Question about plasma tv.
- Thread starter Metatron
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Plasmas do have burn in, but it should be relatively minimal as the technology has improved a lot recently.
If you want to use your TV as a monitor, 1080p is the way to go. Strictly for gaming, 720p will be ok.... but you will be stepping down your resolution quite a lot from your monitor.
It also depends on how close you are planning to sit from the tv that will determine it, but generally speaking, for computer use, 1080p is recommended as 720 translates to 1280x720 which is a lot lower than 1920x1080, which is similar to your monitor now.
If you want to use your TV as a monitor, 1080p is the way to go. Strictly for gaming, 720p will be ok.... but you will be stepping down your resolution quite a lot from your monitor.
It also depends on how close you are planning to sit from the tv that will determine it, but generally speaking, for computer use, 1080p is recommended as 720 translates to 1280x720 which is a lot lower than 1920x1080, which is similar to your monitor now.
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at 3-4 feet you definitely want to go with 1080p if you are going to use it as a monitor.... although i think at 3-4 feet, 50" is a bit overkill in terms of size. Although if you are seriously going to be that close, even anything less than say 6 feet, you definitely want 1080p. You will notice the difference.
have you considered getting a relatively inexpensive 42" lcd? you can get a decent 1080p 42" for about 1000... i own vizio, and so far its been great, probably not the most amazing contrast or colors on it... but unless you are a crazy videophile, it will be more than good enough.
have you considered getting a relatively inexpensive 42" lcd? you can get a decent 1080p 42" for about 1000... i own vizio, and so far its been great, probably not the most amazing contrast or colors on it... but unless you are a crazy videophile, it will be more than good enough.
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Go smaller like he just said. And you should know that optically for the human eye to watch something well, meaning without strain or damaging your eyes, for 40 inches about 10 to 15 feet is recommended. I have a 24 inch LCD and it is huge. Get the 42 inch and a good monitor for that money. And for all that is decent do not get a cheap Vizio. Get a Sharp, Samsung, Panasonic, Philips, Sony, do not go cheap as cheap means low quality.
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I agree with everything you just said, except about the vizio... i have one and while the color reproduction might not be as amazing as a better set, it is a great tv, and a great value for the money, if money is an issue.
You should probably also realize that this is for a htpc, that plays games, has home theater speakers (Not the crap kind you find as a 5 in 1, $300 speakers), an hddvd xbox addon, and directv.
I have directv premier, plus hd extra pack, over 100 channels in hd. Which means starz, hbo, cinemax, showtime, plus other movie channels.
The directv receiver here is a hd dvr. I have tons of movies recorded.
I kinda wanna take all that into affect, esp. the fact that I can easily sit on the couch behind me and watch movies.
If some people come over, I can just switch to another input mode and watch movies.
While I have fears, personally I think I may love a 50" tv on a setup that can play new games, surf the web at 10 megs cable, listen to cds, tapes (YES, I have an old tape player :\), watch hddvds, and watch directv.
Here's a question: I was gonna put the 24" in another room, on my bedroom pc.
If I put some 20" 1600x1200 lcd for gaming, and put up the 50" 720p plasma, would that be bad???
And BTW, what I'm looking at is a clearanced Panasonic, one of the best Plasma brands. of course, it's clearanced, and no longer on their site. So it may be from 2007 or possibly before.
Lemme know soon, I'm going tommorow. Clearanced cheap priced plasmas from a good company won't last long.
I have directv premier, plus hd extra pack, over 100 channels in hd. Which means starz, hbo, cinemax, showtime, plus other movie channels.
The directv receiver here is a hd dvr. I have tons of movies recorded.
I kinda wanna take all that into affect, esp. the fact that I can easily sit on the couch behind me and watch movies.
If some people come over, I can just switch to another input mode and watch movies.
While I have fears, personally I think I may love a 50" tv on a setup that can play new games, surf the web at 10 megs cable, listen to cds, tapes (YES, I have an old tape player :\), watch hddvds, and watch directv.
