Find your diamond
Find your jewelry
shape
carat
color
clarity

LCD, Plasma, or DLP for our 46inch TV purchase?

Status
Not open for further replies. Please create a new topic or request for this thread to be opened.
divergrrl

divergrrl

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Dec 9, 2002
Messages
2,224
Since I had the setting redesign last spring, DH gets a new TV this year. We are currently watching TV on old GE 32 inch sets from 1990!!

We walk the aisles at Costco, pondering the pro's and con's of Plasma vs. LCD. vs DLP.

I searched the threads for an old topic on this, but the last one was a few years ago, so the technology has changed/improved.

We only want a 46 inch set any thing else is just too large for my taste.

Our little TV in the kitchen is an LCD, and I like it, its only a 19 inch, but the picture quality is fantastic.

Any ideas? Tips? Knowledge to share? DH said "you like to research, why don't you look into it?" Oh great.

Jeannine
 
here''s my rundown (if I remember correctly)

Plasma -- you have a possibility of images getting "burned" into your screen. So if you look at the TV Guide channel a lot or something of the sort - you could get some artifacts left over in your picture.

LCD - Still has some issues with portraying a true black color. But otherwise has come a long way. Tends to still be a bit expensive

DLP -- some people have issues with this (my bf is one of them). I personally LOVE how these TVs look -- but I guess that some folks are more sensative and sense a sort of rainbow effect which can be very annoying depending on how bad it is. I would suggest taking a look at them yourselves - look all around the screen (shifting your eye focus to different parts of the picture) and see if you notice anything with the picture. They are making advancements on this, and some of the brand new versions seem to have made some improvement (better color wheels, etc) but even with the brand new ones my bf noticed the effect a little bit.


Personally -- I would go LCD or DLP, but that''s just me. It''s really up to what looks best to you guys.

Here''s a link for TV reviews that we have liked in the past:
CNET


One thing to remember -- that TVs that are made for HD quality often times look a bit cruddy for regular TV viewing. We have found this to be especially the case with Plasma TVs. So when you guys are looking at all the TVs and they have their special footage of the insects on the flowers or whatever and everything looks SOOO crisp and SOOO nice just remember the footage is NOT how your regular TV viewing will look. Unless of course you have HD cable or an HD tuner and watch only those few channels that are currently broadcasting shows in HD.
 
My husband is a television fanatic and we have owned every conceivable type of tv. For Christmas he got a 40" Sony LCD that is amazing! We also have some sort of Sony hybrid 60" (SXRD) that is equally impressive. We have several of the smaller Sharp Aquos LCDs and they have been excellent. The one that I wouldn't recommend is our Panasonic 42" plasma. It is very heavy and I think you can get just as good a picture with the newer options for less money.
 
HI:


Like Sundial, my DH is a electronic fanatic and researches everything to the nth degree. He loves his Hitachi (large can''t remember dimension) Plasma, and we have two other LCD''s around the house. Yes, the Plasma is heavy. BTW, I think there is anohter thread like this floating around--maybe you could search the PS archives.

cheers--Sharon
 
I too am looking around for a new TV. I have been wavering between plasma and LCD. I have a Sharp LCD in my bedroom but H has his heart set on the plasma because "if it wasn''t good, then why did so many of your guy friends and my friends buy plasmas?"
20.gif


I have read about the burn in, which I think will be an issue because my mom, when she visits, likes to listen to the music channels on Comcast where there is a picture of the album for hours. I am leaning towards the Sony Bravia LCD and H wants the Panasonic Plasma.
 
Hello there!

We own an LCD Samsung 40" and we LOVE it. My FI is a total computer nerd, and researched the heck out of it...so I figured he''d get the best he could find, from a computer/gearhead perspective...

Anyway...We''ve had it for several months now and don''t have any complaints...
 
definitely no to the plasma. prices are going down and apparently february is the month to buy these things.......

movie zombie
 
movie zombie - why do you say no to the plasma?

