Buying 1st HDTV & would like comments/help... (1 Viewer)

[George V]

Need to upgrade as my old 27" Mitsubishi CRT is getting worse every day...

Not sure what route to take regarding LCD vs Plasma vs DLP??? I have a basic Infocus Projection in basement, so NOT looking for projection... Do not have "blueray" and not looking to upgrade soon, so HDTV will be used to watch TV programing and dvd's.

Looking to spend about $1500, maybe more for a new HDTV. Have heard Plasma HDTV's still have "burn-in" issues, is this still correct? Looking in 50" to 60" range. Was looking at some Mitsubishi DLP units, seem like good bang for buck...

Guess I'm looking for a good HDTV, best bang/buck in my price range...


Thanks for your comments!!!

 

[Brian McHale]

DLP will certainly give you the best bang for the buck. Most manufacturers have quit making the sets (I believe that Mitsubishi is the only one left), but they provide a really nice picture for a very reasonable price.

The issue of burn-in on plasma sets is controversial. Many people claim it's not an issue at all anymore. However, when I was doing my research into TVs last year, I found a lot of conflicting information. I used the AVS Forum as my main research source. In their Plasma forum, burn-in is still a major topic of conversation. I posted in the Master Burn-in thread and posed a hypothetical question. I asked if burn-in would be an issue if I watched 4x3 material 30% of the time. I got a lot of suggestions to stretch my material and disbelief that I would be interested in watching so much 4:3 material. The bottom line seemed to me to be that many, if not most, plasma owners are still somewhat concerned with burn-in (though it’s supposedly much better than it was) Plasma sets are generally cheaper than LCD, more expensive than DLP. LCDs have come a long way. They still seem to have some motion blur issues, but they are getting much better in this regard. A lot of the sets use motion processing technology (often referred to as 120 Hz, though this is incorrect). For movies, you ‘re likely better off disabling the motion processing (it can usually if not always be turned off). LCD sets offer a very bright picture, which makes them look particularly good in showrooms. The prices have come down, but good sets are still pretty pricey in large sizes. If you plan to hang the set on your wall, plasma and LCD are your best bet. However, since you mention DLP, I’m assuming that you don’t plan to do that. If you can handle the size of a DLP set (and they’re really not that large), they really do offer a very good picture and tremendous value.

 

[Patrick Sun]

If you go with a DLP solution from Mitsubishi, factor in roughly $200 for a replacement bulb every 2-3 years (or longer, depending on your viewing time on the TV). If you stumble across a Samsung A750 model - DLP with LED light engine (no bulb), snatch it up! Samsung doesn't make DLP sets anymore, so anyone you see in a store will probably be a clearance item collecting dust.

The LED flatscreen TVs are the current rage, but they are pricey for the amount of screen size over their plasma or LCD flatscreen counterparts.

 

[Nathan Eddy]

I've had my 50" Panasonic plasma (TH-50PX80U) for a year, and I've got no burn-in issues whatsoever. I followed the advice I got here, and I couldn't be happier. Basically, I ran everything in Cinema mode for a few months (dimmer, less contrast), which looks better for most things anyway, especially movies. I didn't leave stationary images on the screen for hours at a time. Even when the kids messed up and left a game paused too long, the burn-in which occurred was easily fixed with the TV's white bar eraser thing--a feature I haven't used in months. I didn't even notice when temporary burn-in stopped being an issue. Now, the set looks better than it did a year ago. I let the kids play games on the "Game" setting (which is a lot brighter than the Cinema setting), and there's still no problem. I absolutely love it. I got it for $1200 in July 2008, and then saw it at Walmart, believe it or not, for $999 several months later. I don't know if you can still get one, but whatever their latest replacement model is for this unit should be even better and cheaper.

720p, BTW, can save you hundreds if you're buying a 50" and sitting 10 or more feet away. At this size and viewing range, 1080p is a waste--especially if you're not buying a Blu-ray player. But even if you eventually get a Blu-ray player, your eyes can't physically resolve enough detail to tell the difference between 720 and 1080. If you go larger or sit closer, you'll want those extra pixels, however. But it's really only an issue with 1080p gaming or Blu-ray. If you're going to just watch TV and DVDs, save the money.