Plasma Screen or LCD?

[El Nino]

Hey, I need to get a bigger and better television for viewing of playoff hockey, baseball, DVDs etc... I am sick of squinting at a 25' screen! I wanT to get anybody's opinion here who wants to chime in. What should I buy, a plasma screen or LCD? What are the pros and cons?? Any input is greatly appreciated! Thanks friends

[Darren]

First a question, which is appropriate both for this board, and for the TV (wait, let's call it a television. Don't want to confuse people on here): What size are you looking for?

They each have advantages/disadvantages. What type of room is it going to be in, what will you be watching, what's your budget?

Oh shit, my inner geek's coming out! Someone stop me!!!

[El Nino]

I would say 36 to 42" and up to about $1,200.
And this is a "general discussion" isn't it? Jesus..

[Darren]

That size, that price, I'd say go with the LCD. Plasma can cost a little more, and the quality difference isn't that much for that size.

Just a suggestion, make sure you get one that's 1080p resolution. That way you're planning ahead, and don't need to worry about the whole 720P/1080i debate, etc. May as well get the latest and greatest, right?

[Oli]

If your going to stay under 42", LCD is the way. Got a nice LG 32LB9 two weeks ago for my home office. Great contrast, blacks are exceptional. It's a 768p, but it will never be hooked to Blu-Ray, so 1080 wasn't a big thing.

Got a Samsung 52" Plasma full 1080p for home theater. Really love the picture and technology. PS3 works great with it.

Darren has it right, you need to answer some questions. Try reading this:
http://www.cnet.com/hdtv-world/?tag=ms, it may help with your decision.

[El Nino]

Thanks for the info guys.

[justatransgirl]

I don't know about plasma, but we have a 50" LCD - some off brand from Costco - and I haven't seen anything with a markedly better picture. We got it about 18 months ago - I think it was $1,400. It seemed like a good deal.

It's just what you need for showing porn to your friends and family...

Giggle,
TS Jamie :-)

[Wino the SuperHero]

LCD LCD LCD! I love the plasma but the LCD is just better in my opinion. Do a little searching though. Plasma TVs are starting to drop in price, cause they don't sell like the LCD.

[HotRats]

Both have pluses and minuses

Plasma: Most like CRT, smooth movement, subtle colours. Logos or matte bars can burn into the screen if displayed for too long, need treating with care during the first 200 hours, more expensive, heavier, only available in large sizes (37" or bigger), reflective screen finish doesn't suit people who watch TV in strong daylight. Best for home cinema. Recommended brands Pioneer or Panasonic.

LCD. Cheap, lightweight, improving all the time. No image burn so ideal for gamers or watching channels with logos. Can't track fast movement easily leaving trails and smears. Picture looks artificial and cartoon like with limited subtlety, pixels can die or stick on one colour. Backlight can bleed in corners. Blacks do not have the range and detail of plasmas. Best for general TV watching in daylight and gaming. Recommended makes Panasonic, Planar, Samsung. Look for models with an LED backlight instead of cold cathode

Both should be surpassed by OLED but these won't be affordable for 3-4 years at the earliest.

Full HD or HD Ready? Most people can't tell the difference at less than 40" but if you're going to buy Blu Ray discs or watch HDTV try to get a Full HD screen (1920x1080 pixels)

[kingkohl]

For sports and hig action pictures I'd say go for Plasma.

[Wombat]

LCDs use less electricity. For some that is an important consideration given the high profile of global warming and carbon footprints.

[TSLoverUK999]

I've got to agree with everyone else, for the size & price range you want, I'd go LCD.

[will802]

LCD all the way. no screen burn in on LCD while depending on what brand plasma you get screen burn in can still be an issue. I also started off thinking 42" max, but ended up with a 47" and glad I did. Think of viewing distance. here's a nice little rule of thumb to go by
Screen
size Viewing
distance range
30" 3.75-6.25 feet
34" 4.25-7 feet
42" 5.25-8.75 feet
50" 6.25-10.5 feet
56" 7-11.75 feet
62" 7.75-13 feet
70" 8.75-14.75 feet

[Ziggy33]

Without a doubt the best tv's out are LCDs. For sports, television and video games LCDs own the competition. Plasmas have the slight edge when it comes to watching movies because of their deep blacks.

I studied up on tv's for a year before I made my purchases. I went with 3 XBR Sony Bravias. The best TV on the market (XBR4 or 5). I got the 52, 46, and 40 .Believe it or not the 40 has the best picture I have ever seen. If your looking for a great bang for your buck buy, go with the Vizio series. Great tv's at a reasonable price. Check out avsforum.com all the info you will ever need is on those message boards.

To sum it up, if all you want to do is watch movies buy a plasma. If you want a tv for sports, tv and video games and of course movies....go with a LCD. I'll put a top of the line LCD (Sony, Sammie, Aquios) up any day against the top of the line plasma and the LCD will come out on top. I spent way to much time and money between the two...LCDs are better tvs than plasmas, nuff said. I wouldn't even consider a DLP. Have fun watching a DLP or Plasma if your NOT sitting directly in front of it too.

