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This topic comprises 4 pages: 1 2 3 4
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Author
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Topic: LG brand & Plasma or LC
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David Stambaugh
Film God
Posts: 4021
From: Eugene, Oregon
Registered: Jan 2002
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posted 02-26-2009 08:45 PM
Plasma has many advantages over LCD (I own LCD), including better blacks, better viewing angles, less (no?) motion blur.
But plasma has one HUGE drawback: BURN.
If you watch a lot of letterboxed or windowboxed content (vertical or horizontal black bars); or if you have FOX news or CNN on all day with their logos and text crawls, you will very likely end up with visible burned areas.
Do NOT believe anyone who tells you plasma burn is no longer a problem.
Yes, I know LCD is susceptible to image retention, but it's much less likely or severe than plasma burn, and it's potentially reversible. Plasma burn is NOT reversible. All you can do with plasma burn is equalize the burn across the entire screen.
If plasma didn't have the burn issue, I would buy a Pioneer Kuro plasma without hesitation, while they're still real Pioneer and not made by someone else who's going to slap the Kuro name on an inferior display (my expectation now that Pioneer is getting out of the TV business).
With regard to 720 vs. 1080, you can get 40"-42" 1080p LCDs with 120Hz processing for around or even less than $1000. The LG 42LG70 is an example. I gave one as an Xmas gift, paid $930 for it. Very very nice TV. If you don't care about 120Hz processing, you can pay less than that. So why even consider 720p at almost the same price.
The Samsung LN40A550 1080p LCD sold for as low as $850 here right after Xmas. Another great TV and very close to your $800 price point. (Edited to correct that Samsung model number)
[ 02-26-2009, 10:24 PM: Message edited by: David Stambaugh ]
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Julio Roberto
Jedi Master Film Handler
Posts: 938
From: Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Registered: Oct 2008
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posted 02-27-2009 06:19 AM
Agree 100% with Bobby.
I, personally, would only consider 1080p displays for sizes 42" and above. Actually, I even have a 1920x1200 display as my 24" computer monitor.
If I had to go plasma, indeed I'm VERY dissapointed (including black levels) with most offers when seen side-by-side on stores (except some which I guess could be considered "top of the line").
Still, I have seen better pictures from some LED backlit LCD's (i.e. some Samsungs) than from ANY plasma, including Pioneer Kuros, seen side-by-side.
I think LCD's have reached a point where they can be considered, GENERALLY and across the border, as "better" than plasma. A lot of people will disagree. Fine with me, but I don't concurr.
That, of course, doesn't mean that SOME plasmas are better than SOME LCD's.
So I would buy:
-1080p
-LED backlit 120hz LCD
If it doesn't fit my budget, then:
-Conventional lit 120hz LCD TV.
If it doesn't fit my budget, then:
-Traditionally lit LCD.
And only would consider plasma if it was a heck of a deal on a 1080p top-of-the-line display.
Also, generally, while being actively used, plasmas usually consume more power than most LCD's. This is no longer such a big issue, though, as plasmas today switch to low power modes when needed, so the difference is not too large (say 10/20%). Some plasmas may even use on average a bit less than some LCD's, but the opposite is usually the case.
http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/01/12/power-guzzling-plasmas-could-be-barred-by-eu/
[link is to an article dated Jan 2009 on how certain plasma displays could get into trouble for not meeting European Union energy conservation regulations on appliances]
Plasmas, though, are generally cheaper to manufacture in large sizes, so they still hold some advantage for sizes 50" and above. A lot of manufacturer's have stopped producing 42" plasmas and outsource them to one of the few that still produce the size.
Bottom line is that there is no longer EXTREME differences in the technologies:
-"Burn" on plasmas has reached much better levels.
-"Motion blur" on LCD's is but gone on fast-switch panels (for up to 60hz sources, like movies and TV). Except on some cheap chinese panels around, of course.
-Power consumption on plasmas has been reduced on the average to reasonable levels.
-Contrast ratio on both technologies have improved to levels that FAR surpass even cinema presentations.
