Pioneer rebuffs reported rush to end plasma TV production

Probably cuz the rest of the world is 20 yrs behind Japan

I travelled to Japan in 1994, buying the first issue of a magazine at the airport. This magazine had an article all about the European roadmap for widescreen, digital and hdtv and I remember being amazed at how long we'd have to wait to see any of this drool-inducing technology.

Imagine my surprise then, that I found myself living in a country that already had HDTV stations broadcasting content in a country whose citizens are proud of their traditions, old and new. Early adoption of new homegrown technology is as much a part of the Japanese psyche as going to work for the same company for your whole career.

Unfortunately, 15 years later, things have changed for Japan, but tiny little countries like ours that keep our public ignorant in their arrogant beliefs of global supremacy, still continue to import old technology and feed it to the masses as 'innovative'.

Dual use

As a responsible consumer, I deliberately bought plasma. Not only does it provide superb viewing, but it helps keep the room warm, saving on the central heating oil. If you love the environment, make sure that your appliances make full use of the electricity they consume by providing both their primary function AND background heating. Even the paltry few watts put out when the TV is left in standby are worth having.

Probably efficiency...

I'm guessing maybe they're pulling them off the domestic Japanese market for efficiency reasons? Plasmas are gigantic power hogs, and it would not surprise me at all if they were either legislated off the local market, "encouraged" to pull them, or they just don't sell domestically since there's better technologies available now.

@20yrs behind

The problem is that Japan jumps at the first best technology. That's why they had NTSC as a colour system which never worked sufficiently. I guess for 3d television they will use that cheap 2 camera system instead of true holographic systems which are harder to do.