Hey,

Sorry if this is in the wrong section - I am a newby.

I am doing some renovations downstairs, knocked out two walls to make the family room bigger.

We are looking for a new tv to hang on the wall, we have power and coax cable plummed in two spots where the TV can hang (see pictures below)

I have been lurking around here for a while now, but there is a metric shitload of information. There are as many opinions as there are users, it seems the more I research and learn, the more confused I get.

I am hoping to tap into some of the deep knowledge pool around here and get some specific recommedations.



So far here is my list:

Plasma
- Not great for a bright room, we have 3 medium windows.
- Better blacks and vivid colours
- Better for high speed tv like sports
- Panasonic seems to get the nod for best bang for the $$$
- Get 1080p not 1080i
- Uses more power
- My brother has a 42" plasma and loves it (2.5 years old)

LCD
- Samsung seems to get the nod for best bang for the $$$
- Better for brighter rooms
- Not as good for fast action (60hz vs 120Hz)
- Uses less power
- No burn in but some have experienced image retention.


Budget: $1,500 - $2,500
Size: Bigger is better, as long as it can hang on the wall (can't be smaller than 46")
Viewing distance: 10'-12'
Will add HDTV (cable or sat?)
Will likely add blue ray (don't some video games play blueray?)
Will add some sort of surround sound.

Most common uses:
- Cartoons for the kids (tv and dvd)
- Wife watches reality tv and crime drama type shows (Dexter, CSI)
- Spike/UFC/Discovery/Family Guy for me, not a big sports fan
- No video games yet, kids are 4mos, 2yrs and 4 years
- We only watch about 4 rental DVD movies per year (should I skip the blueray and order the movies through the HDTV provider?)
- Will have the TV for 10+ years.

Don't have HDTV right now but will be getting it after we purchase new tv, leaning towards shaw digital (I am from BC, Canada) because that's what we have now. I want the record and rewind live tv option (PVR?)

We have a cheap Sony 32" LCD (w4100) - non-HDTV is brutal, dvds are good (used mostly for kids DVDS.)

Are the package deals a good idea, or should I buy the TV then buy the sound system, the HDTV reciever and the blueray?

Here is a picture of the EAST wall:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v512/ivysmommy/DSC08925.jpg


Here is a picture of the SOUTH wall:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v512/ivysmommy/DSC08924.jpg

I will be buying in the next month or so.

Any advice?

__________________

Hey,

Sorry if this is in the wrong section - I am a newby.

I am doing some renovations downstairs, knocked out two walls to make the family room bigger.

We are looking for a new tv to hang on the wall, we have power and coax cable plummed in two spots where the TV can hang (see pictures below)

I have been lurking around here for a while now, but there is a metric shitload of information. There are as many opinions as there are users, it seems the more I research and learn, the more confused I get.

I am hoping to tap into some of the deep knowledge pool around here and get some specific recommedations.



So far here is my list:

Plasma
- Not great for a bright room, we have 3 medium windows.
- Better blacks and vivid colours
- Better for high speed tv like sports
- Panasonic seems to get the nod for best bang for the $$$
- Get 1080p not 1080i
- Uses more power
- My brother has a 42" plasma and loves it (2.5 years old)

LCD
- Samsung seems to get the nod for best bang for the $$$
- Better for brighter rooms
- Not as good for fast action (60hz vs 120Hz)
- Uses less power
- No burn in but some have experienced image retention.


Budget: $1,500 - $2,500
Size: Bigger is better, as long as it can hang on the wall (can't be smaller than 46")
Viewing distance: 10'-12'
Will add HDTV (cable or sat?)
Will likely add blue ray (don't some video games play blueray?)
Will add some sort of surround sound.

Most common uses:
- Cartoons for the kids (tv and dvd)
- Wife watches reality tv and crime drama type shows (Dexter, CSI)
- Spike/UFC/Discovery/Family Guy for me, not a big sports fan
- No video games yet, kids are 4mos, 2yrs and 4 years
- We only watch about 4 rental DVD movies per year (should I skip the blueray and order the movies through the HDTV provider?)
- Will have the TV for 10+ years.

Don't have HDTV right now but will be getting it after we purchase new tv, leaning towards shaw digital (I am from BC, Canada) because that's what we have now. I want the record and rewind live tv option (PVR?)

We have a cheap Sony 32" LCD (w4100) - non-HDTV is brutal, dvds are good (used mostly for kids DVDS.)

Are the package deals a good idea, or should I buy the TV then buy the sound system, the HDTV reciever and the blueray?

Here is a picture of the EAST wall:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v512/ivysmommy/DSC08925.jpg


Here is a picture of the SOUTH wall:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v512/ivysmommy/DSC08924.jpg

I will be buying in the next month or so.

Any advice?

__________________

As long as you can control the lighting from the windows either technology will work fine. LCD works better in a lighted environment but having uncontrolled lighting will still degrade an LCD picture. Best thing to do is narrow it down to a few sets and then try and observe them in different environments with controller in hand to make the adjustments you prefer. A good idea is to bring along a DVD you're very familiar with to use as a source for comparison. Good luck, but the best piece of advice I can offer is to ignore the magnifying of issues these new sets have as any good quality set from the top manufacturers should give you a great viewing experience. :)

Remember that LCDs have a very narrow viewing angle. Unless the viewer is sitting very close to the middle of the set, the picture quality will be degraded.

For your price range look into a Panasonic or Samsung 58" plasma.

Remember that LCDs have a very narrow viewing angle. Unless the viewer is sitting very close to the middle of the set, the picture quality will be degraded.

Very good point.

If this TV will be for the entire family to watch, then LCD is not an option unless you can take the off-axis picture degradation.
Especially with an LED LCD.

Then again, you could have the whole family sit on your lap.;) j/k

58" panny or sammy plasma will give you the most screen size and PQ for your dollar in that price range. Sammy has more accurate color, panny has better blacks. Panasonic handles glare better than samsung.

remember for a large plasmas that they weigh alot, so you will need to make sure you can mount to 2 studs in whatever location you put the TV.

the rest of your stuff dleves into some of the other forums here, but on a screen that big blu ray is kind of a must. The limitations of DVD became very apparent to me when i got my 50" plasma.

Surround sound i suggest going around and auditioning speakers, dunno your budget but you can get a fairly nice 5.1 setup for around $1500 and then another $500 for a good name receiver. I'd stay away from the 2009 models though, alot are scaling the new amps back to save money or add more HDMI features.

Oh, and definitely get digital cable w/ DVR, its the best thing i ever did for TV watching

get a Panasonic plasma
Samsung is still plagued with IR problems

Nobody can properly advise you in this situation without knowing what kind of window treatments you will be using and how much light control they will offer.

The possibilities vary between:

1) No window treatments whatsoever. The three large South-facing windows will require you to use a bright LCD with a matte-finish screen.

