I have $1700 to spend on a Plasma/LCD, What should I get?
casakid06 -- Tue, 10/17/2006 - 15:27
I have about $1700 (this amount can be adjusted) to spend on a Plasma or LCD and am looking for advice on what to get. I am fairly new to the Flat Panel Market (have never owned a plasma or lcd before).
My basic requirements are good picture (thats a given i suppose), at least 42" screen, picture in picture, hdmi inputs, & tuners built-in. Thanks for your help!
I am currently considering the Pioneer PDP-4270HD, Samsung HP-S4273, & the Vizio P42HDTV10A, but am open to other suggestions. . They all look like great Plasmas, and I am finding it hard to choose between them. The only real advantage I have noticed is that the Pioneer has the ability to accept a 1080p signal (not over the air though)... What do yall think? Is there a big difference in PQ, or is there a reason I should take one over the other? Thanks
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I don't know what TV you should get, but one thing to consider is are you going to get an extended warranty? Make sure you include it in your budget if you are...
anyone else....
The specs of the three models you mention seem quite similar. Another plasma to consider in this range of products is the Panasonic TH-42PX60U; I just reviewed the 50-inch version of this set, and I thought it looked terrific. However, it's resolution is 1366x768, not 1024x768 as with the 42-incher. I haven't seen the Vizio 42-inch, but the P50HDTV is an exceptional value at $2000; if you have room for a screen that big, it's definitely worth considering (as is the Panasonic TH-50PX60U, though it's much more expensive at $3100).
You are correct that the Pioneer is the only one among the models you mention that can accept 1080p, though not broacast, which is moot, since there is no broadcast source of 1080p anyway. Even better, it can accept 1080p at 24 frames per second, which is great for playing Blu-ray discs from the upcoming Pioneer or Sony BD players, which can output 1080p/24. This is a big advantage in that it eliminates all 3:2 pulldown problems. If you're planning on getting one of these BD players in the future, I'd go with the Pioneer.
While plasma generally produces a better black level, LCD typically offers higher resolution at a given screen size; at 42 inches, LCD is normally 1366x768 or even 1920x1080 as opposed to 1024x768 for plasma. This is a tough choice; I think both elements are important for producing a good HD picture. Only you can decide which is more important to you. The Sharp LCDs I've looked at recently had surprisingly good black levels for that technology. On the other hand, LCDs tend to be more expensive at a given screen size, and they have narrower viewing angles than plasmas. Then again, plasmas are more prone to burn-in, esepcially if you watch content with a lot of static elements (news channels with scrolling tickers, 4:3 content on 16:9 screen, video games, etc.). LCDs don't suffer from burn-in, but they can exhibit motion lag (ghostly trails following fast-moving objects), which is minimized if the response time is 8 milliseconds or less.
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Scott Wilkinson
Video Editor
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