Very few Plasma T.V. manufacturers actually make their own plasma T.V's. Most use a system called re-badging. Basically they buy from a Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), claim to have a secret extra special feature then stick a new sticker on it and bill you thousands extra for the sticker.

THE MAJOR MANUFACTURERS

NEC - Nec is a OEM manufacturer, The company's plan is to supply industrial units under the NEC name and supply home units thru rebadges such as Marantz and RCA.

Panasonic - Makes the complete units, Supplies Toshiba, JVC, Fujitsu and more.

Pioneer - Makes all of there own equipment and sells OEM to Sharp Note: The 5030 and 4030 HD multimedia box is made by Sharp.

Fujitsu - Only makes their own 42 inch in partnership with Hitachi . 50 and 61 inch Fujitsu Plasmas are Panasonic and NEC but the 42 inch are their own. Note Hitachi plasma screens are identical to Fujitsu and cost thousands less.

Sony - Makes their own boards and chips but uses Fujitsu/ Hitachi plasma screen glass.

Hitachi - Owns 50% of plasma screen factory with Fujitsu. Makes own internal components.

Phillips - Uses Fujitsu/ Hitachi glass screen and most internal components as well. However, Phillips makes its own bezel with built in speakers.

LG / Zenith - Make their own glass in Korea.

Samsung - Makes its own components in Korea.



THE SECONDARY MANUFACTURERS


RCA/ Thompson - Partners with NEC to OEM its product. Just a NEC with a new bezel.

JVC - 50 inch is Panasonic, 42 is NEC

Toshiba - OEM from Panasonic.

Sharp - OEM product through Pioneer for 50" and 42 though they may make some internal component changes .

Runco - OEM 50" from Pioneer and 42" from NEC,

Marantz - OEM 42" plasma monitor from NEC.

Viewsonic - OEM 50" plasma screen from Pioneer ( old 502 ).

Sampo - 42v3 is old Fujitsu, 42v6 is Samsung Plasma.

I am well aware of this, back in the seventies I did a little TV repair and the schematic's we used were sometimes generic, i.e. most big stores such as Sears had thier products made by companies like SONY. RCA, COBRA CB, I would like to know who makes VIZIO products, as I bought a 42 " about 3 YR'S ago for $1200 when the average was about $3000 and have had no problem and a great picture.

AMTRAN Technology, a Taiwanese company.

Then you would remember Zenith was the last USA made TV's in Springfield,MO.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m...25/ai_14171976

Bob, I didn't know that, interesting, I played with TV repair in the 70'S.