2) Total window light control plus dark room furnishings - you can utilize a plasma with a shiny screen, as long as you are not into reading or sewing or other tasks requiring strong interior lighting - or if you can persuade any family members who ARE doing so in sitting off-axis, not a problem.

So tell us how the windows will be dressed and how the room will be furnished. And until such decisions are made, do NOT listen to anybody telling you what you should be buying for an HDTV.

2) Total window light control plus dark room furnishings - you can utilize a plasma with a shiny screen, as long as you are not into reading or sewing or other tasks requiring strong interior lighting - or if you can persuade any family members who ARE doing so in sitting off-axis, not a problem.

It's a good thing that several plamas today utilize excellent anti-reflective screens that make it possible to both watch your TV and safely and comfortably work about your house at the same time. Technology!

That depends upon the effectiveness of the AG coatings. I found the best available from Panasonic was not near good enough in a brightly lit room. Whereas an LCD with a true matte finish was perfectly fine even on bright sunny days.

I have three windows (two "normal" sized and one large) and up to eight lights turned on in my viewing room. The TV performs more than fine even with the sun pouring in.

You provided not enough information to assess that comment. If you look at the picture above you see a TV centered between Southward-facing windows which means direct sunlight into the viewers eyes at least once per day. If you look at the East wall photo you will see that sunlight will actually fall on the panel screen surface itself. Those are near worst-case conditions but few people have those without shades, blinds, or room-darkening drapes. That's why those questions are important, and why anybody giving flat panel advice without asking such questions is simply wrong.

2) Total window light control plus dark room furnishings - you can utilize a plasma with a shiny screen, as long as you are not into reading or sewing or other tasks requiring strong interior lighting - or if you can persuade any family members who ARE doing so in sitting off-axis, not a problem.


Completely ridiculous comment. Plasmas are just fine to watch with the lights on. Did you ever watch tv with the lights on when you had a crt? Panasonic has an excellent filter and reflections are not an issue at all.

You also don't need to have dark furniture to watch a plasma.

You provided not enough information to assess that comment. If you look at the picture above you see a TV centered between Southward-facing windows which means direct sunlight into the viewers eyes at least once per day. If you look at the East wall photo you will see that sunlight will actually fall on the panel screen surface itself. Those are near worst-case conditions but few people have those without shades, blinds, or room-darkening drapes. That's why those questions are important, and why anybody giving flat panel advice without asking such questions is simply wrong.

My setup is similar...even worse, maybe. One window is behind and to the right of the set, another is perpendicular just as in the OP's basement, and the third is in front at an angle. I have no problems during the day. In fact, my light output is far from maxed during bright conditions.

You need to read before jumping in with a negative comment about somebody else. If you had read or even looked at the pictures you would know that direct sunlight falls on the East wall TV location and the South wall location has the screen centered between two windows and the Sun shining into the viewer's eyes. These are near worst-case conditions, you have to assume the OP will implement some form of light-controlling window treatments but we do not know yet.

As for my remark about lighting - I had a Plasma panel mounted 8 feet from a couch with reading lamps at both ends of the couch. When one person had the light on the other viewer saw a perfect and complete mirror image of the lighted end of the couch. That was not at all acceptable to me and I doubt it would be to you either.

As for the comment about light-colored furnishings, two often-quoted advantages of plasmas over LCDs are the contrast ratios and dark levels. Anyone who is viewing a plasma in a brightly lit room has caused a major reduction in both such specifications for the plasma in question, leaving little reason to prefer the plasma over the LCD. The plasma advantages are preserved and enhanced by darkened or semi-darkened rooms and darker funishings which reduce the ambient light shining on the screen. Note that I didn't say that you could not view plasmas in a lighted room - only that two advantages claimed for plasmas were minimized by bright ambient light.

So tell us how the windows will be dressed and how the room will be furnished. And until such decisions are made, do NOT listen to anybody telling you what you should be buying for an HDTV.

I'm with Gary on this. I recently had to choose between plasma and LCD myself and actually tried both screens in my viewing room. There is no direct light hitting the screen, but a strong light source from the right, so the entire room, furniture and kids were reflected in any glossy screen, LCDs included. Only a TV with a matte screen could work.

But I also got a plasma for the bedroom where glare and reflection were non-issues... bang for the buck determined my choice.

Funny to see all the talk about reflections on screens. I personally have both LCD and Pasma T.V's. I have found that the LCD to be worse with lights on then the plasma. My LCD in the bedroom get almost washed out for my wife if I have the reading light on where as with the plasma it doesn't matter howmuch light there is in the room the picture doesn't change and ther is no real bad reflections. The light behinde the seating for the plasma will reflect a little but it is very minimal. Also I find the colors and blacks get very washed out on the LCD with the lights on. I am sure plenty will argue but this is what I find in my house. P.S. there is alot more light in the room with the plasma then the LCD.

I wonder how you can explain away the motion blur and flashlighting on an LCD

I have a sliding glass door and 2 big windows in my bedroom yet my plasma looks better than ANY lcd I tried (samsung 650 that was returned for flashlight issues and Sony W series returned because of motion blur)

Now the latest is that you have to get dark colored furniture to enjoy a plasma tv?
ROFLOL everything in my bedroom is light oak and glass
whats next the old myth about having to "recharge" plasmas after the gas leaks out?

It's a good thing that several plamas today utilize excellent anti-reflective screens that make it possible to both watch your TV and safely and comfortably work about your house at the same time. Technology!

No, no. Gary is right. I have a plasma in my living room and it was only useful as a mirror during the day. I had to coat my room in black velvet before I could see anything on the screen at all. :rolleyes:


But seriously... I think a nice big 58" plasma or 56" lcd mounted between those windows would be great. Whichever you like the look of better. You'd have a nice wide viewing area and plenty of room to set your speakers up nice and wide to get some good seperation...

Seems like if it was on the other wall the viewing area would be kind of cramped...

As for the plasma vs lcd question... It sounds like you have all the information but are still torn... At that point it's down to whatever you prefer. Asking questions on this forum will only get you zealots on both sides trying to sway you to "their" side...

Go look at tv's and buy what you like.

Remember that LCDs have a very narrow viewing angle. Unless the viewer is sitting very close to the middle of the set, the picture quality will be degraded.

Also keep in mind that on the newer sets (2007 models or newer) the angle of view is significantly better and generaly only PQ enthusiasts are the one's have have a problem with the degredation in quality beyond 30 degrees. Certainly at extreme angles (60 degrees or more) its noticable, but as long as your furniture is strategically placed so that everyone gets a fairly direct view of the TV (within 45 degrees or less) no one should notice any problems.

Also the further away you sit, the less noticable the problem. (10'-12' viewing distance will give you a lot of wiggle-room on your furniture setup)

....The possibilities vary between:

1) No window treatments whatsoever. The three large South-facing windows will require you to use a bright LCD with a matte-finish screen.

