Need new TV - Flat screen PLASMA or LCD ??

I have heard that there is a Laser HD TV coming out soon. ( when ?, not too sure ! )
Its an Aussie invention, and is supposed to cream all the others, and at approx $1000, it will cream the prise factor too.

Now plasma screens are supposed to be the ultimate, at the moment but I'm no expert. I believe many of the cheaper plasma screens have inherant problems, and they do not like being moved, so there is your first hint.
I would settle for one of those hi def, LCD screens, , and when its all boiled down, the price will be the telling factor. LCD in hi def, are a lot cheaper, and I bet you can hardly tell the difference, they have come a long way.


I am sure there is a tech, on ExplorOz that willl help.

Cheers
Bucky

LCD are a step above Plasma. Less power, less heat, less problems with burn-in, greater resolution and so on. If you want a true hi-def set ignore all the "high def" claims and actually look at the resolution. Manufacturers will claim anything from 576 lines progressive as being high-def but true high def in broadcast television production terms (where I work) is either 1080i (interlaced) lines or 720p (progressive) lines of resolution. Many cheaper sets will not do true 1080.

Here is an example - a Sony "HD" set:
Link to Sony website
Look down the page at the specifications and note that it does 1366x768 (pixles x lines).
Sony have a range called "true high-def" if you want a full 1080 lines.

I looked at a Sony Bravia yesterday 40" was $2498 with a free PS3 too - Bargain I reckon. True HD 1920x1080 (1080p) in a LCD screen.

I wouldnt touch plasma, LCD are the go, less power, heat and hassle.

Hi Mainey, Im in the same boat, the more research and the more salesmen I talk to, the more confused I become. Until I ran into our local TV repairman having a beer at the club. Ahhh!!!! why didnt I think of that before.

These things like "lines-progressive-pixels-resolution" etc, are all important factors as mentioned above, but to most people dont mean a hell of a lot.

Plasma= Great picture, sucks a remarkable amount of power, and mostly unservicable, ie: when it stops....thats it....kaput.

Lcd= Again great picture, not as heavy on power and although servicable, will cost an arm and a leg.

Laser= A level above the other two again, shouldnt be on the market for quite some time because the technology still needs a little ironing out and more importantly, the amount of money current manufacturers have invested in plasma/lcd production.

He also mentioned to be very careful to stay away from the lesser known brands which are advertised at knock-down prices as in this case its definitly "get what you pay for". However he did say, also, to be a bit weary of the top end of the market as there are a few little tricks used to drag that extra few grand out of your pocket.
The main one being: when your in a store they have banks of TVs on display all on one channel and one or two set up as a feature display playing a different clip or movie. These for some reason seem to have a better picture/sound quality and bigger price tag.

The salesman unless pushed will not tell you that they are using clips, Blue-Ray, highly computerised picture/sound delivery systems etc to provide that "awesome experience", when you get the panel home and start watching normal TV, never quite the same as in the store.

His best advice: get that extended warrantee.

Hope this does not confuse you even more....lol.

Cheers....Lionel.

A nice easy to read review of the differences can be found here ===> http://www.lcdtvbuyingguide.com.au/lcd_vs_plasma.php

I like LCD if nothing else, due to the lower power usage. (good for kids who watch TV)

Beware of those stores that display "The Incredibles" (movie) on their screens to show the ability of the unit....they need to show a nice action movie (and the local news) on the SAME tv, to display the full capabilities of the unit.

Andrew

what vehicle is this going in?

Leroy.......

ps plasma is for fast action pics.....no lag! But the current generation lcd's are catching up.

It's not my field but from what I have learned you are getting good advice from all the replies here. I would add that where ever and what ever you get you should VERY carefully check-out the warrantee ! I have heard of some rather poor ones for the plasma sets.

Last i heard, the release of laser tv's was pushed back to late 2008 even 2009. But this is a superior formate with much higher contrast ratios and better response times along with even more accurate colour representation than the current formats.

SAMSUNG LCD with built in HD TV Tuner . and they're not made in China.
I have the 66cm , And it is also used as PC monitor, big enough for a caravan,

What Television Shoppers Need to Know


>

LCD., make sure that it has an inbuilt HD Tuner (retailers and public should DEMAND that ALL such TVs have inbuilt tuners), at this stage, cost of servicing can be high however in time this will reduce as market becomes flooded and repairers gain necessary skills. How much to spend - how long is a piece of string ! Obviously depends on your budget etc. Stick with better known brands - Panasonic has always served me very well. Sony is another pretty good brand.