[big2trip]

wait to around super bowl time to buy any tv i spent 1400 on my tv and saw drop by 200 hundred dollars. I love my 40 inch Lcd Samsung for video games and movies but for sports games theres a little motion blur but the pic still looks great. The best three to buy are Samsung Toshiba Sony.

[Dino Velvet]

I'm thinking about getting a 32" Sony XBR5 LCD. I've been told by a friend of mine who sells TVs it's a good choice. I just have to wait a few months so I can be eligible for his employee discount. It's for the bedroom so 32" will be just fine.

[Ziggy33]

The best three to buy are Samsung Toshiba Sony.[/quote] No, Sony, Sammie and Sharp are the best. Like he said, superbowl weekend is always a good time. It's also hard to beat best buys 3 years no interest when they have that going.

[Ziggy33]

I'm thinking about getting a 32" Sony XBR5 LCD. I've been told by a friend of mine who sells TVs it's a good choice. I just have to wait a few months so I can be eligible for his employee discount. It's for the bedroom so 32" will be just fine.

They dont make a 32 inch XBR5.

[kc1433]

When I went shopping for a big screen, the "sales" guy at Costco sold me on the LCD because it does not show any reflections of anything that might be in your room. I believe the plasma does show reflections.
You have to take into consideration on how big the room is for the size of the tv you want to buy (post by will802)
The top 40''to 42'' LCD tvs according to Consumer Reports are the Samsung and Sony (post by ziggy33)
You might want to go to the public library and look through the Consumer Reports magazines. I believe they had an issue not to long ago about plasma and LCD and there differences.
I ended up buying the Vizio 47''. I thought the Sony bravia 42'' had a better picture quality, but it cost a little more.
You might want to check out the websites of Costco, Sams Club, Best Buy, Circuit City and even Sears for sales. Be careful because some of the websites still sell the 720p technology for a lower price

[SXFX]

I accidentally bought a 47 in 1080P LCD....don't ask.
I don't think some times.
Ok...here is the gig. The latest 1080P's are amazing. Just as bright as plazma, have the same level of contrast and with the latest equipment fix all the high speed issues.
Just remember the wire will set you back about $100 and the equipment to hang it on the wall will set you back another $200.
And yes it looks so much better when you hang it.

[Gmanfromthechi]

Ive got a 37 inch HDLCD by philips. Best thing about it is it has the Ambilight. It really transforms the whole viewing experiance. I highly recommend you take a look at these first. I have had no problem with it at all either. Great buy.

[Dino Velvet]

I'm thinking about getting a 32" Sony XBR5 LCD. I've been told by a friend of mine who sells TVs it's a good choice. I just have to wait a few months so I can be eligible for his employee discount. It's for the bedroom so 32" will be just fine.

They dont make a 32 inch XBR5.

Not yet. I was told one is coming out soon.

[kingkohl]

Don't LCDs have much worse refresh rates than Plasmas? And refresh rate is king when it comes to high action movies or sports.

[kingkohl]

I have heard great things about ambilight too, check it out!

[El Nino]

Ok, so what I got out of this thread so far was an overwhelming result for an LCD. With 1080p, brands are either Sharp, Samsung, Sony or maybe even Philips, with a 40" to 42" screen for my sized living room, and look for the latest and greatest updated technology, i.e. ambilight. Its looking like I am going to spend at least $1,250. Best Buy here I come...
Thanks for all the input fuckers!

[njspyder]

I don't get all the love for LCD. Every LCD I've seen looked fuzzy or blurry or like I was watching through a screen. Plasma has the best picture IMO. I bought a 42" Samsung plasma last year and it's awesome for movies and sports. ESPN HD kicks ass with NASCAR for sure.

Before making a rash decision to buy LCD check out the forums here:

http://avsforum.com/

there's a lot of people posting lots of in-depth intelligent reviews about individual TVs. One of the reasons I bought mine was the ability to tweak so many of the color and picture settings.

Just don't put plasma in a room with no curtains and lots of windows.

[punkox]

If you can... buy your TV at Costco... I've priced them between costco/best buy/and circuit city and costco has the best prices. If you spend $1200 on your TV you'll automatically pay for an executive membership for one year... which is a really good deal.

I bought a 47'' 1080p VIZIO there last christmas... I was a little uneasy about buying a VIZIO at first because it wasn't one of the three big ones but it's been great. I have two friends who have bought Samsung's and have had to bring them back to Circuit City because they didn't work out of the box so watch out for that. I haven't had any problems with my VIZIO and it's got a lot faster response time than some of the higher priced LCD's which makes it ideal for watching fast sports like hockey and football (it's also good to watch bunny rabbit porn on too)...

Anyways... i spent $900 on my TV and it came with an HDMI cable (which is worth $100)... check out Costco dude... you won't regret it.

