Plasma TV recommendations

bikezappa · January 2005

Help

My sister saw a plasma tv and really liked the picture.

She wants me to get her one.

Can anyone recommend a HD ready plasma TV for around $3000 or less.

Thanks much

Peter

Toxis · January 2005

Need a new brother? There's a few amps I wouldn't mind trying out...

Unless you're short on room, trying to mount the tv to the wall, or just trying to impress other's... don't go plasma. There's no point in it seeing you'll get twice the picture from a tube or even a high end CRT RPTV (Mitsu Diamond for instance). If space is an issue, build it into the wall so it LOOKS flat.

fireshoes · January 2005

There aren't really any HD-ready plasmas for under $3000, at least at an authorized retailer. HP has a 42" at $4k. It's not very good though. You can get an ED plasma for $3k though. Panasonic and Hitachi are pretty nice there.

bikezappa · January 2005

Thanks guys for your information.

I agree with you regarding the wisdom of buying a plasma TV, but my sister wants it not me. I told her to get a dlp front projector, but she isn't listening.

PolkThug · January 2005

Check out Panasonic and LG HD plasmas if you don't want to break the bank.

Toxis · January 2005

Originally posted by PolkThug
Check out Panasonic and LG HD plasmas if you don't want to break the bank.

just to bad they're never in stock. Both companies are piss poor about shipping anything.

fireshoes · January 2005

Man, I hear ya there.

madmax · January 2005

Originally posted by Toxis
Need a new brother? There's a few amps I wouldn't mind trying out...

Unless you're short on room, trying to mount the tv to the wall, or just trying to impress other's... don't go plasma. There's no point in it seeing you'll get twice the picture from a tube or even a high end CRT RPTV (Mitsu Diamond for instance). If space is an issue, build it into the wall so it LOOKS flat.

Totally disagree. I have yet to see a tube pic that doesn't get spanked by plasma.
madmax

LuSh · January 2005

Probably because the Tube TV wasn't using the same source as the Plasma, I've never seen a Plasma use a mediocre source. A CRT tv will beat a plasma everytime. Don't take it from me, or a magazine, talk to somebody who works at Hitachi, Sony, Pioneer...they will tell you the same thing.

I Know this because I've worked in the industry and continue to do so, its been known for sometime that crt will outperform plasma, usually by a very wide margin. Take a 34" XBR CRT hd tube and put it next to the top of the line Plasma Pioneer Elite, and you'll be shocked at which one looks better, and it won't be close.

madmax · January 2005

You, sir, are disagreeing with me.

madmax

PolkThug · January 2005

A lot of people like the look of the plasma picture. However, if you like your output to look like the source, then I don't recommend plasma. Most plasma TV's have crushing blacks and exagerrated color, which results in less detail than the source material. Other TV's have these problems as well, but plasmas see to fall into this category more often than not.

Regards,
PolkThug

bknauss · January 2005

Plasma is a dead end technology. It sucks up a huge amount of power, has burn in problems, and it ridiculously priced. I don't know about everyone else, but I've noticed BB and CC not stocking as many plasmas but jumping all over LCDs now.

I say get her an LCD. I prefer DLP, but I guess she's into the whole flat screen thing.

hatchm · January 2005

Sound & Vision mag has a comparison of LCD vs. Plasmas and the Plasmas actually came out on top (not sure which models) which surprised me. I think (almost) everybody still says that tube or CRT are the way to go for best picture but it's hard to beat the size of Plasmas/LCD. I'm a DLP fan but still scared off by the cost of replacing the bulbs (that and the Ms. not willing to shell out $3k for a new tv).

CRTs are nice, I got a free 48" non-HD from my neighbor replacing my 32" Tosiba TV and the problem is that it's friggin' huge (may help push the wife to a DLP though). Now I need to buy stands for my Monitor 5Jrs since I had them on a bookshelf before. That or pick up a set of R30 floorstanders that Frys has on sale for $50/each (and CC will match). But my wife is not a music or HT fan, more of a background music girl...

Still have to tell her about the new Technics SH-10/SL-1000 Mk2 I scored ($50 w/ Shure V15V-MR cart).

PolkThug · January 2005

I saw that comparison, comparing one lcd to one plasma is pretty worthless. IMO, S&V reviews are crap for the most part. Recently, they reviewed the latest Blose Lifestyle system with flying colors. Funny this is, years ago, they were the ones that revealed how crappy the FR of the cubes and module were.

bknauss · January 2005

Here's a test: compare the standard def quality of plasma vs. DLP. I've heard plasmas are pretty bad in that department. And I guess they didn't go into the whole thing about LCDs being much more efficient with power. My LCD uses a little brick for 19"... beats the hundreds of watts a plasma can eat up.

