In case anybody else was wondering why it tanked today:
From Arizona Republic:
[size=1.75]Valley & state business briefs
Mar. 21, 2007 12:00 AM
HDTV maker will fight foreign patent lawsuit
Syntax-Brillian Corp. says it will fight a patent infringement lawsuit filed against it last week.
The Tempe-based maker of high-definition televisions was one of three firms named in the suit, which Japanese TV maker Funai Electric filed in U.S. District Court.
Funai claims Syntax-Brillian and TV makers Vizio and Petters Group Worldwide infringed on technology it licenses for use in TV tuners.
"Our technical guys took a look at this technology even before we got the lawsuit served on us," said Wayne Pratt, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Syntax-Brillian. "Based on what our technology staff looked at, Funai's claims are without merit, so . . . we're going to defend this thing vigorously."
The technology is used in tuner chips that Syntax-Brillian purchases from its suppliers, Pratt said.[/size]
It sounds like frivolous BS and likely Funai is just pissed that BRLC is starting to play in their back-yard (Japan). Funai filed a similar suite against other companies in January and there are already counter-suits filed against them. The tuners are cheap, there is no "magic" to Funai's particular tuner, BRLC doesn't even make them (they are purchased from outside suppliers) and if necessary could buy them from a variety of manufacturers.
That said, this trade is dead. Big money will likely stay away until this is settled. I purchased (this time) as a long term hold (in IRA), so I'll just be watching to see if the gap to 6.58 gets filled - that's where I'll be looking to double up.