# Hdtv thoughts??



## Hometheatrguru12 (Apr 1, 2012)

i will be getting a new tv come October and here is what im looking for:

*3D
*full hd
*50-55
*good for movies
*good for games

Ive been looking at a few tv's and was wondering, are plasma's what im looking for?

this is what im aiming for: bestbuy-dot-com/site/LG+-+50%26%2334%3B+Class+-+Plasma+-+1080p+-+600Hz+-+Smart+-+3D+-+HDTV/5272657.p?id=1218628183712&skuId=5272657&st=50%20inch%20lg&cp=1&lp=5

what are yalls thoughts on plasma's?


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## wgmontgomery (Jun 9, 2011)

Although technology may have changed, I would not recommend a plasma for video games. I personally love the pq of plasma sets and use one as my "main" HDTV, but they are (?were?) susceptible to burn-in from static images often found in video games. 

The popular consensus is that current plasma sets are not as susceptible to burn-in as older sets, but I can often see the vague outline of menus if left on the screen for very long. It is easy to fix as my set has a scrolling bar setting, but *I* would not use it for video games. FWIW-my plasma is a calibrated Panasonic and is ~2 years old.

I would look for a quality LED set; the upcoming flat panel shoot-out should offer valuable information!


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## Gregr (Nov 2, 2010)

Welcome to Home Theater Shack

I have no idea why nobody responded to this post. This has got to be the easiest post to answer. As recently as last month HTS members helped to get the word out on Shoot Out 2012. The event was also sponsored by other members. This was a competition between all TV manufacturers of HDTV, in attempts to identify the Best Picture. 

The displays from Panasonic, samsung, Elite to name a few were mostly all 55". They were plasma, LCD, and LCD/LED and all represented the top of the line or the Co's Flagship models.

This link wil take you to all of the associated posts so you can skip through to the end if you like or you can read them all.

However be advised, later this year there is a plan for September..., when manufacturers bring their true LED TV to market there will be a "Shoot-Out 2012 II". It is believed by some that the LED TV will be the best HDTV yet to hit the market.

Here is the link to the first 2012 Shoot-Out:

http://www.hometheatershack.com/for...rchinfo=1&photoplog_searchquery=HDTV+shootout

Good Luck..., I suggest you wait for September's Shoot-Out.


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## RBTO (Jan 27, 2010)

Hometheatrguru12 said:


> i will be getting a new tv come October and here is what im looking for:
> 
> *3D
> *full hd
> ...


I just purchased a Panny 42 inch LED (the TC-L42ET5) for a vacation residence. I got the LED version because I use solar power and wanted the lowest practical power consumption. This model features passive 3D and the image and 3D are excellent. I haven't seen any motion blur but I don't know if I would recommend this unit for gaming (not a gamer so I can't address that application). The downside to the 3D is that it uses an approach where odd and even lines are used for the left and right images so when viewing 3D, the image is 540 lines vertically instead of the usual 1080. You can faintly see raster (lines) in the 3D image (like you used to see in 480 line CRT displays), but the 3D image is great nonetheless and cheap polarized glasses (same as theater) are used so you can outfit the whole family and keep some money in your billfold (the Panny comes with 4 pairs of glasses). In 2D all 1080 lines are used so there is no compromise there. The power drawn by this unit is comparable to my table lamp and is much less than the SD CRT television it replaced. It's really remarkable in its low power demand.

If I were purchasing a set for a non-solar powered environment, I would go with plasma (again Panny, but that's my personal preference). Plasma sets have superior image quality though there could be some image retention issues as mentioned. My understanding is they are a non-issue with the newer sets.

Another consideration is a projection system. Although they must be used in a controlled lighting environment, for movies, they are a knock-out if a good projector is chosen and paired with a good screen. Most all projectors that offer 3D right now are active 3D so the more expensive glasses must be worn, and there can be some degree of ghosting (no ghosting at all with my LED set provided the offset from perpendicular in the vertical direction to the screen is kept low).

I think you posted to get information. Hope this helps a bit and others can fill in with their experiences.


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## Hometheatrguru12 (Apr 1, 2012)

Thanks for the input so far!

I forgot to mention that im trying to stay under $1200? (my family will be "pooling to buy this" and we are not the type to spend several K's for a tv (trying to be good stewarts with money  ))
and passive 3D is a must ( due to im the 2nd of 9 kids and active 3D would be outrageous )

i guess what im asking is, " is plasma a good tv all around and would the tv i listed above: Here

i have heard alot of bad about plasma and have recently heard alot of good..... just wanting to get some input before i get one ( doing some research and gathering personal experience from people that own plasma's )

Thanks!!!


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## RBTO (Jan 27, 2010)

Plasma is good image-wise, but most versions out there right now are active 3D which will run up your costs for glasses. I got a great deal on my Panny LED from Amazon about two weeks ago so Panasonic must be running some sales on their 2012 TVs. You might want to get on Amazon's list (just look up a set on their site), and they will e-mail you with their specials. The downside is you might have to wait a bit for a sale price, and it's a bit more involved to get an exchange should something go wrong than it would be from BestBuy. I have some personal hesitations about LG given their history but then again, I've heard some good things on the internet about their sets.


