While browsing through the latest Harvey Norman catalogue online, I spotted this on page 11:
It reads Price Breakthrough — Plasma TV below $1,000. Indeed, thanks to advancement in technology, manufacturing, the strong Aussie dollar and cheap Chinese labour and currency, Harvey Norman is now selling this 106 cm/42 inch “HD ready” plasma TV, branded “Celestial”, for merely $999! Those 42 inch beast used to cost 10 times the price! They were so expensive 4 years ago that even John Howard had to borrow one! Yes I know that there were only expensive brands like Sony and Panasonic back then, but I am still fascinated on how quick the price has dropped.
Apparently Harvey Norman is not the only one that breaks through the price. Actually if you find things sell this cheap in HN — you will probably find them cheaper elsewhere. Yesterday the new Big W catalogue came out, and the catchy item on the front page? AWA 42 inch/106cm Plasma TV for $998, and it is an everyday price, not even a promotional item. The same deal — High Definition ready, HDMI input, 1024×768 good for 720p, and good brightness and contrast that you normally get from plasma TVs.
It also emphasised “Made in Korea”, which I guess Big W is trying to distinguish it from other Chinese-made products.
Who said big plasma TV is a luxury item?
How long will the TV last? I still haven’t got the guts to buy those non-branded products for something that worth over $100 dollars.
Hi Scott,
Just stopping by and saying HI. I wish you the best :)
Is made in Korea better? I guess their industry has a better rep but I wouldnt be sure
@Jonk — I guess better is a relative term. Better than whom? I think the emphasis here is definitely trying to differentiate themselves from Chinese-made products. Maybe Korean-made products are like Japanese-made products 30 years ago — good quality but cheap.
Cool. I haven’t really heard of AWA but the price breakthrough is still quite exciting
Why would you buy a no brand if you can get the real deal for a little bit more.
There is one site in the net where you can get the NEC PXT-42XD1 42 PLASMA 1024 X 768 for $1694. I’d rather spend the $700 more and know that it doesn’t fall apart.
They also have the Panasonic 42 Viera HD PLASMA TV for $1860.94.
http://www.justplasmas.com.au
Hope I could help.
Regards
Timo
@Timo — $998 vs. $1694 is NOT “a little bit more”. It is ALMOST DOUBLE the price.
AWA is a brand that I am familiar with from back in the 80′s in Colorado USA
Good quality stuff at a dirt cheap price. This is a good-find for me. I’ll go buy
mine now while you guys are blowing an unnecessary grand on a name-brand.
And buying at Big-W guarantees me at least a year, cause if it stuffs up for any
reason I can always return it with full money-back!
I agree with Yankee Roo! because i have an old AWA 51cm analogue tv for 9 years and it is still going strong . Plus i purchased a 106cm AWA Plasma 5 months ago from Big W for $998 and it is really a good buy and gives an exellent picture etc. You do need a HD set top Box for HD pictures etc.
Concerning BIG W AWA 81 PLASMA. YES or NO?. 100HZ? And “princeé in Oz” comment. Are you sure??? The setup look sort of rubbish in Big W playing Nemo last week and though an cheapy AV cord and AWA DVD player and this is the case at many different stores dont’t care setup. That’s not even pregessive picture on that composite lead. YAK. Hope my VHS don’t look like that or I’ll go CRT interlace. AWA LCD and PLASMA. I’m too concidering (budget) a SD PLASMA AWA 81 from big w for about $550. Only want SD and 480p so why play for HD. Only have VHS for REcording playback so is this an issue too? I understand from reading you need to Professionaly CALIBRATE THEM to appriate them and you just fiddle with settings without proper knowelge you can ruin them. Does this include the Budget TVs??? Is this TV good for xbox 360 and more importantly DREAMCAST with VGA. Surly you know what I mean by the picture setup in these store looks amost rubbish — ugly colour, pixated, static, jaggered pictures. Can I play a VHS TAPE ON IT as its not HD. Is there a Interlace Mode incase progessive converted is distored? IS 81cm PLASMA = actually 68cm Fullscreen. So MANY Questions. All I WANT IS (incl CRTs too) 1 Turn it ON to a Plan BLACK and It’s NICE PITCH BLACK –LIKE GREESE BLACK. 2 Puts a Logo or xbox logo and NO JAGGETED EDGES + SMOOTH boarders. 3. FACIAL TONES NATURAL. 4. IF LCD NO LIGHT LEEKING COLOURS.
I Go to CAPALABA BIG W. SEE YOU THERE. LAST YEAR or LATER BIG W PLAYED BACK TO THE FUTURE ON one of those LCD or PLASMA screen. I THOUGHT IT WAS AWESUME and was not complaining. Can anyone remember the model.
AWA used to be a big name in Australia, making all kind of electrical goods in Sydney. They closed down and sold their name only to a Chinese company who make the TVs referred to. Almost everything is made in China now and the quality can be very good or very bad.Do your research first
My HD box works great through my 106 cm AWA hd ready plasma TV. However the dvd’s seem to be quite dotty…especially in the darker scenes, but the whole round picture quality on DVD is not very good…im am using good component cables, and a sansui dvd player…can someone please tell me why this might be happening…
thanks
mike
I have one of the original Celestial models that Harvey Norman sold over three years ago… never a blink of a problem… in FACT… I have yet to see a TV that has as good a picture for under $4000. I will put my ‘cheap’ Celestial up against anybody’s for picture quality. Only thing I hate about mine is it has no HDMI port :( But at $999 I would gladly buy another. I am VERY VERY happy with my purchase and would recommend to anybody.
