Any 2010 26 inch sets?
-
Now Available: Tech Talk Podcast with Scott Wilkinson, Episode 19 Click here for details.
1 - 20 of 20 Posts
I'm right now deciding between: 2009 Panasonic TC-L26X1 vs. 2010 Samsung LN26C350. It doesn't look like Panasonic is coming out with a 2010 X2 in the 26" size so that leaves me to decide between last year's model and this year's Samsungs.
Does anyone have any feedback regarding these two TVs I'm considering? It's going in an extra bedroom at the moment and will probably end up in a kitchen or workout room at some point in the future which is the reason I'm not looking for anything larger that 26". I plan to hook up a Panasonic Blu Ray player and a MacBook Pro to it in the mean time while it's in the extra bedroom. Also, the iPod dock on the Panasonic is a feature I don't really need.
I've never bought an LCD before as you can see from my signature so I'm just on the fence at the moment between these two sets and was looking for some useful advice. Most places I see online have the Samsung for slightly more than last years Panasonic but, either way I just want to buy the better TV of the two.
Thanks!
Does anyone have any feedback regarding these two TVs I'm considering? It's going in an extra bedroom at the moment and will probably end up in a kitchen or workout room at some point in the future which is the reason I'm not looking for anything larger that 26". I plan to hook up a Panasonic Blu Ray player and a MacBook Pro to it in the mean time while it's in the extra bedroom. Also, the iPod dock on the Panasonic is a feature I don't really need.
I've never bought an LCD before as you can see from my signature so I'm just on the fence at the moment between these two sets and was looking for some useful advice. Most places I see online have the Samsung for slightly more than last years Panasonic but, either way I just want to buy the better TV of the two.
Thanks!
I was also considering the 26" panny for my kids bedroom/gaming tv. One thing i have heard is that it is not using the ips panel that they use on their bigger and/or better tvs. That panel is the big reason panasonic has received such good reviews on their lcds. For me its not a dealbreaker. I think panasonic has always made quality electronics and the sale price ive seen the 26" panny at is cheaper than most of the off brands. I have decided to get a 32" (not sure which brand)instead because their just isnt much difference in the price between the 32 and 26. When watching 4:3 programming a 26"s viewable is comparable 19" crt. The 32" compares to a 25-26".
Good to know and thanks for the info. I haven't seen much info about the new 2010 Samsung LNxxC350 or C450. The best seller on one popular online retailer
![]()
is last year's Panasonic but I've been leaning towards the Samsung only because it's the newer model.
one thing you need to check out with a 26" lcd is this. They have very bad vertical viewing angles. I checked many different sets from all different tier manufactures. This is an issue if you plan on placing the tv up high will be looking up at it. Unless you use a mount that will allow you to tilt the set down, you will notice that the picture becomes very dark when not looking directly at it. Like I said. I looked at Samsung, Toshiba, Vizio, Sony, Sharp, they all had bad vertical viewing angles. Must be very limited sources of the 26" panel. Just FYI. Also, there doesn't seem to be much difference in price between a 26" and a 32" set now. You may want to consider a 32".
Good luck.
Good luck.
Thanks for the input. This TV may end up as an external monitor to the MacBook Pro at some point in time so I'm just worried that the 32" might be too big to put on a desk down the road. I could get a wall mount and mount the TV above the desk, so that could be an option though.
Are the view angle issues something that become less of an issue at 32" and above or would I need to go even larger to get away from that issue? Also, what exactly is the IPS panel I see referred to here?
Thanks again!
Are the view angle issues something that become less of an issue at 32" and above or would I need to go even larger to get away from that issue? Also, what exactly is the IPS panel I see referred to here?
Thanks again!
The viewing angle issues even come into play with many 32" and above. In fact they are bigger issues in most cases. Panasonic and lg probably have some some tvs that they use the ips panels on in the smaller sizes but they will probably be at the higher end of their pricing tier. Other manufacturers also use the ips panel on the smaller tvs. If you will be using as computer monitor i would think viewing angle would be of less importance. Most people sit directly in front of their computer monitors. Ips stands for in plane switching. Wikipedia could probably explain the different panel technologies better than many of us on this forum.
The viewing angle issues even come into play with many 32" and above. In fact they are bigger issues in most cases. Panasonic and lg probably have some some tvs that they use the ips panels on in the smaller sizes but they will probably be at the higher end of their pricing tier. Other manufacturers also use the ips panel on the smaller tvs. If you will be using as computer monitor i would think viewing angle would be of less importance. Most people sit directly in front of their computer monitors. Ips stands for in plane switching. Wikipedia could probably explain the different panel technologies better than many of us on this forum.
