After all the research these are my final two choices. A strange journey that has brought me full circle.
The LCD at 1080p or the Plasma 768p.
This is my last call for help before I make my decision.
Don't hold back!

The facts:
Viewing 6-7 feet
Gaming on the Xbox 360 ( probably the hd add on too)
HD content via cable tv
Sport fan ( Basketball, Basball etc. I just like to watch ESPN!)
Future laptop use ( minimal)
Substantial sd viewing
PS3 ( buying with the tv , mainly for blu ray and DOES it upscale?)
Controlable room light.

Thanks to johnnybrulez for his input. I just need to hear some more point of views.

Thanks to the avs community.

Wow. Both of those are really great sets making your decision a tough one. I really don't think you can make a wrong choice...

However, since you must pick one, I think I would go with the Pioneer 4280. While the extra 4 inches on the Samsung would be nice, I think the superb blacks and high contrast of the Pioneer are too sweet to pass up.

The Pioneer also has a couple other features that give it an edge over the Samsung. Firstly, it has four HDMI 1.3 inputs (one more than the Samsung) which will provide you with future proofing in the connectivity department. Additionally, the Pioneer can accept a 1080p/24hz signal over HDMI and display it at 72 hz (a direct multiple of 24). Since you are planning on grabbing a PS3 which can output at this setting, this feature can be a benefit to you when viewing Blu-Ray movies in providing a smooth and stable image. The Samsung can accept a 1080p/24hz signal but converts it to 1080p/60 hz I believe, which takes away the benefit.

Lastly, at your seating distance (7 feet) and this screen size (under 50") the benefits of the extra resolution provided by 1080p on the Samsung will be minimal. Both sets will display your sources with a razor sharp picture. Moreover, right now it seems at most places the Samsung is going for around 300-400$ more than the Pioneer.

Hope some of this was a help to you!

I have always been a fan of Pioneer plasma TVs, and up until just a few weeks ago, I thought they were the TVs that all other TVs should be judged by "but" just yesterday I spent an hour looking at both the 65/66 series Samsungs compared to the 42" Pioneer and even though I want the Pioneer to win I am starting to think the Samsungs look better. I even now believe that once I get the Samsung home and tweak the settings it will be no contest.

The source I was using to compare the two TVs was 1080i satellite broadcast TV. I am thinking that the Pioneer would rate closer to the Samsung if the source was film based and I hope to compare the two with a DVD player in the next few days.

Good luck with your decision and I don't think you can go wrong with either choice (they both look good and the Pioneer has a better price) but in my case I think I would regret not buying the Samsung even though I am a huge Pioneer fan.

There is a new king of the hill (Samsung 65/66 series).

Hope this helps,
Yeto

I have always been a fan of Pioneer plasma TVs, and up until just a few weeks ago, I thought they were the TVs that all other TVs should be judged by "but" just yesterday I spent an hour looking at both the 65/66 series Samsungs compared to the 42" Pioneer and even though I want the Pioneer to win I am starting to think the Samsungs look better. I even now believe that once I get the Samsung home and tweak the settings it will be no contest.

The source I was using to compare the two TVs was 1080i satellite broadcast TV. I am thinking that the Pioneer would rate closer to the Samsung if the source was film based and I hope to compare the two with a DVD player in the next few days.

Good luck with your decision and I don't think you can go wrong with either choice (they both look good and the Pioneer has a better price) but in my case I think I would regret not buying the Samsung even though I am a huge Pioneer fan.

There is a new king of the hill (Samsung 65/66 series).

Hope this helps,
Yeto

You know I was at BB and they had the PIO 5080 and the Sam LNT 5265 next to each other with the same feed and to me it seemed that the Samsungs picture was sharper and more clear.
I watched for about a half hour or so and the thing that stuck out to me was at one point they had some nature program( HD ) that showed some monkeys in the mountains from an airal view. In the Samsung I could clearly make out each monkey and differentiate it from the mountain. The Pioneer was blurrier and I coundn't make out the monkeys ( they statred to get lost in the mountains ) as easily.
First off I am a Newbie to this and it being my first HDTV. So my observation are not of the expert caliber.
That being said I aslo didn't notice the big Black color differance between the two.

Its not easy.
I have heard many say here go see them in person and make the decision on what you personally like. But am I so novice that what I am seeing is faulty.

Wow. Both of those are really great sets making your decision a tough one. I really don't think you can make a wrong choice...

However, since you must pick one, I think I would go with the Pioneer 4280. While the extra 4 inches on the Samsung would be nice, I think the superb blacks and high contrast of the Pioneer are too sweet to pass up.

The Pioneer also has a couple other features that give it an edge over the Samsung. Firstly, it has four HDMI 1.3 inputs (one more than the Samsung) which will provide you with future proofing in the connectivity department. Additionally, the Pioneer can accept a 1080p/24hz signal over HDMI and display it at 72 hz (a direct multiple of 24). Since you are planning on grabbing a PS3 which can output at this setting, this feature can be a benefit to you when viewing Blu-Ray movies in providing a smooth and stable image. The Samsung can accept a 1080p/24hz signal but converts it to 1080p/60 hz I believe, which takes away the benefit.

