Plasma or LCD TV?
Discussion
LED TVs don't come in the 37" to 42" sizes - LED TVs are the huge, outdoor event displays.
LCD TVs with LED back-lighting come in 37" to 42" but are something quite different (though the retards in your local Currys/Comet/PC World probably won't understand this and will call them LED TVs).
LCD (florescent CFL back-lighting)
+ Cheap.
+ Reasonable colour reproduction.
- Software and hardware in budget models gives very poor picture.
- Poor reproduction of blacks due to blanket back-lighting brightness.
LCD (LED edge back-lighting)
+ Very thin.
+ Cheaper to run than CFL set (by 20%-30%).
+ Don't contain Mercury so better for environment.
- More expensive than comparable CFL sets.
- Worse at handling blacks than CFL between equivalent sets.
LCD (LED local dimming back-lighting)
+ Same lower running costs as LED edge sets.
+ No Mercury.
+ Better black reproduction than other LCDs as back-lighting can be varied across the picture, so brighter in light areas, darker in black ones.
- More expensive than comparable CFL sets.
- Thicker than LED edge sets, though thinner than CFLs.
Plasma
+ Better colour reproduction than any LCD.
+ Better blacks than any LCD.
- More expensive than any LCD.
- Higher running costs than any LCD.
- More expensive than comparable LCDs.
LED TV:
LED back-lit LCD:
Take a look at http://www.lcdtvbuyingguide.com/hdtv/led-vs-lcd.ht... for details of how different LCD technologies compare.
LCD TVs with LED back-lighting come in 37" to 42" but are something quite different (though the retards in your local Currys/Comet/PC World probably won't understand this and will call them LED TVs).
LCD (florescent CFL back-lighting)
+ Cheap.
+ Reasonable colour reproduction.
- Software and hardware in budget models gives very poor picture.
- Poor reproduction of blacks due to blanket back-lighting brightness.
LCD (LED edge back-lighting)
+ Very thin.
+ Cheaper to run than CFL set (by 20%-30%).
+ Don't contain Mercury so better for environment.
- More expensive than comparable CFL sets.
- Worse at handling blacks than CFL between equivalent sets.
LCD (LED local dimming back-lighting)
+ Same lower running costs as LED edge sets.
+ No Mercury.
+ Better black reproduction than other LCDs as back-lighting can be varied across the picture, so brighter in light areas, darker in black ones.
- More expensive than comparable CFL sets.
- Thicker than LED edge sets, though thinner than CFLs.
Plasma
+ Better colour reproduction than any LCD.
+ Better blacks than any LCD.
- More expensive than any LCD.
- Higher running costs than any LCD.
- More expensive than comparable LCDs.
LED TV:
LED back-lit LCD:
Take a look at http://www.lcdtvbuyingguide.com/hdtv/led-vs-lcd.ht... for details of how different LCD technologies compare.
Edited by //j17 on Tuesday 17th May 13:59
Bit of a Sony fan boy, mainly as I used to install them back when flat screen CRT's were new, and DVD was still even newer 
I bought a 32 LCD and its been brilliant for the last few years. Becuase I hardly watched true HD, I bought a 720P. Now we have a decent Bluray and theres HD freeveiw, I bought another Sony but 1080P and again I;m impressed. It handles the poor quality daytime stuff and the footy well, but when the blueray is being watched it handles the pixel perfect stuff good enough to really shine imoa.
LCD backlight will be the next step for me when this dies, until then I'm happy with the proven quality from the Sony and the price point of not having LCD, or 3D
I bought a 32 LCD and its been brilliant for the last few years. Becuase I hardly watched true HD, I bought a 720P. Now we have a decent Bluray and theres HD freeveiw, I bought another Sony but 1080P and again I;m impressed. It handles the poor quality daytime stuff and the footy well, but when the blueray is being watched it handles the pixel perfect stuff good enough to really shine imoa.
LCD backlight will be the next step for me when this dies, until then I'm happy with the proven quality from the Sony and the price point of not having LCD, or 3D
jellison said:
teve - that is the sort of thing I mean - I was looking at this svery one last night - some good deals around on them too.
Think the way to go - THANKS.
No probs. Was running on Scart cables until today and I was a little disappointed with it, but having hooked all my devices up with HDMi's it really has blown me away with the picture quality. The sound is half decent aswell which is something i've always felt the uber slim LCD jobbies stuggle with.Think the way to go - THANKS.
WildCards said:
jellison said:
teve - that is the sort of thing I mean - I was looking at this svery one last night - some good deals around on them too.
Think the way to go - THANKS.
No probs. Was running on Scart cables until today and I was a little disappointed with it, but having hooked all my devices up with HDMi's it really has blown me away with the picture quality. The sound is half decent aswell which is something i've always felt the uber slim LCD jobbies stuggle with.Think the way to go - THANKS.
jellison said:
Which is the Brightest / Sharpest?
