# Help me Decide.  720p, 1080p, Plasma or LCD



## xnavyss (May 5, 2010)

Looking for some info and advice Please on a future TV purchase.

We currently have a 42 inch 720p Panasonic Plasma TV in our Living Room that is about 3 years old.  We (mostly me) are thinking about putting this in the Bedroom and buy a new one for the Living Room.  We are on some what of a budget.

Football season is upcoming and since I stay at home while my wife goes to all the Florida Gator football games, a large screen TV helpes me cope.
 

We live about 15 minutes from Florida State and my wife drives to Gainesville about  2 1/2 hours away for every game.  Plus the away games. 

So we are thinking about a 50 inch 720p Panasonic Plasma from Dell that is $649.00.  Actually HHGreg will price match that.

If needed, We sit about 10 feet away from the TV and have Directv.

We also have a Blu Ray hooked up and we can see the difference between a regular HD movie from Directv and a movie on Blu Ray.

Also thinking about sizing down to perhaps a 46 inch - still 4 inches larger then what we have and get a 1080p LCD for just a little more.

Any input and advise would be greatly appeciated.

Thanks

Joe Serpico


----------



## lgreenspan (May 5, 2010)

I currently own the Panasonic 50" 720p and can tell you it has a excellent picture. I purchased mine in April 2007 and paid $1600. Here are a couple things most sellers will not tell you.

1) No Cable providers offer 1080p and will not for several more years.
2) In terms of picture quality 720p is better than 1080i .

Dave


----------



## ausman (May 5, 2010)

This was from a timeshare salesman.?


----------



## Talent312 (May 5, 2010)

I respectfully disagree with "LG."
Programming in 1080p may be sketchy, but it will become commonplace over the next few years.
Think long term. Wouldn't you like your next TV to not be obsolete by Christmas of 2011.
Plasma may hang around for a while, but as a platform, it will slowly disappear like 8-tracks & betamax.

Plasma is cheaper in large part 'cuz its passe'. Its also damn heavy.
I expect to go LED, but IMHO, LCD's with 1080p are the current standard going forward.


----------



## ScoopKona (May 5, 2010)

Agreed with 1080p, LCD.

Your Blu-Ray will look better in 1080p. Upscaling DVD players will also benefit from 1080p.

While your sports TV viewing won't be better, it will be when all the providers switch.

EDIT - I can switch from 1080p to 720p on the fly. Big difference when watching HD videos that I have downloaded and the like.


----------



## deedman (May 5, 2010)

I'm a tech junkie.  1080p LCD is the way to go, bluray with the monster brand hdmi cable and surround sound, oooweee. that is of course the 1080p LED is out of the budget. Sacrifice the 4".  another thing that is important what you didn't list is the contrast ratio.  Samsung and sharp are all top notch brands.  Sony like other companies mostly uses sharp panels.  If you are considering a budget brand, vizio has good bang for the buck.  Buy at walmart and enjoy a 90 day return policy. pay cash return it ever 89 days, and get the newer model, rinse and repeat.  we did that in college for the past 4 years, it was great. And when it was time to leave the state, no worry about selling the tv or having to take it with us.


----------



## Sea Six (May 5, 2010)

I just upgraded 3 TV's in my house, and went with 1080p LCD on each one. I've become somewhat of a Samsung fan lately. These new TV's are so nice compared to the old CRT's.


----------



## ricoba (May 5, 2010)

Another vote for 1080p LCD.

Prices have dropped considerably and you can find some great deals on LCD TV's.

Take a look at dealnews.com. to compare prices etc.

Second take...I just reread your post, doesn't seem like you could go wrong with the 50" plasma from Dell for that price.

I purchased our 52" 1080p Sharp, from Dell last fall for $1000.


----------



## Ken555 (May 5, 2010)

Video experts I know all say that plasma is the best for movies. I have LCDs and think they're great, and am in the market for a new large screen later this year so have been slowly reading reviews. The LEDs appear great if only from an environmental perspective, but cost is a bit high at present (by the time I buy I expect them to be more reasonable). Costco has some great deals on all of these (their website does not have all the models they have in store). I believe the blacks are better on plasma. 

