LG, Samsung aggressively slash prices
It is common knowledge that Korea's Samsung has been very aggressive in its bid to take control of the Indonesian audio- video market. It has also been aggressively taking control of the market for 21-inch and 29-inch CRT TV sets. The latest developments, however, have shown that LG, another Korean manufacturer and Samsung's biggest rival, has also been getting aggressive by significantly cutting the prices of its products.
In the 21-inch flat TV market, LG has just reduced the price of its RT-21FB70V (AV stereo) from Rp 1,430,000 to Rp 1,395,000, a record low price for a Korean-made flat TV with an AV stereo feature. Meanwhile, its RD-21FC91R (full stereo) has also been reduced in price from Rp 1,880,000 to Rp 1,525,000.
The Flatron RT-21FB71R (full stereo), the latest version that LG produces, is sold at Rp 1,500,000, exactly the same price of the old Flatron RT-21FB70r model, which also comes with full stereo. It is rather unusual for old and new models of the same product made by the same manufacturer and with mostly the same features to be priced at the same level. This is what is happening with LG, however.
Aside from the RT-21FB71R, LG has also launched its latest product, the Flatron RD-21FE98R (full stereo), which boasts wireless sound. This particular feature allows the transmission of an audio signal from the television set to another audio set with a tuner, such as a mini compo, a micro compo, an HTiB, a receiver and so forth. The price is just Rp 1,700,000.
LG is not only aggressively cutting its prices in the 21-inch TV market but also in the 29-inch TV market, where its motto might well be: "the prices may be reduced but not the number of features." Take, for example, its Flatron RT-29FA35V (AV stereo), whose price has just been cut from Rp 3,700,000 to Rp 2,775,000, a lower price than that of similar products produced by its closest rivals, Samsung and Sharp. In fact, these three brands offer the same features in their 29-inch flat TV sets.
Now, let's have a look at the mini home theater (HTiB) market. Prices in this category have been relatively stable. An LG product, the LH-T6340, for example, which formerly cost Rp 1,315,000, is now available for Rp 1,295,000. Another LG product, the LH-T252SC, has also been reduced in price from Rp 1,769,000 to Rp 1,325,000. Meanwhile, still another LG product, the LH- T553TB, has been significantly reduced in price from Rp 4,250,000 to Rp 2,630,000. Interested?
If you are at present thinking of purchasing a handycam, these market survey results will be of interest to you. You could, for example, opt for a new Sony handycam, the DCR-HC1E at Rp 18,000,000, which is provided with such features as HDTV, 3 M, Pixels Still Picture, Carl Zeiss Lens, Wide LCD, Flash and Wide Angle Zoom Plus. With all these features, this handycam is suitable for professionals.
Like the TV and HTiB markets, the handycam market has also seen price cuts. A Panasonic product, the NV-GS140, which formerly cost Rp 6,695,000, is now available for Rp 6,400,000 while the NV-GS150 has been reduced in price by Rp 150,000 to Rp 7,750,000. Meanwhile, the NV-GS250 is now going for Rp 8,800,000, after a price cut of Rp 470,000.
The prices of JVC handycams have also been reduced. The GR- D33AG (Digital Mini DV) has been reduced by Rp 50,000 to Rp 2,800,000, while a relatively new model, the GR-D270 (Still Picture 0.8 M. Pixels, Mini DV) is now available for just Rp 3,600,000! Meanwhile, the GR-D250 (Digital Mini DV) is going for Rp 3,100,000, following a price cut of Rp 50,000.
