Futuresource Consulting has just released a free analysis report that highlights their observations about consumer electronics products and trends at CES 2012. One of the points that they made in their announcement press release caught my attention:
Ever-thinner TV displays boosted interest in speakers, soundbars and home theatre systems.
I confess that I’ve been a bit puzzled over the fascination with thin when it comes to HDTVs. I understand that it’s cool, and that it generally results in a set that weighs less, but those don’t strike me as compelling features. When you think about it, the thickness of the display is one of the few features that you can’t discern when you’re actually using the product. From straight on, a 4 mm-thick OLED display looks the same depth as a “bulky” rear-projection display.
Now the Futuresource report points out another drawback for thin TVs. I grant that the sound system quality for most flat panels rivals that of the dashboard speaker in my 64 Mustang, but making the drivers ever thinner can’t help matters any. I remember Pioneer engineers showing me all sorts of clever designs they had to get better sound out of a flat panel HDTV, but is it really worth the effort? In many cases, a $25 desktop computer speaker set with a subwoofer will outperform the sound quality of the flat panel. If I thought it would save them some money, I’d recommend that manufacturers just drop the charade and sell their thinnest TVs without speakers at all. (Howver, I suspect that they’re not spending enough on the sound components to make much difference.)
So while you’re dreaming of a razor thin HDTV for your living room, remember to budget a little for a separate sound system; there are some bargains in compact home theater surround sound packages. You don’t listen to the movie soundtrack through an AM radio at the local cinema, and you should not have to do the same at home, either.
Posted by Alfred Poor, February 2, 2012 5:00 AM
TO: alfredpoor
Good morning, Sir!
RE: Atrocious Internal Sound Systems of new HDTVs ...
I have 'volunteered' for the past years assisting with selection and installation for fellow Seniors making their transitions from CRTs to assorted HDTVs.
It has deteriorated substantially since the early 2005-6 Era, whenever our local cable company still offered very little 'HD' and an Outside Antenna was my "repetitive recommendation." Few, except for my own set-up actually needed a separate set of external speakers, I (then) felt.
Fast-forward to last "Black Friday" & it's inducements!
I bought a 42" plasma for the "Den" as a second set to replace a very-tired LCD. Internal Audio was essentially-unintelligible!
With that, I "splurged" sending the Budget into space {not in reality, of course!} .... now have new Pioneer HTIB systems on each HDTV that - - - although an "Insult" to a genuine Audiophile - - - I find to be ab...
TO: megoldsmith
RE: "No Audio System" at all included ...
That used to be a possibility ... "Monitors"
Now, those are MORE costly than just buying any of the opposite {which are perpetually on Promotion / Rebate / free debit card / etc., and setting it's Audio or Speakers to "off" within that HDTVs "menu."
THEN ... pick up the Dolby at the Cable or Satellite S.T.B. 'out' w/ a Toslink Optical Cable directly into your AMP, of course.
eli...
Eli, back when you could buy a "monitor" at a reasonable price, it was because they left out the tuners. It was before the digital broadcast transition, and there was no over-the-air HD anyway, so you had to use a different source for HD content.
Now the tuners hardly cost anything, so there's little savings to be had by leaving them out, even though most people don't even use them. I'm afraid that the same is true for the speakers; they just don't cost enough in most sets to affect the pricing.
It is true that you can still get no-speaker (and no-tuner) monitors, and that they usually cost much more than a similar television. That's because just about all of these products are designed for commercial use such as digital signage, and are subjected to a much harsher duty cycle and operating conditions, and so they are engineered to higher standards. Between that and the fact that there is much lower demand for such models, they end up costing more.
Alfred...
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