LCD/Plasma/CRT/DLP - questions

[dose]

Does anyone here have or know anything about the Sony W4000 series, specifically the 32" one http://www.hdtvorg.co.uk/reviews/lcd...dl-32w4000.htm
I don't want a big screen as I'll be sitting quite close to it. Is it any good for gaming, on both SD and HD? The last Sony TV I was interested in had bad smearing.
Cheers!

[Friction]

Hi guys, considering a new TV at the moment and drawn towards a Sony KDL40D3500 but really quite overwhelmed with the amount of info that's out there!

Currently I have a Samsung LE26R748D which is a nice enough set, just time for something a little bigger! I've not had any real issues with my current set, what does worry me from doing some research is all this talk of 'clouding' and 'smearing' and what not. Someone said to me that Bravia's are really bad for clouding, but reading through various articles and threads online I really don't know if this is really the case?

I play more games than anything so not overly fussed about the SD TV picture, but having seen my Dads 32 Sony (not sure of exact model number) the TV PQ is miles better than my current Samsung anyway!

Any thoughts or suggestions? Do I worry too much?

[Lyris]

Does anyone here have or know anything about the Sony W4000 series, specifically the 32" one http://www.hdtvorg.co.uk/reviews/lcd...dl-32w4000.htm
I don't want a big screen as I'll be sitting quite close to it. Is it any good for gaming, on both SD and HD? The last Sony TV I was interested in had bad smearing.
Cheers!

Yes, you can read a throrough review here:

http://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/news/sony-kdl40w4000u-review-20080521111.htm

As for HDTVorg, be careful.

Friction: don't think there's any huge problem with KDL-40D3500. Clouding: they seem to have sorted this out, but at the same time, make sure you can return it just in case. As for smearing, yes, the Sonys/Samsungs (SPVA panels) have been known to smear, especially with black and red colours, but the superior black level/contrast makes up for this in my opinion. Any LCD will smear anyway.

[Friction]

Friction: don't think there's any huge problem with KDL-40D3500. Clouding: they seem to have sorted this out, but at the same time, make sure you can return it just in case. As for smearing, yes, the Sonys/Samsungs (SPVA panels) have been known to smear, especially with black and red colours, but the superior black level/contrast makes up for this in my opinion. Any LCD will smear anyway.

Thanks for that. Do you know if Sony actually make the panel themselves or is it made by someone else as is often the case?

I was going to get the set from an online retailer like Play.com, Dabs etc - somewhere that has a good reputation for the exact reason of if I am unlucky and need to return it I'll be ok

One last question - The set isn't 100hz is this going to cause any issues? If it helps I don't think I've ever had a 100hz set - my current LCD included and I've never seen a problem with that?!

[Concept]

The Sony set I'd been using developed a fault out of warranty so I've decided to pick up a new set again (recently gone back to the LG).

These are questions I doubt anyone is going to be able to answer because they're really narrow and specific.

Basically I need a set that can do DVI-to-HDMI 1:1 pixel mapping at 1366x768 (or 1360 x768) resolution, whilst also being able to do 1:1 pixel mapping over VGA or DVI. The LG does this but there are too many problems with the set for me over the long run (double imaging over component, a stained screen, marks etc.).

The panel also needs to be SVPA or IPS-A and have a wide viewing angle (something which the Bravia was a let down on). I know the Samsung LE26R7BD series may offer 1:1 pixel mapping over HDMI (for PC use) and also have a VGA input (360 use) but I don't generally know if CMO panels are still being used and I'd preferably like to avoid them.

Sometimes it still seems like it's a complete lottery with LCD technology when it comes to determining functionality and panel quality.

[wakka]

Thanks for that. Do you know if Sony actually make the panel themselves or is it made by someone else as is often the case?

You often hear people saying things like 'Oh I bought Samsung blah blah model, £200 less than the Sony and it's the exact same panel, Sony is a rip off'. The fact is, the panel is 50% of the TV. What matters just as much is the scaling and colour balancing technology behind it, and Sony's is excellent. Don't worry too much about whether the panel is made by Sony or Samsung or Sharp or whoever - Sony wouldn't use a ****ty panel and damage the excellent Bravia brand.

One last question - The set isn't 100hz is this going to cause any issues? If it helps I don't think I've ever had a 100hz set - my current LCD included and I've never seen a problem with that?!

No, this won't cause any problems. Nothing requires 100Hz.

[Friction]

Thanks for the info there Randicoot! Most helpful

[Lyris]

Thanks for that. Do you know if Sony actually make the panel themselves or is it made by someone else as is often the case?

