You recently bought LCD/DLP/Plasma

[Clive]

I would like to hear from members whom have recently purchased a LCD panel, LCD Rear projection, DLP Rear projection, Plasma or front projector (any) to chine in here and tell us why you chose your purchase over another.

The reason for this is that I have been asked many times of "Which technology is better?" and for those starting out may need to hear as I do other opinions

Please keep it simple, thanks :T

[Wick]

I picked up a Sony 60" Grand Wega SXRD LCOS in December from Best Buys. Went the LCOS way because plasma has had problems with burn in and I watch alot of sports and play a bit of playstation, which both can cause burn in on plasma (not all models). I think the SXRD looked the best outta everything they had on display, and home theater magazine was rating it the best out there. Had the highest resolution there, nicest looking casing, best picture, 2 hdmi inputs, well known company, etc... Can't hang it on the wall, but that wasn't what I was looking for. I'm glad I got the one I did.

[kurtholz]

I did the LG 50" plasma, mainly as i wanted hdmi , and it was cheap, after the tech tweaked it in, ( took 4 hours) the picture i think is as good as anything, non-hd channels look brilliant, and the few hd ones look even better

i use an arcam dv29 for dvd, which does a great job upconverting

i think burn in was an issue years ago, but my opinion, i don't have any concerns about it

plus i wanted it on the wall, when 70" gets cheap and hdmi get in a few more generations i will move this to the bedroom and throw something else on the wall

Kurt

[Clive]

True. Burn-in (Although faster on some sets than others) occures when a static image is left on a screen for long periods of time. Can happen to any display including regular TVs.

Wick.... Lcos does produce a sharp picture it's good you like it.

[ht_addict]

Went too FS on boxing day at 4am to get a 37" Digimate 37" LCD because I wanted to replace my CRT.

[brac]

Went with the infocus SP5000, FP, I could be wrong but I think DLP will get a few changes before long. It's great technology but I think its not quite ready, so I went LCD great PQ at 108" wide.
Brac

[brendon]

I went with the Epson tw600 (tw800 us equivilant) LCD projector for the following reasons.

720p, looks great with HD source

Price $2500 AUD (much cheaper than the US)

Very good skin tones

Has latest D5 panel.

5000/1 contrast

Very bright when required 1600 lumen.

Good lens shift and zoom.

good remote

Epson has very good rep in Australia for customer service
300 hrs on unit in three months. Been in to service center once for foreign object in light path turned around in one day.
Brendon

[sirbogey]

Bought the Optoma 753 DLP projector 4 years ago for $2,500. It was a must back then and it still runs smoothly and has a sharp image. I've seen them 2y ago for half the price...

[maseline_98]

I was actually looking at a Westinghouse LVM-42w2 (1080p 42" LCD flat panel-->Please note this TV does not have a Tuner of any kind) from Best Buy that is just over $2500 with the tax. My main concern is it is only 1000:1 contrast ratio. Anybody know if this is a bad thing or have any experience with this.

[Hdale85]

for an LCD flat panel 1000:1 is awsome more then enough you only need more then that if your doing front projection or what not not many lcd's have a 1000:1 contrast ratio. A lot of plasma's do but thats a different technology.

[Alaric]

I didn't recently buy any of the above technologies , but I sold them. It's my understanding that a new CRT technology (thin screen) will make plasma/lcd obsolete in the next decade , but I don't know enough to endorse that opinion. I personally had the opportunity to buy , at cost , just about any tv I wanted. The DLPs with the brightest picture pump enough juice through the light engine to shorten the lamp life to a point that $300 to $500 every 3-5 years could add up to a headache. If the light engine goes in 5 years-may as well buy a new tv.
I didn'y buy state of the art or cutting edge technology. I bought a Mitsubishi 48" CRT rear projection. No lamps or light engines , no delicate plasma or LCD monitors , but I have an integrated HDTV tuner as well as ATSC tuner.With a $10 antennae I can watch football and CSI in 1080i for free. It has HDMI and component inputs and will send an over-the-air 5.1 signal to my receiver. Ten years from now I expect my tv to work just as well as it does now-and if it breaks it can be repaired , unlike plasma and LCD. I paid $740 for it. My$.02

[Hdale85]

Yea but you still have tubes which eventually do need replaceing and are more expensive then the bulbs that lcd and dlp projectors use i believe and harder to find in some cases the PQ of a crt projection tv doesnt compare to a dlp/lcd projection tv, not in my eyes anyways not to mention the size of CRT projection tv's. I may be purchaseing a sony wega lcd microdisplay rear projection tv and the picture looks amazing on it but then again i may also get a EDTV plasma and wait a while to get an HDTV display as there isnt much HD content out right now and a lot of the standards are shifting slightly so might as well wait for the new stuff or whatnot

