Sony To Phase Out Smaller CRTs

ToshiroOC · Jan 24, 2003, 07:59 AM

Sony officials said the company will quietly phase out all of its 17-inch and 19-inch CRT monitors by March 31, part of the industry's shift away from CRTs to LCD panels.

Fans of the popular Sony Trinitron line of monitors and its related aperture-grill technology will be forced instead to purchase Sony's 21-inch and 24-inch CRT displays, which Sony officials said they will continue to produce.

Sony has also decided to phase out its 17-inch and 19-inch tube business, meaning OEM-branded Trinitron monitors in those categories will also cease production. Rival NEC-Mitusbishi said it had no plans to phase out any CRT products, however.

Sony's decision came as no surprise to those who have closely watched monitor manufacturers slowly shift away from cathode-ray tube (CRT) production to manufacturing LCDs. Sharp, Matsushita, and Hitachi all have pulled out of the CRT tube business, and their display divisions have either purchased tubes from companies like Toshiba or exited the CRT monitor business altogether in favor of LCDs, analysts said. At Sony, production of tubes and CRT displays themselves "pretty much go hand in hand," a company spokesman said.

"Sony has decided to cease production of 17 and 19-inch CRT displays by March 31, 2002 and will only manufacture 21 and 24-inch CRT displays," according to a statement issued by Sony in response to questions by ExtremeTech.

Instead, the Sony spokesman said that the company will shift its emphasis to LCDs. "Due to the current market environment, Sony Displays has expanded its LCD line-up and features six different sized models ranging from 15 to 23-inch displays," the statement added. "As pricing continues to drop on flat-panel displays, Sony will increase production of LCDs in the consumer and corporate markets."

Sony's CRT monitors fall under the "Trinitron" brand, while its LCD displays use a variety of brand names, including "StylePro", "DeluxePro", and "PremierPro".

--By Mark Hachman, source: Extremetech

Article can be read here.

ToshiroOC · Jan 24, 2003, 08:01 AM

All I have to say is that if their LCDs don't get competitively priced with CRTs damn fast, I'm just going to stay shopping for refurbished Trinitrons, etc... Trinitron monitors are really the best I've ever seen anywhere - I have a 27" Trinitron TV too, and it looks almost better than my computer monitor at distances of over 5 feet...

Vampyromaniac · Jan 24, 2003, 08:44 AM

Trinitron rox my sox!
I gotta 21" sony tube myself
"it's pretty, it's sooo prettty" - Wes Snipes, WMCJ

....took forever to afford it tho

Jan 24, 2003, 07:59 AM	#1
ToshiroOC Unbiased. Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 4,812 Rep Power: 0	Sony To Phase Out Smaller CRTs Sony officials said the company will quietly phase out all of its 17-inch and 19-inch CRT monitors by March 31, part of the industry's shift away from CRTs to LCD panels. Fans of the popular Sony Trinitron line of monitors and its related aperture-grill technology will be forced instead to purchase Sony's 21-inch and 24-inch CRT displays, which Sony officials said they will continue to produce. Sony has also decided to phase out its 17-inch and 19-inch tube business, meaning OEM-branded Trinitron monitors in those categories will also cease production. Rival NEC-Mitusbishi said it had no plans to phase out any CRT products, however. Sony's decision came as no surprise to those who have closely watched monitor manufacturers slowly shift away from cathode-ray tube (CRT) production to manufacturing LCDs. Sharp, Matsushita, and Hitachi all have pulled out of the CRT tube business, and their display divisions have either purchased tubes from companies like Toshiba or exited the CRT monitor business altogether in favor of LCDs, analysts said. At Sony, production of tubes and CRT displays themselves "pretty much go hand in hand," a company spokesman said. "Sony has decided to cease production of 17 and 19-inch CRT displays by March 31, 2002 and will only manufacture 21 and 24-inch CRT displays," according to a statement issued by Sony in response to questions by ExtremeTech. Instead, the Sony spokesman said that the company will shift its emphasis to LCDs. "Due to the current market environment, Sony Displays has expanded its LCD line-up and features six different sized models ranging from 15 to 23-inch displays," the statement added. "As pricing continues to drop on flat-panel displays, Sony will increase production of LCDs in the consumer and corporate markets." Sony's CRT monitors fall under the "Trinitron" brand, while its LCD displays use a variety of brand names, including "StylePro", "DeluxePro", and "PremierPro". --By Mark Hachman, source: Extremetech Article can be read here.

Jan 24, 2003, 08:01 AM	Thread Starter #2
ToshiroOC Unbiased. Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 4,812 Rep Power: 0	All I have to say is that if their LCDs don't get competitively priced with CRTs damn fast, I'm just going to stay shopping for refurbished Trinitrons, etc... Trinitron monitors are really the best I've ever seen anywhere - I have a 27" Trinitron TV too, and it looks almost better than my computer monitor at distances of over 5 feet... __________________ [img][/img] [color=White]Peace be with you, Joe.[/color] Driverheaven Staff Member (Supermoderator)

Jan 24, 2003, 08:44 AM	#3
Vampyromaniac confutatis maledictis Join Date: May 2002 Location: somewhere dark Posts: 5,974 Rep Power: 77 System Specs	Trinitron rox my sox! I gotta 21" sony tube myself "it's pretty, it's sooo prettty" - Wes Snipes, WMCJ ....took forever to afford it tho