LCD versus Plasma

[StillAWarrior]

As someone coming very late in the game to the flat panel market, I'd appreciate thoughts and opinions.  If it matters, I'm only looking for 40-some inches tops -- not a mega-TV.

Thanks.

[Ahoya06]

I'm buying my first flat screen next week, so I've been doing research over the past few months. Everything I've found seems to point to LCD's being superior. While plasmas seem to give a slightly better picture, the quality difference is virtyally unnoticable. Additionally, the burn-in issue is flat out not a problem, and LCD's today are available in full HD 1080p. And with the prices, it's not hard to find a bargain on a quality TV. I'm picking up a Vizio 42" LCD that's 1080p for $800.

[🏀]

I just went through this process a couple weeks ago. I went with an LCD for a couple reasons. Better for video games, PC hookup and lifespan.

What are your uses for it?

[MU B2002]

"so I've been doing research over the past few months. Everything I've found seems to point to LCD's being superior"

I read pretty much the same stuff in consumer reports.

I got a 42" LG LCD last year, and have 0 complaints.

[StillAWarrior]

What are your uses for it?

It's going to be the main family tv.  So pretty much watching tv and playing wii with the kids.  Since the wii is a pretty low quality graphics system anyway, I don't think that it will have a big influence on the decision.  I'm planning to get HD once we get the new tv, too.  The lighting level in the room is fairly low, so that isn't a concern.  Most of what I'd read was leading me to LCD, but I wasn't sure.  I guess in the smaller sizes like I'm looking for, LCD is much more common.

Thanks for the input.

[🏀]

LCD would definitely be the better option. You probably wouldn't need to go to 1080 unless you really wanted to. A 720 should be plenty for your uses unless you plan on jumping into the BluRay market.

[StillAWarrior]

LCD would definitely be the better option. You probably wouldn't need to go to 1080 unless you really wanted to. A 720 should be plenty for your uses unless you plan on jumping into the BluRay market.

I'll have to consider the price difference.  We don't buy tv's very often (the last one was probably 12-15 years ago), so I might want to get a bit higher resolution to serve us better for a longer period of time.  Our seating is probably 8-10 away from the tv, and some is off to the side a little bit.  Does the resolution matter for these issues?

[🏀]

I'll have to consider the price difference.  We don't buy tv's very often (the last one was probably 12-15 years ago), so I might want to get a bit higher resolution to serve us better for a longer period of time.  Our seating is probably 8-10 away from the tv, and some is off to the side a little bit.  Does the resolution matter for these issues?

If you're sticking to 40 inches tops, 720 will be more than fine. The difference at that size is very minimal.

[mu_hilltopper]

I bought an LCD about 6 months ago at BestBuy .. their displays had many LCDs next to Plasmas of the same size/brand .. Honestly, I found that the LCDs' picture quality was better than plasma.

One thing that gave me pause was .. the plasmas have a thin glass-like shield over the screen, while the LCDs have that semi-soft feel to them. -- I was (am) worried my two toddlers will swing something at the screen some day.  Plasma screens seemed to be a bit tougher, able to take a little more punishment.  Regardless .. I went with the LCD.  So far, so good.

[Ahoya06]

If you're sticking to 40 inches tops, 720 will be more than fine. The difference at that size is very minimal.

I've got about the same seating distance, and 40" won't at all be too big. I'm getting a 42.

As for resolution, I'd be fine with 720 as well, but seeing as the prices have dropped so much, I'm going with 1080p.

[ChicosBailBonds]

As someone coming very late in the game to the flat panel market, I'd appreciate thoughts and opinions.  If it matters, I'm only looking for 40-some inches tops -- not a mega-TV.

Thanks.

LCD.   We have a 37" and a 46".  Our lobby at work has about 20 of them, all LCD's.   They run cooler, something else to consider if you have kids.