[wkhanna]

I bought a Mitsubishi 48" CRT rear projection. No lamps or light engines , no delicate plasma or LCD monitors , but I have an integrated HDTV tuner as well as ATSC tuner.With a $10 antennae I can watch football and CSI in 1080i for free. It has HDMI and component inputs and will send an over-the-air 5.1 signal to my receiver. Ten years from now I expect my tv to work just as well as it does now-and if it breaks it can be repaired , unlike plasma and LCD. I paid $740 for it. My$.02

With formats and technology changing as fast as my wife can fill a shopping cart at TJ Maxx, I have no desire to drop big bling on a monitor that will require $500 tune-ups every few years, possibly become obsolete sooner, or deliver buyer remorse within weeks, I find your solution nothing short of genius. Could you tell me what the cost of a suitable HDTV might be?

[Alaric]

Yea but you still have tubes which eventually do need replaceing and are more expensive then the bulbs that lcd and dlp projectors use i believe and harder to find in some cases the PQ of a crt projection tv doesnt compare to a dlp/lcd projection tv, not in my eyes anyways not to mention the size of CRT projection tv's. I may be purchaseing a sony wega lcd microdisplay rear projection tv and the picture looks amazing on it but then again i may also get a EDTV plasma and wait a while to get an HDTV display as there isnt much HD content out right now and a lot of the standards are shifting slightly so might as well wait for the new stuff or whatnot

Yeah , I still have tubes.How often do cathode ray tubes need to be replaced? Especially since I have my signal split between three guns.The Mitsubishi CRTs have a VERY good reliability rating (decades) and 1080i is 1080i. You can reverse the screen mat and remove the clear protective screen and get a very good display for a major savings in bucks. I live in a townhouse , so 48" is overkill and I love it.
wkhanna , the ws48515 has , I think , been discontinued.Go to Mitsubishi's website and look at 2005 models http://www.mitsubishi-tv.com/televis...ails.asp?id=34 and check it out. The reputation of Mits is outstanding. Drive over to Columbus (OH) and I'll hook you up with the store I worked in. My floor model WS48515 cost me $740. Retail was $1499. PM me and I'll call the store and make sure they have some. The best part of the deal was I didn't feel the need to buy an extended service contract-because I bought a CRT. I wouldn't buy any other type of tv without one. If a plasma craps out it CAN'T BE REPAIRED. Same with an LCD. So you're stuck buying a $500 "extended service" contract because it will replace your $3000 plasma if it dies. Floor models are sold with the manufacturers warranty intact-same as new. Any authorized Mitsubishi dealer repair service can honor it , no matter where you bought it. PM me and I'll give you the particulars , cause I don't want to appear to advertise for my former employer. I'll make a phone call tomorrow and see if they have any left.

P.S. It's Sony Vega. The stylized pair of Vs looks like a W.

[Alaric]

wkhanna , I also know a former co-worker (EE) who modified a 55" Mits with the Diamond series guns , a black mat , and manually set the color convergence. I think she wants $550 for it. She has two and doesn't have room for them both. You should see the picture quality. The WS48515 also has cable card and firewire capability

[wkhanna]

Thanks Alaric!!!!!!!
I will PM ASAP.

[Alaric]

wkhanna

PM'd you update on the search. Will have more tomorrow. I now have a 6 year old and a beer to attend to! (Both are mine!)

[wkhanna]

Remember to nurture and savor them both!

[Alaric]

Every second of every day!

I'm just glad the beer doesn't go to bed at 9:00 as well!

[htsteve]

Sxrd

I recently bought a Sony SXRD. The primary reason was picture quality. Also, flat panels (LCD/Plasma) and front projectors don't really fit our room. So I looked for the best RPTV out there. The SXRD was the best I found. I've since had it professionally ISF calibrated. This has only made it better. I am very pleased with it.

[FlashJim]

My Toshiba CRT died in October of '05. I did a good bit of research and ended up with a Sony KDF-E50A10 LCD Rear projection. I needed something good with DVDs as well as the Xbox.

[Clive]

NICE :yeah:

What did you compare it to that led you to buy this unit?

[FlashJim]

NICE :yeah:

What did you compare it to that led you to buy this unit?

Was this directed to me or Steve? Steve has the Mack Daddy SXRD.

If it was to me, I checked out Samsung and Mitsubishi (I work for them) as well as the Sony units. I couldn't have plasma, because of burn in with the games. DLP looked pretty good, but the LCD won me over. Off axis viewing is fantastic and I needed it with our living room.

XBOX kicks butt on the 50". ;x(

The 42" looks a bit sharper than the 50". They are the same resolution.

