PDA

View Full Version : Plasma or LCD and Digital Cameras



Ed Griner
10-31-2009, 12:14 PM
My wife and I are about to purchase our first flat screen TV and would appreciate some input before making our selection.
Any and all suggestions are welcome for two folks here in Jersey that are not exactly up on the latest technology as far as electronics are concerned.
Hey, while I am at it, any suggestions on a digital camera? We need to buy one of these also. Then maybe I can figure out how to upload photos and get myself into the 21st century!!
Thanking you all in advance,
Ed

Anthony Scira
10-31-2009, 1:24 PM
Budget ? And room size ? And did you want the camera to fit in your pocket ?

Budget being the biggest factor......

Tom Godley
10-31-2009, 1:43 PM
You will find that the LCD units have basically taken over until you move up to the largest sets where the costs of the two are about the same.


Some reviews still give plasma the edge as to picture quality. Plasma sets are nice and bright and are better than most LCD units when viewing from an angle. They tend to have slightly better blacks and are faster to refresh. But they run much hotter and use more energy.


I have both types and its a toss up. My largest set is a plasma and its a great set to watch a movie on. If you are looking at a 42 inch - you will more than likely be looking at a LCD


As to digital cameras -- the sky is the limit. If you just want to take snapshots I would search online and look at a few of the major consumer magazines and camera sites -- you will be overwhelmed with information.

It is amazing how good even basic cameras are today.

Neal Clayton
10-31-2009, 2:38 PM
basic differences in the two...

1) plasma works like an old TV with a picture tube, a gas is used to fire the pixels through a glass screen. therefore it'll have deeper colors and a wider viewing angle, but, just like an old picture tube TV, has that glass outer screen so can suffer from glare if windows are nearby.

2) LCDs work like your computer monitor. a liquid crystal substance wedged between two panes of glass, backed by a mirror that reflects light straight ahead through the whole, with an electrical charge on the glass panels controlling which color passes through based on the liquid's reaction to said electrical charge. benefit being, there is no glass on the outside surface, so there isn't as much glare. downside being, there will be a loss in color at wide viewing angles, kinda like how you look at a computer monitor from an angle and it looks washed out with grey.

so which? if there are lots of windows nearby that cast a glare on your existing TV, go with an LCD. if there aren't, and/or you have seating at a wide angle away from the front of the TV, plasma is probably the better choice.

fwiw, LCD's have vastly improved over the last couple of years. when i bought my last plasma in ~2006, they really weren't that great. the newer ones and especially LED fired ones are much better than the older models. they're noticably brighter and don't suffer as much from the viewing angle restrictions as they once did. that said, i still like my plasma for the deeper and more discernable dark colors. i guess you could say that football looks better on my LCD monitor and movies look better on my plasma TV ;).

Mitchell Andrus
10-31-2009, 5:54 PM
LCD, the biggest you can fit. If you cheap out you'll regret it. They're as cheap as they'll be for a while (catch a Christmas sale). Don't even think about plasma. I had a 42" and it heated the den to the point that we had to crack a window in winter. The power supply finally fried itself.

I've now got a 52" Aquos. I'd get another.
.

Charles Luck
10-31-2009, 6:06 PM
If you are looking for personal recommendations, for the tv, I like the Samsung models. I picked up a Samsung 40" LCD LN40B550 for my bedroom, after doing tons of research and spending months looking at different models in the stores. This set is a 60 hz. model which I found I prefer. I can't watch a 120 hz. model, they just look horrible to me. I got mine for $750. There are plenty of sets that are bigger, and test better, but if you are going to watch alot of cable, that isn't HD, this might be a good choice. If you want to have the baddest set on the market, just go buy the biggest Pioneer Elite plasma available in your area. They are awesome, but very expensive.
As far as digiatal cameras go, there are plenty of good options for every budget. For a pocket camera the Fujifilm Finepix F200EXR is great. I have a Fuji from a few years ago that I like. I think the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 is probably the best pocket camera. For interchangable lens cameras, the Nikon D-40, or any of the Canon Rebel models are just fantastic for the money. Or if you really need to spend some money burning a hole in your pocket, you can go for a Nikon D3x for $8000! I have done exhaustive research on digital cameras and home theater, and would be happy to discuss any questions you might have on the subjects, and help you find the products that are right for you. Have a good day, Chuck.

Charles Luck
10-31-2009, 6:10 PM
Don't even think about plasma. I had a 42" and it heated the den to the point that we had to crack a window in winter.
.
The Panasonic plasmas run as cool to the touch as any lcd.

Jim Becker
10-31-2009, 7:36 PM
One of the "major" producers of Plasma sets (Pioneer) is stopping production on them by the end of the year. Great picture for sure, but major energy hog, heat producer, heavy-weight for mounting and...a glossy screen that demands a dark room to eliminate reflections. LCD and the up-and-coming LED-lit LCD sets are what gives you the most choice in the market at this point.

I'm a fan of Sharp Aquos LCD sets and own two; an older 30" and a 52" 82 series I bought last year. The latter is simply outstanding.

