Getting a new TV...

[Stl_Blues_1fan]

we bought a tube TV a few years ago...and decided that its time for a new HD TV...the biggest we can get is a 37 inch...because while i was on deployment my wife bought an entertainment center and it was pretty expensive...but will only fit up to a 37 incher...so...any suggestions?

[barnburner]

The next time your wife goes shopping - take the entertainment center apart, and bury the pieces. I hate those things. We bought a really nice one several years back, and a day has not passed since that I haven't cussed that thing at least 2 or 3 times a day...

They are a royal pain everytime you want to move stuff around, or redo cables...they restrict the size tv you can have, etc...

Guessing you are stuck with the EC... ....
don't have much advice for the tv, except do your homework, and beware
of "bargains".. There are some good bargains out there, but some losers too.

[Stl_Blues_1fan]

yeah were stuck with the EC, but i know to get a LCD tv...but i know nothing else about the good or bad sides of all the specs of them.

[cprice12]

yeah were stuck with the EC, but i know to get a LCD tv...but i know nothing else about the good or bad sides of all the specs of them.

Why did you side with LCD?

[ViPeRx007]

I've been researching for months on what tv to buy. I'm intrigued by plasma's but sort of scared since (almost) everyone has LCD's. Something about LCD's bugs me though. I still have a CRT computer monitor because I feel like things don't look right on LCD's, especially that whole viewing angle thing. Yes, I know they make better ones these days but still. Plasma's just seem crisper and more vibrant.

At the same time there are the horror stories of image retention on plasma's I don't think that's as big a deal though now as it used to be, especially if you aren't a cheapskate and actually get a decent one. With so many tv stations now showing their stupid logo in the corner of the screen, I don't know how anybody would be able to buy a plasma if that was the case. Video games also almost ALWAYS have something on the screen that is static so that is of some concern.

I keeping getting drawn back to the Pioneer Elite Kuro plasmas. I'm just hoping they work good for games, movies, tv; the works. They aren't exactly cheap though....I'm retarded, I have way too expensive taste for how little money I make. All I know is that for that kind of dough, the tv better hold up for the next decade or so. Since plasma's are supposed to have like double the life of a regular tube tv, I shouldn't have a problem with that.

I may change my mind when all is said and done. In conclusion, I've done nothing to help the creator of this thread. I'm here solely for my own greedy and selfish needs.

[Stl_Blues_1fan]

yeah were stuck with the EC, but i know to get a LCD tv...but i know nothing else about the good or bad sides of all the specs of them.

Why did you side with LCD?

was told that if the plasma goes out...then there is no fixing it...but with the LCD it could be fixed...if i was told wrong...then please let me know...however im really leaning towards the Sharp Aquios...37" 1080p...gonna cost 1600 bucks...but sounds like its the better selection to get

[Krigloch the Furious]

all I know is that my Samsung 4061 lcd tv kicks huge amounts of ass

[barnburner]

The thing I noticed between LCD's and Plasma, is that in a fairly lighted area, the plasma's seem to "wash out" a bit.
Most of the places like Circuit City, Best Buy, etc., keep their tv areas pretty dim, so you don't see the difference, but if you compaire side by side
somwhere like Wal-mart where it's brighter - you will see the LCD be
sharper - at least in my view.

And - the Plasma are huge energy hogs. Your electric bill will thank you
for going LCD.

CNet always has good info on electronics.
http://reviews.cnet.com/televisions/?tag=cnetfd.dir" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[F Keenan]

I have a 32 inch HD LCD and I couldn't be happier with it. If you look at Best Buy or Circuit City or anywhere else, remember that Sears will match any price, plus 10% off.

[cprice12]

I have a 42" Pioneer Plasma and we couldn't be happier with it.
Amazing picture.

And personally, I think the flat panels with a black frame look better...JMO though.

A lot of the stuff you hear about plasmas and burn-in, is real old news and hasn't applied to plasmas for years.
Hell, you can burn an image on any tv, even a tube tv, if you leave an image on the screen long enough.
The truth is, it's really hard to burn a permanent image onto a screen under normal use.

