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Last post 19 years ago by usahog. 34 replies replies.
Choice on TV's LCD or Plasma
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usahog Offline
#1 Posted: Wed, Sep 22 2004, 8:03 PM EST
Joined: 12-06-1999
Posts: 22,691
Just a question on this...

whats your prefrence on the new TV's out there LCD or Plasma and Why?

Hog
rayder1 Offline
#2 Posted: Wed, Sep 22 2004, 9:34 PM EST
Joined: 06-02-2002
Posts: 2,226
Plasma....I still find that LCD has a tendency to lose sharpness and clarity unless you are directly in front of the screen.

Most of the plasma screens i have seen don't seem to suffer this affliction.
RICKAMAVEN Offline
#3 Posted: Wed, Sep 22 2004, 9:55 PM EST
Joined: 10-01-2000
Posts: 33,248
we recently bought a new sony trintitron flat screen hd tv. i can't remember if it is a 32 or 36. i have satellite and cable. Sony 36" FD Trinitron® WEGA® HDTV Monitor

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Sony-36--HDTV-Monitor--KV-36HS420-/sem/rpsm/oid/94932/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do?c=0&BV_SessionID=@@@@0092162859.1095921141@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccdfadcmimdlfkkcfngcfkmdffhdffl.0

the wide screen tv's are great for hd, which i guess is always wide screen, but if you watch a movie or a tv not broadcast in wide screen some of it is being cut off. i don't remember the "aspect" sizes, but in english, a wide screen monitor cuts off the sides to fill the screen, just like most tv's cut off or black out top and bottom because of the wide screen format. with this set,you can change the appearance by switching inputs from satellite to vcr depending upon how you want to watch the movie and by watching it through the vcr, you fill the screen if it is not a "wide screen" movie.

we buy all our electronic stuff at circut city because they respond to customer needs and for the most part their prices are as goo as anyone's.

directtv gives away the boxes and dishes just to get your business. toby and i subscribe to their nfl packages, which gives us all the games with 4 or 5 in hd. i'msure the other satellit companies have equally good deals.

we paid $1800. for the tv about a8 moths ago and now the price has dropped to $1500.

plasma and lcd i have been told eventually burn the station logo into the bottom right corner. i don't know if that is true.
thurson Offline
#4 Posted: Wed, Sep 22 2004, 10:26 PM EST
Joined: 06-26-2004
Posts: 3,919
I think the image burn thing is more likely if you have the same channel on all the time. The same thing would happen with old CRT monitors if you didn't use a screen saver.
We have a 42" Plasma and the picture is awesome. Plus, all the major networks in HD.
AVB Offline
#5 Posted: Thu, Sep 23 2004, 2:49 AM EST
Joined: 05-21-2003
Posts: 995
Rick is assuming what is happening to the picture but not the reality.

If you have a WS display and a 4:3 (old TV ratio) picture is displayed will be in the center with the proper height/width but you will have black bars on the sides where there is no video to display. If you have the aspect ratio controls set wrong then you will lose vertical information when displaying a 4:3 picture at full width on a 16:9 screen.

Understanding and setting the proper ratio is a key to getting maximum enjoyment from your WS set.

Here is a good overview of aspect ratio (Adobe reader required): http://www.cinemasource.com/articles/aspect_ratios.pdf
428cj Offline
#6 Posted: Thu, Sep 23 2004, 6:09 AM EST
Joined: 04-26-2003
Posts: 741
Another option is a DLP (digital light projector). They're roughly comparable in price to the other two you mentioned. DLP's, from those my friends have anyway, seem to have a much better picture and don't have the burn in problem.
RICKAMAVEN Offline
#7 Posted: Thu, Sep 23 2004, 6:20 AM EST
Joined: 10-01-2000
Posts: 33,248
AVB

i think you described what i was trying to describe, but i couldn't remember the aspect do-flunky.

on my tv, by watching a non-widescreen through the vcr i get a full size picture with no black bars, so i can take advantage of the full screen size.

if the lasik surgery i had yesterday at 5:00 pm worked, i'll be able to completely see what HDTV looks like.
tornado Offline
#8 Posted: Thu, Sep 23 2004, 2:29 PM EST
Joined: 05-27-2004
Posts: 244
I second the DLP. They are incredible. For me it's either DLP or Hitachi rear projection. LCD and Plasma are both unbelievably overpriced and provide an inferior picture in my opinion.

