Hi Def TV Question

[Ron61]

Ok, for those of you who have the Plasma and LCD sets. Have you had any problems with Burn In? Since everything I have is soon going to be obsolete, I was looking through my PC World magazine today at their reports on the TVs. According to their reports Plasmas have a rather bad burn in problem especially with stations that keep their darn logo on all the time. They say the Led sets aren't as bad but will do it. Now another question. They say that DLP sets don't suffer from Image Retention Problems. Why not? Dam it I am going to have to replace everything I have. Satellite receiver, VCR with the Blu Ray type and TV with some kind of Hi Def type. I am looking at getting around a 37 to 40" screen if they make them. I have looked at them in the stores and read all the hype, now I would like to hear from some people who actually have them and know what they are talking about.

Edit: Also is Blu Ray downward compatible to the older DVDs. I know that the old DVD players can't read the Blu Ray disks as the compression is completely different, but can the Blu Ray read thye old DVDs and play them? So far all the stores and people I have talked to have split about half and half.

Ron

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Ron61

Ok, for those of you who have the Plasma and LCD sets. Have you had any problems with Burn In?
Ron

I have Verizon optical fiber running to the house and their DVR high-def setup. If you try and set the machine to have the same picture for more than 5 minutes or so it automatically turns that off, so you can't burn in (I have a Sharp Aquos). The kids' XBOX 360 does the same thing -- if my youngest pauses Call Of Duty and then walks and way and forgets it (which happens on a daily basis) the XBOX is smart enough to dim the entire picture to prevent any type of burn in. Unless you're playing a retro game of Pong, I don't think you're going to have any problems.

[Ron61]

Patrickt,

Thanks for that information. Unfortunately I won't be alive by the time they run fiber optics to houses up here. I am on a satellite set up and I know that I have to have the dish and receiver changed just to receive Hi DEF signals. Then I will keep my Sony VCR as it is almost new and I can play the regular DVDs on it. I need to see if there is a way to run a Blu Ray through it. Then after all of that I have to have a Hi DEF TV set. So as you can see I am looking at quite an outlay of money and I don't want to depend on these clerks here who read the same cards they have stuck in front of the sets that anyone can read. And so far none of the people around here that I know have gotten a Plasma or LED TV set so I can't go look at theirs and see how they are standing up. I know the guy who is the local Verizon head manager so I may go have a talk with him.

Ron

[Mastiff107]

I have one of the Panasonic Viera 50" plasma tvs. It was one, if not the highest rated plasma. I liked the picture a lot better, side by side with LCDs. One thing I really noticed is that when there is rapid movement on the screen the LCDs aren't as fast at catching up with it and everything leaves a slight shadowy trail. Burn-in is supposed to be more of a problem but I havn't had any problem yet....I probably will now. The Discovery Chanel has some info: Plasma TV vs LCD TV - Topic Powered by eve community

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Ron61

Patrickt,

Thanks for that information. Unfortunately I won't be alive by the time they run fiber optics to houses up here.

Having fiber is pretty cool -- it runs the land line phones, the internet, and the hi-def TVs. Everything is "on-demand" so you don't have to go to the video store as much, you can digitally record in one room, watch it for a while, then finish it in another room, etc. It's all "smart" so that if you tell it to record "American Muscle Car" it knows to scan all the channels, set up the recording, and then if the schedule changes, adjust on the fly. And unlike cable, I can't recall it being down a single day since it was installed (the electricity being off doesn't count). Sharp Aquos is pretyy nice, especially for sports stuff. It's almost like you're there. Here's a short blurb on burn-in on plasmas: Plasma TV Burn In: Is It Still a Problem? at Plasma TV Buying Guide

[fsstnotch]

I too am about to buy a couple new tv's. I need somehting flat panel for the game room and either flat or projection for the family room. I wanted the 60" sony bravia projection for the family room, great reviews from everyone on that tv, even for a projection! There are soooo many choices and so many reviews for each. I'd like to get feedback from people who've had their tv's for a few months. So many put their review up right after they get it and that really doesn't say much.

[trularin]

You all have too much money in your pockets.

You need to have a child or two in college to help you with that.

[patrickt]

AQUOS LCD TV at sharpUSA.com
The 65" is quite a bit more than the 52". I'm not sure if the price differential is worth it but the clarity at 1080 is absolutely outstanding.

[427 S/O]

I have a Panasonic HD 50'' plasma with direct TV and couldn't be more pleased, as for burn in?, I don't have a constant anything on my TV. When you get one and you have the opportunity to watch 'planet earth', you will be mesmerized. I couldn't leave the sofa.