Plasmas are supposed to be better for sports and fast moving stuff...but I hear the LCD's have improved in that area over the past few years.

If you do your research, I'm sure you'll pick out the tv that is best for you.

[ViPeRx007]

The thing I noticed between LCD's and Plasma, is that in a fairly lighted area, the plasma's seem to "wash out" a bit.
Most of the places like Circuit City, Best Buy, etc., keep their tv areas pretty dim, so you don't see the difference, but if you compaire side by side
somwhere like Wal-mart where it's brighter - you will see the LCD be
sharper - at least in my view.

And - the Plasma are huge energy hogs. Your electric bill will thank you
for going LCD.

CNet always has good info on electronics.
http://reviews.cnet.com/televisions/?tag=cnetfd.dir" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That's not really true. A plasma's energy usage is essentially based on what's on the screen; it only emits light when necessary. LCD's are constantly backlit. The numbers on a spec sheet for an LCD is what it is, all the time, no matter what is on the screen. Plasma's power output is variable. The wattage numbers on a spec sheet for a plasma would probably be if you just have it set to a pure white screen.

Sure, setting an LCD and plasma, side by side, both with a white screen, the plasma would eat up more energy, but in normal usage there isn't that big of a difference.

[goon attack]

(Frank) you people.

sincerely,

[ViPeRx007]

Yea right, Bono probably uses more energy in a year than all of us combined.

I guess talking about it makes it ok though.

[cprice12]

Yea right, Bono probably uses more energy in a year than all of us combined.

I guess talking about it makes it ok though.

Yeah...just look at all of the energy he is using:

[goon attack]

Bono is allowed to do that sort of thing. He's the messiahum, I mean, MESSENGER. Like Al Gor.

[Philo]

Check out A Sharp Aquos .

[cprice12]

This may help some of you out...
According to http://www.ConsumerReports.com:

PLASMA TV'S -- 58" Models
1) Panasonic TH-58PZ750U
2) LG 60PY3D
3) Pioneer PDP-6010FD
4) Samsung FP-T5884
5) Hitachi Director's Series P60X901
6) Vizio Maximvs VM60PHDTV10A CR Best Buy
7) Maxent MX-58HPT51

PLASMA TV'S -- 50" Models
1) Panasonic TH-50PZ700U
2) LG 50PY3D
3) Panasonic TH-50PZ750U
4) Panasonic TH-50PX75U CR Best Buy
5) Samsung HP-T5064
6) Pioneer PDP-5010FD
7) Pioneer PDP-5080HD
8) LG 50PC5D
9) Vizio JV50P
10) Vizio P50HDTV

PACESETTER: The Panasonic TH-50PZ700U 1080p plasma TV has the best picture quality of any flat-panel TV we've tested, with very fine detail, rich colors and deep blacks.
Bigger, better, cheaper--those three words sum up the major trends in LCD and plasma TVs this year.

PLASMA TV'S -- 42" Models
1) Pioneer Elite PRO-950HD
2) Panasonic TH-42PX77U CR Best Buy
3) Panasonic TH-42PZ700U
4) Samsung HP-T4254
5) LG 42PC5D
6) Samsung HP-T4264
7) Hitachi UltraVision P42T501

-----------------

LCD TV'S -- 52" and Larger Models
1) Sony Bravia KDL-52XBR4
2) Sharp Aquos LC-52D64U
3) Samsung LN-T5281F
4) Toshiba Cinema Series REGZA 57LX177
5) Toshiba Cinema Series REGZA 52LX177
6) LG 52LB5D
7) Sharp Aquos LC-52D92U
8) Samsung LN-T5265F
9) Sharp Aquos LC-52D82U
10) Vizio Gallevia GV52L

LCD TV'S -- 46" and 47" Models
1) Sony Bravia KDL-46XBR5
2) Samsung LN-T4661F
3) Samsung LN-T4671F
4) Sony Bravia KDL-46W3000
5) Mitsubishi LT-46133
6) Sony Bravia KDL-46S3000 CR Best Buy
7) LG 47LB5D
8) JVC LT-47X788
9) Olevia 747i
10) Toshiba REGZA 47HL167

