Need suggestions for a 1080p 40" to 46" $1000-$1500

[EasyCompany506]

I'm soooo tired of searching the ends of the web to find the TV that is right for me. So I'll let the wonderful world of forums narrow this down for me.
here is what I want
8ms response time and 120hz (no motion blur, which is standard now)
PC output
40-46"
1920x1080 full HD
LCD or plasma, prefer LCD.
Number of inputs outputs doesn't matter, my Sony ES receiver will cover all my output needs.
10000:1 to 25000:1 contrast ratio

$1000-$1500
I like Samsung and panasonic and Sony, open to other brands.
Two TV's I was interested in was the Samsung LN-T4661F and the Sony KDL-40W3000.

I'm totally open to any model or size in my price range. Please include model, thoughts and best place to buy. I just want the best I can afford. I really want to wait for the samsung 81 series this fall and save save save, but there are great deals now on TV's.

THANK YOU!
Go Giants and pats suck (I'm a Dolphins fan)

 

[no. 5]

Some thoughts:

For a screen size of 40" to 46", you will need to be sitting closer than eight feet (roughly) from the screen to see the difference between 1080p and 720p (1).

Concerning the contrast ratio, don't go by the manufacturer's spec, it is in all likelihood wrong (2).

Some HDTVs do a 120Hz refresh rate well, some do not, and some people find it annoying.

To find the best TV, it may be best to find reviews that have measurements of the displays in your price range, as that will give an idea of the real performance of the display (grayscale, color accuracy, video processing).



(1) visable resolution limits
(2) information about contrast ratios

 

[EasyCompany506]

I normally sit around 10 feet or closer in my home theater. I'll be watching blu-ray and playing Gran Turismo in 1080p so I want the best TV I can get to enjoy the full power of my PS3.
What are some good models or name brands to look into for 1080p TV's in this size?

 

[bandphan]

I normally sit around 10 feet or closer in my home theater. I'll be watching blu-ray and playing Gran Turismo in 1080p so I want the best TV I can get to enjoy the full power of my PS3.
What are some good models or name brands to look into for 1080p TV's in this size?

i think n5 said best, based on your budget do a little research,

the Mitsubishi LT46144 46" LCD HDTV can be fotten for as little a 2200, out you budget i know, but its not even their best unit, Meaning that your question is relative to your budget.

 

[brulaha]

8ms response time and 120hz (no motion blur, which is standard now)
LCD or plasma, prefer LCD.
10000:1 to 25000:1 contrast ratio
$1000-$1500
I like Samsung and panasonic and Sony, open to other brands.
Two TV's I was interested in was the Samsung LN-T4661F and the Sony KDL-40W3000.

Just a couple of thoughts based on the above comments. Both response time and contrast ratio are not very reliable stats to choose TV from. Manufactures constantly change the thresholds by which they measure these.

You will only find 120hz on TV's out of your price range. Both the Samsung LN-T4661F and the Sony KDL-40W3000 are 60hz TV's. I believe you have to step up to the 69 series in Samsung and the XBR series in Sony to get 120hz processing. Additionally, there are different kinds of 120hz processing. In one instance, the TV will insert a black frame in between every frame to turn off all the pixels. The effects of this as it relates to motion blur are highly dubious. Most people can't tell a difference. Then there is interpolation, which Samsung refers to as active motion and I believe Sony refers as motion enhancement. This will alter the way the picture was intended to be viewed. Some people like it and some don't. It's a taste issue you have to see for yourself. Most TV's that offer 120hz processing will have both of these modes.

Plasma's do not offer 120hz processing, as they refresh differently and do not suffer from motion blur. Plasmas will have a better picture it most instances, giving you deeper blacks and no motion issues. However they are reflective and can suffer from burn in (which in most cases is not an issue).

That being said, I think in regard to LCD's, both the Samsung LN-T4661F and the Sony KDL-40W3000 are excellent choices. I would probably go for the 4661 as you can find it for under $1500 and It's a great set. The 61 series from Samsung is cheaper than the W series from Sony. Plus I like the look of the bezel for the 61 series more. You really should consider a 77 series Panasonic Plasma as well if you do not have light issues in your room that will cause reflections in the TV.

 

[Duffinator]

I think you're on the right track with the models you have listed. I like what I see with the Samsung LCD's the best followed closely by Sony and I have a Sharp 45" LCD. If you get a 120 Hz set make sure you have the option to use the 60 Hz mode. Some don't like the looks of the 120 Hz for movies and from what I've seen some Sony's don't look good at 120 Hz. I can't remember the Sony model at Costco I was looking at but it made Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Man's chest look fake.

 

[brulaha]

If you get a 120 Hz set make sure you have the option to use the 60 Hz mode.

120hz cannot be turned off. A 120hz set is just that, it refreshes at 120hz. What can be turned off is motion interpolation. When this is off, a black frame will be inserted in place of the interpolated frame. It is interpolation that can make 120hz TV look fake.

 

[EasyCompany506]

samsung LN-T4661 vs Panasonic TH-42PZ77U

great advice Brulaha and everyone else so far. Brulaha which model are you referring to for Panasonic, the Panasonic TH-42PZ77U? I had looked at this at one time vs the Samsung LN-T4661F and just thought the picture looked better on the Samsung. The Sony's are out of my price range so let's use these two TV's and go from there.
My requirements for an HDTV are simple. I just want an excellent picture, quality built TV, no motion blur and 1080p in the 42' -46" range. My main hold up has always been price and the finance committee.
So based on these two models I have some follow up questions
Which is better regardless of price. Panny or samsung?
Are there other models or brands in the same price range and size I should look at or compare?
Any issues with these models or brands?

