i'm about to buy a plasma...i'm doing some research, but wanted know of any personal exper. in your purchases...which ones to buy/stay away from.....

do you really want a plasma? have you looked at DLP? I could not stand to buy a plasma knowing their life span is about 8 -10 and when they go bad you just throw it way.

oh...see it's stuff like that, that i don't know...thanks

I'm in the hunt as well. From what I've learned, Plasma 8-10 years, LCD 10-12 years. I've decided against DLP as there seems to be a visablity problem from angles. I'm leaning towards Philips LCD.

T.C.

I guess it depends on the size of the room regarding off axis viewing on a DPL.. I don't have that issue in the room I keep mine. Other benfit is when the bulb goes out it is user replaceable. The tv I replaced was a gun rear screen.. I though I was going to have that TV for a long time... right up until one of the guns leaked on to one of the boards..... so I was concerned bout life span....

http://pub1.ezboard.com/bdigitaltelevisionhdtvforum

good info on this site

I have been casually followed flat panel stuff, but am not as up on it as a serious shopper would be. Plasma vs. LCD is an interesting decision right now. It used to be that the price premium for an LCD made it hard to not buy a Plasma. Many people are concerned about the lifespan of the Plasma and potential for image burn in. A previous line of thought was to just buy a nice Plasma now (and save many thousands of dollars that you would have spent on an LCD of the same size). Use the Plasma for as long as it lasts, then when it dies, take whatever you saved from your original purchase and then buy some type of next gen LCD that should be cheap at that point.

But, the prices for LCDs have been dropping pretty quickly and unless you want something larger than about 40 inches, the LCDs are attractive at this point. Especially as they are HD and not ED models.

I am not a fan of rear projection units. I have a CRT rear projection right now and I will never do CRT again and I probably will not ever do any type of projection in general (rear or regular projector). So for me, DLP and LCD projectors are out of the question so I am not as well read on those. Rear projectors ARE cheaper for a given screen size however.

Regarding brands, many people are fans of the Panasonic Plasmas and currently the Sharp LCDs have a large following. There are plenty of others that people are happy with. If you are considering an off brand or specific model (such as found at places like Walmart, Cosco, Sams Club, etc.), I would research it. Many of these use panels that are built by some of the bigger manufactures, but will have skimped somewhere else (type and number of tuners, number and types of video inputs, response time of the panels, speakers, etc.) to achieve the lower price point. You generally get what you pay for, but you sometimes pay for a name and sometimes good deals can be found in the off brands (but not always). I would suggest reading up here…

http://www.avsforum.com/
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/

(second link is directly into the forum area)

They have a flat panel display area that is pretty active. There are lots of “What 32” LCD should I buy” or “I have $2000 t spend, what should I buy” types of threads.

Good luck!

I'm a big fan of SONY products, BUT if you want LCD the Sharp AQUOS 45" line offers the best specs. The 45" (and 65" coming soon) offer 1920 x 1080 resolution - which is FULL 1080i/1080p resolution. This is HDTV as it's meant to be. Almost every other panel is 1366x768 or similar resolution. That's ok, but it's not the best res for HDTV. It will show you 720p resolutions 1:1 but 1080i/1080p HDTV will be down scaled to fit. These aren't cheap panels, but they really are the best choice for an HDTV panel at the moment.

When I move back to LA, I plan on putting a 45" on the new boat.

Sharp AQUOS

This is what I have heard. Over the past year or two the plasmas have been getting better.

I bought a Panasonic 50" (see photo below)


Plasma Life expectancy

Jeff

Depending on what it is used for and if you are able to control the darkening of the room consider a projector. I choose the projector and find it is way more pleasing to view than any tv i have seen. The plasma's and lcd are great if you enjoy tv viewing, if you enjoy movies or the experience of film like quality take a look at the projectors. HDTV on a projector watching football or the world series on a wall sized screen is awesome. I plan on replacing some of the tvs in my house with 26" plasma or lcd flat screens but they could never replace or come close to the quality picture i get from my projector in a darkened room.

Here is a picture of my projector setup with the screen up.

Ahhhhh.....

Plasma screens.... Military used them in the 80's. DOD asked us to bid on a movie theatre sized screen for a secret underground site...

Then we figgered out that that many plasma screens would produce enough radiation in the room to kill everyone.....

Hadda tell them the truth..

Often wondered how much radiation is beamed to the head from a CRT monitor a couple of feet away...

Kenny likes liquid crystal displays... Just something interesting about making color pictures from Jell-0 and lighting them up with a backlight.... Low rads too....

Ken

Plasma screens are only made by Toshiba, Panasonic and Samsung.

That's about all I know except I can't afford a TV and Race tires.

