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The Times They Are A-Changing: Hisense Buys Toshiba’s TV Business

Hisense just expanded its global television empire by acquiring Toshiba's TV business unit for 12.9 billion Japanese Yen. The deal grants Hisense 95% of Toshiba Visual Solutions, two Japanese factories, hundreds of R&D engineers, and a 40-year license to use the Toshiba brand across Europe, Southeast Asia, and beyond. Combined with its existing Sharp brand rights, Hisense now controls a formidable multi-brand strategy - and the implications for the global TV market run deeper than this announcement suggests.

Pete Putman •
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On Samsung , Pro AV, Car Audio, and Control

Samsung's $8 billion acquisition of Harman International signals far more than a play for car audio dominance. Chinese rivals like TCL and Hisense are squeezing TV margins, the Galaxy Note 7 disaster cost billions, and smartphones have plateaued. Samsung gains automotive display technology, digital signage muscle, and IoT infrastructure - but its appetite for traditional AV control systems may be far smaller than the pro AV community hopes. The real story behind this deal reveals where the entire industry is heading.

Pete Putman •
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LeEco: Today Vizio, Tomorrow the World?

LeEco's acquisition of Vizio for $2 billion signals far more than a hardware deal. The Chinese tech giant - already selling TVs below manufacturing cost to drive content subscriptions - is building a global ecosystem spanning smartphones, streaming, electric cars, and cinema production. With a rumored Netflix partnership and aggressive U.S. expansion plans, LeEco isn't just buying American market share. What it does next with Vizio's distribution muscle could reshape how Americans buy and watch television.

Ken Werner •
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As The World Turns: Vizio Is Acquired by LeEco

Sony's television and smartphone divisions keep bleeding red ink while rivals like Panasonic found profitability by cutting hardware loose. Chairman Kazuo Hirai refuses to rule out exiting both businesses, even as institutional investors push Sony to abandon consumer electronics entirely and focus on its profitable entertainment and gaming assets. Whether Sony can finally follow Panasonic's painful but effective playbook - or remains trapped by its own legendary hardware legacy - is the defining question facing the company right now.

Pete Putman •
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Of Samsung, Big Screens, IoT, HDR, And Patience

Samsung's 2016 SUHDTV lineup redefines screen size expectations, with quantum dot HDR panels stretching to a staggering 88 inches and SmartThings IoT integration turning your television into a whole-home control hub. Prices have dropped dramatically since the plasma era, yet competing HDR standards, limited 4K content, and HDMI bandwidth constraints create real purchasing risks. Before you pull the trigger on that gorgeous new Ultra HD set, there are a few critical factors worth weighing carefully.

Pete Putman •
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What Will Apple Do Next?

Apple's next revolutionary product may not exist. From the overhyped iWatch to persistent Apple TV set rumors and far-fetched car speculation, analyst predictions keep missing reality. Apple succeeded by refining products people already wanted - iPod, tablets, smartphones - but no amount of software magic creates demand for the unnecessary. The new Apple TV streaming box is solid, not groundbreaking. What Apple does next in connected cars may matter more than any consumer hardware announcement.

Ken Werner •
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A Trend Is A Trend – Until It Isn’t

Analysts once declared large smartphones dead on arrival, yet 5- to 6-inch screens now dominate sales. Meanwhile, tablets are losing ground as consumers hold onto devices for five to seven years instead of upgrading. The real growth story is emerging in 2-in-1 convertibles, where turnover rivals smartphone upgrade cycles. One connector standard quietly positioning itself to unify the entire mobile ecosystem deserves a much closer look.

Pete Putman •
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Has Sony Finally Seen The Light?

Sony's television and smartphone divisions have hemorrhaged billions while rivals like Panasonic quietly returned to profitability by cutting losses cold turkey. Chairman Kazuo Hirai now refuses to rule out exiting both businesses, targeting a dramatic turnaround by 2018. Meanwhile, Sony's entertainment and gaming divisions remain genuinely profitable, prompting institutional investors to demand a radical strategic pivot. Whether Sony can finally abandon its consumer electronics legacy before the losses become truly unrecoverable remains the defining question.

Pete Putman •
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Digital Life Matters; Displays Don’t

Hardware margins are collapsing, and displays alone can no longer sustain a business. Samsung makes the phone; Google makes the money - a stark reality reshaping every corner of consumer electronics. Companies that build the most compelling digital ecosystems, ones users find difficult to leave, are the ones that will prosper. The display is merely a window to a user's digital life, and understanding what lies beyond that glass changes everything about how we evaluate the industry.

