Plasma TV's End May Be Near

[Jenn! 918]

We got a 50" plasma earlier this year and I did some research beforehand. From what I remember, for sets larger than 42", picture quality isn't better on the LCD. Also, the screen burn issue was a problem when plasmas first came out, but not anymore.

[Aubrey 10]

we are looking into getting our first HDTV in the 500 to 700 dollar price range... we want to use it occasionally to hook the laptop to it, to watch things like Hulu and Netflix etc...

here are a couple I am looking at...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0038W35EK/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0039RRCFM/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0039RRC7U/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0039RPJ48/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0039RWAVS/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Consider how far away you can put your TV before choosing a size. There's a minimum viewing distance for pictures to look normal. We were considered a 32", then a 37", then 40"...and wound up with a 42". We got it home and realized holy cow, this sucker is big. Great, but fortunately we had room to move the couch waaay back.

Minimum viewing distance

Also, Consumer Reports noted that there is no noticeable difference in 720p vs 1080p tvs for 32" and under screens. So that 32" on your list isn't worth the money, imo.

We bought our 42" Philips at Sam's and love it. The discount on a big purchase like a hdtv would pay for the membership fee itself.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Very cool.

Oh my gosh....Target is selling the 32" version for $629! Wow, the prices have gone way down.

Mine is series 5 (the current gen is series 6) - got it for about 300 pounds. Cheapest priced branded set I could find.

[Marilyn. 340]

we have the 32" LG you have linked there Marilyn. I am really happy with it!

this one?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0039RRCFM/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Oh, here's the set I'd get if were in the market to buy one:

Samsung 40" LED LCD for $899 at Target. (Price cut from $1,199)

That's the price we paid for our 32" Philips LCD just 2 1/2 years ago.

Samsung's have gotten great ratings over the last few years.

that is a little above our price range and we are looking to buy one on Amazon because we have a store card there...

[Atencio 43]

Plasma pictures are typically sharper than LCD unless you can get a LCD with high Hz numbers. At 60 Hz you may see blurring in scenes that are moving quickly. The plasma screen will reflect light, the LCD screen is more apt to have problems at sharper viewing angles. Plasma is great picture if room is dark otherwise LCD would be better in my opinion. I watch movies in the dark but use LCD's with 240Hz refresh rates. The most beautiful picture I ever saw on a TV was a plasma Pioneer Elite. Heat with plasma is really only an issue if you are sitting near the TV and don't have good circulation. But they do generate heat and also use more electricity. The problem I had with the LCD's in your choices is that they are 60Hz and some with 32in screens. If you can get a 37 in or larger LCD with at least 120Hz then I might jump at that. However given the choice of a 32 in LCD vs the LG 42PJ350 42-Inch Plasma (which has gotten great reviews from what I could see) I would pick the plasma only because it is larger.

[Marilyn. 340]

Consider how far away you can put your TV before choosing a size. There's a minimum viewing distance for pictures to look normal. We were considered a 32", then a 37", then 40"...and wound up with a 42". We got it home and realized holy cow, this sucker is big. Great, but fortunately we had room to move the couch waaay back.

Minimum viewing distance

Also, Consumer Reports noted that there is no noticeable difference in 720p vs 1080p tvs for 32" and under screens. So that 32" on your list isn't worth the money, imo.

We bought our 42" Philips at Sam's and love it. The discount on a big purchase like a hdtv would pay for the membership fee itself.

that is what I was reading too but my brother said he has a 21 inch LCD that does 1080p just fine

[Marilyn. 340]

Plasma pictures are typically sharper than LCD unless you can get a LCD with high Hz numbers. At 60 Hz you may see blurring in scenes that are moving quickly. The plasma screen will reflect light, the LCD screen is more apt to have problems at sharper viewing angles. Plasma is great picture if room is dark otherwise LCD would be better in my opinion. I watch movies in the dark but use LCD's with 240Hz refresh rates. The most beautiful picture I ever saw on a TV was a plasma Pioneer Elite. Heat with plasma is really only an issue if you are sitting near the TV and don't have good circulation. But they do generate heat and also use more electricity. The problem I had with the LCD's in your choices is that they are 60Hz and some with 32in screens. If you can get a 37 in or larger LCD with at least 120Hz then I might jump at that. However given the choice of a 32 in LCD vs the LG 42PJ350 42-Inch Plasma (which has gotten great reviews from what I could see) I would pick the plasma only because it is larger.

