Home audio & video forum: Question about researching a HDTV

IMHO, Panasonic Plasma TVs give you the most bang for your buck. In every review I have read, they are at or near the top in picture quality and the price is not much more than your "bargain" brands. You will not get a good 42" LCD in your price range, but you can get a great plasma.

If you are going to buy a Plasma, stick with the recognized tried tested and true brands, ie: Panasonic & Pioneer. Both will provide a top notch picture a a very vivid (not to mention accurate) color palate. I would recommend you sterr clear of rear pro or DLP. They offer good bang for the buck in terms of size, but their somewhat bulky size is very limiting for positioning and the like. Also, they require (depending on your viewing habits) a new bulb every couple of years which will mosy certainly add up over time. Viewing angle also tends to suffer on these sets, so if that is a consideration, albeit a minor one, I would still steer clear from them. LCD, Plasma...tough choice...are you watching a lot of sports, movies...are you a gamer? Keep in mind that LCD's histroically have suffered from ghosting...that is the refresh rate isn't quick enuough to keep up with the pace of the action on your T.V...despite the fact that some are now in the 4MS range...that still is borderline accepatble if you are running a 1080p 60FPS signal. Plasma's tend to have a lighting quick response rate...but the resolution is a little less than their LCD counterparts. Lastly, you'll hear a lot of info about resolution...that's all we hear these days...resolution, resolution, resolution! Resolution is important, but by no means the definitive factor in determing overall picture quality! According to the ISF, resolution is # 4 on the list, with contrast ratio and color accuracy leading the way in terms of overall greatest impact on picture quality. That is where Plasma's have a pretty clear advantage. they usally have a much broader color palate as well as producing a uch better black level, which is key for optimal picture quality. LCD's although they appeaer very bright and vibrant, tend to have a lower contrast ratio and don't producr a very 'realistic' black. That said, current gen LCD's have improved in that respect, so that knock against LCD's doesn't hold as much weight as it used too...
Regrdless...all this stuff is very overwhemling, the best thing to do is to look at both in as many stores as you can and then make a decision.
Plasma:
Pioneer or Panasonic
LCD:
Sony, Sharp, Samsung
LCOS:
Sony, HP, Mitsubishi
DLP:
Samsung

P.S: if you are sitting 10ft away from your set, you might consider something a little bigger like a 46" or possibily a 50". HDTV will make you want to sit closer...don't make the mistake of dropping 2 grand only to realize you should have gone bigger. better to have a couple of inches too many than a couple of inches not enough...ya dig?
Good luck with your decision!

RAZOR SHARP, TONS OF COLOR, SUPER BRITE I have seen every type of display before I bought my 72" d.l.p. and I love the picture quality. and all this garbage about wheels lamps, fans its all b.s. I dont even like plasma sets with all those black dots and fake color goood day and yes I lost at poker stew

The reason I went with d.l.p. is I wanted a 70" + t.v. for a affordable price and My Toshiba gives me a picture thats eyepopping I also just installed my new Sony blue Ray player to it using a h.d.m.i. cable and you just cant get a better picture than that I have heard so may horror stories about d.l.p. rear projector t.v.s but after a year of hard use everything works perfectly stew

I picked up a 42" Panasonic at CompUSA yesterday for $1299. The PX60U model that has the SD card slot. Sale ends today. I was starting to lean towards an LCD. My family room doesn't lend itself to a projection type large screen. I also bought a 4 year warranty along with the TV, which I feel is needed with Plasma's and LCD's. I was planning on waiting until after the first of the year also, but the $1299 price, along with a bonus $150 gift card put the actual cost at $1149. That price made me jump in now. Prices should continue to drop. Most of the major stores have this TV on sale for $1499. I imagine it will be in the $1199 range soon after the first of the year. Several online stores have it at close to that now. If you can afford to wait, I would wait. I jumped as this sale put one of the TV's I was looking at possibly picking up next year at my price point.