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## Hometheatrguru12 (Apr 1, 2012)

Gotcha!

just realized it was active 3d..... :dontknow:

how about vizio's? Click Here


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## RBTO (Jan 27, 2010)

Not for me but there might be others out there that have experience with Vizio and have something good to say about the brand.


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## gdstupak (Jul 13, 2010)

Hometheatrguru12 said:


> ( due to im the 2nd of 9 kids...)


Most LCD's have bad off-axis viewing, something to keep in mind if there will be several people trying to see the screen. Plasmas are great for off-axis viewing.

If you get a plasma, make sure to follow the 100-200hr break-in procedure which is posted in the 'sticky threads.' Definitely no static images for the first 100hrs.


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## megageek (Oct 27, 2011)

Hey! Id go with a plasma but only a panasonic one. Even then, only the 's' models and above.
As for 3d, id only get a projector for 3d stuff. Even at 55", a tv is just too small to properly emerse you into the 3d illusion. Unless you sit about 1 foot in front of your panel, you will see the edges of the screen through your glasses. So the effects will look like they poke out of the screen somewhere in front of your coffee table and not all around you as it should. 
My two (rambling) cents!!


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## wgmontgomery (Jun 9, 2011)

Another vote for plasma as far as HT viewing goes; I'm still not sure how suitable they are for gaming. Plasma is especially good with off-axis (viewed from an angle). This may be an important consideration as it will be a family TV.

Panasonics are great and not very expensive.


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## gdstupak (Jul 13, 2010)

Unless I missed it somewhere, we don't know how much gaming is involved.

IMO gaming with a plasma would only be a problem if that were the main usage of the tv and if gaming were played for more than 4hrs per sitting without giving the tv a break to display other normal tv content.
If you play games for several hours, then let the tv play normal stuff for several hours, and keep switching it back and forth, there should be no problems. Yes, there will probably be heavy image retention, but that will go away.


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## wgmontgomery (Jun 9, 2011)

Hometheatrguru12 said:


> i will be getting a new tv come October and here is what im looking for:
> 
> *3D
> *full hd
> ...


I double checked to make sure that I was correct (I'm wrong more often than I'd like to admit!!  ) about the gaming; I don't know _how much_ gaming is involved either, but it is an issue.


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## gdstupak (Jul 13, 2010)

If you listen to the professionals on the 2012 Shoot-out, it's not a problem.
Unless that's all you do with the tv.


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## wgmontgomery (Jun 9, 2011)

gdstupak said:


> If you listen to the professionals on the 2012 Shoot-out, it's not a problem.
> Unless that's all you do with the tv.


I have heard the same thing and am not 100% sure it would be a problem; I know that I do not allow games on mine and that I can see the ghost of Netflix's menu if it's been on the screen for a while. The scrolling bars do get rid of it, but I just thought that it would be best to warn him that it _may_ be a problem. :justdontknow:

I'm glad that you are offering the other side/another opinion though; it's hard to have too much information. :TT


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## gdstupak (Jul 13, 2010)

After reading these, hopefully the OP will be cautious enough to be a responsible user if he does end up with a plasma.


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

Hello,
I am definitely on the Panasonic Plasma side of this discussion. By October, there should be all sorts of new models released which should allow you to get a nice discount on a current model.
Cheers,
JJ


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## wgmontgomery (Jun 9, 2011)

Jungle Jack said:


> Hello,
> I am definitely on the Panasonic Plasma side of this discussion. By October, there should be all sorts of new models released which should allow you to get a nice discount on a current model.
> Cheers,
> JJ


+1 :TT


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## Hometheatrguru12 (Apr 1, 2012)

How about this one? http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-TC-..._m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1FBZ225XD5HYP79J4KKS


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## wgmontgomery (Jun 9, 2011)

Hometheatrguru12 said:


> How about this one? http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-TC-..._m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1FBZ225XD5HYP79J4KKS


Looks like a good unit; LED sets (usually) look really good. :TT The built-in WiFi/Viera apps. will be nice for Netflix.


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

Hometheatrguru12 said:


> How about this one? http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-TC-..._m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1FBZ225XD5HYP79J4KKS


Hello,
It would be a fine choice. Pretty impressive that it includes 4 Pairs of 3D Glasses as most in the past offer at best a single pair.
J


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## Hometheatrguru12 (Apr 1, 2012)

Thanks for yalls input!!! ill be watching for this one in pricing come november/ end of the year.

on the same note..... i currently have an insignia 39" 1080 60hz (awesome tv for price)..... while at best buy i was watching iron man 2 on what i believe was the 60" aquos.... it was smooth and the refresh was amazing!
will the panny i last inquired on have a similar feel as far as refresh and smooth movie feel? or does that come with a better player?


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## RBTO (Jan 27, 2010)

Someone mentioned off-axis image degradation in LCD sets. The Panny 42 inch LED set I recently purchased (TCL42ET5) features their "IPS LED panel" and it does what it advertises - improves the off-axis image greatly. As I mentioned previously, I would prefer plasma over LCD/LED, but chose the LED for power consumption considerations, but no regrets to image quality yet. My only concern when I first turned it on was a somewhat dark picture, but I switched from Cinema to Standard mode, and the image brightened right up - pretty close or maybe even brighter than the CRT it replaced now.

