HDTV Expert - End of the Road for RPTV - by Pete Putman
Mitsubishi has ended all production of rear-projection DLP televisions effective November 30, 2012, discontinuing its 73-inch, 82-inch, and 92-inch models as part of an orderly exit from the consumer TV business. The collapse was driven by plummeting LCD prices, with Sharp's 70-inch Aquos undercutting the category at under $2,000, while global RPTV shipments fell nearly 75% from 32,000 units in Q4 2011 to just 9,000 in Q3 2012. For consumers, this marks the definitive end of large-screen rear-projection as a viable display option, leaving Mitsubishi to refocus on commercial AV, front projection, and laser and LED light engine development.