[-=Kamikaze=-]

Here is a thought experiment I've been pondering for some time. SONY and Samsung parade around all those brilliant big (up to around 40") OLED prototypes at various trade shows.


So they have the ability to produce such things in very small quantities. Say I won the lottery and like a rich spoiled idiot I thought myself too rich and important to wait for things like normal people. If I contacted SONY/Samsung and said something to the effect of, build and ship me your current biggest OLED prototype at any cost you deem, do you think they would?


How much do you think would such a prototype run at? I know they must be expensive to make because they are not yet fit for mass production, but what if all you were interested in was one single unit, how possibly expensive could it be to make one, say, 40+" OLED. 10000$, 20000$, more?


I suppose the panel itself is just the beginning, there is also the issue of software running the damn thing, even if it will act mostly as a monitor with no tuner or other TV like characteristics sans perhaps a single HDMI port. The trade show models sure do have some software built in, wither it is some sort of custom bare bones deal just enough to display their show reel or a tweaked version of the manufacturers newest proprietary picture engine (Bravia Engine 3 PRO for SONY for an example), is up for debate.


What do you think? Anyone with inside knowledge who can make an educated guess?

 

[rgb32]

I've found that even FED display modules can be purchased! How about you contact Samsung to see about acquiring one of their production ready panels in an evaluation kit.... that should get you started.


Also, check out www.oled-info.com -> contact the admin, and see about purchasing some CMEL AMOLED panels!


There's always 4D Systems: http://www.4dsystems.com.au/products.php?cat=2


Hence, unless you make some arrangements with Samsung (SMD), looks like you're going to have to wait!

Remember, IFA 2009 is only 2.5 weeks away. OLED HDTV product announcements could be made during the event!

 

[-=Kamikaze=-]



Quote:
Originally Posted by rgb32 /forum/post/17012994


I've found that even FED display modules can be purchased! How about you contact Samsung to see about acquiring one of their production ready panels in an evaluation kit.... that should get you started.


Also, check out www.oled-info.com -> contact the admin, and see about purchasing some CMEL AMOLED panels!


There's always 4D Systems: http://www.4dsystems.com.au/products.php?cat=2


Hence, unless you make some arrangements with Samsung (SMD), looks like you're going to have to wait!

Remember, IFA 2009 is only 2.5 weeks away. OLED HDTV product announcements could be made during the event!

Thanks for the info, I'll chek it out. I've already contacted Samsung through this site of theirs which seems to be dedicated to their OLED efforts. Anyway, unlike Samsung's main site this has pages for everything OLED, including the 40" prototypes they've been showing around and once again unlike the main site it has a easy to access enquiry option regarding the items. I just hope they tale me serious enough to pass the question higher than a lowly customer care rep who is likely to just bounce it back with some standard reply.


I asked if they would be willing to sell me a 40" one, I'd gladly part with up to about 8000 or so for one, gladly. Provided of course Samsungs AMOLED's do as advertised, I mean absolute complete blacks, no glow what so ever at all not even the least bit, because I'll be able to see it, I have very sensitive eyes. In fact just give me just that and basic picture control (colour, brightness, contrast) and a single HDMI 1.3 port and I am set. That is all I need to set be up until past 2012 where bigger OLED's arrive at reasonable prices.


I would have asked SONY as well but their main website is a mess as far as getting to ask the question to the right person and they have no separate page for OLED either as far as I know. Also I believe the largest prototype SONY has shown off is 27", which is sad because I am sure SONY has been working on OLED longer than Samsung and they are already behind, although they have that 11" for sale.

 

[sharpbandaid]

Samsung Mobile Display is a B2B company, I don't think they'll do business with consumers. The 40" is prototype from their test line and has defects. Samsung could produce the 30" model right now, but I think they need their current capacity for mobile displays.

 

[-=Kamikaze=-]



Quote:
Originally Posted by sharpbandaid /forum/post/17014387


Samsung Mobile Display is a B2B company, I don't think they'll do business with consumers. The 40" is prototype from their test line and has defects. Samsung could produce the 30" model right now, but I think they need their current capacity for mobile displays.

So, wait, if I contacted them as company would they sell me a single 40"? Or would they only be interested in doing business in bulk? Damn it, I want that 40", I don't care how many hoops I'd have to jump through.


By the by, does anyone with in depth knowledge of the different OLED offerings from all the manufacturers know which big screen prototypes are theoretically the best? Any major difference at all between the SONY OLED's (the 11" XEL-1 and it bigger prototype cousins) and the Samsung AMOLEDs for an example?


I remember about a year or so ago there was a discussion thread here going into deep detail on the underlying technologies and what the potential flaws we are all going to nit pick at time come are going to be.

