LCD OR PLASMA

[Chuck_Norris]

educate me on the difference . which is better

[Albright335]

If you do a search on Plasma TV Buyer's Guide you will get a ton of info http://www.plasmatvbuyingguide.com/. This helped my Husband and I make our decision. You will learn allot of stuff on HD & ED as well - which is good to look into. As for us we chose the Panasonic HD Plasma and couldn't be happier with it!!

Everyone has their own opinion on which is better - LCD or Plasma...whatever you do ...do not listen to the sales people in Best Buy - LoL!!

Hope this helped some!!

Jen

[Da_Mtg_Man]

You need to look into the DLP also. I have a 65 in Sony widescreen HD. My brother inlaw has a little smaller but DLP and the qualtiy of the pic blows my HD away.

[Ida_Mann]

only bad I've heard about either is that the plasma starts fading after a year or two and you have to replace the bulb which is expensive.

and I base that on absolutely nothing ;-)

LCD used to have an issue with "ghosting" images, but apparently it has been resolved.

but I wouldn't mind if you bought me either ;-)

Id@

[svtbolt04]

Ok, you all know that HD has to be BROADCASTED to be able to actually get the full effect. Only some channels do it, every once in a while.

DLP TV's, great buy for the money, but if you plan on setting it in a room where alot of light is, you will be squinting to see the picture because it uses mirrored images with a bulb. Also, you cant sit on the side of it because the picture wont come in from your view, you have to be right in front or relitivly close.


Plasma IMO is a waste of money right now. Not enough channels are in 1080i full time. Slowly they will become more popular with the increase of channels being broadcasted in 1080i which is HD.

LCD screans can be bought alot cheaper than a plasma, and look the same out of the box.

Also, where did you get a 65inch.. Maybe thats a DLP thing, but the biggest they come in Plasma is 63".

Also, have you considered a small projector? Most of them can be had for under a grand and come with the lamps that give you 2000+ hours of lifetime. Dont worry about them being on too long, that isnt what burns them out, its turning them on what causes most damage.

Some companys to look into would be Fujitsu, panasonic and Samsung... Stay away from the off name brands because you might have to ship back over seas to get any warranty work done if somthing goes wrong.

[Ida_Mann]

love the projector idea,,,,great picture with mine and a 96" screen that can easily be viewed by the entire 14' x 18' room ;-)

now I just need to get a screen painted on the wall like Mr. Asphalt Dragon ;-)

Id@

[svtbolt04]

<<< A/V tech..

[Bigscrb15]

....DLP TV's, great buy for the money, but if you plan on setting it in a room where alot of light is, you will be squinting to see the picture because it uses mirrored images with a bulb. Also, you cant sit on the side of it because the picture wont come in from your view, you have to be right in front or relitivly close......

.....Also, where did you get a 65inch.. Maybe thats a DLP thing, but the biggest they come in Plasma is 63".....

We have a DLP and it can be seen fine at all light levels,  and from all angles. We went with DLP because size was not an issue and it had an AWESOME picture for the price. Also, 63" is not the biggest  plasma, it might be the biggest plasma you can buy at Best Buy, but I have seen an 80" Samsung, and seen some over 70" in other brands at a couple very highend specialty stores.

If price is not an issue, I would go with Plasma. If price is an issue and you have room, DLP is the way to go.

[Bigscrb15]

also, remember that the Plasma tv's will "fade" overtime. So in about 5-6 years the picture may only be half as bright as it was originally. You cannot make it brighter so it will have to be replaced once the gases are "dead"(about 10-12 years) a DLP can just replace the bulb for about $200 and be good as new.

[svtbolt04]

Do you honestly think that anyone on here could afford a 80 inch plasma? That would be the cost of a regular size pickup truck.

[Bigscrb15]

Actually, 63 is the biggest. They wouldnt sell a 80inch tv at best buy, that would cost over 20k.

I said they don't have them at best buy, but 63 is not the biggest.

http://store.yahoo.com/shopmiracle/path65phd7uy.html 65inch
http://www.flatpanelman.com/lg-mw-71py10-plasma.html  71inch
http://www.cnet.com/4520-10602_1-5618758-1.html 80inch

oh, I see you modified your post. but yea its only $40,000 lol.

[svtbolt04]

Ok, and i now know they have a 101inch plasma by samsung. But let me assure you this, best buy wouldnt have a tv that costs over 20k on the showroom floor. But once you get that big, you should opt to a projector if you are going for the movie theatre look.

[svtbolt04]

ok, i read too fast sometimes.

