the "help me choose an LCD" thread - Page 77

Originally Posted by fused00828

Okay enough is enough! I have spent weeks on hundreds of websites, several forums and countless hours in stores. I hate having choices. So please for the love of god just tell me what to get and I will. If it turns out to be bad its all on me not you.


1. Budget-$1000
2. Seating distance-7-8 1/2 ft
3. Size/placement limitations-46 thru50
4. Uses and sources-Ps3 gaming, Att Uverse HD shows and news, netflix & blu-ray from Ps3
5. Room lighting- its in my living room in a small 956 sq. ft. apartment. Theres several windows so i guess bright but can be dimmed substantially with blind and curtains
pay day is tommorow and I will be buying during lunch break so please stop the insanity and tell me what to get

Choices ( but very weilling to open mind to others:
1. Samsung ln46c630
2. Samsung ln46c650
3. lg 47ld520
Would like a plasma but wife wont let me

Originally Posted by integ3

I'm currently trying to research my CCFL LCD options. I'm interested in the Sony 55EX500 and the Samsung LN55C630. It would be used for 75% gaming and the other 25% split up between blu-rays and SDTV watching. Would be in a dimly lit room with a window directly opposing the TV. Both TV's are around the same price so price is not a concern.

I heard that the Samsung has a glossy screen opposed to the matte in the Sony, is that correct? Also I know the Sony has a S-PVA panel which is suppose to be pretty good....what kind of panel does the Samsung use? Do I have to worry about a panel lottery with the Samsung. Is there any other major difference between the two sets? Which one would you choose and why? Thanks

Originally Posted by wusaga

EscapeVelocity, just wanted to thank you for referring the Panasonic TC-L37U22. Haven't really played with it yet, as I only hooked it up to the HD DVR last night, but the picture and sound look promising so far! I will hook up the XBOX 360 tonight.

Originally Posted by rs600cubed

Please help! I'm currently looking to get a new set. Had a 61" Samsung hla750 dlp set a sold a few months ago. I am looking for a 55" set that is in a pretty light controlled room. Budget is $1300-$1700. It will be used mostly for gaming and HD sports. After reading all the threads I was leaning towards a Sony 55" ex500 or ex701. Went to best buy and liked the glossier screen and amp of the samsungs but from what I read it sounds like they have a lot of input lag and a lot of issues. My last 2 Samsung dlps both had some problems ( 61" had the red led go out after 13 mo., 50" has a shadow down left side ). Need some advice from some other points of view. Thanks!

Originally Posted by integ3

I'm currently trying to research my CCFL LCD options. I'm interested in the Sony 55EX500 and the Samsung LN55C630. It would be used for 75% gaming and the other 25% split up between blu-rays and SDTV watching. Would be in a dimly lit room with a window directly opposing the TV. Both TV's are around the same price so price is not a concern.

I heard that the Samsung has a glossy screen opposed to the matte in the Sony, is that correct? Also I know the Sony has a S-PVA panel which is suppose to be pretty good....what kind of panel does the Samsung use? Do I have to worry about a panel lottery with the Samsung. Is there any other major difference between the two sets? Which one would you choose and why? Thanks

I heard that the Samsung has a glossy screen opposed to the matte in the Sony, is that correct?

Also I know the Sony has a S-PVA panel which is suppose to be pretty good....what kind of panel does the Samsung use?

Do I have to worry about a panel lottery with the Samsung.

Is there any other major difference between the two sets?

Originally Posted by EscapeVelocity


That Sony EX500 is a great all rounder. The 60" version was available today at Fry's for eleven hundred dollars today.

Anyways, good luck!

Originally Posted by fused00828

okay LG 47ld520. GOt it. Going one, going twice...SOLD!!!. Whew that was easy

Originally Posted by Evelgest

We're looking to replace our 7 year old Sony Plasma, which is currently plagued with burned-in blue pixels.

1. Budget
~$3000

2. Seating distance
Approximately 10 feet, with around 12 feet at the farthest point.

3. Size/placement limitations
~65" which should fit in the corner with our J-shaped couch, but we also enjoy watching TV while at the dinner table, which is behind the tip of the J couch. Let's say the TV is in a square room, and the TV is placed at a ~60 degree angle in the top left corner. We need to be able to see the TV from around the bottom left corner.

4. Uses and sources
HD receiver for cable since I'd like to watch HD sports. I'd also like to hook up a HTPC or a Roku/AppleTV/BoxeeBox. I do some casual gaming on the Wii and 360, but I'd like little input lag. I don't care for 3D.

5. Room lighting
Rather dimly lit room with lighting mainly from behind the couch, but we have a window behind the location of the television, and it becomes a problem on sunny mornings.

Originally Posted by EscapeVelocity

I recomend the Sony for your heavy gaming purposes. Both have similar top notch PQ.
Yes. Samsung has backlit remote, Sony doesnt.
Sony has better audio quality.
Samsung has a nicer menu system, both aesthetically and user friendally....plus it allows for more advanced tools for tweaking the picture...but Sony's is functional.
Samsung has better functionality of the USB port for example DLNA compliance, but the Sony is good.
Samsungs side inputs are on the Right facing the screen. Sony's are on the Left.
Sony has less input lag.

