WEGA
WEGA (ベガ, pronounced "Vega") was Sony's brand name for its premium FD Trinitron television line, introduced in 1997. The name was originally used by Sony in Germany as a product brand before being adopted globally for the new flat-screen television series.
History
Sony launched the WEGA brand in 1997 with the release of seven FD Trinitron models, including the flagship KW-32HDF9 and KW-28HDF7. The series combined Sony's newly developed FD Trinitron flat-screen technology with DRC (Digital Reality Creation) signal processing.
The FD Trinitron WEGA series became the top-selling television model in the United States by 2001. By 2003, over 40 million WEGA sets had been sold worldwide.
Technology
WEGA televisions were distinguished by several key technologies:
- FD Trinitron — Completely flat screen surface (both vertically and horizontally) that reduced glare and geometric distortion
- DRC (Digital Reality Creation) — Sony's proprietary upscaling technology that enhanced standard-definition content to near-HD quality
- Hi-Scan — Sony's trademark for Trinitron displays capable of processing 1080i signals
- Super Fine Pitch — High-resolution tube variants with very fine aperture grille stripe pitch
End of Production
Sony transitioned to the BRAVIA brand for LCD televisions in 2005, though CRT models retained the WEGA name. Sony ended production of Trinitron televisions in Japan in 2004 and in the United States in 2006. Worldwide CRT production from Sony's Singapore plant ended in March 2008.
Legacy
The FD Trinitron WEGA series remains highly sought after among retro gaming enthusiasts for its excellent picture quality, flat screen design, and component video inputs on later models.
