Questions about LCD Display Quality (1 Viewer)

[Doug MacGregor]

I haven't taken the plunge yet to HDTV because of several concerns, the most important of which is display quality.
I have always been a believer that CRT displays give the best picture quality hands-down.
I have investigated the latest HD CRT offerings from Samsung with the full intention of purchasing one of their Slim-Fit sets.
After reading several reviews, however, I am not too impressed with the build quality of these.
I am now looking to LCD displays as an alternative.
But I don't know if I will be satisfied with the display quality.
Here's my problem.
My cousin recently bought a Sharp 37" LCD (don't know the model no.).
I took a look at the picture - mind you he doesn't have an HD feed yet - and the picture was awful. There was ghosting and bleeding and the whole picture just seemed out-of-whack. Nothing to write home about.
Is this normal for an LCD display without HD feed or was this a problem with the setup?
I really don't want to jump on the LCD bandwagon if this is the kind of non-HD display quality I'm going to get.
I'm not ready to spring for an HD feed from my satellite provider yet (Bell ExpressVu) and I have a standard DVD player which I have no intention of upgrading any time soon.
Are LCD's really that bad at displaying SD programming or what?

Thanks.

 

[William Creamer]

It would be very unfair to judge an HD display without viewing hd content. Garbage in, garbage out. Also, when considering a purchase definately go for a 1080p set. I have a 720 p lcd in the bedroom and a 1080p plasma in the living room and it's now hard to view the bedroom set up because the picture is so unsatisfactory in comparison. As far as quality construction, I had a 42 inch panasonic plasma for 5 years and never had a problem with it (until it got dropped during my recent move) so I can recommend panasonic with confidence, not so much the moving company.....

 

[Doug MacGregor]

Thanks William.
Right off the bat...NO intention of ever buying plasma. Way too power hungry.
I'm not looking for some kind of wizz-bang display. Just don't have the money.
Besides I think that plasma will eventually die off - just my opinion.
I understand that judging picture quality of SD content on an HD set is unfair but that's what I'm stuck with for now.
As I said, it will be the TV first and perhaps - perhaps - HD feed later...much later.
I just need to know if displaying SD content on an HD LCD will give me an acceptable picture.
Or do I just buy another SD CRT at those rediculously low prices and leave it for later?

 

[fourseasonstanman]

Doug,

I have an 50" pioneer elite and have it for three years, In the bigging I was wondering the same thing, what I learned is that plasmas and LCD were made to show HD content and are poor at displaying SD, I try to watch all HD and only SD when I have to the picture is never good.

Dennis

 

[Jeremy K]

I hope I am not threadjacking here, but I found this thread because I am in the same boat. I am looking at a Sony LCD, but will mostly be watching SD. What about going with a DLP, is that a better option for SD. If I buy a TV now I hate to buy SD when I will eventually get an HD signal from somewhere.

 

[Craig]

To state the obvious, standard def picture quality on any hi-def display is very dependent on the incoming signal. Not to say that some displays don't handle SD better than others, however, I've had two different brands of crt rear projection sets in the past, Toshiba and Samsung, and I currently have two Panasonic plasma tvs hooked up to cable. When Comcast went to digital signals on all SD channels, the picture quality improved dramatically on all the tvs. Also my old neighborhood just had worse signal quality than the new neighborhood I moved into.

The SD channels vary in quality, some are just ok, but some look very good, and I really don't have any that are unwatchable (except maybe a couple of local access channels). I don't think it's so much a problem with a certain tv technology like lcd versus plasma, it's really more a matter of having a good quality signal coming into the house.

 

[MichaelEl]

You waited a year too long to purchase a CRT. I have a 36" Sony WEGA in my living room, and was looking to buy the 27" version for my bedroom, but Sony has stopped manufacturing CRTS. As far as I can tell, the only - and I mean the ONLY - quality alternative still available is the Samsung SlimFit line, and they have geometry problems.

I think you're right that LCD and plasma displays aren't very good for SD, because I've yet to see a flat panel that can match the PQ of my WEGA. It seems that fixed pixel displays just aren't capable of producing a good low-res image (probably due to the necessity of upconversion), and people who own a flat panel are probably just going to have to live with a lousy SD image unless and until SED displays become available and affordable. If you can find a good used FD Trinitron tube somewhere, I would advise you to snatch it up quickly.

 

[ChrisCAB]

If you're watching only SD why on earth are you looking for a HD set? Makes no sense - SD will be around for a long time.

Get a cheap CRT and you're done.

 

[MichaelEl]

SD-DVDs and SD cable are going to be around for a long time, but as I just pointed out, CRTs have mostly gone out of production, which means an HD set is really the only choice for anyone looking to buy a new TV. Actually, I think a lot of people are going to be shocked when they find out they can no longer buy a cheap tube TV.

 

[Doug MacGregor]

Why on earth?
Planning for the future.
I've been coming here for 5 years and the advice is always good.
I've learned a lot especially from people like MichaelEl and Craig and Dennis who gave me good information on this question.
I've now received the information I want and in a timely fashion too.
Why on earth why I go any where else?

 

[CraigF]

Hey Doug. I'll presume you're in Canada? Check out the LED-DLP Samsungs at BB or FS. I think you'll find that they are much less "bad" than fixed-pixel displays with SD in general. I also am not the slightest bit enthused about LCD displays, except when hooked to computers. Their advantages (brightness, wide viewing angle, thin-ness) don't compensate for their shortcomings in actual quality material display. For now...

 

[gene c]

I have a Mitsubishi 52631 DLP and as Craig said it's very dependant on signal quality. I'd like to get a 60"-65" for my living room but I also can't decide what to get between the different technologies. Overall DLP in SD is O.K. but not as good as my old GE 35" tube seemed to be. Now, if they made a 65" 16:9 HD crt tube...but I'd need to borrow a fork lift.

 

[ChrisCAB]

Best Buy has 19 CRT models of various sizes and prices and makes.

 

[ChrisCAB]

"Why on earth?
Planning for the future.
I've been coming here for 5 years and the advice is always good.
I've learned a lot especially from people like MichaelEl and Craig and Dennis who gave me good information on this question.
I've now received the information I want and in a timely fashion too.
Why on earth why I go any where else?"

That would be a whole lot more convincing if you hadn't:
(1) completely ruled out plasma
(2) noted your dissatisfaction with LCD; and
(3) mentioned that you only watch SD

Nothing is future-proof, but the best fit for your situation is a cheap CRT now and whatever is popular when you decide to join the HD age, at which time whatever HD tv you might have decided to buy now will be a whole lot cheaper.

 

[sarah99]

I totally agree but would change one word .......HD plasmas and LCD were made to show HD content and are poor at displaying SD

A panasonic PWD6/7/8 plasma panel displays SD pictures very well and can be purchased second hand at very good prices.

 

[MichaelEl]

Mostly off brands (Dynex, Insignia) and/or small screens. Excluding the Samsung SlimFit line - which, again, suffers from geometry problems - the only large brand name CRT they carry is the Sharp 32SF560, and this model hasn't exactly gotten rave reviews.