[Bigscrb15]

Ok, and i now know they have a 101inch plasma by samsung. But let me assure you this, best buy wouldnt have a tv that costs over 20k on the showroom floor. But once you get that big, you should opt to a projector if you are going for the movie theatre look.

I agree, the projector is the way to go, you can't beat the price for the size picture you get, only downfall is they suck in a room that gets natural light.

[svtbolt04]

most homes i work in have sound proof walls, and maybe one window. If you want to see some of my companys work, go on google and type in AVL PRO

You will be amazed.

[familyatvers]

I sell and install all types at our custom Audio/Video business.  Flat panel tech has improved tremendously over the past few years.   Don't listen to half lives etc.  All, YES, ALL TV's get less bright over time, industry rule of thumb, below 32" LCD is better, over 50" plasma is better, but most important quality is better!!!   A $900.  Wally world TV will not give you the same image as a Quality set.   As far as rear projection DLP and LCD (yes, Sony's rear proj are LCD), great value for the price, not as bright as flat panel (Don't mistake flat screen for flat panel)  give you approx 105-130 degree viewing angle,  plasma and lcd flat panel will give you 20-30 degrees more.     But most of all choose the best quality you can afford for your room.   FACTORS: Amount of ambient light in the room, size of room, and sources to the set.   High definition inputs (HD Cable,HD Sat,HD DVD,HD VCR, must be set up properly to be viewed at HD,  proper menu settings on the source and TV, and proper cableing( HDMI, DVI, and Component Video{RGBHV or RGB}.  Chuck if you have any questions PM me and I will be happy to answer any questions.  And to all Have a Blessed and Merry Christmas.

[familyatvers]

Hey SVTBolt, you work for Manny and Huel.  Wait is that you Greg?  Whoops Sorry! Greg is older than 17(checked your profile).  Tell Brad Greg and all, that Jeff says HI, business is great up in Ocala, great owning our own business. FYI I worked for Manny, Mary and Huel when AVL was brand new.

[svtbolt04]

Yes sir, I work for Manny and Huel, you should see mannys new house... It is NICE!!! well its going to be.

We had our company party last night, it was great. Greg is my homeboy, he reminds me of david spade.

Yea, ill tell them you said hey.

[jackinthebox23]

In my personal opinion, DLP is the best out there right now.  LCD is great too, plasma comes in last of these three.  From my research, I've found it won't last as long, repairs are basically null, and images will "burn in" like old computer monitors.  If you had the ABC bug in the corner of your monitor it has the potential to burn in.  I say go with the DLP!

[Albright335]

    Common Misconceptions About Plasma TVs

    Review Date 7-1-2004
    Updated: 12-12-05
    By Robert Wiley

    Copyright © 2005 PlasmaTVBuyingGuide.com. All Rights Reserved.

    Despite a seemingly endless stream of consumer enthusiasm for those sleek, super-model-thin plasma television displays, some "rumors" stubbornly persist. Since the inception of plasma technology research is celebrating its 40th Anniversary this year (yes, it has been around for forty years!), it's time to debunk some persisting myths. Hopefully, by giving you the hard facts about plasma displays and dispelling some of the more pernicious half-truths and flat-out untruths about them, I will be doing my part to help keep the plasma rumor mill in check.
    Misconception #1: Plasma TVs need to be "serviced," or have their plasma changed out, every couple years or so.

    Perhaps the only compelling thing about this idea is that it resonates with good auto maintenance know how. To many people, plasma displays are like cars: You know how to use them, but you don't know a whole lot about how they work. Which is surely how this Urban Legend gained its foothold in the popular imagination in the first place. It has certainly been utilized by any number of unscrupulous TV salespeople to push extended warranties on otherwise unknowing "marks" -- people who have already spent $5000 on a new TV and would have no compunction about shelling out another $250 more, provided it will help safeguard their investment. While purchasing some additional "insurance" against mechanical defects might be worthwhile, especially when you are buying something this expensive, using scare tactics to ring up extended-warranty sales is unethical.

    Not to mention bogus: The idea that the ionized gases inside plasma displays either (a) need to be replenished periodically or (b) can be refilled is patently untrue. You simply cannot change out these phosphors every 3,000 (viewing) miles. However, with a current rating of 60,000 hours to half life on some of the top tier plasma brands, it this really an issue any more? If you watch the plasma television for 4 hours a day on a medium contrast setting, that's 41 years of use. Well enough.
    Misconception #2: A high-definition (HD) plasma TV beats an enhanced-definition (ED) plasma TV every time.

