[loki993]

Sammy f5300 or new LED/LCD?

So the bulb just went out in my Sony SXRD, Ive been looking for a new one but I find myself dragging my feet a bit. Dont get me wrong the PQ on the Sony is totally satisfactory but we all like new things and the Sony isn't nearly as capable as 99 percent of whats out now. Plasma was what I had been waiting for before OLED came along and became somewhat viable. Problem is OLED is still far to expensive for me to justify at this point and most of them are curved screens and I honestly cant stand the curved gimmick.

Edit...

After looking around the only plasmas really left are the Samsung f5300, so I can get that or wait until the deals on last years models LCDs come in a few weeks and grab one of those.

Is the picture on the f5300 going to be any better..or as good as a higher end LCD, some of them look pretty nice?

 

[NintendoManiac64]

There's also the sort-of-"cheap" OLED option (~$2000)

Relevent:
http://www.avsforum.com/forum/322-oled-technology-great-found-deals/

 

[loki993]

The LG 55EC9300 ? Looks like in most places its back to 3500 and its curved. I have other reasons to wait for OLED as well...I kind of want to give it a little more time to mature as a technology. so Im not really interested in buying an OLED at all right now...id just keep the sony and give it a year or two to start making really really good sets.

 

[sage11x]

How much is a bulb? If it's a couple hundred I would just bite the bullet and buy a new display. Even an inexpensive LCD is likely to have a better picture than that SXRD. While those SXRD models were nice take it from someone who has an 82" DLP in their house: progress marches forward.

 

[paranoyd androyd]

If you'd be willing to increase your budget some, I'd get the largest VT/ZT60 or F8500 you can find on the secondary market.

You'll definitely want to keep one of those fantastic sets for a different room when OLED eventually reaches your budget.

 

[mo949]

A good cheapo LCD like the Vizio P is going to cost you more than a thousand.

So just go get the plasma and don't worry about anything else for 3 years.

2c

 

[zielin]

The LG 55EC9300 ? Looks like in most places its back to 3500 and its curved. I have other reasons to wait for OLED as well...I kind of want to give it a little more time to mature as a technology. so Im not really interested in buying an OLED at all right now...id just keep the sony and give it a year or two to start making really really good sets.

the curve is minor. I replaced my bedroom vt60 with one and have been happy (i got it when it was costly .. you can get it ez for a little over $2000 now). For my main TV i'm waiting for the 65" 4k flat OLED.

 

[zgeneral]

Depends on what you want to spend. The difference in a good plasma set and an OLED isn't huge. Both do excellent black levels. OLED technology is likely to change a lot and come down a lot in price over time. You could buy a used plasma now and sell it in a few years for likely not far off what you paid for it. Trying to unload an older OLED that's a curved dinosaur in 2-3 years time? You'll probably lose a lot.

 

[loki993]

Yeah buying on OLED right now is not really an option..it would be to either find a cheap Plasma...not a VT60 or an F8500 that are selling for over 3k on the used market......If I was going to spend that id just get on OLED and Im not.


So the options would be cheap plasma under a thousand or just put a new bulb in the SXRD for about a hundred bucks. I'm pealing towards just a bulb.

 

[KidHorn]

If replacing the bulb guaranteed the set would be good for several more years. I would do that.


The problem is the TV is old and who knows what else is about to break on it. The bulb may have broken due to something else having gone bad in the TV. Like replacing a fuse frequently leads to another blown fuse in short order.


I would get something to hold me over for a couple of years until OLED is more affordable. I've seen 60" LCDs for around $500. The picture isn't great, but probably no worse than your Sony.

 

[jaeelarr]

Depends on what you want to spend. The difference in a good plasma set and an OLED isn't huge.

Define "huge". Plasma's are relatively cheap (compared to LED's, not just OLED), while OLED's are very expensive (compared to LED's, not just plasma). You can spend $1000 on an excellent Plasma, but you have to spend about $3500 on a "cheap" OLED. I dont know about you, but $2500 difference is "huge" to me.

 

[kucharsk]

A very high quality plasma new would have been around $3000 for a 65" - not expensive but not as cheap as LCD.

OLED is more expensive, at least for now, but IMHO the quality is worth it as LCD has weaknesses I consider to be much worse than those OLED has shown - not that OLED's drawbacks aren't annoying in their own way.

Plasma has its drawbacks, too.

There's no perfect display technology, so it's (as always) a matter of weighing the pros and cons for your particular situation and making a price/performance decision you're comfortable with.

 

[zgeneral]

Define "huge". Plasma's are relatively cheap (compared to LED's, not just OLED), while OLED's are very expensive (compared to LED's, not just plasma). You can spend $1000 on an excellent Plasma, but you have to spend about $3500 on a "cheap" OLED. I dont know about you, but $2500 difference is "huge" to me.

I meant the performance difference. I should have specified.

http://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/news/result-201406013793.htm

Top plasma vs oled vs 4 4D LCD TV's. Nobody picked the LCD''s as the best set. 11/17 preferred the plasma. That's the best plasma ever made, so the OLED set is still impressive.

The money, a used plasma is going to be hard to beat.

 

[loki993]

Where are the best places to find "cheap" plasmas? I really don't think I can afford one of the ZT/VTs though, as nice as one would be..its a lot of money

 

[wxman]

Where are the best places to find "cheap" plasmas? I really don't think I can afford one of the ZT/VTs though, as nice as one would be..its a lot of money

Several under $1000 here.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/tvs/plasma-tvs/pcmcat193400050016.c?id=pcmcat193400050016

 

[gregoryperkins]

Good luck with BB. I had an 8500 in my cart back in November but I couldn't get it shipped or picked up at a store. Nice fulfillment system!

I finally gave up and got an LG 6900 for half as much, it's a very good set too.

 

[zgeneral]

It depends on where you are. I'd look on craigslist. There might still be some in the retail channel. Most likely Samsung or LG.

 

[loki993]

Is a 5300 worth getting? My local BB has one in stock, I think, for 759 I think..otherwise its the floor model and I dont know how I feel about getting a plasma that been on constantly for what..not even sure how long the 5300s been out.

 

[jaeelarr]

A very high quality plasma new would have been around $3000 for a 65" - not expensive but not as cheap as LCD.

.

"Would have been" that price like 7 years ago. You're not going to find a brand new Plasma for $3000, becuase they dont exist. There are several new that go for $1100 or less. I couldn't find one anymore than that.

 

[kucharsk]

"Would have been" that price like 7 years ago. You're not going to find a brand new Plasma for $3000, becuase they dont exist. There are several new that go for $1100 or less. I couldn't find one anymore than that.

My comment was based on the 64F8500, which was about $2900 at the end of last year when available new; mine was delivered right before Christmas and was returned in early January for the infernal directional buzz/sizzle.

You can still find new ones from the price gougers, or occasionally when someone trips over a forgotten one at a retailer somewhere.