[boobtube]

all kidding aside, i'm new to avs and wanted to get some thoughts/opinions/suggestions before purchasing my first flat panel. i first ruled out plasma because i'm afraid of the glare issues...which i'm thinking is really the only disadvantage of plasma. with that thought in mind, i started looking at lcd's and through my investigation, i've kinda determined that the new samsung lcd (led backlit) um46b8000 looks like it has the best picture quality of all the lcd's i've viewed. BUT....when i compare the samsung (lcd-led) to all the plasma's hanging on the showroom wall, the plasmas sure look better to me. however, when standing far away from "the wall", i notice that "whites" look more "gray" on a plasma as compared to the lcd-led...or for that matter, just plain ole lcd's. so, that's weighing on my mind.


as for the glare issue on the plasma vs. lcd-led, it appears that the sammy (led) i'm looking at will also produce glare.....so.... why not just buy a plasma??? the new flat panel will go in a family room that has windows (yeah, there's curtains) but direct sunlight isn't really going to be shining on the tv as it goes on an east wall and the windows are on the south wall. therefore, sunlight won't be a TOTAL killer...but will be present.


next concern....the best viewing angle for the lcd's (led) appears to be pretty much straight on and if you get "off to the side" a bit, the picture starts to s**k. well, i'll have a couple of seats in the room that will have some angled viewing.....not drastic...but a fair piece off center. so, that's another issue i'm wrestling with.


next, if i go with a plasma, it appears to me that the panasonic tc-p46g15 is about the best...at least that's what the salesman says...and i kinda agree. there doesn't really seem to be near as many plasma choices as there are in lcd. what am i missing. yeah, i know samsung makes a new plasma that has the ultra thin panel...but, i don't see it worth the money and "the man" says sammy's don't have some thx certification and don't have a place to plug in my sd card??? i don't know these assertions to be true...just what HE says.


lastly, sony makes the new xbr9......what's up with that???? hmmmmmm, kinda curious. oh well, i'd really appreciate your thoughts.


p.s. i'm really looking for the best picture quality i can buy (affordably) and i don't do any gaming...for that matter....only the occasional movie (maybe 6/month. mostly just television programming. HELP!!!!! OH YEAH, one last thing, this flat panel is going on the wall above a fireplace (seldom or never used) and i really am trying to keep the height of the flat panel somewhere around 26" and the lcd/led seems to (in a 46") be about 2" shorter than an equivalent 46" plasma. go figure!!! i'm trying to keep this thing from hitting the ceiling.


thanks for your thoughts.

 

[bluesun68]

If you thought the plasmas looked good, stick with that. Samsung and Panasonic are the two favorite brands on here. Make sure you get this years model. (B for Samsung and a 10 or 15 for Panasonic (S10, G10, G15 not 750 or 800 or 850))


Pick the lowest cost or lowest number you can. If you don't have a blu ray disc player, you don't need the highest model. The panels are supposed to be the same.


Then, if your time is worth any kind of money at all, pick the one you like the looks of, flip a coin or buy the lowest price, and never come back. If not you will spend thousands of hours reading post after post and still be no closer to the answer of your question. But you will be aware of the many things that if you look really hard will become apparent and perhaps ruin your viewing experience or give you buyers remorse.

 

[madness999]

+1 to Blues comments about make a decision and don't come back!

I've been driving myself nuts for nearly two weeks now because I keep thinking there is one more answer to one more question that will make it crystal clear. What I have finally decided by reading so much is that, unless you get a lemon, or are a videophile to the nth degree, whatever you get is gonna be great. Now I just have to find the right price and I'm buying and not coming back here for a while!

