Plasma / HD TV's
- Thread starter Kento-Moto
- Start date
High Definition is definitely worth having, it dramatically improves resolution of the picture on any TV that can handle it. Flat panel TVs are still too expensive, although the prices are dropping.
I've been reading a lot of articles about Plasma and LCD TVs and the biggest drawback appears to be faithful color reproduction. These types of TVs don't have the same contrast level, grey level or color saturation as CRTs (If accuracy is more important to you than screen size/thinness.) Also, there are some new technologies coming down the pipe - OLED for example - which promise to blow them out of the water.
Overhead projectors are a nice alternative (a friend of mine has one) but I've yet to see one that can generate a brightness level that doesn't require your living room to be set up like a cinema i.e. very low light levels and dark walls/drapes. There are similar problems with rear projectors (I have a HD Mitsubishi) which can suffer from reflections on the screen etc.
Bottom line is, get to a store that will demo the TV you're interested in, preferably in a home-type environment. Or, if you know someone who has one, visit their place and check out their setup. Sit down and watch the thing for a while and decide if it fits your criteria.
Here's a comparison between the Plasma and LCD technologies:
http://www.plasmatvbuyingguide.com/plasmatvreviews/plasma-vs-lcd.html
I've been reading a lot of articles about Plasma and LCD TVs and the biggest drawback appears to be faithful color reproduction. These types of TVs don't have the same contrast level, grey level or color saturation as CRTs (If accuracy is more important to you than screen size/thinness.) Also, there are some new technologies coming down the pipe - OLED for example - which promise to blow them out of the water.
Overhead projectors are a nice alternative (a friend of mine has one) but I've yet to see one that can generate a brightness level that doesn't require your living room to be set up like a cinema i.e. very low light levels and dark walls/drapes. There are similar problems with rear projectors (I have a HD Mitsubishi) which can suffer from reflections on the screen etc.
Bottom line is, get to a store that will demo the TV you're interested in, preferably in a home-type environment. Or, if you know someone who has one, visit their place and check out their setup. Sit down and watch the thing for a while and decide if it fits your criteria.
Here's a comparison between the Plasma and LCD technologies:
http://www.plasmatvbuyingguide.com/plasmatvreviews/plasma-vs-lcd.html
One more thing I should mention - a lot of the HD TVs out there (of any format, including overhead projectors) are actually "HDTV Ready". That means they have the capability to display "normal" television and High Definition TV, but do not include the tuner/decoder that generates the HD display. These tuners/decoders can cost upwards of $1,000, so factor that into your budget if you buy a TV that doesn't include one.
Modern LCD DLP Projector on a proper beaded Glass screen or Painted screen surface is shiD Hot Sharp!!! Seriously.Does the projector look fuzzy or is it pretty clear?
You do have to keep in mind the environment, there are plenty of projectors that will work in a brightly lit room, but you will definitely pay a price in quality. But if you have a basement AV setup or are considering a dedicated home theater? Projection is a good choice...
I consider projectors fuzzier because the pixels are simply so much larger than normal. it's still sharp in a sense and capable of 1024x768 or more, but for example say I plug Nintendo into it which looks fine on regular TV, but blow up to 10 foot, that 320x240 resolution looks a little fuzzed out or blocky. Same goes for TV and DVD. but once you get used to it, it looks great! And you move your head around to look at the picture, not just your eyes - like at a theater! There's also line doublers and crap to clean things up. Many others here might tell you about that stuff.
I pondered plasma for a little while but the screen just weren't big enough!
I'm done with glass and accepting wall projection full tilt! I RARELY watch any 'TV' programs anymore anyway.... except Simpsons
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I pondered plasma for a little while but the screen just weren't big enough!
I'm done with glass and accepting wall projection full tilt! I RARELY watch any 'TV' programs anymore anyway.... except Simpsons
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I'm so jealous... I first saw the Sony about 6 years ago at the Japan Astronomy Centre in Hawaii who happen to be my clients and they spend $$$ like water, IF, big if, it's something they want... I congradulate u folks who can afford these and more power to ya... I still think I'll wait till they are about 1/2 the cost they are now. ( remember the 1st digital watches ... ? $1000.00 now $3.95 or they come free in cheerios ... )
Ahh NO.
You man what are you gonna do if the TV falls does your home insurance cover it?
You might want to upgrade your coverage for specific items. I had to for all the PCs (5) I have in my house.
Yep, don't quite see the point in them vs. a good rear projection tv at a mere fraction of the price. I've yet to see any large models that you can just slap on a wall like a picture frame. There's still an amount of thickness and crap behind them that I think would be difficult to stick in a 2X6 wall cavity. Wasn't aware about them being so susceptible to burn-in either until reading this thread, being a video game fanatic that's a big turn off right there.I'm so jealous... I first saw the Sony about 6 years ago at the Japan Astronomy Centre in Hawaii who happen to be my clients and they spend $$$ like water, IF, big if, it's something they want... I congradulate u folks who can afford these and more power to ya... I still think I'll wait till they are about 1/2 the cost they are now. ( remember the 1st digital watches ... ? $1000.00 now $3.95 or they come free in cheerios ... )
Then there's the problem if you ever accidently break the screen and the <table style=filter:glow(color=green)>PLASMA</table> pours out...you're dead, everyone in the neighborhood is dead and the rest of the city is having flipper babies for the next 1000 years.
I'm planning on putting a 42" plasma in the bedroom now that it's cool enouph to get in the attic..I'll definately go with Gateway again. They rate really good and my experience with my 46" has been great-crystal clear picture. I can even hook my pc or digital cameras up to it.
Him- you need to screw your bracket for it to the studs in the wall and it isn't going anywhere. They are heavy as hell, though so do it right!
Him- you need to screw your bracket for it to the studs in the wall and it isn't going anywhere. They are heavy as hell, though so do it right!
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