what kind of tv to purchase

[giacona]

As the wave of CRT TV's fade out I have made a decision to purchase a flat panel TV by next year. I am just undecided what kind/brand to go with.

I do not want to go with plasma for 2 reasons. The main reason is I know over time when the gas runs out, the quality will diminish. With the LCD's and other TV's all you have to do is replace the bulbs every 5 years or so. This is cheaper then buying a new TV.

The other reason is I have 2 35X64 windows directly behind my couch covered with windows treatments. On a bright sunny day I think the plasma will glare more than an LCD.

Now I am looking for an LCD, DLP Or rear projection. I do not know the difference between these entire so if someone can explain. Also I want to make sure I have the option for wall mount or on the stand.

I was told by a friend of mine that by next year the prices of TV's should drop another 20 -30% and manufactures may be giving rebates as well. I plan to do my research now and have everything ready for when the time comes.

Are there any certain features I need to look into for a TV besides having the HDMI inputs, and being 1080P?

I think I am going to be going with either a 52 inch or 56. I will be sitting about 14 feet from the wall where the TV will be and I have determined 60 inch will be to large. In addition the price difference to go from a 52 to a 60 inch is very significant.

Now as for brands the ones I know of are Sony and Samsung. I also heard sharp is coming into the game along with LG & Panasonic.

I do plan to set up a dedicated home theatre, but the TV will be my first purchase. Once the TV is purchased, I plan on looking into receivers and speakers.

One last thing best buy is offering 0% APR for 3 years on any purchase over 999, but they don't budge that much on the price of equipment. A friend who shops at 6th avenue electronics was telling me I’d be better off buying it cash there rather than financing at best buy since he can get me a better price for the TV.



Any advice on these issues would be greatly appreciated.

 

[funked up]

IMO you may want to reconsider counting out plasma. As far as PQ to cost goes plasma is the best deal out there. And They make many models with anti-glare screens now. Also a well made plasma will last you a long time. Do a search for plasma longevity and you will pull up some very informative threads about this. If you decide on plasma, Panasonic or Pioneer are the way to go. Pioneer is better but will cost you quite a bit more. Otherwise I would go with LCD, i'm just not a fan of any rear projections TV's. The sony XBR series is quite nice. at 14ft 1080P won't be a must have. Also best buy should price match any local retailer, so you could get the price you want and the financing.

 

[MDS]

LCD or DLP rear projection are the types where the backlight can be replaced. They are both thicker than LCD flat panel or Plasma and generally cannot be hung on the wall.

So the choice is between LCD flat panel and Plasma. The lifetime of both are about the same nowadays. They are usually rated for 60,000 hours to half-brightness (the point where the light output will be half as much as it was when brand new). So in terms of longevity they are both about the same.

LCD is generally brighter, uses less electricity, gives off less heat and generally weigh less than Plasma. Plasma usually wins in the picture quality department but not by a huge margin and are usually less expensive than flat panel LCD.

For a room with lots of light, especially with large windows, LCD is usually recommended but you can of course attempt to control the light in the room with window treatments to minimize glare. I think in the long run LCD will be the winner as they continue to get better and better; however, you can't really go wrong with either type. Naturally those people that have had both have a strong preference for one or the other.

Viewing distance is a personal preference type of thing but the rule of thumb is that you can sit as close as 1.5 times the diagonal for HD material and 2-3 times the diagonal for SD. An earlier poll on this site (started by me) indicated that most members who say they are happy with size vs distance were sitting 2.5 times away. Using that as a guideline, 67" would be about as large as you would likely want to go.

I had a 52" Toshiba LCD for a few weeks before I returned it (will pick another one soon) and I sit 11 feet away (the 2.5 x recommendation) and I felt that the size was large enough to consume your entire field of vision. A 52" may be too small from 14' away but you won't really know until you get one and live with it for awhile.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

My viewing distance is 10 feet and I have a 73'' display. I would like to go bigger if they made it, at 14 ft you need a 120'' display.

Viewing distance is a personal preference type of thing but the rule of thumb is that you can sit as close as 1.5 times the diagonal for HD material and 2-3 times the diagonal for SD. An earlier poll on this site (started by me) indicated that most members who say they are happy with size vs distance were sitting 2.5 times away. Using that as a guideline, 67" would be about as large as you would likely want to go.

