LCD vs Plasma

[alocispepraluger102]

my new olevia(without hi def tuner) is well under a thousand bucks with a great picture. my only prob was it was in showroom mode (which disabled the remote) until a phone call to olevia which included a 1 hour hold, clued me in.

[Kevin Bresnahan]

Well, I did it... LCD for me. I just decided that I'd rather pillar-box 4:3 content and I didn't want to chance burn-in. Maybe I made a mistake, maybe not. I went with the Mitsubishi LT-46131 1080p 46" model. My last Mitsubishi CRT set lasted 17 years. Hopefully their quality is still there.

Kevin

[brownie]

Related story from The New York Times today:

PRICING OF FLAT SCREENS IS UNDER INQUIRY

By CHOE SANG-HUN

Published: December 13, 2006

SEOUL, South Korea, Dec. 12 — Antitrust authorities here and in the United States and Japan have started an investigation into price-fixing allegations against the world’s two leading makers of flat-panel displays, Samsung Electronics and LG.Philips LCD, officials said on Tuesday, shaking an industry already burdened by falling prices.

Samsung and LG.Philips — the world’s largest and second-largest makers of liquid-crystal displays — confirmed on Tuesday that they were being investigated by the antitrust authorities in the three countries on suspicion of anticompetitive practices in 2003 and 2004.

The European Commission confirmed on Tuesday that it, too, had opened a price-fixing investigation into companies that build flat screens. The European Union’s executive body said that it sent formal requests for information on Friday to an undisclosed number of companies that make thin-film-transistor and liquid-crystal displays. After LG.Philips, a joint venture involving LG Electronics of Seoul and Royal Philips Electronics of Amsterdam, said that it was under investigation, its share price fell nearly 8 percent before ending the day down 4.2 percent. Investors feared that the company’s legal costs, and provisions for possible penalties, might increase its losses in the coming quarters, analysts said. Samsung shares dropped 0.7 percent.

The news was yet another setback for Samsung. The investigation is the first in the manufacturing of liquid-crystal displays, an industry led by Samsung, but the company is already facing another price-fixing investigation in the United States involving its main product line, computer memory chips.

The investigation comes at an awkward time for L.C.D. makers; prices plummeted in the first half of 2006 because of supply gluts. Except for Samsung, which often uses price wars to beat its competitors, the major players had to cut production to reduce inventories.

“This is very bad news for an industry where companies are suffering either falling profits or fear growing deficits,” said Michael Min, a senior industry analyst at Korea Investment and Securities. “The expression that comes to mind to describe their situation is ‘misery loves company.’ ”

The scope of the investigation into Samsung and LG.Philips remains unclear. Officials at the Korea Fair Trade Commission, Samsung and LG.Philips declined to discuss details.

But analysts here said they thought that the regulators might be focusing on whether L.C.D. makers colluded on prices and supplies in 2003 and 2004 when the industry was in an upturn.

They also speculated that the inquiry might be a coordinated among antitrust bodies in Japan, South Korea and the United States.

The European investigation is focusing on specific markets, including personal computer and laptop screens, televisions and displays used in mobile phones, digital cameras, Global Positioning System receivers and other hand-held devices. The commission said it had been in contact with other antitrust authorities. No inspections have been carried out in Europe, the commission said, because the companies operate outside the European Union.

[medjuck]

Which one do you recommend?

I have Digital Video Essentials and it worked very well for me. I believe they will both do the job. I've heard that Avia might have a more user friendly interface.

Wow I was about to order Video Essentials from Amazon (through the forum of course) but I read the customers reviews and they really soured me on it. I also noted that it was 5 years old. Am I being too sceptical?

[LennyH]

Wow I was about to order Video Essentials from Amazon (through the forum of course) but I read the customers reviews and they really soured me on it. I also noted that it was 5 years old. Am I being too sceptical?

Yeah, it looks like the Avia has better reviews. Better navigation (Digital Video Essentials definitely does not excel in that area) and more in depth color reference. It's been updated more recently than DVE.