If you'd like to really learn about all the new TV's, take a look at the AVS forum - www.avsforum.com, that's where I learned most of what I know about audio/video.
niteorday Offline
#9 Posted: Thu, Sep 23 2004, 2:41 PM EST
Joined: 02-29-2004
Posts: 4,209
CRT's still last the longest....we have a panasonic with frame doubling...it removes the scanning lines and makes the picture almost HDTV quality....it is also hdtv capable, but not yet enough of that here to justify purchase of a receiver.....
Charlie Offline
#10 Posted: Thu, Sep 23 2004, 2:46 PM EST
Joined: 06-16-2002
Posts: 39,751
Both LCD and Plasma are dropping in price and in another year or so, that will be the time to buy, until then I have a Sony Wega 27" in Kitchen, family room, and a Mitsubishi 36" in living room, with a 27" Mitsubishi in bedroom, so will wait and have to "sneak" the big boy in one of these days without getting it wrapped over my head!

LMAO

Charlie
sketcha Offline
#11 Posted: Thu, Sep 23 2004, 3:40 PM EST
Joined: 03-26-2003
Posts: 3,238
There is supposed to be a new type of flat panel tv built on CRT technology coming out this year. Should be the best option. No idea what the cost will be.
osage Offline
#12 Posted: Thu, Sep 23 2004, 5:35 PM EST
Joined: 02-18-2001
Posts: 492
DLP is the way to go. Costs a little more than LCD but less than plasma. No burn in problem, great black and white contrast and color. Very thin, approximately 17" deep. You only have to replace a 100watt projection bulb every 8000 hours or so. I have a Samsung and am very happy.
rayder1 Offline
#13 Posted: Thu, Sep 23 2004, 6:33 PM EST
Joined: 06-02-2002
Posts: 2,226
What's the bulb cost though?
drnos Offline
#14 Posted: Thu, Sep 23 2004, 6:45 PM EST
Joined: 10-29-2003
Posts: 2,787
My son used to work at Circuit City and advises to stay away from current plasma displays. Something about the plasma leaking out over time and the display dimming, or something like that.
puskarich Offline
#15 Posted: Thu, Sep 23 2004, 6:51 PM EST
Joined: 01-04-2003
Posts: 2,143
These guys make some good points. Some of my random/general thoughts on LCD vs Plasma:

- Plasma has a wider viewing angle
- Plasma is notorious for screen burn-in
- Plasma uses more electricity than LCD
- Plasma generally has better color
- Plasma screens are generally heavier than similar LCD screens

One other thing I'll mention. If you plan on hanging this puppy on the wall, think about how you are going to run your cables (power, cable, dvd, etc). Otherwise, you'll have cables dangling down the wall. That sounds obvious, but you'd be surprised at the number of people who overlook that simple fact. That is one thing they dont show in all the fancy magazine/tv ads.
donutboy2000 Offline
#16 Posted: Thu, Sep 23 2004, 10:42 PM EST
Joined: 11-20-2001
Posts: 25,000
Plasma has about a 30,000 hour life span.
cexshun Offline
#17 Posted: Fri, Sep 24 2004, 6:22 AM EST
Joined: 09-23-2004
Posts: 1,289
Don't go with either. Regular CRT tvs are still leaps and bounds over these 2. Big problem with Plasma is, of course, the short lifespan. If I'm spending as much on my tv as my car, it better last a lifetime! Also, without an amplifier with audio-delay capabilities, there is a noticeable sync problem with audio and video. It makes a movie look like a badly dubbed Godzilla flick! This is due to the increased time it takes to process the video in super hi-def, while the audio is processed much quicker.

LCD has the major flaw of "ghosting". There has yet to be a LCD tv released that has a quick enough response time to prevent this. Basically, the technology is not quick enough to keep up with the picture. So, say in a DVD action movie where there are a lot of fast paced camera pans, the image blurs as the older images cannot be cleard from the screen quick enough. The new Samsungs have the lowest response time of 12ms, and there is still a slightly noticeable "ghosting" blur. Plus, the cost vs size is crazy. For the price of a good 19" LCD TV, you can get a 32" flastscreen (not plat panel) CRT with all the newest gizmos and whats-its.