2) Total window light control plus dark room furnishings - you can utilize a plasma with a shiny screen, as long as you are not into reading or sewing or other tasks requiring strong interior lighting - or if you can persuade any family members who ARE doing so in sitting off-axis, not a problem.

So tell us how the windows will be dressed and how the room will be furnished. And until such decisions are made, do NOT listen to anybody telling you what you should be buying for an HDTV.


We have horizontal blinds for the two windows on the south wall. We will also get a horizontal blind for the smaller west wall window. The blinds are older metal ones but they are in good shape and work well, close fitting so they don't let much light in when closed.

We plan to keep the blinds open during the day when the kids are playing downstairs, TV will be off and on. When we watch in the evening the blinds will be closed, we watch most TV in the evening.

Thanks for all the great comments and advice. Holy **** there is alot to consider.

Please keep the comments coming.

PS - My wife said build me a dining room table (her pick/design) and the $ can be spent on a better flat panel - seems like a good deal to me.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v512/ivysmommy/DSC08944.jpg

Here are the two oldest girls helping "condition" the doug-fir table top. Basically we pound it prior to staining/finishing to age it. The sawdust dampens the severity of the blows from the hammer, chains, crowbars,etc.... the girls love it!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v512/ivysmommy/DSC08967.jpg

Now back to the flat panel discussion.

Thanks again guys - still mulling over all the info - I will buy in the next month.

Thanks for all the great comments and advice. Holy **** there is alot to consider.

Please keep the comments coming.

There is a ton of stuff to consider. You've done the first step to deciphering it all by coming here and asking the right kind of questions. Just keep in mind that a lot of the guys who come here are incredibly knowledgable Enthusiasts with very keen eyes for Picture Quality and they will advise you from an enthusiasts perspective. Don't let them psych you out (which is easy to do, trust me). Find the set that is right for you and your family and enjoy some good HD.

These guys do know what they are talking about though, so listening to them is not at all a bad thing ;)

Funny to see all the talk about reflections on screens. I personally have both LCD and Pasma T.V's. I have found that the LCD to be worse with lights on then the plasma. My LCD in the bedroom get almost washed out for my wife if I have the reading light on where as with the plasma it doesn't matter howmuch light there is in the room the picture doesn't change and ther is no real bad reflections. The light behinde the seating for the plasma will reflect a little but it is very minimal. Also I find the colors and blacks get very washed out on the LCD with the lights on. I am sure plenty will argue but this is what I find in my house. P.S. there is alot more light in the room with the plasma then the LCD.

Mirrors my experience very closely. We have 2 LCD's and 2 Plasmas.

There are LCDs with shiny screens and LCDs with matte-finish screens. Certainly you would buy the matte-finish for any environment with strong ambient light. Certainly you would prefer the shiny clear surface for a darkened or semi-darkened room.

There are plasmas with anti-glare glass coatings and plasmas with untreated shiny glass surfaces. Certainly you would buy the AG version for use in moderate ambient lighting. Certainly you would buy the clear uncoated shiny glass for use in a darkened or semi-darkened room.

In either case, a matte-finish plastic LCD screen or Anti-Glare plasma glass, the specifications for contrast ratio and black levels are decreased by the reflection-busting surface technology and the way it scatters the ambient room lighting. This is why you must view your HDTV in the environment you will use it in, and why simply shopping for specifications is never enough. Because in the gamesmanship of the Internet sales war there are models that offer better specifications and less real-world usable performance. Those models are designed to sell well in online sales.

This is why matching the screen surface to the ambient lighting conditions is important, and why the knowledge of the light controlling window treatments and task lighting is a definate factor in the arrangement of HDTVs and the seating used to view them. If you fail to consider these additional factors, you frequently give up video performance that you might otherwise have benefitted from had you matched the TV technology to the lighting conditions and considered reflected images when you laid out the room's seating and lighting.

You would also match the performance of the devices attached to the HDTV to maximize your video performance.

These concepts are not difficult to understand. If you already own the HDTV and move it into a new environment where lighting and seating are different, then it is surprising how differently the set performs. For example that Sony Wega analog TV set I mentioned (in other message threads) as having barely acceptable performance in my sunlit family room is now providing very good performance in my spare bedroom. This 60Hz set is attached to a SD DirecTiVo, a SuperVHS VCR, and a Digital Converter box, all of which are matching 60Hz video sources. The shiny flat glass screen performs well in the light-controlled bedroom with both metal blinds and dark curtains. My guests appreciate it even if I seldom view the TV itself anymore.

My main HDTV is a 46" 1080p Samsung LCD with 120Hz technology, fed with two 24Hz video sources which are the Sony PS3 used to view Blu-Rays and the Toshiba HD-DVD player. There is also a 60Hz TiVo HD and an analog DVD player that is used only for older, non-anamorphic DVDs.

The master bedroom has yet another Samsung LCD HDTV set, this one a smaller 2008 LCD model with a more transparent shinier screen surface and 720p resolution. That set is nonetheless matched to the room, the viewing distance from the bed, the attached devices, and the lighting in the room.

It's not hard to understand the "Information overload" when somebody first looks at this topic. It really is much more complex than a simple user preference for plasma or LCD technology. Certainly preference is a part of the equation but if you allow your preference for the technology to override the considerations of room lighting and viewing distance, you might lose performance. It is equally valid to have a preference for sheer draperies that allow bright sunlight into your room in the daytime. Just as it is acceptable to have a preference to also sew or read while the HDTV is in use. Such lifestle preferences should not be overidden by the type of HDTV you thought you prefered, either.

There are LCDs with shiny screens and LCDs with matte-finish screens. Certainly you would buy the matte-finish for any environment with strong ambient light. Certainly you would prefer the shiny clear surface for a darkened or semi-darkened room.

There are plasmas with anti-glare glass coatings and plasmas with untreated shiny glass surfaces. Certainly you would buy the AG version for use in moderate ambient lighting. Certainly you would buy the clear uncoated shiny glass for use in a darkened or semi-darkened room.

In either case, a matte-finish plastic LCD screen or Anti-Glare plasma glass, the specifications for contrast ratio and black levels are decreased by the reflection-busting surface technology and the way it scatters the ambient room lighting. This is why you must view your HDTV in the environment you will use it in, and why simply shopping for specifications is never enough. Because in the gamesmanship of the Internet sales war there are models that offer better specifications and less real-world usable performance. Those models are designed to sell well in online sales.

This is why matching the screen surface to the ambient lighting conditions is important, and why the knowledge of the light controlling window treatments and task lighting is a definate factor in the arrangement of HDTVs and the seating used to view them. If you fail to consider these additional factors, you frequently give up video performance that you might otherwise have benefitted from had you matched the TV technology to the lighting conditions and considered reflected images when you laid out the room's seating and lighting.