Thanks and please post any comments.

 

[darien87]

120hz cannot be turned off. A 120hz set is just that, it refreshes at 120hz. What can be turned off is motion interpolation. When this is off, a black frame will be inserted in place of the interpolated frame. It is interpolation that can make 120hz TV look fake.

True, it cannot be turned of, but the Samsungs give you the option of "Low, Medium or High". I don't think the Sony's give you that option.

 

[EasyCompany506]

Samsung LNT4665F 46" 1080p LCD

follow up
I was looking over the above models and noticed on amazon that the 4661F and the Samsung LNT4665F 46" 1080p LCD are both around $1600 today.

Thoughts on what is different between these? For the same price I would assume the higher model number would be better.
bump

 

[brulaha]

True, it cannot be turned of, but the Samsungs give you the option of "Low, Medium or High". I don't think the Sony's give you that option.

Actually the Sony's have off, standard, and high, with the off meaning no interpolation and the standard and high using interpolation.

I don't recall what settings are on the Samsung, so I'm sure you are right.

 

[brulaha]

follow up
I was looking over the above models and noticed on amazon that the 4661F and the Samsung LNT4665F 46" 1080p LCD are both around $1600 today.

Thoughts on what is different between these? For the same price I would assume the higher model number would be better.
bump

4665 is the step up model from the 4661. If you had to ask me, I'd say that the 4665 does have a better picture, albeit it with a major caveat. The 4665 adds a very reflective surface to the screen, and will suffer from the same reflection issues as plasmas do. The 4661 does not have this surface and as such does not reflect much.

In regards to the Panasonic, I was referring to the TH-50PZ77U and the TH-42PZ77U, which are just two different sizes of the same set. In my opinion, LCD's do tend to look better than Plasma's at the store, because they are all set to torch mode and LCD's tend to be brighter than their plasma counterparts. You are going to turn much of this brightness down in your home unless you have metal halide lights like the stores environment. That said, with equal settings, the Plasmas will have better pictures. Don't take my word for it, look at some of the other threads here and at the reviews on CNET.

 

[Duffinator]

120hz cannot be turned off. A 120hz set is just that, it refreshes at 120hz. What can be turned off is motion interpolation. When this is off, a black frame will be inserted in place of the interpolated frame. It is interpolation that can make 120hz TV look fake.

Thanks for the clarification on that. I knew you could turn something off that made the picture look better.

 

[brulaha]

Thanks for the clarification on that. I knew you could turn something off that made the picture look better.

My pleasure!

 

[kurtkrum]

Have you looked at the 1080p Panasonic Plasma in 42"? I have one and love it, when I was searching for TVs it had the best pic of any LCD or plasma I saw.

 

[solomr2]

I'm soooo tired of searching the ends of the web to find the TV that is right for me. So I'll let the wonderful world of forums narrow this down for me.
here is what I want
8ms response time and 120hz (no motion blur, which is standard now)
PC output
40-46"
1920x1080 full HD
LCD or plasma, prefer LCD.


Go Giants and pats suck (I'm a Dolphins fan)

I'm a Dolfan also, but I hate the Giants almost as much as I hate the Yankees. Go Pats!

Anyway, why do you prefer LCD? Plasma is far, far superior.

I have both LCD and Plasma, and I can tell you I would not buy another LCD unless I was forced to. Plasma is so superior to LCD, the PQ and off-axis viewing are worlds apart. The only time I would consider another LCD is if the location for the TV was super bright and I was unable to do anything to prevent the reflections on the screen. Otherwise, PLASMA all the way!

Seriously, I would highly recommend you do some critical thinking about this and talk to others who have both Plasma and LCD.

 

[Thunder18]

follow up
I was looking over the above models and noticed on amazon that the 4661F and the Samsung LNT4665F 46" 1080p LCD are both around $1600 today.

Thoughts on what is different between these? For the same price I would assume the higher model number would be better.
bump

Samsung typically improves black level performance each model change. They do pretty decent ATSC tuners as well so if you like to use an antenna for over the air HD you will be well satisfied.

 

[darien87]

I have a Samsung LNT5265F and I love it. I hardly ever notice motion blur on it and I'm pretty picky. True, I don't have any experience with plasmas, so I can't comment on that. But at the size I wanted, plasmas weren't in my price range.

The designation of 65F means that it's a 60Hz TV though, and the OP said that he didn't want 60Hz. My TV does have a pretty reflective surface, but this is intentional as it helps improve contrast and black levels.

 

[darien87]

I'm a Dolfan also, but I hate the Giants almost as much as I hate the Yankees. Go Pats!

I'm a Chargers fan and I want BOTH teams to lose. The only way I'll be happy is if someone blows up the stadium in AZ and everyone dies.

I hate Eli Manning, but I don't want the Cheats going 19-0. But if the Cheats do end up winning, at least my boy Seau will finally get a ring.

 

[bandphan]

I'm a Chargers fan and I want BOTH teams to lose. The only way I'll be happy is if someone blows up the stadium in AZ and everyone dies.

I hate Eli Manning, but I don't want the Cheats going 19-0. But if the Cheats do end up winning, at least my boy Seau will finally get a ring.

and manning hates you.