[UCSBf4]

What's the consensus on TV technology right now?

DLP seems to be a good compromise between price and quality, however replacing the expensive bulb is a drawback, and the image suffers a bit when viewed at an angle.

Plasma looks (to my eyes) to be the best display, however it seems to be quite pricey. Plus, plasma is subject to 'burn in' and loses brightness and color over time.

LCD is decent, however it cannot be viewed from extreme angles and dark colors look crappy.

CRT... is a thing of the past.

No doubt, someone here has blown a wad of cash on a new school TV and feels strongly that their TV is simply the best. Tell us why that is!

 

[ENP83]

I know next to nothing about TVs but I've been told a couple times (doesn't nessacarily mean it's right) that the "old tube style' HDTV's still offer the best picture compared to current projection/LCD/plasma styles?? That said, my brother has a 2 year old projection 43" tv and it looked great, my dad just got a DLP Sony 57-ish inch DLP one and it looks amazing.

 

[yotsko]

I've read the same.

 

[longrider]

I had to make this decision last year and I went with LCD projection. The statement about CRT projection being the best picture is true, however thay are the biggest and heaviest sets. Also if you are going widescreen CRT and plasma have the burn in issue. LCD and DLP will never burn in. I had decided on either LCD or DLP and I just thought the LCD picture looked better. Dark areas on an LCD set are only an issue in a dark room. I dont notice it with one light on in the room.

 

[ENP83]

Again I don't know the terms all that well but if CRT = tube....you can get burn in on a tube?? I didn't think you could...

 

[longrider]

Yes, CRT is tube and yes you can burn one in. It takes quite a while but you can definitly do it.

 

[Guest]

I was gonna get a 65 inch wide screen dlp projection tv soon. That's my choice.

 

[KawRidr6R]

I've looked at some of the DLPs and it seems almost like the image is compressed.. like a low quality MPEG, when there is a lot of action on the screen.

Plasmas are too expensive still.. so LCD wins by default. I've seen a lot of really nice looking LCDs, but don't the money to slap down on one.

I currently have a 32" CRT...

 

[FREAKNSTLR]

I have a JVC 46" widescreen HD which I love. I've had it for 2-3 years now with no problems. It must be CRT because I know its not plasma or LCD. Everyone that watches it comments on how clear it is. I think I paid $2800 for it. All of my stuff is JVC (TV,receiver,dvd,cd,amp) and it all conects by digital cables so you can run it with one controler.

 

[ZX6R636]

If you have an American Electonics store near you it is worth the drive to see every single TV made and by different companies.
When I went TV shopping I decided against the Plasma and havent regretted it. They only last about 1/2 as long as and LCD TV and they do have Burn In problems, which os something you wont get with an LCD tv. LCD tvs have some of the best picture you will ever find, and I dont think that you would want to be looking at a TV from an extreme angle so why worry about that? LCDs are a lot cheaper, can hook gaming systems to them without the burn in problems and last twice as long as plasma, and most LCDs can be mounted on the wall like plasmas.
Depending on what size you are looking for, if you want the best money can buy, you could always go with an Apple monitor. The 30" monitor has 2560 x 1600 optimal resolution You will never find a tv at that resolution, and you wont get the picture. Downside is you do have to have a computer to run it and a special graphics card. Its really not reasonable to use a $3000 monitor as a TV, but if money is no issue to you go for that.
Apple.com

 

[evander]

Just my $.02. My parents have a couple of 52" DLP HD TV’s. I thought there was more HD programming. Standard def really sucks on their TV’s, but the HD programs are phenomenal. If you’re going to get a big screen TV get one that’s HD, and if you’re going to get a HD TV make sure you get HD programing. I don’t know anything about VROOM but you might want to look into it. BTW my parents have digital HD Dish Network.

 

[GSRider]

[ QUOTE ]
FREAKNSTLR said:
I have a JVC 46" widescreen HD which I love. I've had it for 2-3 years now with no problems. It must be CRT because I know its not plasma or LCD. Everyone that watches it comments on how clear it is. I think I paid $2800 for it. All of my stuff is JVC (TV,receiver,dvd,cd,amp) and it all conects by digital cables so you can run it with one controler.

