Need new TV

[Dave Lehnert]

Have an old Toshiba projection tv needing work and think it just may be cost effective to replace.
Need a quick lesson on TV's. The salesman was pushing a LG brand plasma. It was cheaper than the LCD and said picture was better.

Why would one want a plasma or an LCD.

Here is the one he was trying to sell me.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...F8&me=&seller=

[Brian Elfert]

I would check avsforum.com for reviews of that model. Do note they really get into their TVs like we get into power tools here.

A lot of the problems/issues they note the average TV viewer would never notice.

[Glenn Vaughn]

I have a 48" LCD (loaned to step-daughter and son-in-law) and a 65" DLP. For 2 years my wife would not watch the DLP - she liked her LCD. I finally conviced her to bring the DLP up from the basement and put the LCD in the basement. The picture quality on both is great. The DLP has a wider angle of view than the LCD.

All three (LCD, PLASMA and DLP) have advantages and disadvantages. The best thing to do is check them out in the same environment. Walk around and see ow much the picture fades when viewed other than from the center.

Repairs are pricy - so far I have not neded any repairs at all. HD is great. The 65" is like being in a theater - I would have to go back to a standard or a small TV again.

[Brian Vaughn]

I would actually stay away from a DLP. Yes, they are cheaper up front, but the lamps do burn out, and typically cost 200-300 each to replace (Has to be done every 2-3 years, on average) That being said, if I were buying again, I'd go with an LCD, high refresh rate, and good darks (Right now, I have trouble seeing dark scenes on several movies or games). Oh, I should probably mention that my current TV is a 56" Mitsubishi DLP, not a bad TV, but I'd still go with LCD if I had it to do over again.

[Brian Elfert]

I have a Pioneer plasma TV. One of the last models made before they left the TV business. I was told that a plasma in the living room would not work, but no issues with glare so far even during the day or with lights on.

Plasmas usually have the best blacks, but Panasonic is having an issue right now with blacks becoming less black as time passes. The issues with blacks on Panasonics were the reason I paid the big money ($2000 with free Blu-ray player) for the Pioneer. So far I made the right decision.

Plasmas don't have motion blur or viewing angles like LCDs.

[Joe Leigh]

Plasma has the best picture IMHO. Can't beat it for live sporting events. Look at a plasma and equal quality LCD side by side. No contest. They do throw off quite a bit of heat though and tend to warm a room quickly. Samsung's get great reviews.

[Pat Germain]

- LG makes a good TV. But be aware that dealers push them because they have a high markup and not because they're better than any other TV.

- Buy as big as will fit inside your home. When you talk to people who buy a flat screen TV, the biggest regret is usually not going bigger. Pay no attention to people who say, "Oh, that's just too big for your room". Unless the TV is so large you simply can't see the whole picture at once (pretty unlikely), don't worry about it.

- Don't get caught up in the hype of numbers like contrast ratio, etc. I would recommend finding a TV within your budget that a has a picture you really like. If you like the way a Vizio looks and you like the price, go for it. As long it's large enough, you will be happy with it.

- You'd probably have a hard time finding a DLP TV even if you wanted one. Last I heard, manufacturers were going to stop making them simply because they were not profitable.

- As for LCD vs. Plasma, again, go with what you like. I personally like the Plasma picture. I have a 50" Panasonic plasma which has been outstanding for the past four years. But the newer LCD TVs also have amazing pictures. Basically, a plasma has a slight edge for showing fast action scenes and darks. An LCD has a slight advantage in rooms with a lot of natural light.

- Don't get caught up in the hype of "LED LCD". All it means is the LCD screen is lighted by LEDs. This is nice, but it's the not the amazing revolution some dealers claim it is.

- No matter which TV you buy, get your cables and hardware online or at a discount club like Costco (also a very good place to buy a TV). Dealers such as BestBuy have a crazy markup on cables and accessories. And you don't need super high end cables such as from Monster. A digital signal is a digital signal. Any decent cable will do just fine.

- I'm a Costco member. Every time I visit, which is often, they have a larger selection of TVs. Costco prices are also very good and their return policy is outstanding.

- Buying a decent surge protector is a good idea. But again, shop around at discount clubs and online. BestBuy has a crazy markup on those as well.

- Many retailers will push their expensive, "professional" tuning services. Unless you know for a fact the people doing it are certified, experienced professionals, I wouldn't bother. I've heard multiple stories of clueless kids showing up, cranking the color, brightness and contrast way up and expecting customers to be impressed. (Doing quite the opposite typically results in the best picture.)

[Craig D Peltier]

I just went through the processs.Im not and expert at all.

I stayed away from plasma cause I wanted a brighter but still color correct screen and I like to view the Tv in the sun and lites on mode alot.

I went with LED for two reasons, there thinner than LCD that are not LED lit I believe. Also the LEDs you gain what the plasmas are praised for good blacks.I got local array dimming so its not just the edges.

I ended up with an LG LE8500 , bought it online, free ship and other savings.
The delivery driver says the LGs are very heavy compared to others. I think this one weights 88lbs with stand.

[Paul Ryan]

Plasma vs LCD is your own preference. But be careful what they push in the stores. Plasmas will usually look duller in the store because they are not calibrated properly and stores are very bright. Plasmas like the room a little darker. I have 2 42" televisions, a Samsung Plasma and a Samsung LCD the plasma is 720p and the LCD is a 1080p. Our whole family prefers the plasma over the LCD. The HD is amazing on a plasma. Don't let the salesman convince you that 1080p is the only way to go either. You if you go over 50" I would get only buy a 1080p but under that you will get a equally good picture on a 720p television for considerably less money. I watched the same move Robin Hood (latest version) blue ray on both TV's and still liked the plasma better. In very bright rooms you might like LCD better. But if your room is normal and dark at times, personally I think plasma is the way to go. Plasma runs hotter and consumes more electricity though. good luck