Both will do well with SD upscaling and deinterlacing. They have very good video processing.

Originally Posted by EscapeVelocity

The Vizio XVT3D554SV, without question.

Full Array LED with Local Dimming, S-IPS panel with wide viewing angles and accurate colors, Passive 3D (the future, glasses are a lot cheaper too), High Gloss Screen gives added sharpness and plasma like quality to image.

Plus you can take advantage of Costco's added warranty.

Originally Posted by 2large

The XVT3D4 series does not have passive 3D - that's coming in the newer Vizio models coming out later this year (they were shown at the big annual electronics show in Vegas a few weeks ago).

The XVT3D4 series uses battery operated active glasses. That said, check out the just-out CNET review of one of the new Vizio passive 3D sets. Apparently it's still inferior to active 3D. There definitely will be lots of changes/improvements to 3D in the coming years, and passive will get better, but it looks like it's not there yet.

Originally Posted by richmondhokie

Looking at 2 TVs right now to replace our old rear projection behemoth:

Samsung UN46C6900
Vizio XVT473SV

Vizio seems to have more features for a lower price, but the Samsung just looks so nice to me (both in picture and the TV itself). We were also drawn to the Vizio being back-lite as opposed to edge on the Samsung, though from reading, the 'precision dimming' on the 6900 is close to the 'local dimming' of the 473 (if my understanding is correct?).
The 6900 is the upper limit of my budget, but not out of it. Viewing distance will be a little closer than desired (small room) with a window taking up a large portion of one of the walls.

I keep going back and forth on the 2 as both have pros and cons, and relatively few (if any) bad reviews.

Originally Posted by blurredvision

I'd like to get a couple of quick recommendations. I've whittled my choices down to two TV's and I'm not sure which way to go. The use of the TV will honestly vary widely between normal HD broadcast over DirecTV, some gaming on both the PS3 and 360, and blu-rays. I'm looking to upgrade over my 3.5 year old Vizio 42" Gallevia, which is just your standard 60hz LCD tv from yesteryear. It's been great, but I want to move into the world of LED, blacker blacks, and 3D.

The first TV I'm considering is the Vizio XVT3D474SV. I really like what I hear about the picture quality and all the features it has. I understand the 3D isn't the best, but I'm willing to sacrifice a little bit in that department since I see 3D as an added plus, not what will define the TV for me. I checked out this model at Sam's today and I really love the blacks and the picture overall. Plus it's on sale for the next few days, which is always nice.

The second TV I'm considering is the Samsung UN46C7000WF. At the current moment, the Samsung is essentially $200 more than the Vizio, but does come with a free blu-ray player (which I don't need), 2 glasses and a set of Shrek movies. The Vizio comes with nothing extra, it's just the TV. I was more impressed with the picture on the Vizio at Sam's than I was with the Samsung at Best Buy, but it's obviously hard to compare with different sources at completely different stores.

Even still, I'm posting this on a Saturday afternoon. While the Vizio sale will still be going for a few days, the Best Buy sales may change tomorrow.

If you had to pick between the two, which would you pick and why? Thanks a lot for any suggestions.

Originally Posted by 2large

Here's what I'm doing later today: (1) Returning my Vizio XVT473 to Wallyworld, where I bought it Dec. 24; and (2) heading to Sam's to pick up a Vizio XVT474 3d set, which is currently on sale at a price that's only $100 more than the XVT473 I bought in Dec.

There's lots of sets that would be fine. I looked into Sammy 7000 (and even 8000) plasma sets currently on sale (new models will be out in a few months), and the LG 50PX950 plasma, also on sale. These would have better 3d, but that's not a major consideration right now. For only $100 more, I'll get the newer Vizio to get 3d, but without a doubt there will be significant changes in 3d sets in the next few years, so it's not worth jumping through hoops to get one version or another right now.

These sets are all on the CNET "best" list. In addition, the Vizio XVT3 series was one of the two CNET "Editors Choice" selections for 2010 (with a top-of-the-line Panasonic), which is a big deal.

I don't have the time or inclination to spend days trying to compare all these sets. There's no way to do a one-on-one with them, anyway, as no one dealer here carries more than the two Sammys together. Also, I'm don't want to fool with plasma "break-in" procedures for 150 hours, and my wife won't tell any difference between the sets, anyway.

Another consideration is that a lot of the image quality comes from the quality of the source material, not just the TV. For example, one thing I noticed is that the sharpness of the Vizio is such that I can see when one of the cameras on a TV show (like an evening talk show) is slightly out of focus. Like is true with audio equipment, the quality of the output is only as good as your weakest component.

Anyway, I figure I've done enough research already, and am going to get the Vizio while the sale is on, and go on down the road. It'll be great, and I already know it's a huge positive change from the Sony 32" CRT set we had before.

Originally Posted by EscapeVelocity

2 good choices.

You should be looking at secondary factors apart from PQ, that matter to you. Audio Quality, 3D ability and performance, The Internet Apps System, WiFi integrated or Dongle Style, Menu System Aesthetics, Do you like the Remote, is it backlit? DNLA support, functionality of the USB port. That type of thing.

Returnability if you get a lemon. Warranty.