For sports, as that's one of the prime purposes for you, you might also enjoy a 120hz set, or 240 (though I'm not convinced we can really tell much of an improvement with those).


----------



## Ken555 (May 5, 2010)

Sea Six said:


> I just upgraded 3 TV's in my house, and went with 1080p LCD on each one. I've become somewhat of a Samsung fan lately. These new TV's are so nice compared to the old CRT's.



Absolutely. But, to be fair, almost any LCD tv will be better than any CRT. Even Vizio or another low cost option.


----------



## Ken555 (May 5, 2010)

deedman said:


> I'm a tech junkie.  1080p LCD is the way to go, bluray with the monster brand hdmi cable and surround sound, oooweee. that is of course the 1080p LED is out of the budget. Sacrifice the 4".  another thing that is important what you didn't list is the contrast ratio.



Perhaps you can expand on the contrast question. The newer, better, displays offer very high contrast levels. The LEDs are in the millions, which is a bit hard to compare. Any current model from Samsung or Sony I believe has a high contrast (a few years ago this wasn't the case). So, does it really make a difference if the set is rated at 5,000 or 200,000, or even higher? How high a number is sufficient?


----------



## pagosajim (May 5, 2010)

deedman said:


> with the monster brand hdmi cable



Waste of money paying for the Monster brand or any other high priced brand for that matter.  Go to monoprice.com and save a bundle on all your cabling needs.


----------



## deedman (May 5, 2010)

Here, check out this link.

http://tv.about.com/od/hdtv/a/contrastratio.htm

to sum it up

"Use contrast ratio only when comparing HDTVs made by the same manufacturer. For example, Sony to Sony, not Sony to Samsung.

Compare either static to static or dynamic to dynamic but don‘t compare static to dynamic.

Remember that contrast ratio as just one of many factors to consider when buying a HDTV. For me, contrast ratio would be down on the list of deal-breakers because the measurements aren't consistent from manufacturer to manufacturer. Instead, use your eyes to determine if the contrast meets your visual needs."

This last one can be misleading, but the point he is trying to get across is the numbers on paper isn't everything, its how it looks to YOU.  That being said, usually the same manufacturer's tv with higher contrast ratio for the same size tv will noticeably look better .. thats why it costs more ! =P


----------



## Ken555 (May 6, 2010)

pagosajim said:


> Waste of money paying for the Monster brand or any other high priced brand for that matter.  Go to monoprice.com and save a bundle on all your cabling needs.



Monoprice is great, except they got hacked recently and their customer credit card numbers were stolen. I had my AMEX fraudulently used twice in four months, one of which I blame monoprice. This can happen with almost any online retailer, and monoprice prices and shipping have been almost perfect, so I'll be using them again soon.


----------



## ScoopKona (May 6, 2010)

deedman said:


> I'm a tech junkie.  1080p LCD is the way to go, bluray with the monster brand hdmi cable and surround sound, oooweee. that is of course the 1080p LED is out of the budget. Sacrifice the 4".  another thing that is important what you didn't list is the contrast ratio.  Samsung and sharp are all top notch brands.  Sony like other companies mostly uses sharp panels.  If you are considering a budget brand, vizio has good bang for the buck.  Buy at walmart and enjoy a 90 day return policy. pay cash return it ever 89 days, and get the newer model, rinse and repeat.  we did that in college for the past 4 years, it was great. And when it was time to leave the state, no worry about selling the tv or having to take it with us.



You're bragging about driving up prices for the rest of us?


----------



## mike130 (May 6, 2010)

How does hz figure into all this.  60hz, 120hz, 240hz.  Higher number the better?


----------



## Kozman (May 6, 2010)

Plasma tv's use more power and if you have a bright light (sunny window behind you), plasma looks like a mirror.  Go to the store and check out both.  I too vote for the 1080p LCD!


----------



## Courts (May 6, 2010)

mike130 said:


> How does hz figure into all this.  60hz, 120hz, 240hz.  Higher number the better?