So I should wait until February to buy a new TV?
 
FWIW, we have a 2 year old 42" sony plasma that we love (with digital HD cable). We were worried about burn in too, but for us, it hasn''t been a problem. We conciously don''t leave the TV on a static image (like a movie on pause for longer than 5 minutes). Sometimes when we do pause something, we turn off the tv screen until we return (but leave everything else on). FI plays games on it too, but apparently his level of playing (an hour or two per week?) hasn''t caused burn in on our tv. I don''t have much experience with the other types of TVs, but we''re looking for a 2nd TV and we''re both comfortable buying another plasma. Maybe we''ll wait until February to see if the price drops
25.gif
 
I''m waiting until mid-february to buy our TV as well. (tax return time you know)

I personally like the LCD''s better, but DH and I both vascillate between the plasma & LCD.

I do not usually pause my television for any reason, but when I do, I tend to forget it is "paused". (that whole toddler business, I get sidetracked easily).

Costco has some really good deals & I like purchasing electronics through them, because if you keep your receipt, you can exchange your TV if anything goes wrong. (no need to buy a stupid extended warranty).

Is anyone else irritated by the trend manufacturers have forcing us to purchase "warranties" on our electronic items? Why don''t they just stand behind their products? It''s pure profit for them, and I hate it.

Ok..well, I''ll check out CNET and consumer reports, but if anyone has anything to add, let me know!

Thanks

Jeannine
 
hubby is a total tech geek and researched all this......the burn issue is the main concern. working in silicon valley has put him iin contact with many other tech geeks who have already researched and bought: consensus is that those with plasma were not happy......and those that didn''t get one were glad they didn''t.

this type of electronics is traditionally on sale in february......prices were going down in december but hubby is holding out until february to buy [52 inch] whatever we''re getting: it won''t be a plasma.

costco has good prices and a great return policy if you live near one......

movie zombie
 
Oh, and the other thing my fiancee is adamant about is to find either a 1080i or 1080p tv, regardless of lcd or plasma. It just means you have more pixels/better resolution/better forward capability. And not sure if 1080i/p always have this, but he says he wont buy a tv that isnt at least 1000x1000 resolution. Many are 768. Looking for 1080 tends to put you in a higher price, though.
 
movie zombie - my tech geek friend here in Silicon Valley also recommended LCD over Plasma but since H isn''t a tech geek he is more reliant on what he sees in the store.

piccolascimmia - thanks for the pixel info! No wonder out LCD isn''t as "clear" as the others, we only have 1080x768.
 
We have a 42" Pioneer plasma that we have had no problems with for over a year now. They say if you are going big, then plasma is the way to go. Pioneer and Panasonic are the #1 brands for plasma nowadays. The "burn in" is not really a concern for us, as I just shut off the TV when I want to listen to just the music channels. (we have it hooked up to a stereo with speakers). There really shouldn't be a problem unless you are planning on watching CNN or MSNBC 24 hours a day - i.e. the little peacock in the bottom corner.

The one drawback that they do mention is a glare in the screen, if a window is behind you for example. We don't have windows behind us when we watch TV, so its not an issue for us either.

If you are considering to purchase a TV, whether it be plasma or LCD or what have you, there is a great site called www.beyondplasma.com and you can purchase the equipment directly online, and their customer service department is excellent. My parents recently went with a 58" Panasonic plasma and they saved over a grand buying it there vs. a Best Buy or Circuit City. Just a thought! We're going to use them to buy something for our new armoire in our bedroom.
 
We have both an HDTV LCD and a plasma and personally, I like the LCD better. It''s picture quality is impeccable. (But the LCD is up in our bedroom and when guests come over and see the plasma in our living room, they are amazed & impressed at the screen quality.) I think really it comes down to price. Both kinds will be highly enjoyable, but if you can get a larger plasma for the same price, I''d opt for that IF size matters that much to you. I didn''t want a huge 45"+ TV in my bedroom. Just one to have for when I want to watch TV while DH is watching football, so the LCD seemed the perfect fit for my needs.

