Plasma or LCD? Share your knowledge here.

[e30pwr]

I worked for 2 years and my dad owned the company, installing low voltage in Mill$+ homes, Plasma is garbage.

If you can swing it LED, if not then get an LCD.

[daniel]

^I know, the obsession with thin TV's kills me. I love my 3 year old 50" Samsung DLP.

"Hai guize look at mah thin TVs!!!!"

Is that an entertainment center below it, with all your audio gear taking up the same amount of space on the floor? The same amount of space if the TV was still on top it?

i've had to move my 40 inch LCD like 4 or 5 different times. it definitely helps that i can carry it myself (even up stairs) and it fits in my car.

For LCDs to create blacks the lcd panel has to try and block all the light coming through the from the back light - worse for the new bright LED backlit ones...

this is probably as close to "plasma fanboy" as you can get. dont just start making things up. aside from having a greater color gamut, the LED backlit LCDs produce greater black levels because of the fact that there is an array of LEDs behind the LCD panel rather than just one large light source. this allows for select LEDs to be shut off completely to produce black. is it still as good as a high-end plasma? no, it isn't. but it isn't harder to "block all the light coming through from the back light" just because LEDs are the light source. don't you think TV companies would've come up with something different, rather than a technology that only made it harder to recreate black?

[einstein57]

I have a couple of 42" plasmas. One is a six year old NEC and the other is a panasonic. The NEC was used mostly for gaming but was retired to TV use only when we got a 65" sony. The panasonic is used for tv/gaming/computer and works great. Pixel burn in is negated by pixel shift and a warm setup. They do generate a ton of heat and are heavy as shit compared to newer models. My fiances Vizio is garbage in comparison. My next tv will be one of those ultra thin lcd units.

[clavinZERO]

Luke...

Another thing you may want to consider is the ability to hook up the HTPC via digital connection ("white" DVI-to-HDMI) or just analog connection (VGA "blue").

My new Sony KDL-4VL160 (Costco) was detected nicely by the systems I hooked it up to in both digital and analog fashions.

As far as the blacks go, I have never really found there to be a really critical difference, especially lately and especially with with the two technologies NOT sitting side by side in my living room to compare.

Current versions of both types are VERY nice... +1 on making your budget and then finding the one that's the prettiest in your eyes that you can afford, making sure it has the inputs you need (which most always do).

Wall mounting: I believe (unless radical changes have happened) LCD are far lighter and more energy efficient as well.

I agree with the Sony and Samsung lovers in the crowd here. You can't go wrong there.

One side note... the 120Hz shit... fine for games and soaps and sports. 120Hz can EAD when it comes to movies!! 24fps for movies or the normal 60Hz style is much, much prettier.

Go play with some TVs at a place with a Blu-Ray player on them.

My vote: mid level to mid-high level LCD with ability to turn on/off 120Hz/24fps cinema mode.

[PiercedE30]

Make sure you get an ATI CableCard tuner for that HTPC. You can throw up to 4 cable cards in it an record something ridiculous like 16 channels at once using WMC in Windows 7. (including ppv)

[Naplm00]

unless you are watching yourself perform on the TV.....


I have a 1080 42" Panasonic plasma (TX-P42G10)

For the natural colors and proper blacks the neoPDP just cant be beat when I compared it to LCDs.

For LCDs to create blacks the lcd panel has to try and block all the light coming through the from the back light - worse for the new bright LED backlit ones...

in the plasmas the tubes generate all the light so to create a black they just don't generate the light.

just my opinion of course and the g10 are nearer to the top of the Panasonic range so a bit more expensive....

but for use in the bedroom for that closeup .......

I tested a G10 here for comparo and it is a nice unit, the internet functions are OK for a TV in that price point. I want a fan of the non-vivid settings.


What you say here is partiall true, with CCFL and edge-lit LED LCD, it it harder to create a high contrast picture due to the type of lighting tech.

newer "local dimming" LED LCD aviod this by having the light array s directly behind the screen area, allowing for a darkening of the screen in more specific areas.



When i compare Plasma to LCD for people, unless you are willing to shell out $$ for a high end LCD from this year or last and you want a CRT like sharpness and black levels, go with plasma. You wil have burn in and half life issues down the road, but at the cost of the TV, you will ba able to afford another at that point. If you just want a great picture that uses less energy, creates less heat and looks good in direct viewing go with LCD. If you have the cash and want the absolute best of both words go with a local dimming LED LCD.

on that note my father was recently looking for a new HDTV soi bought hima 50 in plasma, 2008 550 model. He loves it, great picture and looks like his old 32 in set with high contrast and sharpness. Cost was the major deceiding factor.

