Bang & Olufsen has announced the launch of a giant 103-inch plasma HDTV dubbed the BeoVision 4-103 which will weigh in at a shocking 1,100 pounds when combined with its stand.
The motorized stand reveals a large center channel speaker that is also motorized and the TV angle and rotation can be adjusted via a supplied remote control.
The company says the set uses B&O’s BeoSystem 3 stage manager and VisionClear technology that does an auto-adjust of color and brightness levels every 120 hours the TV is in use.
The TV will hit Europe in July with a price of $137,000 USD that includes the free inclusion of the company’s $5,377 BeoSound 5 home theater audio system and remote touchscreen remote control.
Result for: plasma tv
According to company vice president Lee Gyu-hong, LG may be the next manufacturer to leave the plasma TV market, citing the global recession as the main reason.
Gyu-hong added that a prolonged recession would make plasma manufacturing unprofitable for the company, and that he expects LG’s official decision to exit the market to come before the end of the year.
Just two weeks ago, both Pioneer and Vizio announced that they would be leaving the plasma business, with Pioneer completely leaving the TV business.
With Vizio, Pioneer, and now LG bowing out, only two major manufacturers remain in the plasma business: Panasonic, and Samsung.
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Pioneer has confirmed rumors that have flared this week and will be dropping out of the TV business altogether.
The move follows the $1.44 billion USD loss the company has taken in the past year on its LCD and Plasma operations. Two factories will be shut down immediately and the company will completely phase out TVs by the Q1 2010.
Additionally, the company said it will cut costs by cutting 10,000 jobs, mainly in Japan.
In the TV business, Pioneer is best known for its high quality Kuro plasma TVs which enjoy high contrast ratios and color replication. Back in March however, the company said it would halt Plasma production to focus on LCD production.