I suggest you get yourself down to a store that has a decent demo room. I too am thinking about getting a new tv, and have lookied about.Plasmas are very good, especially at handling motion. But some of the LED backlit/edgelit LCDs have an astonishingly clear picture. Almost too clear for some people. Not me though. Whilst I appreciate the 'warmer' picture given off by some Sony LEDs, some Samsung LEDs are just stunning.
Hope you're happy with whatever you go for Jon.
caduceus said:
jellison said:
Which is the Brightest / Sharpest?
I suggest you get yourself down to a store that has a decent demo room. I too am thinking about getting a new tv, and have lookied about.Plasmas are very good, especially at handling motion. But some of the LED backlit/edgelit LCDs have an astonishingly clear picture. Almost too clear for some people. Not me though. Whilst I appreciate the 'warmer' picture given off by some Sony LEDs, some Samsung LEDs are just stunning.
Hope you're happy with whatever you go for Jon.
Screenburn, or permanent image retention is not something that has affected Plasma TVs for about 5-6 years now - certainly not Panasonic ones.
Pioneers before KURO came along, were troubled with it, but nowadays, you might get the odd bit of temporary image retention, which will disappear very shortly after changing channel.
Will only really happen on games, since you can pause a DVD/BR or recording on the set-top box whilst you make a cuppa/go to the loo/etc without any issue.
Just don't be hooking it up to the computer and looking through the archives for Grid Girls vols 1 & 2 though - image retention will be the least of your concerns if the missus comes in mid trouser adjustment.
Pioneers before KURO came along, were troubled with it, but nowadays, you might get the odd bit of temporary image retention, which will disappear very shortly after changing channel.
Will only really happen on games, since you can pause a DVD/BR or recording on the set-top box whilst you make a cuppa/go to the loo/etc without any issue.
Just don't be hooking it up to the computer and looking through the archives for Grid Girls vols 1 & 2 though - image retention will be the least of your concerns if the missus comes in mid trouser adjustment.
PJ S said:
Screenburn, or permanent image retention is not something that has affected Plasma TVs for about 5-6 years now - certainly not Panasonic ones.
Pioneers before KURO came along, were troubled with it, but nowadays, you might get the odd bit of temporary image retention, which will disappear very shortly after changing channel.
Will only really happen on games, since you can pause a DVD/BR or recording on the set-top box whilst you make a cuppa/go to the loo/etc without any issue.
Just don't be hooking it up to the computer and looking through the archives for Grid Girls vols 1 & 2 though - image retention will be the least of your concerns if the missus comes in mid trouser adjustment.
Luckily I don't play Computer games (have Sportscars and Mountain bike for fun - and no fat ass or loos of sleep playing online with 12 year old the other side of the world Pioneers before KURO came along, were troubled with it, but nowadays, you might get the odd bit of temporary image retention, which will disappear very shortly after changing channel.
Will only really happen on games, since you can pause a DVD/BR or recording on the set-top box whilst you make a cuppa/go to the loo/etc without any issue.
Just don't be hooking it up to the computer and looking through the archives for Grid Girls vols 1 & 2 though - image retention will be the least of your concerns if the missus comes in mid trouser adjustment.
). Don't mention Pitbabe Vol 1, 2 or 3 (she could be reading this ).Oh, how the dumbing down has riven its foul wares so well.
Not so long ago, there was universal acceptance that Pioneer's Kuro plasma was the undisputed doyen of the gene pool. Rightly so.
Today, reprised in varying degrees via ST, GT and VT30 form with a Pansonic badge on the lower edge, the legend is reborn, better than ever ito bells, whistles ('smart tv,') aesthetics, vfm but ultimately, sheer, rampant picture quality.
If you intend to keep the thing for 5-10 years, the 42VT30 is the only game in town.
Not so long ago, there was universal acceptance that Pioneer's Kuro plasma was the undisputed doyen of the gene pool. Rightly so.
Today, reprised in varying degrees via ST, GT and VT30 form with a Pansonic badge on the lower edge, the legend is reborn, better than ever ito bells, whistles ('smart tv,') aesthetics, vfm but ultimately, sheer, rampant picture quality.
If you intend to keep the thing for 5-10 years, the 42VT30 is the only game in town.
Spent and age in a very big telly shop yesterday, assessed everything, (tell in a very well lit (all glass) room. Best we could see in range we wanted to spend was a Samsung 40" LED backlit one.
No idea on numbers (I just said yep thats the one we'll have - made sure it was 100hz though and got 200 hz cable to go to the BT box). Get next Sunday.
Really shap picture and really bright and clear with great contrast.
No idea on numbers (I just said yep thats the one we'll have - made sure it was 100hz though and got 200 hz cable to go to the BT box). Get next Sunday.
Really shap picture and really bright and clear with great contrast.
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