LCD TV'S -- 40" TO 42" Models
1) Samsung LN-T4053H
2) Sony Bravia KDL-40V3000
3) Samsung LN-T4061F
4) Mitsubishi LT-40134
5) Sony Bravia KDL-40S3000
6) LG 42LB5D
7) JVC LT-42X688
8) Toshiba REGZA 42HL67 CR Best Buy
9) Toshiba REGZA 42HL167
10) RCA L42WD22

LCD TV'S -- 37" Models
1) LG 37LB5D
2) Olevia 537H
3) Insignia NS-LCD37
4) Sharp Aquos LC-37D43U
5) ViewSonic N3735w
6) Vizio VW37LHDTV
7) JVC LT-37E478
8) Sanyo DP37647
9) Sylvania LC370SS8

LCD & Plasma TVs
Both are better than ever. One plasma hits a new high

The supersizing of flat-panel screens is hard to miss. More LCD sets are sporting bigger screens, so we’ve added a new size category (46- to 52-inch models) to our Ratings. In plasma TVs, 50 is the new 40. Forty-two-inch screens are still going strong, but 50-inch and even 60-inch screens have become the star attractions in many electronics stores.

More new TVs of both types can display excellent picture quality with high-definition programming, though lower-scoring models fall short of that to varying degrees. That gives you more reason than ever to use our Ratings of LCD TVs and plasma TVs (available to ConsumerReports.org subscribers only).

The best sets are better than ever. The Panasonic TH-50PZ700U had the best picture of any flat-panel TV we’ve ever tested. One of the new breed of 1080p plasma sets now hitting stores, it combines “full HD”--1920x1080 native resolution, the highest currently available--with the characteristic strengths of plasma technology. Its ability to reproduce the finest detail, plus its rich, vibrant colors and deep blacks, lend an almost three-dimensional look to images.

While screen size and picture quality are on the rise, prices continue to fall. We might not see the extreme pricing fireworks we saw at the Black Friday sales last Thanksgiving, but you can bank on plenty of good deals on plasma and LCD TVs this holiday season. Prices of 42- and 50-inch plasma TVs could be about one-third lower than they were last December, predicts Ross Young, president of DisplaySearch, a research firm in Austin, Texas. LCD sets with 40-inch and larger screens, especially those with 1080p resolution, could cost you about 25 percent less.

LCD TVs outsold plasmas by about three to one last year, in part because they come in more, and smaller, sizes than plasmas, which start at 42 inches. But if you’re buying a bigger TV, don’t blindly follow the crowd down the LCD path. In some cases, a plasma display can give you a more satisfying TV-watching experience. (See Why buy a plasma TV?)

Whichever TV type you ultimately decide on, don’t skimp on screen size. In our surveys, many consumers said they would buy a bigger set if they could do it over. A 40- to 42-inch screen is a sensible choice for an average-sized room. A 46- to 50-inch or larger TV requires greater distance between you and the screen to ensure optimal picture quality.

Why buy a plasma TV?
To get more screen for your money. Inch for inch, plasma offers more bang for the buck than an LCD TV, so the same budget can buy you a bigger screen. Most of the 50-inch plasma sets we recommend cost $1,500 to $2,000. The 47-inch LCD Quick Picks cost $2,300 to $2,600, and the 52-inch sets cost $3,800 to $4,000. (Prices were current at press time but might drop this fall.)

To enjoy a movie-theater experience. A good plasma TV's deep black levels and high contrast can do justice to almost anything you watch, including movies and TV programs with dark scenes. The strong contrast and realistic, accurate colors can result in rich, natural-looking images, especially in dim lighting. Most LCD sets have trouble displaying the same strong, dark blacks as plasma sets. On certain LCD sets, uneven brightness from the backlight can create cloudy areas that can be distracting in dark scenes.

For a wide viewing angle. With a plasma TV, as with the familiar picture-tube set, the images onscreen look the same from almost any angle. That's a big plus if a TV will be watched by a number of people sitting around a room.

