[proud papa]

I've been reading through as much as I can find the past couple of days. Not sure if I'm not more confused.




In the process of buying a house and want to upgrade my TV in the process.




TV will be in the living room, which is an open concept to kitchen, dining, etc. Viewing from kitchen, bar, dining is about a 45-60 degree angle.




Lots of windows, very light. Main viewing is 7-10 ft from the screen. Distance to kitchen, bar is about 20-25 ft. Built in cubby for TV is 5 ft wide.




We often have people over to watch football, football, and more football. (NFL Sunday Ticket, + sports packages). Sometimes we watch basketball too. Otherwise, just regular TV with an occasional movie.




So far, I think I've narrowed it down to Plasma because of the angle and sports. LCD because of the light, but its not as good for sports, or angle.




36-60" because of the distance. Smaller for main viewing, as large as will fit because of game day events.




120-240 hz because of sports. 720 because it's DirecTV. 1080p because of sports and screen size.




Any recommendations? Not necessarily looking for make and model, but type, size, refresh rates, etc........




???????

 

[8mile13]

The expensive lcd's/plasma's are the best.


When you watch tv in the dark plasma would be the best choice,when you watch a lot tv in daylight lcd.

In case you use a lot of artificial light while watching tv it does not matter what you buy.

 

[NuSoardGraphite]

Since you watch a ton of sports and want to be able to watch tv from multiple angles, I would recommend a plasma. From the distances you are talking about you don't want to go less than 50". From the kitchen/bar area you don't need more than 720p because of the distance, but from your couch you will probably benefit from 1080p if you go for a larger TV. (I suggest going for 1080p no matter the distance simply because that is the current standard and eventually all HD material will be at least 1080p)


If you do watch a lot of TV during the day, you might want to bring a plasma home for a week or two and check it out. If you don't like the brightness (or lack thereof) you can trade it in for an LCD and try that out to see which one you like best. Just weigh your options and figure out which you do more, daytime viewing in a brightly lit room or night time viewing in a darker room. Because when you get down to it, the technology you choose will probably depend on the answer to that particular question.


If you go with an LCD and can afford it, go 240hz. It should help with the sports issue. As far as viewing angle is concerned, simply look around to find a brand and model that has acceptable viewing angles in your eyes (trust your own eyes on this issue. Many people will try to convince you that all LCD's have crappy viewing angles, but that simply isn't true anymore. It depends on the brand and model and oftentimes on what you are watching as well. Black and White material seems to suffer from angle degradation the most while with very colorful images, i.e. 90% of material on tv today, the drop in contrast is hardly noticeable)


Also keep in mind that most of the tv's today come with swivel stands, so you can angle the tv to get the best picture from whatever position you happen to be sitting at.

 

[Matt L]

The "Plasma in the Dark" stuff is crap plain and simple. I have a nice 50" plasma in a room with a 10' bay window across from it and a 4x7' window on each adjoining wall. The bay faces East, and the other windows face South and North. During the day I keep them wide open, no curtain s or drapes, and unless the sun is just right there is absolutely no issue with brightness or viewing.


Is this the optimum way to watch TV? No. But I don't do any serious watching during the day. When I do want to seriously watch something I will draw the draperies a bit. Depending on your situation all the wide open spaces and windows may or may not be an issue. If the niche the TV goes in precludes direct sunlight on the screen, which will mess up any image Plasma or LCD, then go plasma by all means, and the bigger the better. From the sound of your space I'd look at 58" or 60"+ sizes. My room is 18x24 and I wish I had gone a little bigger than 50".


You are correct in avoiding LCD for the off angle issue. I bought a very nice Samsung LN40B650 set, pricey for the size, $1500 at the time and could not use it where I intended due to the limited viewing angle. It's in my bedroom now where viewing angle is fixed, and my room is very bright and during the day it looks worse than my plasma in the well lit room. I could easily boost the brightness, but I'm a set and forget kind of guy. I had my plasma pro calibrated, best $350 I spent on entertainment equipment, and cannot fault my plasma in ANY way.

 

[NuSoardGraphite]

Plasmas have glass screens. Glass screens reflect a ton of light and depending on the angle of the direct light onto the screen it will reflect directly onto your eyes, creating an unwatchable bright spot on your screen. This is an incontestable fact.


Now, it is true that some plasma manufacturers have some models that have very good anti-glare coatings on their screens and they work quite well, but whether or not they solve the issue is completely and totally up to the opinion of the individual watching the tv at the time. I have never seen a plasma screen that could handle direct light (especially sunlight) as well as my matte screen LCD, and I still go out of my way to avoid direct light on my TV's screen because of the glare and loss of contrast.


This is why I suggested to the original poster that he bring a Plasma set home and check it out first and if he finds it unacceptable, to try an LCD to see if it is any better for daytime viewing.


In other words, this issue is completely and totally up to the viewer to determine if it is an issue for him or her for themselves.

 

[STEVE521]

Hi

I think for wedding purpose projectors are one of the best option .

