LED TV's?

[cody]

Amazon is a great place to grab a TV since they have the best customer service, price matching, return policies ever. But you have to wait for a good deal to pop up. You can use www.camelcamelcamel.com for this, or make deal alerts on www.slickdeals.net or similar. Amazon doesn't charge tax or shipping (usually) and they often ship from Fernley so you get your order fast.

99% of the time, 99% of people aren't utilizing 1080P vs 720P. Unless you'll be using it as a computer monitor on a regular basis (not a good idea with plasmas due to potential burn-in) or sitting way too close while watching Blu-Ray, a decent 720P plasma will give almost everyone a MUCH better ROI.

Check this out:




http://satellitetvguru.net/720p-vs-1080p/

I went to BB before my Samsung 50" 1080P plasma arrived from Dell. They had my TV right next to the 720P version and with 1080P content from like 8 feet away, you could only tell the difference with large font. The large font had barely noticeable jagged edges on the 720P set.

Honestly I'd rate a TV solely by trustworthy reviews of the exact model (articles on C-Net, Consumer Reports, AVS Forum, etc.) armed with the knowledge to determine what's important for your particular usage. The specs listed are often completely misleading so competent reviews become quite important.

And the newest features (120/240hz, LED backlighting, internet capable) are almost never worth the cost they add. A name brand solid 60hz 1080P 42" LCD should be between $425 and $500. A name brand solid 720P Plasma should be a touch less, or at least easier to find a deal on.

[cody]

Originally Posted by Dean

I agree that there are grade A & B panels based on defective pixels(dead or frozen) and/or clouding or Mura, but a Samsung model 1234 at Walmart has the same panel that meets the same standards as a Samsung model 1234 at Best Buy, don't let anybody tell you anything else.

Depending on the manufacturer, even the grade A panels may have dead or frozen pixels, usually dead especially on 1080p displays.

If you really want to know, research a company's replacement policy on dead or frozen pixels. That will tell you what they are setting for a standard.

Most people cannot see a few dead pixels depending on location and only detect frozen ones against a black backgrounds.

Aaron is right about the other corner sutting on the cheaper sets. Non universal remotes and fewer inputs are common ways to cut costs even if the panel is the same. You can probably save $20-50 bucks easily as a manufacturer by using a cheaper 1 function remote and limiting your number and location of inputs.

All I am saying is look at the display you are buying. Grab the remote and fix the picture settings that the stores often F with on the cheaper sets to try and upsell you. There are some damn nice sets at Walmart, Costco, RC Wiley, etc. at well below Best Buy prices often on the identical sets.

Good point. For example, Samsung makes a 40" 1080P 60hz LCD TV that is sometimes available for as low as $500 (Newegg on BF) because it only has one HDMI input. It would be perfect for somebody who plans to use a receiver with multiple HDMI inputs though.

Also be sure that the set you grab has the apropriate coating on the panel. Most plasmas and some LCD's are glossy and show reflections from, say, nearby windows. But these panels tend to have a better contrast ratio and look sharper so it's a give and take. There are tons of considerations which is why you need to be armed with a little knowledge and the ability to check professional reviews.

Walmart has great return policies too. Newegg has quite bad ones, believe it or not. You have to have 6 dead pixels to warrant a free replacement IIRC. Otherwise you pay return shipping and a 15% restocking fee. WTF.

[100_Percent_Juice]

I think the biggest thing is to not over think the decision. Its easy to see which tv is better if they are sitting next to each other. Once you get a TV in your home it will look great since there is nothing to directly compare it to. Also, who is to say that the TV's at the store are hooked up correctly? What Cody said about screen size and viewing distance is really the most important thing IMO. However, its almost 2011 and I don't think I would get anything 720p or plasma at this point. I do use mine as a computer screen though. So again, its all based on your needs and since this thread is about your stupid need to get a second TV for your bedroom that is 5 feet away from your living room, I really don't care what you do.

[Aaronsp10]

My 2 cents.. I have a 42 panasonic 600hz 1080p tv.. I paid 700 or so for a year ago.. To get close to the same picture out of an LCD I would have been looking at 120hz samsung panels and would have spent 400-500 more.. LCD took a step in the right direction with led backlighting because they can disable back lighting over black images to create a closer to true black look.. If you look at the tv wall at any store wait for a dark image.. You can pick out the plasma tv's from a distance because black is actually black instead of gray. The only time I would buy an LCD over a plasma is in a screen smaller than 42" or in a room wear glare off a glass panel would be to difficult to manage..

