CCFL dominance does not guarantee LED TV is popular in the United States

According to IHS iSuppli’s US TV Consumer Preference Study report, U.S. TV buyers who choose to purchase LED-backlit TVs for the first time exceeded CCFL-backlit TVs that dominated the market for many years.

In the fourth quarter of 2011, the proportion of consumers who decided to purchase LED-backlit LCD TVs from the beginning increased to 54%, which is much higher than the 22% in the third quarter. This resulted in a sharp decline in the percentage of CCFL backlighting from 56% in the third quarter to 25%.

Of those consumers who decided to buy LED TVs, 54% had actual actions. More persuasively, those who originally preferred to purchase CCFL TVs eventually had 81% of their purchases of LED TVs.

LED and CCFL are two main types of LCD TV backlighting technologies, and CCFLs are older technologies. The LED consumes less power than the CCFL, has a longer life, is more environmentally friendly, and contains no mercury or lead. LED backlights also produce brighter white light and wider contrast ranges.

The latest survey results show that U.S. TV buyers have a better understanding of technology. The survey randomly selected 45,000 respondents from more than 2 million U.S. households each quarter, and this family bank continues to be updated. For many years, LCD has been dominant in the television field, and even after the media has widely publicized the advantages of LED as a new technology, TV buyers have not noticed market information about LEDs for a long time.

However, the situation is changing rapidly. In particular, the price of LED-backlit TVs has dropped, and the showrooms in retail channels have clearly shifted to new models. In the fourth quarter of 2011, the average price of a 42-inch 1080p, 120Hz LED was 862 US dollars, while the same specification CCFL LCD TV was 755 US dollars. A year ago, the price difference between the two was much greater. The LED price was $1,049 while the LCD was $800.

The survey report also showed that all LCD TVs, including LED backlighting and CCFL backlighting, accounted for about nine-tenths of the overall TV market, and the remaining 10% belonged to plasma TVs that did not use any backlight. The continuous decline in the price of LCD TVs, coupled with consumers' perception that plasma TVs have lower specifications, further hit the dying plasma market. It seems that the plasma TV will finally exit the TV market.

In the fourth quarter, the replacement rate of plasma TVs was also declining. Only 11% of plasma TVs were replaced by new plasma TVs, down from 21% in the third quarter. This shows even more that consumer loyalty to plasma technology continues to decline.

For those who buy LCD TVs, prices are still a major consideration, and image quality and screen size are increasingly becoming an important factor influencing purchase decisions. In contrast, the importance of Internet connectivity has declined because consumers have encountered difficulties in integrating this functionality into existing viewing platforms.

Other findings: The 32-inch is no longer the optimal size for liquid crystals. Its position was replaced by 40 to 42 inches. Although most newly purchased TVs are still placed in major areas such as the living room, family room or master bedroom, 10% are currently placed in the “other” bedroom, which is a record change.

The best brands in the fourth quarter were Sony, Samsung and Vizio. Previously, LG Electronics was the best brand for word of mouth. According to consumer feedback, these three brands continue to provide innovative, value-added features that value the user experience.

Among retailers, Amazon and Costco scored the highest, and the survey found that consumers are increasingly turning to online retailers to purchase high-quality and large-size TVs.