How important is contrast ratio?

[npanzeca]

I am looking at a few different 1080p tvs and they have a different range of contrast ratio. I noticed that the higher the ratio the higher the price. Just how important is contrast ratio and what is a good enough ratio to get? Thanks for any information.

[stockstar1138]

cr is very important. 10k:1 is the least u should go for.

[ryoohki]

Most CE quote their CR using Torch Mode (AKA VIVID setting) witch is unusable for most part in normal viewing. ..

[turboedguy]

Very Important.

I just went from a 46" samsung LNS4695D w/ 6000:1 to a 52" Samsung LNT5271F w/ 25,000:1.

Night and Day!

[reider]

Originally Posted by ryoohki

Most CE quote their CR using Torch Mode (AKA VIVID setting) witch is unusable for most part in normal viewing. ..

Plus they do it in a totally dark surrounding conditions... so they get absolutely unrealistic ratios. The testing methods for CR are so different that one CE's reported 15,000:1 may be same as other CE's 10,000:1. Some CE's are really starting to "take consumer for a ride" with overblown numbers.

[beavis667]

Contrast ratio is only as important as how good a set displays blacks. In most cases, it's not very important at all. I would take a hd set with 5000:1 contrast ratio if the blacks were true. As it is, you can buy LCD sets with 100k:1 contrast ratio with poor blacks, and undefined dark scenes to boot.

Since you haven't been given an scientific definition yet in this thread, I'll give you one. CR is the degree of brightness difference from the darkest dark that a screen can project and the brightest bright it can project. So, in a 25,000:1 set, the brightest bright is 25,000 times brighter than the darkest dark it can project.

I've seen LCD's with uber high contrast ratio that do a really poor job on dark colors. So you have, lets say a 18,000:1 contrast ratio, but your best dark color is a deep grey. 18,000 times more than that is nuclear white. Great. You still have crappy blacks and you have unrealistic brights. It's easy to make a TV look unrealistic vs reality, and the way to do that is to keep it on VIVID.

[d_rob1031]

Until they come out with a mandantory industry standard for testing CR's, I don't trust them. So many people come into work looking for the Samsung with the 25k:1 CR (71 series)... and that number sells it, sadly. We have a Panasonic plasma sitting right next to it, which puts the Samsung to shame, yet people still want the higher number even when I point out the difference to them. One day someone will come up with a way to legitamately test the sets.. one day

[ESUNintel]

Originally Posted by stockstar1138

cr is very important. 10k:1 is the least u should go for.

..for a 37" or smaller
I would say 15K+ for a 40" or bigger. The new 25K:1 CR Samsung is AMAZING!!!

[DealsR4theDevil]

Contrast Ratio is the single MOST important thing to consider, even more so than resolution. A 720p TV with a high contrast ration is waaaaaaaay better than a 1080p with a low contrast ratio.

[reider]

Originally Posted by ESUNintel

..for a 37" or smaller
I would say 15K+ for a 40" or bigger. The new 25K:1 CR Samsung is AMAZING!!!

I was comparing it side-by-side to XBR5 for about 40 minutes in medium dim room playing with settings on both sets. Sony's blacks and the CR looked to me considerably better despite the lower spec (18,000:1)

[turboedguy]

Originally Posted by reider

I was comparing it side-by-side to XBR5 for about 40 minutes in medium dim room playing with settings on both sets. Sony's blacks and the CR looked to me considerably better despite the lower spec (18,000:1)

Just did the same at circuit city about 4-5 days ago, I bought my 71 series because it Stomped the Sony.

[turboedguy]

Originally Posted by turboedguy

Just did the same at circuit city about 4-5 days ago, I bought my 71 series because it Stomped the Sony.

BTW, The salesman and 5 of my buddys that were there with me for 3 hours while buying it, all agreed.

[bleed-blu]

well, my 13 inch 56 dollar emerson blows everything out of the water.

i just wish it had color.

[reider]

Originally Posted by turboedguy

Just did the same at circuit city about 4-5 days ago, I bought my 71 series because it Stomped the Sony.

I assume you had equivalent settings and both of them were calibrated properly... Of course not.
In any case I see more people giving preference to 71 series over XBR5 lately... but personally, I feel it to be erroneous.
Either way, the 71 series are absolutely awesome sets - congratulations on your purchase. Enjoy!

[turboedguy]

Originally Posted by reider

I assume you had equivalent settings and both of them were calibrated properly... Of course not.
In any case I see more people giving preference to 71/81 series over XBR5 lately... but personally, I feel it to be erroneous.
Either way, the 71 series are absolutely awesome sets - congratulations on your purchase. Enjoy!

Funny thing is, I owned a Samsung before and kicked myself in the ass for not buying a Sony. After all the comments on this site and others, I went in to buy the XBR4. I had my heart set on it. But after looking at the Samsung by sugestion of the salesman and better listed contrast ratio specs, I
just couldnt deny the fact that the Samsung looked better.

And I was allowed to play with the settings, but obviously with to equipment, or even a good calibration disc neither were perfect. But one was closer than the other.

[reider]

Originally Posted by d_rob1031

Until they come out with a mandantory industry standard for testing CR's, I don't trust them. So many people come into work looking for the Samsung with the 25k:1 CR (71 series)... and that number sells it, sadly. We have a Panasonic plasma sitting right next to it, which puts the Samsung to shame, yet people still want the higher number even when I point out the difference to them. One day someone will come up with a way to legitamately test the sets.. one day

Yes, because plasma's true CR (static, not dynamic) is much better. You don't see LCD manufacturer's talk much about their static CR which for the 71 series is only something like 2,000:1

I think there is a standard test from ANSI, but many CE's (unsurprisingly) don't want to use it.

[beavis667]

Any of you folks who post "CR is the most important factor when buying a TV" need to offer something to back that up. Reality doesn't not back up that CR is the most important factor, so I'm curious to hear why you think it is so important.

If you buy a TV based on CR alone, you were mislead by good marketing.

[Lord_Phan]

Originally Posted by beavis667

Any of you folks who post "CR is the most important factor when buying a TV" need to offer something to back that up. Reality doesn't not back up that CR is the most important factor, so I'm curious to hear why you think it is so important.

If you buy a TV based on CR alone, you were mislead by good marketing.

Especially the guy who thinks it's more important than resolution.

[Lord_Phan]

Originally Posted by DealsR4theDevil

Contrast Ratio is the single MOST important thing to consider, even more so than resolution. A 720p TV with a high contrast ration is waaaaaaaay better than a 1080p with a low contrast ratio.

Then why are you here?!? Blu-ray exists to put the best image possible, that is done with high resolutions(Millions more pixels to add detail to images between 480p to 720p and Millions more than that between 720p and 1080p!)

If you want the BEST possible contrast ratio.... GO BACK TO YOUR Cathode Ray Tube 480i SET! They have WAY Better Contrast ratio than a Plasma ever will

[Lord_Phan]

Here's a good site - http://www.practical-home-theater-gu...ast-ratio.html