TV's...what to buy??

[EmotionDetector]

I'll try posting here...hopefully we have some TV "experts" here!

 

I recently bought a house, and now that we are attempting to settle in, I have been looking into getting a nice BIG TV for my basement. The TV is very important, and I will most likely be getting a nice sound system to go with it as well (advice on that also appreciated!). I haven't really made a price range yet until I see what I can get, but I don't want to get too pricey.

 

I really want to get a nice TV. I will be using it mainly for watching all different sports, as well as video games and blu-rays (with my PS3).

 

Does anybody have any recommendations at all? Brand Names? LCD vs Plasma vs LED? Also, maybe some stories about your preferred brands, or TV's to avoid?

 

What other details and options are important to look into when selecting a TV?

 

Any help you guys can give would be greatly appreciated!

[ILSnwdog]

I have a Samsung LCD and it's picture is awesome. I've gotten lots of compliments on the set. I find LCD has a sharper picture than plasma. I haven't seen it compared to LED...I bought my TV about a year and a half ago, and the LED's just came out in the last 12 months I believe.

 

[thesweetscience]

If its a basement and there is not much ambient light then I would go plasma. I have the Panasonic Viera TC-P50S2. It has a great picture and is a great TV for a excellent price. There is also the 54 inch, 58 inch, and 65 inch. I went 50 inch because the bigger sizes wouldn't fit where I needed it too.

 

If you want higher end go with any of the TC-PXXG25 series. It comes in all 4 sizes as well and is just a little more expensive than the S2 series.

[Khan]

Here's a reference site you can use to eduate:

http://www.lcdtvbuyingguide.com/

 

I bought a Samsung a couple months ago and it is fantastic.

 

Some of the things you may want to consider are:

 

TV size vs. room size

viewing angle - wider is better

does it have non-glare screen?

contrast ratio:

http://tv.about.com/od/hdtv/a/contrastratio.htm

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_diff..._contrast_ratio

# of HDMI ports

mounting on the wall? If not, does the base swivel?

Response time should be around 4ms

Watch sports? should get minimum 120hz response ratio

 

 

[bigalfan]

Make that a THIRD for Samsung - LOVE mine!!! And, this particular line is now really cheap (as tv's go anyway).

 

samsung LN

[ReRushed]

I've had a Samsung LCD since January and I'm very satisfied with it. I really can't tell the difference between LCD and plasma. Also, I found that LED quality doesn't justify the price difference compared to LCD.

 

You can get a really good LCD at a very reasonable price right now.

 

I hooked my Fios to HMDI and it looks fabulous.

 

I hooked my PS# to HMDI and the blu-ray looks fantastic.

 

My Wii is hooked up to AV and it looks great.

 

I haven't done it yet, but you will need a good sound system. LCD TV audio speakers are pretty bad.

[WCFIELDS]

I would definately get an LCD or LED.....not a Plasma.

[LiquidSteel]

I have a Samsung 32" LCD that blows away all the competition. I like it so much I got a 22" Samsung LCD monitor for my puter.

[Khan]

I have a 22" Samsung for my puter too. I also just bought a smaller, 40" LCD for another room but it's a Toshiba. I bought it mainly as a 2nd decent size TV and because I got it for under $500.

[PuppetKing2112]

Bought a 32" LG at the beginning of the year (LCD) and I'm extremely happy with it.

[Alex]

QUOTE (ILSnwdog @ Aug 4 2010, 03:25 PM)

I have a Samsung LCD and it's picture is awesome. I've gotten lots of compliments on the set. I find LCD has a sharper picture than plasma. I haven't seen it compared to LED...I bought my TV about a year and a half ago, and the LED's just came out in the last 12 months I believe.

 

I have a Samsung LCD as well.

[Tom Sawyer]

I have both a samsung and sony lcd, fabulous, both of them!!

 

 

[briremo]

Edited August 15, 2010 by briremo

[WCFIELDS]

[ILSnwdog]

[briremo]

I have a good friend who has a local AV business, and all of the LCD's in the showroom look as good OR better than Plasmas. A few years ago Plasma's were better, but now LCD's have high refresh rates....so a lot of the problems that you mentioned no longer exist. Plus try mounting a 60" Plasma on a wall....an LCD is a piece of cake. I guess it's a matter of opinion, and some people prefer one over the other. One thing is for sure, LED is better than both (although more costly).

 

According to a few things I've heard/read, they will be stopping production of Plasma's soon (not confirmed, but credible). LED's and LCD's will continue. Have you heard this?

I will argue that LED is NOT better. I think the images lack detail but that is more of the image processors fault. Remember and LED Tv is actually and LCD with LED backlighting instead of flourescent tubes, so the technology is not that different. LED's are used to improve black level, and response are not much better than they were so I will argue the point still.

 

Many showrooms give the illusion that LCD's look better because your eye will be drawn to brighter and more dynamic pictures naturally. The bottom line is when you get it in your living room and you're looking at the one TV, your impressions change. Kinda lainting your living room and then standing back and saying "I didn't this paint was that orange-ish"

 

And I hung a 65" plasma the other day so no biggie really. It weighed less than my 2 year old 50".

 

Look, you can say whatever you want, but I've only sold and/or installed about 500 flat panels, and I've professionally calibrated over 300 displays and I can tell you, plasma is better.

Edited August 15, 2010 by briremo

[briremo]

I'll add one more reply...