Yes.  



.


----------



## Courts (May 6, 2010)

Ken555 said:


> Absolutely. But, to be fair, almost any LCD tv will be better than any CRT. Even Vizio or another low cost option.



I don't know if CRT's are available anymore, but when I bought my CRT, 7, 8 years ago, it had the best color picture of any other type. I spent two hours going over every TV in the store. Even now the LCD's do not have the deep colors like my Zenith CRT.


.


----------



## hvacrsteve (May 6, 2010)

I have FIOS and 35 OTA channels and I get 1080 on most of them.
It is pretty stunning, I even a have projector and the picture is awesoem on that as well.
Go for the 1080, you will be happy you did.
The Plasma actually has a better picture but reflects light.
Therefore you need a darker room to watch it, LCD works anywhere for the most part.
I have 3 LCDs and one projector!


----------



## deedman (May 6, 2010)

ScoopLV said:


> You're bragging about driving up prices for the rest of us?



I hope I caused higher prices for consumers, so maybe other retailers can have a chance to compete. We are talking about an evil corporation who is ruining our planet by only offering plastic instead of recycled paper bags, and a company who is causing deforestation at a higher rate by allowing paper towel prices to be so low that people use them by the trunk full without a second thought.  Have you been to a walmart in mexico? have you noticed the underaged bag boys with the big sign in huge letters that say "these children are not employed but rather are volunteering, they solely rely on your tips as wages" they are basically going around child labor laws by not paying these kids, instead they get free labor and the kids get 2 dollars an hour if they are lucky.  So are you really giving me a hard time because you are that moral, or are you just a typical cheapskate that timeshares cause its cheaper and shops are walmart cause its cheaper. Do your planet a favor, as well as the rest of the mom and pop shops and spend a few bucks more elsewhere.


----------



## Talent312 (May 6, 2010)

deedman said:


> Do your planet a favor, as well as the rest of the mom and pop shops and spend a few bucks more elsewhere.



Something that you, apparently, chose not to do.


----------



## lgreenspan (May 6, 2010)

Here is a excellent article from CNET wrote in March 2009. Nothing has changed with the FCC freeing up bandwidth to support the broadcasting of1080p. ABC ,FOX and ESPN currently broadcast their sport in 720p instead of 1080i due to the better motion using (p) progressive broadcast over (i) integrated broadcast. 

Dave

http://reviews.cnet.com/720p-vs-1080p-hdtv/?tag=rtcol;relnews


----------



## deedman (May 6, 2010)

ya bc buying and returning a tv is giving them money.


----------



## djs (May 6, 2010)

deedman said:


> ya bc buying and returning a tv is giving them money.



Over time, doesn't this create a false perception of the demand for these products that is higher than it otherwise would be?  Manufactuers now are producing more TV's because of your actions, in doing so they are spewing more pollutants into the atmosphere and over time there may be TVs that you've returned which can't be resold.  When those get tossed, that does wonders for the environment too.  Way to go.


----------



## jnjn (May 6, 2010)

*LED!!*

I would definitely go LED.  They are absolutely awesome.  If this is too much, get a 240HZ 1080P  LCD.  Go to Best Buy and check them out.


----------



## John Cummings (May 6, 2010)

deedman said:


> I hope I caused higher prices for consumers, so maybe other retailers can have a chance to compete. We are talking about an evil corporation who is ruining our planet by only offering plastic instead of recycled paper bags, and a company who is causing deforestation at a higher rate by allowing paper towel prices to be so low that people use them by the trunk full without a second thought.  Have you been to a walmart in mexico? have you noticed the underaged bag boys with the big sign in huge letters that say "these children are not employed but rather are volunteering, they solely rely on your tips as wages" they are basically going around child labor laws by not paying these kids, instead they get free labor and the kids get 2 dollars an hour if they are lucky.  So are you really giving me a hard time because you are that moral, or are you just a typical cheapskate that timeshares cause its cheaper and shops are walmart cause its cheaper. Do your planet a favor, as well as the rest of the mom and pop shops and spend a few bucks more elsewhere.