It's a different story with LCD TVs. (See Why buy an LCD TV?) Though some newer models have gotten better, most LCDs still look their best only from a limited sweet spot in front of the screen. As you move off to the side, the picture quality deteriorates, appearing increasingly washed out or dim. Vertical position also matters--say, if you're sitting on the floor or watching an LCD set that's mounted above a mantelpiece.

On some TV sets, those problems can be obvious, especially with indoor scenes and flesh tones. The degradation is less noticeable with bright images and vivid colors such as those you'd see in a football game. Because TVs in retail showrooms often display sporting events, you might not notice a problem with viewing angle when looking at a TV in a store. Picture settings also minimize the effect of viewing angle on picture quality. TVs are usually set to vivid or dynamic mode, which pumps up brightness and color to a level that looks great under fluorescent lights but unnatural in a typical home. Ask a salesperson to reset a TV to normal or standard mode and tune in nonsports programming to get a better idea of how a TV might look at home, especially from an angle.

Why buy an LCD TV?
You have a very bright room. LCDs are generally brighter than plasma TVs, and their screens are less reflective. That makes them better for daytime viewing in rooms with lots of windows or for night-time use in rooms with bright lighting. Some plasma TVs can look a bit dim in bright lighting when set to the normal or standard mode, which we generally recommend for home use. You can switch to the vivid mode or raise the brightness control to compensate, but the picture quality might suffer. Another issue with most plasmas is that the glass screens are subject to reflections and glare. If you have the lights on while watching dark scenes, you might see mirrorlike reflections on a plasma set.

For heavy use with video games or as a PC monitor. Both types of flat panels can do the job, but with an LCD, there's no chance static images will burn in. With a plasma TV, burn-in is a concern with video games, computer programs, and TV programming that has fixed images onscreen for a long time. That includes station logos, news tickers, even the bars alongside standard-def pictures. Many plasma sets have screen-saver features to minimize risk, but burn-in is still possible.

With either an LCD or plasma TV, consider a screen with 1080p resolution for use with a computer. The higher resolution will let you see more content onscreen with greater clarity and finer detail than on a 720p set. (You might have to connect your computer to the TV via an HDMI input to get 1080p resolution and to avoid having outer edges of the image cut off, otherwise known as overscan.)

For somewhat lower electric bills. LCDs tend to use less power than comparably sized plasma TVs. It doesn't appear that the differences would affect your electric bills by more than a few dollars a month in many cases, so that might not be a major factor in your decision. But there is obviously an environmental advantage to using a less power-hungry TV.

[Stl_Blues_1fan]

Check out A Sharp Aquos .

thats what i was looking at...like em a lot...but i like the LG as well....
but im not getting it now until the end of the year, due to our upcoming move from sea duty to shore, and the military moves us for free...but they dont care about your shit...so were going to wait until we get into our new place....if we can sell the one were in now....o and im hoping that the movers break the entertainment center...cause then i can get a bigger TV!

[ohio BLUES]

yeah were stuck with the EC, but i know to get a LCD tv...but i know nothing else about the good or bad sides of all the specs of them.

Why did you side with LCD?

was told that if the plasma goes out...then there is no fixing it...but with the LCD it could be fixed...if i was told wrong...then please let me know...however im really leaning towards the Sharp Aquios...37" 1080p...gonna cost 1600 bucks...but sounds like its the better selection to get

If you're getting the one I think you're getting... man, what a beautiful set. I bought the 32" version and love it

[Stl_Blues_1fan]

yeah were stuck with the EC, but i know to get a LCD tv...but i know nothing else about the good or bad sides of all the specs of them.

Why did you side with LCD?

was told that if the plasma goes out...then there is no fixing it...but with the LCD it could be fixed...if i was told wrong...then please let me know...however im really leaning towards the Sharp Aquios...37" 1080p...gonna cost 1600 bucks...but sounds like its the better selection to get

If you're getting the one I think you're getting... man, what a beautiful set. I bought the 32" version and love it

sweet! just wish i could get a 42"