I had a 52" Toshiba LCD for a few weeks before I returned it (will pick another one soon) and I sit 11 feet away (the 2.5 x recommendation) and I felt that the size was large enough to consume your entire field of vision. A 52" may be too small from 14' away but you won't really know until you get one and live with it for awhile.

 

[GlocksRock]

I too have a 73" display, and I sit 12 feet from it, and it's just right.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

You mean until Mits makes a 83 incher

I too have a 73" display, and I sit 12 feet from it, and it's just right.

 

[MDS]

Personal preference for sure. I think a 73" TV would drive me crazy at only 11 feet viewing distance.

 

[Duffinator]

My viewing distance is 10 feet and I have a 73'' display. I would like to go bigger if they made it, at 14 ft you need a 120'' display.

Agreed, bigger is better. Until it takes up the same view as a movie theater it's not big enough.

BTW, which LCD flat panels have replaceable bulbs?

There are only a FEW plasmas that have anti glare screens but they still reflect more than LCD's. But they are finally getting better.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

I like how BMXTRIX put it.

"If it's smaller than 100'', you are just watching TV..."

 

[Emusica]

I do not want to go with plasma for 2 reasons. The main reason is I know over time when the gas runs out, the quality will diminish. With the LCD's and other TV's all you have to do is replace the bulbs every 5 years or so. This is cheaper then buying a new TV.

The new 800 line of Panasonic plasmas will have a 100,000 hour half brightness. The issue of dimished quality/brightness is really a non-issue. My current plasma has a 60,000 half brightness. If I watched tv for 8 hours a day, then it will last me for about 20 years, and that's when it will only be half as bright as when it was new. I can tell you now, I wont have this set for 20 years (I don't watch tv 8 hours a day either)

As for the windows, get some good blinds and you will be good to go. Not to talk you out of your other choices, but you would be missing out if you didn't consider plasma. That burn-in stuff about plasma, don't listen to it. I've been playing video games since day 1 on mine and have had no issues.

 

[giacona]

Thanks

I appreciate everyone’s advice. After reading everyone’s replies, I do plan to give plasma a chance. So my two choices are going to be flat panel LCD and plasma. My only concern with plasma is I know after a certain amount of time they get what is called a cluster of green cells which looks like a dot on the screen. If this happens after about 60,000 hours of watching I'd have no problem since I’d probably be getting a newer TV at that time anyway. I just want to make sure I wont see a diminish in quality or these green cells before that time frame. I don't even watch the TV 6 hours a day anyway.

My next question does the flat panel LCD allow the bulbs to be changed or would I need to get a new TV like the plasma?

I am really undecided on size, but I did a quick measurement earlier today and the room size is 15X15 and I currently have a 32 inch CRT in an entertainment unit which is sticking out about 2 feet. I know when I get the LCD or plasma it will be attached to the wall so I will save space here. In addition I am also sitting on the couch which sticks out from the wall roughly 3 feet. I want to see if I can get a 60 inch and see if it hurts my eyes or get motion sickness. But my concern is if it is too big, and I need to return it for a smaller size the store will probably charge a restocking fee.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

Once either have reached there life span >60,000 hours they are just done.

Believe me, 60'' will not be too big.

 

[krzywica]

Once either have reached there life span >60,000 hours they are just done.

Um....no. An LCD will just die because the backlite will go out, it will display a picture, but you will not be able to see anything because there will be no illumination. So technically it would be possible to replace the backlite, I have done this many, many times with laptop repairs, but a large LCD screen would be very impractical to replace.

As far as plasma, there will be a constant albeit extremely gradual fade in the brightness throughout the life of the monitor, so @60k hours the screen would be at 1/2 factory brightness level. Which can be circumvented by dialing up the brightness from what you have it set to from initial calibration, which should be somewhere around 50%.

I can't believe you guys got this far and haven't asked him what his primary source will be? Or what he will be viewing, ie, movies, TV, computer games, console games...ect. If you ever plan on a home theater PC then you are going to need a 1080P set, especially if you go with anything over 50". If you watch movies primarily I would suggest a plasma, if its TV or video games an LCD. Either way, I don't think you would be let down with the flat screens that are on the market today.

As far as brands go, Pioneer Elite have the best sets on the market, bar none. But You will pay a hefty price for those. Panasonic was also mentioned and I have to agree, they have some nice TV's. I would also throw LG and Samsung into the mix as viable options. As contrast ratios skyrocket with the advent of new technology sets will get better and better. Samsung currently as a set with 500k:1 contrast ratio, and Sharp is developing a set that will do 1,000,000:1!