If I had all the money in the world, I'd buy the largest rear-projection television available. And yes, I'm a techno geek.
CWFoster Offline
#18 Posted: Sat, Sep 25 2004, 4:24 AM EST
Joined: 12-12-2003
Posts: 5,414
before my last divorce, I had a 61" RCA rear projection TV. I had NO regrets about buying it! (wish I still had it!)
AVB Offline
#19 Posted: Sat, Sep 25 2004, 6:12 AM EST
Joined: 05-21-2003
Posts: 995
If you were a real video-techo geek you'd know that a CRT 3 tube front projector is still the best picture available. For under $8K you can have a 110" screen, Electrohome 8500 (or Sony G70) with proper calibration and a hi def reciever. CRT is still the only technology that can pass the Blacker than Black ISF test.
usahog Offline
#20 Posted: Sat, Sep 25 2004, 12:45 PM EST
Joined: 12-06-1999
Posts: 22,691
cexshun, Thanks for the input.. Thank You All for your input... We haven't decided as yet I wanted something we could hang on the wall...I still have to build an entertainment center type outfit to house the dvd player/burner... vcr... cable box... Stereo... and all the collection of dvd's cd's vcr tapes cassettes so I really wouldn't be cuting down on space as I've been thinking? my living room is fairly small 11 X 13 with a front door that takes up 3ft of this area...
my old TV 19" was one that I took in my previous divorce 5+ yrs ago... kinda like Al Pachino did in the movie Heat... anyways it has served it's purpose and I want to liquidate it and move up...

wife has talked about these rear projections and I don't like the size as in width... but if it will last me 20 yrs or so I guess I'll have to adapt LOL...

still surfing though...

Hog

E-Chick Offline
#21 Posted: Sat, Sep 25 2004, 3:50 PM EST
Joined: 06-15-2002
Posts: 4,877
Russell...

Mike and I have just replaced our 55" Toshiba projection tv with a 42" Toshiba HDTV plasma flat screen. Giving the 9 year old 55" one to our daughter. Pretty much on it's last leg, but she wants it.

Also, replaced our 50" Toshiba projection tv (put in the son's bedroom) with a Sony 36" HDTV plasma flat screen.

We like both, but slim lines, picture quality, and modern look won out over the larger counterparts with poorer picture quality.

We like both brands. I researched prices for a bit and waited until I found the ones that I was looking for.

Definitely try overstock.com...you'll find big names at amazing prices. I bought the newest one from them and shipping was only $1.00 ($2.95 if you don't buy the $30 O-Club membership).

The membership also saves you 5% which happened to be $185 savings for me!

Good luck and keep looking...prices will notoriusly drop...

Marla
E-Chick Offline
#22 Posted: Sat, Sep 25 2004, 3:55 PM EST
Joined: 06-15-2002
Posts: 4,877
Also, since you are such a great carpenter, you could possibly recess it (leaving adequete ventilation as per specs) and then have another recessed area with the accessories???

You definitely will have to address the issue of the CORDS!!!

Oh, and speaking of cords....a cost issue point...add up all of the extensions and cords and you could be looking at another BIG number that you didn't count on with the plasma version. Our monster HDTV cables were $119 each and we need 3, but only purchased 2...#@%* the VCR!
Just another idea....Marla
osage Offline
#23 Posted: Sat, Sep 25 2004, 6:14 PM EST
Joined: 02-18-2001
Posts: 492
Keep looking and researching. You will see that DLP not LCD or plasma is the way to go. No problem with audio/video sync. Great color and black contrast. No burn in that you have with the other two. What's not to like? Costs a little more than LCD but less than Plasma. A 46" Samsung weighs 77lbs. and is only 17" deep.
xibbumbero Offline
#24 Posted: Sun, Sep 26 2004, 7:39 AM EST
Joined: 01-25-2002
Posts: 12,535
Glad I checked this out. I'm looking to get a new TV and I got lots of good info. Thanx all. X
usahog Offline
#25 Posted: Sun, Sep 26 2004, 11:29 AM EST
Joined: 12-06-1999
Posts: 22,691
what X said.... Thanks All....

still searching and surfing though... Rick it looks like Circuit City may be the one we're going to purchase from... still have a couple weeks... but the wife and I ventured out to both CC and bestbuy and I seen on here some folks talking about the weight of the television?

What difference does the weight make? I'm going to be watching the damn thing not carrying it on my back?? and I plan on building my own entertainment center to enclose this television and carry the weight of all the other extra's cable box, DVD player, VCR, Sterio and other crap...