Here's a question: I was gonna put the 24" in another room, on my bedroom pc.
If I put some 20" 1600x1200 lcd for gaming, and put up the 50" 720p plasma, would that be bad???
And BTW, what I'm looking at is a clearanced Panasonic, one of the best Plasma brands. of course, it's clearanced, and no longer on their site. So it may be from 2007 or possibly before.
Lemme know soon, I'm going tommorow. Clearanced cheap priced plasmas from a good company won't last long.
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If that is the case, and you are planning on doing your gaming and main PC usage on a 20" then 720p should be fine, but again, on a 50" screen, you will be able to tell the difference between 720p and 1080p out to a distance of probably 7 or 8 feet. So if you are out past that, it shouldnt make a huge difference really.
I am still firmly of the believe though that a 1080p set is just better all around, even though the noticeable difference becomes much less apparent out at "normal" viewing distances.
If you are seriously going to be sitting 3-4 feet (and thats from your eyes to the set) then you will most definitely notice a difference on a 50" set of 720p vs 1080p.... you will be able to see the pixels.
I would still say go for a 1080p, spend the few extra hundred dollars, its worth it in the long run. My personal opinion, and again, it still depends a lot on seating distance.
I am still firmly of the believe though that a 1080p set is just better all around, even though the noticeable difference becomes much less apparent out at "normal" viewing distances.
If you are seriously going to be sitting 3-4 feet (and thats from your eyes to the set) then you will most definitely notice a difference on a 50" set of 720p vs 1080p.... you will be able to see the pixels.
I would still say go for a 1080p, spend the few extra hundred dollars, its worth it in the long run. My personal opinion, and again, it still depends a lot on seating distance.
The couches are a good 12 feet away. The pc itself is 3-4 feet away from the wall that the plasma would be on.
I do agree the pc would be too close, which is why I'm considering a 20" screen, but the couches are too far away to read the 24" lcd When I watch tv (I sadly have catteracks, at a young age :\)
I do agree the pc would be too close, which is why I'm considering a 20" screen, but the couches are too far away to read the 24" lcd When I watch tv (I sadly have catteracks, at a young age :\)
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Get the TV for what its made to do... play movies and TV. Your 24" monitor seems like its more than adequate for gaming. Playing a computer game on a 50" 720p TV is really pointless.
I would actually really consider getting a smaller, as suggested 42", LCD. The difference between 1080p on HDMI and 720p on HDMI is HUGE. I would not buy a TV that isn't 1080p at this stage of technology... Keep in mind, eventually (if you don't already have one) Blu Ray is going to get quite a bit cheaper. Your 720p 50" TV is going to have a VERY noticeable difference in quality compared to a 1080p picture.'
In short: If you really want to upgrade your TV and have the option, with decent picture, to run your computer on it, get a smaller 42" LCD with 1080p... KEEP IN MIND LABOR DAY IS NEXT WEEKEND... That means there will be big sales at the major outlets.
Edit: http://shop1.frys.com/product/5556450 That is a good deal, and Samsung makes great LCD's... but I would STRONGLY advise finding something that is 1080p... 720p is old technology 1080p is the current/future. (It would be like buying very good Direct X9 video card because its on sale, when Direct X10 is out)
I would actually really consider getting a smaller, as suggested 42", LCD. The difference between 1080p on HDMI and 720p on HDMI is HUGE. I would not buy a TV that isn't 1080p at this stage of technology... Keep in mind, eventually (if you don't already have one) Blu Ray is going to get quite a bit cheaper. Your 720p 50" TV is going to have a VERY noticeable difference in quality compared to a 1080p picture.'
In short: If you really want to upgrade your TV and have the option, with decent picture, to run your computer on it, get a smaller 42" LCD with 1080p... KEEP IN MIND LABOR DAY IS NEXT WEEKEND... That means there will be big sales at the major outlets.