QUOTE (Joe Ricard @ Nov 14 2005, 09:00 AM)

Plasma screens are only made by Toshiba, Panasonic and Samsung. That's about all I know except I can't afford a TV and Race tires.

There are only a handfull of OEM manufactures for Plasma and LCD. Everyone uses one of these and then puts their name on it. Some use the basic "panels" and build their own electronics that go in the unit.

I think the plasma list is...

NEC (now ownded by Pioneer)
Panasonic
Fujitsu/Hitachi (partnership)
Samsung
LG


I think the LCD list is...

Sharp
Samsung/Sony (partnership)
LG/Philips (partnership)
AUO
Chi Mei

I might be missing something from those lists.

i bought a sony 42" projection lcd hdtv. for a table top unit it is very thin. much thinner than a std crt but not so thin as to hang on the wall. bulbs should last about 2 years with my viewing habits then replace and good as new. great angle of viewing and sound. just my .02.......

I have been researching this for the past couple of months and
decided on the Dell 37" LCD.
It has an amazing pictue especially on High Deff channels and
on my upconverting Samsung DVD player.
There is a lot of info out there on all types of tv's.
Take your time and do your homework, there is lots to choose from.

I'd say choose on what you like the best. Plasma's ARE getting better and it looks like life span will be at least 10 years on a new one. LCDs dont last forever either, and neither do the DLPs. Don't buy a tv based on how long it MIGHT or might not last because unless you REALLY are sure you will be keeping the same tv in 10 or 15years, it doesnt matter. How many tvs have you had in the past 10 or 15 years. Now for my opinions (i sold tvs and electronics for a while so i looked at them all day, haha). Plasma's have much richer colors, LCD color is wonderful but they just aren't the same (its mainly a brightness thing). LCD and DLP has a certain crispness that plasma's lack. An LCD has a slight lag on it and the occaisonal expert (not me) can notice trails and drag lines which the DLPs dont have and plasmas really dont have at all. I really like the newer DLP tv's because i feel they are a good balance of everything you could want in a tv. They exhibit great viewing at angles, but not as nice as a plasma or an LCD. All this stuff that everyone is saying basically translates into the fact that you should just pic what you like best. Look at them, look at friends and neighbors. Don't just look at it online, and don't beleive everything people tell you. To be honest, if i could pick, i'd buy a top of the line projector D-ILA and a top of the line screen. It pretty much beats them all in every category. You really cant beat that, especially with the new projector technology. But look at where you want it, is it going to be in direct sunlight, are you going to need to see it from an angle, do you want to mount it on a wall, do you want more of a sports tv, or a movie theater, or more of a stylish accent. I feel like ALL the options are amazing right now and it just comes down to personal preference. My old HDTV is still great. But this is just my opinion, and here is a more expert OPINION on the technologies its a pretty good comparison of each of the technologies
Hope this helps

My question is - Is there a barrier that these technologies are going to overcome to lower prices? I mean, will there be larger than 37" LCD's two years from now? Will Plasmas drop another $1000 in two years? Will the LCD projection be relegated to the land of Betamax and colecoVision? Basically, pull the trigger now, or is it smarter to wait antoher 12-18 months?

QUOTE (roundboy914 @ Nov 14 2005, 08:43 PM)

My question is - Is there a barrier that these technologies are going to overcome to lower prices?  I mean, will there be larger than 37" LCD's two years from now?  Will Plasmas drop another $1000 in two years?  Will the LCD projection be relegated to the land of Betamax and colecoVision?  Basically, pull the trigger now, or is it smarter to wait antoher 12-18 months?

There are LCD's larger than 37" now and yes prices are dropping every day
on LCD's and Plasma's.
Costco has some good deals.

QUOTE (iamchappy @ Nov 14 2005, 09:08 AM)

Depending on what it is used for and if you are able to control the darkening of the room consider a projector. I choose the projector and find it is way more pleasing to view than any tv i have seen. The plasma's and lcd are great if you enjoy tv viewing, if you enjoy movies or the experience of film like quality take a look at the projectors. HDTV on a projector watching football or the world series on a wall sized screen is awesome. I plan on replacing some of the tvs in my house with 26" plasma or lcd flat screens but they could never replace or come close to the quality picture i get from my projector in a darkened room.

I second front projection depending on your room and lighting. I have Sony VPL-HS10 w/ *90" screen* but considering Panasonic AE900. So for $2000 you can have a small "short or long throw" front projector that can be mounted on ceiling, coffee table, or even the back wall bookshelf.

http://www.visualapex.com/lcdprojectors/LC...U&MFR=Panasonic

Then use the wall or a cheap $150 screen.