[/ QUOTE ]

Nice to have compu-link, eh? :waytogo:

I have a JVC 36" CRT, and let me tell you...it's heavy! At 187 lbs, it is hard to find a decent looking TV stand that looks good. I got one thrown in for free when I bought the TV 4 years ago, and since then, have replaced the stand with something a little more appealing.

I was also thinking about getting a new TV, but I am not going to bother because my 4 year old TV will still last another 15 - 20 years...so why bother?

Besides, I can think of a lot of ways to spend a coupla thousand bucks and get more out of it :smirk:

 

[WFO-900]

.

 

[Gruneun]

[ QUOTE ]
ZX6R636 said:They only last about 1/2 as long as and LCD TV and they do have Burn In problems

[/ QUOTE ]
From Crutchfield's site:
[ QUOTE ]
The useful lifetime of a TV is measured by the period of time it takes for the display to appear half as bright as the day you bought it. (All types of TV displays lose their brightness over time, but because it's so gradual, it's virtually impossible to notice during day-to-day viewing.) Plasma TVs from quality brands typically have a rated lifetime of 30,000 hours. That may not sound like a lot, but if you watched for five hours a day, every day, it would take over 16 years! Chances are that long before a plasma TV "wears out," you'll be looking to replace it due to advances in TV performance and features. (On average, people replace their TVs after 8 years.)


[/ QUOTE ]
I went with plasma after a considerable amount of research and haven't had any complaints. I have the brightness turned down considerably (dark room with thick curtains), so half the default brightness would be more than enough, though I don't watch anything close to 5 hours a day. It's also interesting to point out that LCD lifespans are greatly impacted by changes in temperature, even minor ones. Manufacturers compute the lifespans at a constant temperature and humidity. If I remember correctly, it was 5-10 degrees higher than typical room temperature. Either way, the LCD itself isn't as likely to crap out as the light source behind it (dimming similarly to plasma screens). Also, if the room has a lot of sunlight, LCD screens are much more difficult to see than plasma.

The plasma burn-in issues aren't really a problem, either. I'm still pretty careful when playing video games with static images, but plasmas have been using "screen saver" methods for years, like shifting the entire picture by a single line or randomly altering a single pixel for a split-second. None of them are perceptible to the human eye and they negate the effects of burn-in. On top of that, even moderate burn-in can be reversed with a static gray image displayed for a length of time (like many, mine has it as a built-in feature). The only screens that I've ever seen with perceptible burn-in are old ones used for static advertising in public places (though, I'd be curious to see how much of it could be reversed).

Long story short, you'll probably be happy with either one, but I wouldn't put much stock in the plasma being a short-term investment.

 

[Dclxvi]

Since I regrettably sell these things for a living it see and deal with the newer tech all the time.

The DLP/LCD projection arguement comes down to what you like in each of the televisons. Overall both technolgies are very good and each one has there downsides and benifits.

DLP: Have one the highest contrast ratio's you are going to see in a projection type television.
Have the fastest refresh rate out of almost all types of television sets.
Overall screen brightness is higher then most LCD projections with the Sony unit exp the XS being the closest.

On the downside DLP's have some of the worst drawbacks. As stated earlier in the post they do not handle non high definition very well at all. To many people you can see a rainbow effect while watching it in a dark room. Were dark colors or blacks in transition show a rainbow. Also for me exp it seems the image is always floating its a weird sense I personally get off the TV.

LCD Projection: Overall these are more well balanced then DLP's.
They allow for great viewing of SD and HD material as well as progressive dvd's. They are relativitly less bright then DLP's and there black level is not nearly as great as a DLP. Which is most noted while in a darker room during a movie theater experiance.
The Technology is LCD Projections is less prone to failure because of the simple fact there are no mechanical mirrors or a super complex setup. The most complex setup would be the SXRD or whatever sony has and there other models.

