Looking for info/suggestions on 65" LCD for my new TV.

[FuzzyReets]

Hi guys. I"m in the market to upgrade my TV (I think). Couple questions.

1 . I have a 2011 Plasma. Thinking of going LCD 65" 240hz. Will there be a noticeable difference in quality in doing so? I'm mainly interested in black levels, detail, and smooth motion (not soap opera).

2. Looking for suggestions on specific models or resource to research that you guys think is good.

3. Looking for somewhere that reviews TV black levels.

Am i crazy not waiting for 4k? I don't think it's going to be mainstream for awhile so I think I'm going ot upgrade now and worry about that later. Any thoughts appreciated. Thanks.

 

[agarwalro]

The answer to all your questions is the Samsung F8500 plasma. Abe's of Maine has the 65" for sale $1800, free shipping and wall mount included.

 

[FuzzyReets]

Okay. NOt looking to spend that much and not looking to go back to Plasma. Went with Vizio M652i-B2. Any thoughts other than bashing me for not buying Plasma?

 

[cpd]

What is your concern with plasma? Given that you are looking for deep black levels and smooth motion, I would think plasma would be your first choice.

 

[lsiberian]

Hi guys. I"m in the market to upgrade my TV (I think). Couple questions.

1 . I have a 2011 Plasma. Thinking of going LCD 65" 240hz. Will there be a noticeable difference in quality in doing so? I'm mainly interested in black levels, detail, and smooth motion (not soap opera).

2. Looking for suggestions on specific models or resource to research that you guys think is good.

3. Looking for somewhere that reviews TV black levels.

Am i crazy not waiting for 4k? I don't think it's going to be mainstream for awhile so I think I'm going ot upgrade now and worry about that later. Any thoughts appreciated. Thanks.

How big is your tv now and what is your budget? How good is your light control? Nothing beats a FP setup for size, but you need a dark room for that. Otherwise you are looking at TVs. 4k is noticeable if you are sitting close enough.

 

[FuzzyReets]

What is your concern with plasma? Given that you are looking for deep black levels and smooth motion, I would think plasma would be your first choice.

No concern really with Plasma. I have one now and it has been good for the last 5 years. You'll probably think i'm nuts but I kind of like the LCD look better. Just got a Vizio LCD upstairs and was pretty into the look of it. The only Plasma I would buy at this point would probably be the Samsung F8500 given all the amazing stuff I hear but I don't want to spend that much on a non 4k TV at the moment. I ended up ordering a Vizio m652i-b2 last night. I'm mainly looking for a TV to hold me over until 4k is more mainstream which I don't see happening all that quickly. Any info or thoughts on the Vizio?

 

[FuzzyReets]

How big is your tv now and what is your budget? How good is your light control? Nothing beats a FP setup for size, but you need a dark room for that. Otherwise you are looking at TVs. 4k is noticeable if you are sitting close enough.

Sorry, I guess more information would be good eh?

Current TV is 5 year old Sammy PN58C550 - 58" Plasma. Light control is totally controlled without windows environment. I'm staying away from 4k because there's no content available. Am I missing something in regards to that? I don't see that going mainstream for 3-5 years. Thanks for the post and if you want to pass along some more info in regards to your comment, I'd appreciate it. Thanks.

 

[FuzzyReets]

Just cancelled my order after reading a lot of user comments on AVS. Sounds like a lot of blooming, banding, bad panel issues. I don't want to get into any of that. I might hang tight for now or look for something else. I'd love to get the 64" Sammy F8500 but i really dont want to spend that much. What's next to look at? Thanks.

 

[lsiberian]

I don't understand why you want a new TV. Unless you are going projector it's not a real upgrade for you. I understand 58" is smaller, but 65" isn't a big enough step up in size to warrant sacrificing picture quality for. Did your current TV break?

 

[FuzzyReets]

No it didn't. I bought a Vizio LCD a few months ago for upstairs and felt the PQ was better than my 5 year old Plasma. I've just now talked myself into looking. Am I crazy thinking the picture is better on my $600 Vizio 48" LCD than my 5 year old Plasma? Not that concerned with going from 58" to 65" until I go 4k.