You would also match the performance of the devices attached to the HDTV to maximize your video performance.

These concepts are not difficult to understand. If you already own the HDTV and move it into a new environment where lighting and seating are different, then it is surprising how differently the set performs. For example that Sony Wega analog TV set I mentioned (in other message threads) as having barely acceptable performance in my sunlit family room is now providing very good performance in my spare bedroom. This 60Hz set is attached to a SD DirecTiVo, a SuperVHS VCR, and a Digital Converter box, all of which are matching 60Hz video sources. The shiny flat glass screen performs well in the light-controlled bedroom with both metal blinds and dark curtains. My guests appreciate it even if I seldom view the TV itself anymore.

My main HDTV is a 46" 1080p Samsung LCD with 120Hz technology, fed with two 24Hz video sources which are the Sony PS3 used to view Blu-Rays and the Toshiba HD-DVD player. There is also a 60Hz TiVo HD and an analog DVD player that is used only for older, non-anamorphic DVDs.

The master bedroom has yet another Samsung LCD HDTV set, this one a smaller 2008 LCD model with a more transparent shinier screen surface and 720p resolution. That set is nonetheless matched to the room, the viewing distance from the bed, the attached devices, and the lighting in the room.

It's not hard to understand the "Information overload" when somebody first looks at this topic. It really is much more complex than a simple user preference for plasma or LCD technology. Certainly preference is a part of the equation but if you allow your preference for the technology to override the considerations of room lighting and viewing distance, you might lose performance. It is equally valid to have a preference for sheer draperies that allow bright sunlight into your room in the daytime. Just as it is acceptable to have a preference to also sew or read while the HDTV is in use. Such lifestle preferences should not be overidden by the type of HDTV you thought you prefered, either.


There you have it folks. No more needs to be said. Be sure to take along your sewing, or a book to read, when you go to the
TV store. Make sure you only make a choice that looks good while your are busy reading, or sewing, or on the phone.

That is the only way to make a proper "lifestyle" evaluation of which TV is right for you.;)

For your price range look into a Panasonic or Samsung 58" plasma.

I agree that this will be the most cost-effective solution. A Pioneer KURO would be even better, but they are pricier, and may not still be available when you are ready to buy.

If you will be putting the set where the old TV is now, you should be fine in any case, and there will never be any direct light hitting the screen, and that is very good; screen reflections should not be a big problem. In any case though, as has been pointed out, window dressing is very important and needs to be considered.

The lower light output from plasmas has been greatly exaggerated, and it should not be a significant problem here. But if you do get an LCD, while Samsung does give you the "best bang for the $$$" as you said and is very good, the top Sonys (XBR8 and XBR9) are even better having better image processing, but like the Pioneers are pricey.

What Gary says makes perfect sense though. You have to consider everyone in your family and their lifestyle habits when you go to purchase your television, or you could end up with a less-than-ideal situation.

In my case, I hate glare. My girlfriend loves to throw open the blinds on the window thats directly opposite the TV. Thus, I opted to purchase an LCD with matte screen for that reason. Bright viewing room with direct light. Needed a bright picture and a reflectionless screen. Now I don't want to scream when my GF throws open the blinds. Our relationship is safe for the moment :)

My girlfriend also likes to read (who doesn't. I actually like reading more than watching TV or movies!) and when she does, she goes on a binge. She'll read for hours at a stretch. This means that though I like watching my TV in a near-dark room, when she's reading (or doing cross-stitch or knitting) she needs some bright light. Had I purchased a TV that looked best in the dark, I would be annoyed everytime she came in the room and turned the lights on. Thus I had to consider such lifestyle habits as my girlfriends reading marathons into consideration when I went to find my TV.

There you have it folks. No more needs to be said. Be sure to take along your sewing, or a book to read, when you go to the
TV store. Make sure you only make a choice that looks good while your are busy reading, or sewing, or on the phone.

That is the only way to make a proper "lifestyle" evaluation of which TV is right for you.;)

I'm going to take some adult films and a couple of hookers, make sure they are ok with AMP. Also I don't want them distracted by the soap opera effect, in case they happen to enjoy soap operas. I want them focused.

If someone wants to watch TV in a dim or dark room, but another person wants to have the lights on, because they want to read or....., that person can do their reading or......, in another room.

You need to read before jumping in with a negative comment about somebody else. If you had read or even looked at the pictures you would know that direct sunlight falls on the East wall TV location and the South wall location has the screen centered between two windows and the Sun shining into the viewer's eyes. These are near worst-case conditions, you have to assume the OP will implement some form of light-controlling window treatments but we do not know yet.

As for my remark about lighting - I had a Plasma panel mounted 8 feet from a couch with reading lamps at both ends of the couch. When one person had the light on the other viewer saw a perfect and complete mirror image of the lighted end of the couch. That was not at all acceptable to me and I doubt it would be to you either.

As for the comment about light-colored furnishings, two often-quoted advantages of plasmas over LCDs are the contrast ratios and dark levels. Anyone who is viewing a plasma in a brightly lit room has caused a major reduction in both such specifications for the plasma in question, leaving little reason to prefer the plasma over the LCD. The plasma advantages are preserved and enhanced by darkened or semi-darkened rooms and darker funishings which reduce the ambient light shining on the screen. Note that I didn't say that you could not view plasmas in a lighted room - only that two advantages claimed for plasmas were minimized by bright ambient light.

gary, do you know what time a day the OP watches TV and what time a day the light shines directly through those windows? My eastern windows have sun shinning on them for a short time early in the morning when I rarely even watch TV and it's easily controlled by mini blinds the few times I do.

Yes plasma's look outstanding in a darker environment but they also look pretty damn nice in a normally lit room. I have an LCD and a plasma on the main floor and the plasma has the better picture anytime of the day. Go figure. :eek:

As for fabric colors, you're really stretching it on that one. :cool:

If someone wants to watch TV in a dim or dark room, but another person wants to have the lights on, because they want to read or....., that person can do their reading or......, in another room.

Try telling that to my girlfriend.

gary, do you know what time a day the OP watches TV and what time a day the light shines directly through those windows? My eastern windows have sun shinning on them for a short time early in the morning when I rarely even watch TV and it's easily controlled by mini blinds the few times I do.

Yes plasma's look outstanding in a darker environment but they also look pretty damn nice in a normally lit room. I have an LCD and a plasma on the main floor and the plasma has the better picture anytime of the day. Go figure. :eek:

As for fabric colors, you're really stretching it on that one. :cool:


He didn't have an Eastern window, he had a Western window and an Eastern wall where the TV will get direct sun at sunset, unless a blind or curtain was used. The question was worth asking.

