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Someone may have a more technical reason, but my hunch is that NHK is pushing the next-gen button in the interest of the domestic panel makers. There’s some ser

Someone may have a more technical reason, but my hunch is that NHK is pushing the next-gen button in the interest of the domestic panel makers. There’s some serious “made in Japan” nationalism when it comes to televisions, because of the challenge from Korea and China. Japanese consumers more or less willingly subsidize their domestic makers by paying almost double the price for Japanese-made panels compared to what the same models cost in the US. Go shopping for a TV at Bic or Yodobashi and you’ll see just two or three LG or Samsung panels on display, and salespeople have actively steered me away from those. I bought a Samsung for an older friend who asked me to pick something up for him and he was appreciative but also clearly mortified that it was supporting a foreign maker. (The thought never crossed my mind!) To be honest, I understand the sentiment. Supporting Sony or Sharp means supporting jobs and the domestic economy, and (unlike, say, US automakers) the domestic product is very high quality—just more expensive. Nationalism and protectionism are gross, but a little team spirit is not evil. So, I could be wrong, but I bet this is a way to move new models out of the showrooms, with the bonus of appealing to the upcoming Olympic broadcast, etc.

reaperducer 8y ago
Someone may have a more technical reason, but my hunch is that NHK is pushing the next-gen button in the interest of the domestic panel makers. Part of it is Olympic pressure to be "first" and show off. We saw this with HDTV in the Atlanta games, with streaming during the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, and 4K during the Vancouver games. All mediocre tech demos from electronics companies looking to impress a global audience that includes a heavy dose of political and business decision-makers. But Japan, and especially NHK, has a long history of being a wonderland of tech demos that never go anywhere, or take decades to go mainstream, even at home. There's something of a "Hey, look what we can do!" ribbon that runs through the culture that is marvelous and charming. There aren't a lot of societies left that, metaphorically, shoot guns at the sun just to see what will happen. (Apologies to A Fine Frenzy)
nihonde 8y ago
Self-correction: I forgot that Sharp is owned by Foxconn now!

reaperducer 8y ago

Someone may have a more technical reason, but my hunch is that NHK is pushing the next-gen button in the interest of the domestic panel makers. Part of it is Olympic pressure to be "first" and show off. We saw this with HDTV in the Atlanta games, with streaming during the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, and 4K during the Vancouver games. All mediocre tech demos from electronics companies looking to impress a global audience that includes a heavy dose of political and business decision-makers. But Japan, and especially NHK, has a long history of being a wonderland of tech demos that never go anywhere, or take decades to go mainstream, even at home. There's something of a "Hey, look what we can do!" ribbon that runs through the culture that is marvelous and charming. There aren't a lot of societies left that, metaphorically, shoot guns at the sun just to see what will happen. (Apologies to A Fine Frenzy)

nihonde 8y ago

Self-correction: I forgot that Sharp is owned by Foxconn now!