 

[lsiberian]

I doubt it's really better. Did you ever calibrate your Plasma? How about your Vizio? It's possible your vizio is on torch mode.

 

[FuzzyReets]

No it didn't. I bought a Vizio LCD a few months ago for upstairs and felt the PQ was better than my 5 year old Plasma. I've just now talked myself into looking. Am I crazy thinking the picture is better on my $600 Vizio 48" LCD than my 5 year old Plasma?

I doubt it's really better. Did you ever calibrate your Plasma? How about your Vizio? It's possible your vizio is on torch mode.

Nah I haven't calibrated it at all. Have to get out my colorimeter and do that I guess. I tweaked it when we first got it but the rest of my family doesn't care about PQ so I didn't spend too much time on it. My main tv is my Sammy plasma in my little theater room. I don't know, maybe I just like the digital look better but I find myself wanting to watch movies on the Vizio more than my Plasma based on PQ even though I don't get my theater surround experience when doing so. I thought it looked really good. I feel like the blacks are deeper than my Plasma. Do plasmas black levels get worse over time? I feel like I used to be more impressed with them than I am now. 5 year old set has to have some disadvantages in technology at this point I would think.

 

[lsiberian]

Nah I haven't calibrated it at all. Have to get out my colorimeter and do that I guess. I tweaked it when we first got it but the rest of my family doesn't care about PQ so I didn't spend too much time on it. My main tv is my Sammy plasma in my little theater room. I don't know, maybe I just like the digital look better but I find myself wanting to watch movies on the Vizio more than my Plasma based on PQ even though I don't get my theater surround experience when doing so. I thought it looked really good. I feel like the blacks are deeper than my Plasma. Do plasmas black levels get worse over time? I feel like I used to be more impressed with them than I am now. 5 year old set has to have some disadvantages in technology at this point I would think.

It's probably from it being brighter. LCD has a brighter picture and that is normally more appealing to people. Plasma have deeper blacks. LCDs have more brightness. That said you can always adjust up the Plamsa brightness.

 

[FuzzyReets]

It's probably from it being brighter. LCD has a brighter picture and that is normally more appealing to people. Plasma have deeper blacks. LCDs have more brightness. That said you can always adjust up the Plamsa brightness.

Right of course. It just looks more detailed than my plasma. Maybe it's just placebo.

 

[lsiberian]

Right of course. It just looks more detailed than my plasma. Maybe it's just placebo.

Before replacing your TV I suggest you make sure it's not just placebo. Remember the longer you wait the better your TV will be. At least wait till Black Friday for deals. You've only got a month.

 

[FuzzyReets]

Yeah I think I'm going to wait until then actually. If something can't be passed up, I'll grab it. Thank you for your information and insight. Much appreciated.

 

[FuzzyReets]

Also, what's your opinion on buying into 4k right now? I can't see a reason to based on content and I don't think that is changing for quite awhile.

 

[GranteedEV]

1 . I have a 2011 Plasma. Thinking of going LCD 65" 240hz. Will there be a noticeable difference in quality in doing so? I'm mainly interested in black levels, detail, and smooth motion (not soap opera).

Detail is tough to say and really does depend on everything from calibration to the individual TV's ability to render.

But you will definitely take a hit in motion resolution and black levels.

2. Looking for suggestions on specific models or resource to research that you guys think is good.

I feel like they're priced sort-of-high, but the next-gen (AX900) model Panasonic LCDs are supposed to... almost as good as plasmas from a few years ago. Minus the motion resolution.

Am i crazy not waiting for 4k?

Unless you've got a killer gaming PC, there are so few worthwhile 4K sources out there to bother. If you do have a gaming PC that's sufficiently powerful, I'd say it can add a bit more sharpness, although many have had nice-looking results with downscaling a 4K image to 1080P and/or applying 4XSSAA.

I'd say the other stuff - black levels, motion resolution, color accuracy, etc matter more than resolution past 1080P.

