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General discussion

Request for help on 37-42" plasma

Aug 3, 2005 5:47AM PDT

Hello all.

I'm new to the flat panel and EDTV/HDTV world and hope you might assist. I'd like to get a flat panel TV of 37-42" but have some questions:

1. It appears plasma is the way to go vs. LCD - I won't be gaming on it but just TV and DVDs. Is that accurate?

2. With a TV of that size, does it matter much whether I go for EDTV or HDTV? I am willing to spend the $$$ for HD but have heard that unless you go with 50" or more it's almost a waste of money not to go EDTV.

3. Does plasma support the 720 and/or 1080i/p standards? Again, with 42" or less will it matter?

4. I have DirecTV with a single LNB system and NFL Sunday Ticket. Is it necessary to get a multi-LNB dish and subscribe to additional packages to get programming (incl. NFL) in HD?

5. Is it generally advisable to stick with the big names (Panasonic and Sony appear best) for such an investment?

Thank you SO much for your help!

Discussion is locked

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Request for help on 37-42" plasma
Aug 3, 2005 5:57AM PDT

1- Yes, stick with plasma. Unquestionably the best, brightest and most vibrant picture. Also, the only one you can look at from off axis and still see anything.

2- HD is the way to go. First, with a true HD source you most certainly will be able to see the diference and soon (within the next 4 years) true HD programming will be all there is. At that point you'll be left with a dinosaur if you get ED.

3- Most certainly the 720. If I'm not mistaken, only Mistubishi and Samsung DLP's are now coming out supporting the brand new 1080 format.

4- No clue.

5- Yes..check out the Sony KDE-42XS955 (Vanns.com has it for $3,500, no shipping/tax)
Good luck.

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Request for help on 37-42" plasma
Aug 3, 2005 6:16AM PDT

1) Here's a c|net article:
http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-8900_7-5120008-1.html?tag=belt.tv

2) Here's another:
http://www.cnet.com/4520-7874_1-5137915-1.html?tag=nav

3) The resolution is discussed in many different articles, here's one to start with (the above cover aspects as well):
http://www.cnet.com/4520-7874_1-5108432-1.html?tag=nav

4) Yet again:
http://www.cnet.com/4520-7874_1-5108854-4.html?tag=dir

In short, you need a 3 LNB dish.

5) You'll have to weigh the pros&cons:
http://www.cnet.com/4520-7874_1-5108432-1.html?tag=fs

Read these articles, they will help. Getting someone elses opinion doesn't address all your issues, just theirs.

Enjoy.

Morgan Harman
The Tech Source
http://www.TheTechSource.net
Home Theaters and more... in Southern California

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Request for help on 37-42" plasma
Aug 3, 2005 8:28AM PDT

1. Assuming you read the pros and cons article listed previously you should have some idea of the fundamentals here. One big consideration is simply size, below 42'' you'd be hard pressed to even find a plasma and, whilst there are a few LCD's on the market at 42'' and above, the price of these is quite a bit higher than plasma, HD or otherwise. So if you want 40''+ then plasma it is, if less than 40'' then LCD will be just about your only choice.

2. Bottom line, if you can afford HD - do it!

3. Plasmas of this size generally support 720p for HD or 480p for ED. Each of these can accept a 720p/1080i/p signal, in most cases, but will scale that format to it's native resolution.

4. As mentioned already you need a three LNB dish.

5. There are some off-brand names out there that have acceptable pictures but as a rule of thumb stick with what you know. Look also at LG which have a great line of features at very competitive prices. Some great names that you may not have heard of but are top of the line, albeit pricey, are Marantz, Runco, Fujitsu.

Happy hunting,

Terry
CEO/Owner
Beyond Home Theater
www.beyondhometheater.com

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Plasma vs LCD, if you have the time and money wait....
Aug 3, 2005 2:53PM PDT

Hello,

1. Plasma and LCD are both ok, but have issues. Plasma still has the problem of burn-in which may result from watching news and sports score tickers. Also could happen if the aspect ratio of the display does not match the corresponding source and causes letterboxing or pillerboxing, black bars all around the image being played. Make sure to adjust the screen aspect ratio on the display to eliminate the black bars as much as possible. LCD's are not capable of burn-in.

LCD's on the other hand have issues with fast action and can have a drag effect. They also can have the famouse screen door effect. However, on the flip side, LCD's have backlights that will last roughly 80,000 hours while Plasma's have a shorter lifespan of around 60,000 hours. LCDs also have less power comsumption than Plasmas.

That said, if I were you I would get the least expensive unit as possible (like 1200 or less) to tide you over till the new SED units come out. SED is short for Surface-conduction Electron-emitter Display. These units are suppose to be out within the next 6-8 months and will be superior to LCD and Plasma. SED displays are being produced by Toshiba and Cannon. Basically a SED unit is a thinner (around 9" thick) version of a classic CRT TV with HD capabilities, no burn in, and able to be view in any lighting conditions from any angle.

Aside from the future OLED units, I believe SEDs will give Plasma and LCD a run for their money if not replace them. After all, the classic CRTs have been around a long time with the best performance.

For more information go here:
http://www.canon.com/technology/display/

2. I would go with HDTV if you have the money for it.

3. 1080p HDTV plasmas will be quite expensive. Again, I would wait till the SEDs are available for the a long term investment.

4. You will need to upgrade your DireTV equipment for HDTV and 5.1 surround sound.

5. Since I am recommending at higher quality display, any name brand will be suffice for the interim.

Take Care,

Shawn Mosqueda
WireSmart LLC

If you would like to contact me, click on the profile link below.

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Thank you all!
Aug 4, 2005 11:10PM PDT

Thank you everyone who has helped me out with this. I did pore over the CNet articles, read many many reviews, and ultimately wound up getting the Panasonic TH-42PX50U as most people seem to like it and it fit well in my cabinet.

Thanks again!