Plasma wins multiple tech picture quality shootout.

[annunaki]

I just received the newest issue of Home Theater Magazine. They did a review of the best offerings from the leading manufacturers (Samsung, Sharp, Sony, Mitsubishi, Panasonic and Pioneer) that covered multiple technologies (LCD, DLP, L-COS, and Plasma).

I can't link the review because you have to be a subscriber to get it online.

The gist of the article was this:

Plasma won the shootout by a longshot. The winner was a 768p Pioneer 5080 followed by the Panasonic TH-50PZ750U. The Pioneer was the ONLY set that was NOT 1080p to boot.

Most viewing was done from more than 6 feet and as little as 5 feet but none of the reviewers remarked about lack of detail. In fact it got high marks for resolution.

The hardest call for the reviewers was which one of the sets to rate number one. The Pioneer only edged the Panasonic because of increased contrast ratio which made the picture appear more life like and have more "pop".

All televisions were retail priced at $3,000 or as close as possible with the Pioneer being at $3,500 and the highest of them all. The review was blind with five reviewers. Blind meaning the bezels and logos were covered and all sets could be viewed at the same time. All sets were calibrated prior to the test. All noise reduction and color enhancement was turned off. Noise reduction was used in another part of the evaluation. All viewing was done at 3x-4x the screeen height. Most reviewers preferred 4x.

The finishing order:

1. Pioneer Plasma PDP-5080HD (768p)
2. Panasonic Plasma TH-50PZ750U (1080p)
3. Sony SXRD (KDS60A3000) (1080p)
4. Mitsubishi DLP (WD57833) (1080p)
5 JVC LCD LT47X898 (1080p)
6. Sharp LCD LC52D64U (1080p)
7. Samsung LED DLP HLT6187S (1080p)


The conclusion was that the LED DLP is a great Idea but needs a lot of improvement. LCD still has issues that need to be addressed. Rear pros have good picture quality but are falling back substantially and are dying. Plasma is leaps ahead of the others for straight up performance AND is a great value. Not to mention it is not all about numbers. 1080p simply does not matter if you are viewing a 50" display from 6 feet or more away if it is done right.

 

[Clypher]

Now.... to make a decision. 42" pioneer plasma or 55" sony sxrd.

Toooough decisions.

 

[Deezer]

Read the same article now I'm confussed.I was just about ready to go get a new Led samsung when I got the magazine and read the article.Been looking at the samsung brand for the past two years,use to them being #1/#2 but it looks like I'm going to be looking back at the sony's.Rear projection gives me more fore my money.

 

[gus6464]

Now.... to make a decision. 42" pioneer plasma or 55" sony sxrd.

Toooough decisions.

50" Panasonic plasma!

 

[1tribeca]

Wow that was with the "entry level" Pioneer too! They shoulda hooked up a PRO-110FD...makes the 5080 look like a Panasonic...well...not quite that extreme, but you get the point!!

 

[Tomorrow]

50" Panasonic plasma!

58" Panasonic plasma!! +

 

[krzywica]

Hey Rob did you get my PM?

 

[Martiad3]

Read the same article now I'm confussed.I was just about ready to go get a new Led samsung when I got the magazine and read the article.Been looking at the samsung brand for the past two years,use to them being #1/#2 but it looks like I'm going to be looking back at the sony's.Rear projection gives me more fore my money.

I'd say give a look at the Mitsubishi offerings, I absolutely love mine. Plus Sony is getting out of RPTVs. The non LED DLPs from Samsung are also quite good.

 

[The Chukker]

The conclusion was that the LED DLP is a great Idea but needs a lot of improvement.

Could you be more specific about the problems inherent in the LED DLP design? Are they issues that could be fixed with firmware improvements, or is it the architecture that is flawed? Thanks in advance for any insight you provide.

 

[bandphan]

Now.... to make a decision. 42" pioneer plasma or 55" sony sxrd.

Toooough decisions.

remember sony is droping all rptv as martiad3 stated, so you could get a good deal.

 

[Deezer]

As far as the samsung Led t.v's, the technology wasn't the problem it,it was everything else.Out of seven tv's tested it had the worst on-screen full-on/full-off contrast ratio of 1,082:1 and it hadthe lowest ANSI contrast ratio of 243:1.They also said in there review that the screen had a hotspot init do to the light engine.Now thats just there opinion but when the samsung got an 81 and the winner of the review got a 94,somethings wrong in my opinion.As stated before the the winner only had a 768p not 1080p and won by a longshot.And now that I learned sony has stopped making their rplcd's it
looks like a panisonic runner up or a pioneer for me

 

[bluejay]

I just bought a 56" JVC rear projection set, model HD 56FN98. The LCoS chips inside refresh at 120 hz and it is 1080p with other bells and whistles like auto iris. It cost less than half the price of the winning Pioneer and I believe it would have rated highly if they had tested it.

I plan on getting a 56" Pioneer plasma 1080p set to replace it when they are $1500.