Although I like the thin style 16-17" widths compaired to the 2.5' widths on some others... SHeeeeSH!!! I don't like the 2-3 grand more... it's a frickin TV for crying out loud!!!! and then the salesman says well those weigh at least 60-70 lbs more then these do... I looked at him like WTF?? I'm not going to have it sitting on my lap or hauling it to the neighbors house to watch it... I just grinned at him and thought he's really selling me one of those $500-600 modles the more he talks.... CC had a large selection of these flat screen 30-32-34-36" models and the price range was looking pretty good... now to do some online surfing to find out what the differences are... Sony "Wega" what the hell is Wega? and treniton? the wife said she wants a TV thats simple... one we don't have to call NASA to get directions on how to operate it... I jumped right on that option.. while at CC I managed to adjust the color and other features on a 34" Sony WEGA.. WoW would have been nice if I could have viewed what I screwed up after touching all the buttons... but I couldn't find the channel it was on to save my life... so I jumped on down the isle a bit and started reprograming a 44" model a Triniton RCA I think was the brand name... and I managed to jack that one up just as bad ;0)

this guy at BB said they are so far advanced on TV's now that the rear projection models are about obsolete.. and pushed us more towards a plasma, DLP models?? telling us the plexiglass screens on all the rear projections contract so much more reflection that many people have complained about not being able to watch TV until the sun goes down??

We'll See Folks But Again Thank You All for the imput...

Hog
usahog Offline
#26 Posted: Sun, Sep 26 2004, 11:46 AM EST
Joined: 12-06-1999
Posts: 22,691
one other thing I noticed while this salesman was talking with us.. he pointed out the difference between the HD cable and the old black box.. so I again started eyeballing and asking which one is this one hooked to and that one... when I found out these Sony WEGA's were hooked to basic old box cable and viewing the screens on these compaired to the plasma's and rear viewed.. they were holding just as good a picture and then the life span.. 8-10 yrs or bulb replacements at 4000 hrs compaired to who knows when 20-30 yrs possibly.. and savings of a couple grand just losing space from width... I told the wife we'll call the cable company and see if they carry the HD system if so how much difference? and compair that one also... I watch 5 basic channels... History, Court TV, Fox News, Discovery channels and Religions... sometimes I'll catch sports and other channels but not as much as the above mentioned... since being retired I catch allot of TV in the evenings... more then ever in my life... So now is the cost worth it to pay an extra 10-20 bucks a month for this HDTV package also on top of the regular cable bill? I can't see it right now... Surround Sound I think will not be effected either way by the HD system?? not enough to weigh the extra expense.... So with that I'm gettin her nailed down I think LMAO!!!

Hog
E-Chick Offline
#27 Posted: Sun, Sep 26 2004, 3:13 PM EST
Joined: 06-15-2002
Posts: 4,877
Hog,

Our Sony HDTV plasma is also a Wvega or WEGA or whatever that is. I still don't know what in the heck it is...a computer drive, engine or something???

IF you get an HDTV ready set, THEN you best ought to pay the extra money to receive it with a HDTV cable box. Otherwise, do NOT spend the extra cash on it.

AND only a handful of shows are broadcast in HDTV, so is it worth it TODAY??? (There are several cable channels that broadcast in HDTV.) We have COX cable and they have some of the "700's" devoted to HDTV. VERY good quality. But in retrospect, not really worth the handful of shows available at this time.

BUT, and this is a huge BUT...if you get the HDTV stuff, you need to get the high quality cables (Monster Cable) to properly transmit from the cable box to the set. The better quality cables, the better the picture...just like speaker wire. You get out what you put in.

Don't forget to have the "salesman" add all of the extra necessary equipment into the bottom line for you...it can really add up!!!

Although I like mine, I don't think you need to blow a wad on the plasma...the rear projections rock...and if you want to save some dough are definitely the way to go.

btw, CC is much less pushier than BB in my opinion. BB salesman try to PUSH the sales and the warranties...I told the last BB guy to basically kiss my ass when he was dicking us around....fugetaboutit...

Stick with CC or possibly Fry's Electronics if they are in you area...also, don't forget www.overstock.com!

