TV Research Phase

[flatpanelwisher]

Hi all. First post; be gentle.

Looking for a 60+ incher. I think I've narrowed it down to Kuros, Panasonic Viera PZ850U, or Sharp Aquos.

Can someone explain the diff between dynamic contrast ratio vs native CR? And should I make a big deal about Aquos 27k:1 vs Viera's 1m:1?

I noticed there is no CR measurement for Kuros. Why? Also there is no Hertz or ms rating for Kuros but Viera and Aquos are even, showing 120hz and 4ms each. Why?

This toy will be used for movies and sporting events mostly, and will be in a narrow room where lights can be controlled. So if someone would like to rate the order of these three bad boys, I'd appreciated it.

Thanks all!!!!!!

 

[bandphan]

Hi all. First post; be gentle.

Looking for a 60+ incher. I think I've narrowed it down to Kuros, Panasonic Viera PZ850U, or Sharp Aquos.

Can someone explain the diff between dynamic contrast ratio vs native CR? And should I make a big deal about Aquos 27k:1 vs Viera's 1m:1?

I noticed there is no CR measurement for Kuros. Why? Also there is no Hertz or ms rating for Kuros but Viera and Aquos are even, showing 120hz and 4ms each. Why?

This toy will be used for movies and sporting events mostly, and will be in a narrow room where lights can be controlled. So if someone would like to rate the order of these three bad boys, I'd appreciated it.

Thanks all!!!!!!

You have really no need to worry about the contrast ratios as the meaning is useless by their lack of standards.

Refresh rates really only apply to LCDs, as Plasma has a refresh rate of 60Hz but the pixel is pulsed 12 times per hertz resulting in the equivalent of a 720 Hz refresh rate, resulting in no motion blur.

If it were me, it would be no question between the 3 you are looking at, KURO and the elite if budget permited. If your looking for an LCD, look at the new samsungs x950 series.

 

[EJ1]

If you can afford the Kuro, go for it! I wouldn't even look at anything else, haha.

 

[flatpanelwisher]

I cannot find "X950". I did see LN55A950, but its 55" not 60 or >. Is X950 a new one? The specs of the A950 do look better than the Aquos however.

 

[bandphan]

I cannot find "X950". I did see LN55A950, but its 55" not 60 or >. Is X950 a new one? The specs of the A950 do look better than the Aquos however.

950 is the series x= size,

Yes the specs look better than sharp, agian if its mine, kuro without question

 

[annunaki]

My choices would be in this order 60" Kuro Elite, 60" Kuro & 58PZ850U(these two tie), 58PZ800, 55A950, 55XBR8

 

[Biggiesized]

This is an easy decision if your budget allows: KURO Elite, no question about it.

 

[flatpanelwisher]

So the guy at Best Buy tells me I should get the Kuro "calibrated". WHats that all about? A 6k+ TV and I need to get it "calibrated". I know a lot of people who purchased flat panel TV's and no one has had them calibrated.

Can someone tell me what this is all about?

Thanks.

 

[EJ1]

I'd calibrate any TV, regardless of price. Do a search for "ISF Calibration" and read up. Plus, if you can afford a $6K, you can afford a $500 calibration (2 sources or so). If I spent that much on a display, I'd want it to look perfect (hence the calibration).

 

[jostenmeat]

Hi all. First post; be gentle.

Looking for a 60+ incher. I think I've narrowed it down to Kuros, Panasonic Viera PZ850U, or Sharp Aquos.

Have you taken a look for yourself? Honest question. Reason I ask is because I've never seen an Aquos that didn't make me want to throw up. I've seen several. In fact I know of two people who have them, and one who used to have one.

Can someone explain the diff between dynamic contrast ratio vs native CR? And should I make a big deal about Aquos 27k:1 vs Viera's 1m:1?

Dynamic is with iris. The aperture can get larger or smaller, depending on the *average* brightness of a given scene. However, since it can't be wide open, or reduced, at the same time, you can't enjoy it the same way you could with native contrast. Native means you can have bright stuff with detailed dark background. Generally speaking.

I noticed there is no CR measurement for Kuros. Why?

I couldn't tell you, but I'm pretty sure their ANSI contrast ratings have been untouched for a while, and that includes LCDs, RPTVs, or PJs. I think they are about +3k, and generally that is just unheard of.

So the guy at Best Buy tells me I should get the Kuro "calibrated". WHats that all about? A 6k+ TV and I need to get it "calibrated". I know a lot of people who purchased flat panel TV's and no one has had them calibrated.

