TSN's SportsCentre broadcast
has one and the Canadian
government has one on order,
Thomas says of the TV that
first went on the market in
early spring.
The recent Welland purchase
is the first in Canada for
home use.
The 103-incher's resolution
is 1,980 by 1,080 pixels.
Guzzling 1,550 watts of
power and requiring several
cooling fans, its display
screen alone measures 2.27
metres wide and 1.28 metres
tall.
The display is the
equivalent of putting four
50-inch widescreen TVs
together in a big rectangle,
Thomas says, but while
noting picture quality is
not sacrificed. Sometimes
it's better.
"Basically it's the size of
a sheet of drywall, a piece
of plywood," Thomas says of
the entire unit, base
included.
One employee said during its
initial picture test, a boat
scene in the Pirates of the
Caribbean movie made him
seasick.
With changes in technology
over the years have come
changes to how people should
shop for TVs.
"The new rules are: get big
or get closer," Thomas says.
"It's more about what you
watch on it than the
distance you sit."
Those who do want
Panasonic's 103-inch model
in their living room must
pay a non-refundable
deposit. A company official
may want to do a home visit
to ensure it can fit.
Once the go-ahead is given,
a factory in Japan is told
to start making it.
The process typically takes
90 days.
"If you want it for the
Super Bowl, we need to do
the paperwork now," Thomas
says. "But what a Super Bowl
party that would be."
gfurminger@wellandtribune.ca
Article ID# 742304