:)

Marla
AVB Offline
#28 Posted: Sun, Sep 26 2004, 3:47 PM EST
Joined: 05-21-2003
Posts: 995
Hog,

Read this before you make up your mind. I also have to disagree about the amount of programming available in HD. Most of the big 3 do their primetime shows in HD plus there is HD Discovery, HBO, Showtime, and HDNet. For the channel you listed the choice is much less but they will be HD by 2008 unless the requirement is extended by the government.
http://www.cnet.com/4520-7874_1-5102926-1.html

Here is a site that lists whats being broadcast on HDTV.
http://hdtvtechno.netfirms.com/

As you can see, there is a consideranble amount being broadcast.
usahog Offline
#29 Posted: Sun, Sep 26 2004, 6:55 PM EST
Joined: 12-06-1999
Posts: 22,691
Thanks E and AVB.. I haven't called the cable company yet... that is where the salesman said we would have to get the different cable box for this HDTV.. and it would cost us somewhere between 10-20 bucks more a month... I am planing on having the TV already set for HDTV.. but what I was trying to point out in the above post.. I cannot see the extra cost per month through cable because I really didn't see that much difference between the Trinitron (sp) WEGA Sony TV we were looking at that was hooked up to the old black box cable and the plasma or projection TV's they had hooked into the HD cable box and the price difference being about 1500 easy starters... difference is the Bulk size 16-17" width compaired to this one 26" width... I've already been building the entertainment center in my head LOL... one feature is like a rolltop desk only virtical door closiers...I haven't been able to play with that router bit yet ;0)

I did check out overstock.com E and their 38" RCA looked nice... I still have time for now though...

Thanks All...

Hog
usahog Offline
#30 Posted: Mon, Sep 27 2004, 7:58 PM EST
Joined: 12-06-1999
Posts: 22,691
Comments or input on this one?

http://www.overstock.com/cgi-bin/d2.cgi?PAGE=PROFRAME&PROD_ID=825051

The RCA F38310 digital TV gives you a clear, sharp display and features integrated HDTV and DirecTV receivers. Complete with a stand and an optical output for Dolby Digital 5.1-channel surround sound, it's an all-around top performer. When set up using the included stand, it measures just over 4.5 feet tall.


Features include:

* 38-inch widescreen high definition (1080 i resolution) display
* Advanced twin-tuner picture-in-picture (NTSC only)
* Performax 16:9 picture tube
* 3D Y/C digital-frame comb filter
* Synchroscan HD component video inputs
* SRS Focus audio technology
* Dolby Digital optical output
* Universal glow-in-the-dark remote
* Parental control
* Picture-in-Picture
* Front A/V jacks
* Stand included

This item is not returnable, but it does come with a full-service warranty. For information on delivery of this large item, please Click Here.

This high-quality item has been factory reconditioned. Please click on the icon above for more information on quality factory-reconditioned merchandise.

Hog
usahog Offline
#31 Posted: Tue, Sep 28 2004, 5:41 AM EST
Joined: 12-06-1999
Posts: 22,691
^
usahog Offline
#32 Posted: Tue, Sep 28 2004, 12:02 PM EST
Joined: 12-06-1999
Posts: 22,691
^ must be no comments?? LMAO!!!

Hog
E-Chick Offline
#33 Posted: Wed, Sep 29 2004, 9:42 AM EST
Joined: 06-15-2002
Posts: 4,877
Hog,

It looks great...stand included!

I don't know about all of the technical stuff, maybe AVB can chime in when he has a minute...

You'll save another $55 bucks if you join the O-club, that's without the cost of the club...it's $19.99 or $29.99???
E-Chick Offline
#34 Posted: Wed, Sep 29 2004, 9:45 AM EST
Joined: 06-15-2002
Posts: 4,877
Also, go to the link below and scroll down to the customer comments. You may get the answers you are looking for!

Marla

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00005BIB8/ref=ase_dealtime-ce-feed-20/104-9589346-3583148?v=glance&s=electronics
usahog Offline
#35 Posted: Wed, Sep 29 2004, 10:01 AM EST
Joined: 12-06-1999
Posts: 22,691
Thanks E for your posts.. I reviewed the comments and I've still been searching...

like the wife explained to me.. the "What If" theory I order this TV and it gets damaged in shipping? then the waiting for a replacement and something happens to that one?...

SO I think we've settled down with a purchase from CC.. BB Blows LOL...
and Sony is looking really good for our needs...
here's our rundown so far..

Sony 32" HDTV (KV-32HS420)
Sony Surround Sound Reciever (STR-DE597)
Sony Casset Deck (TC-WE305)
Sony Turntable (PS-LX250H)
Sony 8" Subwoofer (SA-WM250)
Sony Bookshelf Speakers (SS-MB150H)
and then all the cables wire and connections I get to hook up with our already JVC VCR and DVD player/burner... I am also building an entertainment center to house all this Monster, along with a 125 gal fish tank built into it...

Another Project LMAO!!!!

Hog
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