Can someone tell me what this is all about?

Thanks.

Uh, bandphan calibrated his own display, per each source, AND for each source I think he did multiple settings for different levels of ambient light.

While Pio will have much better control of unit to unit variation, that's one thing to consider. Then the exact amount of ambient light and light control. Even the color of your walls.

The way I look at it is in the opposite manner that you do. If you're gonna blow 6k on a tv, why would you NOT get it calibrated!?!

My PJ cost half of the display you consider, and I don't really think about calibrating because of how fast a PJ's bulb dies.

 

[bandphan]

which KURO are you looking at? The 141 would be the one to consider
I just ordered the 101 and will be moving the 1150 into the br. The kuro displays set the bar for size proformance. As for calibration, meats just too lazy to do it quaterly as need with his viewing habits and bulb life If you are really interested in life like pq, following the isf standards is the way to go. Im not sure about geek squad, but i am sure that an independent would give you great value for your dollar. I

 

[jostenmeat]

Yeah, you're right, time to do it again. I've done Avia twice already, and am at roughly 520 hours I think.

I'm pretty sure I would enjoy more accurate colors, but I think I'd need outboard VP. For how much that stuff costs, I think I'll wait for some future PJ upgrade that has it included.

Then maybe I'll look into ISF training to do it myself. I wonder how easy it is to destroy a PJ.... hm...

Pro calibrations every few months would add up too fast.

And since I haven't seen better, literally, I'm fine staying put for now.

 

[annunaki]

Dynamic is with iris. The aperture can get larger or smaller, depending on the *average* brightness of a given scene. However, since it can't be wide open, or reduced, at the same time, you can't enjoy it the same way you could with native contrast. Native means you can have bright stuff with detailed dark background. Generally speaking.

There is no iris on a flat panel. Dynamic on a flat panel is full on full off.

The new Kuro's have been measured in the 37K:1 range to infinite in Home Theater Mag's reviews. They are by far the highest I have seen.

 

[jostenmeat]

Thanks annunaki. I knew there is no aperture for a plasma, but I wasn't sure how an LCD quite worked (and what about lcd backlight?). I was making a bad stab at a guess: perhaps not an aperture, but increased and decreased backlight power, for "averaging" the light of any scene?

Regardless, why don't they just call it on/off like everyone else then? Just some more of that misleading nomenclature that we find in AV?

Anyhoo, thanks for the clarification annunaki! And 37k-infinite is pretty sick.

 

[annunaki]

Thanks annunaki. I knew there is no aperture for a plasma, but I wasn't sure how an LCD quite worked (and what about lcd backlight?). I was making a bad stab at a guess: perhaps not an aperture, but increased and decreased backlight power, for "averaging" the light of any scene?

Regardless, why don't they just call it on/off like everyone else then? Just some more of that misleading nomenclature that we find in AV?

Anyhoo, thanks for the clarification annunaki! And 37k-infinite is pretty sick.

With LCD sets, there is a backlight, a light diffuser (so as to conceal the 3-4 light sources), and the LCD panel. The LCD (the actual liquid crystal) must be in a "closed" position so as to block light from coming through to produce black (or in most cases a darker shade of gray). Keeping the backlight at a low level will allow better true contrast performance.


LED backlit sets with localized dimming can get to actual black, and below, as the back lighting simply shuts off or goes very dim. It can also do this in small areas on the set to enhance native contrast. In a standard LCD it is always on. The leakage of light through the individual LCD "cells" causes the screen to be lighter in most cases drastically affecting contrast.

Because the liquid crystal is actually a moving part so to speak, it's failure rate is much higher than say a plasma or CRT. Because it must "open" or "close" which takes time as it must actually be put into motion, it is inherently slower than a plasma or crt for fast response. Because of this, LCD will most likely always suffer some sort of motion blurring.

120hz and other features simply try to mask an inherent flaw with LCD. It is the nature of the beast.

LCD has improved by leaps & bounds but is still on the backfoot, in many aspects, to plasma.

 

[jostenmeat]

That is an extremely informative explanation, and very easy to understand. Thank you.

 

[annunaki]

That is an extremely informative explanation, and very easy to understand. Thank you.

No problem! If you need more details let me know.

Here is a basic idea of how LCD operates, as you can see, it requires "movement" of the liquid crystal.

Here is an example of how plasma operates.

As you can see, it is only limited with how fast electricity can be applied to the individual cells. In other words, very quickly.