Confused on New TV’s

[kwgeorge]

I have decided that it is time to replace my right at 10 year old 50” TV with a new HDTV Widescreen but I need some advice and opinions on them. I have not kept up with technology in the area and it has certainly changed. It seems that right now there are more decisions than ever before but at the same time the prices seem to be pretty good right now.

It looks as though there are 3 main types of TV’s in larger sizes; you have LCD, Plasma and then Projection. Then with projection you have different technologies for them! They all seem to have pluses and minuses so I am just confused.

I obviously look at this kind of purchase as a large appliance that I do not intend to replace in awhile so I want to get the best I can and hope it will last. So with all that I decided that I don’t want the top of the line Cadillac but I also do not want a Pinto! I have decided that with the current market I would spend up to $2,500 on a 50” as I like that size for the room I have my TV in.

Help me out here!

Ken

[thestinker]

Well...there are people who will know a lot more than me, but heres what I know. If you have a room that has a lot of glare in it, then an LCD is better than a plasma because it won't reflect the glare as bad. Panisonic (I think) has just recently come out with a plasma that has an anti glare coating on it to help with this problem. The lady at circuit city was pushing this TV pretty hard.

I got a 32 " vizio LCD for the bedroom about a week ago and love it!!! I get the HD through antenna and mostly watch the satelite (Dish with the DVR) so this set wont be able to get the HD signal through the satelite. DVDs look great through this TV.

I am looking at a vizio for the den, but it will be a few more months before I can make that purchace. Something in a 40 or 42 " LCD.

The best advice I can give is to go look at lots of them and get the one that looks best to you and has the number of inputs and type that you will need. I personlay would stay away from projection sets and go with either an LCD or plasma. Unless the room was pretty dark and you had the space a projecor would be a good optinon. You could watch Norm lifesize!!!

Riley

[ragswl4]

I have a Sony LCD projection TV that is about 3 years old. So the technology has advanced since then. My choices were between LCD projection and DLP projection. DLP displays better black color than LCD projection. I did not consider Plasma because HDTV Plasma was much higher in price for the same size TV when compared to LCD or DLP projection. I was somewhat confused so I went to Best Buy and compared the pictures of the LCD and DLP HDTV projection TVs. I liked the picture on the Sony LCD projection the best so I went online and purcased it for 2/3 the price of what I could get it locally.

It is a 56" and is still going strong. I know there have been technoligy advances in these TVs since I bought mine. I suggest that you buy a brand name. Mine came with a 3 year warranty.

[sparkeyjames]

2 words. DLP or HD-ILA. I have a friend who has a (EDIT)JVC 56" with HD-ILA (LCOS) technology in it and to say the least the picture is STUNNING. My older sister has a 52 or 50 inch Panasonic DLP and the picture on that is also fantastic. My younger sister has a DLP ceiling mounted projection setup that is also quite good but not as good as the other 2. Me I don't watch much TV cause I don't care. I'm not going to go into what HD-ILA (LCOS) or DLP is as you can find plenty of info just by doing a google search. Suffice it to say that either of those 2 technologies will get you a whale of a good picture. With that 2500 you can get an HD-ILA (LCOS) rear projection at 50-56". On the down side I have heard that bulbs can be a problem with these 2 types of technologies ie they can burn out quickly (around 1 every year or 2) and the replacements are not cheap $100-200. LCD owners don't be smug your backlight can burn out too, although it is quite rare under 30000 hours, and its FAR more expensive to fix than the bulb in a DLP or HD-ILA(LCOS) setup.



sparkeyjames

[maxparot]

Plasma and LCD TVs are generally more expensive than equal sized rear projection and the life span of the plasma is relatively short.
Also some of them do not refresh fast enough to avoid some picture artifacts on screen with fast changing video. The strongest feature of the Plasma is considered how vivid and accurate the color is. The LCD is similar in picture quality with a improved lifespan and less accurate color. Both Plasma and LCD are generally very thin another strong feature for them.
Rear projection is a larger depth TV with prices that are generally a bit less expensive. Their refresh is much faster than LCD or PLasma and can be used for computer display with good results. They tend to not be as bright as LCD or Plasma. DLP technology uses a mirror chip to project the picture on the screen. There are now 2 different light engines for DLP TVs the older technology is a color wheel and projector lamp. This technique has a few problems for 1 the lamps can burn out. Secondly the color wheel tends to create a few artifacts such as rainbows. The newer technology is LED color engine. It is supposed to be longer life, brighter and fewer artifacts. The only manufacturer presently offering it is Samsung (they actually are in their second generation(worked out some bugs)) I just purchased the newest 56" 1080p LED DLP for just under $2000 a month ago. So far it has lived up to all the hipe. Only long term will tell if the LED light engine lasts as long as expected. The color, brightness, contrast and sharpness are excellent.