[Naplm00]

OK, so a guy on CL says he has TVs that are open box, but shipping is too expensive to return them to the manufacturer, so we sell them here on the cheap. He claims full warranty. He has the Samsung LN40B550K1FXZA for $550.

He claims to have a business, a warehouse, etc. Claims he has several in stock.

Seems like a total BS deal to me.

What say you? Do you think I could get service if there was an issue?

Thanks,
Luke

Its most likey bull, I would go see the TVs in person. We dont accept return directly from dealers anyway, only resellers. To RX a full warrenty, you would need a recipt that shows what you paid and when you paid it. Handwritten are not accepted for service.

Most likely he is a dealer and has had a few bad TVs or some returns due to defects. Then use tha parts from the defects to make a few good ones. THer really sint anyway for a consumer to tell.


If i were you, i would go to a big box or club retailer and buy a new one, sealed in box. Costco will have the same quality picture ina cheaper package. THis is how it works:

The LN40B550K1FXZA you mentioned before.

LN=LCD
40=size diag
B=2009
550= model
K1F=designation
XZA= US market TV


if this was the comprable costco model it would be the

LN40B530K1FXZA or the LN40B540K1FXZA

the panel and picture is the same, but it may have 1 less input or feature, like internet or RF remote.



You can save some $$ here and still get a great picture for less cash.

[gjuu]

Does not compute.

The bedroom is for two things. And watching TV isn't one of them.

unless you are watching yourself perform on the TV.....


I have a 1080 42" Panasonic plasma (TX-P42G10)

For the natural colors and proper blacks the neoPDP just cant be beat when I compared it to LCDs.

For LCDs to create blacks the lcd panel has to try and block all the light coming through the from the back light - worse for the new bright LED backlit ones...

in the plasmas the tubes generate all the light so to create a black they just don't generate the light.

just my opinion of course and the g10 are nearer to the top of the Panasonic range so a bit more expensive....

but for use in the bedroom for that closeup .......

[z31maniac]

^I know, the obsession with thin TV's kills me. I love my 3 year old 50" Samsung DLP.

"Hai guize look at mah thin TVs!!!!"

Is that an entertainment center below it, with all your audio gear taking up the same amount of space on the floor? The same amount of space if the TV was still on top it?

[e34john]

We got a Samsung 67 inch LED DLP a few months ago. Why the hell did they stop making them!? Who cares about the bling flat TV factor. That TV is awesome and less than half of the price of a wall mount setup. The thing is only 10 inches or so deep and I need a stand for the video games, dvd player and cable box so theres no point for me to pay so much more for nothing. Wish they would keep making them I want a 42 inch or so for the bedroom. If you can wait get it after the football season when every returns their Superbowl party TVs to Bestbuy.

[daniel]

there is a really important fact you state here, and its that you will be using the screen as a computer monitor. there is a reason they don't make plasma computer monitors. yes, burn in is less likely these days, BUT it still happens, and your setup would be a great candidate for burn in.

also, for less than $1000, you aren't going to get an LCD or plasma that has really great black level performance to where you would regret buying one over the other.

i say get the LCD, but spend a little more to get a samsung/sharp of better quality. also, if you wait until black friday you will get some really ridiculous deals in store and online.

[StereoInstaller1]

I work for Samsung as a support engineer at the US HQ in NJ. Pm me for anything you would like to know.

In short: Plasma is a dying techology, new LED driven LCDs are the best picture on the market.

OK, so a guy on CL says he has TVs that are open box, but shipping is too expensive to return them to the manufacturer, so we sell them here on the cheap. He claims full warranty. He has the Samsung LN40B550K1FXZA for $550.

He claims to have a business, a warehouse, etc. Claims he has several in stock.

Seems like a total BS deal to me.

What say you? Do you think I could get service if there was an issue?

Thanks,
Luke

[Naplm00]

We stopped manufacturing DLPs about 2 years ago in the us market.

IF you want the BEST bang for the buck in a Samsung TV

get last years 50 or 55 in LED LCD 750 series B model TV. IT has the came intenal componnts as our 8000 from this year and has local dimming. True 240 hz and hdmi 1.3a. Really cant be beat for the $$ now.


I'm glad you guys all like ou TVs so much. here is a little eye candy from my living room. (dont mind the mess)




HPR80

[Jand3rson]

get LCD..

Or LED, or DLP. I believe plasmas to be vastly overrated.

[selturk]

get LCD..