[JuGgErS]

Ok so I have a Samsung LNT4061F that a friend of mine offered to buy. So now I am stuck w/ which TV to upgrade to. I really need to be able to buy the TV from Circuit City as I work there and can easily get 36 months interest free financing. I have a few stipulations though, I really want the TV to be able to take 1080p over VGA and component not just HDMI. The TV will be used for HD movies and over my Xbox 360 via VGA or if need be component. Above all I really want picture quality if I am not going to get a noticeable upgrade over my calibrated LNT4061F then it will just be a waste.


Now I have a few ideas thus far which are the Samsung 46" A650 or the Panasonic 46" 85U


Now I have heard plenty of good and bad for both of them. I would really like to move to a plasma (better color saturation, color accuracies, black levels, and motion resolution) but the Panasonic only takes 1080p over HDMI the component is limited to 1080i and the VGA is limited to 1366x768. Plus there is the off color accuracies and the noise reduction issue w/ the 85U. This would make me have to buy a newer Xbox 360 that has the HDMI port and then deal w/ the video issues. Or I just buy the Samsung 46" A650 for approximately the same price but sacrifice the deep blacks, color saturation, and motion resolution but then would have no need to get a newer Xbox 360.


There is one more competitor and it is the Panasonic 42" 800U which I have read has none of the issues that plagues the 85U series but I can not get it from CCity and I would still need to get a new Xbox 360 to get the 1080p via HDMI. I really like this one but I am having a hard time w/ a few things. One I really wanted to get a 46" TV but I have always gone w/ quality over quantity. Two I really don't want to have to buy a new Xbox 360. Three, buying a plasma over the internet scares me a bit.


Any additional insights or information would be greatly appreciated. I know this community has some great people w/ some great ideas so any of them are welcome.


Thanks again for reading this long post.


Juggers out.

 

[Peejay926]

The 800u would def be my top choice of the sets you have listed there. I assume you can't afford the 46" 800u. As far as lcds go the 650 is a lot better than the 61f.


Personally I'm not a huge fan of the 80u and 85u just due to the incredible amount of background noise other than that they are great sets.

 

[chadmak09]

I am a recovering LCD addict and I will tell you with certainty, The 800u is the best TV on the list. Hands down. Oh and don't worry abot the XBOX 360 problem, Just go get yourself a PS3 and call it a day! Top notch game system, internet browser, and a blu-ray player to boot. Can't beat that.

The LCD would definitly be the last on the list.

 

[Patrick.]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Peejay926 /forum/post/14272235


The 800u would def be my top choice of the sets you have listed there. I assume you can't afford the 46" 800u. As far as lcds go the 650 is a lot better than the 61f.


Personally I'm not a huge fan of the 80u and 85u just due to the incredible amount of background noise other than that they are great sets.

Configured properly in the right mode they aren't noisy, but I agree if I had to do it all over again PZ800U all the way, they seem to be the unbeatable value so far this year if you can't afford a Kuro.

 

[VarmintCong]



Quote:
Originally Posted by JuGgErS /forum/post/14271794


This would make me have to buy a newer Xbox 360 that has the HDMI port and then deal w/ the video issues.

I don't understand this - HDMI will look no different than component from the 360 - the XBox renders everything at 1280 x 720 and then upscales to 1080i or 1080p - so it's not like you're getting a native 1080p signal anyway.

 

[Patrick.]



Quote:
Originally Posted by VarmintCong /forum/post/14273607


I don't understand this - HDMI will look no different than component from the 360 - the XBox renders everything at 1280 x 720 and then upscales to 1080i or 1080p - so it's not like you're getting a native 1080p signal anyway.

Depends on the TV, some don't do component as clean as HDMI

 

[Rammitinski]

Even though I'm usually plasma all the way, I don't really like the dirty whites of the newer Panny plasmas, so I chose the Samsung.

 

[JuGgErS]

Thank you for your thoughts so far guys.


I have heard that they have dirty whites and that does worry me a bit. I am going to be taking my Xbox 360 into CCity this weekend and will be comparing the models w/ a few different games. I am gonna see if 1080i/720p over component for the Panasonics vs 1080p over VGA/component for the Samsung is even going to be noticeable to me.


This TV will be used for roughly 50% gaming and 50% watching HD movies. I am a bit worried about image retention as almost all games have static HUD displays (i play FPS games) and almost 99% of the movies I have are in 2.35:1 or 2.40:1 ratios. Will a plasma have issues w/ this? Will sticking w/ a LCD be a safer bet?


Also I hear over and over that you need to do a break in period for about 100 hours but then I hear it isn't necessary anymore. What are your guys ideas on this?


Thanks again for your time and patience.


Juggers out.

 

[Patrick.]

I'd honestly get an LCD if that's what you plan on doing with it, 50% movies sounds like a lot and a risk for uneven wear. The whites are fine for me but not quite an LCD type white. As for component definitely forget the Panasonics, they don't do it well and the VGA doesn't do 1080i/1080p

 

[badmeng]

I agree, I would go with the LCD.