Plasma TV INFO wanted

[hyena426]

i allways looked to RCA and toshiba for tv's for some reason...lol..still got a old 36inch toshiba tube in my room..lol been a good tv for many years.

[Slash27]

Originally posted by wrag
any opinions on Plasma TV's?

Please give your info here.

someone I know is thinking of getting one.

I was turned off by the plasmas price and some of the other issues some have posted. It took me a few months to narrow it down with all the damn TVs out there but I ended up getting a 56" Samsung DLP in 1080p. I have not second guessed my purchase one time in the last 6 months.

[AKIron]

If ya have a big room and no one will sit close it would be hard to beat the value of a large screen DLP.

[wrag]

MUCH GRASS all

Will pass this info on as well

[Soulyss]

Originally posted by morfiend
plasma has a limited life time,20,000 hours or so.It cant be refilled and when used up the TV is junk.

completely and utterly not true.

Plasma's have a rating to half brightness, this is the exact same thing that happens to the CRT television that we've all had in our living rooms for ages and ages now.

[Soulyss]

To go on...

Plasma vs. LCD.  Each technology has it's advantages and disadvantages... LCD has less burn in issues, also some plasmas react badly to altitude (not an issue unless you start getting up over 6000 feet and some are good above that).  In general you will get a better picture with a plasma than an LCD and that is because Plasmas reproduce black levels much better than any of the LCD's on the market.  

This is because of how the LCD panel creates it's picture.  The LCD has a back light that is always on no matter what the picture on screen is doing,  where as on a plasma display the individual phosphoric cells are simple not activated when black is required.  If there is a lot of light in the room you can see more reflections typically on a plasma panel than LCD however there are plasmas these days that are shipping with an anti-glare coating or screen which should help.  Also when looking @ plasmas ask about any anti-burn in features that are present on the models you are looking at.  Just like CRT's plasmas can be prone to burn in, especially right out of the box while the phosphors are new.  Try to avoid watching 4:3 content for long periods of time untill the TV breaks in a bit.  All in all I  think plasma offers a better product for the money.  If you're looking @ different TV's in the shop before buying ask if you can see a standard definition feed.  Just about everything looks good in Hi-Def but most signals are still standard def, and you will see a big difference in picture quality on these signals based on the on board processor.  

As for DLP's they do offer a large picture @ a relatively low cost, but a couple things to keep in mind.  Off access will not be as good so if you have family that like to all sit around the TV some probably won't get as good a image as others depending on the seating arrangement.  Also in my experience DLP's have more issues because they have more moving parts.  Not a large % but more than plasma or LCD I would say.  finally the DLP is driven by a big high powered light bulb that WILL GO OUT eventually.  Typically they will last hundreds of hours but it is inevitable that sooner or later it will pop on you.  A replacement will cost you probably $400 - $600.  The upside is that once you do replace the TV it will be effectively brand new.  Budget for a replacement when you make the purchase because murphy will tell you that it will go out the saturday before the superbowl.

[Soulyss]

Originally posted by Masherbrum

   Panasonic's, LG's, Fujitsu's and Pioneer are your Top 4 brands in Plasmas.

Sorry.. I get started on this stuff and I can't shut up.

These are all good brands.. I do not have any personal experience with LG or Pioneer but they have a good reputation.  Panasonic and Samsung both make a solid product for the money.  If you have the budget and want the best get Fujitsu, it blows away anything else I've seen on the market.

[Trell]

Fujitsu at one time used Panasonic's glass for there plasmas  they just used to use there own electronics behind it. Don't know if that is still true.

The differences i see in plasma and lcd are that lcd generate less power are lighter weight,
they do not show as much glare because of the matte finish on there screens they are also slower and blur images on very fast action.

plasma's are heavy and have glare.  the glass on the front is known to crack if you bounce it around,
But look great have great blacks, are brighter in a dark room and do not blur because of action.
they both last about as long.

LCDs are getting more notice because Sony is advertising them to all the stores as better then plasmas,
Only reason is because they did not make there plasmas them selves and there suppler quit selling to them.

[AKIron]

I've been sore at Sony since the last Sony "home theatre" sound system I bought was crap. However, they have an LCD display that looks gorgeous.

[Rolex]

Here's the scoop on who make what for whom. Remember that a manufacturer will always try to ensure that their brand has tightest quality control.

NEC - Nec is a OEM manufacturer, The company's plan is to supply industrial unit under the NEC name and supply home units thru rebadges such as Marantz and RCA, Sony and Runco.