OMG, another Walmart basher. I hate to tell you this but bag boys in Mexico have always received only tips. Walmart is doing nothing more then following what is standard practice at all Mexican supermarkets.


----------



## JEFF H (May 7, 2010)

lgreenspan said:


> Here is a excellent article from CNET wrote in March 2009. Nothing has changed with the FCC freeing up bandwidth to support the broadcasting of1080p. ABC ,FOX and ESPN currently broadcast their sport in 720p instead of 1080i due to the better motion using (p) progressive broadcast over (i) integrated broadcast.
> Dave
> http://reviews.cnet.com/720p-vs-1080p-hdtv/?tag=rtcol;relnews



The I in 1080i stands for Interlaced.
1080p is the highest quality video source currently available but takes up alot more bandwidth. Broadcasters use 1080i & 720P for this reason.
If you plan to connect a blue ray player you will benefit from a 1080P display.
This gives you a true 1080P video source (blue Ray) displayed on a 1080P monitor.

1080P plasma is a excellent choice video quality wise if your putting it in a dark room like a home theater. Downside is Its going to cost more,use more power,generate more heat and is heavier. bright light reflects much more off the Plasma screen than LCD so you don't want to place a plasma in a brightly lite room.
For that reason I would go with the 1080P LCD.


----------



## John Cummings (May 7, 2010)

The only disadvantage that LCD has is the limited viewer angle but that is improving.


----------



## Bwolf (May 7, 2010)

I believe a couple of posts have mentioned not to put a plasma in a brightly lit room.

We have a plasma, 1080p, in what is, at times, a brightly lit room.  There is absolutely no problem with the picture.  IIRC, we were warned about putting an LCD in a brightly lit room. 

I do like being able to sit at an oblique angle and get as good a view as those looking dead on.


----------



## DVB42 (May 7, 2010)

I have a 60-inch Pioneer plasma “monitor.” The monitor version does not have sound or a built in tuner. In my system the tuner is provided by the cable box and sound is provided by a separate surround sound system. You can save some money when purchasing a monitor over the fully integrated TV since many viewers do not need the tuner or speakers of the TV set.

I prefer Plasma over LCD because plasma has the edge in contrast, black levels, effortless motion, and rich colors. Plasma uses more power however, is heavier and can be susceptible to burn-in (but newer models have largely eliminated burn-in).

Also, if it were me I would choose 1080p over 760p.


----------



## RichM (May 7, 2010)

We love our 65" Panasonic 1080p plasma TV

___________________
WorldMark Owners' Community -      
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




      - www.wmowners.com


----------



## Kozman (May 8, 2010)

Bwolf said:


> I believe a couple of posts have mentioned not to put a plasma in a brightly lit room.
> 
> We have a plasma, 1080p, in what is, at times, a brightly lit room.  There is absolutely no problem with the picture.  IIRC, we were warned about putting an LCD in a brightly lit room.
> 
> I do like being able to sit at an oblique angle and get as good a view as those looking dead on.



It's not so much a brightly lighted room, it the bright light behind you that you will see in the mirror face of the Plasma TV.  Like I said go to the store and see for yourself.  I hear that some newer Plasmas have better non reflective characteristics but do the investigation for yourself since there appears to be two schools of thought here.


----------



## Bwolf (May 9, 2010)

Kozman said:


> It's not so much a brightly lighted room, it the bright light behind you that you will see in the mirror face of the Plasma TV.  Like I said go to the store and see for yourself.  I hear that some newer Plasmas have better non reflective characteristics but do the investigation for yourself since there appears to be two schools of thought here.



We saw for ourselves in the store and plasma beat LCD.  That was 1 1/2 years ago, so maybe LCD is getting better.  OTOH, plasmas may also be improving.


----------



## Wonka (May 9, 2010)

I can understand college students abusing a 90-day return policy to ensure they have the most current technology, but not a responsible adult.  The problem with this behavior is if it becomes too obvious, it will cause retailers to "tighten" their return policies making it more difficult for an honest customer to return products for valid reasons.  If the poster is so dead-set against Walmart, why not simply purchase somewhere else?


