I have been reading and reading....talking to different people, reviewing different web sites, etc....I am more confused than ever.

One minute I think that LCD is the way...the next, Plasma. Holy crap...how do you ever reach a decision on a purchase like this???

I am looking for 50-52" to watch regular tv, movies, etc. I have a lot of windows in my living room, but none that will be blasted by direct sunlight...but we do have a lot of recessed lighting in our family room (if that matters). I also have 2 kids under age 4 (so plasma glass makes me nervous). I will watch sports on it, but will do no gaming on it. I want a great picture that is rich in color no matter what I am watching...but definately want movies to be amazing in their display.

A lot of the daily television viewing will be regular non-HD television.

Plasma spooks me because of the glare and burn-in threats.

LCD spooks me because the pictures I see in the stores appear a bit grainy unless I am spending $3k+ on one.


I am raising the white flag and asking for help here. I'm not the uber techno geek....so use small words. :D

I also have 2 kids under age 4 (so plasma glass makes me nervous).

Both should make you nervous then. Neither is as durable as the old RP CRT displays.

In their defense though, they dont tend to mess with the tv too much....mostly want to turn it on or off. Thanks Samsung for making a giant lit up button on the front! ha ha

if direct light is a non issue, and you're really interested in movies/sd then most reviews will steer you in the plasma camp... Pioneer 5080 Kuro seems to be the best, and some say the Sammy 5084 and Panny model are right there... On the LCD side the top players seem to be the Sammy 71 and Sony XBR4..

no gaming but watching sports is another plus for Plasma

LCD's should be sharp, especially the 1080P models, so you may have been looking via a bad signal or poorly calibrated set..

Burn in should no longer be an issue, Image retention is (but that goes away )... LCD's on the other hand are more efficient in terms of power consumption, they weight less if you're worried about wall mounting... If you'll be viewing from off axis alot, then plasmas are better in that category, but LCD's have closed the gap.....

If money is an issue, you will typically get more bang for your buck with a plasma in that size range....

Having said all that , you have to use your own eyes.. Take into consideration what each camp say's, then use you're own eyes to make your decision.. In a brightly lit store, the LCD will immediately seem like the better choice, but in a darker, lower lit room, the plasmas tend to have the edge (particulary with the black reproduction), but the newer LCD's I've mentioned are close now, and depending on your lighting may work better for you.

best of luck in your decision

OrTex, I went with the Panasonic 50PZ77U plasma. I really loved the Kuro's picture but my room has so much glare that it would be a problem for me. The Panasonic has a very good anti glare screen and still delivers a great picture. If you like sports don't go with an LCD, the motion blur will drive you crazy.

OrTex, I went with the Panasonic 50PZ77U plasma. I really loved the Kuro's picture but my room has so much glare that it would be a problem for me. The Panasonic has a very good anti glare screen and still delivers a great picture. If you like sports don't go with an LCD, the motion blur will drive you crazy.


I went through the exact some process. I love my 50pz77u, I have a ton of unmanagable light and the plasma looks amazing.

I went through the exact some process. I love my 50pz77u, I have a ton of unmanagable light and the plasma looks amazing.

Do you have any pics of your panny during the daytime (or any bright situation)? i really like plasma, but i'm afraid of the light...