Lastly, at your seating distance (7 feet) and this screen size (under 50") the benefits of the extra resolution provided by 1080p on the Samsung will be minimal. Both sets will display your sources with a razor sharp picture. Moreover, right now it seems at most places the Samsung is going for around 300-400$ more than the Pioneer.

Hope some of this was a help to you!

So blu ray movies wont be as smooth on the Samsung .
What about gaming wouldn't it be better on the 1080 p display?
Sorry I have probably read this somewhere but brainoverload is occuring.

I've been looking at both of these sets as well. I think you've picked the king of each technology. I also think both pictures look fantastic. I know on these forums PQ trumps all, but at this level, I think other factors should decide on what you want. Fundamentally, there is the issue of the advantage of increased resolution over deeper black level and faster response times. The Samsung has an 8ms response time, which is ok, but many still see motion blurring on these sets, especially when gaming. It does seem to have a crisper picture though--any are saying the pioneer's pic is soft, although this can be fixed when you get the set home.

Also, there have been major drop out issues with the Samsung via HDMI connections. Apparantly, there is a fix for this--a board replacement and the newest models shouldn't have this issue. If you go wtih the Samsung, I'd make sure it is a brand new one with the latest board and firmware. There is also the issue of viewing angles. Even though this Samsung is better than many LCDs, it still can't touch plasma viewing angles. View the tvs from the sides and see if this matters to you. If no one will be watching the tv from the sides, I guess it doesn't matter.

It is a tough call, as both sets are great. If the Samsungs didn't have all of the drop out problems, I'd probably lean toward that. Even though the problem seems to be fixed, I'm still a bit weary as some are reporting the issues, especially with the PS3, even with the new boards and firmware.

4280 if you're watching in a dark room most defintely. Get it home... get it calibrated, and you'll understand!

Ron,

I am in the same boat as you, only I'm trying to decide between the Samsung LNT-5265f LCD, and the PIO 5080. I am really banging my head on this one. They are both about the same price. I don't know if I should be caught up in this whole 1080p thing. Lately I have started to lean more towards the PIO because of all the possitive feedback. It's a really hard choice. Good luck. Any advice regarding my delima would be much appreciated. Thanks AVS!

The fact that people think the Samsung 65 series is the king of anything is amazing to me. Everywhere I have seen that set it looks like absolute A**. A bright picture does not necessarily mean a good picture, when will people understand that??

The only LCD I would ever consider are the Sony XBRs. They are the only ones I have seen that can come anywhere close to generating a natural picture.

But I would pick the Pio 4280 over both of those. Even though its only 768p, its simply a different league of TV.

The fact that people think the Samsung 65 series is the king of anything is amazing to me. Everywhere I have seen that set it looks like absolute A**. A bright picture does not necessarily mean a good picture, when will people understand that??

The only LCD I would ever consider are the Sony XBRs. They are the only ones I have seen that can come anywhere close to generating a natural picture.

But I would pick the Pio 4280 over both of those. Even though its only 768p, its simply a different league of TV.

I'd actually take the Samsung LCD over the Sony in a heartbeat. The blacks are much better on that Samsung.

In fact, once calibrated the Samsung has a darker black level than the best Panasonic Plasma. Believe it or not. Not to mention it has more accurate colors than either a Sony (by a little) and a Panasonic (by alot).

Ron,

I am in the same boat as you, only I'm trying to decide between the Samsung LNT-5265f LCD, and the PIO 5080. I am really banging my head on this one. They are both about the same price. I don't know if I should be caught up in this whole 1080p thing. Lately I have started to lean more towards the PIO because of all the possitive feedback. It's a really hard choice. Good luck. Any advice regarding my delima would be much appreciated. Thanks AVS!


I am also looking at both of these sets. I am leaning towards the PIO because of everything good I have heard about it. I have also seen it next to the 42 Samsung and the Pio just looks crisper. Anyways, I am new to all of this, so like Ron and tvstud, I am looking for the pros and cons of the tvs to help my decision be a little easier.

I have auditioned 2 new samsung sets, the 50" plasma and 40" 1080p LCD. I hate the menu / source switching. The tv searches for a signal and displays "weak or no signal" until you turn on your dvd player, PS3, etc. I have the 4280, just got it last week. I used the 4270 for three weeks before i returned to BB. I also used the panny 42" 720p set, I like the fact that with the Panny and the Pioneer you can switch between sources with out delay. The Samsung was very frustrating to use for "me". The Samsung has a good picture with tons of tweekable color settings, I did experience rings around faces in between certain dark scenes, and the lcd's blacks looked dark green even with black set to high, the Sammy plasma was better at blacks. but for me the Pioneer was the best Picture and the most lifelike color. As for the ps3, lucky, the price just dropped $100.00 . It will Upconvert, if you do the updates from Sony firmware site. good luck and try the menu on the sets too, its all part of the package and whats making you happy to use it.