Avia is more expensive but I'd say go for it and spend the extra money. You drop a big wad of cash on an HD TV and you don't have a prayer of adjusting it correctly without some help. These DVDs do a lot of things and you won't find all the features useful, but they're more than worth it even if you just used them to get the colors in tune.

[RDK]

If you want to save a few bucks (for now at least) and get a ballpark calibration, you can use the THX Optimizer which is available on some DVDS: Star Wars and the Indiana Jones films at least.

[skeith]

I am looking at some Samsung LCDs and I notice on their website that these Tvs do not allow you to change the tint when using HDMI or Component hookups, but will let you do it for S video.

Anyone have the Samsung that has this limitation? Is it a problem for you or does the TV appear to always get the tint right ?

I find that I often change the tint particurly on DVDs because they vary and I also have some Dvds from othere regions and maybe they are different.

I would appreciate any comments or suggestions.

[Claude]

I got a 46" Sony LCD screen a couple of days ago (KDL46W2000, but name is probably different in the US). It's a high quality FullHD display.

Having no HDTV access, I mainly watch DVDs, which look great. But with HD demo videos played on the PC, the picture quality is simply breathtaking ! Check the "Ray" or "King Kong" trailers from this site (many others have too much action to enjoy the picture quality):

http://www.drfoster.f2s.com/trailers_hd-dvd.shtml

With these HD movies and a good LCD TV you can sit 1 meter away from the screen and see every wrinkle and hair, and no picture noise or MPEG artefacts like with most DVDs.

I'm really looking forward to HDTV and HD discs, but it will probably take a couple of years before a decent selection of stations and discs will be available.

[J Larsen]

For anyone still making up their mind, another model to consider:

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/ptech/01/09/c...s.ap/index.html

[Claude]

For anyone still making up their mind, another model to consider:

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/ptech/01/09/c...s.ap/index.html

Nice. A 108" LCD together with an outdoor camera could replace a window

[porcy62]

I told you HD LCD and Plasma are craps. Better CRT.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/22/business...amp;oref=slogin

[.:.impossible]

Hey guys. I had the opportunity to spend some time in front of a Panasonic TH-50PH9UK over the holiday these past couple of weeks. My father in law also has a Sony Bravia flat LCD (don't know the model). I am entirely sold on the Panasonic Pro series... no tuner, no speakers, 1" bezel frame.

I am seriously considering the Panasonic TH-42PH10UK. Anyone here have any experience with this monitor? Any comparable recommendations?

Thanks!

[J Larsen]

I don't know the Panasonic, but this weekend I upgraded to a 40" Sony XBR4 and it is incredible. The picture from even standard DVDs is stunning. Best of all, there is absolutely no blurring in action scenes at all, unlike my previous Sony. It's wirth a look.

[porcy62]

I don't want to be unpleasant, but, generally speaking, most of the big screens are huge power consuming, low efficiency hardware. Thinks about it if you care about enviromental issues.

Edited November 25, 2007 by porcy62

[J Larsen]

Inch for inch, LCDs use about the same amount of power as CRTs. My 40" model is 235W, which isn't nothing but isn't so awful either. I probably use more energy playing a CD.

[jazz1]

Hey guys. I had the opportunity to spend some time in front of a Panasonic TH-50PH9UK over the holiday these past couple of weeks. My father in law also has a Sony Bravia flat LCD (don't know the model). I am entirely sold on the Panasonic Pro series... no tuner, no speakers, 1" bezel frame.

I am seriously considering the Panasonic TH-42PH10UK. Anyone here have any experience with this monitor? Any comparable recommendations?

Thanks!

I have the 50" HD version of this model and it is absolutely stunning, I checked a few Lcd's (Samsung, sony, etc) but to my eyes this one has the most natural tints and the "Blacks" are blacks from all angles, a found LCD blacks are only good when facing the screen.

[jazz1]

I don't want to be unpleasant, but, generally speaking, most of the big screens are huge power consuming, low efficiency hardware. Thinks about it if you care about enviromental issues.

