Video Asylum

Your choice should really boil down to two types.

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This Post Has Been Edited by the Author

In Reply to: RE: Need to buy new tv... posted by JeffH on August 11, 2008 at 19:02:06

#1: LCD: Advantages- Good in brightly lit rooms. Lighter weight-wise than plasmas. Better of you play video games. Lots of manufacturers to choose from.

#2: Plasma: Advantages- More film-like picture than LCD. Better black levels. Don't suffer from motion artifacts. (The newer 120Hz refresh rate LCDs have largely eliminated this in that format.) Wider viewing angle. (One big reason why you don't want a DLP set). Less expensive (unless you get Pioneer) for a comparably-sized LCD with 120Hz refresh rate.

Misconceptions about plasmas (at least the current crop). #1- They suffer from burn-in. Not a problem that it was on the earlier plasmas. Still, plasmas not recommended if you play video games. #2 Plasmas run hotter. Well, somewhat, but again it's not a big deal. #3 Plasmas use more electricity than LCD's. Again, somewhat, but not enough to worry about.

Brands to consider: LCD- Sony, Samsung, or Sharp at the top tier. Second level- JVC, Toshiba, Mitsubishi, and LG.
Plasma: Pioneer is recognized as the best, but you pay a significant premium. And beginning next year, Pioneer will no longer be making their displays. They'll be sourcing them from Panasonic. Next in line is, coincidentally, Panasonic, followed by Samsung. Sony does not make a plasma display.

Currently I own a Panasonic plasma and a Samsung LCD. The Samsung has a good picture but is somewhat "plastic-looking" compared to the Panasonic plasma. My personal preference is for the plasma TV.

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