Panasonic - Makes the complete units, Supplies Toshiba, JVC, Fujitsu and more

Pioneer Plasma - Makes all of there own equipment and sells OEM to Sharp and Sony  Note: The 5040 and 4340 HD multimedia box is made by Sharp Note : Pioneer Electronics now owns NEC and the Pioneer 424 EDTV unit is basically a NEC 42 rebadged

Fujitsu Plasma  - Only makes their own 42 inch in partnership with Hitachi . 50 and 61 inch Fujitsu Plasmas are Panasonic and NEC but the 42 inch are their own. Note Hitachi plasma screens are identical to Fujitsu and cost thousands less, 55 Inch Fujitsu is same as Hitachi,

Sony Plasma tv - Makes their own boards and chips but uses Fujitsu/ Hitachi plasma screen glass for 42 inch,  42inch EDTV is NEC. 50 inch is a Pioneer 504 based unit

Hitachi - Owns 50% of plasma screen factory with Fujitsu. Makes own internal components. 42 Alis screens are Hitachi as is the New 55, 50 inch are Pioneer  and 42 EDTV appears to be their own

Philips - Uses Fujitsu/ Hitachi glass screen and most internal components as well. However, Philips makes its own bezel with built in speakers.

LG / Zenith - Make their own glass in Korea

Samsung - Makes its own components in Korea

RCA/ Thompson - Partners with NEC to OEM its product. Just a NEC with a new bezel.

JVC - 50 inch is Panasonic, 42 is NEC

Toshiba - OEM from Panasonic.

Sharp - OEM product through Pioneer for 50" and 42 though they may make some internal component changes .

Runco - OEM 50" from Pioneer and 42" from NEC,

Marantz - OEM 42" plasma monitor from NEC.

Studio Experience  use a Samsung panel but custom electronics

Viewsonic - OEM 50" plasma screen from Pioneer ( old 502 ). 55 is Hitachi

Sampo - 42v3 is old Fujitsu, 42v6 is Samsung Plasma,

Gateway:  Units are rebranded Sampo

Norcent Units may be  rebranded Sampo

Maxcent  is a rebranded Sampo

Prima, SVA, Akai, and the hundreds of other no name plasma screens are all chinese made.

[Slash27]

Originally posted by Soulyss
As for DLP's they do offer a large picture @ a relatively low cost, but a couple things to keep in mind.  Off access will not be as good so if you have family that like to all sit around the TV some probably won't get as good a image as others depending on the seating arrangement.  Also in my experience DLP's have more issues because they have more moving parts.  Not a large % but more than plasma or LCD I would say.  finally the DLP is driven by a big high powered light bulb that WILL GO OUT eventually.  Typically they will last hundreds of hours but it is inevitable that sooner or later it will pop on you.  A replacement will cost you probably $400 - $600.  The upside is that once you do replace the TV it will be effectively brand new.  Budget for a replacement when you make the purchase because murphy will tell you that it will go out the saturday before the superbowl.

I wasnt impressed by the DLPs I first looked at. From what I understood my TV had the next generation of DLP. The bulb replacement for mine from Circuit City was right around $300 for the Samsung.( maybe more for other brands) The picture is great in regular digital and nothing but kick bellybutton in HD.

What exactly is considered off acess Soulyss? My picture is easy to see except at very severe angles. (Can you tell I like my TV? )

[hyena426]

What exactly is considered off acess Soulyss? My picture is easy to see except at very severe angles. (Can you tell I like my TV? )

hehe,,ya my cousins large screen sony has a great picture.dlp is like 60inch i think..i would love to have it in my house;) his has been hard worked for a few years and still looks bright and clean<~im allways taking dvd movies over there..lol i use to hear alot of bad about them..but the old one in are local bar been on for atleast 15 years all night and day and it still works..lol.its getting dull now..but heck its been abused every day.lol..i know bang for the buck im going for a dlp..huge screen...great picture...good anuff life for me:aok <~~wish i could afford a plasma thou...but for less than half the cost ill get twice as much screen with a dlp

[Masherbrum]

It's kinda like those who buy Sony, waste even more money with Bose.    

Sony - Not worth the hassle.   They have "good prices" because they sell crap.

[hyena426]

Sony - Not worth the hassle. They have "good prices" because they sell crap.

i dont know,.,.when it comes to dlp they are suposta be top gun..they have 3 chip dlp..most are only single chip..and from all the forums..everyone says the quality is great...im sure sony doesnt put the same workmanship into everything it makes.

[DREDIOCK]

Originally posted by hyena426
my cousin has a brand new lcd over his bed..just got it a month ago 1080i..it washes out pretty bad if your not lookin right at it...he didnt like that about it when i asked him how he liked it..said it was great long as your right in front of it. im not sure on the brand..but he usualy doesnt buy cheap

He's gotta have a rear projection.
I've been eyeballing all of em pretty close over the last few days and have yet to see anything other then a dlp with angle viewing issues.

My plasma is rated at 60,000 hours. or 6 hours a day for 26 years
whichever comes first lol