Must we also dispose of our valves amplifier???

[Stefan Wood]

I don't want to be unpleasant, but, generally speaking, most of the big screens are huge power consuming, low efficiency hardware. Thinks about it if you care about enviromental issues.

Must we also dispose of our valves amplifier???

And our PCs which suck up more power than AC units????

If you are worried about the environment, I'd be more concerned about the cars we drive.

[porcy62]

An answer for all the posts:

1) I do care about enviroment, so I said only that usually big screen TV's are power consuming. As JLarsen said Inch for Inch LCD is similar to CRT, true, but the trend is going for biggest screen. Household appliances, at least in Italy and in EU, is certified with a scale from A to F for power efficiency. When I have to buy any of them, computer and printer included, I look at the power consuming too, and, if I can, I buy the best energy saving stuff.

2) You're free to use big screens, computer and huge tubed power amp and leave all the stuff switched on all days. And pay the electricity bills. I tend to switch off all the stuff when I am not using it, even plugged off, because I do care about enviroment. For the same reason I don't leave my Hi-Fi system always hooked on, though most of the components have a stand by position. Maybe it will sound worse for the first hour, but I can bear it.

3) About car, I use it once a week for the big shopping at grocery's market, daily I use a motorbike or I walk. My car is not an hybrid, but considering that I scarcely use it, IMO buying a more efficient car would be more power consuming then keep my old car. I mean that producing and building my new car would use much more energy that I would use in the next twenty years with my old car.

4) A little saving of energy multiplied for several hundred millions, roughly the industrialized countries' population, would save million of oil's barrells.

5) In rich and industrialized countries I don't buy the argument that my energy consuming is less then yours, so I DESERVE to consume more energy, aka my computer is better then your SUV. You shouldn't buy SUV as well as big power consuming stuff. If you have to, or if you like it, or if you need it, I think you should use them with responsability and be aware of what are you doing or buying. period

[J Larsen]

Porcy, FWIW I agree with you on all five points. It is a serious consideration when I buy things. I have very precious little time for home entertainment, so I guess I "carbon splurge" on the equipment so that in the few hours a week I have to actually use it I get the most satisfying experience. That said, when the TV is on the lights go off, so it is close a neutral impact in my house.

Edited November 25, 2007 by J Larsen

[porcy62]

Porcy, FWIW I agree with you on all five points. It is a serious consideration when I buy things. I have very precious little time for home entertainment, so I guess I "carbon splurge" on the equipment so that in the few hours a week I have to actually use it I get the most satisfying experience. That said, when the TV is on the lights go off, so it is close a neutral impact in my house.

I didn't mean we shouldn't enjoy our passions, only being aware about what it implies in term of enviromental impact. If you like watching movies on TV, or sport, it's fine for me. The point is that in a lot of houses TV is switched on all day and nobody really watch at it. Like radio in the old days. It's a background. Now, a small transistors radio consumes few watts, a 40 inches flat screen is another story.

[7/4]

Crap. I forgot to turn off CNN...

[.:.impossible]

The Panasonic is an Energy Star appliance. This was a major consideration.

Thanks for the input jazz1.

[.:.impossible]

Also,

Can someone explain, or share a link explaining resolution for me? I thought I understood resolution until I started talking to people about motion pictures.

1080p is overkill for a monitor under a certain dimension, from a certain distance at 20/20 vision, etc.

Thanks.

[alocispepraluger102]

my 37" olevia lcd hdtv(sans tuner), costing considerably less than a thousand dollars($650) is one of the most enjoyable purchases i have ever made. i have owned it almost exactly 1 year.

the picture settings came locked in showroom(overbright) mode. after i figured how to properly apply the settings and plugged the sound into my venerable pioneer-vsx, i was perfectly pleased.

to one on a tight budget(which is probably none of you) with a modest sized room, i recommend olevia. i couldnt wish for a better picture.

several guests owning pricier products, have been very impressed.(also energystar)

Edited November 25, 2007 by alocispepraluger102