Thanks !

 

[pw5599]

I personally find either type objectionable to watch in too much light and like some other's here I dont do serious watching in bright daylight. My choice for livingroom tv was plasma. I have blinds I can lower if needed and the main reason was the awful angle view issues with LCD. I'm really enjoying the plasma vs my bedroom lcd and the glare in the daytime on the plasma is a non issue to me. From what some have said I was expecting this horrible blinding and crippling glare, but not so. On my bedroom LCD, if the window blind across from it is up, it's unwatchable. I find very little difference between lcd-plasma on this glare issue. I truly prefer the shiny screen to the matte of the lcd as well.

 

[black_box]

on the topic of glare, I'm looking to upgrade from my 32" sony wega HD tube tv (from '04 or '05). How would the plasma or LCD compare to this as a reference for glare?

 

[spyboy]

"Lots of windows, very light." 45-60 degree viewing angle.


First LCD for light control, and for off angle viewing, the following:


LG55LH90

Toshiba 52ZV650U

Vizio VF550M

LG55LH40

 

[Gary McCoy]

I would like to reccomend a combination of a matte screen LCD and a powered tilt/swivel mount.


The matte screen is a must. I mean YES you could fit light-controlling shades and draperies, but you will end up watching TV in the dark - not at all the same experience as watching a film in a theater, and having your home darkened is depressing.


But the tilt/swivel powered mount is a neat techie toy in it's own right, and it neatly overcomes the primary problem with LCDs, which is loss of brightness and contrast when viewing off-axis.


If you shop around the Web, you can pick up a powered mount and an HDTV for less than many of us dropped on an HDTV just two years ago.

 

[spyboy]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Gary McCoy /forum/post/18278791


I would like to reccomend a combination of a matte screen LCD and a powered tilt/swivel mount.


The matte screen is a must. I mean YES you could fit light-controlling shades and draperies, but you will end up watching TV in the dark - not at all the same experience as watching a film in a theater, and having your home darkened is depressing.


But the tilt/swivel powered mount is a neat techie toy in it's own right, and it neatly overcomes the primary problem with LCDs, which is loss of brightness and contrast when viewing off-axis.


If you shop around the Web, you can pick up a powered mount and an HDTV for less than many of us dropped on an HDTV just two years ago.

And getting an LCD that does better with off-angle viewing is a good way to go regardless of what type of mount. It is possible it could prevent the OP from having to buy a motorized mount.

 

[pw5599]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Gary McCoy /forum/post/18278791


I would like to reccomend a combination of a matte screen LCD and a powered tilt/swivel mount.


The matte screen is a must. I mean YES you could fit light-controlling shades and draperies, but you will end up watching TV in the dark - not at all the same experience as watching a film in a theater, and having your home darkened is depressing.


But the tilt/swivel powered mount is a neat techie toy in it's own right, and it neatly overcomes the primary problem with LCDs, which is loss of brightness and contrast when viewing off-axis.

Matte screen for some, not for others. I have not found the shiny screen on my plasma to be a detriment at all and in fact like it better than my LCD with a matte screen. It's personal preference, simple as that. One or the other cannot be labeled as right for all.


I dont watch tv in the dark and I have a bright livingroom with blinds that can be drawn if needed but I rarely do during the day because I like sunlight.

During the day if I watch anything I leave the blinds open and in the evening the blinds get closed and I turn on theatre type lighting. Wall sconces with dimmers and/or low wattage table lamps and it looks incredible with that kind of lighting. My home is far from depressing, and far from too dark but I do have control of it, which I like.


If one wants an ideal audio/visual experience you have to provide the proper environment for each. For audio it's to do with hard and soft materials. Carpet and soft furniture mixed with hard wall surfaces provide the best sound. With video, it's all about the lighting irregardless of the type of tv.


The swivel mount for an LCD is great, if you're alone but if I have several people in my livingroom watch a movie or game, the seating is sort of a U shape with the tv at the open end of the U. Most everyone is going to get a crappy view with the LCD. With a plasma, the contrast and colour levels will look the same for everyone. No sense short changing my fellow tv watching guests, or me for that matter

 

[Gary McCoy]

What you describe might work for TV viewing in the far Northern lands that you inhabit.


But for me, living in Central California, there is simply not a PDP made that will achieve an adequate brightness level during midday, without making the room a depressing cave.


When I have my friends over for a movie night, we used to sit in the dark in the home theater. Now we sit in that "U" shaped seating that you decribed around my HDTV, and it works just fiine with my LCD because nobody is more than about 30 degrees off-axis. And if any seating were more than 30 degrees off, the aspect ratio of the screen would be unacceptably distorted. But that's just not a problem. Nor is the higher black level a problem in a well-lit room, whether the HDTV is a PDP with anti-glare or an LCD with full-on matte screen.