The LED comes with a "Cinema smoother" feature which really does smooth out motion - so much so it was creepy ("soap opera" version of "The Mentalist"). I turned it to the low setting (not off), and I'm happy with that. I think it has four degrees of smoothing that can be selected via menu, the default being the highest setting (might make some people happy - just not me).


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

RBTO said:


> Someone mentioned off-axis image degradation in LCD sets. The Panny 42 inch LED set I recently purchased (TCL42ET5) features their "IPS LED panel" and it does what it advertises - improves the off-axis image greatly. As I mentioned previously, I would prefer plasma over LCD/LED, but chose the LED for power consumption considerations, but no regrets to image quality yet. My only concern when I first turned it on was a somewhat dark picture, but I switched from Cinema to Standard mode, and the image brightened right up - pretty close or maybe even brighter than the CRT it replaced now.
> 
> The LED comes with a "Cinema smoother" feature which really does smooth out motion - so much so it was creepy ("soap opera" version of "The Mentalist"). I turned it to the low setting (not off), and I'm happy with that. I think it has four degrees of smoothing that can be selected via menu, the default being the highest setting (might make some people happy - just not me).


Hello,
A corollary to most Panels being dispalyed at big box stores replete with Florescent Lights is that many folks are judging a Panel's performance by how bright the picture is. Manufacturers now have what many of us call a "torch mode" for Display Units.

Sadly, this mode could not possibly be any further from the Black Level, Color Temperature, etc that a ISF Calibrated or THX Calibrated Display honestly looks like. Moreover, these standards are in keeping with the way that both TV Broadcasts and Home Video are intended to be viewed. When the brightness and picture level are cranked up, it distorts dark scenes.

This is why the first thing I do. when I get a new TV is to use a Calibration Disc. Discs like Avia, Digital Video Essentials, Spears and Muncil all provide a myriad of Test Patterns for getting your display as close to Reference Level as possible. An ISF Calibrated Calibrator takes things to a much higher level by using very expensive and specialized equipment and going into the Service Menu (more often than not) to account for Greyscale and Color Decoder issues. Another great thing about ISF Calibrated Displays is that usually there are settings for Day and Night Mode.

All of this being said, many find a properly calibrated display to be somewhat dark owing to decades of using TV's that are so far off reference level. All the same, once acclimated to it, it drives me crazy to watch TV's in Torch Mode.
Cheers,
JJ


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## mechman (Feb 8, 2007)

Panny 60" ST30 in the great deals area today.


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## highendallday (May 11, 2012)

Hey guys havent posted in a long while, but I have a friend who can get amazing deals on tv sets... just thought i would let peeps know... the economy is terrible but everyone still wants nice ...


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## Hometheatrguru12 (Apr 1, 2012)

highendallday said:


> Hey guys havent posted in a long while, but I have a friend who can get amazing deals on tv sets... just thought i would let peeps know... the economy is terrible but everyone still wants nice ...


Awesome! i agree on nice  what kind of deals on panny 3dtv's?


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## mechman (Feb 8, 2007)

highendallday said:


> Hey guys havent posted in a long while, but I have a friend who can get amazing deals on tv sets... just thought i would let peeps know... the economy is terrible but everyone still wants nice ...


At Best Buy per chance?


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## Gregr (Nov 2, 2010)

JJ, 

You have just describe the greatest truth consistantly overlooked by the American people and the population of the World as well. 

As we are sold TV's that blast us with color and vibrant pictures at the expense of a TV optimized to give us the best picture in every situation. We will wait for that blast of color and learn to believe this is the best it gets when we finally get it. We will overlook the poor saturation and lack of black detail and picture detail in general as long as we get our fix of super vibrant pics.

But the truth is if we invest a little time we find more detail and a rich picture quality that is more satisfying in every lighting and picture condition if we simply learn the difference.

That is such a statement about people in general. We have learned to look for the sweet in everything we eat. Like we look for the end in every project we begin. It is so bad..., we finish sentences for people, we tell people how to do their job.

I could go on and obviously somebody needs to because if we take the sweet idea alone..., so many of us crave the sweeter diet the reason for 30% obesity (25lbs or more overweight) in Americans today. 

So many of us have lost respect for each other as we give up more of our rights to the TSA, Homeland Security, the church and clergy. Voting rights were never won but we believe we are free because we are told we are. We are not as free as our grandfather was and he was not as free as our founding father was. Our children will not be as free as we are today.

We need to calibrate TV's, reevaluate beliefs, check our diets and spend a little time reducing our corn syrup intake and our pro pan gandal intake. We must not simply believe what we are told in every situation. That is not living and I know all of you do love life as I do. 

I want to learn more about Audio reproduction in my home and video reproduction. I don't care about being flashy and saying all the cool things to the right people. I care about the truth and how do tell the difference between truth and lies. I have been lied to before..., it does not feel good when you find the truth and see the difference. I would always rather know the truth and know the difference so I can bring myself back to the truth.


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