Plasma vs. LCD

Thanx for your input. Very helpful article. Next question.....room size is 16x21. What size plasma screen should I purchase?

I've seen many 50" and larger TVs with a resolution of 1368X768, which is the same as my 23" LCD. I've seen other 50" and larger sets that have 1920X1080 resolution. Logic seems to suggest that with a large TV, the higher the resolution the better. Having 768 lines of resolution doesn't seem that it would be as good as 1080 on a large screen. Regardless of whether Plasma or LCD, maybe make a choice based on resolution. And what about DLP? Have you considered that format?

...Terrible light dropoff when you go off axis. Bulbs need to be changed every 2000 hours of viewing at a cost of $200+ per change.

Ugh!

What is DLP? Please explain!

pioneer plasma's usually have pretty low resolutions. hook that up next to a 1920x1080 37" westing house and the pioneer WILL ALWAYS lookk better.

measure how far you're sitting away. your room can be 100x100, but if you're only sitting 2 feet away...you wont need a big tv. you want to be 2 to 3 times the size of the tv away from it. so roughly, you should be around 10 feet away from a 42inch tv (42x3 = around 120inches).

if it is 12feet or more, i'd just stay with a plasma. if your less then 10 feet, i'd look at 37inch or less LCD's.

...Most advice about this is rooted in the dark days of regular definition and so, with a superior plasma set (good choice, BTW...the only way to go in my opinion) with HD resolution, the distances that you can be comfortable watching are actually significantly less.

I have my Sony 42" plasma about 9' away from me in my den and it's perfect. From this distance I wouldn't go with a 50" but from 12'-15' 50" should be great.

By the way, the best and most cost effective plasmas out now are Panasonics. Expect to spend about $2,400 for a 42" and about $800 more for 50".

Good luck and happy viewing.

Don't forget to keep the brightness down a bit during the first 100 hours or so of a new plasma. It improves the long term life span.

Thanx for your help! I have printed out your response to take w/ me when I shop. Room is 16x20 so I am leaning towards a 50" but will see. I will be sitting at least 12 feet away. I am torn betw. the Panasonic and the Pioneer (both plasmas). Any advice along those lines? Sales people keep wanting to push the Pioneer elite but accord. to consumer report recs, Panasonic gets the nod.

Yeah, they are going to push the Pioneer because it's more expensive. The Pioneer plasmas are good, but for the price you can't beat the Panny, and also the picture on the Panny in my opinion is right on par with the Pioneer. They are both by far the best plasmas on the market though.

because of the "media box" that comes with the pioneers where all your components plug into. when you want to plug something new into the tv...you dont have to take the tv off the wall, run the wires, and throw it back on the wall, instead you plug it into the box. makes life a lot easier.

other then that, the panasonic is a great choice too.

I have a 42" JVC EDTV (slightly lower resolution than the 50" HD Panny) and sit about 10' away. We plan to move this up to the bedroom and replace the 37" plasma there. We will buy a 50" Panny plasma to replace the 42". As time goes on and you get more high quality signals, you will glad that you went with the 50." In my opinion the plasma is the best quality pciture so far.

RR6

....They've truly earned their spot on top of the plama heap. I've heard current estimates that Panny sells 50+% of all plasmas.

And for good reason.

I have a Sony plasma and love it but they're out of the plasma business now. Too bad, they made an awesome set.

Stick with the Panny.

I have never seen a panny, but what I have heard its a great t.v. at a very affordable price. Because of compotition from co. like Panny the prices of hi-def sets have dropped to a level of what anolog t.vs cost 10 years ago. in closing I saw an ad from Frys today selling a 46" d.l.p. set for $995. now that is progress have a nice weekend stewart

....A set like that?

Only if you supply a magnifying glass!

I like my sets to be visible from a state or two away!

40 feet minimum for us, right Stewart?

You get the popcorn warmed up, I'm on my way!

We're re-doing our living room and will get a flat-screen TV to put in what is now a built-in bookcase. Based on what I've read here, I guess a plasma TV is our best bet. Now the bookcase is 40" from wall to wall so the TV would have to fit in that space (we're taking the shelves out so heighth is not an issue). We would be sitting about 12' away from the TV.

Any suggestions on the best TV which would fit here and which size?

Christine

CONSIDERABLY. For a Plasma, I guess I'd have to suggest the PANASONIC TH-37PX60U. It's a pretty sure bet.
SONY BRAVIA models are flat panel, but their LCD models. SONY says it's Bravia 40" XBR 1 models are exactly 40" width. This wouldn't help at much for ventilation. But that's a much important issue for plasmas which generate quite a bit of heat.
Unfortunately, WIDTH matters more with HDTV sets.

Good measurements to you, river.

Now dont make fun of me Iam not going to brag any more on my 72 monster Toshiba, But when I saw it on display it looked so so. and the reason I bought it was the great reviews I got here at cnet. Well when I set it up in my home, Hooked it up using the h.d.m.i. inputs and adjusting the user adjustments the picture looked twice as good as when I saw it on display, another thing if you see a set on display at Frys etc. then go to a hi-end home theater store and see the same set on display it will twice as good . have a nice day all have to switch on n.a.s.c.a.r stewart