Plasma or LCD? Whats the Difference? & Which is Better??

[Concept]

I'll second 480i/p material looking generally rough on every HDTV I've used. The Sony is the best I've seen with it, but even that pales in comparison to using RGB Scart on my old 28" CRT for the PS2, GC and (occasionally) Xbox.

[Lyris]

If you're talking about this one: http://sr-388.net/images/misc/tv/DSCF6223.jpg it's not faulty. That's just how Plasmas draw the image, but it seems most people apparently can't see this. (I really don't know how, as it's very obvious to me) Happens on all Plasmas.

Me second, this is one of the reasons I go with LCD. The lack-of-detail-blurring on an LCD annoys me less than the purple and green flashes.

[andrewfee]

For what it's worth, a lot of people have said phosphor lag dies down after the first hundred hours or so. Well, I've got about 200 hours on this screen now, at least 1/4-1/2 of which has been intense run-in. (using the screen wipe, as that runs things in the quickest)

I didn't realise I had done it until I got back to the computer, but I must've been spinning the car the other way the first time. (so the colour separation is the other way around)

Before - within the first hour of turning the TV on:


After - 200+ hours of use:


So if you are able to see the phosphor retention, it's simply a case of Plasma not being for you, as you will see it regardless - it doesn't appear to change at all over time as some people claim. (you might get used to it, or not let it bother you after a while though)


And it looks like someone in USA has managed to get one of the new LED backlit Samsungs now. As I suspected, while they may be truly black when the LEDs go off, there is a lot of light bleeding when there's a bright object next to a dark one:

http://i14.tinypic.com/4kk7r87.jpg

http://i9.tinypic.com/6239w8x.jpg

Look at the letterboxing top & bottom - that's far worse than the bleeding you used to get with a CRT. So while you might have a high on/off contrast, I imagine these will have a terrible ANSI contrast ratio. (so the image will look flat in high-contrast scenes)

[charlesr]

Annoying isn't it. Whichever way you go, it's a compromise. When CRT was the only option, you just picked whichever was the best recommended set. Now you really have to demo all the options to check it works for you.

[IanE]

Don't mess with the Fee, he has had more TVs than you have had hot dinners, if he says it is poor with SD content, then it is.

Really? Because I think you know nothing of me.

I own the TV and it's good at SD content, especially compared to the other televisions I've owned and seen. His opinion isn't suddenly 'better' than mine because you say it is. From his comment it seems he wasn't even talking about the TV I own, he was talking about the R series (mine is the M).

[ItsThere]

Meeoow. Ha ha! Cactuat Cat, A Free reviews a lot of TV's, along with Lyris and Shakey Jake they form the holy trinity of TV knowledge round here.

Of course it is all opinion - no egg needed . A lot of us here, myself included, are learning a lot about HDTV's and debate all adds to the learning process!

[IanE]

Oh, of course. It's all subjective, otherwise we wouldn't need reviews! But my television (which Fee wasn't even talking about!) is excellent all around.

I'm always learning too, I don't know the difference between HDMI 1.1 - 1.3 and don't feel the need to either. I know what I see and wow, my TV is stunning in 1080p and certainly has me watching more content than I usually wouldn't watch (like kids films!), much in the way that Achievements have me playing utterly gash games when I would never have played them otherwise!

[Dazzyman]

I agree with Cactuar Cat on this no one persons opinion is better we can all give opinions and thats that, theirs people out their what give opinions of televisions what they have never been anywhere near, they read stuff on the net and make their own opinion. Ive had to put someone right before on my Sony X for example as they said it had a different calibration system to what it and handles sharpness different to what it does because so much rubbish gets banded about. Same with SXRD's try and one first then give an opinion, test the blumming thing to destruction first then say its dire just dont dismiss something without even seeing itas thats what being obective is all about, nice open mind for reviewing stuff

You should judge for yourself with your own eyes anyway and take all of our guff as a tiny rough guide and thats it, people like different formats etc.. so its always better to test for yourself for HD/SD

[EvilBoris]

Those guys have seen so many Tv's that they have seen the full spectrum of quality and when it comes to certain aspects of visual performance that you can only garner through experience.

[Lyris]

Yes, experience counts for a hell of a lot. But opinions from end users - the people who make up most of the HDTV buying public - do count too. I like to know what the "average" HDTV user finds acceptable and what they don't.

That said, I don't like people (from either group) denying things that are true. For example I often see "There's no <insert name of fault here> problem on my <TV name here>" which usually means, "I've not seen this fault on my TV so it doesn't make a difference to me personally"

[Dazzyman]

I did a load for mine ages ago will dig em out for a comparison 3LCD and LCD (Sony X)...

Just for what a descent setup can do (if you recognise the Resistence ones they where all over the net when I posted them and ended up in a Spanish & Russian magazine)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dazzyman/sets/72157601595655763/

Comparsion the Star Wars EP 2 where just taken on a dvd player upscaled to 1080i Now I was using a not as good camera when I took the ones of the 3LCD but it wasnt bad at the time (I was really happy with it) to say the X was months away from release and the 3LCD was &#163;1000 for 50"

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dazzyman/sets/72157601588594860/

The Band of Brothers are their for fault issues I had ro report to get it fixed but they couldnt so it was refund time for Sony X which took about 3months to decide on(the ones of my beloved Cuthbert and Gizmo what both died this year are to show it could do PC fine without degredation or add sharpness via VGA). I actually went for the Sharp Aq first after reading glowing reports and remeber telling Andrew about it (he bought one and sent it back) but their was so many problems with stock I cancelled went to Leeds and saw one in the flesh and I could see banding so didnt buy one, tested a load of telllys in Sony Centre (with the intention if I wasnt happy I wouldnt buy anything and go back to my old 28" CRT ) and went for the Sony X after loads of testing. It isnt perfect as it doesnt do 1080p in component and VGA only goes up to 13xx res (non issue for me as I use DVI-HDMI and I get no added sharpness etc.. but you dont anyway via VGA) but everything else for me is flawless. I had to sell a beloved Medieval Madness pinball table to buy it and I dont regret it, of course its going to be superceeded anytime now (thats progress) but Im glad I made that choice and didnt listen to any one person (I checked magazine reviews and major online sites, few visual forums) as if I had I wouldnt have taken pethadine and forced myself 100 miles to go see one at Leeds in agony travelling