Lcd

[anthonyu]

I'm looking to buy a 32" LCD in a couple of months or so and one of my friends has contacts in Samsung and LG so was wondering which one of these would be better and what models you'd recommend? I'm not set on 32" and could go bigger but would probably not go over 40"

[ballbreaker]

I like Samsung.

[Palace]

are you limited to Samsung or LG only because of a possible discount from your friend?

if so, Samsung is the right choice.

if not, you might want to check out Sony also.

i have both Sony and Samsung and i've seen my friends' LG up close. Sony, by far, is the best in terms of pic quality. The base model 32" Bravias are not that far off from Samsung's price tag.

Edited July 2, 2008 by Palace

[meadish_sweetball]

Sony's and Samsung's screens are made at the same factories, but the internal electronics are different.

I like Samsung's design style better, and I have been happy with my Samsung Syncmaster 191T that I bought a few years ago for my computer, so when I set out to buy an LCD TV a few weeks ago, Samsung was my brand of choice, but after having done the rounds of the shops and reading up on the net I have to concede that Sony Bravia seems to offer superior picture quality. Shame about the external design though, doesn't appeal to me.

At this point I am considering a 46" - 50" model, and initially thought I would get an LCD, but at this point I am not so convinced about that either anymore.

Having read many good things from videophiles about the Pioneer Kuro plasmas and Panasonic Plasmas I am eager to test them side by side with a few LCD displays. It seems most experts swear by the Pioneer Kuro plasmas.

The price tag is scary though... Last year's 50" Kuro models are around 150,000-160.000 baht at the moment... As for this year's, I haven't even asked.

[Noodles]

I too am looking for a new TV.

Why is LCD rated so much better than PLASMA?

Thanks

[kriswillems]

Because in the past plasma TVs suffered from burn in.

Because in the past plasma TVs used much more electricity.

Today Pioneer plasma TV offer better picture quality than LCD TVs and they use only a bit more electricity than LCD TV. Plasma TVs don't burn in anymore.

Edited July 2, 2008 by kriswillems

[meadish_sweetball]

Short summary of the pros of each technology:

LCD +

- Low power consumption

- Longer usable life (although plasmas have caught up and the difference is no longer that important, typically either technology should last for at least 10 years, in which time it is likely one has already bought a new TV)

- Better performance in strong ambient light (this is why they will stand out more in shops - that usually have bright fluorescent lights).

- Less sensitive during transport (can be laid flat during transport)

- Generate less heat

- Weigh less

- Suppsedly better rendering of computer generated images and video games.

Plasma +

- Better image fidelity (able to show an image closer to the original source, i.e. show movies as they were intended to be seen by their creators.)

- Better results for standard definition material such as aerial TV, cable TV and standard DVD/DVD rips.

- Better black levels (most LCDs suffer from uneven backlighting/clouding which means the blacks will not look black in a dark room [which is how most people want to watch their movies - quite unlike the environment inside a shop])

- Better rendering of movements (less motion blur in fast action scenes - although late generation LCDs have caught up considerably, this is still true)

If you are buying a TV to watch mainly in a room with low lighting, seriously consider a plasma (in particular a Pioneer Kuro or a Panasonic plasma), is the advice all the hi-def buffs have given me.

[Noodles]

Ok, thanks for this info.

[sniffdog]

And LCDs go to a higher resolution .... my Samsung LA40M has a resolution of 1920 x 1080 (Full HD)... you'll probably won't find any plasma with that high resolution. Usually plasma's have a resolution

of 1024 x 720.

I've paid THB 39,994 ... (show model)

Edited July 2, 2008 by sniffdog

[lotus eater]

... advice all the hi-def buffs have given me.

I too am considering buying this month or next, so this is an opportune thread.

What do the buffs say about

a) the timing, ie is either technology on the brink of material improvement or price drop?

does their preference for plasma hold for both smaller and larger sized screens?

How do prices compare for similar sizes and quality of brands?

Is there an adequate from plasma to sniffdog's point about resolution?

[anthonyu]

are you limited to Samsung or LG only because of a possible discount from your friend?

if so, Samsung is the right choice.

if not, you might want to check out Sony also.

i have both Sony and Samsung and i've seen my friends' LG up close. Sony, by far, is the best in terms of pic quality. The base model 32" Bravias are not that far off from Samsung's price tag.

Hi Palace thanks for the recommendation.

I am locked into one of the 2 brands so guess Samsung is the way to go.

Lotus Eater - there's an electronics fair in paragon starting today if you're in Bangkok. I'll be there to check out the models before buying. Thanks everyone for you help.

[meadish_sweetball]

And LCDs go to a higher resolution .... my Samsung LA40M has a resolution of 1920 x 1080 (Full HD)... you'll probably won't find any plasma with that high resolution. Usually plasma's have a resolution

of 1024 x 720.

I've paid THB 39,994 ... (show model)

There are more LCDs with Full HD resolution than plasmas, true, and for last year's models even more so. But this year's high end plasmas all have Full HD resolution as well.

Also, 1024 x 768 and 1368 x 768 are more common plasma panel sizes than 1024 x 720. Much standard HD content is 1024 x 720 though.

So your point is somewhat valid, but the difference between standard HD and full HD is not necessarily as obvious or important as the marketing says.

On 23 November last year, Sweden's M3 magazine called in a panel of TV salespeople and reviewers to test how well they would be able to tell apart a full HD LCD TV and a standard HD plasma TV, and also if they could tell what signal resolution the panels were being fed with.

