Plasma screen TVs

[Guest]

Has anyone recently purchased a plasma screen TV and can recommend any models and places to buy.

Cheers

Liquid Ray

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

DON'T get a plasma.
Get a LCD.  Prices are now comparable & you get a far better tele.
When I was looking, I was put off plasmas by the fact that the screens can burn (e.g. if you watch a lot of Sky Sports News, you will see in time where the various graphics panels are on the screen.

I have a 23" Panasonic LCD & it's by far & away the best TV I've ever had.  If budget allows go for a HD ready one too.  LG also do a good range of various size screens.

 

[Mad Cyril]

Quote[/b] (glasgowsufc @ Jan. 23 2006,10:07)]DON'T get a plasma.
Get a LCD.  Prices are now comparable & you get a far better tele.
When I was looking, I was put off plasmas by the fact that the screens can burn (e.g. if you watch a lot of Sky Sports News, you will see in time where the various graphics panels are on the screen.

I have a 23" Panasonic LCD & it's by far & away the best TV I've ever had.  If budget allows go for a HD ready one too.  LG also do a good range of various size screens.

What if you are looking for something in the 42"-50" range?

There aren't many LCD screens in this size and they are a lot more expensive.

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (Mad Cyril @ Jan. 23 2006,10:26)]

Quote[/b] (glasgowsufc @ Jan. 23 2006,10:07)]DON'T get a plasma.
Get a LCD.  Prices are now comparable & you get a far better tele.
When I was looking, I was put off plasmas by the fact that the screens can burn (e.g. if you watch a lot of Sky Sports News, you will see in time where the various graphics panels are on the screen.

I have a 23" Panasonic LCD & it's by far & away the best TV I've ever had.  If budget allows go for a HD ready one too.  LG also do a good range of various size screens.

What if you are looking for something in the 42"-50" range?

There aren't many LCD screens in this size and they are a lot more expensive.

If you're gonna go that large wouldn't you be better off looking at projection TVs?

 

[Mad Cyril]

Quote[/b] (glasgowsufc @ Jan. 23 2006,10:29)]

Quote[/b] (Mad Cyril @ Jan. 23 2006,10:26)]

Quote[/b] (glasgowsufc @ Jan. 23 2006,10:07)]DON'T get a plasma.
Get a LCD.  Prices are now comparable & you get a far better tele.
When I was looking, I was put off plasmas by the fact that the screens can burn (e.g. if you watch a lot of Sky Sports News, you will see in time where the various graphics panels are on the screen.

I have a 23" Panasonic LCD & it's by far & away the best TV I've ever had.  If budget allows go for a HD ready one too.  LG also do a good range of various size screens.

What if you are looking for something in the 42"-50" range?

There aren't many LCD screens in this size and they are a lot more expensive.

If you're gonna go that large wouldn't you be better off looking at projection TVs?

..... and you wanted to hang it on a wall.

 

[Westcliff Shrimper]

My Dad has a 32" Plasma TV (with Freeview installed) which is the dogs danglys, but I would have to agree that a LCD is the way to go. If you have a grand burning a hole in your sky-rocket, then Samsung do a 32" LCD, with Freeview installed and is also HD Ready...

Which Sound & Vision magazine is always a good idea to read for this sort of thing...

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (Mad Cyril @ Jan. 23 2006,10:32)]

Quote[/b] (glasgowsufc @ Jan. 23 2006,10:29)]

Quote[/b] (Mad Cyril @ Jan. 23 2006,10:26)]

Quote[/b] (glasgowsufc @ Jan. 23 2006,10:07)]DON'T get a plasma.
Get a LCD.  Prices are now comparable & you get a far better tele.
When I was looking, I was put off plasmas by the fact that the screens can burn (e.g. if you watch a lot of Sky Sports News, you will see in time where the various graphics panels are on the screen.

I have a 23" Panasonic LCD & it's by far & away the best TV I've ever had.  If budget allows go for a HD ready one too.  LG also do a good range of various size screens.

What if you are looking for something in the 42"-50" range?

There aren't many LCD screens in this size and they are a lot more expensive.

If you're gonna go that large wouldn't you be better off looking at projection TVs?

..... and you wanted to hang it on a wall.

It will cost a shedload to get a TV that size installed & hung on a wall. Spend the difference on a decent LCD & a cool stand for it!

 

[EastStandBlue]

I've got a 42" rear projection TV which is my dads pride and joy, and the only criticism i have is you have to be sitting at eye level to see the whole screen, as being rear-projected the projection doesnt reach the corners very well...

But picture quality is great, and Football is almost orgasmic on that size.

When i was last in the States HDTV had just come out and the picture really is crystal clear and very precise, will definitely be on my hitlist when HD is released over here.