Something I don't think anyone has mentioned. I have a toddler and another on the way, toddlers love to touch TV screens, have been told touch a plasma and you can bugger that point of the screen, touch an LCD and nothing goes wrong.

Also, I had the moatherboard on my Canon video camera 3.5yrs old die, cost to replace was more than the camera. Apparently that's what goes after a few years in electronic fridges, and cameras, etc and ... plasma and LCD TC's - at least the cheap ones. So yeah I second get the brand name and get the extended warranty and if there is any chance of enquiring toddlers go LCD.

alot of rumours and inuendos about plasmas and burn-in and touching the screen and what-not. All of it spread by ppl who are selling or who have bought LCDs

Similarly alot of guff about LCDs and their ghosting. Any review that is sponsored or hosted by a pro-LCD (or pro-plasma) organisation needs to be read with some scepticism.

I researched this about 3 months ago and bought a 42" plasma for the main reasons of:

- it's usually only on for a couple of hours a day (kids have their own CRT TV) so power usage is not really an issue
- I mainly watch sports and movies (fast action footage) and I prefer the more vibrant colours of the plasma. If i mainly watched documentaries or news or similar slow(er) action footage then an LCD would be better
- I can control the lighting in my room very well but a plasma means that I can use it during the day and still leave the blinds open

The plasma does put out a bit of heat so if it is in a small room then an LCD may be better. Had a DVD player "still-frame" on the plasma screen for a 10 minutes once and it ghosted there for about 15 seconds until I started playing a movie again. Burn-in issues do not affect current technology plasmas like they used to.

You will be happy with whatever you get - the big LCD and plasma screens all make the old CRT TVs look ordinary. Make sure you get an inbuilt tuner (and 2 if possible) to avoid compatability issues. Make sure you keep the kids away from it and get a 5 year warranty.

Good luck!

Agree with most of the comments above.


MAKE SURE you get an In built HD tuner and they say the following

Under 40" get an LCD, above 40"" get a Plasma. Plasma technology has improved and there are some fantastic bargains around at the moment ...saw a Samsung 42" Plasma HD for $1497 at Good Guys ..WOW !!!! That is what I paid for my CRT LG 68" Flat screen 6 years ago !!!!!

I have an NEC 42" Plasma and I bloody love it !!!!

LCD can be a bit bright watching it for long periods and I know of people who get headaches from it...

Major audio visual in the entertainment industry is either Barco, Sony, or Panasonic projection. Monitors are mainly Sony or Panasonic.
Although LED is now the go in most large format events.

Large monitors were plasma at first but LCD use has increased.
Always check for resolution as psproule stated.
Buy with HD tuner or it's just a monitor. Then if you have a HD tuner in your hard drive/ dvd player/recorder you can watch and record different programs at the same time.

Most people compare color when weighing up sets, but also compare black, as the black gives you shadow and depth.
I know that sounds stupid but start looking at the black and you will start to notice the difference.

Also check out the geek websites that compare products some of the feedback is fantastic. Just google the item and if it has been released for some time there will be a pro's n con's feed back somewhere.
I like LCD, but then you never ask a stranger to pick the couch in your living room, you pick what's comfortable.

Very simple really.

Under 40" go LCD, over 40" go Plasma if you like watching fast action as in sport.

Don't buy anything without full HD with inbuilt full HD tuner. Not that broadcast TV will be full HD anytime soon, but the highest spec doesn't cost any more than the lowest.

Don't buy anything other than the latest Samsung LCD

Site Link

You can find something on TV worth spending more than $200 on a TV? Your doing better than I am... Not even the weather is exciting enough

If you have cable, get a plasma - HD will be of no value to you because the cable feed is alteady digital high definition.
HD is how free to air gets the same picture quality as cable.
So, if you don't have cable, HD will give you a better opicture.

Mainey,
Go to the newsagent, have a look at the computer magazines, namely APC,(Australian Personal Computer) ANNUAL 2007. It has a buying guide for LCD v Plasma.
1080p is true HD but can only be seen on a 1080p tv when the input is 1080p such as blue ray or HD DVD disks and you'll need a blue ray player. TV stations don't broadcast at such high resolution. The TV will rescale the signal to make it fit the screen.
The most common mid range HD TV resolution is 1366 x 768 and will more than satisfy most people.
Plasma is more suited to home theatre setups in darker rooms.
LCD is better suited to lighter areas such as most peoples lounge/kitchen, any room that has a fair amount of light entering through a window. This is due to the LCD being backlit and providing a stronger picture in the lighter rooms.

