Electronics producers offering discounts

Electronics producers are continuing to offer discounts on their products amid tighter competition.

In the 21-inch flat television market, South Korean manufacturer Samsung is now offering its CS-21A11 TV at Rp 1,500,000, marginally lower than the Rp 1,530,000 charged in previous weeks. The TV set is complemented with prime features like a full-stereo sound system, a DVD input terminal and DNIe Jr.

Japanese manufacturer Sharp has made a bold move by offering its 21-inch Czar 51ZPF200S TV (AV Stereo) for Rp 1,670,000, a significant decrease from the Rp 2,400,000 charged in previous weeks. Like its air-conditioners, which are generally considered to belong to the premium class, this Sharp television is also made with the "plasma-cluster" technology.

Now good news for Sony fans. A 21-inch (mono) flat Sony Wega KV-BT21M40 TV, formerly going for Rp 1,725,000, is now available for just Rp 1,550,000. Meanwhile, a similar Chinese-made Akira TV is on sale for just Rp 930,000, a record low in this category.

In the 29-inch flat television market, Samsung also has a special offer. Its Plano CS-29K10 (full stereo), going for Rp 3,100,000 in previous weeks, is now available for Rp 3,030,000. It is only a matter of time before the price goes below Rp 3 million.

Meanwhile, Sharp has cut the price of its 29-inch flat Czar 29ZPF500 W TV (full stereo, DVD input terminal) by Rp 270,000 to Rp 3,430,00. If you don't need stereo sound, you can opt for the economy version, the Czar 29ZPF200 (AV stereo, DVD input terminal) for only Rp 3,200,000.

In the wide-screen television set market, the Samsung Plano PS-42S4S (42 inches, plasma TV) has also gone down considerably in price, from Rp 40 million to only Rp 23,500,000. Meanwhile Toshiba's 50JS9UE (projection TV, 50 inches) has gone down by Rp 1,400,000 to Rp 12,500,000.

Over the past few weeks, the Vitron DVD-301, selling at Rp 2,100,000, has been the cheapest in the DVD recorder category. This week, however, it is the BENQ JH300 DVD recorder that holds the record at Rp 1,850,000!

In the DVD player market, the Samsung DVD-P250K, formerly going for Rp 650,000, is now available for Rp 590,000. Meanwhile, Korean LG DVD players, the DZ-9711P and DZ-9411P, formerly available for Rp 650,000 and Rp 575,000 respectively, can now be had for Rp 500,000 and Rp 535,000. As the prices of these Korean- made products are now approaching those of Chinese-made products, such as Changhong, Advante, Akira and Crystal, this represents a real warning for the Chinese manufacturers, which generally produce low-priced goods that are provided with quite a lot a features.

In the HTiB (Home Theater in Box) market, LG has cut the price of its LX-D5230 HTiB by Rp 75,000 to Rp 1,675,000. Samsung has also lowered the price of its HTiB (HT-DB1650) from Rp 3,500,000 to Rp 3,100,000. By comparison, the Pioneer HT-Z515DVD is now available for Rp 4,400,000 after a price cut of Rp 400,000. Meanwhile, the Sharp HTiB, without a DVD player (HT-CN3000L), has been reduced in price by Rp 50,000 and is now available for Rp 1,375,000, while a new JVC HTiB costs only Rp 1,900,000.

--Doharto J. Simatupang