[coachgns]

Will I regret it?


I saw a Samsung DLP4365W at less than half the price of an HD Plasma. It is not as deep as regular prjection TV's, weighs about the same as a plasma, and I was not planning to mount on wall anyway. It will fit just right in the room I am putting it in, and the room is narrow, so I will not be watching from wide angles.


So why should I ahve gotten a plasma? I think this was better for me needs.

Any opinions?

 

[hiker]

I have both the Samsung HLN4365W DLP RPTV and the Panasonic TH-42PWD6UY EDTV plasma. They are both excellent displays. The DLP has a slightly sharper picture but the plasma has better detail in the dark areas and deeper blacks. The HDTV Panny model has a sharper picture than the EDTV that I have but costs $2K more. No burn-in problem with the DLP but there is an expensive bulb that will eventually need to be replaced. The viewing angles for the plasma is much better than the DLP. The DLP also has a couple of unique faults, "rainbows" and internal reflections. Read through the RPTV forum to see if you can live with those faults. For about the same price I would give the EDTV Panny the edge.

 

[iqwertyi]

Get which ever one looks better to you. Period.

 

[politicalpunk]

I too am faced with this dilemma. I would appreciate anymore input that people have. My eyes tell me that the EDTV has a softer look to it, especially when watching SD TV. One thing that keeps pushing me too the DLP, is that eventually when HD is in full force this should be a better set. Also, I would like to use this as a computer monitor, I have heard that EDTV's do not excel in this area. Any more constructive input or experiences would be appreciated.


Thanks,

AJ

 

[Mit07]

coachgns - your story with plasma and DLP has happened countless times. DLP has stolen a lot of plasmas thunder and won a lot of market share for the exact reasons you state.

 

[Kidd Digital]

DLP RPTV's don't have the blacks of a plasma... but the Samsung DLP's are VERY good, imo.


I'd say it like this:


Black Levels

Winner: Plasma


Glare Reduction

Winner: DLP


Ability to hang on wall

Winner: Plasma


Size/Quality/Cost ratio

Winner: DLP


Wow the neighbors factor

Winner: Plasma


PC Use

Winner: DLP


Low Maintenance

Winner: Plasma


Viewing Angle

Winner: Plasma


Those are the biggest factors in my eyes.

The plasma wins more than the DLP, but the cost thing is pretty severe in my case.

I own a 42" Hitachi HD Plasma (I'm hoping Hitachi will make it right, see thread "Is ALiS Really This Bad?"for details) but if the cost difference were as significant for me as it is for most people (I got a stupidly good deal on mine) I would have bought a DLP in a heartbeat. This TV isn't my "theater" TV... it's just for watching DirecTV in the living room, so I'm really happy with the plasma, until I turn it on. Again, I'm not pointing fingers until I've given Hitachi a chance to make it right with me.


I think you made an excellent decision.

DLP will give you HD now, at a reasonable price.

It will also give you PC operability with blind disregard for burn-in.

Plasma will be cheaper in a few years. Use the DLP until plasma is cheap, and if you decide you want one, buy one. I would take a 50" or 61" DLP over my 42" Plasma though... I think. Well, maybe not a 50".

 

[mr pink]

There is a great thread on this subject here:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...hreadid=298437


Read GlenH's comments, they pretty much sum it all up IMO.


I suggest spending some time in the RPTV forum before going for the Samsung DLP. I too considered it the perfect solution at one time - but the tremendous amount of people who seem to be talking themselves into trying to like their new dlp tvs is a scary thing to witness.


There is also a rather well documented issue with audio/video sync issues that I could just never tolerate.


- pink

 

[Andrzej]

Quote:

Originally posted by Mit07 coachgns - your story with plasma and DLP has happened countless times. DLP has stolen a lot of plasmas thunder and won a lot of market share for the exact reasons you state.

And vice versa. I almost bought a Samsung DLP. But, fortunately, two things happened: 1) A friend and AV enthusiast showed me his well calibrated 42" ED Panny plasma with SD, DVD and HD sources, 2) When visiting Tweeter where Sammy DLP was showing awesome HD loop I switched the source from HD loop to SD DirecTV. Boy, the SD material on the DLP looked so pathetic that I couldn't believe my eyes. I tried to play with the settings but no matter what the PQ was horrible compared with ED Panny. I bought the Panny. For me it was a no-brainer.