----------



## John Cummings (May 9, 2010)

Wonka said:


> I can understand college students abusing a 90-day return policy to ensure they have the most current technology, but not a responsible adult.  The problem with this behavior is if it becomes too obvious, it will cause retailers to "tighten" their return policies making it more difficult for an honest customer to return products for valid reasons.  If the poster is so dead-set against Walmart, why not simply purchase somewhere else?



I agree 100%.


----------



## ScoopKona (May 9, 2010)

Wonka said:


> I can understand college students abusing a 90-day return policy to ensure they have the most current technology, but not a responsible adult. ?



Deficient character is deficient character, no matter the age.


----------



## Kagehitokiri2 (May 9, 2010)

id recommend waiting. lots of updates happening right now.

plasma
- *upcoming* panasonic VT25 (previously best black)	
- samsung B860 (previously best color)

led lcd
- *upcoming* samsung 9000 
- *upcoming* LG LX9500

lazer
 - mitsubishi L65-A90


----------



## Blues (May 10, 2010)

mike130 said:


> How does hz figure into all this.  60hz, 120hz, 240hz.  Higher number the better?



As a PP mentioned, yes.  The question is, is it worth it?

IMHO, it's definitely worth it to go up to 120 Hz.  First, the price difference (vs 60 Hz) is almost non-existent any more.  It seems that almost all sets are at least 120 Hz, except for the very bottom end.  Second, there's the 3:2 drawdown issue.  Basically, most movies are shot at 24 fps.  It's easy to upconvert that to 120 Hz -- you get 5 TV frames for every film frame.  But upconverting to 60 Hz is a problem, and is usually solved by getting 3 images of one frame followed by 2 images of the next frame.  That makes the motion look choppy and unnatural.  So definitely, go at least 120 Hz.

But 240 Hz?  To me, the only reason would be if you do a lot of sports viewing.  Very high speed motion -- football in the air, race car, etc -- may benefit.  But I think it would be indistinguishable for most normal viewing.  JMHO.

-Bob


----------



## Miss Marty (May 16, 2010)

*Help me Decide*

Which is better, *LCD *
Or is it best to go with the new 
and expensive *LED* technology


----------



## Talent312 (May 16, 2010)

Marty Giggard said:


> Which is better, *LCD * Or is it best to go with the new and expensive *LED* technology



LED is the latest+greatest technology, but LCD has broad mass appeal. With improvements on LCD over the last few years, the difference nay be ngligble. At this point, its really just a issue of how much you're willing to spend.


----------



## dioxide45 (May 16, 2010)

Marty Giggard said:


> Which is better, *LCD *
> Or is it best to go with the new
> and expensive *LED* technology



LED and LCD are the same thing. They are both LCD technology. The difference is that LED uses LEDs to back light the display where the older traditional LCD uses fluorescent tubs to back light. I think LED/LCD is the future. They can product thiner displays and they also produce better blacks on screen. If you can afford it, go for LED/LCD.


----------



## Miss Marty (May 25, 2010)

*More Help Needed*

Toshiba LCD 2 HDMI Inputs with PC Input 
Need a set of VGA 15 pin male to male cable connecters and/or 
a PC to TV Wireless Converter Box.. Any suggestions - regarding 
cables (brand) compared to wireless TV/PC convertor box (cost).


----------



## Ken555 (Jul 11, 2010)

It's that time. I'm planning on ordering a Samsung PN58C550 plasma from Amazon on Monday for $1467. I want the 63" but can't justify another ~$700 for 5". I've seen the 3D models, and I'm not impressed. I think this 58 is a great deal for the price, and should probably get even better later in the year (unfortunately, I need to order now). 

So...are there any other models I should check out instead? 

Also, I need a cheap stand for it (temporary use before i can permanently mount it when I'm back at my home after it's repaired...sigh) - suggestions? 

Thanks much!


