Both Toshiba and Canon will launch SED (surface-conduction electron-emitter display) televisions in 2008. The two companies launched a joint venture back in 2004 to manufacture SED panels but bringing the technology to market has been hampered by the fact that SED manufacturing costs are higher than those of both LCD and plasma. As a result, the release of SED televisions has been pushed back as the companies try to reduce manufacturing costs further.
Toshiba now plans to unveil a 55-inch SED TV in 2008. A prototype was on display this week at Ceatec, a high-tech trade show in Tokyo. It will sell at a premium over LCD as it promises to deliver better image quality (contrast ratio of 50,000:1 and response time of one millisecond), more efficient power consumption and a thinner panel. Depending on how sales go, the two companies will then decide whether to release smaller models or larger ones (or both).