Both types of television suffer from a short bulb life. Longest you can expect to get out of a bulb is around 8k hours. I believe on most televisions its user replaceable. And that will end up running another 1k or so over time so that is somthing to think about while you are shopping. Nether model suffers from any form of burn in. And both can work very well in a brighter room.

It comes down to what your taste is in a television. When you are on a showroom floor that does not show you what the television will actually be capable at home. And with whatever television you get make sure you calabrate it with some sort of extra software or program. The 50 bucks that will run you will make a huge difference for movie and regular watching.

 

[OldBikezx-10]

1080i capability provides the highest-quality interlaced picture possible from a high-definition source




CrystalScan HDSC converts all 480i and 480p signals to high-definition 1080i for a smooth, natural image




16:9 widescreen aspect ratio enables you to watch movies and TV programs in theatrical format




2-tuner picture-in-picture allows you to watch 2 programs simultaneously




AccuFocus 56-point manual convergence system lets you choose the best focal setting




DFine high speed velocity scan modulation and Dynamic Quadruple Focus picture technologies




Digital comb filter brings out fine picture detail and enhances color purity




Day/night, sports, cinema (film/video) and 5 TheaterWide modes




Inputs: 3 composite, 2 component, 3 S-video, 2 RF antenna




Outputs: 1 A/V, fixed and variable audio




Simulated surround sound recreates the cinema audio experience with just 2 built-in speakers




Sound leveler reduces volume fluctuations for even sound, ideal for night listening




V-Chip parental controls keep children from being exposed to undesirable material




Other convenient features include trilingual (English, French, Spanish) on-screen menus, channel labeling and timer




Universal remote included

***

Here is my Tv and I dont have a single comlaint , it looks super good viewing from either a hdtv source or normal source ..

 

[UCSBf4]

Oldbike - if you don't mind my asking... what's the going rate for that bad boy?

 

[Dclxvi]

The going rate on that television is around 1.1k i wouldnt pay more then that if you are looking. You could possibly get it for around 999.

 

[ZX6R636]

[ QUOTE ]
Dclxvi said:
Since I regrettably sell these things for a living it see and deal with the newer tech all the time.

The DLP/LCD projection arguement comes down to what you like in each of the televisons. Overall both technolgies are very good and each one has there downsides and benifits.

DLP: Have one the highest contrast ratio's you are going to see in a projection type television.
Have the fastest refresh rate out of almost all types of television sets.
Overall screen brightness is higher then most LCD projections with the Sony unit exp the XS being the closest.

On the downside DLP's have some of the worst drawbacks. As stated earlier in the post they do not handle non high definition very well at all. To many people you can see a rainbow effect while watching it in a dark room. Were dark colors or blacks in transition show a rainbow. Also for me exp it seems the image is always floating its a weird sense I personally get off the TV.

LCD Projection: Overall these are more well balanced then DLP's.
They allow for great viewing of SD and HD material as well as progressive dvd's. They are relativitly less bright then DLP's and there black level is not nearly as great as a DLP. Which is most noted while in a darker room during a movie theater experiance.
The Technology is LCD Projections is less prone to failure because of the simple fact there are no mechanical mirrors or a super complex setup. The most complex setup would be the SXRD or whatever sony has and there other models.

Both types of television suffer from a short bulb life. Longest you can expect to get out of a bulb is around 8k hours. I believe on most televisions its user replaceable. And that will end up running another 1k or so over time so that is somthing to think about while you are shopping. Nether model suffers from any form of burn in. And both can work very well in a brighter room.

It comes down to what your taste is in a television. When you are on a showroom floor that does not show you what the television will actually be capable at home. And with whatever television you get make sure you calabrate it with some sort of extra software or program. The 50 bucks that will run you will make a huge difference for movie and regular watching.

[/ QUOTE ]

Quote from a comparison LCD vs Plasma

[ QUOTE ]
Lastly, burnin does not occur in LCD TVs, which you may consider as increasing the longevity of the TV. LCD manufacturers claim 55000 to 80000 hours for LCD monitors/TVs. Plasma manufacturers claim 30000 to 35000 hours. This allows LCDs to be used quite readily in commercial environments.

[/ QUOTE ]