I do have a 32 inch tv on there that is 120hz

I do have a 42 inch with 120HZ I am looking at too but it is on the high end of our budget at $700

also i have heard conflicting things with the 60hz vs 120hz.. most people said you really only notice the difference if you are playing blu-ray movies..

Edited August 11, 2010 by Marilyn.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

that is a little above our price range and we are looking to buy one on Amazon because we have a store card there...

Ah, ok. Here is the 32" version on Amazon for $579 which, IMO, is really a great price.

I'd recommend at least reading the reviews on both types of TV's before deciding if they both fit into your price range.

Edited August 11, 2010 by El Buscador

[LaL 418]

this one?

http://www.amazon.co...m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

that is a little above our price range and we are looking to buy one on Amazon because we have a store card there...

yup - that one! we even use the TV speakers with it rather than our home theatre speakers. We had a sony with the same spec's that the sound was horrible - so we returned it and got this one.

[Marilyn. 340]

Ah, ok. Here is the 32" version on Amazon for $579 which, IMO, is really a great price.

I'd recommend at least reading the reviews on both types of TV's before deciding if they both fit into your price range.

yeah I have been reading a lot of reviews on all sorts of Tv's.. there is just to many choices

yup - that one! we even use the TV speakers with it rather than our home theatre speakers. We had a sony with the same spec's that the sound was horrible - so we returned it and got this one.

have you used the Netflix feature?

and have you noticed anything different with the 1080p?

[Marilyn. 340]

so we think we are getting this one..

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0039RRC7U/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

we just are unsure about the 60hz but like I said most people don't really notice a huge difference unless you are using blu-ray or playing games...

Edited August 11, 2010 by Marilyn.

[Heracles 417]

Plasmas TVs are still selling strong overseas.

[Sofiyya 1,687]

We just bought his and hers Samsung 1080p 240Hz LCD 3D web ready tvs. The picture is awesome, and it's wild having 3D at home

Edited August 11, 2010 by Sofiyya

[rin and john 71]

From Consumer Reports:

"

Types of TVs

The majority of HD sets now available are flat-panel LCD displays and plasma TVs that can be mounted on a wall or placed on a stand. You may see some models advertised as "LED TVs." These are actually LCD sets that use LED backlights, not a whole new type of TV. They're covered within LCDs, below. 3D TVs are LCD or plasma sets that have a 3D mode; that capability is covered in the Features section. Rear-projection sets and the familiar picture-tube TVs are becoming much less common. With few new models being introduced, we no longer test sets in those two categories.

LCD TVs

Good choice if you want a thin, lightweight TV that comes in a wide range of sizes and is well suited for viewing in a bright room.

Common screen sizes. 15 to 60 inches. Manufacturers have showcased sets larger than 100 inches. No matter how large the screen, most LCD TVs are only 2 or 3 inches thick, and some new ultra-slim sets are even thinner.

Typical selling prices. About $350 to $800 for a 32-inch model, $500 to $900 for a 37-inch set, $600 to $1,400 for a 40-to-42-inch set, $700 to $2,600 for a 46-to-47-inch set, and $1,300 to $3,000 for a 52-inch set. (With prices continually dropping and special promotions, you'll probably see some TVs selling for less than the prices indicated.)

Key points. There are many more companies selling LCD than plasma TVs, and in a wider range of sizes. LCD televisions generally cost more than comparably sized plasma sets, but the gap is narrowing. Many LCD sets with 40-inch or larger screens (and some smaller models) have 1080p resolution. Many newer LCD TVs use LED backlighting instead of the more typical fluorescent backlight. These sets have been among the most energy-efficient we've tested.

LCDs tend to be brighter than plasma screens, and some have matte screens that don't suffer from reflections and glare, making them a good choice for brightly lit rooms. But we are seeing many more LCD sets with glossy screens, which are more reflective. With LCD TVs, there's no risk of burn-in of static images, which can be a concern with plasma TVs, although it is less of a problem than it was in the past.