As for room furnishings, the biggest offenders are not fabrics but white colored walls and ceilings. But HDTVs are instrumented in darkened rooms with everything draped in black light-absorbing fabrics. Which is the only way you will ever achieve the astonishing contrast ratios and black level specs that get thrown about in this forum, those are not real world. That is why a commercial theater or a good home theater has dark paints and dark fabrics.

There is room for user preference in HDTV selection, but the prospective buyer should understand the principles we have discussed here and make realistic choices after considering the room and the drapes and the habits of anybody sharing the space and the HDTV viewing. Or failing to do so, that purchaser must be willing to accept the limitations to decor and lifestyle that the pre-determined HDTV purchase makes upon his residence and his life.

He didn't have an Eastern window, he had a Western window and an Eastern wall where the TV will get direct sun at sunset, unless a blind or curtain was used.


Unless you live at the equator, western setting sun only hits the eastern wall for a very short time. Most of the problems will be on the North wall, as sunlight favors the south in the Northern hemisphere. This of course, changes seasonally. Further, when the sun is shining directly into a window, we can be assured that it is early (eastern) or late (western) in the day. This suggests that the sun is also low in the sky, so nearby trees, other houses, etc. often block out this sun anyway. I agree with your premise that conditions must be undestood, but worrying about direct sunlight that lasts at most for 1/2 hour, while a consideration, is minor IMHO.

As for room furnishings, the biggest offenders are not fabrics but white colored walls and ceilings. But HDTVs are instrumented in darkened rooms with everything draped in black light-absorbing fabrics. Which is the only way you will ever achieve the astonishing contrast ratios and black level specs that get thrown about in this forum, those are not real world. That is why a commercial theater or a good home theater has dark paints and dark fabrics.

There is room for user preference in HDTV selection, but the prospective buyer should understand the principles we have discussed here and make realistic choices after considering the room and the drapes and the habits of anybody sharing the space and the HDTV viewing. Or failing to do so, that purchaser must be willing to accept the limitations to decor and lifestyle that the pre-determined HDTV purchase makes upon his residence and his life.


Again good advice, but part of the argument predisposes that we design our rooms and life around the HDTV. This is certainly true for those installing a pure home theater, but most of us just want the set to look good in the environment that we have.

Also, we have discussed our wives and girlfriends, their lighting needs, etc. but we fail to discuss where they sit. If it is off axis (as all of the seats in my family room are), then the picture degrades for most LCD's, and the reflectivity source varies for each sitting position.

Further, the vast majority of America's viewing is after sunset, when lighting obviously is much easier to control and/or localize for each seating positions' needs.

As to any HDTV really affecting the owners' lifestyle or decor...again unless you are installing a home theater, this is a stretch. For most viewers, a very good LCD or a very good Plasma is going to be pleasing at almost all times of the day. For critical viewers who wish to nitpick at the details, arguments can be made either way based on what really bothers you.

For me, the off axis degradation of my Samsung LCD's picture is worse than the reflectivity of my Panasonic Plasma screen. The Plasma replaced the LCD in-place in a room with a lot of West facing windows with no window treatments and glass doors. I have only minor problems with sunlight. On Sunday, I watched the Masters with light streaming into the room, shining about 18" from the screen. I could see great. As good as in a dark theater room? Obviously not, but impressive none the less.

Depending on when the pictures were taken I think it shows that there is really minimum light in the room anyhow. Also if one were to look at the picture with the table and wife they would notice a very wooded area. Again trees like to block sun from getting in the way for the majority of the day. My room has a large picture window in it, when the blinds are open there is really no problem with glare on the plasma. I have a Marantz PD5050D wich is an older model, before anti-glare. On the other hand my Sony 32L4000 LCD gets washed out when the window that faces the same as the picture window gets opened. Granted the LCD is not top of the line but still, matte screen=less reflection right??!! As a side note in our room the walls are a cream color on the darker side and are semi gloss, we just bought a dark burgendy colored set of couches and tables, floors are a medium colored wood, can't say as though there is any difference in the picture between the old and new. The old were white and light blue stipes, very bright, and the tables were a light colored wood. In a home theatre dedicated room I can see the worries about wall color, average user I don't think will see a huge difference anyway.

stihl036 get a plasma not only it produces better PQ but its less expensive at the bigger size area, i think the panny 58" will suit you just fine or a pioneer if you willing to spend the money.

plasma dont look that bad when ambient light is around the house, i have alot of lighitng going into my house with my blinds and yet its very watchable even if i took the blinds off, sure the picture wont look as great but it will be fine.

now on the other hand lcd has lots of issues that cannot be fixed while you do enjoy better picture when theirs alot of ambient light what happens when you are watching tv in thte night? SOL or with the family and certain angles or the flaws and among so many things,

lcd can be a nightmare for some.

run the hdmi power coax and any other cables through the wall even if they arent plug in so in case that one day you need them.

content provider well if you can get fios or uveres then thats the best,if neither then directv with hd packaged is excellent.

also given the fact that you want to hold on to your tv for quite some years to come i'd say pony up and get the pioneer elite if not you will be fine also burn in wont be an isssue but TIR common to see

I'm not an expert like you guys, but I just wanted to add (concerning tv placement) that the acoustics of the room is also important for the surround, and where the tv is placed plays a role in the speaker placement.

Ambient light is certainly really important, just wanted to bring up the other side of the equation.

I agree that sound is important. One thing I have noticed about the newer very thin flat panels, both LCD and plasma, is that the thin form comes at a price. The older 4-5" thick models frequently had stereo speakers plus a small rearward-facing subwoofer - 2.1 channel sound. The new very thin panels both omit the subwoofer and shrink the size of the side speakers. Not a problem if you are using a surround receiver and external speakers of course - but a big problem if you are not.

I agree that sound is important. One thing I have noticed about the newer very thin flat panels, both LCD and plasma, is that the thin form comes at a price. The older 4-5" thick models frequently had stereo speakers plus a small rearward-facing subwoofer - 2.1 channel sound. The new very thin panels both omit the subwoofer and shrink the size of the side speakers. Not a problem if you are using a surround receiver and external speakers of course - but a big problem if you are not.


I agree, but my advice to anyone is "Don't even think of using the built-in speakers - use an AVR or controller/amp comination and some really good speakers."

I'm not an expert like you guys, but I just wanted to add (concerning tv placement) that the acoustics of the room is also important for the surround, and where the tv is placed plays a role in the speaker placement.

Ambient light is certainly really important, just wanted to bring up the other side of the equation.

Excellent points. Also, the acoustics of the room are very important for the front speakers and the subwoofer, and not just the surrounds!

gary, do you know what time a day the OP watches TV and what time a day the light shines directly through those windows? My eastern windows have sun shinning on them for a short time early in the morning when I rarely even watch TV and it's easily controlled by mini blinds the few times I do.