----------



## NJDave (Jul 12, 2010)

Ken555 said:


> It's that time. I'm planning on ordering a Samsung PN58C550 plasma from Amazon on Monday for $1467. I want the 63" but can't justify another ~$700 for 5". I've seen the 3D models, and I'm not impressed. I think this 58 is a great deal for the price, and should probably get even better later in the year (unfortunately, I need to order now).
> 
> So...are there any other models I should check out instead?




Check out this 58 inch Panosonic on sale for $1,288 at 6th Ave Electronics (see page 2 of the ad)

http://www.6ave.com/shop/usertpl.aspx?fle=weekly_ad.htm


----------



## pgnewarkboy (Jul 13, 2010)

*Consider 3D Compatibility also*

I have a top of the line (at the time) Panny Plasma and it is the best TV component I have ever owned.  You might want to think ahead to 3D compatibility.  Recently, Panasonic Plasma 3D has gotten excellent reviews.


----------



## bankr63 (Jul 13, 2010)

JEFF H said:


> Broadcasters use 1080i & 720P for this reason.
> If you plan to connect a blue ray player you will benefit from a 1080P display.
> This gives you a true 1080P video source (blue Ray) displayed on a 1080P monitor.



Close. BROADCASTERS all use 1080P.  But to get their signal you need an antenna (anyone remember those?)  CABLE and SATELLITE companies downshift the broadcast signals to 1080i or 720p due to bandwidth issues on the cable/signal.  You can get a much better display signal (and cheaper too!) by installing an antenna. If you are using a commercial provider, you won't get 1080P signal quality, and you'll pay more for it.


----------



## HatTrick (Jul 13, 2010)

My 58" Panasonic plasma is a bit of a beast but like the other technologies, plasma TVs are getting thinner and lighter. LG's new Infinia line of plasmas are only 2" deep. And a 60" model weighs 94 lbs (without stand)--only 16 lbs more than one of LG's 60" LCD sets. (My Panny wo/stand weighs in at a hefty 141 lbs.)

Regarding contrast ratio, a recent article in Maximum PC magazine says that they're inflated. "For the best LCDs, scientifically measured contrast ratios are actually between 1,500 and 2,000. But manufacturers almost never publish real contrast ratios anymore... In their quest to quote ever-larger numbers, some manufacturers invented a completely meaningless spec called 'dynamic contrast ratio,' which is being prominently advertised now."

More here: http://www.maximumpc.com/article/features/display_myths_shattered


----------



## Ken555 (Jul 13, 2010)

NJDave said:


> Check out this 58 inch Panosonic on sale for $1,288 at 6th Ave Electronics (see page 2 of the ad)
> 
> http://www.6ave.com/shop/usertpl.aspx?fle=weekly_ad.htm



Thanks. I actually ended up ordering a Panasonic TC-P58S2 from Amazon for $1419. The 58" in the 6Ave ad is last year's model (the S1). My friends were unanimous in that Panasonic plasma's are better than Samsung, though they also agreed that Samsung is getting much better. Personally I preferred the enclosure of the Samsung, but went with the Panasonic anyway. FWIW, I also bought a 4-year warranty from SquareTrade on Amazon for $140 (~10% of purchase price is the right price, IMO).


----------



## Ken555 (Jul 13, 2010)

pgnewarkboy said:


> I have a top of the line (at the time) Panny Plasma and it is the best TV component I have ever owned.  You might want to think ahead to 3D compatibility.  Recently, Panasonic Plasma 3D has gotten excellent reviews.



I tested several 3D units from Sony and Samsung (not Panasonic). I didn't like them. And, I don't like the idea of having to wear glasses (I don't like it in theatres - though I'll do it for the right movie - and I don't want it at home). But, I did find some great deals for the Samsung 7000 and 8000 series (their 3D units) with their starter 3D kit and 3D BR player starting at about $2100 for a 58". The price differential isn't all that great considering what you get, but I didn't feel it was worthwhile nonetheless - for me. It seems it was a good time to buy as the 3D sets are driving down the prices of the others.


