Samsung 32" HDTV vs Panasonic 47" HDTV Widescreen (GAMES + DVDS) (1 Viewer)

[elMalloc]

It's a big difference, directview and Rear projection.

I have 6-9 feet of viewing distance in a room which is nearly pitch black in the daytime (if I want it to be).

The set will be EXCLUSIVELY used for DVDs and GAMES. I place equal importance on both.

Samsung 32" HDTV $1000, Panasonic 47" $1510.

I can't decide, anyone has some help?

-ELmO

 

[todbnla]

I am looking into a Samsung TXM3296HF too. I would love some reviews of that set. Amazon has it for $999 w/free shipping. Seems like a pretty good deal to me?

 

[Matthew_F]

Hi elMalloc,
I think you will have to sacrafice the games on the Panasonic TV because for widescreen projection, you shouldn't be playing any games at all because you risk burning in the screen(void warrenty) because there will be things not rendering and no raster. I too also own the Pana 47" screen and never play games on it. Well I did play FFX for a bit for a test run but that was it.
You rather have a Direct View (CRT) TV for games, which is the Samsung which you listed.
---
I would recommend you to go with a LP(Digital Light Processing) Projection TVs because they outperform CRT Projection and Plasma. It also does not have screen burn-in so you play games and DVD with no problems. They last until the bulb burns out but then after that, just insert a new bulb and works like new. Samsung has two models, the 43" and 50". The price is more to a certain extent but it will fullfill what you are looking for and will be good for the long run.
http://www.bsless.com/mhlm437w.html

 

[Matthew_F]

http://www.samsungusa.com/cgi-bin/na...%2fTV%2fDLP+TV
Here is the specs of them at the Samsung site. They also list other models as well.

 

[TimG]

Well as far as playing games on a crt tv, I know lots of people who do it. As long as your contrast and brightness are at reasonable levels and you don't play marathon sessions with games that have static displays on them you should be fine. I play them on my crt front projector all the time and after two years have never had a "burn in" problem. The DLP and LCD tv's still haven't quite reached the quality of image that a crt tv can give, in my opinion. But they are an alternative if you are worried about burn in. I still think you shoud go front projection, but then I am biased.
TimG

 

[Matthew_F]

Well the front projections are good as well but it just depends on your environment setting as it will affect the result.

 

[elMalloc]

My room is 12x10 (upstairs) with one window. I can make the room pitch dark with some new blinds, it's about 90% dark with the light blinds I have not made to block out light. I kno wiht a projector you want as dark as possible. I can make it really dark, and give a maximum 10 foot throw. I'll live with a small screen if burn in chance is very low.
-ELmO:star:

 

[TimG]

Well, I don't know if you only have 6-9 feet of viewing distance. I think with a projector that will be too close unless you go with a high resolution projector and a smaller screen. And with a better projector that will raise the price. I think the throw distance for the Panasonic AE100 is pretty short, but you might have problem with the screen -door if you can't set far enough away. Are you just using one row of seating, do you need two rows? I think it is definetely do-able in your room. (And you wouldn't have to carry a 200 lb tv up the stairs.)
TimG

 

[elMalloc]

Actually I have 11 feet from wall to wall. I was planning on setting up a projector on the back wall (hopefully exhaust doesn't get in the way) and projecting 10 feet to the other wall (or maybe a little less when I have a screen). I don't mind if the picture is tiny, my major point is removing chance of burn-in because I play a lot of games. In this manner I'd give myself 9-10 feet of viewing distance if we're in a one row seating in the back. The thing is I only have max 3-4 people. Normally only 3. I do not need another row....

It's either this, with a blackened out drapery window (or whatever I can do to remove any light coming from that window), or a pioneer SD533HD rear projection set.

Thanks for the reply,
ELmO

 

[TimG]

Well, once again I would recommend a projector. There are several new projectors coming out in the next couple of months, after cedia. The Pana AE100 has been discontinued, but now is a good time to be searching for a cheaper projector. With 3000 to 5000 hr bulbs you also won't have to worry about replacing them very often. Also no chance of burn-in with a lcd projector. You could also always move it to a bigger room in the future if you wanted a bigger screen. I would wait a little while and see what comes after cedia, you should have quite a few choices then. I don't think your throw distance will be much of a factor if you go with a smaller screen also. (I will tell you there is a big difference between playing games on a 27" tv and a 6 ft wide screen though.) Good luck and let us know what you decide on.
TimG

 

[Matthew_F]

Tim,

Isn't there a DLP projector for the consumer market? If there is I would definately recommend that over the LCD due to the delay time to switch the pixels and screen-door effect. However if the DLP projector is too high thne, I guess the LCD will have to do.

