The company announced that of the 280,000 TVs sold, 20,000 were 50" and larger- a tenfold increase. Vizio also sold 7,000 high-definition sound bars.

"We consistently strive to offer consumers more and are pleased to see the great success of our high performance products which allow us to continue to grow and expand VIZIO products to a wider range of consumers seeking the latest technology at a great value," the company's co-founder, Laynie Newsome, said as part of the announcement.

"TV finally becomes real" in three dimensions, said Robert Perry, an executive vice president at Panasonic. "You're in it. It's the next frontier."

Perry compared the 3-D transition to the switch from black-and-white to color television and the shift from standard- to high-definition images.

ESPN is test-recording some sporting events in 3D, using cameras with two sets of lenses, which would make football players appear to jump out of home television screens during live 3-D broadcasts.

The company had been targeting a 2009 release for a larger successor to a model with an 11-inch screen released in late 2007, which is the first and only OLED TV to reach stores so far. That model's screen is three millimeters thick. But Sony has decided to push back the new model until at least next year, these people said.

The decision sends a message to Sony's engineers that returning its TV business to profitability is a priority. The business is on track to lose money for the sixth straight year. In the past, Sony's engineers could push the company to roll out products that were technological marvels but struggled to turn a profit.

The postponement opens the door to competitors such as LG Electronics Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. to assume leadership in a promising technology, touted as a potential replacement to liquid-crystal displays.

Among the many images brought to mind by the start of hurricane season, it's one of the more endearing; the whole family huddled together in the dark, watching the flickering light of the weather report on a black-and-white battery-powered television as storm clouds rumble overhead.

Unfortunately for the people who have grown attached to them, those little rabbit-ear emergency televisions are rendered useless by the digital transition, along with all other sets that still receive analog signals through the air.

Soyo makes LCD monitors, portable hard drives, and Bluetooth ear pieces, but is probably most recognizable since it owns the license to sell TVs under the Honeywell brand name. It's unclear how customers who recently bought Honeywell TVs are to deal with repairs or warranties issued by the company.

While Honeywell wasn't one of the top brands of TVs, its exit from the TV market is yet another sign of the ongoing shakeout taking place in the consumer electronics business. Syntax-Brillian, maker of Olevia brand HDTVs, filed for bankruptcy last summer, shortly after Philips turned over its North American TV operations to Funai.

More recently Pioneer has said it will no longer produce TVs after March 2010

This year is expected to be another record-breaking year for HDTV sales with 29.8 million HD sets expected to ship, out of a total of 34.5 million digital televisions sold in the U.S. in 2009. This is up from 26.8 million HD sets sold in 2008. In addition to key sporting events like the Super Bowl, another factor driving this demand is the drop in the average wholesale price of sets. In the past five years, the average wholesale price for an HDTV has fallen nearly 50% to $849 in 2009.

"Even in this tough economy HDTV growth has remained strong and steady," said Jason Oxman, CEA Senior Vice President, Industry Affairs. "Since the early days of HD, sporting events have lead the way in high-def broadcasts. Sixty percent of consumers said the Super Bowl is one of their favorite sports to watch in HD. It is no surprise that most Americans would not think of hosting a Super Bowl party without watching the game in HD."

All categories of digital television (DTV) sales are on the rise. CEA projects that more than 34.5 million DTVs will ship in 2009. The 26.8 million LCD TVs expected to ship will make up the bulk of these sales. Plasma displays will account for 10 percent of total sets sold in 2009. Overall digital displays remain the primary revenue driver for the industry with dollar shipments representing 15 percent of total industry sales in 2009.

• 66% of respondents less likely to purchase satellite radios
• 62% less likely to buy a portable GPS
• 63% of respondents said they are less likely to a smart phone
• 62% less likely to buy a new video game console
• 45% have post-poned plans to buy a new PC

How quickly thing change, especially in the world of electronics.

This year, as TV makers confront excess supply and shoppers show a reluctance to splurge on big-ticket items, Costco is selling bundles of two flat screen TVs, pricing two for basically the price of one.

Right now on Costco.com, consumers can buy a 52-inch Sharp LCD TV bundled with a 32-inch Sharp LCD TV for $1,799.99. Or shoppers can get two 42-inch LCD Sharp TVS for $1,499.99.

• Kim Komando has a great summary of some of the deals and prices to expect on electronics on Black Friday in her article on USA Today. She says Blu-ray Disc players will sell for about $150. She sees the price for 42-inch HDTV sets in the $600 range. You can see some more price targets for HDTV's this holiday here. Kim also expects good deals on digital frames with 7-inch frames gong for $30 and 9-inch frames about $50. However, she says not to expect discount on Wiis or iPhones.
• PSXExtreme reports that this Saturday Wal-Mart is offering a $100 gift card with a purchase of the 80GB PlayStation 3. The 80GB PlayStation 3 is listed at $399. Reuters is also reporting this deal as well as a basic Compaq laptop for $298.
• BlackFriday.info has posted the Black Friday ads for Lowe's. (via I4U News)
• The oddest Black Friday deal we have seen yet. The Journal Sentinel reports that free Jockey brand pajamas will be given to the first 500 shoppers who show up wearing pajamas at Prime Outlets at Pleasant Prairie which is near Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Does that make it worth it to wear pajamas? Maybe.
• K-Mart is also offering early Black-Friday special according to a Dallas Morning News article.
• Some current deals: eToys is offering free shipping on $50 Lego orders (ends 11-10-08). White House Black Market is offering an additional 25% off already reduced styles (ends 11-12-08).

The reason is obvious: the bear-market economy has caused many consumers to rein in their discretionary spending, and retailers are terrified that sales, especially for big-ticket items like televisions, will evaporate.

The site predicts that plasma TV prices on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving that kicks off the holiday buying spree, will fall to as low as $499 for a 42-inch model and $699 for a 50-incher. Meanwhile a $149 Blu-ray player may be in the offing, again from a no-name brand, along with $10 Blu-ray discs.

The upcoming DTV transition will help contribute to the price drops, according to the article, and as usual, plasma is less-expensive than LCD on an inch-for-inch basis. "LCD prices will remain higher than plasma, but they'll still dip considerably, with generic 42-inch 720p LCD HDTVs going for $599. Additionally, look for name-brand 46-inch or 47-inch 1080p LCD HDTVs to hit $799, and larger 52-inch 1080p HDTVs to drop to $1,199."