I bought one of these TVs from Big W for $898 ($100) off normal price. TV was easy to set up, excellent picture. Only negatives is the average audio quality and no audio output – plenty of inputs!
Would recommend to anyone.
On Thursday 24 July, at BigW (Hyperdome, Loganholme), hardly more than five minutes after the store opened, I ordered a Sanyo HD 106cm plasma, with their special deal of $794.
Their ad claimed the special was until 6 August.
When the store rep took down my name and address I was about sixth on his list.
Now I am told the warehouse has run out. Yeah right!
They said they may be able to supply an AWA for the same price (with separate set top box).
Excited I am not.
By-the-way.
I have an old JVC 20′ I bought in 1978.
It still works. My wife keeps it in her sewing room . . . . . just not as good in resolution as today’s TV.
Regarding the ‘Celestial’ brand Plasmas from Harvey Norman. I got one and it comes with a Harvey Norman 4 year warranty for free!! – This is my second plasma, the first was an LG and it experienced ‘Screen sparkles’ after 12 months and had to have major components replaced!!!
My son just bought a 42″ Celestial for $999, he wasn’t happy with the picture at all, he also tried the 42″ Samsung for $998, that one was even worse. You definitely get what you pay for. Luckily he could get a refund. Excellent customer service from Harvey Norman.
Hi, I have the Celestial 42″ 106cm plasma , i have had it for 2 weeks now won it at the Liverpool Catholic Club and i am very happy with it. I also have a 101cm samsung and can’t see the difference when watching.
Well Big W have the AWA plasmas on special for $998 and they have sold out of them this week. I’m guessing with the collapse of the Aussie dollar that $998 is now an “on special” price? Whatever, my piece of junk LG died immediately after the warranty ran out, and they don’t supply parts, just complete ‘assemblies’ that cost $700 plus labour… what a rip off!!! This time the AWAs have a 3 year warranty which is great for a $998 plasma. I’ll take Big Ws warranty over a Harvey Norman one any day. Big W give a new replacement for faulty items, none of this being without a TV for 2 months while it’s being ‘repaired’. Yay Big W :o) boo LG :( meh Celestion :p
I forgot to mention, this batch have HD tuners as well, so that makes them a total bargain! 3 year warranty, $998, what more could you ask for under a grand? An integrated blu-ray player? That’s what will be next, you heard it here LOL
So I bought the AWA TV from Big W tonight and got home set it up and I was blown away by the picture. The inbuilt HD tuner is a bit average, but once I hooked it up to my LG HD PVR it put out an outstanding image. I had to back off the saturation a lot to get more natural colours out of it, but once I did that the image just blew me away. I used to think my LG DLP RPTV was good, this made it looked like a washed out piece of rubbish. I cannot believe this set was only $998. Without a doubt this set comes highly recommended. just back the saturation off to 38 and wind the contrast out to 80 for an amazing image. Also the equalizer needs to be tweaked, best to have a lower peak in the middle frequencies, and the roll the higher frequencies off a little. This may be because the speakers need to be run in a little, but it did sound a little harsh until I did this. Without a doubt, the best $998 I have ever spent!
I picked up the AWA 42inch (same as Big W $998.00 model) at a Betta Electrical store that was closing down for $800.00 Interesting the store owner told me that the factory warranty is only 12mths on the AWA plasmas and 3 years on the AWA lcd models. I rang Big W and they confirmed what Betta Electrical had said was correct. I told Big W there advertising sign said 3year warranty on the AWA $998.00 Plasma and she said she would have to correct it. I than rang AWA themselves and asked them and they also verified that the AWA factory warranty on the Plasma was 1 Year and had no idea that Big W was advertising them with a 3 year warranty.
I must say I am delighted with the AWA plasma running it through Foxtel gives an amazing clear picture with excellent colours. The only trouble I have which I believe is common with Plasma tvs is the screen reflections which can be annoying. The dvd connection was also a bit of drama it was playing them in black and white to overcome this we connected the dvd to the tv through the s video ports and now it gives a great picture.
Yes I would recommend the AWA Plasma.
Have always had brand name tv’s e.g. Panasonic etc .but thought I would give someone else a go so I purchased a new Celestial 42″ LCD model no. LT4268MX and paid only $1400.00 from Harvey Norman, has anyone had any problems with this model?
Was told that the components are the same as Samsung, hope the sales guy was telling the truth!
i am running my 360 elite in HD and have done so for the last 2 year when i brought im AWA 42″ plasma. and i can tell you now is has never had even one problem. and with the VGA input it seconds as a second computer screen. so those wondering if its worth it. I say Hell YER
Big w $600.00
I have a 1978 AWA coloured TV, Which I have I have only spent about $50 in repairs since new, It has a fantastic picture I do not want to get rid of it and was wondering IF I could fit a set top box to it. It only has the flat arial cable and a roof top arial,I wanted to see how long it would last before it finally dies. which looks like 2103 thanks to new technology Is there a TV mechanic out there who can help me prolong it’s life.