New products to overcome market slowdown
It is now clear that prices have starting increasing, slowly but surely. Significant hikes have affected the prices of Sony products. Other makers, like Polytron and Samsung, have also raised their prices, albeit only for selected items. As a result, the market has begun to slow down.
One of the tricks that manufacturers use to overcome market sluggishness is to introduce new products so that potential buyers will be unable to resist the temptation. A recent market survey has identified the following newly launched products.
Samsung has just introduced its new CRT flat TV, which, at 406 mm slim depth, is one-third slimmer than the ordinary CRT flat TV set. There are two sizes: the CS-32Z40 HE (32 inches) and CS- 29Z30HE (29 inches). Providing these products with superior features like Digital 100 Hz, PiP, HDTV ready, DNie TM and Nano Pigment Technology, Samsung clearly wants to be the leader in the CRT flat TV market.
One of Samsung's rivals, Polytron, has also released its Xcel TZ 30K85, a premium class CRT TV with a monitor screen measuring 29 inches diagonally. All black in color and serving as a home theater television set because it is provided with a built-in sub woofer and a pair of surround speakers, this television set enjoys abundant features, such as a built-in DVD player (combo TV), full stereo quality, DVD input terminal and a digital optic out facility. If you have this one as your home theater, you no longer need a receiver, additional speakers or a DVD player. All in one set, you see.
Aiwa has launched its latest VCD Compo, the RBT-5000V, which is available for only Rp 1 million. The features provided with this set are well worth the price: a double cassette player, a single CD/VCD top loading, 1000w PMPO and an MP3 playback. The closest rival to this Aiwa Compo VCD is a Compo VCD made by LG, the LM-V332 (3 CD changer, 1400 w PMP), which is available for Rp 975,000.
Idul Fitri will soon be here. To celebrate this holiday, many Indonesians return to their hometowns to meet their friends and relatives. To avoid boredom during the long car journey home, they might want to invest in a car theater system.
In anticipation of the festival, Panasonic has released its latest head unit, namely the CQ-VD7001 In-Dash LCD/DVD as a Mobile AV Entertainment System with features including touch- panel operation, a TV tuner, an SRS CS Auto, such as SRS Trubass, which can produce low-not bass sound without a sub-woofer, a 7" LCD wide screen (aspect ratio), Aux in and a dts and Dolby Digital decoder. If you want a cheaper one, just buy a Tablet DVD. There are several choices on the market, including Coby (Rp 1,950,000), Vitron (Rp 2,425,000, with a built-in speaker) and Next Base sDV-77 (Rp 2,700,000). Or, perhaps, you would prefer a portable DVD that comes with a 10.2 inch LCD TFT Wide Screen, such as the Shinco SDP-1200, which has just been discounted by Rp 750,000 to its present price of Rp 4,250,000.
Despite a trend of increasing prices, some gadgets have been cut in price. In the HTib market, the LH-T6340 by LG, for example, has been cut in price by Rp 90,000 to Rp 1,225,000. In addition, another LG product, the LG-T6240, has just been reduced from Rp 1,250,000 to Rp 1,125,000!
Today, a Flat TV by LG, the Flatron X-Wave Wireless Sound (RT- 29FD68R -- full stereo), is now available at an affordable price of Rp 3,400,000. Meanwhile, Sharp has just released its 29-inch Czar series 29ZF500MSB (full stereo) type, which has a black casing and is sold at Rp 3,300,000. Besides, Philips, the only European make in Indonesia's CRT TV market, has slashed the price of its 29PT3223 (AV stereo) from Rp 3,100,000 to just Rp 2,750,000! As for the full-stereo type, the Philips 29PT3323 is on offer at Rp 2,950,000. It's a real surprise to see this product available for less than Rp 3 million.
Philips has reduced its prices not only for its 29-inch flat TVs. Even in the 21-inch flat TV market, this maker has also cut its prices. The Philips 21PT3324 (AV stereo), formerly sold at Rp 1,600,000, is now obtainable for Rp 1,430,000. Compare this with Samsung CS-21M16 (AV stereo), which has been cut in price by Rp 50,000 to Rp 1,330,000! If you plan to buy a 21-inch flat TV (full stereo), the Sharp 51ZF500B, which has just been lowered in price by Rp 80,000 to Rp 1,570,000, may also prove a good choice.
Doharto J. Simatupang
Latest prices of home entertainment products
.RM 7.80"
.TB.30" 2.20" 5.3"
No Brand/Type Specification Price (Rp)
1 LG LX-D5230 DVD Micro Compo, Rp 1.375.000
5 Satellite Speaker
2 LG LX-D3350 DVD Micro Compo, Sub Woofer, Rp 2.150.000
Dolby Prologic II
3 Sharp SD-CX1W CD Micro Compo, Mini Disc Rp 1.975.000
4 Sanyo DC-PT70 DVD Micro Compo Rp 1.375.000
5 Aico AXD1180D DVD Micro Compo Rp 875.000
6 Bluesky MDC-1010BL DVD Micro Compo Rp 800.000
7 Enzer HF-1618MC DVD Micro Compo, Rp 1.030.000
Progressive Scan
8 Toshiba 42WP48E Plasma TV, 42 inch Rp 23.500.000
9 Toshiba 32WL46E LCD TV, 32 inch Rp 21.500.000
10 Toshiba 37WL55E LCD TV, 37 inch Rp 31.000.000
11 Toshiba 43JH9UE Projection TV, 43 inch Rp 13.000.000
12 Philips 42PF9946 Plasma TV, 42 inch Rp 25.000.000
13 Samsung PS-42D5 Plasma TV, 42 inch Rp 24.000.000
14 LG RT-29FA35R CRT Flat TV, 29 inch, Rp 3.150.000
Full Stereo
15 Samsung CS-29M16 CRT Flat TV, 29 inch, Rp 3.589.000
Full Stereo
16 Sharp 29ZF508W CRT Flat TV, 29 inch, Rp 3.700.000
Full Stereo
17 JVC AV-21WX14 CRT Flat TV, 21 inch, Rp 1.550.000
AV stereo, Cinema Surround
18 JVC AV-21WX3 CRT Flat TV, 21 inch, Rp 1.600.000
AV stereo, Cinema Surround,
DVD input terminal
19 JVC AV-21WS3 CRT Flat TV, 21 inch, Rp 1.750.000
Full stereo, Cinema Surround,
DVD input terminal
20 Panasonic CRT Flat TV, 21 inch, Rp 1.550.000
TC-21FJ20M AV stereo 21 Panasonic CRT Flat TV, 21 inch, Rp 1.730.000
TC-21FJ50M Full stereo
22 Sharp 51ZPF200S CRT Flat TV, 21 inch, Rp 1.625.000
AV stereo, Plasma Cluster
23 LG RD-21FC91V CRT Flat TV, 21 inch, Rp 1.425.000
AV stereo
24 Sony KV-21HFV100 CRT Flat TV, 21 inch, Rp 2.850.000
Full stereo, FM tuner,
External Speaker
25 Sony KV-BT21M50 CRT Flat TV, 21 inch, Rp 1.825.000
AV stereo
Surveys were conducted at "Senen Electronic", "Victory Electronic", AGIS, and Carrefour between Sept. 20 and Sept. 23