[guest68]

Just brought home the Panny TH-42PX80U (42 inch 720p) plasma. This is my second HDTV; the first being a Sammy HLT5075 (50 in 720p) DLP, bought last year's Black Friday. The Sammy is in the new basement (semi) theater. The Panny is in the living room replacing a 32 inch Panny CRT.


I have been playing with the settings using suggestions from here and other sources. I have already adjusted the Sammy numerous times.


Watching the football games today using OTA on both, I find myself REALLY liking the old DLP. It seems crisper, more vibrant and (of course) brighter. I hesitate to keep the brightness high after reading about the brightness level may reduce life and increase power consumption.


Viewing distances are about the same.


Help me understand.....would I be happier with an LCD?


I was on the fence between the 2 until going to BB and the sales guy was HUGE on plasma and Panny's in particular. It was enough to sway me.....along with the 30 return policy, price (compared to Sammy 630-650 LCD), and size of unit was the biggest screen size to fit in my entertainment center.

 

[SystemShock2]

In general, yes, LCD sets tend to be brighter and sharper than plasmas. Plasmas definitely have their strengths, but that's not the stuff they do best.


I'm pretty familiar with the Panasonic set you mention, having viewed it a lot lately. While I think it's a great bang-for-buck set, the knocks I had on it were that the picture is a little bit dim, and a little bit soft.


Take a look at a very bright, very sharp LCD set (like Samsung A650), it may be more up your particular alley. Don't let salespeople sway you too much, view the sets a lot and decide for yourself.


I don't even let salespeople talk to me while I view sets, so I can concentrate on the picture.

.

 

[john barlow]



Quote:
Originally Posted by SystemShock2 /forum/post/15527983


In general, yes, LCD sets tend to be brighter and sharper than plasmas. Plasmas definitely have their strengths, but that's not the stuff they do best.


I'm pretty familiar with the Panasonic set you mention, having viewed it a lot lately. While I think it's a great bang-for-buck set, the knocks I had on it were that the picture is a little bit dim, and a little bit soft.


Take a look at a very bright, very sharp LCD set (like Samsung A650), it may be more up your particular alley. Don't let salespeople sway you too much, view the sets a lot and decide for yourself.


I don't even let salespeople talk to me while I view sets, so I can concentrate on the picture.

.

That would be the day that I let a sales person from any big box store influence my decision. If you don't like the plasma, take it back and by LCD.

 

[westa6969]

I owned a 50" Panny Plasma 3 years ago by the rec's of members on this forum as it was the Kuro of that time and it was after having an SXRD and my viewing experience was the opposite of the rec's of this forum --- I learned not to follow the herd the hard way. The SXRD was loaded with WoW factor that the plasma failed to deliver on a week later with identical HD feeds and it was a horrible performer in a bright sunny room and I wondered WTF are these people talking about!!!


Read and enjoy what we all share but bottom line - Trust your OWN EYES and preferences when pulling your wallet out and Yes some will shoot you for dare preferring an LCD over a plasma or even a RPTV. There is a reason the NEO PDP is seeking triple brightness factor and that smoked glass giving the illusion of deeper blacks also gives one dirty yellowish and gray whites.


BTW a bargain is not a bargain in HT if it fails to deliver wow factor to YOUR EYES and SENSES! The hell with everyone else, you have to be married to the TV's PQ.

 

[GqMagic]



Quote:
Originally Posted by guest68 /forum/post/15527760


Just brought home the Panny TH-42PX80U (42 inch 720p) plasma. This is my second HDTV; the first being a Sammy HLT5075 (50 in 720p) DLP, bought last year's Black Friday. The Sammy is in the new basement (semi) theater. The Panny is in the living room replacing a 32 inch Panny CRT.


I have been playing with the settings using suggestions from here and other sources. I have already adjusted the Sammy numerous times.


Watching the football games today using OTA on both, I find myself REALLY liking the old DLP. It seems crisper, more vibrant and (of course) brighter. I hesitate to keep the brightness high after reading about the brightness level may reduce life and increase power consumption.


Viewing distances are about the same.


Help me understand.....would I be happier with an LCD?


I was on the fence between the 2 until going to BB and the sales guy was HUGE on plasma and Panny's in particular. It was enough to sway me.....along with the 30 return policy, price (compared to Sammy 630-650 LCD), and size of unit was the biggest screen size to fit in my entertainment center.

Your new set is to small to like better, is what it sounds like

 

[guest68]

Again, I was on the fence anyway.


I know that just judging in the store doesn't really hold true to what it looks like in the home. Besides the ability to adjust it more and with the sources you are going to use.


I was concerned with having the 'better' plasma upstairs while the 'inferior' DLP is with the bigger & newer surround system. ;-) At least I don't have to be embarrassed.....


Do plasmas have a 'break-in' affect...i.e. do they change their PQ after usage? I have the break-in video downloaded; haven't done it yet. I thought that was to help the burn in issues, correct?