Nah I haven't calibrated it at all. Have to get out my colorimeter and do that I guess. I tweaked it when we first got it but the rest of my family doesn't care about PQ so I didn't spend too much time on it. My main tv is my Sammy plasma in my little theater room. I don't know, maybe I just like the digital look better but I find myself wanting to watch movies on the Vizio more than my Plasma based on PQ even though I don't get my theater surround experience when doing so. I thought it looked really good. I feel like the blacks are deeper than my Plasma.

I agree that your vizio's probably in something resembling torch mode. TVs can often produce deeper blacks than they "should", which just ends up crushing them. So maybe you're getting a darker black - but you're also getting a crushed dark gray with it. Your plasma probably has much deeper black level settings you haven't touched because they crush dark gray.

Do plasmas black levels get worse over time? I feel like I used to be more impressed with them than I am now.

Phosphor wear can shift black levels, and it might be about time to re-calibrate the TV (including grayscale). That said, I wouldn't discount expectation bias. You're probably just a more experienced & attentive viewer now than then.

 

[FuzzyReets]

Detail is tough to say and really does depend on everything from calibration to the individual TV's ability to render.

But you will definitely take a hit in motion resolution and black levels.



I feel like they're priced sort-of-high, but the next-gen (AX900) model Panasonic LCDs are supposed to... almost as good as plasmas from a few years ago. Minus the motion resolution.



Unless you've got a killer gaming PC, there are so few worthwhile 4K sources out there to bother. If you do have a gaming PC that's sufficiently powerful, I'd say it can add a bit more sharpness, although many have had nice-looking results with downscaling a 4K image to 1080P and/or applying 4XSSAA.

I'd say the other stuff - black levels, motion resolution, color accuracy, etc matter more than resolution past 1080P.



I agree that your vizio's probably in something resembling torch mode. TVs can often produce deeper blacks than they "should", which just ends up crushing them. So maybe you're getting a darker black - but you're also getting a crushed dark gray with it. Your plasma probably has much deeper black level settings you haven't touched because they crush dark gray.



Phosphor wear can shift black levels, and it might be about time to re-calibrate the TV (including grayscale). That said, I wouldn't discount expectation bias. You're probably just a more experienced & attentive viewer now than then.

Thank you very much for your reply. I really don't think I'm in torch mode as I did tweak the settings a bit. What do you guys calibrate with? I have a Spyder4TV HD, the DVE blu ray and the Disney WOW disc. Are these good enough to calibrate with? I was really into this years ago but then I found out when watching a movie all I did was pause it then spend an hour tweaking it. I never enjoyed watching anything Recommendations on how / what to use to calibrate appreciated.

I feel like my black levels on my plasma that once I thought were deep are now pools of blackness without detail. Maybe it's my imagination.

No killer gaming PC here. Just my Xbox One. That's all I use.

Thank you again for your detailed response. Really appreciate that.

 

[GranteedEV]

Thank you very much for your reply. I really don't think I'm in torch mode as I did tweak the settings a bit. What do you guys calibrate with? I have a Spyder4TV HD, the DVE blu ray and the Disney WOW disc. Are these good enough to calibrate with? I was really into this years ago but then I found out when watching a movie all I did was pause it then spend an hour tweaking it. I never enjoyed watching anything Recommendations on how / what to use to calibrate appreciated.

Once you've got it calibrated correctly, you really shouldn't need to tweak again because that would just be a departure from the calibration.

My advice is to try the AVS HD calibration suite and follow along very slowly step-by-step.

I feel like my black levels on my plasma that once I thought were deep are now pools of blackness without detail.

That indicates to me that your black level (light/auto/dark) , contrast, brightness, and/or gamma settings at the very least need tweaking.

You might also want to check your source's RBG output range and make sure it's fitting for your TV (switch between 0-256 and 16-235 - there's no guarantee one or the other is correct for a given setup until it's been tested. I have found 16-235 produced a lot more shadow detail on one TV, while 0-256 did so on another)