Neal Clayton
10-31-2009, 7:41 PM
i have one of the pioneer elite plasmas in the living room, still one of the best TVs i've ever seen, if not the best.

shame they're gonna discontinue them, but i would suspect it's a manufacturing decision as well. i don't fully understand the process but most of the price from what i've been told is in producing what must be flawless glass panels for the plasmas. alot of waste, and alot of duds that come off the line that wind up being tossed.

i agree on the LED lcds though, i got one for the computer a few months back (a samsung) and it's far and away better than the previous generation of lcds.

Pat Germain
11-01-2009, 11:13 AM
The Panasonic plasmas run as cool to the touch as any lcd.

I agree with Charles. I've been running a Panasonic 50" plasma for three years. It's been a great TV and it does NOT get hot and it does NOT buzz. And I live at over 6,000 feet above sea level. The only TV I've ever seen with a better picture is a Pioneer; and those were twice the price. But the new LCD's are really nice!

Don't get bogged down by numbers. A TV with impressive numbers can easily not look as good as a TV with less impressive numbers. And, some of those numbers only matter if you're a heavy-duty gamer and aren't worth paying for otherwise.

I would recommend looking at Costco. They have some great deals on TV's and they are adding more selections every month. I would also recommend buying a name brand like Sony, Panasonic or Pioneer. The newer brands you see at WalMart are low in price, but I wouldn't expect great performance or longevity.

In my experience, you can't go wrong with a Sharp, Sony or Panasonic. Find a TV with a great picture. And, buy the absolute biggest TV your wall and budget can fit: at least 50". Many a buyer has compromised and said, "I should have bought the bigger TV". The stuff you hear about a TV being too big for the room is mostly nonsense. Unless you're hanging a 67" set on your bathroom wall, you're probably fine.

Last year my brother went round and round with brands, numbers, performance and price. He ended up buying the same, Panasonic Plasma TV I have. It simply had the best picture at a reasonable price. But again, the new LCD TVs are really nice!

Eric Larsen
11-01-2009, 11:38 AM
My wife and I are about to purchase our first flat screen TV and would appreciate some input before making our selection.
Any and all suggestions are welcome for two folks here in Jersey that are not exactly up on the latest technology as far as electronics are concerned.
Hey, while I am at it, any suggestions on a digital camera? We need to buy one of these also. Then maybe I can figure out how to upload photos and get myself into the 21st century!!
Thanking you all in advance,
Ed

Re: Digital Camera

Is size or photo quality your primary concern? While tiny digital cameras have great electronics, they don't really have great lenses. There's only so much you can do, optically, with a few grams of glass.

DSLRs offer a world of lens and strobe choices at a much higher price tag, and a huge increase in weight and bulk.

I have a DSLR (don't ask for brand recommendations here though, it will get uglier than the Windows vs. Mac stuff a couple threads down). I ended up buying a little "pocket camera" -- waterproof -- for times I don't want to lug around eight pounds of camera, strobe and glass.

Almost all the shots I want to blow up to 11x14 and hang on the wall were taken with the DSLR.

Almost all the shots I want to print 4x6 and put on a desk were shot with the pocket camera.

If I could only have ONE, it would be the DSLR. It's nice having both, though.

Brian Kent
11-01-2009, 5:36 PM
Here is my favorite website for camera choices:

http://www.imaging-resource.com/

A good place to start is on the left where it says "Find the best camera for you".

Brian

Mark P. Miller
11-01-2009, 6:19 PM
Here is my favorite website for camera choices:

http://www.imaging-resource.com/

A good place to start is on the left where it says "Find the best camera for you".

Brian

That's a neat site. Very cool.

Jason Roehl
11-01-2009, 6:46 PM
Others have pretty much said it all on the plasma/LCD/LED pros and cons list, but there is one more thing--watch one for a while before you buy. I have a 40" Samsung LCD that I've had for about 3 years. The day I bought it, I knew all the facts and figures for several different models, but there was a plasma on sale, and that is what I was prepared to buy, until I got in the store and looked at several screens side by side. I ended up spending a few hundred dollars more for a far superior picture. Today, I could spend half of what I did and get an even better picture by far.

Tony De Masi
11-01-2009, 7:36 PM
Here is my favorite website for camera choices:

http://www.imaging-resource.com/

A good place to start is on the left where it says "Find the best camera for you".

Brian

I used this site when Brian posted it a couple of months ago. After using this and then a fair amount of research I ended up with the Nikon P90. Will it fit in your pocket? No. But I got it for taking pictures not for walking around with it in my pocket. Lot's of features, takes incredible pictures, and quite an easy learning curve.

Tony

Russ Filtz
11-02-2009, 8:37 AM
Also, if you ever plan to move, LCDs are MUCH more forgiving than plasma (which is more easily damaged).

I would vote for a LED powered LCD screen right now. Note that in the future there will be actual LED TV's!, not just LED powered. One of these technologies is OLED. A bit early to adopt those yet.

The advantage of a pure LED TV is that there is no backlight, hence it can produce the deepest blacks ever. However the OLEDs are very susceptible to water damage and must be perfectly sealed.

