Chi Mei to develop LCD TV brand market

Taipei, July 31, 2003 (CENS)--Following LCD monitors, Chi Mei Optoelectronics Inc. expects to soon use the name of 'Next Vision' to develop its own LCD TV brand market, executives of the firm said yesterday.

The local TFT-LCD (thin film transistor-liquid crystal display) maker will debut its latest LCD TVs in the second half of the year, with the price set at a super-low level of NT$75,000 per unit. The firm expects to compete with local home appliance and information technology (IT) brand makers in the LCD TV business.

The price of Chi Mei's LCD monitors is cheaper by between 10% and 20% than leading brand counterparts such as BenQ and ViewSonic in the market. Chi Mei's LCD monitors are now warmly welcomed in the PC assembly market.

Through the sales experience in LCD monitors, Chi Mei is optimistic that it will also be successful in the LCD TV brand market in the future.

Chi Mei is now displaying its latest LCD TVs--30-, 27-, and 20-inch models at the 2003 Taipei Computer Applications Show, which opened yesterday at Taipei World Trade Center.

Chi Mei expects to start distribution of new LCD TVs in September. Teco Electric & Machinery has now sold its LCD TVs at the price of about NT$70,000 per unit.