FWIW, the HDTV LCD we have is the Sharp Aquos 32" and we got it at Costco for under $900. My husband also looked and researched getting a certain kind of DVD player that works specifically for the HDTV model. I''ve been watching Alias episodes and can see EVERY little imperfection in the actor''s faces. It''ll be interesting to see how soon in the near future, filmmakers will be focusing on airbrushing all the wrinkles so we don''t see them on our fancy tvs
9.gif
lol
 
We just went through this and decided on plasma for screen size vs. $$$ because we wanted a large screen. Got the 50" Panasonic Plasma (50PX-60U), which is the #2 model in that category. The Pioneer is #1, but about $4k more than the Panasonic, which we got for $1999 at Tweeter. We did look at Costco, but I don''t recommend them because their models are traditionally a little lower end and the price is comparable to a good sale at a reputable electronics store. The Pansonic model we looked at in Costco was the same price as the one at Tweeter, but it only had 1 HDMI input, vs. 2, and it didn''t have a slot for an SD card, which our friend with a plasma told us we''d need for firmware upgrades. In the end, I''m glad we went with Tweeter. They do a replacement for the first year, 45 day price match guarantee, and no hard-sell. Just don''t buy online. Our first one was broken, but we bought the 2nd in the store. They don''t have an exchange policy... just gave me a refund and told me to buy it again. That was irritating, but I got a better price because of it.

The burn-in with plasma is way over-stated. It''s not remotely as big an issue as it was with the 1st and 2nd generation sets. I think it''s more of a scare tactic really. Sure, we don''t leave the same image on for hours at a time, but pausing your tv for a few minutes won''t do anything. The LCD picture just didn''t appeal to me as much as plasma and it was a lot more expensive for the larger size. Our tv is only about 80 pounds, and we have it wall-mounted on brick. Couldn''t be happier! And lucky for us, DirecTV and our local channels offer a lot of HD programming. I can''t stand to watch plain tv anymore. As FI said when we were watching a football game "It looks even better than it does in person!"

I do hear prices are dropping! We got ours as a "Black Friday special" and they told us it was a loss-leader, but originally we were planning to wait until Feb. I saw this tv at Best Buy at Christmas and it was $800 higher than we paid. Made me happy about the deal.
And FI has enjoyed watching the playoffs on his tv.
 
I second everything Sumbride said...Burn in isn''t really an issue on newer models. We have the 50"Panasonic TH-50PH9UK plasma. It is an industrial monitor. I think the picture is outstanding, though, I''m not really a t.v. person. I usually watch on our 15 year old bedroom t.v. *So what if it is a little pink in the corners*hehe. Anyway, the industrial model has no sound and no receiver. Only inputs and outputs. We don''t like to hear t.v., we only watch it...Hahah, sorry I''m feeling a little wacky tonight (2 bags of skittles after the HORRIBLE Chargers game to dull the pain). OK OK serious now, the house we bought was wired for surround sound so we knew we''d be putting a Bose system in and we wouldn''t need sound. We also have Directv so no internal receiver needed. For us it works great. I *think* the Vizio models get pretty good reviews if you really want to buy at Costco.
 
costco online has some coupons and great offers on these right now....so good hubby is thinking of going ahead and getting the 52 inch sharp lcd he''s researched and decided is the one. additionally, another silicon valley coworker bought the identical model and is loving it.

movie zombie
 
There is really no clear cut right or wrong answer to this question. In the size you are looking at DLPs are rear projection, LCDs both flat and RP and plasmas are flat panels. Rear projections (RP) are becoming less popular due to size viewing angle and other negatives as FPs become cheaper.