The panels are made by Sony and Samsung's joint facility (called S-LCD) in Korea. They both pay for it (actually Sony put up 49% and Samsung put up 51%, but ssshhh....) but most of the original research was pioneered by Samsung. But as Randicoot said, that doesn't mean that Samsung TVs are as good as Sony's (or vice versa).

Some of the cheaper ones use panels from AU Optronics. The easy way to tell if you're getting a Sony/Samsung SPVA panel: check the screen size. Only the 32", 40", 46", 52" and 70" ones are SPVA (26" ones are either Sony/Samsung PVA which is inferior but decent or TN+Film, which is no better than a cheap PC monitor).

Sony wouldn't use a ****ty panel and damage the excellent Bravia brand.

Not usually anyway I was shocked to see TN+Film in the 26" U-Series. Granted, that was one of the lower ranges...

One last question - The set isn't 100hz is this going to cause any issues?

Not really. 100hz/120hz done well can be great. But normally it's not done nicely and simply trades blurring for artefacts which, depending on what you're watching, can be even worse.

The panel also needs to be SVPA or IPS-A and have a wide viewing angle (something which the Bravia was a let down on). I know the Samsung LE26R7BD series may offer 1:1 pixel mapping over HDMI (for PC use) and also have a VGA input (360 use) but I don't generally know if CMO panels are still being used and I'd preferably like to avoid them.

Sometimes it still seems like it's a complete lottery with LCD technology when it comes to determining functionality and panel quality.

If you want a wide viewing angle, IPS-Alpha is the way to go, but at the same time, most of the people implementing those panels don't seem to know how to make a great TV, so tread carefully.

[EvilBoris]

The Sony set I'd been using developed a fault out of warranty so I've decided to pick up a new set again (recently gone back to the LG).

These are questions I doubt anyone is going to be able to answer because they're really narrow and specific.

Basically I need a set that can do DVI-to-HDMI 1:1 pixel mapping at 1366x768 (or 1360 x768) resolution, whilst also being able to do 1:1 pixel mapping over VGA or DVI. The LG does this but there are too many problems with the set for me over the long run (double imaging over component, a stained screen, marks etc.).

The panel also needs to be SVPA or IPS-A and have a wide viewing angle (something which the Bravia was a let down on). I know the Samsung LE26R7BD series may offer 1:1 pixel mapping over HDMI (for PC use) and also have a VGA input (360 use) but I don't generally know if CMO panels are still being used and I'd preferably like to avoid them.

Sometimes it still seems like it's a complete lottery with LCD technology when it comes to determining functionality and panel quality.

I'm pretty sure all the Samsung sets h/ave the Just Scan mode which disables overscan for HD material. Best thing to do is download the manual for a specific model and see if it mentions it.

[Friction]

Cheers Lyris! Interesting info there for sure!

[Salsa Party Animal]

Is there any review online for latest Panasonic Plasma 50inch with freesat, 1080P and 24 FPS support.

[Lyris]

Try www.hdtvtest.co.uk - I know Vincent has reviewed some Panasonic Plasmas lately.

[Salsa Party Animal]

Oh there is a 46 inch version of Panasonic Plasma I think I will save up for it after my autumn holiday. It will be my christmas present for meself.

[Concept]

Not usually anyway I was shocked to see TN+Film in the 26" U-Series. Granted, that was one of the lower ranges...

I suspect that TN+Film might have been used in the S-Series Bravia I was using. It eventually developed a vertical bar down the screen, but the screen viewing angle itself was extremely (and I do mean extremely) poor. I could notice colour variation face on. Shame, because the feature set of the television was excellent.

If you want a wide viewing angle, IPS-Alpha is the way to go, but at the same time, most of the people implementing those panels don't seem to know how to make a great TV, so tread carefully.

Cheers for the info. , though in the end I went 26" because in the room I'm in I can't justify anything bigger really for personal use.

I'm pretty sure all the Samsung sets h/ave the Just Scan mode which disables overscan for HD material. Best thing to do is download the manual for a specific model and see if it mentions it.

Aye, thanks. Without that knowledge I wouldn't have considered the Samsung but it turns out Just Scan 1:1 mapped both my PC and my PS3 over HDMI (overscan on the latter was particularly irritiating on the LG I went back to). Still in in there-must-be-a-problem-no-matter-the-LCD land, there's a dim red pixel at the bottom left of the screen evident up close on white backgrounds. Thankfully it isn't noticeable three or four feet away when I game or on any other colour.

[krispyk]

Is there any review online for latest Panasonic Plasma 50inch with freesat, 1080P and 24 FPS support.

Link for a review of the 46 inch -

http://whathifi.co.uk/television/archive/2008/06/10/exclusive-review-we-test-panasonic-s-freesat-integrated-th-46pz81-lcd-tv.aspx

I would expect the HDTVtest review to be a bit more reliable and in depth.