You Choose - Samsung lcd or Plasma (1 Viewer)

[johnnyutah]

Ahhhh.... the eternal debate it seems - plasma vs. lcd.

So I recently finished my basement Home Theatre and purchased my first HDTV flat screen - a Samsung LN46B640. Here's why:

• Not too expensive - I got it for $1299 at BB
• Liked the square look
• Do not need lots of bells and whistles including the online features and widgets
• The picture looks great

I chose this LCD as opposed to a Plasma for the simple reasons that I have been affected by the negative hype that plasma's have gotten over the years. After reading and researching, I know that these are silly fears with the new plasmas being produced the past few years but for some reason couldn't put it past me when I made the decision.

HOWEVER.... I have a lighting controlled environment (basement), DO NOT game or use it for online things.... and really designed just like watching sports (football in particular), movies (action) and some regular tv shows. I'm a perfect Plasma candidate i know...

After taking back the first defective-out-of-the-box 640 lcd, i picked up a brand new one. The picture is great! But I do notice that during football games and fast action sequences, there is a blur at times like a "comet tail" off fast moving hands or objects and sometimes it looks like "heat waves" are coming off the football players.. . Also, when you get the close ups of the football players and they are walking to the huddle, you can see some "odd" things happening around the lines of their face gaurds with the background images... Is this a response time or refresh rate issue? Is it a calibration issue?

My questions to the home theatre gods are these:

1. Would a Plasma have these same issues with fast moving scenes?
2. If I was to return my LCD for a Plasma which of the following would you choose?

Panasonic TC-P50G10, Samsung PN50B860, Samsung PN50B850 or the Samsung PN50B650S1F

The Panny and Samsung 650 plasma's are less expensive right now and the 850/860 are only about $50 more


I thank you all so much for any advice!

 

[SethH]

I just picked up a Panasonic TC-P42G15. I've only had it up for a few days, but I am incredibly pleased with it. I can only imagine that I will be even more pleased once I calibrate it.

I spent the better part of last weekend watching football (including my Hokies whipping Miami) and did not experience any motion blur at all (note that my source is an OTA HD signal).

 

Your problem is probably that you got a 50Hz LCD, the worst thing you could have done. You won't get the same smearing with movement at all on any plasma, however you won't get the completely smooth (read: unnatural) movement you do with a big Hz LCD. My advice is if you want to watch sports in a brightly lit room, get a 100/200/600Hz LCD (they're all just marketing terms for the same thing), but if you want to watch movies in a darkened room, colours will be truer on a plasma, and you'll get no pixel drag or smearing that you've had on your nasty 50Hz LCD.

I know because I did exactly that. I made the same mistake, got a 50Hz LCD, even though I noticed the problem on all LCDs displaying in the store, and the salesman tricked me by not pointing out that if that bothered me, I should go plasma. A-hole.

 

[amacsteeze]

The "G" series plasmas from Panasonic are some of the highest rated TV's on the market and I would choose it over the other ones you are looking at in a heartbeat.

 

[johnnyutah]

Thanks for the advice thus far folks!

In response to Ben....The LN46B640 Samsung LCD I have is advertised as a 120hz tv.

Thanks again!

 

Ok, then avoid LCDs altogether. They're the only technology that still can't cope with movement. Plasmas you just be careful to fill the screen (no 4:3 movies or 2:35.1 movies for examples, and no video games) for the first 100 hours, then you don't have to worry about burn in after that. Modern plasmas have good tech that protects against that stuff anyway, but its worth warning still.

 

[Steve Schaffer]

Originally Posted by Ben Cheshire

Your problem is probably that you got a 50Hz LCD, the worst thing you could have done. You won't get the same smearing with movement at all on any plasma, however you won't get the completely smooth (read: unnatural) movement you do with a big Hz LCD. My advice is if you want to watch sports in a brightly lit room, get a 100/200/600Hz LCD (they're all just marketing terms for the same thing), but if you want to watch movies in a darkened room, colours will be truer on a plasma, and you'll get no pixel drag or smearing that you've had on your nasty 50Hz LCD.

I know because I did exactly that. I made the same mistake, got a 50Hz LCD, even though I noticed the problem on all LCDs displaying in the store, and the salesman tricked me by not pointing out that if that bothered me, I should go plasma. A-hole.


The OP is in the US where LCDs are 60, 120, or 240 HZ, otherwise your comments are spot-on.