What is best for you really depends on where it is and what you watch and when you will watch it most. Generally speaking (and this is very general as there are no hard rules):

- LCD is better for brighter rooms and daytime viewing, plasmas for darker rooms
- Plasmas have a larger viewing angle if you are sitting on the side
- Plasmas have slightly better shadow detail
- LCD vs Plasma color accuracy is a heated debate among fans of both
- Neither is that good on Standard Def TV
- Most plasma are 768p native resolution, LCDs 1080p
- LCDs are generally more popular
- At 50" and above plasmas are usually better value (although gap is closing)

Just as important as the screen is what source you feed it. If you have standard analog cable, then both will look like crap. If you are going to buy a Blu Ray or PS3, then get a 1080p resolution screen or spring for a 1080p plasmas (only 2 or 3 on the market now).

Your best bet is go look at the panels and make sure you ask them to put standard def TV on if you still watch a lot TV that is not available on hi def. BTW, plasmas are generally not available in 46". Personally, I think the Sony XBR LCDs are great in that size if you can afford it. Many people rave about the value of Westinghouse LCD.

I just put a 60" Pioneer plasma in the family room. I also have 110" front projection dedicated home theater.

Good Luck.
 
Hi divergrrl,

I have all 3 types of tv''s in my house, and the plasma wins hands down for best picture.

We''ve asked all our family and friends too when they come over , which one looks best....plasma always wins!

happy tv shopping
 
Thanks everyone!!

Noobie: We have the high-def DVR boxes from our cable company, so we are good to go in that respect. (they combine them into one device).

I think we are set on LCD, we don''t sit off to the side, and our living room has a lot of light. We only want a 46inch screen, so not too big.

DH is so excited...

:-)
 
Divergrl, what did you end up buying? I haven''t seen this month''s much anticipated drop in prices this month, have others?
 
Date: 1/30/2007 7:41:29 PM
Author: divergrrl
I think we are set on LCD, we don''t sit off to the side, and our living room has a lot of light. We only want a 46inch screen, so not too big.
Click to expand...
I''m glad to hear you''re going for the LCD. My dh mentioned that our screen is starting to show a bit of the burn it. I hadn''t even noticed it! It''s barely visable and we''re really good about turning off the TV when we''re not watching it SO it''s not a huge deal, but still this would be a reason I might consider getting another LCD rather than a plasma next time around.
 
Hi...we haven''t bought yet....I''m about 10 weeks pregnant, and have decided to put airconditioning in the house instead (I''m due in september, and I''m not doing one more summer in this 100 year old house without AC. 2 years ago we got a new furnace system, new duct work, AC lines run, last year we got a SEER 12 coil before the regulations changed, so this year all i have to buy is the unit...). In addition DH has to have a tooth implant done, and that will run us about $1500 as well after our insurance. I think the TV may have to wait, as we have carseats, double stroller, and new nursery items to purchase instead.

Oh well....we can live with our 31 inch GE TV from 1988 for a while longer. One never knows, if DH gets a bonus this year, he may still get his tv. But he''s getting the 2nd child he wants instead. (he had to talk me into it, I''m a big chicken..one is EASY! No turning back now!
28.gif
)

Divergrrl
 
Date: 2/21/2007 5:41:03 PM
Author: divergrrl
Hi...we haven''t bought yet....I''m about 10 weeks pregnant, and have decided to put airconditioning in the house instead (I''m due in september, and I''m not doing one more summer in this 100 year old house without AC. 2
Click to expand...
Enjoy your new a/c system! We had our entire heating/cooling system replaced last fall. It''s a hybrid that runs on either propane or electricity depending upon which will run more efficiently (it flips over automatically). It''s amazing! Love it and my warm house! I can''t wait until summer to test out the a/c!
 
