Flat wide world

With a bevy of LCD TVs on offer, Rahul Sabharwal checks out a few brands offering flat screens, to mount on your wall...

The perfect home is known but what composes it plush interiors, sofas, chandeliers and… a perfect TV. And with a host of companies that are offering a range of LCD televisions, it's tough competition. Some go big, others prefer slim — the only thing is catering to a premium audience that cares more that than just what is on their TV sets.

First in line is Hitachi 1.5, that boasts of being the "world's first ultra thin full HD LCD." Minimalist, yet stylish, the television is 1/3 the depth of conventional LCDs. Tarun Jain, Country Head, Hitachi Home Electronics Asia (S) Pte Ltd, feels that although the market is dominated by CRT Televisions at the moment, there comes a time when saturation leads to people making a change.

He says, "The market growth rate is almost 100% and with the disposable income increasing, people are buying more than just one TV." According to him, design is the defining factor now and the style conscious buyers compose a dominant part of the market.

Getting bigger
Next up is the "world's largest 108 inch LCD monitor" that costs close to a crore — The LB 1085 by Sharp Business Systems (India) Limited. Although Kishlay Ray, general manager, Marketing isn't too optimistic about the future of the product. He says "priced at almost ₹1 crore, it is very costly and there is a lack of people who can understand and afford the product. But then we think there is a market available for it in the metropolitans."

Ruchika Batra, general manager, Corp Communication, Samsung India feels that although HD LCDs like the Series 6 may be catering to the luxury segment, they are "premium but no longer unaffordable."

What's in store?
Sony India's latest offering is the Next-generation Bravia. The latest W, V and S series in the range includes several Full High Definition (HD) models.

Sunaina Mehra, who just turned 21, got the LG Scarlet as a birthday gift. "I had been insisting on it for months. Of course its big money, but then these products are only meant for those who can afford them."

Raghav, 29, has a different take. "Today it's big and few months later it'll be the last big thing. With a host of optionsranging from LCDs to Plasma, it's hard to decide."