OT: Plasma v LCD tvs

[jstewismybastardson]

what does everyone have? {I dont want to hear from jokerZZZ ??? (lol)}

i need some input ... I have $1000 in gift cards courtesy of my airmiles to spend to replace the upstairs 47 inch rear-projection tv that my 2.5 year old tried to run through (I am actually quietly proud of my son for doing this)

Ive boiled it down to 2 tvs that are lower in price after checking out consumer reports

a 50 inch panasonic U2 plasma = about $900
a 46 inch sony ex500 LCD = about $900

do you swear by your plasma ... do you swear by your LCD ... (LED and 3d are not in the price range right now for me)

 

[dash]

I bought a 240Hz 40 inch Sony LCD for my daughters Wii enjoyment (lol) a year ago and I really like it. It's funny, I have an older Panasonic Plasma which is quite good as well, but for overall picture quality, I have to go with the Sony LCD.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

I bought a 240Hz 40 inch Sony LCD for my daughters Wii enjoyment (lol) a year ago and I really like it. It's funny, I have an older Panasonic Plasma which is quite good as well, but for overall picture quality, I have to go with the Sony LCD.

I have a samsung 640 plasma in the basement and its really good ... I havent spent alot of hardcore time watching lcd tvs so im hung up on this whole fast motion blur thing that LCDs are supposed to have

consumer reports has the panasonic i mentioned a bit more highly rated than the sony but not by much

 

[mattola]

I bought a 240Hz 40 inch Sony LCD for my daughters Wii enjoyment (lol) a year ago and I really like it. It's funny, I have an older Panasonic Plasma which is quite good as well, but for overall picture quality, I have to go with the Sony LCD.

my panasonic viera plasma has lasted me strong for 6 years. it is just now starting to show a little ghosting. but then I game quite a bit so that is impressive.

Im getting ready to go bigger and am looking at the LED's my brother has a sony LCD and its pretty spectacular.

 

[Comeds]

I have a Sony LCD from 2 years ago that I really like. However I have friends that have plasma sets that are really nice.

From my research from 2 years ago it seems that if you get a good TV of either technology you will be happy.

I never noticed any motion problems with my Sony, its 120hz, so any 240hz sets should completely have that problem fixed. I did turn off all the 'Motion Enhancers' that the set had, I was really getting some odd visuals watching some fast moving events.

I need to replace my other TV. Its 6 years old and while its HD it doesnt compare to the new ones. Plus the over scan on it is ridiculous. Things that are no where near the side of the scree on my other TV are cut off on this. Hard to play NHL11 and other games on it, I have to guess where I am some of the time. Only problem with getting rid of it is that its a tube TV and weighs about 180lbs. (im still mad at Tweeter (and CNET's glowing review) for talking me into a TV that was obsolete 6 months later)

 

[Bizzle McDizzle]

4-ish year old Sony 40" LCD, only 60hz, only 1HDMI, bought for well over 2k can now get a far better one (Sony 40") at local wholesale club for $600.
Don't notice any "motion blur", but I don't sit around looking for it either. Watch ble-ray on it and it looks great. So anything made today will be far better.

The scoop used to be plasma had richer colors and deeper blacks, but were heavier and subject to image burn-in. LCDs had sharper images but were $$ and limited in sice (at the time). I'm sure that line is getting blurred with todays technology.

I doubt the differences these days are even noticeable to anyone who isn't in the video production business like my pro-in-law is. Video imaging is his livelihood, and he researched all the specs of everything before buying his last one (he's the kind of guy that will hook his laptop to it and fine tune the color correction)... he bought a Panasonic plasma and is quite pleased with it.

 

[li0lsh]

LCD bro... LCD

 

[SLY]

LCD. But I can't wait to get an LED, that picture is just ridiculous.

 

[RangersReds03]

Yea stay away from plasmas

 

[Bizzle McDizzle]

Yea stay away from plasmas

why?

 

[BOSSMANPC]

I would go with the old CRT, but I am old.

 

[Darkstone42]

In general, I believe that LCDs will last you a bit longer than a plasma screen because they require less heat energy, but that only comes into effect if you plan on keeping the thing for upwards of a decade. I'm partial to LCDs because liquid crystals are the topic of my undergraduate research and [hopefully] eventually of my graduate research, so go with those. =P

It doesn't help you now, but there are technologies being researched for LCDs that might make pixels the size of molecules. Just so you know what might be coming in the future.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

4-ish year old Sony 40" LCD, only 60hz, only 1HDMI, bought for well over 2k can now get a far better one (Sony 40") at local wholesale club for $600.
Don't notice any "motion blur", but I don't sit around looking for it either. Watch ble-ray on it and it looks great. So anything made today will be far better.

The scoop used to be plasma had richer colors and deeper blacks, but were heavier and subject to image burn-in. LCDs had sharper images but were $$ and limited in sice (at the time). I'm sure that line is getting blurred with todays technology.

I doubt the differences these days are even noticeable to anyone who isn't in the video production business like my pro-in-law is. Video imaging is his livelihood, and he researched all the specs of everything before buying his last one (he's the kind of guy that will hook his laptop to it and fine tune the color correction)... he bought a Panasonic plasma and is quite pleased with it.

yah I dont think i can really go wrong either way but since I have a plasma in the basement I might go LCD upstairs and get the sony

... now ... moving on to this calibration thing ... you think thats worth it? Im no pro like your inlaw is so Id have to pay for this service ... I think it was 99 bucks when I bought the samsung

 

[Bizzle McDizzle]

yah I dont think i can really go wrong either way but since I have a plasma in the basement I might go LCD upstairs and get the sony

... now ... moving on to this calibration thing ... you think thats worth it? Im no pro like your inlaw is so Id have to pay for this service ... I think it was 99 bucks when I bought the samsung

Unless your eye is so good that you can actually notice fractions of tenths of degrees difference between the color the grass on that blu ray is and exactly what shade it's supposed to be, and really, really care about that and it will bug you every time you see it because you are good enough to notice it.. than no.

 

[Jimmy_the_Tongue]

I have a 46" Samsung 1080 lcd....I don't know much about the technical sides of these tv's...I just know that my picture is fantastic....I've been told that Samsung is top of the line....I'm in the market for another one...I'd like at least 50"...I'm torn between LED and plasma....3D? not so sure about that...

 

[mattola]

Yea stay away from plasmas

yeah why. Ive had one for 6 years and its been incredible.

what did you find wrong with them?

 

[forty_three]

I have Samsung DLP rear projection and a Vizio LCD, and I think the LCD blows the DLP away. My next one will be Vizio. All they don't have going for them is their name. Their quality is exceptional and the prices are reasonable.

Plasmas are nice, but they are expensive to repair. My DLP had the bulb go up and it was 115 bucks and 3 minutes to fix. Something to be said for that.

 

[Slimpikins]

Plasmas have a great picture but if you have any lighting issues (windows, sliding glass doors, etc) I would go with LCD. Plasmas have issues with glares.

Other than that you can't go wrong with either one, they both put out great pictures.


Also I agree with Forty that Plasmas are more expensive to repair.