Advances in technology have also addressed problems that have plagued LCD technology. LCD TVs have had trouble displaying deep blacks, a problem caused partly by backlighting leaking through in dark scenes. Some new models have minimized this problem by using full-frame LED backlights (instead of fluorescents) and so-called local-dimming technology. The backlight can be dimmed behind a dark scene, enhancing the depth of black, while remaining bright elsewhere. TVs with edge-lit LED backlights around the perimeter of the screen typically don't offer local dimming, but a few of the newest models do. Edge LEDs can allow for extremely thin profiles. Models with LEDs also use less power than typical TVs; some we've tested were exceptionally frugal with energy. Recent developments have also improved LCD TVs' ability to display fast-moving scenes without blurring. A growing number of sets now use 120Hz and 240Hz technology, or quasi-240Hz (120Hz plus a scanning backlight), an increase from the usual 60Hz refresh rates, to reduce motion blur.

But LCD TVs haven't caught up with plasma TVs in terms of viewing angle. With most LCD sets, the picture looks its best only from a fairly narrow sweet spot right in front of the screen. As you angle away from the center of the screen--either horizontally or vertically--the image can dim, lose contrast, look washed out, or lose color accuracy. So if you're sitting off to the side (say, at the end of a long couch), stretched out on the floor, or looking up at a TV over the mantel, you could very well be seeing less-than-optimal picture quality.

Plasma TVs

Good choice if you want a thin TV with a screen 42 inches or larger with an almost unlimited viewing angle.

Common screen sizes. 42 to 58 inches, with more 60-inch-plus models arriving. Most models are 4 inches or less in depth, and some new ultra-slim plasma TVs are as thin as an inch.

Typical selling prices. $500 to $1,000 for a 42-inch set, $700 to $2,500 for a 50-inch model, $1,500 to $2,800 for a 58-inch set, $2,000 to $4,200 for a 60- to-65-inch model. (With prices continually dropping and special promotions, you'll probably see some TVs selling for less than the prices indicated.)

Key points. You'll find more sizes, including 46-inch and 54-inch models, as manufacturers try to compete more directly with LCD sets. There are also many more 1080p sets than in the past, including 42-inch models. It's hard to beat the best plasma TV sets for accurate colors, deep blacks, and great contrast. And a virtually unlimited viewing angle means that no one has a bad view, because you see the same picture quality from almost anywhere in a room.

New plasmas use much less energy than older models and in general are comparable to typical LCDs for power consumption. But some of the biggest sets do consume more power than most models, especially when compared to LED-lit LCDs, which tend to be very energy-efficient. The reflections from a plasma TV's shiny screen can be annoying in a bright room, though an antireflective coating can minimize them. In this respect, they're similar to what you might have seen with a picture-tube TV, or with LCD sets with glossy screens. Static images displayed for extended periods--such as stock tickers or video games--can burn in temporarily, and could become permanent if you consistently leave the same pattern onscreen over a long period. But that seems to have been more of a problem with earlier plasma TVs. Screensaver-type features on new plasmas greatly minimize the likelihood of burn-in. In our tests, we've seen temporary impressions that have disappeared after a short while; we haven't seen any evidence of permanent burn-in in normal home use."

And;

"LCD or plasma TV?

Though flat-screen LCD and plasma TVs look very similar on the outside, they use different technologies. The best sets of both types are capable of excellent picture quality, though there are subtle differences in the nature of the picture. One point that needn't concern you is any difference in longevity between the two technologies. Despite reports you might have read about plasma's allegedly short life span, LCD and plasma sets should last a good 10 years or more in normal use. Neither technology is clearly better for all situations, but there are reasons to choose one over the other.

Why buy a plasma TV?

To get more bang for the buck

Plasma sets tend to cost a bit less than comparably sized LCD TVs, so the same budget could buy you a bigger screen. The exception might be 1080p plasmas, which tend to be priced similarly to "full HD" LCD models.

To enjoy a movie-theater experience

A good plasma TV's deep black levels and strong contrast can provide rich, natural-looking images with a more dimensional, cinematic look than an LCD offers. None of the LCD sets we've tested, including the LED-backlit models, have those same characteristics. And even those that have strong blacks and contrast tend to lose them unless viewed from dead center. Also, on certain LCD sets, uneven brightness from the backlight can create cloudy areas in darker scenes that can be distracting.

