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Please help... CRT finally bit the dust.

post #1 of 3
4/28/12 at 6:09am
Thread Starter 
My 12 yr old Sony Trinitron finally bit the dust. I finally get to purchase a flat panel HDTV to replace it (WoooHooo...happy days are here again!!). However, not having bought a TV in over a decade leaves me trying to catch up on what to purchase. Here's some basic info:

Viewing distance: 13.5'
Current TV Size: 32" standard CRT (not wide screen)
Opening for tv (must include TV stand): 47"w x 35" h

This is for our main family room, which gets a lot of sunlight.

I have a Denon 2809 with DirecTV HD DVR, Sony BDP-S185, AppleTV2 (all to be connected via HDMI) and a Wii and PS2 to be connected via RCA jacks, and will then connect the Denon to the new TV via HDMI.

Important: I love sports and HD Movies, so I want the best option that will allow me to experience both at the optimal viewing quality. I've read a lot about LCD blurring with sports, and I think my room may be too bright at times for Plasma. However, I'm open to input.

Finally, any brands to concentrate on/avoid?? All advice is appreciated. Thanks---Bob
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post #2 of 3
4/28/12 at 8:04am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Paladin97 View Post

My 12 yr old Sony Trinitron finally bit the dust. I finally get to purchase a flat panel HDTV to replace it (WoooHooo...happy days are here again!!). However, not having bought a TV in over a decade leaves me trying to catch up on what to purchase. Here's some basic info:

Viewing distance: 13.5'
Current TV Size: 32" standard CRT (not wide screen)
Opening for tv (must include TV stand): 47"w x 35" h

This is for our main family room, which gets a lot of sunlight.

I have a Denon 2809 with DirecTV HD DVR, Sony BDP-S185, AppleTV2 (all to be connected via HDMI) and a Wii and PS2 to be connected via RCA jacks, and will then connect the Denon to the new TV via HDMI.

Important: I love sports and HD Movies, so I want the best option that will allow me to experience both at the optimal viewing quality. I've read a lot about LCD blurring with sports, and I think my room may be too bright at times for Plasma. However, I'm open to input.

Finally, any brands to concentrate on/avoid?? All advice is appreciated. Thanks---Bob

A Plasma with a good Anti Reflective Filter will handle a bright room better than most current LCDs since most LCDs have clear reflective screens to help give them depth. Very few LCDs have traditional matte screens anymore. Most of the LCD and LED LCD TVs available now have clear glossy screens that are very reflective. And all of the 42" sized Plasmas for 2012 have clear glossy screens so they are also similarly reflective.

The highest performing TVs available that will fit your smallish space are the new Panasonic 50" TC-P50GT50 (which is 46.1" Wide x 29.7" high with the stand) and the next-level-down TC-P50ST50 (which is 46.5" Wide x 29.8" high with the stand). Both these models share the same panel and have an excellent Anti Reflective Filter that rejects light very well and handles a bright room pretty good. PQ is virtually the same on both models, with the GT50 having a few more features. As for picture quality, none of the top of the line LCD or LED LCD TVs on the market can approach the picture quality of these two TVs.

GT50 Thread:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1403635

ST50 Thread:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1397245
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post #3 of 3
4/28/12 at 10:27am
Quote:


Viewing distance: 13.5'
Current TV Size: 32" standard CRT (not wide screen)
Opening for tv (must include TV stand): 47"w x 35" h

This is for our main family room, which gets a lot of sunlight.


If you were able to make your CRT display work in your room, I would expect you to be able to make just about any current panel work equally as well. (IF the SUN is shining directly on ANY screen, you will have issues!)

That said, a matte LCD should work best. Check out this CNet article on "The No-Gloss Zone":

Quote:


for bright-room viewing or situations where ambient light is difficult to control, we prefer LCD screens with a matte finish. If you do, too, check out the matte LCDs below.

Unfortunately no plasma TV since 2008 has had a matte screen, and while new antireflective materials might help, none handles glare as well as matte LCDs. Even less fortunately, the flagship (read: best-performing) LCDs from many makers, especially Sony and Samsung, sport glossy screens, so you might have to choose between superior bright-room (matte) and dark-room (glossy) performance.


If you prefer the look of plasma (as we do...), would follow Randy's suggestion for either the Panasonic ST or GT series, with the ST getting the nod (again this year) as probably the best-for-the-buck model.

FWIW, our experience is that the ST & GT models do a pretty good job in relatively bright environments - that is, the picture does not "wash out" as readily as most other plasma sets. Also, the ST50 appears Brighter than last years model, which should also help.

We have an older Panasonic plasma that does have a matte screen, and it easily trumps any other display we've had in our LR for Daytime Viewing. Youngest son & wife have a GT30 (2011) in their Very Bright LR, and it is certainly watchable.

Good luck with your decision!
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