Plasma or LCD

[Adam]

The one thing that LCD does have over Plasma is that the screens on Plasmas are highly reflective, way more than LCD which makes them harder to place in a room with poor lighting control. Thats the only advantage I see.

I don't agree. I don't believe that is an inherent advantage or disadvantage for either technology. My plasma has a very effective anti-reflective coating on the screen. Reflections don't bother me, and I have ambient light coming from all directions in my living room. One of the reasons that I picked this plasma was for the lack of reflections on the screen, seeing as how many of the LCD displays these days have highly reflective screens on purpose. I didn't check out the Samsung LCDs with the mat finish on the display, but I've heard that those are also nice.

 

[Pyrrho]

...

If you're ok with 720 p, some 42" choices. If you are further than 7' from TV, you won't notice any difference between 720 and 1080.
...

If someone has 20/20 vision, that is not correct. It is 8.19 feet for a 42" TV at 720p. See:

http://www.digital-digest.com/articles/HDTV_Viewing_Distance_Calculator_Guide_page1.html

Just the calculator:

http://www.digital-digest.com/articles/viewing_distance.php

See also:

http://s3.carltonbale.com/distance_chart.html

If your vision is worse than 20/20, then you can sit closer without any issues, but how much closer will depend upon how much worse than 20/20 your vision is.

I personally have a 768p TV, and for that I can sit a little closer. My TV is about 8 feet away from my eyes when on my couch. I cannot see any individual pixel at that distance. Of course, any source that is less than the resolution of the TV, like a regular DVD, does not look as sharp and clear as something that is as high as the resolution of my TV, but because of the pixel size on the TV, I can never see any individual pixels in any case.

I recommend using the calculator above to determine if it is worthwhile to get 1080p instead of 720p (or 768p) for a particular size TV at the distance one will actually view it, keeping in mind that one can be a bit closer if one's vision is bad. But remember, when your guests are there, if their vision is good, they will be seeing pixels if your seating is too close.

 

[3db]

I don't agree. I don't believe that is an inherent advantage or disadvantage for either technology. My plasma has a very effective anti-reflective coating on the screen. Reflections don't bother me, and I have ambient light coming from all directions in my living room. One of the reasons that I picked this plasma was for the lack of reflections on the screen, seeing as how many of the LCD displays these days have highly reflective screens on purpose. I didn't check out the Samsung LCDs with the mat finish on the display, but I've heard that those are also nice.

This Vizio I bought has virtually no reflections .... I wonder why manufactures of LCD displays would weaken their one inherent strength of very little reflections by introducing glass? That doesn't make sense.

 

[bandphan]

This Vizio I bought has virtually no reflections .... I wonder why manufactures of LCD displays would weaken their one inherent strength of very little reflections by introducing glass? That doesn't make sense.

Protection from many things including children. Trust me when I say that the pannys (pioneers also) do not put off any annoying reflections. The worst part of my two are the shinny black bezels, which are highly reflective. I'm watching. Episode 3 right now with two windows open in the BR and zero issues

 

[nibhaz]

Protection from many things including children. Trust me when I say that the pannys (pioneers also) do not put off any annoying reflections. The worst part of my two are the shinny black bezels, which is highly reflective. I'm watching. Episode 3 right now with two windows open in the BR and zero issues

That’s defiantly the worst offender on my Panny, the screen itself holds up amazingly well in full daylight.

 

[jostenmeat]

Thanks for your effort Josten. I appreciate this.

You're welcome! I did try, after hitting the name in some search, DirectBuy or something like that. I clicked on visitor pass, and I don't where you live in CA, and used some Ontario zip, but I had no luck in getting to TV prices. What is the reputation that DirectBuy has up there? It appears membership is needed, like with Costco.

The one thing that LCD does have over Plasma is that the screens on Plasmas are highly reflective, way more than LCD which makes them harder to place in a room with poor lighting control. Thats the only advantage I see.

I thought you said basement, so I searched:

The new house I'll be moving into has a finished basement which is oddly shaped but still workable.

screen size will be between 46" and 56" and will be in a basement where there is some control of ambient light.

So, that's a moot point.

If someone has 20/20 vision, that is not correct. It is 8.19 feet for a 42" TV at 720p. See:

Just the calculator:

http://www.digital-digest.com/articles/viewing_distance.php

Thanks for the correction and calculator. That will help me be more precise in the future. It's hard to eyeball it from the CB graph.

See also:

http://s3.carltonbale.com/distance_chart.html

I've always liked ThA tRiXtA's tweaking of it.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v471/tha_trixta/resolution2.png

 

[droht]

Protection from many things including children. Trust me when I say that the pannys (pioneers also) do not put off any annoying reflections. The worst part of my two are the shinny black bezels, which are highly reflective. I'm watching. Episode 3 right now with two windows open in the BR and zero issues

My Pioneer 5070 is pretty reflective, especially compared to most of the better LCDs I've seen. Not saying you can't watch in moderate light, but it is so much better in a dark/dimly lit room with no light source shining directly at screen.

If my room didn't have good light control I would have gone LCD instead of the Pio for sure. That was a while back though. It seems like some plasmas have gone with AR coatings, and some LCDs have gone glossy and reflective.

 

[bluebirdy]

I don`t like Pioneer produtcs. Sony is the best has got the best lcd TVs. Plasma are usually used in a environment where you can control excess light. I have a 42 inch LCD Sony Tv and its working pretty good.

 

[bandphan]

My Pioneer 5070 is pretty reflective, especially compared to most of the better LCDs I've seen. Not saying you can't watch in moderate light, but it is so much better in a dark/dimly lit room with no light source shining directly at screen.

If my room didn't have good light control I would have gone LCD instead of the Pio for sure. That was a while back though. It seems like some plasmas have gone with AR coatings, and some LCDs have gone glossy and reflective.

Your a couple generations removed from the current offerings, so comparing your display wouldnt be the most accurate.

I don`t like Pioneer produtcs. Sony is the best has got the best lcd TVs. Plasma are usually used in a environment where you can control excess light. I have a 42 inch LCD Sony Tv and its working pretty good.

That a good subjective statment So whats wrong with pioneer? Tell us what model sony lcd you have....

 

[lsiberian]

I don`t like Pioneer produtcs. Sony is the best has got the best lcd TVs. Plasma are usually used in a environment where you can control excess light. I have a 42 inch LCD Sony Tv and its working pretty good.

I don't like pioneer either and will never buy a product from that company.(personal preferences soldering bad connections on a receiver) However the Panasonic Plasma's are way better than the Sony TVs. Contrast ratio is everything even in ambient lighting. Constrast is more important than resolution IMO.

Pioneer aint the only plasma seller out there. Panasonic has always treated me extremely well.

Sony makes good LCDs but LCD just isn't on the level with Plasmas.

 

[PSWii60]

Simply put...PLASMA

 

[jostenmeat]

Simply put...PLASMA

Hey! Where ya been?!

 

[Adam]

Simply put...PLASMA

Hey! Where ya been?!

No kidding! Welcome back, man!

 

[celica]

Simply put...PLASMA

+1 Sir
_______________________

 

[juiceblrc]

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[juiceblrc]

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[juiceblrc]

have to bump up my post count to 5 to send pm's.
sorry.

 

[juiceblrc]

got 5 now.

 

[iso9001]

Simply put...LCD

As far as tech goes, plasma is OK, but I think LCD has the longer haul.

Esp with local dimming led backlighting.

 

[DaleAV]

Simply put...LCD

As far as tech goes, plasma is OK, but I think LCD has the longer haul.

Esp with local dimming led backlighting.

I agree, only because most of the public can not appreciate the difference.