And yes, get 1080p with as fast a refresh rate as you can find.  And I'd recommend NOT getting your HDMI cable from the store as they'll charge you a ridiculous amount.  But do make sure you get a HDMI cable that has the proper bandwidth.


I'd recommend Monoprice.com, that's where I get all of my cables.  Make sure it is 1.3a rated.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10240



 

[StillAWarrior]

I've got about the same seating distance, and 40" won't at all be too big. I'm getting a 42.

As for resolution, I'd be fine with 720 as well, but seeing as the prices have dropped so much, I'm going with 1080p.

I've limited on size by the furniture we've got.  We have a entertainment center that we like very much and want a tv that will fit into it.  I think we should be able to fit a 42", but definitely not anything bigger.  I'll definitely have to take a tape measure to the store.

[Chili]

I have a 42" Panasonic plasma and will be getting another plasma within the next year. I am either going to be getting the 50" Panasonic or making the jump to Elite as I have two friends that have them and they are SWEET!

I have found that plasma's have a better picture once you get settings correct. It mainly has to do with the shadowing you get with high action / fast motion programs. The 120 MHz still has not corrected this. Also, plasmas have a much wider range of colors and offer deeper and richer color than LCD's. The whole "life span" of plasma's is kind of bs. I mean you get at minimum 10,000 viewing hours on it. And in that time you are probably getting a new TV(s) already.

One thing that must be pointedThe people at Best Buy normally moron's and they rarely have picture settings correct.

Not that plasma's are the best at everything - a few drawbacks.

1) They run hot and use a lot of energy.
2) They need to remain upright (15 degrees of vertical) at all times.
3) There can be glare issues if there is direct sunlight on the TV.

[Chili]

I'd recommend Monoprice.com, that's where I get all of my cables.  Make sure it is 1.3a rated.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10240

 

I will second, third and fourth monoprice. I have purchased all of cables their as well including a 12' HDMI for I think around $30.

[MUfan12]

Just recently bought a Sharp 46" 1080p LCD and could not be happier with it. Picture quality is outstanding, with very little motion blur. Got it on black friday for $899.

[Ahoya06]

Just recently bought a Sharp 46" 1080p LCD and could not be happier with it. Picture quality is outstanding, with very little motion blur. Got it on black friday for $899.

I went over to casa de MUfan12 to check out his new one, and that's what pushed me over the edge to wanting a 42" as opposed to a 32" or 37". You really see everything!

Wal-Mart has several 42" 1080p's at the $800 price point right now, and I  think there are comparable plasmas for the same price.

[muarmy81]

While plasmas seem to give a slightly better picture, the quality difference is virtyally unnoticable. Additionally, the burn-in issue is flat out not a problem, and LCD's today are available in full HD 1080p.

Newer Plasmas virtually have no burn in problem...that was an issue in the early days of plasma.  The picture is about the same but as the screens get larger LCD tends to have a much more difficult time keeping up with fast moving pictures. (pixelating) However, the refresh rates for the larger LCD's is getting better. (120 hertz)
The main downfall for Plasma is that it doesn't do a very good job of displaying black/grey/dark colors and people say that they are more difficult to view in bright rooms.

FWIW, I bought a Plasma recently and absolutely love it...no complaints, except if I'm watching Dayton vs MU.

[Chili]

Newer Plasmas virtually have no burn in problem...that was an issue in the early days of plasma.  The picture is about the same but as the screens get larger LCD tends to have a much more difficult time keeping up with fast moving pictures. (pixelating) However, the refresh rates for the larger LCD's is getting better. (120 hertz)
The main downfall for Plasma is that it doesn't do a very good job of displaying black/grey/dark colors and people say that they are more difficult to view in bright rooms.

FWIW, I bought a Plasma recently and absolutely love it...no complaints, except if I'm watching Dayton vs MU.

Actually, plasmas do a better jobs with darker colors than LCD's and have a wider range of colors. That is one of the reasons I prefer plasmas.