Yes plasma's look outstanding in a darker environment but they also look pretty damn nice in a normally lit room. I have an LCD and a plasma on the main floor and the plasma has the better picture anytime of the day. Go figure. :eek:

As for fabric colors, you're really stretching it on that one. :cool:

Totally agree. I have 2 Plasmas both in bright rooms and I was shocked how bright the TV's are. I have no issues with light. I think he should go with a Plasma.

Excellent points. Also, the acoustics of the room are very important for the front speakers and the subwoofer, and not just the surrounds!

Especially since the front speakers and the subwoofer is the source of most of the important sound.

stihl036 get a plasma not only it produces better PQ but its less expensive at the bigger size area, i think the panny 58" will suit you just fine or a pioneer if you willing to spend the money.

plasma dont look that bad when ambient light is around the house, i have alot of lighitng going into my house with my blinds and yet its very watchable even if i took the blinds off, sure the picture wont look as great but it will be fine.

now on the other hand lcd has lots of issues that cannot be fixed while you do enjoy better picture when theirs alot of ambient light what happens when you are watching tv in thte night? SOL or with the family and certain angles or the flaws and among so many things,

lcd can be a nightmare for some.

run the hdmi power coax and any other cables through the wall even if they arent plug in so in case that one day you need them.

content provider well if you can get fios or uveres then thats the best,if neither then directv with hd packaged is excellent.

also given the fact that you want to hold on to your tv for quite some years to come i'd say pony up and get the pioneer elite if not you will be fine also burn in wont be an isssue but TIR common to see

Excellent points as well!!!

BLT

I agree that sound is important. One thing I have noticed about the newer very thin flat panels, both LCD and plasma, is that the thin form comes at a price. The older 4-5" thick models frequently had stereo speakers plus a small rearward-facing subwoofer - 2.1 channel sound. The new very thin panels both omit the subwoofer and shrink the size of the side speakers. Not a problem if you are using a surround receiver and external speakers of course - but a big problem if you are not.

The new 8 series Samsung plasmas are an inch thick and have a subwoofer.

stihl036 get a plasma not only it produces better PQ but its less expensive at the bigger size area, i think the panny 58" will suit you just fine or a pioneer if you willing to spend the money.

plasma dont look that bad when ambient light is around the house, i have alot of lighitng going into my house with my blinds and yet its very watchable even if i took the blinds off, sure the picture wont look as great but it will be fine.

now on the other hand lcd has lots of issues that cannot be fixed while you do enjoy better picture when theirs alot of ambient light what happens when you are watching tv in thte night? SOL or with the family and certain angles or the flaws and among so many things,

lcd can be a nightmare for some.

run the hdmi power coax and any other cables through the wall even if they arent plug in so in case that one day you need them.

content provider well if you can get fios or uveres then thats the best,if neither then directv with hd packaged is excellent.

also given the fact that you want to hold on to your tv for quite some years to come i'd say pony up and get the pioneer elite if not you will be fine also burn in wont be an isssue but TIR common to see

While I don't necesarily agree with everything that gus738 says, on one thing I can agree; Since the Original Poster is planning to keep his TV for quite some time, he should buy the absolute best TV he can afford.

I still believe that all the "short comming " of plasma T.V.s are overplayed by a large shot. LCD short commings are a bit overplayed but still large problems for the most part. Viewing angles are getting better but are still a problem to me. Also colors washing out at angles I still find very bad. Straight on viewing of both are getting much better but I still prefer the looks on plasma TV's much better. Good luck with your purchase which ever way you go!!

i can see how helpful everyone wants to be on these forums and i think it is great. i am having a hard time deciding between the pro-111FD and the kdl-46xbr8.... i game a ton and was worried about burn in with extensive use on the plasma but also heard it would net me the best PQ. also i live at a high altitude and have heard that plasmas have problems with that as they are gas filled. games and movies will be the sole purpose of this tv. all suggestions would be appreciated. i can control the lighting if needs be.

i can see how helpful everyone wants to be on these forums and i think it is great. i am having a hard time deciding between the pro-111FD and the kdl-46xbr8.... i game a ton and was worried about burn in with extensive use on the plasma but also heard it would net me the best PQ. also i live at a high altitude and have heard that plasmas have problems with that as they are gas filled. games and movies will be the sole purpose of this tv. all suggestions would be appreciated. i can control the lighting if needs be.

Gaming is a weird thing with High Def. If you go LCD, you can get lots of lag and its vitally important if you play fighting games and FPSers that require split second timing. However, if you go Plasma, you run the risk of Burn-in and ruining a $1000+ TV. (and yes, Burn-in is less of a problem than it used to be but it still exists, just like LCD lag is less of a problem than it used to be but it still exists)

I don't know from personal experience, but I hear that DLP sets suffer from just as much, if not more videogame lag than LCD.

Ultimately you need to decide which is more important to you; Picture Quality or the garunteed safety of your TV's screen. Myself, I went LCD for fear of Burn-in because I game heavily (as does my girlfriend, so thats twice the amount of gaming the TV has to do) and I don't play twitchy games (aside from Devil May Cry) so the lag isn't really an issue for me.

i play every sort of game but i am willing to take any precautions that anyone would suggest. i really don't want any input lag as i like to play online and having faster reflexes comes in handy. Nusoardgraphite thanks for answering my questions, as you have done so in a few threads. if anyone else has any info regarding which tv would work best for this i welcome all experiences and opinions.

also i don't mean to hijack the OP's thread. i just didn't want to start a new thread.

I don't know from personal experience, but I hear that DLP sets suffer from just as much, if not more videogame lag than LCD.

This is not the case with newer LED-based DLP sets. I have a 61a750 and there is only a tiny amount of lag when playing HD games. Not enough to even be noticeable really. There is more lag if playing something that's in 480p (like Wii), but it is not any more so than on most LCDs.

I don't know from personal experience, but I hear that DLP sets suffer from just as much, if not more videogame lag than LCD.


Whether this is true or not, all RPTV's have in common, so many other issues, that I believe they are a bad way to go (see my earlier post in this thread). However, LED-based DLP technology would probably be great for front projectors.

left senseless my pioneer elite pro-111 plasma is used purely for gaming. GH3/WT/Rockband2 GOW1/2 for HOURS and HOURS I dont even get a hint of TIR!!! lets say you are going to play a game for 6 hours non stop then switch to another game another 6 hours you will be ok because its not going to have the same HUD and the same static pixel righ? then their goes your answer.

my gamertag is gus738 for xbl and psn as a proof that i game mostly for hours 80% im sure its gaming the rest blu rays (black bars yes) and rest tv broadcasting.

I dont babe my tv i should not have to if i want to game on my tv ill game it shoulnt be an issue.


i can see how helpful everyone wants to be on these forums and i think it is great. i am having a hard time deciding between the pro-111FD and the kdl-46xbr8.... i game a ton and was worried about burn in with extensive use on the plasma but also heard it would net me the best PQ. also i live at a high altitude and have heard that plasmas have problems with that as they are gas filled. games and movies will be the sole purpose of this tv. all suggestions would be appreciated. i can control the lighting if needs be.