Rob

G'day
Well plenty of different opinions just like TV s to choose from
We just bought a new one so know what its like , there are plenty of websites with useful info.
We chose LCD but wanted one of those new ones much better for sport ect.
Also wanted True HD i.e. 1080 res.
And yes there are quiet a few programs now broadcasting in 1080 res.
but it would depend on where you live ,
And once you have seen a broadcast in True HD you will not want less , Have been watching the Test match and have never seen it better
As for brands we had it down to Sharp , Sony Or Samsung
We chose the Sharp , a bit more expensive than the other 2 but worth it in our opinion
A hint get them to turn the TV off and look for reflections on the screen The Sharp you could barely see the reflection of lights but the Samsung showed the reflections like a mirror
On the Sony the colours looked a bit over done , great at first glance but would be tireing to watch for a longer period
Only you can decide , but no matter what and when we but there will always be a better one cheaper next month , look at how things have changed in the last year
I believe that now the TV stations have started True 1080HD sets that are capable of that will become the norm.
Garry
A 3 year warranty was also a selling point

so much contradictory advice !!!!

best bet is to make up your own mind , main valid points - do you have direct sunlight or will viewing be in a darkened room.

Look on ebay for great bargains - or if your in sydney try the auctions at Frank street wetheril park ( cant remember the name right now ) seen a 50Inch plasma going for about 2 k -- same one in stores was 4 k +

ok maybe a little risky not buying from a large retailer , but you also not paying there rent and Wages for the brainless school dropouts that seam to make there way to those places for employment, and lets face it . Most warranty isn't worth the paper its written on. AND , most appliances will not be covered if you have an electrical spike and its up to you to prove you didn't have one to cause your blow up :) , and this is usually the first thing they try to scream at you ....

Boc

You want to save dollars ??? Plasma

Is LCD better ?? The umpires out !!

Pioneer have a new plasma out thats supposed to be 3 times as clear as their old model ???

Plasma aint dead just yet !!!!!!

The week before chrissy I had the stereo supplies (Brissie company) bloke out fitting a new doo dah to the thingy. My t.v. is a tomson tube tele - wide screen and flat. I thought I really wanted a new panel t.v. and was asking which one to buy off him. He must be a good salesman because he talked me out of buying anything. Apparently none of the panel ones give as good a picture as a high end tube tellie, and I'd be disappointed. He'll be getting my business when the time does come though. Hope this helps

FollowupID: 542833 Submitted: Friday, Dec 28, 2007 at 18:10
Geepeem posted:
Dear Formumites,

I have also been interested in the discussion about what to buy - LCD or Plasma. I have recently researched the Laser ones a bit. the technology behind the Laser Tv is by an Australian Company - Arasor based in South Australia.
According to their Web page Mitsubishi will release their first Laser production model at the January 08 tech show in USA. probably about 12 months before they are available in Australia I would guess.
Their claimed benefits of Laser are:
1. Expanded colour range:200% NTSC/HDTV
2. Brighter and more vibrant colour (instant on/off & no burn in)
3. Easy to scale up in screen size
4. Half the manufactured price os same size plasma
5. Significantly longer life and decrease need for repairs.
While LCD and Plasma will be around for a while yet the cost of buying them will probably be about 50% of what it is now in 12 months time - they will try to compete with laser on price as Laser quality will be superior and they would have recouped their development costs by now.
Arasor have just signed a huge contract with a chinese company to use Laser engine technology in the next generation of mobile phones. Probably the whole technology used in communications will switch to Laser in the next generation models.
I have no affiliation with Arasor - just been researching this for myself to see if its worth waiting to get a Laser TV or buy a plasma or LCD now. (if I buy now I will probably go LCD as they are more energy efficient).
Anyone interested can look up the Arasor webpage
www.arasor.com.au
Cheers to all and a Prosperous and Safe New Year.
GPM

FollowUp 1 of 1

I've looked in the 'specialist' TV stores, sat in their lounge area to watch and compare various TV's.

(I think) My choice is - LINK-> SONY Bravia

You also get a "free" Blue Ray disk player, if bought in January ($600?)

Does any forum members have this model ?

What's it really like in a real life situation.

Please talk me outa it into a 'cheaper' TV (that works just as good L0L)