i have 2 samsungs a 1080 lcd and 1080 plasma (im not sure on the i or p) for sports, the plasma is much much nicer, but both are very nice make sure the plasma (im not sure if all do) has an option to prevent/erase screen burn as like the score of the game or fox/cbs logo WILL burn in, at least mine does but the screen burn will erase it in like 10-15mins unless you ignore it for a while itll take longer.. i have surround sound on the plasma but i wouldnt say it is a must for sports.. it is awesome for movies/video games especially like call of duty with the bullets/explosions/etc, but for sports i wouldnt say it makes much of a difference i have a 42inch in both i really think its the perfect size.. can see so much of the field but hey if you can afford/want bigger, go for it
A lot of people love LCD, obviously. It depends on preference. The LCDs tend to look a bit fake and digital for my tastes, but there's a reason why they're leading the market by far. Good call, BTW, plugging settings from AVS Forum. Well, if you were going to go LCD again, you definitely made the right choice. Nobody else really compares favorably to the Samsung LCDs. The older plasma stigmas are a big reason why Plasma has failed, despite the problems being largely non-existent today. While I did run break-in on my Pioneer, it was largely unnecessary. I use it to watch sports, play video games, not a bit of burn in. The life has been extended quite a bit. I'm depressed as hell that Pioneer is leaving the TV business, but I've been able to get a few people I know 08 Kuros at prices under $2000 as a result. It helps to know the guys that Pioneer goes to when customers leave the major retailers. LOL, no kidding. Monoprice is my solution for ANYTHING cable related.
I'm looking forward to seeing what can be done with OLED in the years to come, but if I were to recommend a type of TV to most people these days, I would actually recommend plasma with a few caveats: You don't live in a high-altitude location. You handle it with care, always keep it upright, and never allow it to lie face down. You get a Panasonic, or if you can still find and afford one, a Pioneer. IgnatiusJReilly, you're certainly right about people having their HDTV preferences, and they can get fanatical. I read one recent blog post that discussed Pioneer's decision to discontinue production of TVs and the comments turned into a several hundred comment flame war of LCD vs. plasma that someone eventually had to turn into Obama vs. Bush. I'm not sure which candidate represented which panel technology, but I was both impressed and disappointed by what a fanboy can do.
I use Monster mostly because I know they are good, but there are plenty of other ones that are fine. The most important thing is to buy high quality cable (especially for speakers). It does make a difference. The thin crap picks up noise.
Just one man's opinion based on his experience... I've been using two plasma TVs for three years now after 20 years of old rear projection TVs. In my experience plasma has the best color, contrast and live- action clarity. I live in bright sunny Tejas and never close my blinds even on the brightest days. Burn- in will never be an issue in a current model either, and is usually correctable very simply. Pioneer is the best brand, but Panasonic is nearly as good and significantly cheaper. A Pana 50" 720p is around $950.00 at Fry's; a Pana 50" 1080p is around $1300.00 at the same store. I've seen a 58" 1080p plasma for $1999.00 recently; I think it's a Samsung but I'm not sure. Friends I know with LCDs have had to replace the bulbs every two years or so, and the picture looks inferior to the plasmas. Live- action is their weakness (though the response time is improving recently) and isn't that most important in watching sports? 1080p is the way to go; such an expensive purchase is expected to last for years and within 5 years 1080p will probably be the standard. Dish Network is already advertising 1080p so why not stay current for as long as you can? Lastly, I have to agree that ANY Monster Cable product is overpriced, just as Bose is. I purchased my HDMI cables for SIX BUCKS at Fry's. I agree that you shouldn't buy anything thin, but comparable quality at 1/10th the price is just smart shopping. For example, I buy bulk 12 gauge lamp cord for speaker wire, and I would compare it to anything else around.
I'll tell you what... I bought my 50" or 52" Samsung last December, got it home and hooked it up to my Comcast Cable line here in Jersey. The picture was so good I never called to get my HD turned on... I kid you not. Picture is so outstanding that I watch it with regular cable and I'm not paying the $34.99 per month for the HD. Samsung rules.
