Best Brand......?

[ScarredLungs]

I am in the market for a TV. I am looking at getting a 40-46inch 1080P LCD. What is the "best" brand to go with? I have bounced between a few but i am thinking i'll go with either a Sony or Samsung. I have looked at those brands because they seem to be nice. In reality, i do not know what model or brand i should look into or which i should avoid.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

[richteer]

Originally Posted by cvm

I am in the market for a TV. I am looking at getting a 40-46inch 1080P LCD. What is the "best" brand to go with? I have bounced between a few but i am thinking i'll go with either a Sony or Samsung. I have looked at those brands because they seem to be nice. In reality, i do not know what model or brand i should look into or which i should avoid.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

If you care about quality, forget LCD. Get a plasma, the best being from Pioneer closely followed by the Panasonics.

[ScarredLungs]

Originally Posted by richteer

If you care about quality, forget LCD. Get a plasma, the best being from Pioneer closely followed by the Panasonics.

I've been under the impression that after you weigh out the pro's and con's for LCD and Plasma, LCD is the better choice?

[Dirk504]

Plasma is the best.... hands down. Everyone will tell you to go Panasonic and Pioneer. I have a Samsung Plasma and the picture is more beautiful than Halle Berry!!

[mjbethancourt]

Originally Posted by cvm

I've been under the impression that after you weigh out the pro's and con's for LCD and Plasma, LCD is the better choice?

It bounces back and forth on an almost monthly basis. If you're a gamer, LCD is the better way to go; if not, then currently plasma has the best performance. Plasma still hasn't completely solved the burn-in issue; you don't want score banners from video games or cable station logos burned into your screen. My dad's plasma has a permanent fox news banner burned in... uugh.

Brand? Sony. Reason? Track record.

[cathexist]

Whenever I walk into a store, without looking at brand names and looking for the best picture quality, it always ends up being a Sony or Samsung display.

[ScarredLungs]

Here is what i have heard as some pro's and con's to each (I am not claiming these to be true)

Plasma
1)--Burn in issues (not for gaming)
2) --Uses a lot of power and gives off a lot of heat (compared to an LCD of similar size)
3) --Since it is gas and is effected by pressuse it can be affected by the elevation (4500ft+)
4) + Has a "truer" color then LCD


LCD
1) --Dead Pixels
2) + Last Longer

[allstar780]

Get a Panasonic plasma, run a break-in program on it for the first 4 or 5 days you have it, then sit back and be thankful you didnt buy an LCD

[ScarredLungs]

Originally Posted by allstar780

Get a Panasonic plasma, run a break-in program on it for the first 4 or 5 days you have it, then sit back and be thankful you didnt buy an LCD

How big of a problem is the Burn in and what is a break in program?

[allstar780]

burn in on high-end plasmas is a non-issue... for example on a samsung at my work it had "burn in" from sitting on a DVD menu for about 8 hours... then over night we left it on a channel on the satellite like discovery or one of those (with a lot of changing images) and it went away over night.

the only real way to get burn in is a really long gaming session (think around 8 hours) or complete neglect... and after the break in program it should be even less of an issue

a burn in program (although not necessary) is a DVD that basically runs through a bunch of color gradients, etc to make sure the phosphour layer on the screen is broken in evenly (no lighter or darker spots whatsoever, reduced burn-in risk)... not sure where to get them but crackinheadz has a link.

[SS316SRV]

Originally Posted by mjbethancourt

Plasma still hasn't completely solved the burn-in issue; you don't want score banners from video games or cable station logos burned into your screen. My dad's plasma has a permanent fox news banner burned in... uugh.

I wouldn't want to be reminded that I was watching Fox News either.

I have put in plenty of multiple hour game sessions on my Panasonic. No burn in noticed.

[ScarredLungs]

Originally Posted by allstar780

burn in on high-end plasmas is a non-issue... for example on a samsung at my work it had "burn in" from sitting on a DVD menu for about 8 hours... then over night we left it on a channel on the satellite like discovery or one of those (with a lot of changing images) and it went away over night.the only real way to get burn in is a really long gaming session (think around 8 hours) or complete neglect... and after the break in program it should be even less of an issue

a burn in program (although not necessary) is a DVD that basically runs through a bunch of color gradients, etc to make sure the phosphour layer on the screen is broken in evenly (no lighter or darker spots whatsoever, reduced burn-in risk)... not sure where to get them but crackinheadz has a link.

I did no think that burn in could go away? I thought it was permenant? Is it true about : Plasma's being effected by pressuse (since it is gas) it can be affected by the elevation (4500ft+)

[SS316SRV]

Originally Posted by cvm

I did no think that burn in could go away? I thought it was permenant? Is it true about : Plasma's being effected by pressuse (since it is gas) it can be affected by the elevation (4500ft+)

Burn-in is permanent. Image retention is not. Most plasmas now will not burn in.

Yes plasmas will have elevation issues. Most manufacturers have "industrial" models that can handle it though. Panasonic and Pioneer both have, or at least did, these types of models.

[Dirk504]

Originally Posted by cvm

I did no think that burn in could go away? I thought it was permenant? Is it true about : Plasma's being effected by pressuse (since it is gas) it can be affected by the elevation (4500ft+)

Yep, image retention most certainly goes away. Plus most TV's come with burn in protection anyway. I'm not sure about the elevation stuff. All I can tell you is that I haven't had any problems with my plasma so far.

[allstar780]

Originally Posted by SS316SRV

Burn-in is permanent. Image retention is not. Most plasmas now will not burn in.

Yes plasmas will have elevation issues. Most manufacturers have "industrial" models that can handle it though. Panasonic and Pioneer both have, or at least did, these types of models.

If you look at the higher end "niche" plasma makers... like Runco... they have High-Elevation models

[ScarredLungs]

It seems that the top 3 brands, from what i can tell are

1)Panasonic
2)Sony
3)samsung

??????????????

[allstar780]

Thats about right... I would personally go with the Panasonic plasma, just the best TV for the money by far... 85 or 800 series

[gtmorgan23]

Had i had the money i would have gotten a 50 inch pioneer plasma, I ended up getting the 50 1080p samsung plasma, I dont have a single complaint, It has much better natural color reproduction than my 60 inch sxrd gaming tv upstairs and any of my buddys lcd's.

if you arent gonna be gaming on it then go plasma, lcd cant hang quality wise

[ScarredLungs]

I'm looking to spend about $1200 so with said the 85 or 800 series Panasonic plasma are good tv's? That series has a 42--46 inch?

[ScarredLungs]

Originally Posted by gtmorgan23

Had i had the money i would have gotten a 50 inch pioneer plasma, I ended up getting the 50 1080p samsung plasma, I dont have a single complaint, It has much better natural color reproduction than my 60 inch sxrd gaming tv upstairs and any of my buddys lcd's.

if you arent gonna be gaming on it then go plasma, lcd cant hang quality wise

I'll be gaming some, but mostly blu ray. I use my PS3 as my player, but i only have 1 game (MGS4) and there are only a few more that i am really looking forward too. I mainly bought my PS3 for the blu ray player.