-Color uniformity on LCD's is no longer a (significant) issue on all but the cheap manufacturers low-end models.
-Viewing angles on LCD's are no longer an issue for most models and most viewing conditions.
-Black levels on (dynamic lit) LCD's have reached comparable (or even generally better) levels than Plasma. I.e:
Plasma:
Pioneer Kuro PDP-5080 Plasma - 0.008fL
Panasonic TH-42PZ700U Plasma - 0.015 ftL
Samsung PN50A550 Plasma - 0.026fL
Samsung FP-T5884 Plasma - 0.029fL
LCD:
Samsung LN52A750 - 0.009fL
Mitsubishi LT-46144 LCD - 0.019fL
Samsung LN-T4671F - 0.019fL
NuVision NVU52DCM LCD - 0.024fL
Sony KDL-52XBR4 LCD - 0.032fL
In short: buy whatever you want. It's all "good enough" for the mere mortal. Audiophiles and Videophiles will never be happy with the level of perfection reached, as otherwise, there won't be anything left to talk about or new models out in the market next year ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
Other technologies such as OLED or FED won't happen at large sizes for quite some time, so no point in worrying about them for another 2 years. And even then, only if your pockets are deep enough.
LG/Philips (now LG displays) is one of largest manufactures of LCD panels in the world, with some years being number 1, some years number 2, behind another korean manufacturer, Samsung. Between them, they make 50% of all LCD's panels in the world (aprox. 25% each).
And as you may already know, a lot of manufacturers buy the main component (i.e. panel, backlight, driver) of a lot of their models from other manufacturers.
Thus, i.e, you see Sony TV's with Sharp's panels or Pioneer sourcing some of their plasmas from Panasonic (Pioneer announced recently a TOTAL withdraw from the TV market, though). It's all a lottery and no longer a brand name guarantees good or bad. See it for yourself, compare side-by-side, and make the decission.
I also don't trust a lot of media reviews. Based on those, my parents bought a very (very) expensive Sony 46" LCD summer before last and I can assure you I couldn't believe (I still can not believe) how crappy it is with such incredible good reviews on "the press". The video processor produces so many artifacts with all sources that it is almost unbearable to me (no, it can't be completely turned off). Illumination uniformity is a joke. Switching speed is awful. Convinience like auto-size adjustment are non-existant. Granted it's almost 2 years old and since then things' gotten much better, but for that price, it was downright robbery based on brand-name and (dubious) reviews. My daughter's 42" philips is much better. Even my bedroom's 39" $750 Philips is better.
So be careful. Expensive and/or good reviews doesn't always mean good or, at least, not worth the price.
[ 02-27-2009, 08:13 AM: Message edited by: Julio Roberto ]
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Claude S. Ayakawa
Film God
Posts: 2738
From: Waipahu, Hawaii, USA
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted 02-27-2009 02:21 PM
With the exception of David who had alerted me to the 'Burn In" problem attributed to Plasma panels, no one so far has answered the question I had asked regarding the Plasma LG and Panasonic models that was recommended to me by my friend. I am very grateful to all of you and your responses but I am now more confused then ever with many of your comments . As a professional image maker for almost forty five years, I have been very impressed with the various HD sets I have seen at Best Buy, Costco and the soon to be defunct Circuit City at various price levels. Because of the excellent picture quality I have seen on displays costing as little as $600.00, I can see no reason to spend thousands of dollars on HD now when I have other financial priorities. I have decided that a forty two inch screen will be just right for the room I watch my movies on BD, DVD and regular television. Beside the screen size, amount of HDMI inputs, name brand /warranty service and price are the main considering factor. So far, I have seen sets that cost between $700.00 and $900.00 that interest me by LG, Panasonic, Samsung, Toshiba and Sony and with the exception of the LG, all have 1080p with a Liquid Crystal display. I was also impressed with some Vizeo sets but my friend told me to not even consider that brand because of the lack of service support in the United States. Is that true?
-Claude
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