Whether this is true or not, all RPTV's have in common, so many other issues, that I believe they are a bad way to go (see my earlier post in this thread). However, LED-based DLP technology would probably be great for front projectors.


I completely agree. I've had heated discussions with DLP owners who seem to believe that DLP's are the best technology on the market. (there is no "best technology", only whats best for the individual)

I'm in the same boat as the original poster, although my window config is slightly different. My set will be in the corner, facing the room at a 45 deg angle, with a large South-facing bay window to its right (to the left of the TV when viewing).

I have blinds on all the windows in this bay window, and plan on having new room-darkening drapes made in the near future to accomodate a nice HDTV.

I've been sold on LCD up to this point, because I wanted to avoid the nightmare rumors of plasma. But listening to some of the arguments in favor of plasma, on various threads, has me at least interested in comparing the two formats.

Last night, I stopped by BB to compare the latest/greatest Samsung LCD's with whatever plasma's they had. I was impressed with the 2009 Samsung B series 58" plasma, and it is a couple hundred less than the 2009 Samsung 52" LCD I've been thinking of buying. The colors were richer, the motion smoother (although I don't think the 120hz LCD's are bad, and certainly not as bad as some of the extremely sensitive/picky users say), and I like the bigger screen for less $$$$.

The only things holding me back from the plasma are:

1. I don't know how easy it is for a screen to get burn-in, but the prospect of it scares me pretty badly.
2. I'm concerned about this technology going by the wayside and losing support in the supply and maintenance chain.
3. The power usage and heat generation concerns associated with plasma screens.

The pro's I see with LCD are...
1. New and developing technology with no forseeable replacement.
2. Less power consumption/less heat.
3. No burn-in. (but dead pixels, flashlighting, and more grainy picture)

Would someone who owns a plasma set, and preferably someone who also owns an LCD, weigh in on my statements? I am mainly wondering if my 3 concerns about plasma are real concerns, or if I'm overreacting to myths and rumors.

A lot of what I've read negatively about certain TV's or technologies in these forums are exaggeration in my opinion. I don't think I'm very detailed in finding flaws in things...unlike when I was in the Marines and inspecting the barracks.:D:D

You are reacting to all the FUD that gets posted.

All of these things you are asking about have been absolutely beaten to death over and over so you should be able to search for it.

#2 up top and #1 down bottom are just silly. When you buy a display you aren't buying an evolving or devolving technology. You are buying a snapshot in time. Your plasma isn't going to get any worse due to changes in the market, and your LCD isn't going to get any better because they continue to look for more ways to bandaid the weaknesses.

The only things holding me back from the plasma are:

1. I don't know how easy it is for a screen to get burn-in, but the prospect of it scares me pretty badly.

Burn in will not happen, why does this rumor persist? Old crts also had burn-in, remember using screen savers to avoid it?

2. I'm concerned about this technology going by the wayside and losing support in the supply and maintenance chain.

As long as Panasonic and Samsung keep making them that will not happen. Panasonic has put nearly all of their efforts into plasma, so I wouldn't worry about it.

3. The power usage and heat generation concerns associated with plasma screens.

You can find out concrete numbers on cnet, but they're not that different from lcds.

The pro's I see with LCD are...
1. New and developing technology with no forseeable replacement.

Oled is obviously the forseeable replacement. And lcds are not really that new anymore.

3. No burn-in. (but dead pixels, flashlighting, and more grainy picture)

I own a few lcd sets and not one suffers from dead pixels or flashlighting. And lcds don't suffer from grainy pictures!! If you mean dithering noise, that's a plasma issue, not an lcd issue.

I think you failed to note the actual important issues:

lcds--
* poor off axis viewing
* motion blur
* poor blacks

plasmas--
* image retention
* dithering noise
* poor whites

And for flat panels (either one) glossy vs matte is another discussion.

Lcds are improving on all points, plasmas are also improving on all points but these points merit consideration even today.

Burn in will not happen, why does this rumor persist? Old crts also had burn-in, remember using screen savers to avoid it?

Oled is obviously the forseeable replacement. And lcds are not really that new anymore.


Modern plasmas are pretty resistant to burn-in, as are CRT's. But both can get burn-in if one is careless. This was not always the case with early plasmas, and that is what probably started the "rumor".

You are reacting to all the FUD that gets posted.

All of these things you are asking about have been absolutely beaten to death over and over so you should be able to search for it.

#2 up top and #1 down bottom are just silly. When you buy a display you aren't buying an evolving or devolving technology. You are buying a snapshot in time. Your plasma isn't going to get any worse due to changes in the market, and your LCD isn't going to get any better because they continue to look for more ways to bandaid the weaknesses.

Searching is one thing, but finding the answers in the labyrinth of threads here is another, thus, I asked some silly questions and made some silly statements based on my limited knowledge of TV's. Also, you and many here are veterans when it comes to these technologies, but obviously, many of us are not, but we hope to find help amongst the experts here.

I believe that the only stupid questions are the ones you don't ask.

Thanks to all who responded. This helps a GREAT deal.

I'm still learning the ropes, especially the jargon used. Your patience and lack of "snobbish" attitudes is appreciated.

I believe that the only stupid questions are the ones you don't ask.

Thanks to all who responded. This helps a GREAT deal.

I'm still learning the ropes, especially the jargon used. Your patience and lack of "snobbish" attitudes is appreciated.

It isn't a snobbish attitude, it's one of practicality. When the exact same questions get asked by new folks over and over every day, literally for years... the signal to noise ratio gets out of whack. The mods created stickies for some questions so they could continue to get explored without washing away the other content (ie break in / burn-in / IR).

The only things holding me back from the plasma are:

1. I don't know how easy it is for a screen to get burn-in, but the prospect of it scares me pretty badly.

Common sense prevents any of the new TV's from suffering burn in.

2. I'm concerned about this technology going by the wayside and losing support in the supply and maintenance chain.

Even if it were to stop today there would be plenty of support and parts around. Many older sets (RPTV's for one example) still have parts available and many discontinued models of LCD's and plasmas still have parts available so I wouldn't let this be an issue.

3. The power usage and heat generation concerns associated with plasma screens.

Yes, plasma's do use more power but it's really not at all that significant. Typically it's been shown to be around $3.00 a month more in actual usage and my older plasma doesn't kick out that much heat and not that much different than the LCD my son has in his room.

Bottom line, if those are the only issues you are concerned about, I wouldn't let them hold you back and instead pick the TV that you feel gives you the best picture within your budget whether it be a plasma or an LCD.