As far as longevity goes, as mentioned before this was an issue in the past but is quite mute in todays sets, barring of course the advent of a malfunction or defect.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

Dude, the simple answer I made means it's a mute point. 20 years down the line they are done. He will upgrade in the next 5 years anyway.

Um....no. An LCD will just die because the backlite will go out, it will display a picture, but you will not be able to see anything because there will be no illumination. So technically it would be possible to replace the backlite, I have done this many, many times with laptop repairs, but a large LCD screen would be very impractical to replace.

.

 

[krzywica]

Then we are in agreement.

Sorry I didn't mean to sound like an ***, but upon reading my post I kind of do. lol.

 

[avaserfi]

Yeah - the numbers tell the truth

As far as brands go, Pioneer Elite have the best sets on the market, bar none. But You will pay a hefty price for those. Panasonic was also mentioned and I have to agree, they have some nice TV's. I would also throw LG and Samsung into the mix as viable options. As contrast ratios skyrocket with the advent of new technology sets will get better and better. Samsung currently as a set with 500k:1 contrast ratio, and Sharp is developing a set that will do 1,000,000:1!

Manufacturing companies would never do anything to bolster their statistics, would they?

It is a very well known fact that the reason contrast ratios have been skyrocketing as of late is because of the way contrast is being measured plain and simple. Hell, I have a friend who was at Cedia as a vendor and asked a Sharp representative what the difference between this year and last years panels that caused the contrast increase from about 2,000:1 to 10,000:1 the representative simply said "Ohh, we just measured them with a different methodology."

Just as with receiver power ratings or speaker frequency ratings there are always other angles to the same situation that can show something in a better light. This is often what is being done with displays.

Also, Pioneer just showed an infinite contrast plasma at CES this year. Honestly that doesn't matter, how often is pure black really needed? After all, every bit of detail is lost in it. Simply put one specification will never tell you the whole story on any piece of equipment especially when it is not taken using realistic methods by a credible third party with no vested interest.

BTW Greg is dead on if a display has a life of 60,000 hours (even though some new Pioneers are rated at 100,000 hours) that translates to 20 years of use at 8 hours a day more than long enough for the average consumer.

 

[krzywica]

What I can't say hiney? Man the FCC is worse than I thought. Haha. Ok I sounded like a donkey....

 

[krzywica]

Manufacturing companies would never do anything to bolster their statistics, would they?

It is a very well known fact that the reason contrast ratios have been skyrocketing as of late is because of the way contrast is being measured plain and simple. Hell, I have a friend who was at Cedia as a vendor and asked a Sharp representative what the difference between this year and last years panels that caused the contrast increase from about 2,000:1 to 10,000:1 the representative simply said "Ohh, we just measured them with a different methodology."

Just as with receiver power ratings or speaker frequency ratings there are always other angles to the same situation that can show something in a better light. This is often what is being done with displays.

Also, Pioneer just showed an infinite contrast plasma at CES this year. Honestly that doesn't matter, how often is pure black really needed? After all, every bit of detail is lost in it. Simply put one specification will never tell you the whole story on any piece of equipment especially when it is not taken using realistic methods by a credible third party with no vested interest.

BTW Greg is dead on if a display has a life of 60,000 hours (even though some new Pioneers are rated at 100,000 hours) that translates to 7 years of use at 8 hours a day more than long enough for the average consumer.

I agree with you about the marketing hype, its tha same with any consumer product. They will shine the light on it at whatever angle looks the most attractive.

Yes but 5000:1 and 1,000,000:1 are two very different numbers and cannot be discarded with a simple "well they just test them differently".....I was just noting that flat screens are advancing very rapidly, that high of a contrast ratio would only matter for studio grade scenarios where picture accuracy is absolutely paramount. However that was just one of the most obvious and measurable changes that are going on with current technology. Because as a novice user I don't think he is going to be able to decipher a full spectrum readout of a sets picture reproduction....I mean I know I can't.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

I think you can say prick so I just thought you were being a prick

What I can't say hiney? Man the FCC is worse than I thought. Haha. Ok I sounded like a donkey....

 

[krzywica]

Haha, hey you can say that! Awesome......we are gonna have to resort to using "The Kings English" pretty soon.