QUOTE (soupbone @ Nov 14 2005, 11:15 PM)

QUOTE (iamchappy @ Nov 14 2005, 09:08 AM) Depending on what it is used for and if you are able to control the darkening of the room consider a projector. I choose the projector and find it is way more pleasing to view than any tv i have seen. The plasma's and lcd are great if you enjoy tv viewing, if you enjoy movies or the experience of film like quality take a look at the projectors. HDTV on a projector watching football or the world series on a wall sized screen is awesome. I plan on replacing some of the tvs in my house with 26" plasma or lcd flat screens but they could never replace  or come close to the quality picture i get from my projector in a darkened room. I second front projection depending on your room and lighting. I have Sony VPL-HS10 w/ *90" screen* but considering Panasonic AE900. So for $2000 you can have a small "short or long throw" front projector that can be mounted on ceiling, coffee table, or even the back wall bookshelf. http://www.visualapex.com/lcdprojectors/LC...U&MFR=Panasonic Then use the wall or a cheap $150 screen.

I just bought at Costco on Saturday the SHARP XR-11XC DLP Projector it has 2000 Lumens and 2000:1 Contrast and XGA 1024x768 Resolution, not bad, shows very crisp on a 12 ft Screen, I also picked up a ONKYO TX-SR702 THX Select 7.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver. ya baby.
I'm experiencing some problems getting everything hooked up,
These products really make you feel stupid today.
Not sure if I'm keeping the Sharp, I'm willing to spend up to $3500 so if I find a better Projector and it's really that much better I'll trade up.
If you have and suggestions I'm all ears.

My .02 worth
Spend the money today, enjoy it while you can, up grade it when you can.
Have fun life is short.

we put a 100" electric screen and NEC projector in the living room a couple years ago. Watch it once in a while for movies or the kids use it.

My big problem with going to flat panel TV is the 16:9 format. I actually like the wide format but 98% of what we watch is old 4:3 format (SAT TV, etc). I absolutely can't stand stretching out the image to fit 16:9 so you would end up with big black bars on each side of the picture with most programs.

Does the format issue bother anyone else?

The Wall Street Journal had a good article last week on flat screen TVs ......can't remember which day it was although I think it was the weekend edition that you can access on line.

QUOTE (meares @ Nov 14 2005, 05:30 AM)

i'm about to buy a plasma...i'm doing some research, but wanted know of any personal exper. in your purchases...which ones to buy/stay away from.....

I just realized that I don't think anyone asked what you will be using this for. Is this going to be in a home theature setup in which you probably will be lowering the light level and watching movies most of the time, or is this a direct replacement for a regular TV in which you are casually watching a wide variety of shows?

My opinion is that if it is a dedicated home theature setup, then maybe a projector would work best (as some have suggested). For a given screen size it is cheaper to use a front projector. Problem is that they are not as bright (if you project them up to a big theature size) so you have the have the lights dim or off. This doesn't work well for middle of the day viewing with light streaming in the windows. Also you have the cost, setup, etc. of screen, running cables, mounting the projector.

Something like the flat panel plasma, lcd or even the thin rear projectors make a bettter general purpose TV. Not the ultimate of a projector and screen, but easy to just setup, turn on and chill out. I just depends upon what you want to us it for.

Regarding the comment about the 16:9 comment above. It depends upon what you want to watch. I personally think that a few years ago the 4:3 vs. 16:9 was a valid argument. But today most prime time shows are produced in 16:9 at this point. But for a number of shows you still get 4:3. So it is something you should be aware of if you are getting a new TV. It seems like the number of 4:3 stuff that is being made today in the higher end TVs is becomming very rare. I personally watch 4:3 stuff stretched to fit into 16:9

it's going over the fireplace in a room with a bunch of windows...i'm thinking of a 50".......philips lcd or panasonic plasma

Here's a usefull piece of advice.. Don't buy the Panasonic 50" LCD unit. I think it's PT50LC13 or something like that. I've owned it for two years now and the "F"ing bulb has just gone out for the 4th time. I'm absolutely livid about it. I have a 3 yr warranty from Sears but I want to take this set back for a refund or replacement. The bulb is supposed to give an indication of how many hours it has left but mine just dies and we have to be without the set for a week each time the (nonshallante) repairman has to order a bulb. BTW, those bulbs are expensive if you don't get a service plan. This darn TV was close to $3K and it goes out every few months. Manufacturers put a note in the warranty info too stating that bulbs (lamps) are wear items and will need to be replaced, to cover their ass. I won't be getting another Panasonic.

Doug C

QUOTE (MJHanna @ Nov 14 2005, 05:55 AM)

I could not stand to buy a plasma knowing their life span is about 8 -10 and when they go bad you just throw it way.

I don't think I've ever owned a tv for that long.

QUOTE (Headrage @ Nov 15 2005, 12:04 PM)

QUOTE (MJHanna @ Nov 14 2005, 05:55 AM) I could not stand to buy a plasma knowing their life span is about 8 -10 and when they go bad you just throw it way.  :o I don't think I've ever owned a tv for that long.