For more realistic 3D

The attributes that give plasma displays their cinematic look also help with 3D content. So far, our tests of 3D plasma and LCD TVs have shown that plasma sets typically do a better job than LCD sets of presenting clear, sharp three-dimensional images with minimal ghosting.

For a wide viewing angle

With a plasma TV, as with a picture-tube set, the picture looks the same from almost any angle. That's a big plus if a TV will be watched by a number of people sitting around a room. Most LCD TVs still look their best only from a limited "sweet spot" in front of the screen. Generally, as you move off to the side, the picture quality of an LCD screen degrades. The image can dim, lose contrast, look washed out, or lose color accuracy as you angle away from the center of the screen. Vertical position also matters, for example if you're sitting on the floor or watching a set that's mounted above a mantel. Some new LCD TVs have a somewhat wider viewing angle than the typical set of this type, but few if any maintain off-angle picture quality as well as a plasma.

For blur-free motion

In general, plasma sets are better than LCD TVs at displaying fast motion with no blurring. In our tests of LCDs with the typical 60Hz refresh rate, using special images designed to reveal this problem, we saw blurred edges, smeared details, and problems with detail on the worst performers. Most LCD sets with 120Hz or 240Hz did better than 60Hz sets, displaying less blur. Casual viewers might not notice any blur in TV programming with little motion, such as news and talk shows, but it might be apparent--though fleeting--in sports, movies, and video games. Note that the anti-blur feature on LCD sets is sometimes linked to motion smoothing, which can give film-based movies a video effect you might not like. Some sets let you switch to 60Hz to restore the film look, but you'll lose the blur reduction.

Why buy an LCD TV?

For more choice among brands

Many major, and almost all secondary, brands now sell only LCD TVs, so you'll have a much wider choice of manufacturers and models. The only plasma brands now in stores are LG, Panasonic, and Samsung, plus Best Buy's Insignia store label. All those companies also sell LCD TVs.

For more choice in screen sizes

LCD TVs are available a wide range of screen sizes, from very small (below 20 inches) sets that can double as computer monitors, to extra-large screens (55 inches and larger) that can serve as the video centerpiece of a home-theater system. Plasma sets start at 42 inches and go up to 60 or more inches, so if you're looking for a smaller TV you'll have to buy an LCD set.

For use in a very bright room

LCDs are generally brighter than plasma TVs, and thus hold their contrast better in bright lighting. Plasma TVs can look a bit dim in bright lighting when set to the Normal or Standard mode, which we generally recommend for home use. If you switch to the Vivid mode or raise the brightness control to compensate, the picture quality might suffer. Another difference: Some LCD sets have matte screens, which are less reflective than glossy screens, and better for daytime viewing in rooms with lots of windows or for nighttime use in rooms with bright lighting. With a plasma set, or an LCD TV with a glossy screen, you might see glare or mirror-like reflections if light falls directly on the screen, especially during dark scenes. (This is similar to what you might have experienced with the glass screen on a picture-tube TV; if that bothered you, this might too.)

To reduce your electric bills

LCD sets with LED backlighting tend to use power more sparingly than LCDs with fluorescent backlighting and plasmas. So choose an LED model if you want to cut your bills and be kinder to the environment. A regular LCD with fluorescent backlights won't save you much, if anything, over a plasma set of comparable size. Thanks to new panel designs, today's plasmas typically use about the same amount of power as a conventional LCD.

To avoid any risk of burn-in

Both types of flat panels can do the job, but with an LCD, there's no chance static images will burn in. With a plasma TV, burn-in can be a concern with video games, computer programs, and other content that has fixed images onscreen for a long time. That includes station logos, news tickers, menus, and even the bars alongside standard-def pictures. Many plasma sets have screen-saver features to minimize the risk, which we consider to be very low. In our tests of newer sets, we've seen temporary image sticking that goes away in a day or so, but no evidence of permanent image retention. Recent anecdotal evidence from our staff and online forum participants hasn't turned up any burn-in issues in typical long-term use at home. If you're a video gamer, try to avoid leaving the game menu on screen for indefinite periods of time."

[Marilyn. 340]

so we ended up getting this one...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0039RPJ48/ref=oss_product