In the first quarter of 2008, global LCD sales outpaced the sale of plasma HD/SD sets by a wide margin of eight to one, but the far older technology of CRT still outsells both of them, albeit barely, thanks to CRT’s lower price points in most parts of the world. (However, most CRT units sold globally are not HD.)

According to research firm DisplaySearch, slightly more than 21 million LCD HD/SD sets were sold in the first quarter of 2008, compared to 2.8 million plasma sets. But also globally, old-technology CRT sets were still the top-selling television technology with 22.1 million units sold. Rear-projection units (RPTV) could only muster sales of 134,000 units worldwide for the quarter.

Yet time is quickly running out for CRT and, apparently, RPTV, as well. Compared to the same quarter a year ago, CRT sales were down 21 percent, while LCD and plasma posted 45- and 200 percent gains, respectively. RPTV was just under 80 percent.