hudsonmike

this maybe stupid, but I need some help...

A friend of mine in the market for a TV. Money is no object. She needs it for 2 things

TV viewing 50% (HDTV + DVD movies)
PC related 50% (dig camera, etc)

What should she get?

This is what I think I understand...
1. They don't make LCD bigger than 20". But their resolution would be better for 4 megapixel camera or PC graphic card output. They are also expensive...

2. Plasma (better for TV and DVD) cause it's bigger + wide screen. However not as good to plug in dig camera right?

What is a relationship between something meaured in pixels and a TV signal like 480 or 1020?

Help please!!!!

gotapex

Money no object, LG is coming out with a new 52" LCD panel with 176 degree viewing angle and 1920x1080 native resolution (full 1080p HDTV res).





If she's doing 50% PC related things, you have to watch for burn in with Plasma panels, though not LCD.

belboz

When you say PC related, do you mean that she wants to use it as a computer monitor? Or does she simply want to be able to view pictures from her camera on the TV?

The convention for digital television is to refer to its varying resolutions by its vertical resolution, ie the number of rows of pixels it can display (aka scan lines). Typically when you're talking HD, you're talking about 720p or 1080i. Those equate to 1280x720 or 1920x1080.

hudsonmike

thanks gotapex and belboz

I think she'd like to do both, but dig camera would be priority #1...
So an LCD display with high resolution could be used as a PC monitor and a TV?

are there any downsides to LCD, other than price (-:

mikehunt

fast moving images on an LCD can cause blurring

young

what's the cost? is burn in a problem w/ video games too on a plasma tv?

gotapex

Cost of that panel? Most people are guessing $20k at launch, though it could possibly be as low as $10k... thus, the money no object requirement. I believe the response times of that 52" is probably in line with some of the newer Samsung LCD televisions (12-16ms or so), though that's just conjecture on my part.

Burn in is a problem with Plasma TV's with respect to static images and unstretched 4:3 format use, especially when brightness or contrast controls are set too high. This is actually a far bigger problem than the actual life of the Plasma screens (which last a 20k hours or so). So, unless you have 16:9 games or like stretching 4:3 games out to 16:9 (think: wide looking people), you may burn in your shiny new Plasma.

TheKobra

Currently the best Plasma TV on the market is the Fujitsu PDS-6101 for $25,000 but it can be found for about $16000.00 on the net. You may want to check out Gateway's new line of Plasma TV's also. You said money was no object then go with the Fujitsu PSD-6101.

hudsonmike

so what's the concensus:
plasma or lcd???

gotapex

Again, it depends on your preferences. I'm willing to guess the Fujitsu 61" (which I would definitely concur with TheKobra is easily the best Plasma TV currently available) would give you the deepest blacks, best shadow detail, and brightest picture. However, if you use 4:3 images on it, especially with contrast set to a reasonable level, plan on burn in within a year or two of normal use, less than a year of elevated use.

The LCD is more flexible in that it will not burn in (a huge benefit for gaming), and the viewing angles will be the same, but will probably not give you the black level performance and shadow detail the Plasma will.

Corky Roxbury

I have the 50" GWII and the viewing angles are not that good you basically have to be sitting right in front of the set for a good picture, if you stand up the screen is so dark you cannot see a picture. If size is not a problem how about Toshiba's LCoS. I honestly do not like the image on my GWII, for video games(horrible) and tv(okay but could be much better) so I am going with a 4x3 36"HDTV until I can get a 1920x1080p tv in a bout 3 to 4 years for like 3-4k

d2cheer

Consider this...

LCD is rated out at 10,000 hours of use.
4 Hours a day it will last about 5 years....

Doesn't sound like a long for something so costly does it?

gotapex

And, consider this...

Though plasma is rated at 20,000 hours, burn in is really the problem, not panel death and with constant 4:3 game play and TV, can happen in under 1 year.

Doesn't sound like a long for something so costly does it?

Kman1011

Sharp Lc30 can be had for under 5k and is a very nice piece.

Corky Roxbury

yeah but d2cheer, if you buy a new lamp for a lcd tv for around $200 to $500, it is like new again so you have it for another 5 years.

gotapex is that lg lcd panel out yet, I might want to check that out those pics are amazing!

gotapex

No, it's not available yet. Hopefully, they'll have more info at CES 2003. Anyone else going?

Bose Pro

I'd like to offer a different perspective on the life spans of both LCD and Plasma.

The Philips Plasmas we sell bost a half-life of 30,000 hours. If you watched 4 hours a day, that would give you 20.6 years of use before its first half-life. Keep in mind also that the national average is 11.2 hours per week on any given TV. I am slightly above that.

I have heard of some Plasmas that suppossedly have an 80,000 hour half-life but I cannot verify that.

We sell both Sharp and Philips LCD monitors from 10" to 20", all of which have a 20,000 hour life span. At 28 hours a week, you'd be looking at 13.65 years.

Both you have a major concern for burn-ins for hardcore gamers.

LCDs will soon be available in most sizes up to 60+". Wait a year or so for those.

I personally like Plasmas better. I think they have a sharper image to them, esp. for movies. However, for multimedia type stuff, LCDs tend to work better.

gotapex

Jeff:

You've actually seen a modern LCD monitor burn in? I've never seen that happen, even with a high contrast fixed image left weeks at a time. Yours is the very first I've ever heard.

Playitagainsam

OK, here's the deal:

I saw this week-end, at Costco, both the Sharp LCd and some big plasma TV one next to the other. Plasma looked better, IMHO - in that the colours were true - the LCD was showing weird blotches over what were supposed tobe red letters in the final credits (some animatedmovie)... Of course, it could've been that the LCD was incorrectly setup.

Now, as far as burn-in:

First of all, there is no such thing as burn-in for LCD.

Second, please read this article
which explains the differences between various current TV technologies

gotapex

Nah, not incorrectly set up. Insufficient CCFL backlights for the size of panel.

bdshort

I just want to say that I have been admiring this Philips Plasma TV that is on display at the local electronics/appliance store (it's a mom and pop joint), which was playing the Star Wars Episode 2 DVD... And that it looked AMAZING!!

Now if I only had $7000 of cash burning a hole in my pocket...

I was strongly considering a projector and screen in a few years, when I hopefully have an income that can support expensive toys like this... but after seeing the Plasma, I might just get one of those, and sit a bit closer

Brian