[Ktulu6569]

Okay, I am about this far (gesturing with thumb and forefinger about as far from each other as the thickness of a piece of paper.) from giving up on jumping into the HDTV realm right now. I've a nice Dell monitor which I bought last summer which opened up this can of worms (Dell SP2208WFP-22inch). Used that for watching some DVDs and gaming a little. Sweet monitor BTW, 2ms refresh, can that be right?


I just have two simple questions I hope someone can answer for me without my having to spend another two months reading and researching... Please help;


#1 Plasma vs LCD, which is better?

#2 720p vs 1080p, again which is better?


Looking for something @/under $900. 10' viewing distance, 40 or 42 inches. Not uprgading to HD content yet, but am getting upconverting DVD. Have older PC, planning to use new TV as monitor. Coupla old consoles as well. I want a newer set, that can offer good options for customizing setup/screen etc, so that it's not obsolete next month. Sound is not a prob TV could have no speakers at this point and I wouldn't care. Have surround sound installed already.


So many models available from the same manufacturers it's become nauseating trying to tell what is what.

I started out looking @ Samsung, but then started liking some LG models. Saw a few Philips models that meet my input needs, but they all seem to be older/out of production models. I've even considered looking @ Vizio.

Please help, I have a 5 year old JVC CRT that I am totally ready to keep at this point. Nice model with all the inputs I need. I'll just get me an Xbox 360 & use the HDMI input on my spiffy monitor for that.

Thanx for any thoughts anyone has!!!

 

[toolwarrior]

Your situation and catagory of buyer is one of the more difficult. You want something really good, but your budget is only $900. I reget to tell you that in todays TV market, $900 is very low end. However, it is a range that can be fine for most who don't really care and just want some new tech in their house. However, adding the requirement for using the TV as a monitor and wanting a good pic puts you in a different catagory. First, the question about 720 vs. 1080. This is a no brainer. If you want the best, you need 1080p. If you want something that is more future proof, you need 1080p. So make that choice now and move on. Now, as for Plasma vs. LCD, that requires a lot more questions to be answered on your part. Do you have a lot of light in your room from windows/lights? If so, tend towards the LCD's. If you want the very best PQ, then the Pioneer Kuro Plasmas slightly edge out the Sony XBR's. However, they are way way out of your price range. The Plasma's also use more energy than LCD and that is a concern for some. The Plasma's can have problems with burn in or image retention if you are not careful. There are also those rare few that see the dreaded green phosphor trails in plasma. I can't comment on this because I don't see them. LCD's suffer from motion blur problems. I don't recommend an LCD that is not at least 120hz to help combat this issue. If you watch lots of action or sports, this may be a concern for you. Best LCD TV's out there right now are the Sony higher end units or the Samsung higher end units. The best Plasma's are the Pioneer Kuro and the Panasonic, in that order. You really need to first decide what is the most important things for your needs. Try to bump your budget to get you in a range that I think you will be more happy with.