Toxis · January 2005

Originally posted by madmax
Totally disagree. I have yet to see a tube pic that doesn't get spanked by plasma.
madmax

obviously you're one of the "Star Struck" people when they see a plasma. I look at them and think "Dear god... people will buy anything." Their pictures look like **** (except the Elites and they don't look to bad). As already stated, put one up against a 34" XBR and be prepared to be shocked. And for RPTV, I'm still a firm believer that you can't beat the picture of the Mitsu Diamond. DLP and LCD don't stand a chance. We put a 55" CRT in front of the samsung DLP's (both lines) and the Mitsu 52" DLP... 2 out of 35 people I work with chose the DLP's... 33 chose the CRT. Interesting how people relate new technology to being better...............not always!

madmax · January 2005

I seriously do not understand what you guys are seeing. I'll admit that most of the plasma units I've seen in stores are set up poorly with the brightness and contrast set to eye bleeding levels and such but once you dial it in correctly they are a vision to behold. Maybe it's a loss of eyesite from staring at the audio tubes all the time.

madmax

Toxis · January 2005

yup... plasma's are video's answer to Bose. Think about it... Bose sounds like **** right? Well so do 95% of plasma's. Do all bose sound like ****? No. The 901's can be amazing speakers, as can select plasmas. Will a 901 ever be a Grand Utopia or a Statement E2? No. Will a Plasma ever be a CRT? No.

bknauss · January 2005

People who like plasmas are just like moths attracted to bright lights. Cause that's the whole "ooo aaa" about the plasma... its bright!

madmax · January 2005

:eek:

madmax · January 2005

Sorry, just hit my head on the damn glass again...
madmax

fireshoes · January 2005

I don't like plasma picture quality in general. I notice the sub-pixels flickering too much. If you don't know what I mean, try getting closer. Maybe a foot away or closer if you need to. I notice it at normal distances though.

polksda · January 2005

I've seen some plasmas that looked decent when calibrated, but when you take the cost differential into account, plasma loses bigtime. I realize the attractiveness of the form factor, but IMHO if you're buying a TV for the sake of the box rather than the PQ, something's wrong.

If I were looking for a smaller form factor replacement for my honkin' 300-lb 65" CRT RPTV right now, I'd be looking at the newest Mitsubishi DLP sets. A local dealer has a 62" on display, and once properly calibrated, it looked quite nice. Not quite as slim as a plasma, but a much better picture IMHO. Still a bit pricey at a tad over $4K, but how much is a 60"+ plasma?

If you don't want to take up half the room with CRT, I think DLP is the way to go over plasma...

PolkThug · January 2005

I think it will interesting to see the triple DLP sets coming out, the ones with a chip for each color and no color wheel. Welcome back convergence!

Early B. · January 2005

Too many decisions and too much money for a freakin' television. I think I'll hold onto my old 36" tube TV until you guys get all of this stuff straightened out.

Will there be a single technology that ultimately dethrones tube TVs due to low cost and higher quality?

madmax · January 2005

I watched a few movies last night and tried to pick out all the flaws I could with the plasma. On the movie Starsky and Hutch I noticed several shots that went out of focus. It was very noticeable and annoying because the in focus ones were extremely clear. Of course that is a function of the media, not the display device. I watched the Fast and the Furious movie again and noticed some of the car colors didn't look real. There was a pink and a green one. The green one looked like flouresent (sp) green. Obviously no car is painted flouresent green, everyone knows that. On a standard tube I'm sure it just looks light green.
On the movie Drumline there was way too much green in the on-field shots. It was quite annoying. Green reflecting off the tubas, off the trumpets, off of everything. I'm thinking they were marching on grass or something. You would never see that on a tube.

madmax

PolkThug · January 2005

Originally posted by madmax

madmax

Yes Max, we know you don't have buyer's remorse.

Toxis · January 2005

Originally posted by madmax
You would never see that on a tube.
madmax

have you honestly ever seen a reputable source admit that plasma is better than CRT/tube? I know I haven't. But then again, some people love their Kia's...

madmax · January 2005

Originally posted by Toxis
have you honestly ever seen a reputable source admit that plasma is better than CRT/tube? I know I haven't. But then again, some people love their Kia's...

I typically make my own decisions about quality so I really have not looked for anyone blessing or bashing the technology, just the benifits and faults. If mass acceptance is a big issue for you then it will be a long time until you migrate towards any technology.

madmax

JohnnyB · January 2005

I was at Tweaters the other day, and foung the Panasonic 37" plasma EDTV to be very very nice!! I was watching it side by side with a Sony 34" CRT, and the color and contrast were much better than the Sony. Yes, adjustments can be made to correct the color and contrast. I think a person needs to decide what kind of tv they will be watching the most. I think the EDTV has a great overall picture, although not a sharp as HDTV. The EDTV has a far better picture than the HDTV when viewing a non-high def signal. As far as a DVD, very nice!!! The Panasonic can be had for around $2300.00 Something to think about.

Toxis · January 2005

Originally posted by madmax
I typically make my own decisions about quality so I really have not looked for anyone blessing or bashing the technology, just the benifits and faults. If mass acceptance is a big issue for you then it will be a long time until you migrate towards any technology.

madmax

it's not about having mass acceptance. It's about looking towards experts when you obviously don't truly understand newer technologies. Because you know a lot about audio does not translate into video... I choose to know a little about everything. "Jack of all trades, master of none." Anyhow... hope you enjoy your plasma. It has great "wow" factor.

Plasma TV recommendations

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