Doharto J. Simatupang
Latest prices of home entertainment products
Brand & type Specs Price
1 LG RT-21FB70V CRT, Flat TV, 21 inch, Rp 1,395,000
AV Stereo
2 LG RD-21FC91R CRT, Flat TV, 21 inch, Rp 1,525,000
Full Stereo
3 LG RT-21FB71R CRT, Flat TV, 21 inch, Rp 1,500,000
Full Stereo
4 LG RT-21FB70R CRT, Flat TV, 21 inch, Rp 1,500,000
Full Stereo
5 LG RD-21FE98R CRT, Flat TV, 21 inch, Rp 1,700,000
Full Stereo, Wireless Sound
6 Sharp 51ZF200S CRT, Flat TV, 21 inch, Rp 1,550,000
AV Stereo
7 Sharp 21E-FG1 CRT, Flat TV, 21 inch, Rp 1,475,000
AV Stereo
8 Sharp 21HFZ CRT, Flat TV, 21 inch, Mono Rp 1,325,000
9 Polytron CRT, Flat TV, 21 inch, Rp 1,425,000
MX-5152M AV Stereo
10 Audio Tone CRT, Flat TV, 21 inch, AV Stereo Rp 995,000
AT-2136
11 Sanyo CG-21MX2 CRT, Non-Flat TV, 21 inch, Rp 1,100,000
AV Stereo
12 Toshiba 21J6E CRT, Non-Flat TV, 21 inch, Rp 1,395,000
AV Stereo
13 LG RD-21CA80V CRT, Non-Flat TV, 21 inch, Rp 1,265,000
AV Stereo
14 LG RT-29FA35V CRT, Flat TV, 29 inch, AV Stereo Rp 2,775,000
15 LG LH-T6340 HTiB Rp 1,295,000
16 LG LH-T252SC HTiB Rp 1,325,000 17 LG LH-T553TB HTiB Rp 2,630,000
18 Sony DCR-HC1E Handycam, HDTV, 3 M. Pixels, Rp18,000,000
Carl Zeiss Lens, Wide LCD, Flash,
Wide Angle Zoom Plus
19 Panasonic Handycam Mini DV, Rp 6,400,000
NV-GS140 Still Picture
20 Panasonic Handycam Mini DV, Rp 7,750,000
NV-GS150 Still Picture
21 Panasonic Handycam Mini DV, Still Picture Rp 8,800,000
NV-GS250
22 JVC GR-D33AG Handycam Mini DV Rp 2,800,000
23 JVC GR-D270AG Handycam Mini DV, Rp 3,600,000
Still Picture 0.8 M. Pixels 24 JVC GR-D250AG Handycam Mini DV Rp 3,100,000
25 Sony DVD Mini Compo Rp 3,925,000
MHC-RV999D
26 Pioneer DVD Mini Compo Rp 3,400,000
EV66DVD
27 Pioneer DVD Mini Compo Rp 3,700,000
EV99DVD
28 Phillips DVD Mini Compo Rp 2,050,000
FW-D39
29 LG LM-D2340 DVD Mini Compo Rp 1,395,000 30 LG LM-D2342 DVD Mini Compo Rp 1,500,000 31 LG DZ-9511P DVD Player, Progressive Scan Rp 535,000 32 LG DV-9721P DVD Player, Progressive Scan Rp 495,000 33 LG DK-9721P DVD Player, Progressive Scan, Rp 595,000
Karaoke
34 Panasonic DVD Player Recorder Rp 3,400,000
DMR-E60
35 Panasonic DVD Player Recorder Rp 3,700,000
DMR-E65
36 Amphion Bookshelf speaker,woofer 1x5.25", Rp12,000,000
Helium2 tweeter 1x1",Freq.50Hz-20kHz
37 Mordaunt Sub Woofer,woofer 1x10", Rp 3,600,000
-Short 907W Freq.35Hz-150kHz,
power handling 100w
38 Polk Audio Bookshelf speaker, Rp 9,100,000
LSi7 woofer 1x5.25",tweeter 1x1",
power hdl 20-150w
39 Quad 12L Bookshelf speaker,woofer 1x6.5", Rp 6,500,000
tweeter 1x2.5 cm,
power 30-200w
40 Spendor S9e Floor Standing speaker, Rp45,000,000
tweeter 1x2.7cm,mid 1x14cm,
woofer 1x22cm
41 Von Schweikert Center speaker, Rp 9,000,000
LCR-15 tweeter 1x1",
woofer 2x5.5",
Power handling 8-200w
42 AAD C550 Floor Standing speaker, Rp 6,200,000
tweeter 1x1",woofer x5",
power hdl 20-150w
43 Amphion Floor Standing speaker, Rp22,000,000
Anthene tweeter 1x1",
woofer 2x14.5cm, power 10-150w
44 AAD C204 Center speaker,tweeter 1x1", Rp 2,000,000
woofer 2x4",
Power handling 20-100w
45 B & W ASW300 Sub Woofer,woofer 1x8", Rp 6,000,000
Freq.27Hz-150kHz,
power handling 100w
46 Harman/Kardon Receiver, power 55wx7, Rp 8,000,000
AVR630 Dolby AC3,DTS-ES,
Matrix, DTS Neo6
47 JBL AVR580 Receiver, power 100wx7, Rp 8,500,000
Dolby AC3,DTS-ES,
Dolby P. II, DTS Neo6
48 JVC RX-8030VBK Receiver, power 100wx6, Rp 6,700,000
Dolby AC3, Dolby P. II,
DTS-ES6.1, DTS Neo6
49 Marantz SR7300 Receiver, power 110wx6, Rp 5,500,000
Dolby AC3, Dolby P. II,
DTS,DTS Neo6, SRS
50 NAD T763 Receiver, power 100wx6, Rp 8,500,000
Dolby AC3, Dolby P. II,
DTS-ES6.1, DTS Neo6
51 Onkyo TX-SR701 Receiver, power 100wx6, Rp 4,500,000
Dolby AC3, Dolby P. II,
DTS-ES6.1, DTS Neo6
52 Yamaha Receiver, power 130wx7, Rp 7,000,000
RX-V2500 Dolby AC3, Dolby P.II,
DTS-ES Descrete, DSP
Surveys were conducted at "Senen Electronics", "Victory" Electronic", AGIS, Carrefour and many other high-end shops between Sept. 1 - Sept. 4.