Reuters reports both Sony and Toshiba increasing their outsourced LCD production in Taiwan to cut costs. For example ...

"Sony, which outsourced production of roughly 500,000 LCD televisions to Taiwanese firms in the 2007 business year, is set to raise this to more than 3 million in the current business year ending in March 2009".

This on top of claims in Canada last December that one in four "big name" TVs are in fact made by "no-name" Taiwanese companies. Who probably make the same "no name" TVs we label queens sneer at in the supermarkets.

Among the big names Panasonic and Sharp are reported to be committed to making their own TVs - but how long will that last with prices coming down and margins under pressure?

Does it matter though? In my experience Dyson cleaners actually got better after Dyson stopped making then.



http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssC...21244420080816

http://www.digitalhome.ca/content/view/2163/206/

http://www.techradar.com/news/televi...rce-tvs-453305

Considering of the four manufacturers listed here, Sony UK are the only one NOT to have bought TV's in, I fail to see how Panasonic and Sharp are "committed to making their own TV's", when they have bought and badged in the past?.

I've never seen any Sony TV's made in Taiwan, although if it's a Sony designed product (Panasonic and Sharp just bought and badged cheap sets) I doubt it would make much difference.

Currently Sony UK sets are made in Spain, Slovakia and Hungary (at last count) - but 'made' isn't really the term I would use, they are just 'assembled' using PCB's and components sent there from the Far East.

As for the LCD panels Sony use, curently they are usually SLCD in the more expensive models, and usually AU Optronics in the cheaper ones. But due to SLCD not been able to manufacture enough panels, Sony are adding Sharp LCD panels to their range as well.

I presume the Reuters article refers to America?, where they have long had cheaper made sets than Europe do.

I think you are right, Nigel, "assembled by Sony in Hungary (or wherever) from a kit made by someone else in Taiwan" is probably a pretty fair summary of a Sony TV these days.

I suppose that's just globalisation, isn't it?

But if I were paying the Dorchester for room service and found out my meal had been "assembled from a kit of ingredients bought in from the Happy Eater" I might not be best pleased.

I suppose that's why Sony and other "premium" brands no longer command much of a premium as far as price is concerned.

Except they do, quality of construction, reliability, and performance are all higher than the cheaper makes.

As far as I'm aware the PCB's are made in Japan, but certainly in Sony facilities, as you can tell by the construction of the boards.