----------



## pgnewarkboy (Jul 13, 2010)

Ken555 said:


> I tested several 3D units from Sony and Samsung (not Panasonic). I didn't like them. And, I don't like the idea of having to wear glasses (I don't like it in theatres - though I'll do it for the right movie - and I don't want it at home). But, I did find some great deals for the Samsung 7000 and 8000 series (their 3D units) with their starter 3D kit and 3D BR player starting at about $2100 for a 58". The price differential isn't all that great considering what you get, but I didn't feel it was worthwhile nonetheless - for me. It seems it was a good time to buy as the 3D sets are driving down the prices of the others.



I think you made a great purchase.  You will definitely enjoy your Panny.  BTW, if you get a Panny Digital Camera with HD Video you should be able to stick the memory card in a slot at the front of your Panny and show pictures and HD movies right off the card!  Whether you can play movies depends on the model you purchased.  I can do it but my daughter can play just pictures.  The pictures look great on the Panny.  So does the video.


----------



## Ken555 (Jul 13, 2010)

pgnewarkboy said:


> I think you made a great purchase.  You will definitely enjoy your Panny.  BTW, if you get a Panny Digital Camera with HD Video you should be able to stick the memory card in a slot at the front of your Panny and show pictures and HD movies right off the card!  Whether you can play movies depends on the model you purchased.  I can do it but my daughter can play just pictures.  The pictures look great on the Panny.  So does the video.



I have all my video, audio and photos on my Apple TV, which is simply easier and better than any integration I've yet seen from TV vendors. Considering its only about $200, it's a great addition to any system. We installed one at my folks last year and they can't believe how easy it is to use - and they can now choose their music easily (large type on their TV rather than fiddling with a CD or iPod), and they really enjoy renting movies via the unit. I think this is Apples sleeper hit device, but it hasn't caught on anywhere as well as their other products. Do yourself a favor and check it out online...


----------



## Ken555 (Aug 11, 2010)

Follow-up... I've had my Panasonic 58 plasma now for a few weeks and it's fantastic. The only issue is that the room needs to be somewhat dark for it to really perform well, but I knew about that. Watching at night is excellent. It's still amazing to me that a $1400 TV can be so good.


----------



## carl2591 (Aug 11, 2010)

bankr63 said:


> Close. BROADCASTERS all use 1080P.  But to get their signal you need an antenna (anyone remember those?)  CABLE and SATELLITE companies downshift the broadcast signals to 1080i or 720p due to bandwidth issues on the cable/signal.  You can get a much better display signal (and cheaper too!) by installing an antenna. If you are using a commercial provider, you won't get 1080P signal quality, and you'll pay more for it.




the difference from an over the air 1080i picture and a cable or sat HD picture is noticeable. Over the air is a full signal not a down-resed, compressed signal you get with cable or sat.. it a full pipe of picture and sound.. its very noticeable and in some cased not welcome especially with the super close up shots they like to get.. easy to get a HD antenna and set it up.. 

plasma set produce way to much heat.. if you live in the north and can use the heat get one.. my son who live in Orlando had one and it ran his elec cost up by 50 buck a month due to heat and high watt usage..  now this was 3 yrs ago.


samsung has a good LCD and LED.. the best bang for buck is 55" LCD 1080i set in MHO.. with the touch of color.. if you get a sammy be sure to check out the power problem they were having last year..
just google "samsung power problem"


----------



## Miss Marty (Aug 31, 2010)

*Sony Bravia*

We just love the _*Sony Bravia KDL55" EX500*_  with black trim. 
Clear, sharp, no glare picture and looks nice over the fireplace.


----------



## HatTrick (Sep 1, 2010)

Just read that Samsung is trying to dominate plasma sales in the U.S. by offering a 50-inch 3-D set at bestbuy.com for *$989.99*. 

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Samsung...uId=9789343&st=samsung 50"&contract_desc=null


----------



## Courts (Sep 10, 2010)

carl2591 said:


> if you get a sammy be sure to check out the power problem they were having last year..
> just google "samsung power problem"


Thanks for the heads-up, I don't think I'll be buying a Samsung after this;
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/home_electronics/samsung_tv.html




.


----------