    Usually true, but not always. I suspect this misconception has been perpetrated by manufacturers, who want to move more expensive (i.e., higher-resolution) product, and by retailers, who are repeating whatever the manufacturer tells them. True, HD plasma displays are more expensive than their ED counterparts. The reason is that increasing the resolution on a plasma screen means fitting more pixels in the plasma display element (glass). A simple eyeball test will tell you, though, that this is not necessarily money well spent. Just because a plasma monitor is labeled "HD" does not necessarily mean that it handles things like internal conversion, contrast ratios, and interpolation well -- which are the very of things that ultimately make or break a picture in terms of its displayed quality. In most cases, the quality of the picture you get from a given plasma display (whether it's ED or HD) actually depends on the quality of its make. A good ED plasma TV from a 1st tier quality manufacturer will many times outperform an HD plasma TV from a 2nd or 3rd tier manufacturer.

    One example in the past was a 1024 X 1024 resolution 42" plasma panel from 2001/2002 that produced significant motion artifacts on 480P (and less) incoming signals. This was actually the first high definition resolution for a 42" plasma TV. Eventually manufacturers actually reduced the resolution on a 42" high def plasma to 1024 X768 which is today's standard. This high definition plasma resolution is much more efficient at scaling to the native resolution of the plasma due to a more condusive pixel shape than the previous 1024 X 1024 resolution.

    With the tremendous increase in HDTV available programming, an HD plasma is more desirable than in prior years when the price discrepancy between HDTV and EDTV was significant. These days, an HD plasma or LCD makes much more sense value wise since the HD plasma will take full advantage of the HD incoming signal. At the current price difference of around 25 to 30% between a 42" EDTV and HDTV, the HDTV plasma is a better investment.

    My prediction is that EDTV plasma will be phased out entirely by 2007. There will only be HDTV resolution plasma, LCDs, DLPs and Hybrids on the market.

    To learn more about ED and HD as it applies to plasma displays, see my article, "EDTV Plasmas Vs. HDTV Plasmas: Drawing Some Conclusions About Native Resolutions".
    Misconception #3: Plasma TVs are like shooting stars, brilliant but short-lived.

    With a current rating of 60,000 hours to half life on some of the top tier plasma brands, it this really an issue any more? If you watch the plasma television for 4 hours a day on a medium contrast setting, that's 41 years of use.

    One important tip to remember when you first hook up your plasma TV is to turn the contrast down from that peak setting. The darker the average room light, the lower you can afford to set the contrast ratio setting (sometimes called the Picture settting).

    Running your plasma television on the peak contrast setting will significantly reduce the life of the product as well as cause the plasma to dim much faster. This is not a huge concern with the current hours of longevity of the product, but my contention is that you will actually enjoy the viewing experience more when you reduce the contrast to a calibrated level.

    To learn more about the longevity of plasma displays and steps you can take to prolong the life of your television, see our article, "How Long Do Plasma TVs Last?"
    Misconception #4: Owning a good plasma TV is cost-prohibitive -- for now, anyway.

    This is really two misconceptions rolled into one. The first has to do with the pricing structure of plasma displays. We all remember, some of us too well, the days in the mid-90s when plasma TVs started at $10,000 and had virtually no price ceiling. Well, things have changed. The growing demand for plasma displays, coupled with advancements in production efficiency ("yield rates"), have conspired to bring plasma TV prices back down to earth. You can get larger, better performing plasma TVs for a fraction of the price you might have just a couple years ago. (Nowadays, you can buy an 42" HDTV Plasma for $2300.) This is partly because fully 9.8 sets in 10 come off the production line ready for sale, compared to just 5 in 10 in 1999 and fewer than 2 in 10 in the early 90s. Further suppressing prices is the fact that the defect rate of Japanese-made plasma TVs in the U.S. has fallen to less than 1% of the total product import.

    Just because plasma TV prices have come down over the past few years, though, does not necessarily mean that this pricing freefall will continue well into the future. As we have all seen this fall, prices plummeted despite growing demand and a limited supply.

    In short, plasma display technology has never been more affordable -- not to mention reliable -- for the average consumer.
    Misconception #5: Plasma TVs are engineered to have the best possible pictures right out of their boxes.

    Few people realize that some consumer electronics manufacturers ship their TVs "hot" -- that is, preset to compensate for higher-than-average ambient light levels, like the ones found in most electronics superstores. Most homes are nothing like these harshly-lit retail bazaars, so it is a good idea to take a look at the various PICTURE/CONTRAST settings already built in to your TV and identify the right one for your home, i.e., the one that looks best to you. Reduce contrast until the picture seems a little too dark, then give it some time to get used to it and you will be much happier with the image over time.