From what I saw, the vertical view angles were much better on the 32" sets. When I was looking, I just would stoop down and look up at the set. You can tell right away as the 26" sets picture became very dark, and took on the look of a print film negative. I didn't see that so much on the 32" sets using the same stoop and look up approach.
I understand your concern regarding using a 32" as a monitor. Since you'd be sitting closer to it, you'd most likely want to get a 1080p 32" set, and then the price does go up from a 720p 32".
Since you stated that this will be used as a monitor, you might want to also consider this. Just recently, BJ's wholesale club had a 28" Hannspree HDTV/monitor on sale for a very good price. Now, here's the thing to consider. It's max resolution is 1900 x 1200, which makes this a 16:10 ratio display. It does not allow scale down 16:9 signals. So what you'll get is a slightly stretched picture as the set wants to fill the entire screen. Some can't stand this. But others don't mind, and if you're going to use this mainly as a monitor, then it might be a very good trade off as you'll have high resolution for use as a monitor. Here's the model that I'm talking about. ( ST298MUB ), this is the set on sale at BJ's. Hanspree also has a 28" 16:10 that WILL autoscale to 16:9 ( ST281MKB ). But not sure of the price on that one, or where you can find it. Hannspree seems to be a very decent brand from the searches I've done.
From what I saw, the vertical view angles were much better on the 32" sets. When I was looking, I just would stoop down and look up at the set. You can tell right away as the 26" sets picture became very dark, and took on the look of a print film negative. I didn't see that so much on the 32" sets using the same stoop and look up approach.
I understand your concern regarding using a 32" as a monitor. Since you'd be sitting closer to it, you'd most likely want to get a 1080p 32" set, and then the price does go up from a 720p 32".
Since you stated that this will be used as a monitor, you might want to also consider this. Just recently, BJ's wholesale club had a 28" Hannspree HDTV/monitor on sale for a very good price. Now, here's the thing to consider. It's max resolution is 1900 x 1200, which makes this a 16:10 ratio display. It does not allow scale down 16:9 signals. So what you'll get is a slightly stretched picture as the set wants to fill the entire screen. Some can't stand this. But others don't mind, and if you're going to use this mainly as a monitor, then it might be a very good trade off as you'll have high resolution for use as a monitor. Here's the model that I'm talking about. ( ST298MUB ), this is the set on sale at BJ's. Hanspree also has a 28" 16:10 that WILL autoscale to 16:9 ( ST281MKB ). But not sure of the price on that one, or where you can find it. Hannspree seems to be a very decent brand from the searches I've done.
Joined
·
181 Posts
I would have this issue in our bedroom and can't really wall mount. Are there any LCD TVs in this range that have a tilting stand? There's a Samsung monitor with speakers and tuner on Newegg, but it's 16:10 like quattroG's example. It seems like tilt on a smaller model wouldn't be that hard for the benefit it provides.
I would have this issue in our bedroom and can't really wall mount. Are there any LCD TVs in this range that have a tilting stand? There's a Samsung monitor with speakers and tuner on Newegg, but it's 16:10 like quattroG's example. It seems like tilt on a smaller model wouldn't be that hard for the benefit it provides.
I'm not sure about the ability to tilt the Samsung monitor/hdtv. I know that they don't have the capability to wall mount them. But not sure about tilting. Even it they did, I doubt that they could tilt enough to help the veritical view angle issue.
I'm not sure about the ability to tilt the Samsung monitor/hdtv. I know that they don't have the capability to wall mount them. But not sure about tilting. Even it they did, I doubt that they could tilt enough to help the veritical view angle issue.
Joined
·
181 Posts
Here's the Samsung. According to the pictures it looks like it tilts, but if those pics represent the extremes it doesn't tilt forward very far, so you could be right. It seems about the same tilt as my Acer monitor - maybe I can test that. Perhaps there's such a thing as a replacement tilting stand for smaller TVs.
I kinow BJ's and Sam's carry this monitor/hdtv. I don't know that it even tilts forward at all. I've seen this with a tv signal, and I could tell the vertical stretch due to the 16:10 ratio. I'd go take a look at this first if you're thinking of using it as a tv.
I kinow BJ's and Sam's carry this monitor/hdtv. I don't know that it even tilts forward at all. I've seen this with a tv signal, and I could tell the vertical stretch due to the 16:10 ratio. I'd go take a look at this first if you're thinking of using it as a tv.
Joined
·
181 Posts
That stretch would drive me nuts. I'm better off looking for another solution for a regular TV. Thanks.
Joined
·
47 Posts
I would recommend the Samsung. I bought a Samsung LN32C350 a few days ago and I am thrilled with it.
I would say that the viewing angle of that model is 35 degrees. Also, it doesn't tilt.
I would say that the viewing angle of that model is 35 degrees. Also, it doesn't tilt.
1 - 20 of 20 Posts
