Large 600Hz Plasma to be used for movie viewing...

so, is going plasma a good idea?

what video refresh rate would my PC output? eg 60hz or 24hz(like what one samsung panel suggests).

is burning a problem on these TVs?

should I opt for an LCD /LCD LED?

how long do these panels last (I can read a spec sheet, how long do they REALLY last).

my choices for TVs (any 55inch+): http://www.costco.ca/Common/Category.aspx?whse=BCCA&Ne=5000002&eCat=BCCA|79|2341&N=4008766+4294966969&Nr=P_CatalogName:BCCA&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&lang=en-CA&topnav=


currently the 'winning' TV is the 60inch LG plasma.

any input?

Edit: quick answers is best I may buy in just a couple hours.

Edit2: there will be some gaming via my HTPC.

 

You need to know the pros and cons of both displays. Then make the choice that suits your use best. Generally speaking, plasmas still offer the best overall movie viewing experience.

 

Plasma > LCD in any of it's variations so far.
600Hz is the biggest lie in 'merica. Marketing.
I don't think Plasma TV's will show 3D from a computer input. I think 3D requires some kind of special HDCP handshake. PC input on my Samsung plasma is 60Hz, while it's stated is 600Hz.
Plasma IS the king on pixel response times though. Gaming on a plasma is amazing.

 

ok, that's what I figured. good to know. I was aware of the 600hz hype, but was just seeing how much was hype and how much was real.

for my uses it looks like Plasma is the way to go. especially seeing as this panel is for mostly movies and a little gaming (real flight sim).

 

Yep, I'd say Plasma will suit your needs quite well. Just know that plasma's act as kind of a space heater. They'll heat a poorly ventilated room fairly quickly. But for movies I've never seen anything better except a Pioneer Kuro, for movie watching. Avatar in 1080p on a plasma is mindblowing.

 

Hmm LCD quality is nice and I cant see much of any differnce from LCD to Plasma. (a quality LCD like a Sharp Aquios or equal)

LCD is less prone to burn-in effects (LCD is actually basically immune to it)

LCD uses a lot less power

I THINK (do not know this one) LCD should produce less heat in the room (result of using less power)


But despite all those advantages if I was getting a display for only movie viewing and occasional games it would be a Projector, getting that theater like quality and size is great for movies.

 

Plasma has superior contrast rates, gamut and viewing angles.

I had a Sony 40EX402 Full HD LCD. Consumed about 90 watt. It couldn't touch the picture quality of my Panansonic 42PV70. But that consumed 240 watt average.

Now I'm going back to plasma: Samsung PS42C450. Samsung says it can consume 90 watt in energy saving mode.

It will be delivered here in a couple of days and I'll measure the power consumption.

 

LCD displays have lower power consumption, are physically slimmer and lighter, are immune to burn-in effects, and come in sizes smaller than jumbo (52" or higher). Color reproduction and contrast ratios of LCD's can be equal to or better than a good plasma, depending on which model you buy. If you buy an LED-backlit LCD HDTV, then you also do not get the problem where your brightness drops down to 50% after about 5 years of use.

The only real reason to buy a plasma is the superior viewing angles. This is important if you are buying an HDTV for a place like a bar or cafe. For home use, I don't see any reason to go with plasma.

 

When measured with proper equipment good plasmas have higher contrast rates than good LCDs (both CCFL or LED backlit).

Source

LCD specifications are a load of crap, says study

Numbers be damned, plasma eats LCD's cake in DisplayMate's tests

 

This is a generalization that used to hold true for 5+ years. It still is true, when you compare your *typical* Plasma display vs your *typical* CCFL-backlit LCD TV.

When you take something like an LED-backlit LCD HDTV with local area dimming, the story changes. There is no backlight "bleed" or "glow" with LED-backlit LCD TV's, so you get true blacks like you do with plasma; and for the same reason: the display is "off" in that portion of the screen where it's showing black.


The sources you list were 15 to 24 months old - before LED-backlit LCD HDTV's became mainstream. Back then, yes... plasma absolutely trounced LCD HDTV's, which were primarily CCFL-backlit. The story is different today.

The "LCD specifications are a load of crap, says study" article you refer to is absolutely correct - manufacturer LCD specifications are typically garbage. The best source of information like this is a reliable review source that actually performs their own in-house testing using the same conditions, room lighting, and measurement equipment across different models. There are plenty of these places all over the internet.

P.S. - I think you messed up the link in that "LCD specifications are a load of crap, says study" article. It points back to this thread. recursion_is(recursion_is).

 

Then show us some recent measurements that prove that LCD beats a good plasma in real contrast. I won't believe it until I see it.
And don't get me wrong, I know good LEDs with local dimming can come close. But when you measure it with proper equipment plasma is still king.

This article explains the differences well: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/lcd-vs-led-vs-plasma.html

 

I'm not an HDTV geek that follows every new model and review that comes out. But a quick search for "LED backlit HDTV" led me to the 46" Samsung UN46B8500, which has a lab-measured contrast ratio of around 17,300:1 at a black level of 0.02cd/m^2.

Samsung UN46B8500 LED LCD HDTV Review - Samsung - Samsung Television Reviews - TelevisionInfo.com

 

I'm seeing black levels of 0.08cd/m^2, which comes close to the 0.04cd/m^2 of the only plasma in the table.

It's interesting to see how in their review every LCD beats plasma in contrast rates. That makes me have some doubts about their way of measuring. This is the problem with contrast, there are many ways to measure it. I'll try to dig up some reviews by the german magazine Video.

But let's assume, for the sake of argument, that a good local dimming LED TV delivers similar image quality as good plasmas. The Samsung UN46B8500 costs $2499 on Amazon for a 46". The Samsung 50" plasma 1080p costs $999.

 

Personally , i'd just get a LCD tv.. it isn't bad as long as u buy a proper sony, samsung or sharp one.. not to mention , ur power bill stays low and u save the planet

 

The power consumption with a plasma is higher than most LCDs but 10-20% won't send you to the bank. Because of plasmas design they do in fact, produce more heat. However, on the pro side, their black are still more potent than LCDs. They also have a much wider viewing angle, and are better at fast motion than the improved but not quite there 120hz fix for LCDs. Todays plasmas also have technology that virtually eliminate burn-in (pixel cycling). An the latest generation of sets are also much thinner than before. And of course the greatest advantage is they're less expensive than a comparable LCD--except the Pioneer Kuros.

p.s. Contrast rating and other measurements between manufacturers are virtually useless since there's no universal standard to compare them to. The best you can get from them is to let you compare other sets from the same manufacturer.

 

My 2 year old Samsung Plasma has a measured native contrast ratio of 31,000:1 and with DNIe dynamic contrast enabled it gets well over 1,000,000:1... just not the 2mil:1 advertised. Plasma will ALWAYS have better blacks than LCD. LED with local dimming or not, OLED is the only technology to beat plasma in pure unadulterated natural colors, skin tones, and deep as night blacks. I recently got a Sony LED backlit LCD, and while it's a good TV, it still is not in the same ballpark with my Samsung. The LED LCD manufacturers claim these rediculous 5 million to 1 contrast ratios that are ludacris in real world terms. A $3000 dollar LED LCD TV still doesn't measure up to even a $700 42" plasma in picture quality, though it has the edge in thinness of profile every time. Now in sheer brightness, LED backlit models will blind you, no doubt.