    You might also try your hand at calibrating the picture yourself, using any one of a number of user-friendly video test discs. I recommend Video Essentials by Joe Kane Productions because it provides a step-by-step guide to this process, complete with easy-to-understand explanations of what can be complex technical issues. A properly calibrated picture will yield more natural coloration and deeper black levels.
    Misconception #6: Plasma TVs are difficult to install.

    The country's love affair with sexy-sleek TVs began with Philips's 2002 "It's Getting Better All the Time" ad campaign, which featured conspicuously wall-hung plasma TVs. Since then, Americans have had it in their minds that plasma displays need to be installed -- either by professionals or intrepid do-it yourselfers. Nothing could be further from the truth. While you can certainly mount your plasma on just about any wall in your house, it is equally as easy not to install your TV at all. No technician necessary. Simply attach your new display to a tabletop stand and place it wherever you want. Even mounting your plasma TV on the living-room wall has gotten easier, with a growing number of consumers opting to go it alone and hang their plasmas themselves. From our statistics gathering, we are finding that between 50 and 60% of plasma display owners choose to install a wall mounted applied plasma TV themselves.

    For more information about plasma TV placement options, see "How To Buy A Plasma TV," Step 5: Select your mounting options.
    Misconception #7: Plasma TVs give off a lot of radiation.
    <[>This rumor just might be the most outlandish of the bunch, especially considering the fact that the monitor you're reading this on -- assuming it is a CRT -- gives off considerably more radiation than a plasma display ever could. While plasma monitors do generate a tiny amount of ultraviolet (UV) radiation, it is essentially negligible because this radiation extends no more than an inch outward from the screen. Because individual pixels are illuminated, the radiation is "contained" to the pixels themselves. This is not the case with tube-based TVs, which utilize an electron gun that shoots radiated light toward the screen in order to illuminate phosphors thereon. This projects small amounts of radiation sometimes more than 12" outward from the screen. Not to worry: Both plasmas and CRTs comply with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines for TV radiation emissions, which have been in place since 1969.

    Misconception #8: Plasma TVs are plagued by problems with burn-in.

    Burn-in, or image retention, is the result of a damaged pixel, whose phosphors have been prematurely aged and therefore glow less intensely than those of surrounding pixels. The reason is that the damaged pixel has developed a "memory" of the color information that was repeatedly fed to it, causing it to glow in a static manner for a sustained period of time. This phosphor color information can actually become seared or etched into the plasma-screen glass, and in some rare cases it can become permanent. Once these phosphors are damaged, they cannot produce the same levels of light output as the other phosphors around them do. But pixels do not suffer burn-in singly. Burn-in occurs in the shape of a static image that linger on TV screens -- things like network logos, computer icons, Internet browser frames, etc.

    In like manner to advancements that created the 60,000 hour life span, there are similar improvements in burn-in prevention. One improvement is the green phosphors which last longer and are more resilient to burn in issues. Another more prevelant prevention method is the advanced image placements systems which unnoticeably constantly moves the picture ever so slightly.

    Someone would almost have to be trying to burn in a plasma TV (at least the best brands) to do so.

    In the end, plasma TV burn-in is not an issue that should cause undue concern in the average user. With a modicum of caution, most plasma TVs will probably never have a problem with image retention. A viewer may experience temporary ghosting, but this is certainly not cause for alarm. In truth, carelessness -- i.e., not paying attention to what your TV is displaying and for how long -- is really the leading "cause" of permanent burn-in.

    For more information on plasma screen burn-in and steps you can take to prevent permanent image retention on your display, see my article, "Plasma TV Screen Burn-In".
    Misconception #9: Plasma TVs are excessively fragile things.

    Fragile, yes - as two sheets of glass are compressed together to form the plasma display element. While they must be handled with care, the main consideration is keeping them upright. The plasma glass is weighty and can crack if a plasma television when laying face down is jarred or dropped. Aside from that there is nothing really to be concerned about that you would not ordinarily consider.

    To read more myths about plasma TVs compared to LCD TVs, check out an article called "Setting the Record Straight: How Plasma TVs Really Match Up Against LCD TVs".
    Related Articles:

        * EDTV Plasmas Vs. HDTV Plasmas: Native Resolutions
        * How Long Do Plasma TVs Last?
        * Plasma TV Screen Burn-In
        * How Plasma TVs Really Match Up Against LCD TVs
 

[sct450]

so what ya'll are saying is that everyone has a different opion on this subject?

[Roostin300ex]

i would just go with a big screen HD...we have a 65inch widescreen mitsubishi and the image is crystal clear with comcast digital cable in HD....its awesome and u can get bigger picture that looks just as good i think....my friend has the same tv as i do and an lcd and i cant tella difference...bigger bang for the buck if u will