Personal computing discussed
Moderators: renee, Dposcorp, SpotTheCat
Vrock wrote:For 42", forget LCD. Get a plasma. Better performance than LCDs and competively priced.
Don't cheap out on a TV. You wouldn't cheap out on a monitor, video card, or RAM...and with the exception of the first you don't keep those nearly as long as a TV.
mattsteg wrote:Most enthusiasts want the best bang for the buck, and that's rarely the cheap end stuff like the TV Fox mentioned. In the case of 40-42" TVs, plasmas are that bang for the buck category. My case of wanting a video card is different because I wanted a card for a single specific task....Fox's requirements are multiple and varied. I guess my point was if you can get markedly better performance for bit higher price, it makes sense to do it...especially with something like a TV which you're going to keep for a long time. You're spending hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars already, so you might as well get something quality.Vrock wrote:For 42", forget LCD. Get a plasma. Better performance than LCDs and competively priced.
Don't cheap out on a TV. You wouldn't cheap out on a monitor, video card, or RAM...and with the exception of the first you don't keep those nearly as long as a TV.
Honestly, I think many/most people would cheap out on video card or RAM and be served well by doing so. Weren't you the one looking for a video card that'd just play lego star wars for cheap a while back? What's the point of expensive overclocking RAM for non-overclockers? Even monitors, if you're just looking at text and don't need great color performance or superb viewing angles, can be just fine to cheap out on. The key is knowing where and when to save cash on all three items.
Flying Fox wrote:Fine, buy the cheap one because you "need" a TV right now. It's up to you...just remember that you get what you pay for. Though a fine plasma like the TH-42PZ80U can be found for around $1200 if you look. Honestly at that screen size, you could go to a nice 720p plasma and save a few hundred bucks...and you'd never know the difference. Considering there's like three PS3 games that utilize 1080p anyway...and Blu-ray will look great downscaled.Well, I'm now looking at the TX-42F430S (huge thread on AVSForum I am going through now). The thing is, the Panasonic plasma that I really want is >1400 while for now I am willing to spend ~1000. The TX can be had for $750 (assuming they are restocking) so the price is getting very attractive. We are not talking better quality for "just a bit more".
The immediate problem right now is the PS3 using an SD set, which is horrible. I can't even see the maps clearly. Even plugging a 22" monitor makes games look way better. Getting pressure now to get a TV quick.
Would Boxing Week make plasmas down to the 1K range?
Edit: or should I just suck it up and go for at least 46" plasma for like 2k? (We usually game between 6'-8' but we watch movies occasionally between 8'-10')
bthylafh wrote:Don't plasma TVs start fading after a few years, though? I'd rather deal with a durable, sub-optimal but still decent TV than have to replace a more expensive one once or twice a decade.
bthylafh wrote:Plasmas are as durable as any other piece of electronics. If you properly set the contrast on a plasma TV, it will last you a long time. Most plasmas have a half-life of 50,000 hours, which means after that the set is half as bright as it once was. If you watch your plasma for 8 hours a day, every day (which is unlikely, you will get 17 years of use out of it before it hits the half-life. Set the contrast about halfway to 2/3 and you are good to go for many years.Don't plasma TVs start fading after a few years, though? I'd rather deal with a durable, sub-optimal but still decent TV than have to replace a more expensive one once or twice a decade.
bthylafh wrote:From what I read on Wackypedia just now, the main problem seems to be burn-in, just like on CRTs -- if part of the display has a static image for a long time, you'll see the image's ghost from then on because the phosphors there have faded in comparison to the rest of the screen. From that I deduce that phosphors will gradually fade anyway, but you won't notice it as much if it's over the entire TV.
Don't know if burn-in is worse with plasma TVs versus CRTs, since plasmas seem to be brighter.
bthylafh wrote:Burn in really hasn't been a problem on plasmas for years now. You have to try hard to burn a plasma in. Most come with auto-shut off settings that detect a fixed image and turn the TV off after a certain period of time. Plasmas also pixel-shift imperceptibly to avoid burn in.From what I read on Wackypedia just now, the main problem seems to be burn-in, just like on CRTs -- if part of the display has a static image for a long time, you'll see the image's ghost from then on because the phosphors there have faded in comparison to the rest of the screen. From that I deduce that phosphors will gradually fade anyway, but you won't notice it as much if it's over the entire TV.
Don't know if burn-in is worse with plasma TVs versus CRTs, since plasmas seem to be brighter.
bthylafh wrote:The viewing angles on those TVs blow. Sit right in the sweet spot and you'll be treated to deep blacks and true colors. Move one seat to the left or right, and you might as well have purchased a Vizio.edit: looks like you can get LCD TVs with LED backlights now, but naturally they're more expensive. 40" Samsung LN-T4081F for $1500, and $1800 for the 46" model.
Vrock wrote:Remember I live in the (not so) Great White North, and I prefer to buy from B&M, so $1400 is about the best that I can do on a cursory check. Of course that gives me some hope that Boxing Week I may be able to get that for 1K? Or is it too much of a stretch?Fine, buy the cheap one because you "need" a TV right now. It's up to you...just remember that you get what you pay for. Though a fine plasma like the TH-42PZ80U can be found for around $1200 if you look.
Vrock wrote:That's the problem. I bought the MGS4 bundle, I may buy out RR7 from my friend and when Sony finishes it I will be getting GT5. So there we go. Keep in mind that my gaming distance will be 6-8 feet, right where 1080p will make a difference. Bluray movies may be different since we may be sitting a bit further back.Honestly at that screen size, you could go to a nice 720p plasma and save a few hundred bucks...and you'd never know the difference. Considering there's like three PS3 games that utilize 1080p anyway...and Blu-ray will look great downscaled.
Vrock wrote:Well here's the thing. Don't know if we will be moving within 5 years and by then I may be looking at a 50+ display anyway (damn Nano-Proprietary, I would have gotten those if Canon/Toshiba made it ). Yeah I'm compromising and justifying. We will see, still have 100+ pages regarding the TX to go through.If it was me I'd save up a bit and get the TV I really want instead of settling. But whatever.
Vrock wrote:Well it sounds like you've already made up your mind then.
ucisilentbob wrote:I bit the bullet on the 747i two months ago when they were running the 747i for 999+99.99 shipping. I absolutely love it.
Dposcorp wrote:That's the real sticking point there. Most any LCD TV will look decent in a brightly lit room, but most movie aficionados and gamers I know like to play in the dark....and work well in a bright room.
Vrock wrote:Dposcorp wrote:That's the real sticking point there. Most any LCD TV will look decent in a brightly lit room, but most movie aficionados and gamers I know like to play in the dark....and work well in a bright room.
Dposcorp wrote:If nothing else, there's always nighttime.I don't know about that........we don't all live in cave/basements where we can control the lights.
(Although I do )
Dposcorp wrote:I'm not sure this argument makes sense. Just because a tech is more "mature" doesn't make it better. Additionally, plasmas do very well in brightly lit rooms, especially if you get one with a matte screen.I personally like LCDs, not only cause they work well in bright light, but because I think the LCD tech is just that much more mature, compared to the relatively young tech of Plasma TVs.
Dposcorp wrote:I'd like to see pics of the TV displaying a black screen in a darkened room.To get on topic, if Flying Fox or anyone else for that matter want me to take pics of the LCDs using a computer and/or watching HDTV, let me know.