Need a new TV (1 Viewer)

[CB750]

So happy you are back!

It’s been a couple of years since I have posed to the forum but I am in the market for a new TV. My current Sony is a 2009 vintage KDL-52W4100. When we turn it on the picture is dark in some areas and has double and triple images. It takes 20 to 30 minutes to warm up and then it is OK. From what I have read this is an indication that the LCD display is going bad and is to expensive to replace. I am not very happy with the Sony going bad in 4 years of use of about 4 hours a day or less. I was very happy with the Sony performance until this started to happen.

Here is my situation the Sony is wall mounted and is run through an Integra receiver is the hub of the system and I have BW speakers in 5.1 mode. Like most of the rest of us the TV display tends to a expensive computer monitor. Therefore I question the value of all the the add on’s I see like Smart TV as it seems that old problem of getting 5.1 sound to the receiver from the TV has not changed in the last four years.

What I am looking for is a replacement TV that will deliver a good quality picture at a reasonable price. Most of our viewing is Cable HD TV and once in awhile a DVD. Things like 3D and smart or internet capability are not that important to me at this time. The wall space it between two built in book cases and is 63” wide. The prime viewing areas are 9’ to 10’ from the set. I was thinking of a 55” but have enough room for 60” and am now leaning towards that size. The room is a family room with a window and door wall on one side and has not presented any glare issues. Most of our viewing on this set is at night and the room is dimly lit when we watch TV.

While the Sony is an LCD I am open to a Plasma as in the opinion of most still offer a better overall picture quality. But I sill wonder if they suffer from burn in issues? How about reliability or is 4 years out of any set par for the course these days? How about current brands it seems like Samsung has slipped a bit, but Consumer Reports likes them. Panasonic seems to be highly regarded but what about other brands. Since I live in S/E Michigan I have lots of retail outlets Costco, Best Buy, Paul's TV, and a few Mom and Pop places to consider.

So what are the top 60” LCD and Plasma sets out there today that would work well in a 5.1 Home theater configuration. When you look at the on line consumer reviews it seems that folks either love or hate any product being reviewed.

 

[schan1269]

Plasma "burn-in" wasn't even an issue in 2009(hasn't been since 2007).

Perfect time to buy a TV...and hurry.

I would purchase a 60" LG or Panasonic plasma. I have no idea how much of "clearance" is left out there of either brand.

 

[schan1269]

I'm surprised this TV is still this much...

http://www.amazon.com/LG-60PA5500-1080p-600Hz-Plasma/dp/B007976WNG/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1364321883&sr=1-3&keywords=lg+60+inch+plasma

I was figuring the 5500/6500 60" would both already be around $850/900..

Edit:
I've seen the 60/5500 sell for as little as $775 during the year anyway. Why it is this high, now, is beyond me.

 

[CB750]

I have found out that much of the Sony line of 46" and 52" Bravia sets from 2008-11 era suffer from defective panels. From what I gather Sony has not been very helpful with consumers with this out of warranty problem. I have read they will ask you to spend $100 to have a Sony approved Tec look at the set and then may or may not give you a few hundred dollars off MSRP price on a new set, some of which have the same problem. I guess that explains Sony's decline in market share and apparent fall from grace in the TV market. If anyone knows of a recall program that is different please let me know. But at this point I am reluctant to go with a Sony product.

Spent some time at my Local Costco, but as it goes with the warehouse stores they push what they have in stock and right now in the 55" to 70" range they are loaded with Vizio and a few Samsung. LED's. They had a Panasonic TC-P55UT50 for $750. They had an LG 660PA6650 for $699 and it was a display model which I shy away from. As with Costco it is impossible to judge the picture quality.

I walked a few doors down to a Best Buy Magnolia store. Of the Plasma sets the Salesman recommended the Panasonic TC PS60GT50 which was on sale for $1,899.98. For an LED set he recommended the Samsung UN60ES6100FXZA on sale for $1,499.99. Both had good pictures but the nod has to go to the Plasma. The one thing he mentioned was the expected life of a Plasma is about 7 to 8 years while a LED could last up to 15 years. Any truth to that because my Sony sure didn't last 15 years.

 

[schan1269]

"Expected life span" of a modern flat panel(plasma or LCD, regardless if CCFL or LED) is 100,000 hours.

BB/Magnolia sales idiot is spouting LED because...

1. Samsung and Vizio have buyers "confused"
2. That $1900 Panasonic makes BB around $400. That $1500 Samsung makes BB around $500.

Of course BB yaks up LCD...I mean LED...

 

[schan1269]

By the way, the LG "display" from Costco for $700 is a screaming deal.

You still get the original warranty(cause you are the first person to own it) and in modern electronics, the first 18 months is the crucial period. Almost everything in the "printed board world", once it makes it 18 months...lasts years.

That Costco set is the same as this one...
http://www.amazon.com/LG-60PA6500-60-Inch-1080p-Plasma/dp/B006VFS4J2/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1364401119&sr=1-1&keywords=60pa6500

Costco gets their own "so we don't have to price-match" model number.

 

[CB750]

Thanks for all of the responses. On Friday I took delivery and set up of 60" Panasonic TC-P60GT-50 from a local Father and Son HT store where I purchased my Receiver and Speakers from a few years ago. It was refreshing to find a local full service store that offered the set at a lower price than I could find on the Internet or big box stores. Being able to compare both Plasma and LCD/LED sets in a good viewing environment which included changing picture settings, and video source material confirmed the research that I had done. While I saw no bad pictures on any TV to my eyes I could see a difference between the Plasma's and LCD/LEDs. Of the Plasma's it was more difficult, but at the price point I was willing to go I could not detect any difference between the GT and the more expensive VT series.

I have to say that once in my home going from a 52" Sony W series to the 60" Panasonic took some getting used to. I never realized that room lighting made that big of a difference as it was never an issue to my eyes with the Sony. One other thing is as I put on more hours on the Plasma it seems the picture keeps getting better. I have played with the picture settings a bit and have added the settings developed by Katzmaier at C-Net which seem similar to the set THX cinema settings. We keep the room very dim at night but in the day natural light come in from a side window and door wall and even then the light level is different depending if it is sunny or cloudy. If it is a bright day I might change the setting to THX bright room.

After three days of viewing I have to say I can really see the better picture quality of the Plasma. It's the little things that show up that I didn't notice before. The ripples on the water of a pond, how a sunset looks, the black color.