[BigguyZ]

OK, not to dismiss the knowledge of everyone here, but there's soooo much information out there that you should really do the proper research to make an informed decision. Therefore, I REALLY recommend going Here- www.avsforum.com. It's actually the forum that lead me to here! But
I digress, the forum has a ton of information, and you can find many threads and FAQs explaining the difference between them.

But............................................... .............................................
If you are looking for a quick answer, it really depends on your situation. What are you connecting to the TV? Do you have a light-controlled room (is there a lot of sunlight)? What will you be watching? And what size are you looking for? Oh, and will you have a lot of static images on the TV?

[Thalermade]

You have your basic size picked out, so that helps tremendously.

If you have a favorite brand name, certainly start there.

The newer technologies LCD, DLP, and HD-ILA provide a much brighter image,
so if there is a bunch of ambient light in your room, these might be a better choice.

for more information than anyone human really needs, check out
http://projectorcentral.com/
Click on the green tab for Flat Screens (kind of near the top left)

Some more HDTV info: http://www.hdtvprimer.com/
and a magazine: http://www.hdtvmagazine.com/

February 17, 2009. The day analog dies.

And don't let those wacky salesman confuse you on terminology
An ATSC turner is standard on the size of TV you are looking at.

HDTV (High Definition TV) comes in several forms: 720P, 1080I, 1080P
Broadcast TV is either 720P (ABC, Fox) or 1080I (PBS, NBC and CBS)
Right now 1080P is basically Blu-Ray or HD-DVD (compatibility wars right now)

Have fun, but the black & white Andy Griffiths are not available in HD
Russ

[parnelli]

Since you already have a projection set, if you don't have a need for a set that is thin then just go with a DLP or similar set eg. SXRD. If you wanted to wall mount your new set, well that'd be different then.

For a pricing example, costco has a Samsung 61" DLP for 1999. A nice big middle to upper middle of the road set.

Also, agree w/ BigguyZ- that you should try to do some reading on this and avs is a good place to check models. There's at least one piece of info in this thread that's misinformation, and it none of us here know enough about your situation to give a definitive answer. (myself included)

[LCHIEN]

Here'e CNET's suggestions for 44-57" sets

http://reviews.cnet.com/4323-6531_7-...2.html?tag=txt

HD-ILA is just JVC's name for the rear projection LCOS technology.

[andrew.r.w]

This is a big topic, and it would take a lot of reseach to be thorough. It's changing so fast things get out of date quickly, even with the top brands. I've been through this recently, and here's my two bits' worth:

1) Get a subscription to Consumer Reports. Read the section and consider their recommendations.
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/e.../tvs/index.htm

2) Don't let brand loyalty cloud your judgement too much. Top-of-the-line products from most manufacturers are good, but 2nd-tier stuff from many manufacturers are really cashing in on brand loyalty.

3) Don't buy the extended warranty. It's a rip off.

The manufacturer's warranty will be something like 30 days. When you get the TV home study it carefully to make sure there are no blown pixels. Then, a few days before the warranty runs out check it again. If there are any bad pixels return it pronto. After the warranty expires replacing the panel is not cost effective, but if it's still good after 2-3 weeks chances are it'll last a long, long time.

[lkazista]

Go to a store, and find the BEST looking TV in the bunch, then turn it off. It will only confuse you.

Go when it is not so busy, and tell the salesman that you want to shut off TVs as you look to help narrow it down. Keep shutting off the one that doesnt quite compare to the remaining sets, until you are left with 2, then buy the cheaper of the pair.

It really is that easy.

As to what technology, if you currently have a projector and it works in the room, then a modern projector will only be even better. Stick with that ballgame, best bang for the buck anyway.

As to the warranty, I NEVER go for the extended stuff, EXCEPT with a DLP set, the bulb will run $500 each when they go, the extended warranty will cover the first one with no proof of a blown bulb (you call them and they mail it out to you, no questions asked-it is simple enough to swap), so you know you will get at least your monies worth out of it.

Enjoy.

Lee

[scorrpio]

Most of the 'cons' you'll hear about a given technology is usually 'teething pains' it had when just making its debut. I.E. ghosting on LCDs: some 8 years ago, pixel responce time on LCD monitors averaged 20-25ms. making them totally unsuitable for gaming or watching things like sports. Today, 5-6ms is the norm, and ghosting well, gave up the ghost - but you'll still hear people make that arguement.

Plasma burn-in issue has also gone down drastically - thought they are still not recommended for PCs, where same image may stay on-screen for a while.

