laser tv is it a hoax? laser tv now on sale in USA !!

Once again conversations about big screen tv's and their affordability are on the rise. There is a fear that the latest big screen plasma or LCD tv is soon to be outdated and that there is a cheaper and better option just around the corner, but is it true?Over the last few months the media have been running stories reporting this amazing new technology called laser tv, how it was going to obselete that new lcd or plasma you have just purchased and how it was going to be half the price. Sounds great but is it true and can it really deliver?Many reports that have come out since this media release have claimed laser tv to be a hoax, the so called australian company behind it doesnt even appear to have an office in australia and the company they claim to be working with (mitsubishi electric) denies any knowledge of this company.The press reports appear to be a public relations beat up to raise capital in a listing of the company on the stock exchange.Maybe laser tv will eventually be bought to the market ifit hasnt already been replaced by something else that i am sure is sitting on some development bench somewhere, whether it will suit most peoples needs or budgets would be a very difficult question to answer at this stage and i certainly wouldnt be holding my breath waiting for it.Sure there will be new technolgies coming and there are already developments such as SED screens that will enter the market over the next couple ofyears, but as usual they will be expensive in the first generations.So if you are considering purchasing a new LCD or plasmascreen there is no need to worry about wasting your money, these sets have never been more affordable and now perform better than ever before and will definately be around for many years to come.UPDATE It is now beleived that Mitsubishi will in fact be releasing laser tv into Australia by the end of the year or early next year. Exactly at what price and size is yet to be confirmed, however it would be expected that the size would rival and exceed the current large screen sizes of 50" and 65" offered by plasma and lcd technologies.It still isnt likely to take away many sales from the current technologies at the beginning because of the style of panel, lcd and plasma will still have an edge with flat wall mounting design and i guess it always takes a little while to a new technology to settle in.Iwill keep you posted as soon as new information comes to light.UPDATE 2 11/1/2008Mitsubishi have showed off their new laser tv at CES in america last week, early reports are promising for the new format.Journalists who were amongst the fortunate few to have a private viewing report that the image is stunning and colours are truly amazing however the launch did not compare the laser tvside by side with current LCD technology so it was fairly difficult to make an accurate comparison. One thing that was always assumed about the new laser tvs were that they should be cheaper than Plasma and LCD tvs, this apparently is not going to be the case. Mitsubishi are aiming to have the sets on the market in the US later in 2008 but they apparently will be at a higher sell price than the current technologies.Another drawback will be whether the sets can be made slim enough to wall mount like the current lcd and plasma sets, itis estimated that well over half of the flat screen sets being sold are or will be wall mounted and if the laser tv cannot be made with a similar style then that may well discourage people from changing their buying decisions.Keep your eyes peeled for the australian releases because if the early reports are correct they may well be the tv of choice for many in the future.UPDATE 19/9/08Unfortunately there isn't much to report at this stage asnone of the manufacturers concerned are willing to comment on any upcoming release dtes or even if there will actually be a future release of this technology.There certainly have been many conflicting reports about the technology and it's ability to deliver results made in early press reports, and even whether it is still a revelant formatnow that lcd 1080p 100hz sets are becoming so good at such a low price.My crystal ball is a little cloudy but i certainly wouldnt be staking money on an imminent release if indeed we ever see the format at all, i guess only time will tell and as soon as any further information comes to light i will update again. UPDATE 9/3/09Hello all, well from all accounts it appears that this technology will probably never make it to our shelves. There havent been any indications that the manufacturers are going to pursue any releases at this stage and with other technologies in the pipeline it would make it even more difficult for this technology to establish itself.UPDATE 12/9/09Well it goes to show that i am wrong again, Mitsubishi has launched the laservue range for sale in America. They are claiming some incredible features and benefits including a massive range of colours and far reduced power consumption. It is still going to be around 10 inches deep so that may put some buyers off. However some of the resolution and colour specifications will certainly appeal to a lot of buyers out there and also being 3d compatable may interest others. We will be writing further about this new release on our website over the next few days and providing further information and pictures so feel free to go to aussiehifi.com.au for more updates. Thereare still no release dates scheduled for Australia at this stage.PLEASE take the time to cast your vote on this guide, I have 23 years experience in the hi fi industry but can only be guided by the readers as to what they want to read about. By voting I can understand what you are all interested in reading about and I can keep updating and adding further information as it comes to hand.Thanks for reading, aussiehifi