[bomelia]

Ron, read ALL that you would ever want to know at avsforum.com

[Joe Wicked]

Ron, Mike is right on the AVSforum. But to give you a quick bit of info, the newer plasmas and LCDs are better than they used to be about burn in. The DLP is basicly a rear projection tv (albeit a much better one that you can actually see in the daylight). There is a big difference on the DLP from standard rear projection.

[427 S/O]

Ron, my purchases are based on consumer reports....reports. Panasonic was rated best, first and second, in the 50'' plasma category.

[Ron61]

Guys,

Thanks for all the feedback. I am going to have to spend so much to replace my whole darn satellite system that I don't want to get something that isn't going to last at least a reasonable time and the fact that some channel leave their logo on down in the corner all the time had me wondering about the burn in thing.

Ron

[clayfoushee]

Originally Posted by Ron61

Guys,

Thanks for all the feedback. I am going to have to spend so much to replace my whole darn satellite system that I don't want to get something that isn't going to last at least a reasonable time and the fact that some channel leave their logo on down in the corner all the time had me wondering about the burn in thing.

Ron

Call Direct TV and tell them you are going to cancel so you can upgrade to HD, and they will give it to you for nothing.

Forget about the ratings, forget about the advice regarding which brand is best. Disregard the plasma vs. LCD arguments. Buy the one that looks best to your eye and fits your budget, which is all that matters. There are tremendous individual differences in perception and picture preference. About the only mistake you can really make is buying a screen too big for the room you are placing it in. Anything looks great in HD compared to what you have.

[Ron61]

Clay,

Thanks for the information. I didn't want a 50" screen as I use my TV in the bedroom and my house isn't a large one. Anything larger than 40" would be over kill. The one that I have now is 37" and it is more than big enough, but it is the old CRT type.
I lease my receiver from dish network and they have a new one out now for Hi Def That I was looking at. I may give them a call and ask if I just had them do the whole upgrade what it wold cost as I believe they told me they would also install a new TV, which of course I have to pay for, but I could keep the lease and maintenance contract on the rest. I have just heard and read so much about LED vs Plasma that I don't know what to believe as none of my neighbors have them so I can't go look at theirs and ask them how they like them and what they don't like.

Ron

[RodgerH]

Originally Posted by Ron61

Guys,

Thanks for all the feedback. I am going to have to spend so much to replace my whole darn satellite system that I don't want to get something that isn't going to last at least a reasonable time and the fact that some channel leave their logo on down in the corner all the time had me wondering about the burn in thing.

Ron

We have HD digital cable and recently purchased a 58" Panasonic 1080p HD plasma for the rec room. It is absolutely amazing. We think the images and colors are noticeably brighter and sharper compared to the LCDs.

I spent some time researching the image burn in issue and learned that several years ago the higher end plasma manufacturers went to a technology where the image actually moves around slightly, only a few pixels. You don't even notice it (I can't even see it) but it greatly minimizes - or even eliminates - the burn in of stationary images like logos. You can read about it on many of the AV forums.

Rodger

[Ron61]

Roger,

Thanks for the feedback. That is much larger than I could use in my small room but the same principals should apply to a smaller screen. It sounds as if the Plasmas have made some big improvements in the past few months.

Ron

[427 S/O]

Ron, This is where I got mine, great deals from time to time. Check their customer comments.

Plasma TV, LCD TV and DLP TVs from DTV City - HDTV for any Budget

[clayfoushee]

Originally Posted by RodgerH

We have HD digital cable and recently purchased a 58" Panasonic 1080p HD plasma for the rec room. It is absolutely amazing. We think the images and colors are noticeably brighter and sharper compared to the LCDs.

I spent some time researching the image burn in issue and learned that several years ago the higher end plasma manufacturers went to a technology where the image actually moves around slightly, only a few pixels. You don't even notice it (I can't even see it) but it greatly minimizes - or even eliminates - the burn in of stationary images like logos. You can read about it on many of the AV forums.

Rodger

I disagree that plasma is brighter and sharper. Actually, my eyes tell me the opposite. In a side-by-side comparison, at a high-end store viewing both fed by the same source, I think plasma is a bit fuzzier and duller.................see what I mean? Some people think plasma is more realistic because LCD is so sharp and bright, but it's TOTALLY subjective.

There is no consensus, prices are pretty close to the same now, and LCDs are now outselling plasma. That in and of itself speaks volumes.

However, and again, it's best to buy what looks best to you. Don't you have stores like Best Buy or Circuit City, Ron? Tell Dish Network you're switching to Direct TV. You'll then get it free from either.

[patrickt]

An LCD with a big block FE in it is unquestionably superior to a Plasma with a small block in it...

and besides, the LCD image is REAL, the Plasma image is but a replica of the true image....