Edit: http://shop1.frys.com/product/5556450 That is a good deal, and Samsung makes great LCD's... but I would STRONGLY advise finding something that is 1080p... 720p is old technology 1080p is the current/future. (It would be like buying very good Direct X9 video card because its on sale, when Direct X10 is out)
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Couple things for you to look at from my Consumer Reports membership:
LCD vs. Plasma TVs
Both are better than ever, and the best sets raise the bar for picture quality
The vast majority of consumers are buying LCD and plasma flat panels rather than rear-projection sets or front projectors with separate screens. Neither LCD nor plasma is the clear winner for quality; there are excellent sets of both types in our Ratings of LCD TVs and Ratings of plasma TVs (both available to subscribers).
There are reasons to opt for one over the other, though. With LCDs, you'll have a wider choice of 1080p sets than with plasmas, and the price premium over a 720p TV is usually smaller. You'll also have more screen sizes to choose from, including sets smaller than 42 inches-typically the smallest size for a plasma. (See: Why buy an LCD TV?)
LCD TVs are generally a bit brighter than plasma, and their screens are less reflective, so many look better in bright rooms. They're also better for playing video games and for use as a computer monitor because they're not subject to burn-in from fixed images displayed for a long period, as plasma TVs can be. (Burn-in might have been more of a problem with early plasma sets. We've seen no evidence of permanent image retention in our short-term tests, and recent anecdotal evidence from our own staffers and online forum participants hasn't turned up any burn-in issues in typical long-term use at home.) LCD sets use less power, but the differences aren't that great. (See: Why buy a plasma TV?)
On the other hand, plasma TVs generally cost a bit less than LCD sets of comparable size and quality, though the price difference is shrinking. The best plasma TVs are better than LCD sets at displaying deep blacks and tend to have better contrast, which makes for rich, natural-looking images, especially in dim lighting. They're also better than LCDs at handling motion without blurring the image, though some new 120Hz LCDs are showing improvement in that area. (See: When either type is fine)
Another major advantage: Plasma TVs have a virtually unlimited viewing angle, so the picture quality doesn't deteriorate when you watch the screen from off-center. With most LCD sets (and rear-projection TVs), the picture loses some contrast, color, or brightness as you angle away from the center. You might not notice this too much with bright images and vivid colors like you'll see in a football game, but the degradation in quality can be obvious with other programs.
Found another good article.... 720p vs 1080p debate (keep in mind this is from 12/2007
http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-6449_7-6810011-1.html
I would be happy to send you some screen shots of the actual test results from Consumer Reports... Just shoot me a PM and I'll get them together (not worth my time if you don't need them). Let us know what you decide!
Disclaimer - Just so you know, I am ridiculously anal about making big purchases like this. I always research all the brands and models available before making my purchase, probably too much research lol. My friends almost always ask me my opinion or to do some research for them before they go through with a big electronics purchase (I've helped 4 or 5 different people with TV's over the last year and a half).
LCD vs. Plasma TVs
Both are better than ever, and the best sets raise the bar for picture quality
The vast majority of consumers are buying LCD and plasma flat panels rather than rear-projection sets or front projectors with separate screens. Neither LCD nor plasma is the clear winner for quality; there are excellent sets of both types in our Ratings of LCD TVs and Ratings of plasma TVs (both available to subscribers).
There are reasons to opt for one over the other, though. With LCDs, you'll have a wider choice of 1080p sets than with plasmas, and the price premium over a 720p TV is usually smaller. You'll also have more screen sizes to choose from, including sets smaller than 42 inches-typically the smallest size for a plasma. (See: Why buy an LCD TV?)
LCD TVs are generally a bit brighter than plasma, and their screens are less reflective, so many look better in bright rooms. They're also better for playing video games and for use as a computer monitor because they're not subject to burn-in from fixed images displayed for a long period, as plasma TVs can be. (Burn-in might have been more of a problem with early plasma sets. We've seen no evidence of permanent image retention in our short-term tests, and recent anecdotal evidence from our own staffers and online forum participants hasn't turned up any burn-in issues in typical long-term use at home.) LCD sets use less power, but the differences aren't that great. (See: Why buy a plasma TV?)