I've got a 36" JVC crt that I bought in 92. I've also got a 32" RCA that I bought in 90. There's a 5" GE in my kitchen that my folks bought new in 1987. There are more, but not nearly as old

QUOTE

The bulb is supposed to give an indication of how many hours it has left but mine just dies and we have to be without the set for a week each time the (nonshallante) repairman has to order a bulb. BTW, those bulbs are expensive if you don't get a service plan.

You should try getting a power conditioner. You may be getting voltage spikes or your house may be running hot +120v.

Power

I have a HTS1000. It does helps with video but really made a difference with audio quality.

http://www.monstercable.com/power/productP...Theater%20Power

I read the Saturday Nov 12 Wall Street Journal article last week.

They said buying the plasma/flat screen is the tip of the iceberg...

In fact, they called the article "The Elephant in the Living Room"

Cited needing $250 worth of cable$

And up to $675 to run the cable$

They come with small sound systems necessitating buying a BIG $500-$1000 $urround $ound to go with the plasma/flat screen...

AND the $15 more a month upgraded cable service

Then the TIVO don't work well with the screen so you need about $400 for a special HI-D digital recorder with TIVO..

And the wall mount bracket is $200

And fights on who gets to use the screen for X-box, News, whatever

And regular DVD's look like crap- 480 lines on a 1080 line screen

And the colors are adjusted off so you have to pay to get that tweeked.......

And a 1-5 second channel surfing delay....

AND...

Not a very complementary article....

Ken

DYI and save, these things are very easy to hook up, HDTV signals are free over the air and also produce the highest quaility picture. A good antenne is all thats needed.

QUOTE (iamchappy @ Nov 15 2005, 01:53 PM)

DYI and save, these things are very easy to hook up, HDTV signals are free over the air and also produce the highest quaility picture. A good antenne is all thats needed.

Worried about ugly cables, WAF!, or drilling holes in the wall?

Use flat ones and paint over it. http://www.decorp.com/

Whoops yea and over the air HDTV PCI Tuner cards for PC are $65.

Seems a lot of people already have weighed in here, but I thought I'd add a little info...

There are a host of issues to look at, but cost is always a consideration. Size for size, res vs res, plasmas are still cheaper. Are they better? Well, that's a matter of debate. But here are some things I can tell you...

CRT's (conventional TV tubes), are very capable in a multitude of lighting situations. There is generally one specular and one diffuse surface. "Specular" meaning "mirror-like". So if there's a light source in the room, it will reflect an image of that source. Diffuse meaning just that, it reflects a fuzzed and/or reduced (or eliminated) source.

LCD's are GREAT in rooms with ambient light sources, there are generally NO specular surfaces in the display and the diffuse reflector surface is generally AR coated (meaning it will retartd or eliminate altoghther, reflections.).

Plasmas generally have not one, not two, but THREE specular reflecting surfaces. Which means that unless you're putting it in a home theater, with very well controlled lighting, you're GOING to get reflections and glare on the screen from light sources in the room. What does that mean? It's better in the dark...

Another thing, Plasmas tend to suffer the same problems that CRT's do with regards to high contrast images. Put a white square on a black background, and you get a very high contrast image. Lot's of manufactuters like to claim a 500:1 contrast ratio, and that's usually how they measure it. Now, reverse that and put a black square on a white background, and you start to deplete to white heavilly. In many cases, your contrast ratio could drop to as little as 40:1. LCD's don't suffer this effect to anywhere near the same degree, and can deliver more consistent images depending on lighting.

My preference? I wouldn't know, I couldn't afford either right now...

If anyone's interested, here's a really great spot to learn all you never wanted to know about flat panel displays...

http://www.fpdl.nist.gov/tips.html

I just started doing some work in this project, and it's really cool. A nice change of pace from lasers and detectors and stuff...

-Josh2

Personally, I wouldn't worry about the lifespan of the technology. Ten years from now there will be something new, and it will cost less.

Whenever I go look at all the units at a large electronics store, there are definitely a couple that stand out to me... I wouldn't buy one sight-unseen.

How far are you from the Fry's in Duluth?

QUOTE

Cited needing $250 worth of cable$ And up to $675 to run the cable$

If you are worried about cables purchase one with a built in tuner!! Problem solved with a set of RCA plugs, cable & power. All of which are cheep and you would need them with what ever you purchase. The one I got has a chip you can purchase form ComCast that will give you all of the channels and HDTV. The only thing you cant get direct to the tv is PayPerView but another RCA to the cable box and the problem is solved.

If anyone is interested in a 42" Dell, plasma, brand new in the box. $1850. Located in Portland Oregon contact me.
Craig C. Laughlin