 

[johnnyutah]

I bought the Panasonic 50in G15 last night and am more than pleased with the picture! This tv is AMAZING!!!

Thanks everyone for your insight and advice, with your help I feel I made the right choice!

Thank you!

 

[theadvisor]

Picked up the Samsung LN52-B750 LCD for $1200 plus tax at the local PC Richards new in box 10 days ago... 150k:1 color and 240hz! I think I got the deal of the century. I am happy either way though.. Upgraded from a 13 inch tube style.

 

[Richard Gallagher]

Originally Posted by amacsteeze

The "G" series plasmas from Panasonic are some of the highest rated TV's on the market and I would choose it over the other ones you are looking at in a heartbeat.

I have the Panasonic TC-P46G15, and it is terrific. It also has a "vivid" mode which can be used to good effect if you have to watch it with a lot of ambient light in the room. For most viewing I use the THX mode, and I had it calibrated by Gregg Loewen.

 

[thedrj]

i have always thought the picture on a plasma TV beats the picture on a LCD TV hands down, any day, any material. having sold, installed, and calibrated many different types of TVs, i still come back to the phosphor based systems: CRT and Plasma. just about every LCD that i have seen have a problem with latency (time delay) and motion artifacts (unwanted crap on the screen like blur, dots, etc.). it doesnt matter how fast they go (120Hz, or 240Hz) there is still an inherent delay problem with LCD based TVs. however, just about EVERY TV can and will look better once it is calibrated. when it comes to plasma, now that Pioneer doesn't make the high end KURO (which used Panasonic panels) the only game in town in my opinion, is the Panasonic plasma TVs. but the low end, entry models are marginal, so you should definitely look at the G10 or G15 models. the 42 or 50 inch size G series is terrific. they include a THX setting and also offer an Ethernet jack on the back so that you can stream and view internet content. you can find the panasonics everywhere. but whatever model you decide on, get it CALIBRATED by a professional. the $300 you spend to have an ISF professional come over and tweak it for 2-3 hours is well worth your investment. hope that helps, good luck !

 

[Chuck Anstey]

Am I the only one who can see the Plasma grid lines from most normal viewing distances? I have been looking at getting an HDTV for a very long time and I am leaning towards LCD even with all its problems. When I look at plasma TVs I can see the grid pattern and from a few feet I can see the individual colors. I know people have been saying the plasma can get really nice blacks. Well of course it can because 30% of the screen is made up of black lines. I'm not trying to knock plasma, I'm just trying to understand how so many video enthusiasts prefer it when I find its grid lines a major detriment to the perceived quality. I find it even worse than normal screen door effect of LCDs because each individual color has a black line around it.

 

[workhorse25]

Regardless of whether you choose LCD or plasma, consider picking up a PixelTuneup to protect against burn in and image retention. Also fixes existing picture quality problems. It works on LCD, LED, or plasma.


You can get one here: http://www.pixeltuneup.com

 

[johnnyutah]

Originally Posted by Chuck Anstey

Am I the only one who can see the Plasma grid lines from most normal viewing distances? I have been looking at getting an HDTV for a very long time and I am leaning towards LCD even with all its problems. When I look at plasma TVs I can see the grid pattern and from a few feet I can see the individual colors.

Hey Chuck,

After reading your post I've spent some time looking into this with my TV in it's current environment. I have noticed what I think you're describing.. I notice it in two specific instances... 1) during the "Office" usually when Michael is talking to the camera with the window shades behind him. The individual slats run horizontally behind him but leave a darker line running continuously through his head. It is very faint and if you were'nt looking for it, you wouldnt see it. and 2) when my wife and i are watching "Biggest Loser" and it is weigh in time, when the contestants are standing up on the scale with the weigh-in screen next to them tallying up their weight loss with the other contestants. The weigh-in screen is divided up into separate sections... these sections boundary lines tend to extend to each side of the screen. very faintly but noticeable if you're looking for it.

However, I do not notice it when playing movies thru my Blu-ray.... or on different channels of my Cable so I can only assume it is a cable signal issue. I have comcast HD and know that it has some serious limitations as far as quality HD goes.

 

[sqdream]

The "G" series plasmas from Panasonic are some of the highest rated TV's on the market and I would choose it over the other ones you are looking at in a heartbeat.ugg boots sale
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