Date: 2/21/2007 5:41:03 PM
Author: divergrrl
Hi...we haven''t bought yet....I''m about 10 weeks pregnant, and have decided to put airconditioning in the house instead (I''m due in september, and I''m not doing one more summer in this 100 year old house without AC. 2 years ago we got a new furnace system, new duct work, AC lines run, last year we got a SEER 12 coil before the regulations changed, so this year all i have to buy is the unit...). In addition DH has to have a tooth implant done, and that will run us about $1500 as well after our insurance. I think the TV may have to wait, as we have carseats, double stroller, and new nursery items to purchase instead.

Oh well....we can live with our 31 inch GE TV from 1988 for a while longer. One never knows, if DH gets a bonus this year, he may still get his tv. But he''s getting the 2nd child he wants instead. (he had to talk me into it, I''m a big chicken..one is EASY! No turning back now!
28.gif
)

Divergrrl
Click to expand...
That''s so funny DG!!! You sound like us...We purchased EVERYTHING before a tv. A super expensive house, new furniture for it, even new dishes before a tv, cars and on the list goes. We were married 11 1/2 years before we bought a new tv. It''s just never been a priority for us. A years worth of coffee for me costs more than a tv, but, I just wouldn''t budge. My sister on the other hand has a 55 inch LCD downstairs, a 50 inch LCD upstairs in the loft, and they are going to get a plasma in the bedroom, but, she has a tiny engagement/wedding ring that she complains about all of the time. I''m sorry, but, gimmee the bling before a tv! People''s different priorities are very interesting to me...I guess that''s what makes the world go ''round.
 
We bought a 46" inch Samsung DLP and we absolutely love it.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp;jsessionid=O4DBBFVLVCCCLKC4D3MFAGQ?skuId=7997858&type=product&id=1155071784564

That''s the one!
 
Well, I was in a bad mood this week, and needed a little uplift, so DH and I went and bought our tv. (and ordered our AC unit...LOL)

We got the new Toshiba 42inch LCD that scored off the charts in Consumer Reports.

We checked out Costco, but all the sets weren''t 1080dpi, they were 720-something. And the sizes were either too small or too big to fit in our entertainment wall unit. (there was a great deal on a 50inch plasma, but it was 55 inches wide and my unit will only hold 49inches wide)

We went to a local electronics store that specializes in TVs (they have a great reputation for excellent service, products, prices, and I was very happy with them) and for a Costco price we got an AWESOME tv!!

We liked the picture quality in the 42 better than the 46''s and to get this level of technology in a 46 inch, we''d have to go up 1k. Besides once we got the 42 in our house, its MORE than big enough, and we can barely fit our shelf that holds our center channel speaker on top of it. Perfect fit.


Thanks everyone!!

Have a wonderful weekend...

Jeannine
 
Congratulations Divergrrl.... I don''t think you could go wrong with LCD or Plasma, they both have their advantages. Good to hear you''ve got the bigger screen, ready for when the little one comes and needs to watch Jungle Book and and other cartoon DVDs. You won''t get a look in!
 
Date: 2/25/2007 2:18:14 AM
Author: divergrrl

We checked out Costco, but all the sets weren''t 1080dpi, they were 720-something. And the sizes were either too small or too big to fit in our entertainment wall unit. (there was a great deal on a 50inch plasma, but it was 55 inches wide and my unit will only hold 49inches wide)

We went to a local electronics store that specializes in TVs (they have a great reputation for excellent service, products, prices, and I was very happy with them) and for a Costco price we got an AWESOME tv!!
Click to expand...

That''s what I found to be true too and I''m glad you went that route! Costco isn''t that much of a deal when you really dig into it. The local place will give you better service if you have any problems too! Congrats on the new tv, the pregnancy and the AC unit!!! Big year for your family!
 
Status
Not open for further replies. Please create a new topic or request for this thread to be opened.
GET 3 FREE HCA RESULTS JOIN THE FORUM. ASK FOR HELP
Jewelry Blog
PriceScope-Concierge-Ad
Find prime cuts.
Top