 

[TimG]

Yes, there are several. I don't think they are as inexpensive as the lcd's, and some people have problem with the rainbows, I am one. They do give a little better contrast ratio in general though. I know Elmo is checking out the avscience forum, so I hope he is informed enough about the differences between lcd and dlp. I think he is mainly trying to decide between rptv and front projection right now. Personally I wouldn't recommend dlp projectors yet, but that is because of the problems I have with them. You really should try to demo any projector you are interested in before you buy it if possible.

TimG

 

[Matthew_F]

Hi Tim,

I am thinking about getting a DLP projection TV, not the projector. I do want to give it a try since it seems to be a new technology. The links I posted here is the one I want to get - the 50" one. I already do have a Pana CRT RPTV but that's in another home.

Do you have any opinions about those DLPs?

Matt

 

[Aaron Cohen]

What is the screen door effect on LCD monitors? I was thinking of getting the 40 inch widescreen Panasonic LCD television but went with the Sony 34 inch widescreen instead as I read that the LCD screen was not very good with pure blacks and I didn't like the gray bars opposed to the black on the 34 inch.

What is this screen door effect?

 

[ruhrie]

Elmo,

I have had your same dilemma. However, I already have a 46" widescreen tv for my main room. I needed a gaming tv and I decided to get the 32" samsung hdtv. I am also 6-9ft away. It is huge. remember it sticks like 2.5 feet out from the wall. It is a beautiful picture and it also does the squeeze thing. I plan on selling this tv to a buddy of mine and am going to pick up the 27" samsung hdtv. Seriously my eyes hurt after about 5 hours of watching football and gaming. The 47" TV will be even worse has far as size. If you were going to keep this tv in the long run after college and put it and good size apartment space or house. The go for the panny, or any other widescreen rptv. Just my two cents.

Rich

 

[elMalloc]

I decided on a 4x3 50" Toshiba hDTV for myparents family room (12 feet away). I wanted to play games, so I chose 4x3. But should I? I don't want mario sunshine or animal crossing to look bad..I just don't see most games going 16x9 for a while (maybe 5 years even, people will always have 4x3 sets for a longtime to come..some people just don't upgrade to 16x9).

Gaming is the main problem I haven't decided on 16x9...why should I go widescreen?

I can get a 46" widescreen squeeze on the toshiba 50". I can get the full 50" for games and the cable tv my parents watch. When HDTV arrives, they can just watch everything in widecreen with black bars (still a decently larged pic). I need larger form 12 feet though....but for now won't games/cable tv, squeezed dvds be fine? And squeezed HDTV ....I don't see why I should go with widescreen?

-ELmo

 

[Matthew_F]

Aaron,
A screen door effect is like looking through your own window with the screen in front of it.
Bascially the LCD is like that because it's tiny square like pixels on the screen. It doesn't look that great on projections and projectors. My college is using a projector and I can actually see that kind of effect. Also LCDs also have a delay time to switch a pixels as well.
This is why I would recommend a DLP Projection TV.
Samsung has them with the DVI on it. Have a look at their site. I'm planning to get the 50" one soon. I already have a Panasoninc 47" Widescreen Projection at another home so I think this DLP purchase will be a good choice. The price is similar to that of a CRT Projection but it's worth the new technology.
http://www.samsungusa.com/cgi-bin/na...%2fTV%2fDLP+TV

 

[Aaron Cohen]

Damn, I just bought my CRT television about 2 months ago.... Should I have waited for this television? Is the quality better than a CRT Direct View set? Is it viewable from any angle???

 

[Matt Stone]

Matthew...where are you seeing DLP sets in the same price range as CRT Proj sets? They are twice as much, or even more in general. For example, Onecall has a 42" Samsung CRT Proj for 1699, and a 43" DLP Proj for 3699. That's 2000 more...hardly similar in price.

 

[Matthew_F]

Matt,

From the two links in the earlier post. The price for the 43" is 2,799.00 and the 50" is 3,249.00. Don't forget that when HD RPTVs came out, they ranged similar to that of the DLP when I first saw them came out.

Also CRTs have a risk of burning in while the DLPs don't so there is no worrying, unlike a CRT you burn it, you void warrenty and you just have to buy a new set. DLPs is simple by just replacing a bulb when the bulb life is up. So this is why I think it's worth the money to try this new technology out.

Note: I have a connection from a friend of mine where I can get any audio/video equiptment very close at cost price.

---
Aaron,

If you are willing to spend the extra money for the DLP go ahead and buy one and sell the CRT. They are supposingly able to be seen at any angle similar to a plasma from what I've heard but have yet to see with my own eyes.

There is a bit of controversy with CRT compared to both Plasma/DLP. Since Plasma/DLP is truely a digital TV, the colors are not unlimited unlike that of a CRT. The colors which both can display is 16.77 million (24-bit)colors.

My question would come to this. If we get a digital signal for example, the color information wouldn't be unlimited anyways so digital colors being displayed on screen would be fine. I would say the best way to look at them is to go to a store and to have a good look at them. I still have good hopes for DLPs.