 

If you go to any online review site, virtually any TV you click on will have dozens of reviews by owners of the TV's that say things like. "Best damn TV in the world" or "This TV looks amazing!". I don't care if it is the best or if it's a POS Vizio, Everyone wants to think they made the right purchase and for most people going to any HDTV from what they had is a step up so naturally they think it rocks the box.

 

But, if you talk to someone who's experienced with virtually EVERY TV on the market, is educated and unbiased, you usually get the stratight answer.

 

But YMMV

[Khan]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v423/KublaKhan/smilieeatingpopcorncute.gif

[dilbertyard]

Plasma TVs will burn in picture. LCDs will not. LED TV's are just LCDs with an LED back light.

[Jack Aubrey]

QUOTE (dilbertyard @ Aug 18 2010, 08:00 PM)

Plasma TVs will burn in picture. LCDs will not. LED TV's are just LCDs with an LED back light.

I've owned a plasma tv for eight years now and there's nothing burned into the screen. I recently had it calibrated and checked and this was verified.

 

[thesweetscience]

QUOTE (Jack Aubrey @ Aug 19 2010, 10:08 AM)

QUOTE (dilbertyard @ Aug 18 2010, 08:00 PM) Plasma TVs will burn in picture. LCDs will not. LED TV's are just LCDs with an LED back light. I've owned a plasma tv for eight years now and there's nothing burned into the screen. I recently had it calibrated and checked and this was verified. Me too. Burn in is not really an issue anymore.

[briremo]

QUOTE (dilbertyard @ Aug 18 2010, 08:00 PM)

Plasma TVs will burn in picture. LCDs will not. LED TV's are just LCDs with an LED back light.

Actually LCD's can burn in. I've seen it before, though they are less susceptible to "burn in". we call it "image retention" in the biz

[WCFIELDS]

QUOTE (briremo @ Aug 15 2010, 01:27 PM)

I'll add one more reply... If you go to any online review site, virtually any TV you click on will have dozens of reviews by owners of the TV's that say things like. "Best damn TV in the world" or "This TV looks amazing!". I don't care if it is the best or if it's a POS Vizio, Everyone wants to think they made the right purchase and for most people going to any HDTV from what they had is a step up so naturally they think it rocks the box. But, if you talk to someone who's experienced with virtually EVERY TV on the market, is educated and unbiased, you usually get the stratight answer. But YMMV

Not trying to argue, because that is YOUR opinion, not a fact. Most other professionals in the industry have told me the opposite of what you've said though. I'm not an expert, but like I said earlier to me the LCD's today look better. I did tons of reasearch and went to several stores, environments etc....and my conclusion was unanimous.

[Snowdog]

QUOTE (thesweetscience @ Aug 19 2010, 01:09 PM)

QUOTE (Jack Aubrey @ Aug 19 2010, 10:08 AM) QUOTE (dilbertyard @ Aug 18 2010, 08:00 PM) Plasma TVs will burn in picture. LCDs will not. LED TV's are just LCDs with an LED back light. I've owned a plasma tv for eight years now and there's nothing burned into the screen. I recently had it calibrated and checked and this was verified. Me too. Burn in is not really an issue anymore. I'll third that. I've had mine for 4 years and no problems at all.

[briremo]

QUOTE (WCFIELDS @ Aug 22 2010, 02:05 PM)

QUOTE (briremo @ Aug 15 2010, 01:27 PM) I'll add one more reply... If you go to any online review site, virtually any TV you click on will have dozens of reviews by owners of the TV's that say things like. "Best damn TV in the world" or "This TV looks amazing!". I don't care if it is the best or if it's a POS Vizio, Everyone wants to think they made the right purchase and for most people going to any HDTV from what they had is a step up so naturally they think it rocks the box. But, if you talk to someone who's experienced with virtually EVERY TV on the market, is educated and unbiased, you usually get the stratight answer. But YMMV Not trying to argue, because that is YOUR opinion, not a fact. Most other professionals in the industry have told me the opposite of what you've said though. I'm not an expert, but like I said earlier to me the LCD's today look better. I did tons of reasearch and went to several stores, environments etc....and my conclusion was unanimous. Mr. Fields. Which 'most other professionals' say that LCD's are better? The 3 year veteran 21 year old floor punk at Best Buy or HHGregg? Or someone that calibrates displays for a living? Show me a quote from any ISF certified tech or magazine reviewer....   The bottom line is as of today; 1) plasma does NOT suffer from motion artifacts as LCD's still do. 2) plasma does not suffer from uneven backlighting as LCD's (but not LED's) often do. 3) plasma has deeper blacks (and some can produce 'blacker than black') which translates to better contrast ratios* than LCD. 4) plasma has BY FAR truer color reproduction than LCD, which BTW, fluctuates due to lamp life and panel temp. I know this because I calibrate displays for a living.   Now, LCD's are brighter and the new LED's are super slim, which is cool. But IN MY OPINION, having no motion artifacts, even image birghtness across the screen, deeper blacks and accurate color means a better picture.   In your opinion, a brighter picture means quality. I understand completely. Can I interest you in a state of the art Bose sound system?   I don't mean to argue either, but sometimes conventional wisdom flies in the face of the facts. Thus I present some facts. Beleive what you want.   *Note: Stated or spec'd contrast ratios mean squat. The numbers you see on the sales sheet are based on no standards. Do not go by any spec you see printed anywhere. Look at tests by reputable magazines, look at the TV in your normal viewing environment, not Best Buy's sales floor that is lit 7 times brighter than your family room or 12 times brighter than your bedroom.   peace!