Rookie here...help needed...is plasma a dinosaur?

The thing is some stores are adamant at pushing their LCD/LED product because that is what they get the most profit or have the most product of. I personally have used 3 HDTV's, first was a 720p LG LCD, then a 1080p Sony LCD and now my main set is a 1080p Panasonic plasma. The picture quality king for all the sets I've used is the plasma.

Plasma won't really be trounced for all around value + picture quality until OLED's start becoming more mainstream (and that's a while away), or full-array backlit LED's make some strides and improve their black levels and/or can lower their prices. Burn in isn't really that much of a problem for newer plasma's, IR will still happen but it's normal and is not distracting in most sets.

My quick answer is "no", they aren't dinosaurs. But more important, does it matter? If the plasma television you buy today looks better to you than the LCD television you could have bought today, then it will still look better to you in two years, five years, whatever. There's no inherent advantage to "buying in" to a certain television technology since all televisions do the same thing... take a digital signal and display it in a form for your eyes to see. For example, there's no such thing as a movie that can be watched on an LCD but not a plasma or vice versa. Make sense?

Plasma's have the best picture quality. Edge-Lit LED's are the weakest. If you can get a full array with Local dimming LED tv than it is competitive with the top notch Plasma's.

Since you can buy it, it's not dead.

If it looks better than LCD to to you, then buy it.

What is your question again?

They roamed the earth 65 million years ago.

+1:d

All three claims are factually incorrect. These quotes confirm that the salespeople had no real idea what they were talking about and/or were outright lying to you to get you to buy a TV which generates greater profit for them. Personally, I wouldn't shop somewhere I know the salesmen are liars.

I agree. That store you went to is more about profit than customer service.

I just purchasef another plasma, I hate the look of the 120htz lcd tvs

Both technologies have trade offs. If not for the majority of plasma panels that use dithering due to limited gradation abilities, I would say they were damn perfect.

If you can get past that, Plasma is the way to go.

In a word "NO!!!!!!!!!!!!" Plasmas are around for a while I think. Most of what you heard has no basis in fact. Unfortunately most sales folks dont have your best interests at heart.

Untill manufacturers are able to work out the kinks of LCD (viewing angles and motion resolution) or OLED shows up Plasma still is a decent technology. It must be said Plasma is slowly losing it's pro's (black levels and low crosstalk) to advancements in LCD technology.

WIll a dead Plasma ever fuel my car?

Kinda funny to say it's old no? When LCD and Plasma are both pretty young pups compared to say...CRT and DLP. If i were you i would just gone with another RPTV or get into Front projection like i am now.

reports on the death of plasmas are greatly exaggerated: do not believe it

my opinion only

From one rookie to another, you made a good choice. But in all my research and learning and speaking to "pro" folks. It is highly dependent on what you use it for. LCD/LED has a brighter picture which is recognized by both sides, the plasma crowd and the LED/LCD crowd. However, plasma is known for it's deep rich blacks, and overall "better" picture.

I am VERY nervous about IR and burn in but from what I can gather, this all depends on whether you care for your product or abuse the crap out of it. If you are going to leave it on 24 hours a day with a static image, it will burn in.

Now, are you a gamer? If you are, plasma is the deal.

FWIW, I just returned my 55C6500 and brought home a 55ST30 and could not be happier except for one problem. There seems to be a "brightness fluctuation" that occurs during seens with really bright whites. This is currently being researched by the experts and we will see what happens.

But for overall PQ, I have never seen a clearer, noise free picture as I get on my new plasma.

Considering all the flaws in both technologies, I definitely think I am now a plasma fan.

Hope that helps.

you have to follow some basic guidelines to avoid burn in with a plasma: leaving certain logos up on the screen for extended periods should be avoided

LCD displays will also burn in under similar conditions: it just takes much longer

[and most warranties/ extended warranties will not cover burn in]

If you leave the same static image on the screen for hours on end you may need to worry about burn-in. How often do you do that? If, like most viewers, the answer is "never," then you've got nothing to worry about.

Yes, Plasma is a dinosaur. It will voraciously eat your children. If you decide to get a plasma though I recommend you install a viewing shield in order to protect your off-spring or else plasma will Om nom nom nom nom all over j00.