[runninkyle17]

Westinghouse ROCKS!!!!

Just got my 42" Westinghouse LVM-42w2 in today. Hooked the baby up to my 360 and played Oblivion for hours in its full glory. This display is beautiful. Can't wait until HD-DVD hits mainstream so I can utilize the 1080p for home theater.

I have also hooked my laptop up to it and ran it at 1080p and it is truly brilliant. Very happy with my purchase!

[Clive]

We don't have Westinghouse here in Canada any more but it seems you made a decent purchase. That 1080p must have blown you away ;x(

Congrats :T

[Martyn]

I recently bought a 50" Toshiba plasma. I didn't want to be held to ransome for a new lamp every few years, I didn't want any moving parts, but I did want a slim TV. LEDs seemed OK up to 42", but not larger. That left plasma. I liked the Toshiba that was on demo at my local retail store. I found an on-line price (not all that easy in Canada) and told my retailer that I'd buy if he matched that price, which he did. So far, I've no complaints.

[Alaric]

Martyn , given your requirements , you seem to have made a very good choice. In my experience Toshiba , Panasonic and LG have some of the best plasma displays. :T

[Hdale85]

Well i ended up getting a 32" LCD Tv (resolution is 1366x768 ) PQ is amazing after much calibration and i use my HTPC for up converting dvd's and they also look just amazing on it and its a Phillips LCD tv one of the cheaper ones i paid about 1200 for it so im very happy. After i move into a new place i'll get a bigger tv right now i live in a small apartment.

[Z-Photo]

I found a 67" Barco RetroGraphics for $120. Talk about PQ and able to run 1080P.
I actually got 4 for $480 - talk about a deal. And since it is a 8" EM CRT projector the "tubes" will last well over 10,000 hours.

http://www.barco.com/presentation/en....asp?GenNr=334

[wkhanna]

Z-Photo

Might you be able to share where you got a deal like that?

Feel free to PM me, as it may not be within Forum etiquette to post.

TIA

[drsiebling]

I bought a Pioneer Elite PRO-1130HD 50" Plasma for the following reasons:

1. Space constraints
2. Color Accuracy
3. Best black-levels possible on current Plasmas
4. Love the look of the thing.
5. Got a killer deal
6. Needed HDMI

After spending a few months with this particluar PDP, I can honestly say it is a fantastic set. If I had it to do over again, I'd buy the same panel. Now, if only May 15th and my ISF calibration would get here sooner!

-Ben

[KeithM]

I got a panny ae900 because dlp has rainbows I easily notice, crt is too heavy, lcos is too expensive, and this is the only lcd I demoed that gave true, convincing blacks. Also, I got a good deal which made me buy this over the z4.

[ht_addict]

Samsung LN-S4051D.

Image not available

HDTV Tuner Built In
Screen Size (inches) 40
Contrast Ratio 4000:1
Brightness 550cd
Resolution 1366 x 768
Surround Modes SRS TruSurround XT
Viewing Angle 178° Vertical, 178° Horizontal

Detailed Specifications:
Panel Type: Wide (16:9) LCD
TV System: American NTSC Std Color
Channel Coverage: VHF VHF 2-13, UHF 14-69, CATV 1-125 (up to 181 preselected channels)
Audio Power: 10W X 2
Power Requirements: AC 100-120 AC, 60Hz

Inputs/Outputs:
# R/F Input 2
# HDMI in 2
# Component (Y/Pb/Pr) in 1(480i/480p/720p/1080i)
# Coaxial antenna 1
# USB 1
# PC (RGB Input 1
# Headphone jack 1
# RS RS232 1

[Clive]

Beautiful!

[mike c]

picked up a Sony 40" XBR LCD

1) HDMI and PC input
2) higher resolution vs. plasma
3) "it's a sony."

1 Megapixel HD Panel (1366x768 )
Wide Color Gamut for Wider Color Reproduction
WEGA Engine
178 degrees Wide Viewing Angle
500 cd/m2 Brightness
1300:1 High Contrast Ratio
Quick Response Time (8ms)
Multi-system TV Tuner
PAP 2 Tuner (w/ freeze function)
WEGA Gate Navigator
Light Sensor
PC Input
USB (full speed) Interface
HDMI Input



but alas, for my bedroom TV, im going back to a 34" CRT. nothing beats the PQ of CRT, especially for watching television.

[Clive]

For the most part :agree:

[ht_addict]

Finally wall mounted the tv. Here's a pic.

[Clive]

I know the feeling when it's finally up there.....................Looking great :T

Just do some wire management and flip some components around and you're good to go

Nice choice in equipment :T :T

[nick77]

Well after alot a research and comparing I just bought a Vizio 50" plasma made with LG glass for under 2k. I just could not pass up the price with such great pq. Looks awesome with the rest of my HT.