[spiral97]

I have two plasmas (I've had one of them for 2 years and the other for about 4 months).  The older one is a 52" screen.  Both are Samsung.  And I love em.

I originally went to the stores thinking DLP since I wanted a bigger screen but didn't want to pay through the nose.  I got turned off of the rear DLPs REALLY quick because of viewing angle issues (not sure if they've resolved that recently).  I've heard the DLP projectors require (expensive) bulb replacements every few years too (but didn't even consider them since I have ceiling fans in the rooms I want the TVs).  My next option was LCDs but at that time they were way too expensive for the size I wanted and not many models were available in that range to boot.  So I was pretty much left with plasma and wanted nothing to do with them from the get go.  So I went home, did some research, and found out that all my concerns were pretty much resolved by then: burn-out fixed by pixel refresh functionality; lifespan fixed to match most tv use lifespans; and (call me weird on this) but they didn't emit an odd static smell like they did originally.  I decided I could deal with the heat (which really isn't that much) and would put it on a switchable power strip to control the power usage when I'm not using it.

As for choosing Samsung, I really just looked at various TVs side by side from about the distance I will normally be watching and selected based on picture quality (after tweaking the controls on each).  One major thing I noticed was that some TVs (including a lower priced Samsung model of the same size) couldn't "keep up" when a significant portion of the video was changing (e.g. watch a nascar race while the camera is panning over the crowd).  I ended up taking the models I have because it could keep up and had a very crisp, clear, and vivid picture.  I should also say that me selecting a second Samsung had very little to do with the first one I got as I went through the same independent comparisons both times.

[ultimate]

Don't forget to look online for actually purchasing your tv too. 
I purchased my 40" Samsung LCD off of Amazon.com - often times you can get a better deal online due to the cost of an item sitting in a big box store compared to a warehouse.  I'd check the tv out at the big box so you can physically see it, but I was able to get free white glove shipping from Amazon and a price $200 less than retail stores (not always the case).  Plus 6 months later I called Amazon and they refunded me more money due to a price drop.

[MR.HAYWARD]

LCD's are infinitely better in virtually every single category...there is one reason their is a plasma market period...they are cheaper.

[Chili]

LCD's are infinitely better in virtually every single category...there is one reason their is a plasma market period...they are cheaper.

Wow this is a completely wrong statement. Plasma's have a wider range of colors and are much smoother in picture motion.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Wow this is a completely wrong statement. Plasma's have a wider range of colors and are much smoother in picture motion.

It's kind of like the PC wars.  People have their own personal tastes.  My LCD's don't have the motion blur, at least not with my eyes.  I run BluRay off one of them. 

I have a Samsung LCD and a Sharp.   If I were to get a Plasm, it would be a Panasonic without even thinking twice.  They have terrific plasmas.


I'll say this, the lobby of DIRECTV is open to the world and we display our product as if it were Mission Control.  So when people are coming in to meet with us from the outside they can be Ooohed and Ahhhed by all of the HD offerings.

Of the 20 or so televisions we have, they're all Samsung LCD's.  We're putting our reputation of our picture quality on an LCD.  For whatever that's worth to folks, that's what we're doing.  Doesn't mean we couldn't have done that with Plasmas, in fact we probably didn't because the heat generated in the lobby would be insane.  I guess the better way of putting is that we are more than comfortable (in fact thrilled) with the LCD screens and how they show off our sports, movies, etc in HD.



Still Warrior.....you have an email that might help you as well...take a look.

[jmayer1]

I bought a 50" Panasonic plasma a little over two years ago and have had absolutely no complaints.

However, these days I don't think you can really go wrong either way.

[Chili]

As with lobby's a LCD will be better because of the high amounts of light that are in the room.

For the home theater I just like plasmas. I have a Panasonic plasma right now and am looking at getting another Panasonic of moving up to the Elite line by Pioneer which IMO are the best TV's one can buy.