very confused - plasma tops because of size? (1 Viewer)

[Mike Romo]

hi there--

So, I am doing a simple install for a friend and she wants to go with a 42" flat screen television. At first I thought it was a no brainer--go with LCD. No burn in problems, good for the space (it's a small room), not a problem. However, I wanted to do some research before I suggested anything, and when I looked around this board, it seems everyone here is using plasma. I have read from at least one buying guide that plasmas provide a sharper picture and better contrast, which surprised me because I watched Master and Commander on what I thought was a plasma TV and I was very disappointed with the "foggy night" scenes and their pixelation issues.

And now, I look, and I see LCD rear projection out there. So it seems that even though I thought I knew what I was doing I have much to learn. It seems that there is:

1 - plasma ("the one with gases") --- good with color and viewing angle, not so hot with the burn in issues

2 - LCD ("like my powerbook") --- which apparently has contrast issues, solid viewing angle, less power usage than plasma, no burn in issues, maxes out at 40"

3 - DLP ("the one with the little mirrors") -- similar contrast to LCD, not as clear or as bright as LCD, but cheaper; not wall mountable, needs a bulb

4 - rear projection LCD - ("the one my friend Jordan has") -- cabinet similar to DLP, excellent picture, but poor black levels (which I don't agree with, Jordan's 50" Grand Wega seemed to handle black areas just fine

5 CRT, Rear projection, etc.

I know that a lot of this boils down to taste, location of the screen, what is being done on it (games vs movies vs computer displays vs hdtv vs NTSC etc) but I wanted to see if these lines of reasoning are... reasonable:

1 - plasma is great, but watch out when playing videogames, you can wall mount it
2 - LCD is great, but you are limited to around 40" and you can wallmount it
3 - DLP - great solution for the money, you need a stand or cabinet
4 - Rear projection LCD -- really nice, but you need a cabinet or a stand; better than DLP.


I am installing into a cabinet and am thinking that the 42" Grand Wega Rear Project LCD will do nicely.

If anyone has any comments or suggestions on how I can research this more thoroughly or thinks otherwise, please let me know!

thanks!
mike

 

[ChrisWiggles]

DLP will hit higher on/off CR numbers, allowing for better blacks, then LCD in projection configurations.

My experience with plasma, or LCD panels is pretty much nil, I'm a projection guy.

DLP can be superior compared with LCD with the added benefit of lower SDE at equal resolutions due to higher pixel packing, however single chip DLP (most all consumer stuff except the highest end stuff) will have a colorwheel, so you should investigate in person your susceptibility to rainbows.

CRT projection is the best, and the cheapest, but comes with some caveats at achieving the best.

 

[Max Leung]

I find that DLP has a clearer picture than LCD because most sets have a single chip DLP design - no panel convergence issues that sometimes plagues LCD designs (although at long viewing distances isn't that big a deal). DLP tends to suffer less from brightness and color uniformity issues compared to LCD.

Plasma is well-regarded by most ordinary folk (the mythical Joe6Packs and JaneHouseWives, but even HT enthusiasts and gamers love it) because of its great brightness levels. You can comfortably watch a plasma screen in full daylight in a room with a glass ceiling.

Caveat: higher brightness = greater chance of burnin with plasmas, like you mentioned.

 

[Mike Romo]

Thanks guys, for your help on this. I am very much concerned about burn-in, I am, all of a sudden, helping another friend out, and he wants to buy a non name plasma from Best Buy (lots of warranties, etc, but whatever) and I can't help but shudder when thinking about him and his Xbox. does the time for burn-in change with manufacturer's at all? is it "really" that big of a deal (like, would you need to play a game for 12 hours straight or 2)?

thanks--

mike

 

[Mort Corey]

Burn in on plasma is an overweighted concern...IMO and experience. Leaving static images on the screen for long periods of time is not what it was designed to do. I don't use mine for video gaming largely because I have never owned or played a video game machine. If such a game had static images of scorecards or something, I probably would be hesitant to leave in on for more than an hour. Many newer displays have an orbiter and/or screen shift function that helps alleviate some of those concerns by slightly shifting the picture at a programmed interval. Some also have a burn restore function (basically an all white screen that removes light burn in)

I've had my display for a year and have no signs of any burn in or the like. I'm not especially fussy about its usage and just watch DVD's, tapes and TV (HD and SD) A little common sense, like not watching 4:3 programming with side bars for extended periods, and it's fine....it's just a TV in some respects but not one that I'd be comfortable having if I still had small children at home full time.

Mort

 

[Mike Romo]

Thanks Mort! Sounds like good advice-not playing for more than an hour. I am a bit concerned about my friend, though, because I know one of the first things he will want to do is play Halo 2 for several hours in a row to see how it looks (and sounds) on his new system...

thanks again!
mike

 

[Max Leung]

Turning down the contrast levels on a plasma while playing videogames or watching TV shows with the annoying station logo should alleviate burnin issues.

 

[Mike Romo]

That makes sense--and I am sure I will be turning the contrast levels down from their bright factory settings!

thanks
mike