So, you want a 50". LCD panels that size are coming out, but they still cost a pretty penny - usually $3000+. Were you in search of something smaller, it would be different. I.E. I recently bought a 42" Toshiba Regza for $1300 delivered. Beautiful TV.

Plasma ia a very viable choice. You can get a 50" 1080p Samsung plasma for about $2,500, no problem. Frankly, unless you gonna connect it to PC or play games on it, you'll be hard-pressed to see the difference between 1080i and 1080p. But price premiums are shrinking, so might as well get a 1080p. Problem is, compared to LCD, plasma is an energy hog, and tends to run hot.

Rear projections... never really looked at them. Not saying they are not good TVs - some of them are - but compared to the flat of an LCD or plasma, they still look kinda bulky, they have that lamp that needs regular replacement, they tend to run hot, and the fan cooling the lamp can gather dust and get noisy. You won't be hanging a rear projection on the wall.

SED is dead, and OLED is going to take a couple more years.

[BigguyZ]

As someone said previously, if you are looking at a DLP or LCD or LCOS rear-projection TV, I would say that the Warrenty/ Service plan is a good idea. DLP has a mechanical element called a color wheel. It spins, and has the potential to break down, especially since it's confined in a rather hot environment. Also, all of the projection TVs- other than the clunker CRTs- are really great since they use a single light source. However, while the single light source removes the issue of having to align the picture (like you have to do with the 3 separate CRT guns), the bulb is a consumable item that has a limited lifespan. Most of these plans run $200-$300 and cover one replacement of the bulb. The bulbs are proprietary and very costly. So, that would be the one exception where the service plans are a good value- and an article in Consumer Reports said the same thing.

However, the flat panel technologies are very reliable.

One last thought- you may want to consider going for a 1080P television. It sounds like you're the type to buy a TV for the long haul. Given that, I would say that if you get a 1080P set, you'll future-proof your decision as much as possible. Sure only video games systems and HDDVD/ BluRay use 1080P, but eventually it'll be more and more common...

[ironhat]

Well, I went contrarian when we bought a couple of years ago. I stuck with the 'clunker CRT' model because I was willing to wait for the industry to sort out all the quirks and settle into a sound, dependable mode of operation. That said, when I saw a plasma at Sam's Club on Saturday my eyes about popped out of my head - gorgeous!!

[jseklund]

I have not read all the replies, and I'm sure some here are more knowledgeable than I on this- but here's what I believe-

1. Plasma TVs get a bad rap for "not lasting a long time". This is as close to bunk without being total BS as I can tell. If you're looking for a TV to last you 5-10 years- you're in like flynn. If you're looking for a 20-30 year TV- then go with a Tube- it's the ONLY proven technology. But then, you may want to re-inforce your wall if you're going to hang it The drawback for plasmas seem to be increased burn-in or ghosting of images.

2. LCDs have less glare. They also tend to put out a lot more light than a DLP. They also have slower refresh rates. Even the best TVs bug me in LCD- it's like watching a flip book as things move. I know, I know. Everyone claims I'm full of it on this one. Go stand in the center of a TV store for a bit though. My gf didn't believe I could see a difference. Then one night we were standing in the middle of about 10 LCD's and she blurted out, "Holy crap, I see it." Once you see it, you always see it. If you haven't seen it yet, maybe you're OK

3. DLP is great technology- but less convenient. The rear-projection cabinet tvs are too thick to hang on a wall. The projector/screen setup can be great- but you'd better be a tech head. The beauty of the screen setup is...if you have a 42" TV and decide you want a 60"- just buy a bigger screen and adjust the projector. I like this setup a lot- the drawback, similar to the LCD- sometimes you can see the different shades of colors- especially if you move your head as you view the screen- being used to make the image. They are MUCH better now- and this is less noticable to me, and most I believe, than the refresh issue with LCDs.

Personally- I have a Panasonic 42" plasma. Bang for the buck- the Panasonic Plasma is great. If you want the top of the line plasma, Pioneer Elite seems to be it. My mom's 4 year old Pioneer Elite has a WAY better picture than most of the TVs coming out today. My Panasonic has a competitive picture with everyone else other than the elite and was a third the cost of the elite (or less).

Personal experience shows me that the 4 year old Elite has no ghosting and has never given my parents a single issue. My Panasonic has a TINY bit of ghosting/burn-in from video games I have played on it. Basically, EA Sports has their logo up during a lot of their sports games for the entire game. Never really thought about it, or realized it, until one day I saw a FAINT image against a black, but not totally black, screen. It doesn't show during movies, and you can't really even see it in perfect conditions unless you know it's there or by chance. After I found it, it took me forever to realize what the image was that had burned in. My bad- but it doesn't interfere with my love of the TV.

Personally, DLP projector/screen or Plasma would be my choice.