On the other hand, plasma TVs generally cost a bit less than LCD sets of comparable size and quality, though the price difference is shrinking. The best plasma TVs are better than LCD sets at displaying deep blacks and tend to have better contrast, which makes for rich, natural-looking images, especially in dim lighting. They're also better than LCDs at handling motion without blurring the image, though some new 120Hz LCDs are showing improvement in that area. (See: When either type is fine)
Another major advantage: Plasma TVs have a virtually unlimited viewing angle, so the picture quality doesn't deteriorate when you watch the screen from off-center. With most LCD sets (and rear-projection TVs), the picture loses some contrast, color, or brightness as you angle away from the center. You might not notice this too much with bright images and vivid colors like you'll see in a football game, but the degradation in quality can be obvious with other programs.
Found another good article.... 720p vs 1080p debate (keep in mind this is from 12/2007
http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-6449_7-6810011-1.html
I would be happy to send you some screen shots of the actual test results from Consumer Reports... Just shoot me a PM and I'll get them together (not worth my time if you don't need them). Let us know what you decide!
Disclaimer - Just so you know, I am ridiculously anal about making big purchases like this. I always research all the brands and models available before making my purchase, probably too much research lol. My friends almost always ask me my opinion or to do some research for them before they go through with a big electronics purchase (I've helped 4 or 5 different people with TV's over the last year and a half).
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Looks like a nice TV to me... unless you are looking for the absolute 100% best picture quality possible, the differences between your tv and a plasma would only be that the plasma may have slightly darker black levels.
however, this looks like a new model LCD, and the black levels in LCD screens are just as good as plasma most of the time, and unless you are a hardcore videophile, in your case it will be just as good. So yes, this is better than a 720p plasma because you do not have to sacrifice resolution. 40" is a real good size to use as a monitor (ide still suggest sitting just slightly farther than 3-4 feet... 5 maybe) and for your normal viewing, ide suggest coming from 12 feet, perhaps to 8 if possible (dont know how that setup would work)
The only thing that may have been a little better for you was that for the same price you might have been able to pick up a bigger screen, but i promise you, if you are planning on using it with your PC you will be happy you went for 1080p.
One thing I always find is that if you do enough research (which I think you have) your hunch in the end should be pretty good. I always have a slight amount of buyers remorse when i purchase something. I paid $1000 for my 42" vizio (a cheap brand, color reproduction not as good, but overall a great set) and I was at first a little skeptical, but it turned out great. Same thing happened for my computer, $1600 about a month ago, and same thing. Both were great purchases.
You will be happy, try not to worry about it so much, if you got all the features you wanted in the TV for a price you were comfortable with, then you made a good purchase.
however, this looks like a new model LCD, and the black levels in LCD screens are just as good as plasma most of the time, and unless you are a hardcore videophile, in your case it will be just as good. So yes, this is better than a 720p plasma because you do not have to sacrifice resolution. 40" is a real good size to use as a monitor (ide still suggest sitting just slightly farther than 3-4 feet... 5 maybe) and for your normal viewing, ide suggest coming from 12 feet, perhaps to 8 if possible (dont know how that setup would work)
The only thing that may have been a little better for you was that for the same price you might have been able to pick up a bigger screen, but i promise you, if you are planning on using it with your PC you will be happy you went for 1080p.
One thing I always find is that if you do enough research (which I think you have) your hunch in the end should be pretty good. I always have a slight amount of buyers remorse when i purchase something. I paid $1000 for my 42" vizio (a cheap brand, color reproduction not as good, but overall a great set) and I was at first a little skeptical, but it turned out great. Same thing happened for my computer, $1600 about a month ago, and same thing. Both were great purchases.
You will be happy, try not to worry about it so much, if you got all the features you wanted in the TV for a price you were comfortable with, then you made a good purchase.
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In that size range i would say LCD outsells plasma for a few years now.
