What's After Big-Screen TVs?
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- With her hands on the remote and her eyes glued to the screen, Sara Boyd couldn't be happier with her crisp, clean picture.
"It was basically, it was all motivated for the football season," Boyd laughed.
But in reality, just take a look at the picture quality and you have to admit that everything looks better on her new 46-inch big screen TV.
"I think we went a little bit bigger once we actually saw them," she said.
Boyd isn't alone. Inside his cozy St. Paul home, Justin Dexheimer's spending more TV time too. He proudly proclaims that his 46-inch flat panel was worth the wait. It's a top of the line model that will suit his viewing and gaming interests for years to come.
"I play video games and watch movies and all that stuff but a 46 (inches) was a nice medium point," said Dexheimer.
Yet, despite continually falling prices, sales of the mega sets are sliding too. After several years of 20 percent growth in the sales of big screen TVs, 2010 will come in at slightly under a 3 percent sales gain.
That's a concern to electronics manufacturers not only for the slowdown but also because their next generation of sets is slow to catch on with consumers. Sales of Internet TV and the highly promoted three-dimensional or 3D flat screens have been, well, flat.
Part of the dilemma is that roughly two-thirds of all American households already own one or more big screen TVs. That begs the question, where will the next big growth area for manufacturers come from?
Experts say consumers should get ready for a really big experience -- one where the entire movie theatre is built right into your home.
"It's more about the actual content, that's what's driving all this now," said Mike Rasque.
He sells home theatre systems for Halsten Entertainment in Golden Valley. The company has already seen rapid growth in the more expensive home theatre designs. Rasque explains that sales are up close to 20 percent over last year.
"The fact is that a lot of your big projectors and 100-plus-inch screens have only got much better over the years, so they're at levels now where the price is good and you can get a larger, more of a theatre experience for a very good price and the performance is excellent," explained Rasque.
Theater viewing at home that both Boyd and Dexheimer admit they will wait to experience. At least until the thrill of a 46-inch big screen is no longer big enough.
WCCO-TV's Bill Hudson Reports