Before those become reality, there will probably be 2k sets out! (with 4k not far behind!) It never ends.

Curt Harms
11-02-2009, 8:43 AM
.........

i agree on the LED lcds though, i got one for the computer a few months back (a samsung) and it's far and away better than the previous generation of lcds.

I marvelled at the Asus Netbook display, really readable for being so small. Turns out it has the LED backlight. I also saw a couple LED TV's in a Best Buy. They're impressive.

Eric DeSilva
11-02-2009, 9:13 AM
I'll throw my vote in as well, for what it's worth. Seems to me the breakpoint is about 42"--below that, I'd go LCD. Above that, I'd go plasma. I've owned both, and picture quality on the plasmas is better, if you go with a reputable brand. Once upon a time, the Pioneer Elites had the best software inside them, hence the best picture--that is what you are paying for when you are buying a plasma, since the glass itself is only produced by a few manufacturers. Personally, I like the price point/quality provided by the Panny Viera series. Had good luck with those. As much as they say screen burn isn't an issue now, I sort of still feel like it is... If you are a gamer, I'd therefore go LCD.

Ed Griner
11-03-2009, 12:33 PM
I just wanted to thank all those,who responded to our call for help.

Ed

Kevin Barnett
11-03-2009, 3:16 PM
I have a 1080P Samsung 120hz 52" and a Panasonic LCD that is smaller.

In my opinion, the LCD TV looks better than the plasmas on the showroom floor. The plasmas were recommended for darker rooms and had pictures that were not as bright as the LCD TVs. Also, even thought the Samsung is usually rated higher than Panasonic, I prefer the Panasonic LCD tv. Why? Because the tuner recognizes and display channels faster. Also, the remote works TONS better on the Panny.

I would recommend going to the showroom and working with the remote - changing channels (esp digital channels). You will thank me.

Eric Roberge
11-03-2009, 6:49 PM
My 2c (FWIW)

Samsung LED!

Friends in the AV world all say it's the cats a** of TV's

I have an LED projection and it's great,... but those new LED flat screens:D

Ronald Segovia
11-05-2009, 2:27 AM
I bought my 32" Samsung 1080p television some eight months ago and I did not regret the purchase. The picture quality in standard definition in which my local cable company only provides is superb and it is even more pleasurable when I watch movies in my blu ray player. Playing Call of Duty on Wii is also very nice. All in all, I am very satisfied with the purchase and have not encountered any problem so far. I was torn between Sony and Samsung initially but in the end, I settled for the latter because of its quality and price. And I'm glad that I compared the LCD TV ratings (http://www.smartratings.com/electronics/plasma_and_lcds) of various brands because it assured me in getting the best value for my purchase.

Jeffrey Makiel
11-05-2009, 11:20 AM
I've compared plasma TVs to LCD TVs within the same price point and the plasma TV has richer color. The black was blacker, and the white is whiter.

I don't agree about the gloss screen issue, and the room needing to be dark. In fact, the gloss screen adds a perceived depth to the image versus the 'pastie-ness' of an LCD. Some computer monitors are now being offered with a gloss screen for this same reason. Even Mac laptops have joined in.

As far as weight difference, this is a non issue unless you are planning on carrying your TV around on your back. The weight of my 46" TV can be carried by one person if the size didn't make it clumsy.

The biggest downside to a plasma TV is that they run warm as mentioned above. I'm looking to buy my elderly mother a new TV which will run all day long. I'm concerned that she will see the jump in the electric bill and deprive herself of her favorite pass time. As far as warming up the room, she probably would like that! :)

-Jeff :)

Dan Mitchell
11-13-2009, 6:45 PM
The Panasonic plasmas run as cool to the touch as any lcd.

I have a 58" Panasonic plasma which is a few years old. Absolutely stunning picture, and it's only 720P. Returned an LCD for it, though as some have said, they may be better now. No comparison whatever in the quality of the picture. Plasmas are heavy & more fragile than LCD's but if nth degree picture quality is important to you, I'd still say go plasma.

And NO, my 58" does not get anywhere near hot enough to require an exhaust fan :rolleyes:

Dick Strauss
11-14-2009, 12:49 AM
CA discussed banning large plasma TVs due to the high energy consumption. Did the bill ever pass and go into law?

Brian Ashton
11-14-2009, 5:34 AM
Digital cameras...

I've got two. Canon S2 IS and a newer Panasonic Lumix ZS3. I like the canon better as it takes AA batteries and has a flip out/swivel LCD screen (though I tend to use the eye piece more but when you need that extra versatility it is a nice feature). Picture quality isn't quite as good as the panasonic but more than adequate for the average person. The Panasonic has more range on it's lens, better video capability and fits in the pocket easily. For day to day I tend to grab the panasonic but I'm going on a camping trip in a couple weeks to an island with nothing more than pit toilets that's 90 miles off of the Queensland coast so it will be the canon that comes along as I can pack all the batteries and memory cards I could ever hope to use and not worry about it going dead early.

I tend to be somewhat hard to please with tech stuff like computers, cameras... and especially tools but I have found both these cameras have left me with little or nothing to complain about. So that should give you some food for thought.