[punkox]

[quote="njspyder"] Every LCD I've seen looked fuzzy or blurry or like I was watching through a screen. quote]

You're absolutely right njspyder... LCD's look fuzzy/blurry if you aren't using an HDMI cable with them... when you hook that cable up to your cable/dish receiver though the picture is amazing.

[ezed]

If you can... buy your TV at Costco... I've priced them between costco/best buy/and circuit city and costco has the best prices. If you spend $1200 on your TV you'll automatically pay for an executive membership for one year... which is a really good deal.

I bought a 47'' 1080p VIZIO there last christmas... I was a little uneasy about buying a VIZIO at first because it wasn't one of the three big ones but it's been great. I have two friends who have bought Samsung's and have had to bring them back to Circuit City because they didn't work out of the box so watch out for that. I haven't had any problems with my VIZIO and it's got a lot faster response time than some of the higher priced LCD's which makes it ideal for watching fast sports like hockey and football (it's also good to watch bunny rabbit porn on too)...

Anyways... i spent $900 on my TV and it came with an HDMI cable (which is worth $100)... check out Costco dude... you won't regret it.

VIZIO is the same as LG. Same parts. LG's way of capturing a lower price market. And LG is good. I heard Sharp's a crap shoot due to assembly not technology.

In the past, Phillips new technology has been a train wreck (under their name). But when others buy it, they get it to work for extended periods of time. Phillips brand= beta. They invent alot of good stuff, but can't mass produce it. Another crap shoot.

[shiwarrior]

LCD have won the race

Plasmas is BETTER quality (but more expensive to buy , and you have to recharge it every few years so can be costly to run)

LCD is more affordable and better quality than CRT if your want HD 1080p Full

[Northof60]

If you can... buy your TV at Costco... I've priced them between costco/best buy/and circuit city and costco has the best prices. If you spend $1200 on your TV you'll automatically pay for an executive membership for one year... which is a really good deal.

I bought a 47'' 1080p VIZIO there last christmas... I was a little uneasy about buying a VIZIO at first because it wasn't one of the three big ones but it's been great. I have two friends who have bought Samsung's and have had to bring them back to Circuit City because they didn't work out of the box so watch out for that. I haven't had any problems with my VIZIO and it's got a lot faster response time than some of the higher priced LCD's which makes it ideal for watching fast sports like hockey and football (it's also good to watch bunny rabbit porn on too)...

Anyways... i spent $900 on my TV and it came with an HDMI cable (which is worth $100)... check out Costco dude... you won't regret it.

VIZIO is the same as LG. Same parts. LG's way of capturing a lower price market. And LG is good. I heard Sharp's a crap shoot due to assembly not technology.

In the past, Phillips new technology has been a train wreck (under their name). But when others buy it, they get it to work for extended periods of time. Phillips brand= beta. They invent alot of good stuff, but can't mass produce it. Another crap shoot.


FYI - LG is Philips

[shiwarrior]

LG is phillips?

well I didnt know that

maybe they just use the same tube?

LG used to be called "Goldstar"

[kingkohl]

I have an LG 42" LCD which is utterly horrid.

[El Nino]

Well, I purchased a 40" LCD Samsung, Series 4, model 450. These just came out in March 2008. $1,200 at Best Buy. It has many convenient ports for a multitude of external devices and a shit ton of functions. I'm happy with the thing, but now I need to upgrade my cable subscription so I can receive HDTV broadcasting. Any info or recommendations with this. What company has the best service??

Also, anybody have a Blu-Ray disc player yet??

[Ziggy33]

The best blue-ray player out is the PS3 believe it or not.

[DCGuy343]

I second that. No other player can touch the PS3 right now.

[fhsjazztrumpet2]

DLP anyone? I hear that plasma loses picture quality after x number of hours. LCD can be good, but there are some issues, same ones you see on high quality computer monitors. I think DLP seems like the intermediate option, in price and quality, that doesn't degrade over time like plasma.

[kilrjo]

Under 42", go with an LCD. Over 42" get a Plasma. Spend the extra money for 1080P. You can see the difference!
Costco has some great prices in the store and online.

[Charlie31]

The best television currently out there is the Sony Bravia XBR series. I think the 46" for under $3000.00 is an excellent deal. That will be my next television since I currently own a 34" Sony XBR 960, glass tube television from 2003 & that television was ahead of its time a few years ago. Great picture quality, but that television weighs over 200 lbs.

[Ziggy33]

Charlie knows his tv's....the best televisions out are the Sony XBR 4's or 5's.

[dan_drade]

If you want something digital, you will have to go with Plasma, especially since you watch a lot of sports. LCD will look blurry when there is a lot of action going on. Go down to an electronics store and have a look. You will see what I am talking about.
If price is the only issue, then an LCD would be cheaper, but not nearly as good.

[El Nino]

My new Samsung 40" LCD flatscreen looks fucking awesome with programs broadcast in 1080p. I can't wait to get my HD box and service installed this Saturday. How are all your TV's performing as of late?