Panasonic Offers Custom-Built Plasma Frames

By Greg Tarr -- TWICE, 11/7/2005

SECAUCUS, N.J. — Panasonic has introduced a line of custom-built frames to complement its 42W-inch and 50W-inch plasma televisions.

The company said the frames, which in some cases resemble frames used on fine art, enable consumers to blend the look of the plasma set with the décor of nicely furnished room.

Panasonic is showcasing the new frames in their eight different styles at its www.PanasonicDirect.com/masterpiece Web site.

Frames will be available in gold, black, pewter, mahogany, walnut and antique white finishes, and will be priced at suggested retails ranging from $399.95 to $499.95, depending on style and the total package.

Panasonic said the frames are the first products offered exclusively through its Panasonic direct e-business. On the site, customers will be able to “design their distinctive plasma televisions and order the complete package, including installation.”

“This is a great opportunity to work directly with our valued customers as part of Panasonic's goal to provide 'Extreme Customer Satisfaction,'” said Merwan Mereby, Panasonic e-business VP. “With the rapid growth in flat-panel displays, and the fact that many plasmas for both the home and business venues are now wall mounted, these unique frames give people the opportunity to really personalize their viewing environments.”

Panasonic said the frames should appeal to both residential applications and in corporate settings and public venues such as board rooms, hotel lobbies and reception areas. The company is also targeting various hotels and businesses throughout the country for placement of the frames to showcase the product's versatility and gauge consumer reaction.

Panasonic said it is planning to advertise the new plasma customized options on the Internet as well as via print ads in lifestyle and home décor publications, beginning this month.

AOC Announces Flat-Panel Intros

FREMONT, Calif. — AOC Displays announced plans to ship a 42W-inch enhanced-definition plasma monitor for corporate and residential applications.

Model A42W64AT4 is fully integrated, featuring both ATSC (digital) and NTSC (analog) tuners, and it offers a native panel resolution of 852 by 480 pixels.

The unit's contrast ratio was said to be 10,000:1 and brightness is listed as 1,500 cd/m2.

Inputs include high bandwidth component video and DVI with HDCP. The unit is scheduled to ship to dealers at the end of November at a $1,599 suggested retail.

The company, which markets LCD monitors under the AOC and Envision Series brands, is also now shipping LCD TVs in the 15-inch and 17-inch screen sizes. The models feature sleek, contemporary styling, and include both A/V and PC inputs for multifunctional applications.

Additionally, both LCD TVs include built-in NTSC (analog) tuners, built-in speakers, headphone output jacks and remote controls. Each unit is wall mountable and comes with a one-year warranty.

The Envision Series 17-inch A17UX231 ($429 suggested retail) produces 1,280 by 1,024 pixel resolution and is said to produce a 700:1 contrast ratio with an 8 ms response time, to reduce image blurring in fast motion sequences.

The 15-inch Envision Series A15X221 ($279 suggested retail) features 1,024 by 768 resolution and a 400:1 contrast ratio.

AOC Displays is part of TPV Technology.