The results were interesting. The panels were masked in order to conceal their brand and model, and the test panel was seated at 3.5 meters distance. None of these people, who make a living from reviewing and selling flat panels, managed to spot the difference very well. In fact, when it came to seeing the difference between a 720p and 1080p signal, randomizing the answers would produce more accurate results than what the test panel managed to achieve.

The gap between the two technologies is closing in though. Still, from what I have read, Pioneer's Kuro series for this year (which is full HD) is still distinctly ahead of the competition. Samsung's very latest generation high end LCD's (from last month) have also got some very good reviews though.

a.) the timing, ie is either technology on the brink of material improvement or price drop?

b.) does their preference for plasma hold for both smaller and larger sized screens?

How do prices compare for similar sizes and quality of brands?

Is there an adequate from plasma to sniffdog's point about resolution?

a.) Not really as far as I have read and been told - the next significant technological breakthrough will be an altogether different technology which is currently under development but is expected to render both LCD and plasma technology obsolete.

The general advice is to define your needs and usage (what connected devices and material will you be using it for, what environment (light issues)) - read up on the pros and cons and go out into the shops to see for yourself - then get the TV you think will suit your preferences and wallet best. If you are looking for a bargain, last year's models have already dropped heavily in price, and you will have to wait another 5-6 months for the next drop, although the most popular models tend not to drop around Christmas time anymore like the mid range options. In 2007, Samsung models got more expensive around Christmas because of high demand.

b.) If you are talking about screens under 40" then there aren't too many plasmas available, so LCD will be your best bet. For 42" and up, the best plasmas give you better picture quality than LCDs of comparable size.

[ignis]

I have and found that the Panasonic Plasma was by far the best...

What are you going to watch ?

Be sure when you buy you get the seller to plug in the TV and try a few different makes... normal they have on DVD's the TV picture is bad on some makes

[lotus eater]

And LCDs go to a higher resolution .... my Samsung LA40M has a resolution of 1920 x 1080 (Full HD)... you'll probably won't find any plasma with that high resolution. Usually plasma's have a resolution

of 1024 x 720.

I've paid THB 39,994 ... (show model)

There are more LCDs with Full HD resolution than plasmas, true, and for last year's models even more so. But this year's high end plasmas all have Full HD resolution as well.

Also, 1024 x 768 and 1368 x 768 are more common plasma panel sizes than 1024 x 720. Much standard HD content is 1024 x 720 though.

So your point is somewhat valid, but the difference between standard HD and full HD is not necessarily as obvious or important as the marketing says.

On 23 November last year, Sweden's M3 magazine called in a panel of TV salespeople and reviewers to test how well they would be able to tell apart a full HD LCD TV and a standard HD plasma TV, and also if they could tell what signal resolution the panels were being fed with.

The results were interesting. The panels were masked in order to conceal their brand and model, and the test panel was seated at 3.5 meters distance. None of these people, who make a living from reviewing and selling flat panels, managed to spot the difference very well. In fact, when it came to seeing the difference between a 720p and 1080p signal, randomizing the answers would produce more accurate results than what the test panel managed to achieve.

The gap between the two technologies is closing in though. Still, from what I have read, Pioneer's Kuro series for this year (which is full HD) is still distinctly ahead of the competition. Samsung's very latest generation high end LCD's (from last month) have also got some very good reviews though.

a.) the timing, ie is either technology on the brink of material improvement or price drop?

b.) does their preference for plasma hold for both smaller and larger sized screens?

How do prices compare for similar sizes and quality of brands?

Is there an adequate from plasma to sniffdog's point about resolution?

a.) Not really as far as I have read and been told - the next significant technological breakthrough will be an altogether different technology which is currently under development but is expected to render both LCD and plasma technology obsolete.

The general advice is to define your needs and usage (what connected devices and material will you be using it for, what environment (light issues)) - read up on the pros and cons and go out into the shops to see for yourself - then get the TV you think will suit your preferences and wallet best. If you are looking for a bargain, last year's models have already dropped heavily in price, and you will have to wait another 5-6 months for the next drop, although the most popular models tend not to drop around Christmas time anymore like the mid range options. In 2007, Samsung models got more expensive around Christmas because of high demand.

b.) If you are talking about screens under 40" then there aren't too many plasmas available, so LCD will be your best bet. For 42" and up, the best plasmas give you better picture quality than LCDs of comparable size.

Yes, I would be buying screen under 40". So I wouldn't be going wrong if I choose a sony or samsung to suit my taste in looks and what I want to spend (maybe last year's discounted models for a bargain)? I'm a very infrequent tv watcher and would mostly watch dvd movies.

[tigerbeer]

Walked around Big-C here in ChiangMai last evening and came across this model:

Panasonic 42PV70MT Plasma 42inch.

looks really nice with 1080p resolution. What do you guys think? retails at 32,990. price seems alright.

TB..

[tigerbeer]

Walked around Big-C here in ChiangMai last evening and came across this model:

Panasonic 42PV70MT Plasma 42inch.

looks really nice with 1080p resolution. What do you guys think? retails at 32,990. price seems alright.

TB..

Mistake, its is not Full HD. nevertheless a nice set.

[dotcom]

Sony Bravia have 4 levels of price/quality. TFT LCD of course.

[sniffdog]

Walked around Big-C here in ChiangMai last evening and came across this model:

Panasonic 42PV70MT Plasma 42inch.

looks really nice with 1080p resolution. What do you guys think? retails at 32,990. price seems alright.

TB..

That would have been my choice a couple of weeks ago... gets very good reviews. It's a '2007' model and I have an idea there is still pretty much stock ... the price might come down

more. A couple of weeks ago it was THB 34,990.

In the end I choose a Samsung Full HD LA40M (at BHT 39,900) over it, because I wanted the full resolution of 1920 x 1080.