 1080p @ 60hz 24 fps BD.

As far as cable is concerned though it doesn't matter what your refresh rate is because 1080p cable TV doesn't exist yet.

warezme 02/17/2010 3:06 PM
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I think it is more because they realize, nobody would by a $2,000 11" TV.

nebun 02/17/2010 6:14 PM
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the general public does not have this kind of money to spend on a tv when you can get technology that's just as good when it comes to image quality. plasma televisions are still the best in my own opinion, led tv? the colors aren't as good as a top of the line plasma tv, not to mention that a good plasma will be less than a crappy led tv. led televisions are way too bright, and the colors are too saturated.

LaughALot 02/17/2010 6:21 PM
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So, lets read between the lies! Sony is discontinuing a mistake and blaming a government regulation.

bunz_of_steel 02/17/2010 7:15 PM
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maybe it's just me but what the heck does an OLED TV got to do with controls for filtering adult content? gonna password protect the screen or somethin?

jpishgar 02/18/2010 8:52 PM
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I have removed a number of personal attacks from this thread, and issued bans against several users for violating Rules of Conduct with regards to such attacks. The moderation team will not hesitate to expunge individual commentators who insist on this level of immature trolling. Personal attacks against editors, reporters, or other staff will not be tolerated, and offenders will be permanently banned.

Let's keep the discourse civil and topical, folks.

the_ub 02/18/2010 10:45 PM
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bolap :
Bluray is 1080p, 120hz is just refresh rate, doesn't have anything to do with prog or interlaced.


sorry dude, it does have to do with prog or interlaced. the p in 1080p stand for progressive. wanna guess what the i stands for in 1080i?