[STi]

hi, i currently have a 34 inch sony xbr hd crt..which has a superb picture,however i'd like to upgrade to a plasma..but need hdtv..is it possible to get a good one for $3500-4k budget? i'm looking at 42-50 inch..i dont really care if it comes with a tuner..because i have a direct tv tuner..any sugg?

 

[SC0TLANDF0REVER]

Quote:

Originally Posted by STi hi, i currently have a 34 inch sony xbr hd crt..which has a superb picture,however i'd like to upgrade to a plasma..but need hdtv..is it possible to get a good one for $3500-4k budget? i'm looking at 42-50 inch..i dont really care if it comes with a tuner..because i have a direct tv tuner..any sugg?

Check out the Forum sponsors above (Visual Apex & Plasma Concepts) for options.


You could also use 'search' for additional info on model numbers/features, etc...

 

[RandyWalters]

Quote:

Originally Posted by STi hi, i currently have a 34 inch sony xbr hd crt..which has a superb picture,however i'd like to upgrade to a plasma..but need hdtv..is it possible to get a good one for $3500-4k budget? i'm looking at 42-50 inch..i dont really care if it comes with a tuner..because i have a direct tv tuner..any sugg?

If you have a home theater surround sound reciever that will serve as a switcher then a Panasonic or Pioneer commercial model would be a top contender as they don't come with speakers or tuner. They are in your price range from the trusted vendors listed by ScotlandForever above.

 

[STi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RandyWalters If you have a home theater surround sound reciever that will serve as a switcher then a Panasonic or Pioneer commercial model would be a top contender as they don't come with speakers or tuner. They are in your price range from the trusted vendors listed by ScotlandForever above.

ok thx

 

[STi]

will this give me a better picture than my sony xbr crt widescreen hdtv? in the store it doesent look it..i can see stuff around letters and such...will it look better in my house? picture quality is my main concern

 

[housecor]

It'll be very near equal in most areas, and much better in some such as perfect geometry and focus, and superior image stability. I prefer the PQ of a good pdp to a CRT for these reasons - besides the fact that the bigger image is more immersive. What you're seeing on text is likely the result of a number of things - Oversplit and compressed signal in the stores and oversharpened settings. Text is crisp and clear on my PX500 and images are virtually noiseless. Trust me - It'll look MUCH better in your house. The larger plasmas display the difficiencies in the poor signals they're fed in stores. They shine with a strong signal in your home and proper picture settings. I was shocked how much better mine looked once properly configured in my home.


Sounds like a new Panasonic 8UK commercial would be your best bet since you don't need a tuner.

 

[ClarkeBar]

You have an excellent set. With a quality HD CRT it can be difficult to justify the changeover to flatscreen technology of whatever type. To replicate the PQ of your XBR while expanding the image size into considerably larger real estate is difficult. But much of the difficulty lies in what we are used to seeing with CRT and how its technology delivers the picture in the first place. Obvious size/weight limitations inherent in the top end CRT sets up to 40" create a barrier to picture expansion. If you want to go larger you must be willing to compromise somewhat in order to gain more down the road. The "stuff" you are seeing around " letters and such" may well be related to the RGB delivery of pixels...the larger the screen the more apparent it may become. But with increased screen size also comes smaller pixel size resulting in a reduction in the effect. Or it may simply be as housecor suggests the product of bad settings. You need to verify for yourself.


You should ask yourself if your viewing distance is likely to change or is even desirable...or if you wish to wall mount? Ask yourself how much SD you watch now or will in the future? To my mind SD quality rendering (a contradiction in terms?) is the greatest area of sacrifice when moving to plasma from CRT. It's a simple fact that 480i on a 42" and larger plasma will never look as it does on the XBR. But to my mind this is certainly not a deal killer. Rather it spurs one on to upgrade the source feed as HD is quite addictive as you know and the future just keeps on coming. With a quality HD plasma the last thing I would be worrying about is PQ. With HD feed you will be 'looking through a window' just as you do now with the XBR. Only this new window will be considerably larger.


Housecor is right on about geometry and focus. Once calibrated in-home a quality plasma should at the very least be the equal of the XBR in PQ with the same feed. Of course as always YMMV.

 

[robnalex]

Quote:

Originally Posted by STi will this give me a better picture than my sony xbr crt widescreen hdtv?

IMO, yes, with the exception that no plasma can yet deliver the superb black level of your CRT, and SD sources, for reasons stated above by housecor and clarkebar, will not look as good.


FWIW, I went from a 40" Sony XBR 4:3 tube CRT to a 50" Panny HD plasma and the overall improvement in my viewing experience has been stunning. Apart from the immersive quality of a larger viewing area, I have found the plasma images to be much richer, deeper and almost 3D-like, compared to the CRT. It has been a huge improvement!

 

[STi]

ok thx for all the info...i do have a 53 projection in my bedroom..love the size but pq kinda sux..i'd like something bigger in my living room..i think i'm gonna buy 1!