The pro's I see with LCD are...
1. New and developing technology with no forseeable replacement.
2. Less power consumption/less heat.
3. No burn-in. (but dead pixels, flashlighting, and more grainy picture)


Would someone who owns a plasma set, and preferably someone who also owns an LCD, weigh in on my statements? I am mainly wondering if my 3 concerns about plasma are real concerns, or if I'm overreacting to myths and rumors.

I own one plasma and two LCD's and when given the choice I prefer the plasma and it's the oldest of the three.

A lot of what I've read negatively about certain TV's or technologies in these forums are exaggeration in my opinion. I don't think I'm very detailed in finding flaws in things...unlike when I was in the Marines and inspecting the barracks.:D:D

You are correct. Many people sensationalize the flaws of today's TV when in reality they can give you a great viewing experience. If I was to use this forum as my sole source I would think that I was going to get a TV that was barely watchable. Choose a set and enjoy it as it should give you years of pleasure.


:)

I've been sold on LCD up to this point, because I wanted to avoid the nightmare rumors of plasma. But listening to some of the arguments in favor of plasma, on various threads, has me at least interested in comparing the two formats.

Take this how you will, but I am an LCD owner and the only "nightmare problems" I know of for Plasma are the glare issues (from a direct light source, esp the sun) and Burn-in. LCD has far more problems. They are less-intrusive than those two for the most part, but there are more of them and its quite probable that you will experience multiples of these problems no matter which tv you purchase.

That being said, I still think that the problems that LCD has are blown way out of proportion by Plasma fans either based on their experience with early LCD tv's or the fact that they don't experience those issues at all with Plasma (for the most part) so they are glaring and obvious when they see them pop up on an LCD. The typical problems fround in LCD technology have been significantly reduced since 2007 and (esp) 2008 models have been released.


Last night, I stopped by BB to compare the latest/greatest Samsung LCD's with whatever plasma's they had. I was impressed with the 2009 Samsung B series 58" plasma, and it is a couple hundred less than the 2009 Samsung 52" LCD I've been thinking of buying. The colors were richer, the motion smoother (although I don't think the 120hz LCD's are bad, and certainly not as bad as some of the extremely sensitive/picky users say), and I like the bigger screen for less $$$$.

Yep. Thats the benefit of Plasma. Just simply put, it has a better picture quality with smoother motion than LCD. And that is a fact, not an opinion. LCD manufacturers are fast closing the gap between LCD and Plasma picture quality, but the motion is still an issue (even in the best 120hz sets) compared to Plasma. I agree with you though, that the motion-blur issue isn't as big of a problem as many like to make it out to be. I have a "mere" 60hz set, not even an expensive one and I barely notice motion blur on the tv unless I'm sitting too close. I mostly notice blur on 480i programming (which I avoid if at all possible) and 720p programming on my HD cable. 480p (from my DVD player) and 1080i (from my cable) essentially have no blur.

The only things holding me back from the plasma are:

1. I don't know how easy it is for a screen to get burn-in, but the prospect of it scares me pretty badly.

I don't know either, and that scares the bejeezus outta me, so I bought an LCD as well. Sure I may have given into the F.U.D., but I like the look of LCD too (its all about the brightness and no-glare...I gotta matte screen) so I'm fine with my decision.


2. I'm concerned about this technology going by the wayside and losing support in the supply and maintenance chain.

The technology is going by the wayside. Each year fewer manufacturers are making Plasma. The same thing is happening with DLP technology. Although I wouldn't worry about the maintenance issue as companies will continue to have the ability to replace or repair such sets for years after their discontinuance. The technology is still very much around for now, so don't let a fear like this sway you one way or another.

3. The power usage and heat generation concerns associated with plasma screens.

Absolutely, Plasmas are more power hungry than LCD, and many LCD sets have aggressive power saving modes, but the difference isn't big enough that you should let it sway your decision, unless you are a tree-hugging hippie type.


The pro's I see with LCD are...
1. New and developing technology with no forseeable replacement.

Oh, there are forseeable replacements. Laser TV. OLED. Technology constantly moves forward and chances are something else will emerge in the next 5 years that will put LCD and Plasma to shame. Both Laser TV and OLED make plasma look like standard definition in comparison. I've seen the Sony OLED television in person and it is impressive to say the least.

2. Less power consumption/less heat.

True on both counts.

3. No burn-in. (but dead pixels, flashlighting, and more grainy picture)

All true.

Keep in mind though, that the problems of LCD (dead pixels, flashlights/clouds) are kind of random, whether you will experience them or not. And the "weaknesses" of LCD (poor viewing angle, poor black-levels, motion issues) are slowly going away with each successive generation of LCD tv. Eventually, they will be gone completely, or so minute as to be unnoticeable by 99% of the population.

Also about the black-levels: LCD black-levels are fine. They are only "poor" in comparison to the black levels of Plasma tv's. If you've never watched a plasma tv and you get a good quality LCD, chances are that you'll never know the difference. The problem seems to be most pronounce among those individuals who used to own a Plasma set, then later try to move to an LCD and they can't deal with the loss of black-levels. In general, the difference in black-level is the reason why Plasma's have a better picture quality than LCD. The new LED backlight LCD tv's have a black level approaching that of Plasma and thus, they are nigh-equal in picture quality...of course they cost a crapload of money so take that as you will.


Would someone who owns a plasma set, and preferably someone who also owns an LCD, weigh in on my statements? I am mainly wondering if my 3 concerns about plasma are real concerns, or if I'm overreacting to myths and rumors.

They are real concerns. The only one that I would give serious consideration to are the burn-in issue, as a serious case of that can ruin your TV, but newer plasmas are supposed to be far less susceptible to Burn-in than older plasmas, where the issue was far more common. And there are several techniques one can use to fix a plasma with the issue.

The glare issue is another big one for a lot of people (for me its almost #1 as glare is my most hated enemy when it comes to watching TV) but there are plasma tv's with anti-glare coatings that reduce its effects, though not as effective as a matte-screen LCD tv. Those things are great, as you can have the sun shinning directly on your tv with almost no problem whatsoever. I've seen no other type of TV that can handle that kind of direct sunlight.

The other "problems" of plasma aren't that big of a deal. People blow them out of proportion as usual.

A lot of what I've read negatively about certain TV's or technologies in these forums are exaggeration in my opinion. I don't think I'm very detailed in finding flaws in things...unlike when I was in the Marines and inspecting the barracks.:D:D

You would be correct about that. Its mostly all opinion one way or another. Even my issues with the glare on plasma tv's can be considered opinion (though I find it is a commonly held opinion) and some people can deal with the glare, or go through as much trouble as they need to control the lighting coming into their viewing room (the best option for those who own their own home). Ultimately what it boils down to is that you have to find which technology fits your viewing habits the best and go from there. Don't discount any technology based on its percieved problems, because there's a good chance that one thing that is a deal-breaker for some around here, may not even bother you.