 

[sharpbandaid]



Quote:
Originally Posted by -=Kamikaze=- /forum/post/17014464


So, wait, if I contacted them as company would they sell me a single 40"? Or would they only be interested in doing business in bulk? Damn it, I want that 40", I don't care how many hoops I'd have to jump through.

I think they are mainly interested of selling their current mass produced offerings in bulk. Maybe you could buy a production run of 30" panels. Seriously you'll find 30-40" model sooner from the shops than get Samsung to produce one for you.

 

[greenland]

This is getting downright absurd. No company is going to release a prototype into the wild, before they even bring any product to market. They would have no way of preventing it from falling into the wrong hands, and have some competitor do some reverse engineering on it, and learn some ways to improve their own OLED development models.


I have heard of Early Adopters, but this OP has taken that concept to the extreme, where he wants to adopt an embryo.

 

[-=Kamikaze=-]



Quote:
Originally Posted by greenland /forum/post/17014854


This is getting downright absurd. No company is going to release a prototype into the wild, before they even bring any product to market.

I don't think it is that absurd, not at all. Any secret technique worth developing is patented to death anyway. And I think the biggest problems or the most valuable information right now is not regarding the actual make of a panel, but rather focused on how to mass produce them while keeping yields high. Those are manufacturing concerns, not technological per say.

 

[rgb32]



Quote:
Originally Posted by -=Kamikaze=- /forum/post/17015484


I don't think it is that absurd, not at all. Any secret technique worth developing is patented to death anyway. And I think the biggest problems or the most valuable information right now is not regarding the actual make of a panel, but rather focused on how to mass produce them while keeping yields high. Those are manufacturing concerns, not technological per say.

Just chill, and buy a XEL-1 for now! Besides, with the euro higher than USD, you could purchase a NA XEL-1 for much less than the Euro version!

Like I said before, there should be product announcements in less than a month... realistically, give it 6 more months and there should be something larger than the XEL-1 to purchase!


As far as I'm concerned, the XEL-1 is an impressive display. You really need to track one of these down, since you've never seen an OLED display!


Actually, you should just go ahead and buy a GP2X Wiz (very inexpensive... will probably be ordering one for myself tomorrow):

http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-...n-70-2z59.html

http://www.thinkgeek.com/electronics/retro-gaming/bfc7/

Buy a GP2X Wiz.... that should hold you over on the cheap! No more OLED posts for you until you purchase and use one of these!!!

No more excuses for you!

 

[-=Kamikaze=-]



Quote:
Originally Posted by rgb32 /forum/post/17017345


Like I said before, there should be product announcements in less than a month... realistically, give it 6 more months and there should be something larger than the XEL-1 to purchase!

Given the facts I am not holding my breath. SONY is rumoured to have backpedaled out of releasing another OLED so small it would be all but useless (27" this time) which they had promised was coming since 2008, now its looking to be 2010 at the earliest.


Samsung certainly is further ahead than SONY it seems and has production ready above 30" OLED TV's, but hearing what their execs have had to say the last year or so it seems they are not too keen on jumping the gun, not until a year or more passes.


I am getting rid of my LCD, I cant stand it and I don't want to make another purchase that I know is nothing but a waste of money designed to tie me over.


You hear that Samsung, Hannibal is at your gates and he wants a 40" OLED prototype, come hell and high water. I am not going to buy LCD or Plasma again, it is a waste of money, I'll just want to udgrade again next year when OLED fails to arrive once again. Anything under 30" is a joke, I want to replace my TV, not waste money on a useless novelty.

 

[TNG]



Quote:
Originally Posted by -=Kamikaze=- /forum/post/17015484


Any secret technique worth developing is patented to death anyway. And I think the biggest problems or the most valuable information right now is not regarding the actual make of a panel, but rather focused on how to mass produce them while keeping yields high. Those are manufacturing concerns, not technological per say.

Oh, you don't know Samsung. They are very concerned about patent rights and nothing they make will make it out the door without a guard before a mass market rollout. By the way, most of the prototypes are destroyed after a mass market product is developed.


Besides, Samsung typically in my experience is not concerned with other people patents and in recent years has been in court a number of times where other people have sued them for patent infringement. They would not want it known that they stole the design for their display screen from someone else, so they had something for the shows while they came up with an original design.

 

[Robert2413]



Quote:
Originally Posted by -=Kamikaze=- /forum/post/17018616


I am getting rid of my LCD, I cant stand it and I don't want to make another purchase that I know is nothing but a waste of money designed to tie me over.

Pioneer KRP-500s are still available from some dealers. I bought one recently. Blacks are very impressive -- this and the 101FD are the only Pioneer panels to use elements of their 10th generation, "zero luminance" design.