I'm actually considering buying a new hdtv now too. I'm torn between the Sony KDL-40v4100 (last years model but only 800) and the Samsung ln40b550 (about 930). If anyone has any of these tvs let me know how they are. I'm looking for a 40'' LCD set thats under $900.
if you have it hooked up to the cable box with the hd cable you are getting hd. if not i urge you brother to do so. its amazing the difference in the pictures. watch it on regular channels and then the designated hd channels what a difference.
ill be dead honest with each and every one of you. i really dont find the football games any different whether they be in hd or sd. i have a rear projection 55 inch and a 42 inch lcd and really dont give a damn to pay an extra 10 bucks a month for hd programming. its really not that big of a deal to me. its probably not that big a deal to many but everyone wants the best so they talk about how great this or that looks. hd is completely overrated in my opinion and can definitely be done without.
Another vote for the Samsung LCDs. I have a Panasonic 50inch plasma which is nice but last year I bought a Samsung Series 7 40 inch LCD for another room and the picture is just amazing, I prefer it to my plasma though of course it's a newer model so of course things always improve. Highly recommend the Samsung LCDs.
Are you kidding? It is the difference between Tecmobowl and Madden 09. Are you sure you have your shit hooked up correctly because the difference is night and day. I prefer the LCDs since they don't have the glare of most Plasmas. There is a difference between the brands of LCDs too. The processors, black levels and picture quality definitely range from model to model. My buddy has a Visio and the picture is fine until you compare it to a good tv, and then you realize why it was so cheap.
Sec227, Row 5 - try using a Y splitter and hook the cable line into both the cable box and the TV. Then run the digital tuner on the TV - you might be able to get all the networks in HD without having to pay for HD service. Works for my friend who has Comcast in Danbury CT. Also works for me on crappy Charter cable in New Fairfield CT.
the distorted and grainy picture versus the clear, sharp, tight picture are beyond obvious. its not overrated.
If someone else is buying, I'll take a Pioneer Plasma. If it's my $, it would be a Samsung LCD. My dad picked up a 42" Samsung 1080p from Costco around Christmas for $750 bucks, and it's pretty nice, especially at that price. :up: That being said, I'm so broke right now, I have rabbit ears on top of my TV. :shit:
My son recently picked up a 46", 120hz 600 Series Samsung LCD at Sam's Club. I believe the model # was LN46B610....that's a special model produced for the Warehouse Club Stores only....basically the same as the B650 except the Touch of Color frame is a charcoal gray instead of an amber red. Stunning picture...especially when he plays DVDs and games thru his Play Station BlueRay player.
Here's the set up I bought 1 1/2 years ago: - Mitsubishi 1080P LCD Projector - $1499 (Projector People) - Denon Receiver, Boston Acoustics 5 Speakers/Subwoofer - $698 (Electronics Expo) - Samsung BluRay Player - $399 (These have come down alot now) - Monster Cables - $400 (Not sure if they are worth it) - 100" Elite Fixed Screen $350 (Ebay) Total $3350 (Less than 3 grand today). I use this as my everyday TV and I'll never go back to a regular TV. Picture is crisp and clear, sound is excellent. Football, Movies, Concerts are amazing (though I was really pissed when Cablevision did away with the Voom channels, particularly the Rave concert channel, Monster TV and Rush TV). The room where I have it has 4 windows. If I close the shades on two the picture is fine, if I close all 4 even better. The projector is mounted on the ceiling and the screen sits against the wall so it takes up no room whatsoever. You can spend more if you're an audiophile, but there's really no need to.
no im quite serious. it really doesnt make a shit worth of difference to me. trust me everything is always set up correctly. i also know just how manipulated all of the hd signals your service providers are sending you. but thats another story. for my purposes its just not worth the extra 10 bucks a month. i have seen hundreds if not thousands of tvs, shit one guy had a 20k tv and i still was not impressed. i just guess i am not one of those guys who is that into it. its one of those things, its a hot topic just like the term digital. but everyone fails to realize that anything digital has less quality than the analog version.
...What he said! Plasma all the way. I have a Panasonic Plasma in the basement and a Samsung 46" LCD in the living room that I got last Fall. The Plasma kills the LCD for black level and color accuracy. Pioneer Plasmas are even better but they are pricey but as the above poster stated you can find deals these days.