I'm no expert but I sold them for a couple years..
I also did not buy the warranty on the plasma.. But If I had gotten an LCD I would have.. The majority of our service issues were on LCD panels..

[cody]

Apparently Plasmas are known to buzz ("bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz") especially when above 6,500 feet of elevation. Mine is dead silent though. It looks absolutely incredible when watching Blu-Ray via my PS3 or 1080p/720p rips via my laptop.

I hear that most people end up turning off the 120hz voodoo crap after they spent a bunch on a set just to get it. It causes a "soap opera" effect and looks "unnatural" because the TV is processing fake images and inserting them between the real ones. Every manufacturer has a different method of doing this so YMMV, but it's not going to take the blur away as if you had simply bought a plasma.

Plasmas are heavier, tend to have more glare, and shouldn't be used where images will be still for extreme amounts of time (pretty much just when using them as a monitor) but are superior in every other way, generally speaking.

Edit: They also use more electricity, but like just like the old Burn-in problem, the newer sets are way better...similar energy consumption to the CCFL backlit LCD's.

[100_Percent_Juice]

Originally Posted by cody

Plasmas are heavier, tend to have more glare, and shouldn't be used where images will be still for extreme amounts of time (pretty much just when using them as a monitor) but are superior in every other way, generally speaking.

I do have to say that about 4 years ago I purchased a 50" Vizio plasma that was better than almost every other TV that I compared it to. My current TV which was a anniversary present from my wife, comes with 240hz and wireless internet. I used the wireless feature until I got a PS3 and could stream netflix there. We are getting to the point where all TVs are going to start having the internet features and higher hz whether you want it or not. At least with mine you can turn the function off.

[GusGus91]

Well, I ended up picking up a 42" Vizio edge lit LED 120hz from costco for $680. The picture was better on it than the Samsung next to it, and the Sharp on the other side of it, for $200 less. I'm going to have a friend come over and calibrate everything tomorrow. After watching a movie on it for like 20min, I knew I wanted that one. I'll let you guys know how it is later..

Also my Plasma doesnt buzz either. I've never heard any of our plasma's do that..

[100_Percent_Juice]

They only buzz when you pee on the screen.

[GusGus91]

Man, Im surprised mine hasn't buzzed yet then..

[100_Percent_Juice]

Yeah, I thought it would the last time I peed on it.

[cody]

Originally Posted by GusGus91

Well, I ended up picking up a 42" Vizio edge lit LED 120hz from costco for $680. The picture was better on it than the Samsung next to it, and the Sharp on the other side of it, for $200 less. I'm going to have a friend come over and calibrate everything tomorrow. After watching a movie on it for like 20min, I knew I wanted that one. I'll let you guys know how it is later..

Also my Plasma doesnt buzz either. I've never heard any of our plasma's do that..

Cool. Visio makes some nice TV's. I'm sure yours is one of them.

It seems like every brand and model has some that end up buzzing right from the beginning. It sucks for the few that end up in that situation. If it's a good manufacturer, they'll send out a tech under warranty that will fix it in minutes though.

[Kevin M]

Originally Posted by cody

I hear that most people end up turning off the 120hz voodoo crap after they spent a bunch on a set just to get it. It causes a "soap opera" effect and looks "unnatural" because the TV is processing fake images and inserting them between the real ones. Every manufacturer has a different method of doing this so YMMV, but it's not going to take the blur away as if you had simply bought a plasma.

I was TV shopping when the 120hz stuff was just coming out, and I noticed that. Made it quite easy not to spend an extra $400 at the time for that feature.

[tysonK]

Buy the most expensize TV you can and then brag about with no regard for features or quality.

just saying.

[doubleurx]

Originally Posted by tysonK

Buy the most expensize TV you can and then brag about with no regard for features or quality.

just saying.

I'm with Tyson. I'm still rocking my 57" Sony XBR projection screen from 2001. It still has a great picture and weighs 375 lbs. It's not a wimpy 90 lbs weakling like these new TV's!