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RPTVs in Tokyo

628 Views 13 Replies 6 Participants Last post by rogo, Jan 26, 2004

ks-man

Discussion Starter · Jan 24, 2004

I'm in Japan on business so I thought it would be interesting to check out what the tvs are like out here and if they are cheaper than back in the US. I went to a number of electronic stores and something interesting I noticed is while there are numerous plasma and LCD flat panel sets, there aren't any DLP and LCP RPTVs. I'm not sure why this is as obviously certain brands that make them (sony, toshiba etc.) are Japanese. It could have something to do with the size of Japanese homes b/c they are much smaller than US homes. I found some flat screen 32 inch tvs and some 34 inch RPTV but other than those they are all plasmas when you get larger.

Prices aren't much different from the US. A 50" plasma was going for around 850,000 yen ($8,000) and the Sharp Aquos 37" was about 500,000 yen ($4,800) I'm not sure how that compares to the US.

I was quite disappointed though b/c I wanted to see what other offerings they had in Japan but unless you are willing to go flat panel your options are severely limited once you go above 30". I'm wondering if anyone else is familiar with the topic and knows of anything different. My company is considering to relocate me out here so it definitely is an area of interest for me.

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rogo

· #2 · Jan 24, 2004

It has everything too do with the size of Japanese homes. RPTVs are essentially only sold in North America. Not entirely, but essentially. I think more than 80% of RPTV production comes here and I'm fairly sure that's in the ballpark of accurate.

That price on the Sharp 37" is a very good vs. the U.S. for retail, btw.

When you relo, you'll have to learn to stop worrying and embrace the panel.

Mark

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Jet Champion

· #3 · Jan 25, 2004

Is there any correlation between what the Japanese watch and what their companies will eventully be marketing here? Maybe rear projection LCD and DLP are thought to be dead ends and the Japanese are betting on plasma and flat panel LCD.

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ks-man

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jan 25, 2004

I'm not sure if it is because they think that RPTV is dead. I'm more inclined to agree with Rogo that a typical Japanese home is far too small to accomodate a larger tv. I forgot that the apartments I looked at are far larger and more luxurious than what a regular Japanese person can afford. Most expats have companies paying their housing allowance which allows them to live in a reasonable size home.

My allowance is 1,000,000 yen a month ($10,000) which will get me a 1400 sf apartment. A regular Japanese family can't afford that and would instead be living in a far smaller place. Since they are so pressed for room hanging larger tv sets on the walls seems to be the only space effective way (or else they go for smaller sets).

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htwaits

· #5 · Jan 25, 2004

A few years ago our son's Japanese company provided him with a 230 sq.ft. apartment that would have cost about $800 if he was paying for it. At the time about 1/3 of the people living in Tokyo were in apartments that were smaller. No RPTV would have been possible.

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ks-man

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jan 25, 2004

It's funny as an American to picture a 230 sf apartment that has virtually nothing in it all decked out with a 42" Plasma television.

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htwaits

· #7 · Jan 25, 2004

Quote:

Originally posted by ks-man
It's funny as an American to picture a 230 sf apartment that has virtually nothing in it all decked out with a 42" Plasma television.

My son's apartment had a single bed, a small table and two chairs, a stove, refrigerator and sink, and the cloths washer shared space with his shower. I think he even has a small TV. He thought it was a pretty good deal.

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rogo

· #8 · Jan 25, 2004

"My allowance is 1,000,000 yen a month ($10,000) which will get me a 1400 sf apartment. "

Try to grasp this... Even in Manhattan, $10,000 a month would rent you a pretty spectacular flat. In Japan, it gets you 1400 square feet -- not chopped liver, but hardly a palace, either.

I am >>certain

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drumsky

· #9 · Jan 25, 2004

over the last 15 years, i concur with the CW on this thread - it's a function of space, ESPECIALLY in Tokyo (which is arguably the most expensive city in the world per sq. foot). the concept of a 55-inch RPTV taking up half the space in a tokyo flat is as foreign to them as driving a friggin' Ford Expidition through the crowded narrow streets of tokyo (much less PARKING it)!!! if you went A/V window shopping, you probably noticed the same thing w/respect to speakers - no massive towers over there, but the quality of their micro sysytems is amazing. there's a REASON they are masters at building very nice small cars - they simply DON'T have the space we do here in america. it is a very densely populated country, and they live accordingly.

question for you, ks-man...what section of tokyo did you do your window shopping in? from what i have been told (and seen), akihabara (electronics city) has the most stores. the LAOX store in particular, which i have visited many times, is especially impressive.

ps - how do you like being over there? i absolutely love it.

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ks-man

Discussion Starter · #10 · Jan 25, 2004

I was in Akihabara looking around. I'm not sure which stores I was in as they all looked very similar. I enjoy the city a lot. Certain things are quite expensive here but there are other ways one finds to live which is no more expensive than back in the States. Real estate is the one exception of course as space is very limited.

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drumsky

· #11 · Jan 25, 2004

it's like the vatican or mecca of electronics! LOL

we used to stay in shinjuku, 1 block from the main station. i would always make a "pilgrimage" to akihabara.

and if you've looked around, it ain't just the big-screens that are small - everything from cellphones to MD players to laptops - it's all about "how small can we make it, and have it still be functional?"...

and you're right - despite the cost of housing, everything else is relatively affordable (no worse than paris, NYC, london, san fran, etc.). once i found a few reasonably priced restaurants, i was good to go (i LOVE sushi), and with their economy in what seems like permenant recession, hotels are not as much as you'd think.

her is LAOX map off their site: http://www.laox.co.jp/laox/eng_df.jsp

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rogo

· #12 · Jan 26, 2004

Must make the pilgrimage to Akihabara... On my life to-do list....

Mark

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Billped

· #13 · Jan 26, 2004

Quote:

Originally posted by rogo
Must make the pilgrimage to Akihabara... On my life to-do list....

Mark

Let me know when you want to go - I am a regular visitor as my in-laws live only 20 minutes or so away.

Maybe we can grab htwaits to have the full Palo Altan trio.

Yeah, I know there are others on the board from Shallow Alto but I can't remember everyone's handle.

BTW, $10K/month gets MUCH more than 1400 square feet in Japan. That rate is only common for the very inner portions of Tokyo. You can live much less expensively if you are willing to give up the ten minute commute.

Bill

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rogo

· #14 · Jan 26, 2004

I'd like to go this year, actually... Pick up 10,000 qualifying miles on American, spend a couple days in Tokyo as a taste of Japan, maybe see some sites...

No, I'm not kidding....

Mark

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