 

[speedking]



Quote:
Originally Posted by boobtube /forum/post/16844496


all kidding aside, i'm new to avs and wanted to get some thoughts/opinions/suggestions before purchasing my first flat panel. i first ruled out plasma because i'm afraid of the glare issues...which i'm thinking is really the only disadvantage of plasma. with that thought in mind, i started looking at lcd's and through my investigation, i've kinda determined that the new samsung lcd (led backlit) um46b8000 looks like it has the best picture quality of all the lcd's i've viewed. BUT....when i compare the samsung (lcd-led) to all the plasma's hanging on the showroom wall, the plasmas sure look better to me. however, when standing far away from "the wall", i notice that "whites" look more "gray" on a plasma as compared to the lcd-led...or for that matter, just plain ole lcd's. so, that's weighing on my mind.


as for the glare issue on the plasma vs. lcd-led, it appears that the sammy (led) i'm looking at will also produce glare.....so.... why not just buy a plasma??? the new flat panel will go in a family room that has windows (yeah, there's curtains) but direct sunlight isn't really going to be shining on the tv as it goes on an east wall and the windows are on the south wall. therefore, sunlight won't be a TOTAL killer...but will be present.


next concern....the best viewing angle for the lcd's (led) appears to be pretty much straight on and if you get "off to the side" a bit, the picture starts to s**k. well, i'll have a couple of seats in the room that will have some angled viewing.....not drastic...but a fair piece off center. so, that's another issue i'm wrestling with.


next, if i go with a plasma, it appears to me that the panasonic tc-p46g15 is about the best...at least that's what the salesman says...and i kinda agree. there doesn't really seem to be near as many plasma choices as there are in lcd. what am i missing. yeah, i know samsung makes a new plasma that has the ultra thin panel...but, i don't see it worth the money and "the man" says sammy's don't have some thx certification and don't have a place to plug in my sd card??? i don't know these assertions to be true...just what HE says.


lastly, sony makes the new xbr9......what's up with that???? hmmmmmm, kinda curious. oh well, i'd really appreciate your thoughts.


p.s. i'm really looking for the best picture quality i can buy (affordably) and i don't do any gaming...for that matter....only the occasional movie (maybe 6/month. mostly just television programming. HELP!!!!! OH YEAH, one last thing, this flat panel is going on the wall above a fireplace (seldom or never used) and i really am trying to keep the height of the flat panel somewhere around 26" and the lcd/led seems to (in a 46") be about 2" shorter than an equivalent 46" plasma. go figure!!! i'm trying to keep this thing from hitting the ceiling.


thanks for your thoughts.

I would suggest the G10 series Panasonic...the G15 isn't better..just some small differences...the salesman just wanted to upsell you. Amazon.com has the 46G10 in stock and is a reliable place to purchase.

 

[chadmak09]



Quote:
Originally Posted by speedking /forum/post/16845912


I would suggest the G10 series Panasonic...the G15 isn't better..just some small differences...the salesman just wanted to upsell you. Amazon.com has the 46G10 in stock and is a reliable place to purchase.

I agree, stick with the G10 or another plasma.

They are meant for moving images such as games, sports, movies, etc.


LCD's were made for still images such as compter GUI's.

Which is why the LCD's need all the things such as LED-backlighting, motion tampering, etc to work ok with movies and such.


Also, If your set will be going in a family room, then you want you whole family to enjoy the picture quality you paid for.

This is not possible for LCD. Only the person sitting in the middle will see a good picture. YOur kids may fight each other so they can enjoy sponge bob.

 

[Benny42]



Quote:
Originally Posted by chadmak09 /forum/post/16847078


Also, If your set will be going in a family room, then you want you whole family to enjoy the picture quality you paid for.

This is not possible for LCD. Only the person sitting in the middle will see a good picture. YOur kids may fight each other so they can enjoy sponge bob.

Of course all children are professional calibrators that can't live with a small variation in picture quality...

bye

Benny42

 

[localnet]

And I would think twice about placing the panel over the fireplace. Pretend you are watching tv some time with the set up there on the mantel. Man, it would be a neck breaker in my house.


Mike

 

[chadmak09]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Benny42 /forum/post/16847268


Of course all children are professional calibrators that can't live with a small variation in picture quality...

bye

Benny42

For the money you pay for a flat panel, even the children should be able to enjoy good picture quality.

I agree, though most don't care, but if I am spending thousands of $ on a TV, I want eve sponge bob to look good. lol.

 

[TNG]

As most of us here will agree, judge with your eyes. After all you have to live with it.


I like the bright PQ that LCD gives, some don't. Would like to have a good place for a good plasma in my house, but don't have the room and with the economy, not the money either.