Canon and Toshiba are finalizing preparations for a venture that would produce flat-panel televisions based on surface-conduction electron-emitter display (SED) technology.
The two companies intend to demonstate prototypes at the Winter Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January.
Canon and Toshiba will start selling the large-sized flat TVs in 2005, according to a report in a local Japanese newspaper.
The SED display, which is based on field emission, is Canon’s proprietary technology that Canon has been working on since the mid 80s. The company showed a 10-inch prototype panel at SID in 1998. At that time, Canon had been working with Victor Company of Japan, Ltd. (JVC) to implement the SED technology into a TV set. JVC eventually pulled out of the venture.