[JonMarsh]

I found a 67" Barco RetroGraphics for $120. Talk about PQ and able to run 1080P.
I actually got 4 for $480 - talk about a deal. And since it is a 8" EM CRT projector the "tubes" will last well over 10,000 hours.

http://www.barco.com/presentation/en....asp?GenNr=334

Good score!

My most recent purchase, still not fully setup due to day job run amok, is an NEC 10PG. yeah, another CRT luddite. The 9PG+ was fine for DVD and upscaled DVD, but this is for HD. For those not familiar with NEC's, it has 9" diagonal tubes, and it's a pretty big beast- this one had about 500 hours on it when I got it, which means it's practically brand new, and looks it. Since I'm running on a relatively small screen (80"), I expect it to hold up for quite some time.

Now, I've just gotta find some way to take off some of the 10 weeks accrued vacation time I have...

Addressing Clive's questions, too many of the flat panel displays have issues with their scaler and interface chips, and gray scale and contrast problems that are hard or impossible to fix. I hope that the SED development will eventually reach commercialization- those should be pretty special displays, combining what is essentially a minature CRT for each pixel with a nice flat form factor.

[nick.h]

Panasonic LCD Projector (AE500/700/900)

[nick.h]

Fantastic Units

[nick.h]

Only 1 more!

[jonathanb3478]

My preferred technology is FP LCD. This is because I do not have the room for a projector setup in this tiny apartment. RP is out for the same reason, though it could shoehorn one in, if I really wanted to. For FP, I prefer the LCDs to the Plasmas at the same size due to the much greater resolution you can get at the same price point with the LCDs. Since I sit ~6ft from my TV, I can actually benefit from the higher res panel.

I have experience with typical LCD black levels through my dual 19" LCD computer monitor setup. I agree it certainly does not match CRT, but it also does not bother me.

Well, with all that in mind, I finally got so sick of using my roommate's 27" RCA 4:3 CRT with DVDs and the HDMI HD-DVR cable box we have, that I could just throw up. To avoid spewing chunks, I have arranged to get a refurb Dell W3706MC sent my way. I do not personally own a TV at the moment, except for the Dell that should be here tomorrow.

I know there are fatal issues with Dell's FP displays, but not with this model. At least according to a search of the Dell "community forums". There are "quirks", but they should not show up in my application. Besides, it has a 1yr advance exchange warranty to cover any thing major, and I can extend it right up until it expires.

I thought I could handle waiting a year or so and then pick up a 1080P 42-47" LCD FP, but I was wrong. I went with Dell, as I do not have the cash for a large purchase at the moment, due to how many I have made in the last few months. Dell gave me 18 months of 0% interest financing on any of their TVs, so I got the 37" (largest LCD FP they sell). It does works, as it does not cost me any cash in the first 30 days. After that, the <$1500 purchase price can be paid off with a ~$85/mo payment for the next 18 months. That is not a problem. It is not optimal, but it does work for me at the moment. I just couldn't handle it anymore!

EDIT: Details
(sure covers the connectivity basics)
2 x HDMI
2 x Component
4 x Composite
3 x S-Video
2 x Coaxial TV-In
9 x Audio (RCA L+R)
1 x RS232
1 x VGA
1 Audio (PC) Connector
1 x Audio DVI

ATSC/NTSC combo tuner
NTSC only second tuner

Contrast: 800:1
Native Res: 1366X768
Brightness: 500 cd/m2
Response: 16 ms (b/w)

Without stand or speakers: 35.84" x 4.51" x 21.75", 48.5 lbs
With stand only: 35.84" x 9.95" x 25.1", 61.73 lbs

Picture-In-Picture (PIP)
Picture-Outside-Picture (POP)
Picture-By-Picture (PBP)

[bigburner]

I bought a Samsung 42" HD Plasma PPM42M5HB Monitor two weeks ago because:

* It had to be a flat panel due to its location (integrated with a piece of furniture).
* It had to be viewable well off axis because I sometimes watch music DVDs with a group of friends standing around the screen.
* You get much more size for your dollar with plasma than with LCD (well in New Zealand you do).
* It has a very slim elegant surround because it doesn't have a tuner or speakers, so it received immediate wifely approval.
* It was a good match for the OPPO OPDV971H DVD player that I bought at the same time (DVI - DVI).
* Its native resolution is 1024 x 768 which was a higher spec than other similarly priced models (852 x 480).
* I didn't want to spend a fortune.
* I got 25% off the retail price.

I have to say that I am really pleased with my purchase.