 

[Upminster Blue]

Whether LCD or plasma, be very, very careful how you buy and make sure you do your research. There's an awful lot of dross around which can be hard to spot. If you go into your average retailer they'll generally be showing an animated DVD such as Monsters Inc or Sharks Tale that really makes the screen look good. Try a terrestrial or digital tv station and you often get a completely unwatchable image that you just can't live with (and are far worse than a traditional CRT tv).

My advice would be to buy a few magazines (eg What Hi-Fi Sound and Vision) and read the reviews. Also have a look at the plasmas and lcd forum section on avforums.com for opinions and perhaps start a thread asking for advice.

Whatever you buy, make sure it's High Definition ("HD") Ready ie sufficient pixels to cope with HD broadcasts which are being launched this year and at least one HDMI input (ideally you should buy a screen with at least two HDMI inputs as this will soon replace SCART and component as the standard connection method).

Finally, do not buy from Comets, Currys etc - old technology at rip-off prices. If you want to buy locally, try somewhere like Hi-Spek in Brentwood (having first checked their best deals in magazines).

 

[Mad Cyril]

I have noticed that a lot of retailers actually use a split TV signal in their showrooms which produces a really awful, grainy picture.

 

[MrB]

My 60" rear projection has a very good picture considering the screen size. I would never buy a plasma now.

 

[Upminster Blue]

Quote[/b] (Mad Cyril @ Jan. 24 2006,15:18)]I have noticed that a lot of retailers actually use a split TV signal in their showrooms which produces a really awful, grainy picture.

Yep, which makes it alsmost impossible to pick a tv from a dealer demo. The only reliable way of doing it is to use magazine reviews or perhaps get a demo at a reputable hi-fi dealer, eg Audio-T in Brentwood or Rayleigh Hi-Fi (although they will have little choice and will be pricey) or perhaps a demo of a friends set. If you go down the demo route, a few tests you can do:

- watch some fast moving sport and watch out for motion smeering;
- watch an animated DVD, picture should be perfect and the colours not overblown;
- watch some terrestial or digital tv - there should be no graininess or picture drop outs/blocking in any area of the screen;
- watch a darkly lit scene from a DVD, are the blacks proper black (some plasmas and LCDs struggle to do black properly - baclsk looks more dark grey) and how detailed are the dark areas of the picture?

Oh, and the other trick some dealers pull is to turn the contrast and brightness up to give, at least on an initial view, a great picture.

 

[Mad Cyril]

Quote[/b] (MrB @ Jan. 24 2006,15:24)]My 60" rear projection has a very good picture considering the screen size. I would never buy a plasma now.

I've thought about that option but I might as well park a mini in my lounge - it would take up less space.

 

[Mr Plow]

Just to add to comments by Upminster Blue,

- it's worth taking your own DVDs when you ask for a demo (the same thing applies when your buying new Hi-Fi equipment, bring your own CDs along to auditon).

- Try and find out what connection they're using between DVD players and the screen you've asked to demo. HDMI and component should show what the screen is really capable of.

Finally as mentioned before...research research research! Another advocate of the superb http://www.avforums.com/ here, lots of very knowledgeable people post on this site including shop owners and guys who will come round your house and set the thing up for for a fee.

Panasonic do absolutely superb HD ready plasmas, you're looking at about £2K for a 37" HD ready plasma these days.

AV Forums Plasma FAQs

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

Quote[/b] (Mad Cyril @ Jan. 24 2006,16:31)]

Quote[/b] (MrB @ Jan. 24 2006,15:24)]My 60" rear projection has a very good picture considering the screen size. I would never buy a plasma now.

I've thought about that option but I might as well park a mini in my lounge - it would take up less space.

What's the picture quality like on a Mini...?

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (Matt the Shrimp @ Jan. 24 2006,16:38)]

Quote[/b] (Mad Cyril @ Jan. 24 2006,16:31)]

Quote[/b] (MrB @ Jan. 24 2006,15:24)]My 60" rear projection has a very good picture considering the screen size. I would never buy a plasma now.

I've thought about that option but I might as well park a mini in my lounge - it would take up less space.

What's the picture quality like on a Mini...?

Hopefully it's better than the Mini run-flat tyre indicators.
DON'T get me started on them!!!!

 

[Mad Cyril]

Quote[/b] (Mr Plow @ Jan. 24 2006,16:36)]Panasonic do absolutely superb HD ready plasmas, you're looking at about £2K for a 37" HD ready plasma these days.

AV Forums Plasma FAQs

The thing is when the you walk into a shop and they have a 37" and 42" plasmas next to a 50" plasma the 37" and 42" screens start looking a bit small.

I want a TV like the screen (Mr Babbage?) from Family fortunes.

 

[steveo]

I got a 42" LG Plasma about 3 years ago. It stands nicely on the fireplace as its only about 5" thick and I love it.

As a previous poster mentioned you have to be in line and at eye level to see a rear projection properly and they take up so much room.

Looks like the way to go is possibly one of those projectors that hang on the ceiling and project onto a pull down screen or blank wall. You can adjust the picture size to suit your viewing area. Has anyone got one of those?