Discussion: 'IF' plasma is better, why is it so cheap?

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1080p

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#467676 10-May-2011 17:42

The difference between 50Hz and 100Hz is noticeable to people watching television broadcast.

The difference between 100Hz and 200Hz is humanly impossible to detect.

JonnyCam

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#467848 11-May-2011 10:40

The difference between 50Hz and 100Hz is noticeable to people watching television broadcast.

Is this from some sort of study, or more anecdotal evidence?
Considering all of NZ broadcast will go to 50hz natively, I would have thought frames not being 'made up' by the TV would result in a cleaner picture.

I have a plasma in the lounge, and CFL LCD in the bedroom (only 1360x768) and watching skyhd on the LCD doesn't seem to have any detrimental effects than watching on the plasma.

timmmay

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#467857 11-May-2011 10:54

I had a Samsung Plasma, I returned it because it buzzed and because the motion was "funny" - not smooth. Turning off some features helped, but not enough.

I got a Samsung LCD - my second - overall I think it's the better TV. It has a nice picture, good motion, it's lighter, and uses less power.

While it's nice to hear other peoples opinions, I suggest you make up your own mind. Go into a store that has all the TVs you're interested in, and watch the same show/movie on each. Trust your eyes. Things to take into account may be the environment, especially lighting, and the settings on the TVs.

Jaxson

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#467875 11-May-2011 11:33

timmmay:Things to take into account may be the environment, especially lighting, and the settings on the TVs.

This is a really good point. A lot of the screens have store settings and compete to be the brightest etc. Dynamic mode on a panasonic is quite scary for example. If you turn on the edge enhancements etc you end up with totally fake looking images that don't really convey the potential of the screen. Make sure the store is open to you returning it if you don't like it, as with due respect you wont really be able to put it through it's paces easily until it's in your own location.

It's very hard to pick really as both have pros and cons. Personally I like plasmas in that the pixel itself turns on and off and this makes them ideal for watching movies/TV etc at night or when the lights are dimmer etc. They have real glass on the front which can be better for getting little people fingerprints off and protecting the screen.

That said they are hot/heavy and do use more power, and that glass front will (typically) reflect light a lot during the day. They do buzz too and this is more pronounced on some sets etc than others and you won't know until you get it home. It changes based on screen brightness too so it can be annoying if you can hear it during quiet patches etc. Mine is not too bad, but stick your ear up to the top left as you view the screen...

LED sets look pretty impressive but as some have said their motion/display does seem a bit too real, like hyper life or whatever you want to call it. Seriously with a modern set you shouldn't go too wrong with either technology. I prefer the newer LED to the older LCD as the colours seem brighter over all, but this could easily be a saturation setting difference.

You might start looking at the ad ons, like inputs, what the menus are like, can it do 3D, does it have freeview built in (in case you're looking at the warehouse), what warranty does it come with, does it have a bonus bluray player, does it have a nice remote for the parents to use etc. Does it have discrete input commands for use with a smart remote like a harmony etc.

Dunnersfella

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#468089 11-May-2011 22:12

The last point is an interesting one...
Sorry to hijack, but does anyone know of a list that allows us to see whether a certain TV does, or does not have discrete input demands for Logitech remotes?

Jaxson

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#468135 12-May-2011 08:05

Dunnersfella: The last point is an interesting one...
Sorry to hijack, but does anyone know of a list that allows us to see whether a certain TV does, or does not have discrete input demands for Logitech remotes?

Man all that and only one point is interesting?!

Not sure on a central list as such, but you could try looking in the harmony database. ie add the device to your profile and then check the device commands to see if an AV1/hdmi1/hdmi2 type command is listed. Heck you could even then take that to the store to confirm if you could find the TV up and running.

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magu

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#468191 12-May-2011 10:12

1080p:
: magu Plasmas are cheaper because they're less energy-efficient than comparables LCDs (LED TVs are LCDs as well, but with better backlighting).

That does not make sense. Why would plasma technology be cheaper because it is less energy efficient?

In general plasma technology is on its last foot. Major manufacturers have all but stopped research and development and we should see a huge reduction in panel production in the near future.

LCD technology has come a long way since it was first introduced, as has plasma. Both are very good solutions for televisions but LCD has, at least in the realm of the general consumer, surpassed plasma in all aspects. This is why you'll be seeing a higher price tag on LED LCD as opposed to plasma.

Where you see a difference in contrast and colour reproduction is in the _very_ high end plasma models; think top of the professional line of Panasonic or Pioneer. None of the general consumer models are better than their LCD counterparts and the new range of IPS based consumer LCD panels are excellent.

I always recommend LCD over plasma unless you have a 10k+ budget and money to hire a professional colour calibrator.

I realize my point wasn't fully explained in that sentence. I was referring to negative effect this has on sales based on the way they can be costlier to run in the eyes of prospective buyers.

But I wholeheartedly disagree (

) with you in terms of contrast and colour reproduction differences not appearing in nothing but high-end models. I've seen countless LCD and plasma screens in all sorts of environments, and although in some cases the differences are barely noticeable, more often than not you can clearly tell the difference. it is worth noting, however, that the conditions the panels are in (room, lighting, etc) count for a lot of it.

Also, stating that "LCD has, at least in the realm of the general consumer, surpassed plasma in all aspects" without explaining what "all aspects" is means bollocks. They have yet to make an LCD to match Kuro levels of black (and Panasonic certainly has been trying), and no plasmas under 42" are available. LCDs are more versatile, and IPS panels are great, but don't drink too much of the kool-aid from either one.

Each has its pros and cons, but writing off plasmas is a big call to make at this point.

"Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads." - Doc Emmet Brown

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