Ken Werner •
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HDTV Expert - The RCA Brand Prospers
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HDTV Expert - The RCA Brand Prospers

RCA, now a licensed brand managed by Technicolor and manufactured by ON Corporation of Korea, is entering the Ultra HD TV market in 2014 with 55-, 65-, and 84-inch sets featuring native 4K resolution of 3840x2160, LED backlights, and the Google TV platform providing access to over 100,000 on-demand titles. The more affordable HDTV tier, ranging from 28 to 65 inches, integrates smart features via a Roku Streaming Stick inserted into an MHL port. Buyers considering value-tier 4K sets will find RCA positioning itself competitively as UHD adoption accelerates, with the brand reporting sales growth exceeding 20% in the past year.

Ken Werner •
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HDTV and Home Theater Podcast - Podcast #610: Why are the networks upset with Aereo?

Aereo routes dedicated over-the-air antenna signals to Internet-connected devices, letting subscribers watch and record live OTA HD broadcasts outside the traditional cable or satellite ecosystem. Courts have so far upheld the service, yet networks remain hostile because retransmission fees - not ad revenue - are the core financial stake, and a DirecTV-style adoption of the same model could cost them significantly more. For cord-cutters already abandoning pay TV, Aereo offers a legal, measurable viewing path that could preserve advertiser reach and enable targeted ad insertion rather than simply eroding network audiences.

The HT Guys •
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HDTV Expert - It's "Fade To Black" for Plasma and Projectors in Japan

Panasonic's exit from plasma TV production by March 2014 marks a broader collapse for Japanese display manufacturing, as plasma held only 5.7% global market share in FY2012 compared to LCD's dominant 87.3%. Chinese manufacturers are accelerating the pressure, with CSOT's 110-inch 4K panels and sub-$40-per-diagonal-inch LCD pricing reshaping both consumer and commercial AV markets. Mitsubishi Electric Visual Solutions has already withdrawn from the projector market entirely, and Sharp faces similar pressure, signaling that front projection and niche display technologies are losing ground to large-format LCD screens.

Pete Putman •
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HDTV and Home Theater Podcast - Podcast #584: Plasma vs LED

Plasma TVs deliver superior black levels, contrast ratios, and color saturation compared to LED LCD displays, with edge-lit LED panels frequently exhibiting backlight uniformity defects such as clouding, halo, and flashlight effects that are absent in plasma panels. Plasma's per-pixel brightness and hue control produces richer, more saturated color that mid-tier plasma sets match against higher-cost LED competitors, while In-Plane Switching (IPS) LEDs improve viewing angles only at the cost of contrast. For buyers prioritizing picture quality in a controlled-light environment under 65 inches, plasma remains the stronger value proposition despite its weight and image retention considerations.

The HT Guys •
Podcasts
HDTV Expert - Panasonic Shows Best Plasma TV Set the World has ever Seen
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HDTV Expert - Panasonic Shows Best Plasma TV Set the World has ever Seen

Panasonic's 2013 ZT Series plasma HDTV introduces a 3000Hz focused field drive, up from last year's 2500Hz, and a new subfield technology capable of expressing 30,720 gray levels compared to the 6,144 levels found in conventional PDPs. A redesigned red phosphor and front-surface filter enable a color gamut covering 122% of the ITU standard and 98% of the DCI standard, while a gapless laminated panel filter reduces reflections in ambient light. Side-by-side testing against the legendary Pioneer Kuro revealed the ZT's clear superiority in motion handling and shadow detail, making it a compelling reference-grade display for serious home theater buyers.

Ken Werner •
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Panasonic Announces Pricing & Availability For Its Inaugural Line Of Streaming Media Players

Panasonic's first streaming media player lineup includes two models: the DMP-MST60 ($99.99) with 3D capability, VIERA Connect smart TV platform, Miracast display mirroring (requiring Android 4.2 or higher), and 2D-to-3D conversion, and the DMP-MS10 ($79.99) with built-in Wi-Fi and IP VOD access to services including Netflix, Hulu Plus, and YouTube. Both units support external HDD playback, giving users flexible local and cloud-based content options. Consumers seeking an affordable entry point into smart TV functionality without replacing their existing display have two distinct tiers to consider.

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