 

[mastermaybe]

^ Man you must be right, it must get FANTASTICALLY more bright in Central CA in March than it does in the middle of July in SE Wisconsin because I've never had a problem with either tech in my soutwest, south, and southeastern exposed living room at any time of the year. And, as others have mentioned, if for some reason a particular day poses an extreme challenge, a quick draw on the drapes is helpful for BOTH my Kuro PDP and XBR LCD.


Clearly, this is quickly turning into a "propping up" of the only "advantage" LCD can hang its hat on, which is of course, maximum brightness.


Just forget about PDP's greater off-axis viewing, better black levels, and advantage in the motion department.


More and more, LCD's glossy screens are just as susceptible to glare as PDP's, AND, CRUCIALLY, I find that their (LCD's) AR's are also good at combating it (glare) quite well.


It's up to the OP: a brighter display that may or may not make a hill of beans difference in his environment, OR, a display that, while maximally "dimmer" offers at least 3 other significant advantages over the former.


FWIW: I would guess both a PDP and an LCD would get amply bright for his scenario 95+% of the time.


James

 

[mastermaybe]

And, to be sure, dependent upon his locale/position in dear ol Canada, there is a very good chance that, at times, HIS (pw5599's) living room receives more intense rays (due to many factors) than your California abode.


James

 

[spyboy]



Quote:
Originally Posted by mastermaybe /forum/post/18279914


^ Man you must be right, it must get FANTASTICALLY more bright in Central CA in March than it does in the middle of July in SE Wisconsin because I've never had a problem with either tech in my soutwest, south, and southeastern exposed living room at any time of the year. And, as others have mentioned, if for some reason a particular day poses an extreme challenge, a quick draw on the drapes is helpful for BOTH my Kuro PDP and XBR LCD.


Clearly, this is quickly turning into a "propping up" of the only "advantage" LCD can hang its hat on, which is of course, maximum brightness.


Just forget about PDP's greater off-axis viewing, better black levels, and advantage in the motion department.


More and more, LCD's glossy screens are just as susceptible to glare as PDP's, AND, CRUCIALLY, I find that their (LCD's) AR's are also good at combating it (glare) quite well.


It's up to the OP: a brighter display that may or may not make a hill of beans difference in his environment, OR, a display that, while maximally "dimmer" offers at least 3 other significant advantages over the former.


FWIW: I would guess both a PDP and an LCD would get amply bright for his scenario 95+% of the time.


James

Please watch this video and then tell me just what the video engineers at Consumer Reports don't know that you do, about screen reflections. They didn't screw around they just took an incandecent light and held it up to the respective screens to show the huge difference.

http://video.consumerreports.org/ser...tid=1280500146


Please watch it and tell us what is wrong with their methodology.


Thanks In Advance

 

[pw5599]



Quote:
Originally Posted by mastermaybe /forum/post/18279977


And, to be sure, dependent upon his locale/position in dear ol Canada, there is a very good chance that, at times, HIS (pw5599's) living room receives more intense rays (due to many factors) than your California abode.James

Funny stuff.

Yes we do get alot of sun, one of the highest rates of sunshine in the country. When it's overhead I do believe it's almost the same distance between the earth/sun as it is for you. Trouble is that it keeps melting the roof off my igloo and I get too much sun inside! Oh well, off to the neighbours ig'y on the ol dogsled for a nice cup o whale blubber.

 

[Gary McCoy]

I actually agree with the earlier post that says that PDP's or LCD's are both USABLE in most rooms. And I think that my room (which is a large "great room" space that includes kitchen, dining room, and family room) is worse than most - six windows and two large sliding glass doors, including large amounts of outside-facing glass on all four walls (because I have a central atrium in my home, open to the sky).


I'm also an extremely critical viewer, one who built his first Home Theater in the late 1970's using a CRT front projector and VHS player - on a 10' diagonal 4:3 screen. I simply would not own anything except an LCD, and I've tried and rejected PDP's.


It's not just the glare or lack of brightness, it's the fact that PDP's simply do not support the high refresh rates needed for digital, high frame-rate images and frame interpolation. They do, however, provide an excellant display of 24fps film if they offer 72Hz or 96Hz refresh. Which is becoming increasingly irrelevent in a world of digital images.

 

[pw5599]

Spyboy, that's a decent video clip. It shows some good comparisons and the pros and cons of each. It's a good starting point for a prospective buyer.


On the glare issue, shiny will reflect more to be sure but I cant watch either type if the sun is shining directly on it so it's a non issue for me and really shouldnt be a major issue unless one watches with the sun beaming onto their tv, which would just be kinda silly.

 

[mastermaybe]

"doesn't support high refresh rates"?


Huh? For what? 99.9% of what we view is either 24 or 60hz in this country...PDPs do either fabulously. Oh, and why do LCDs incorporate 120, 240 and who know what's next in the "hz" department (likely 480)? Oh that's right, because they're inherently abysmal at displaying moving images. So, the LCD buyer gets stuck with a band aid on a cancer along with the "bonus" of the goofiest thing we've seen since the advent of the first wave of 3d in that completely un-natural, bizarre even, frame interpolation.


James