GolfHos

I have been looking at tvs and am really torn between LCD and Plasma at this point. While I am still searching through that forum I am coming up with some real perplexing questions.

1) We sit anywhere from 8 to 12 feet away from where the TV is. According to things and charts I saw anything past like 8 or 9 feet the different resolution screens really make no diff. A 50" 720P and 1080P screen look the same from that distance. Now if we move up to 3 feet that's a different story. So with that in mind a 720p should be fine right?

2) we have a Wii and a regular DVD player. There is no thought of getting a BD or other game console. Again if this is all I have and need a 720p should still suffice.

3) Plasma has the best picture and has the 720p in the size we like but gaming (ie Wii) does not look all that great. LCD on the other hand has the distortion as you move away from center (this could be a problem in our house). LCD is brighter but can have reflectivity problems. Plasmas give off heat and use more energy (good in winter, bad in summer).  ???

Thanks in advanced.

Signed
Cornfused.

P.S. been away for a couple weeks and will probably not pop in as much. PM me if you need something from me.

No.  If you can swing the extra bux for 1080p it will turn out to be the most regrettable decision you've ever avoided. [sm_scratch]

(I'm not sure if that's a legitimate double negative but it's a truly unreadable sentence.  I'm very proud.)

The people in the avsforum are crazy.  Get what makes you happy.  I did lots of research and ended up with a 50" panasonic plasma TH50PX80U which is 720P or more appropriately 768P.  I absolutely love it and I feel it is impossible to tell it isn't 1080P.  Of course put one side by side and you can tell at a short distance.  But watching it in my den is amazing.  I said I wouldn't do blu ray for awhile too but after watching HD I got one a week later.  Just watched the Dark Knight on BD and  [sm_shock].  Eventhough it is 768p it prefers to scale down a 1080p signal.  All 720p or 1080i HD on DirecTV looks awesome and Standard tv looks just ok.  However, it isn't like we will be getting 1080p feeds anytime soon.  

IMO plasma has a more rich and realistic picture especially for movies.  I think the energy thing is a wash now as mine gives off almost no heat.  Plasma has the best viewing angles.  

Anytime you make a 480p source like Wii or SD DVD fit a large screen like that it isn't going to look that great.  Some TVs do a better job than others at that task.  

I feel this plasma for $900 is one of if not the best deals going now.  Good luck on your decision.

If you sit 8-12 feet away go larger than 50".  You won't regret it.  Enjoy the 1080p. 1 Million more Pixels do make a difference, especially if you can see them.  Oh, and if you're going to WII a lot, I'd avoid plasma. Period.

Why?

I've read conflicting opinions on this subject. Just curious as to your take.

I've read the same.

I've just been through the new flat panel evaluation process and bought a Samsung PN50A450 from Sears and got an incredible deal. They are offering 10% off if purchased with a Sears Card, plus I got another discount for signing up for a new Sears Card, free hauling away of the old behemoth and
free delivery (don't have to ask to borrow Hobbit's Tahoe.) Could not do this well via the internet, and I've been watching since before Christmas.

Following are the conclusions I arrived at. Typically:

1. LCD's are brighter than plasma and, therefore, are better able to deal with lots of reflection. If you have lots of windows in your viewing room, LCD may be the better choice.

2. Plasma's definitely have a better viewing angle than LCD.

3. I couldn't tell much, if any, difference between 1080p and 720, especially from 8-10'. Was not worth the extra $ for me.

4. The Panasonic that Walfredo has is a great TV, but they are hard to find right now. Many places are out of stock because it's been discontinued. The new models are introduced in March/April.

5. If you require a wall mount, go to www.monoprice.com and save yourself $100's.

6. Somewhere I read a couple of reports on tests that totally dispelled the "plasma's use lots more energy than LCD's" argument. Might have been a Crutchfield test?

7. Plasma's have been known to be the better technology for watching faster action material such as sports and movies. However, that gap has appreciably narrowed.

YMMV.

Nice post.  Thanks gp.

Although this is much less an issue than 3-4 years ago, it is still *an issue* -- High contrast/saturation 480p source with persistent use over time is about the easiest way to get plasma pixel sticking or image burnin even with modern anti-burnin prevention technology.  


(this is a # from a few years ago, might not be as bad now...)
10 minutes  of whitescreening/static to remove any temporary image retention (likely after 90-120 minutes of gaming)   will take 1 hours off the life of the display.

One other dilemma I have is that this might just be a stop gap until we get into a bigger house. While standard TV on what we have is fine, HD is small, movies are small. Something a little bigger and wider will help. Once we move and decide OK a bigger tv whatever the technology is in 3 to 4 years. Then this stop gap tv might just end up in the bed room.

And on the plasma burn in thing, what I have read is if the image is constant over several hours (5-6) then burn in can start, but if you watch a couple movies then the burn in fades and goes away. And at 30,000 to 60,000 hours life with the way we use the TV I'll be dead before I have to worry about half brightness.

aske's suggestion:  spend over 3500   ;D


I can't really speak on IR/Burn-in of plasmas as I don't play video games.

re: 50" 720p from 8-10' - I can easily see the pixels.  If that was my standard viewing scenario it would drive me nuts.  And my eyes are fairly poor.

But it's down to the individual.  If you can't see the pixels from where you're sitting rock on.  Don't necessarily trust in-store displays though.  You would never have that setup at home.

p.s.  Don't trust GammaPi.  He's comfortable with assistant golf pros fathering his kids.   :o ;)

p.p.s.  Fuzzy ftw.

Not at all.  You can get a great 1080p projector and screen for $2k, tops.

Spanky,

Your tv is fine. 



Get this:   
(http://www.allproducts.com/manufacture7/ct/a1.jpg)



Wear these: 
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51BrcLGLPeL._SL500_AA280_.jpg)


Your Welcome.

After meeting me, and if you met my kids, you would understand my acceptance of their "real" father. ;)

If you can see the actual pixels from that distance, I'm going to start drinking Guinness more often.  :o

While most of us only think left and right, you have to remember, there are some out there that are affected by the other viewing angle.

I bought a 42" Plasma a few weeks back.

I made a house out of the box it came in for my son.

Cut out a door and some windows, put a chimney on it and painted it.

He has a lot of fun playing in the house.

1. You need a reason to drink Guinness more often.
2. You have an English last name.

Synchronicity surrenders.   ;)

Sounds like god's will. Allah akbeer.  ;D

 [sm_laughatyou] [sm_laughing]

[sm_thankyou]

It must be said I've now met all the so-called halflings who frequent this site... *goshdarn* posers, the lot of 'em.

xdCrZfTkG1c

I can see pixels on 720p up to about 8 feet on my 50", standard Guinness intake applies.  I have always been in favor of getting 1080, but try not to push it religiously.  We have just started hitting this high-def transition and I would not want to be the guy with the with the 'crappy' TV when it really hits.  Bound for the bedroom or not, I would still get 1080 at that size.  But thats me - anything of size - I'm getting 1080.  But I'm a geek - YMMV.

LCD vs Plasma - get what suits you best.  I love my plasma, there are no 'issues' with it, but get whatever.

Got this (http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-LN52A650-52-Inch-1080p-120Hz/dp/B001413DF8/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1232596662&sr=8-1) for $1799 with free shipping.

When we talked 1080 v. 720 a few weeks ago, I noted that you kept your hi-def snobbishness to a minimum, and I appreciated that rare bit of restraint. Having 1080 isn't a big deal to me right now because I won't even have hi-def content for a while, much less a blu-ray. But, of course, you don't have blu-ray either.  ;) [sm_poke]