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Not considerin3D,isn't AV market rather stagnant?

In my humble personal experience, I think the whole 3D gimmick has failed to excite the consumer market, from what I see. I mean, does anyone really care to spend thousands for display technology and a few discs, and then have to strap yourself into a set of sun glasses in your living room? I really think very few people are buying into 3D (the fad comes and goes every 20 years it seems), and it appears sales for 3D at home are flat, to say the least.
Now we're, what, looking into 4k scaling technology for even less vissible pixels? Alright, well I'm not selling my 1080 JVC anytime soon anyway...looks just peachy to me on my Blu Ray setup and HD broadcasts. I'm happy still.
Besides all of this, does anyone else get the feeling that the AV/HT industry has gotten a little stagnant? (how many generations of 1080p displays are we at, and still selling 720p technology, and 5.1 ch receivers too?)...and that all the anticipation and excitement of the industry has worn off over last few years? I mean there just doesn't seem to be anything so thrilling going on anymore in the industry, does there? Does anyone else share this sentiment? I rember when big technology improvements hit the market over the past 20 years, and there was plenty to get excited about! (it was all so new, and fresh really)...like Pro Logic off Laser and VHS, and Dolby dig, DTS and THX and such,... then DVD's,
and DVDA's n SACD's...Then of course Plasma flat screens, and digital front rojection technology improvements with 720p and DLP, n 3 chip this and that, or even 1080p Blu ray and HDMI connections, then Ipods, etc???
Just seems like there's either not much going in the industry, or that all the buzz and excitement in this industry and hobby of ours is just waring off over the years. Anyone else have this same kind of perpective on things?
As long as I get a nice big quality image and ANY sound at all from a set up these days, I'm satisfied personally. Just don't care so much about all the "stuff" and gadgets so much anymore. wondering how others feel about all of this?...
avgoround
rlwainwright
1,901 posts
 
I think the AV industry has clearly hit the point of diminishing returns. As you mentioned, who really *needs* a 4k picture? The only folks who would actually need this technology are the ones who sit 5 feet away from their 120" screen - puh-lease.

And, as for multi-channel surround, how many people have the room (and money!) to install a 7.1, 9.1, 9.2, etc. system? And, let's face it, the amount of source material that is available in 7.1 and greater formats is vanishingly small.

And let's not even go there with 3D displays, the source materials are a very small subset of the overall output from the various publishers, and who, really, wants to sit around their home wearing goofy-lookng glasses?

I have setup a very nice 5.1 AV system and I am quite content with its capabilities. I see absolutely NO need to upgrade or enhance the system except, perhaps, to replace my 10" Earthquake sub with a Velodyne 12" sub. Other than that, my system is going to saty the same for the next 20 years or so...

Happy New Year!!

-RW-
elizabeth
6,726 posts
 
The AV bubble has finally burst.
All those folks who had to get a flatscreen have done so.
The huge market demand was filled. So now there are all sorts of TVs with no place to go.
There will be cries of horror as a few companies go out of business.
(They all should have seen this coming)
So what.
kennyt
1,226 posts
 
While I agree with 3D sucking a$$ I think 4k IS a huge benefit especially for those of us who need large fixed pixel displays. the Sharp 80' 1080p sets screen doors so bad you can see it at 8-10 feet, the pixels simply are too large for any reasonable viewing distance.

LG looks to have an 84" 4k set to show @ CES, release date? Who knows if ever but I will wait for something over 80"s in 4k, that will be my new display!
criderfive
13 posts
 
I honestly can't wait for true consumer grade 4k res projectors(for under $10,000). Sony just came out with one for $25,000, so we should see them coming out in a couple of years. Other than that I agree. 3d sucks, it gives me a headache and 1/3 of the population can't see it.Prolonged exposure to children under 6 can damage developing eyes. It's fine on a movie theater screen but is totally lacking on a 55"tv. I've had this discussion with a good friend who is my personal audio yoda and has been in the custom install business for 25 yrs and a a/v lover for more than 40yrs and he says the same thing we are saying here. If audio companies want my money(which I don't have much of now-a-days) give me something to WOW me. Honestly, lossless surround codex were the last thing I got truly excited enough about to upgrade and that was about 4-5 yrs ago.
richardfinegold
196 posts
 
People don't see the benefits of multichannel and better sound at all. Most of my friends are content to listen to their TV speakers and get music from an i-pod.
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