LCD vs. Plasma and LOOKING
I am looking for a few things from this thread.
First, is there a difference between LCD and Plasma, a significant difference, I dont care for minute details.
Second, does it matter if I buy a Sony or a Sorny - is the value of the brand name worth the difference in price?
Third, is anyone selling a LCD or Plasma? Or have a contact?
I would prefer 42", but would entertain the idea of 32, 37, and 55.
Thanks,
Tom
First, is there a difference between LCD and Plasma, a significant difference, I dont care for minute details.
Second, does it matter if I buy a Sony or a Sorny - is the value of the brand name worth the difference in price?
Third, is anyone selling a LCD or Plasma? Or have a contact?
I would prefer 42", but would entertain the idea of 32, 37, and 55.
Thanks,
Tom
Comments
If you go 37" go with the $899 Viewsonic from Costco. I have one and it is great. You need to adjust the factory tuned settings to get the best picture, but I have the best settings if you need them.
If you want to spend more money and are going HD then get a 1080p set. The Viewsonic is a 1080i but the 1080p would be better.
PM me if you want to check mine out. The HD broadcast of Pens vs Sens tomorrow comes to mind...
From what I understand
Plasma
Pro
Better picture quality - colours are more vivid and true to life
Bigger overall availability compared to LCD
Cons
Heavier, often requiring special stands / mounts (i.e. once you put it somewhere, it best stay)
Pricier compared to LCD
LCD
Pros:
Cheaper pricing
More transportable - less heavy than Plasmas of similar sizing
Cons:
A slight lower quality of picture - colouring is not as rich as plasma (I believe it's most noticeable with "true black" colouring)
Size somewhat limited, though it is becoming closer to Plasmas
Other random thoughts: I prefer name brands myself, maybe I'm a rube, but there's something to be said for getting what you pay for.
Personally, I don't think you'll notice much difference between Plasma / LCD - quite frankly TV and standard DVD's aren't quite at the level to exploit these differences. However, I've not played with the nextgen DVD's....
Mark
pros for plasma
better picture quality (IMHO)
better refresh rates (good for fast moving pictures)
better contrast ratios (more colour)
cons
uses more energy
"burn in" issues, not as bad as the early ones, but it's still there.
don't bother getting 42" as the resolution isn't what it should be, get LCD if going for 42"
colour fades as it gets older
pros for LCD
sharper picture
no burn in
uses less energy
colour doesn't fade as time goes on, it simply stops working (which takes a long time)
cons for LCD
expensive at the bigger sizes 50" above
not the best contrast ratio
Even though I like the picture quality for plasma better, I went with LCD simply because I didn't want to deal with the cons for plasma. Still happy with it.
This is false, some people will tell you as well that you can recharge the plasma units but this is false as well, each cell is a sealed unit and when it goes it goes, there's no recharging or deterioration, it's either on or off just like an lcd panel.
However light leakage on an LCD is common and can result in plasma showing better colours overall and a better viewing angle.
People used to say LCD lasted longer and that was true but newer units last just as long now.
Go brand name, you get what you pay for.
my 2 cents:
plasma- better contrast because it shows deeper blacks
- better viewing angle
- better for larger resolutions (42" and up)
- screen burn in although it can happen is really not an issue now
- life span up to 60,000 hours on newer good name brands
lcd- less energy consumption
- more pixels for a higher native resolution
- better for smaller resolutions (under 42")
- no screen burn in
- life span up to 60,000 hours.
lcd is better in more well-lit areas. plasma is better in darker rooms.
Panasonic TH-50PH9UK
Panasonic TH-42PH9UK
Panasonic TH-37PH9UK
http://reviews.cnet.com/Panasonic_TH_50PH9UK/4505-6482_7-31986328.html?tag=lst
I think ultimately the pro's and con's of each make them so close I'd not hesitate to get either....I think the best thing you can do is go look at a few models of each type in your price range then pick the one that looks best to you. Try to get the store to mimic your viewing environment at home as close as possible.
E.
It must be opposite day. LCD does not look good in a well lit room. They excel in dark home theaters built in basements. Because of the screen, they can wash out in high-light conditions, so if it is in your living room close to the bay window that faces south, you are f*cked
Plasma does better in light, but also loves the dark.
I got a 42' plasma and :h: it!
One other consideration is sticky fingers. My son just turned 1 and loves to poke/hit/throw things at the TV. Plasmas have a sheet of glass in front of them (which can be replaced for a nice fee). LCD's however have no protection. If something smacks it you could have bad spots on your tv forever. Just run a finger over any LCD, you see traces, the harder you push the longer the traces stay. If something pointy ever contacts it, you can crease the screen, this never recovers.
That was the main reason I went with plasma. But as most say in this thread, you can't really go wrong with either.
Stay away from DLP and LCD Projection. Especially if HD is in your future.