 

[guest68]



Quote:
Originally Posted by GqMagic /forum/post/15528150


Your new set is to small to like better, is what it sounds like

You are right about that. The 50in is a sweet size for my room size. (both rooms are about the same).


Like I said, the 42 Panny JUST squeezes into the cabinet. Matter of fact, we'll have to turn it sideways to be able to slide the doors closed....

 

[guest68]



Quote:
Originally Posted by westa6969 /forum/post/15528117


........


BTW a bargain is not a bargain in HT if it fails to deliver wow factor to YOUR EYES and SENSES! The hell with everyone else, you have to be married to the TV's PQ.

Well said.


I am adjusting the settings constantly.....we'll see if the WOW factor shows up.

 

[SystemShock2]



Quote:
Originally Posted by guest68 /forum/post/15528154


I know that just judging in the store doesn't really hold true to what it looks like in the home. Besides the ability to adjust it more and with the sources you are going to use.

That's certainly true to a point, but medium to large differences in pic quality can be pretty obvious, even in the store (especially in a decently dark theater room, like you find in Magnolia).


Stuff like your particular issue, LCD vs plasma brightness, is pretty easy to pick out in most any setting.

 

[James W. Johnson]



Quote:
why do I like my year old DLP over my new Panny plasma?

Your legally blind ?

 

[guest68]



Quote:
Originally Posted by James W. Johnson /forum/post/15529317


Your legally blind ?

That took longer than I thought.....you guys are getting slow.


I give you the blacks are smoother on the plasma. The DLP has whiter whites, more consistent skin tones (at least better to my blind eyes), better PQ on 480i channels, more picture controls, little to no reflection issues....


I am well aware of the disadvantages of the DLP compared to either LCD or plasma. Sit in the sweet spot for the DLP and it looks great.


Systemshock...this unit isn't in the Magnolia section, but it's still apparent that the plasmas are not as bright as the LCD's. I was well aware of the issue. I wasn't sure how it would compare to my home DLP unit. The DLPs are set pretty far from all the rest of the units in this BB.

 

[SteveCallas]

As has been said, trust your own eyes and never feel shameful about what some clowns on this forum might think. You've got people who swear by vacuum tubes, vinyl, and CRTs - they are the minority in life, but on forums like this, they are boisterous. A smilar thing happens with plasma vs any other technology.


It's your money and you will be the one watching it. Get what you think is best.

 

[James W. Johnson]

id recommend some real strong ones........

 

[James W. Johnson]

oh , one more thing..

 

[sage11x]

I think your expectatons were too high.


First of all, the 42px80u is panasonic's bottom rung display- their entry level plasma.

It's a fantastic bang for the buck and IMO compares very favorably to much pricier models... but don't expect miracles.


Also I think you underestimate DLP. Despite the fact that rear projection has fallen out fashion, it's still a fantastic technology. DLP has an excellent picture: comparable brightness to lcd, comparable black levels to many plasmas, spot on color, no SDE, costs less and consumes less- and often weighs less!


Only real negatives are lag and the terrible viewing angles- of course most DLP owners will tell you they solve the latter by buying as big a tv as they can fit in their home!

My cousin has a 72" and you can't help but sit right in front of the damn thing!

 

[James W. Johnson]



Quote:
Originally Posted by sage11x /forum/post/15530550



my cousin has a 72" and you can't help but sit right in front of the damn thing!

lol !!

 

[SystemShock2]



Quote:
Originally Posted by guest68 /forum/post/15529590


Systemshock...this unit isn't in the Magnolia section, but it's still apparent that the plasmas are not as bright as the LCD's..

Yup. That was kinda my point.

 

[JazzGuyy]



Quote:
Originally Posted by sage11x /forum/post/15530550


I think your expectatons were too high.


First of all, the 42px80u is panasonic's bottom rung display- their entry level plasma.

It's a fantastic bang for the buck and IMO compares very favorably to much pricier models... but don't expect miracles.


Also I think you underestimate DLP. Despite the fact that rear projection has fallen out fashion, it's still a fantastic technology. DLP has an excellent picture: comparable brightness to lcd, comparable black levels to many plasmas, spot on color, no SDE, costs less and consumes less- and often weighs less!


Only real negatives are lag and the terrible viewing angles- of course most DLP owners will tell you they solve the latter by buying as big a tv as they can fit in their home!

My cousin has a 72" and you can't help but sit right in front of the damn thing!

There are actually a couple of other negatives with most DLPs: geometric distortion in parts of the picture and way too much overscan. It's because of the optics.

 

[guest68]



Quote:
Originally Posted by James W. Johnson /forum/post/15530282


id recommend some real strong ones........

I'd LOVE to have lens THAT thin!!!

 

[buylongterm]



Quote:
Originally Posted by James W. Johnson /forum/post/15529317


Your legally blind ?

That might be the funniest (and truthful) post I've ever read.