Andrzej

 

[raidbuck]

I guess I'm just lucky. I wanted a plasma for months. but went with the HLN 5065W when BB got it in April. I don't see reflections, I don't see rainbows, I had one audio sync probem in 5 months.


I'm having problems calibrating the color (green tint noted elsewhere), and SD performance is spotty (avoiding the STB helps with this), but video HD (shot with an HD camera) is breathtaking on this set. So are DVD's, even without DVI. Yes, the vertical viewing angle is not as good as a plasma (horizontal is great). However, I don't normally watch standing up and close to the set.


Why did I get a DLP? I just couldn't afford the incredible price difference (10K vs. 4K) for a 50" HD plasma (I wanted a B&M, not internet sale). In time I'll be watching less and less SD anyway, as sports and movies move to HD. With Comcast getting INHD I know I'll get my money's worth. Even my wife (who choked on 4K for a TV) is impressed with this set's HD and DVD performance.


Rich N.

 

[the bomber]

I would have thought the DLP would have better blacks. I have a Sharp 9000 PJ and it's blacks are much better than my Plasma's or any Plasma I've seen. Now maybe it's semantics. The Plasma's blacks are definitely black but they have very poor contrast within the blacks. In other words you cannot see any details. My PJ has excellent contrast within the blacks. Maybe it's the RP DLP's that is the issue.

 

[davidw]

Bomber:


Which plasma do you own? No one is saying that plasmas in general have better blacks than DLP. It's the Panny's that are being compared in this thread. Black levels vary a LOT from one plasma to the next. I find that the Panny's have excellent black level detail when calibrated correctly.


- Dave

 

[Andrzej]

Quote:

Originally posted by the bomber My PJ has excellent contrast within the blacks.

Sure. But, this contrast disappears when you turn the lights on or let the sun enter the room. Plasmas hold the contrast better under daylight conditions. Obviously, the contrast is always the best in complete darkness.


Andrzej

 

[xswl0931]

I was in the same boat as most people, Sammy DLP or Panny Plasma. After spending alot of time reading the forums and visiting local shops viewing mostly the DLPs (I already liked the picture of the Plasma) I finally ended up ordering the 6UY. My main reason for wanting DLP was no burn-in, but the vertical viewing angle and mostly the bad SD image turned me off. I currently don't have HD, and view 80% DirectTV and 20% DVD, so in the end the plasma made more sense for me, plus I actually spent less on the plasma than I would have for the DLP (ignoring the resolution differences).

 

[the bomber]

Dave,



I'm glad to hear that! I just ordered a 42PWD6UY to replace the Akai I have. My friend has an Elite HD model and I still like the blacks better on my DLP PJ. I realize that ambient light severely impacts a FP and I realize that the comparison was to a DLP RPTV, but the point I was trying to make (JMHO), is that back level is a problem with all plasmas. Given that notion, I was surprised to hear black level being touted as an advantage of a plasma. I don't recall ever reading a professional review where the reviewer spoke highly of the black level of a Plasma.



No offense intended to anyone.


Bomber

 

[MikeSer]

bomber,


No offense, but I suppose you were generalizing based on a "cheap" plasma set.


This review is very professional:
http://www.hdtvexpert.com/Pages/6degrees.htm


Mike

 

[the bomber]

Quote:

Originally posted by MikeSer bomber, No offense, but I suppose you were generalizing based on a "cheap" plasma set. This review is very professional: http://www.hdtvexpert.com/Pages/6degrees.htm Mike

Mike,



I'm not trying to be obstinate but what I ment was that Plasmas as a technology suffer from less than perfect black levels. I wasn't just talking about the cheap Akai that I'm returning once my Panny comes in. I've noted the poor black level performance all every PDP I've seen including a high end Pioneer Elite.


Take this review of the acclaimed Fujitsu P50XH10US for example:

http://www.guidetohometheater.com/showarchives.cgi?137


"Repeat Performance

I'll first address the traditional drawbacks of plasma displays. Most significant is a limited depth of black, combined with less-than-sparkling shadow detail. The Fujitsu P50-XHA10U didn't eliminate those problems. An image-free screen on this display–as from an open input–didn't look all that dark. It was a deep gray rather than true black, and not the equal of an HD2-chipped DLP projector on a Stewart FireHawk screen, much less a good CRT. ".


I was just pointing out my surprise that a Plasma was touted as having great blacks when my personal experience is otherwise. As a example I was comparing it to a DLP PJ (noting DLP's shortcomings also).


Bomber