Black levels in LCD tvs.

[Arrakis]

Yep - I have a sharp Aquos 120 and in the store the black levels were comparable to the plasma it was sitting next to. Once I got it home - it was a different story. My room is pretty dark and while the blacks are good it still doesn't compare to what a Plasma can do.

[Toptube]

LCD has improved quite a bit, to the point that they are very acceptable. any scenes reasonably well lit look wonderful. true, really dark scenes with very little light is a bit greyed over even on the best panels. but its still very watchable. though, not comparable to CRT or even a decent plasma.

dynamic backlighting still has problems with things like campfires or constant rapid changes of lighting in the scene. but their benefit 90% of the time is pretty large, so its excuseable for an very specific problem.

[HDJK]

Originally Posted by Arrakis

Yep - I have a sharp Aquos 120 and in the store the black levels were comparable to the plasma it was sitting next to. Once I got it home - it was a different story. My room is pretty dark and while the blacks are good it still doesn't compare to what a Plasma can do.

With LCDs (unlike with projectors) a little backlighting can improve your perceived contrast.

[Grisle]

I hope I can get a Pio Kuro soon...the blacks are amazing on those sets.

[CINEOS]

Originally Posted by HDJK

With LCDs (unlike with projectors) a little backlighting can improve your perceived contrast.

Maybe something called "Ambilight" is supposed to help???

[JJ]

Originally Posted by CINEOS

Maybe something called "Ambilight" is supposed to help???

It really is just a gimmick - but it is a cool gimmick. :ets his Philly ambilight: - but that has nothing to do with backlighting.

[Carmien]

This is a question has an answer that is part subjective and part reality.

I've calibrated my XBR5 (including moving the backlight down a notch or two) and find myself with an amazing rich, skin-colours-look-great-, deep, dark, non glossy experience.

I don't know that you can really compare these screens in the shops. They're calibrated for lighting (assuming they're calibrated) and the shop display plasma will be on as powerful as it can be. Half-life way be fervantly defended by plasma owners but it's as real as backlight life. The screens do wear out and it's a reality that cranking up that plasma full blast will shorten it's life. I can turn down the backlight, get great blacks, fantastic whites and likely have an LCD that'll be around for a while.

My brother in law has a plasma in his basement and I have to confess the glare from a window behind drives me a little nuts. It's a glossier screen. BUT, the blacks are rich and it's a smooth picture.

Can I say it's better than my XBR5? well, I've got a bias. But with 120Hz, motionflow for sports, and 1080/24p for my BD movie experience I'm simply not complaining. I really don't think the difference is as big as some would make out.

[Bobby Henderson]

I don't think anyone can really get away with issuing blanket statements anymore of what's better than the other in terms of the LCD versus Plasma debate.

My new 52" Sony Bravia XBR4 TV has fantastic image quality. It looked better than a lot of plasma TVs I examined. The only TV I saw that looked any better was Pioneer's 60" Kuro plasma, selling for around $6000.

[Sonny]

I think the PQ of plazzy's are better, but top notch LCD's are right there . My XBR5 is VERY VERY nice & I'm going to end up keeping it too probably (I was going to take it back).

[Kruzifixxion]

Originally Posted by Bobby Henderson

I don't think anyone can really get away with issuing blanket statements anymore of what's better than the other in terms of the LCD versus Plasma debate.

My new 52" Sony Bravia XBR4 TV has fantastic image quality. It looked better than a lot of plasma TVs I examined. The only TV I saw that looked any better was Pioneer's 60" Kuro plasma, selling for around $6000.

Yeah i agree that 52 inch Sony is amazing and it's my next purchase!

[Johk]

Originally Posted by Bobby Henderson

My new 52" Sony Bravia XBR4 TV has fantastic image quality. It looked better than a lot of plasma TVs I examined. The only TV I saw that looked any better was Pioneer's 60" Kuro plasma, selling for around $6000.

Here in Montreal, the 52" Sony Bravia XBR4 currently sells at the same price as the 50" Pioneer Kuro (1080p), 4000$...

I think that it is closer to compare a 52" to 50" than a 52" to a 60" and the 50" and 60" Kuro should have the same PQ!