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In Reply to: Hola, guys... I have a couple of plasma Qs, please... posted by Jimmy C. on March 18, 2005 at 15:28:49:
I've had one for about three years now, and have used it for about 8 hours / day every day. The picture seems as good as it did new:(note: these sets are delivered with the brightness turned way way way up so they look good in the retail showroom--you should go to the settings and tune your set back to "normal" values...better yet, hire a pro video tuner tech and have the set calibrated properly.)
I sit about 10 feet away. There really isn't a problem with sitting closer--it all depends on the quality of the signal: anything less than a 480p signal and you will begin to see things fall apart if you sit too close.
The picture is excellent with a digital feed, outstanding with 480p DVD, and freakin' mind-blowing with an HD signal! 42" Plasma EDTV sets with an HD signal look every bit as good as 42"/43" HD Plasma sets (720p or higher). It's only when you go larger that you really need a good scaler and more pixels.
I stood in front of two identical 42" Panasonic Plasma screens in a high-end video showroom, watching the same signal (HD network satelite feed) for about 20 minutes, then it occured to me: "why do they have two of the same sets on display???...then I read the tag: one set was 480p, and the other was 768p....I could not tell the difference, though the HD set was nearly twice as expensive.
VHS signals are upscaled but still look pretty weak--mostly because the screen is so big--any (standard) VHS source looks pretty weak on such a large screen--regardless of the screen format. As a result, most regular TV shows (which since the 80's were recorded on pro VHS tape) look pretty crappy. The older shows, like the origional Star Trek, look great (they were recorded on film). How's that for irony: "The Next Generation" looks like crap, and Captian Kirk looks state-of-the-art!
Analog signals (like cable or antenna feed) vary widely. I dumped my cable shortly after getting the plasma because the signal was so horrible and the service quit (for several hours) every time there was a thunderstorm. Had lots of interference bleeding into the cable signal too: especially emergency band and "hot" CB signals.For best picture I recommend a satelite dish, and for the ultimate (and entirely free) picture get a set-top, off-the-air, digital receiver (you can get them on ebay for ~$80 to `$800 bucks...the Sony SAT- HD100, HD200, or HD300 are the best).
With the set-top digital receiver you can get free high definition signals that will blow your freakin' mind. These sets are being discontinued because of conflicts with advertizer licesencing contracts made with BIG MEDIA. Soon all you will be able to get is TIVO or their clones and you won't be able to "skip" channels or commercials, so don't wait too long: the "crap-free" receivers are getting hard to find. For the most freedom from comercials try to find the Sony SAT HD100 (you can delete all the unwanted signals--like Home Shopping Network or the God Needs More Money channel from the program menu, a feature no other set has--not even the later model Sony receivers).
Best plasma experience so far: watching the Olympics with a free, off-the-air, digital high-definition (1080i) signal. Awesome.
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Follow Ups
- 42" plasma - petew 07:58:46 03/25/05 (0)
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