LCD TV Recommendations.

[Allegiance]

Hi Guys,

Looking at getting a new 46inch LCD. These are my two choices:

http://www.sony.com.au/product/kdl-46w5500

http://www.sony.com.au/product/kdl-46z4500

Ok now the main differences are:

The W5500 is 100Hz, 8 bit panel, 5000:1 static contrast ratio.

The Z4500 is 200Hz, 10bit panel, 3000:1 static contrast ratio.

I couldn't really care about the 100 vs 200Hz difference. My main concern is the 10bit vs 8bit panel difference.

How much of a difference will this make? I have read vastly different opinions about it on the internet.

Thanks!

[aud19]

Technically 10 bit is better but you're best off viewing the sets for yourself and deciding if you see any/enough of a difference to fork over the extra $$'s

Otherwise I'll also throw out a recommendation for Samsung and Sharp for their LCD units.

Is it going in a bright room? Any reasons you're not looking at plasma?

[Hdale85]

The new Samsung LED units look spectacular! Saw a couple recently and was really blown away.

[1oldguy]

I second that on the Samsungs.

[aud19]

Those LED units are nice but they're a bit pricey especially compared to a Panny plasmas with comparable black levels and without the off axis viewing issues.

[1oldguy]

I would go for a Panny Plasma over any LCD.And a Pioneer Plasma over any Panny.

[aud19]

I would go for a Panny Plasma over any LCD.And a Pioneer Plasma over any Panny.

Wise words :lol:

[Hammie]

I would go for a Panny Plasma over any LCD.And a Pioneer Plasma over any Panny.

I second that. I had a Samsung LCD and exchanged it for a Panny plasma. Since my viewing room has no windows ans light controlled, plasma was a better choice.

LCD's look best in a room with light. That is usually why they look better in the stores.

Try to find a place that will let you try the TV out for 30 days. If you don't like it, exchange it. That is what I did and it paid off in the end.

[1oldguy]

Before I forked my hard earned money for my T.V I went to every store in the City.I first took a movie that was hard for me to tell just how good the picture was.But when I took the Transformers movie it was very easy to see the faults of any given model.The night shots in the movie really looked bad on every T.V I saw except the Panny and Pioneer Plasma.I even tried the Sony Flagship and the sales man in the store could see the same problems with the light looking grainy with smoke and light filtering in the night,again on the Transformers.Thanks to that movie it helped me to see what set I wanted most.

[littlesaint]

I saw the new Panny G10 at Best Buy today. Easily the best 50" I've seen short of a Kuro, and even that gap is small. From the specs, power consumption is down as well.

I might have to find a buyer for my 50PX80.

[1oldguy]

I saw the new Panny G10 at Best Buy today. Easily the best 50" I've seen short of a Kuro, and even that gap is small. From the specs, power consumption is down as well.

I might have to find a buyer for my 50PX80.

Do you now the model number?Link maybe?

[littlesaint]

Do you now the model number?Link maybe?

The 50" G10 is TC-P50G10. There's now a 54" model as well. Since my last post Panasonic has also released the G15, V10, and money-is-no-problem Z1. The V10 has better picture controls, and better handling of 24p content. It's about $400 more than the same size G-series, but worth it IMO. Here's Panasonic's comparison page for its PDPs and LCDs.

http://www2.panasonic.com/consumer-electronics/shop/Televisions/VIERA-2009-HDTVs-Series.130502_11002_7000000000000005702

BestBuy is carrying the V10s as part of its Magnolia store.

[1oldguy]

Maybe someone can explain what I saw.Let me Explain:I have however returned my unit.

Here Goes:The pioneer Elite kuro Pro151Fd,and the pioneer BR Player ,(Their second best) are the items used.

When in a all dark room after turning the Blue ray player off I could see for a few seconds before the T.V went in to standby,4 or 5 quarter sized round circles.(Others saw this as well.Any ideas what this could be,or mean?

[1oldguy]

No takers on my above post.......


At any rate I just came back from my Dealer.I tried sonys XBR8 series 46 ,Sony's best.
I tried it with the Blue Ray player that just came in,I had it on order for sometime.The Pioneer BDP-09FD.With that T.V and BR Player it was like a dream come true.Loved it.Fantastic.


Curious what would be considered the average life span of an LCD T.V?

[aud19]

Not sure what the problem with the Kuro would have been. Did you duplicate this issue with another unit? Was it visible any other time?

As for lifespan, short of an actual problem with your set I wouldn't worry about lifespan on an LCD or plasma. You're likely to replace them long before either tech even starts to die.

[1oldguy]

I only had the 1 set at home.I will try it at the dealers store in a couple of weeks.
As far as the set I had, it was visible everytime and in the same location on the screen.
Maybe others could try it and see.But you will need to turn off your blue Ray player and be in a very dark room.

[littlesaint]

I only had the 1 set at home.I will try it at the dealers store in a couple of weeks.
As far as the set I had, it was visible everytime and in the same location on the screen.
Maybe others could try it and see.But you will need to turn off your blue Ray player and be in a very dark room.

Sure it's not some kind of burn-in? I know on my Panasonic if I play my Xbox for long periods, I get burn-in of static images like a HUD in the game. You can't see it while watching, and it eventually goes away, but sometimes I'll still see it after several days and have to run the "sweeper" across the screen.

[1oldguy]

I would seriously doub't it's burn in since I played all of but 5 Movies on the T.V before I returned it for a store credit.I would see it after I turned the BR player off the very first time.as I mention i could only see it for a short time because the t.V would go into power saving mode.I would bet that most don't even know about it.I can't be the only one.

[1oldguy]

I would go for a Panny Plasma over any LCD.And a Pioneer Plasma over any Panny.

You know your getting old when you start to quote yourself.After having what is considered the best of Plasma I am now forced to get an LCD myself.
Live and learn I guess.Not dissing Plasma,but there is no one perfect anything.
Like audio it's best to try before you buy.

[littlesaint]

You know your getting old when you start to quote yourself.After having what is considered the best of Plasma I am now forced to get an LCD myself.
Live and learn I guess.Not dissing Plasma,but there is no one perfect anything.
Like audio it's best to try before you buy.

You demo one display, get a bad apple (though you still haven't verified what you saw exactly), and write off the whole technology? :roll:

[1oldguy]

The picture was perfect.What I saw was only able to be seen under the conditions I mentioned.I know it seems a little harsh but there were other factors in returning the set.Motion caused problems for me along with whites not as white as I like.
There were things I loved about the set but with the eye strain we were getting it wasn't for us.Trust me...I really had wished for it to not to be so.

[Hdale85]

There are some excellent LCD sets out there nowadays. I've seen the Samsung LED sets and they are very nice. I think Plasma still has the edge though.

[1oldguy]

There are some excellent LCD sets out there nowadays. I've seen the Samsung LED sets and they are very nice. I think Plasma still has the edge though.

I do agree that Plasma does indeed have certain characteristics that LCD doesn't.Which pains me trust me.I hated to part with my 60 inches of Glory.
I have heard that the Samson LED LCD on some forums wern't evenly back lit.Naturally that would be a concern as I would have to order the set and own it before I could see it.At least I have seen the Sony Set that is also LED LCD and loved it with the new 09FD player I just had come in yesterday.And the great thing for me and other family member,No eye strain.
The Player even made a fairly cheep T.V Samsung series 5 T.V look pretty good all things considered.But on the more expensive LCD LED Sony it was fantastic.