talkmagic.co.uk

I'm just in the process of moving house, and we need a new TV. Does anyone know the difference between an LCD tv and a plasma one? And which is best?
Cheers in advance.

I'm glad you posted this 'cos I'm contemplating buying a new TV too and I ain't got a clue as to what to buy so I'll keep my beady eye on this thread .

This is the question everyone asks and you will usually get a 50/50 split.
You better off looking at the following forum and make your own mind up.

http://www.avforums.com/forums/index.php



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Yeah that's good advice Cessna there'll undoubtedly be a forum dedicated to such things.

I have not had a TV for a long time now, but I have to say I'm very put off by both LCD and plasma. Neither, in my opinion, are anywhere near as good as trusty CRT. Sure, they look good in the showroom, but have you tried watching these things for a few hours?

Have you not thought about getting a projector and screen? It seems to me as though you are simply paying for the size, shape and status with LCD & plasma.

And as for this new digital TV malarky. Don't get me started. Is everyone blind?
I think this is a case of the Emperor's new clothes

Everytime I see Dgital TV I see elements of MPEG3 compression that after a short while give me a headache. It just simply cannot keep up with anything dynamic. Such a wasted opportunity for the BBC methinks.

Will check out those forums. It needs to be a plasma or LCD as it needs to be thinner than the usual tv's due to where it will be placed.

i'd heard that if plasma tv's tubes go round the back, you have to pay for the entire "rack" of tubes to get one single one replaced...and some plasma's if not of a certain quality - when you watch anything fast paced...it blurs considerably...

i've got a 15" lcd cheapo telly - never had any problems with it in two years - i play my dvds/xbox 360 and freeview all through it no problems...mine also has a pc port...and i paid £180 two, well two and a bit years ago now...you can get some crackers these days...

if they still have their site up - channel 5's gadget show would be good to read through - they used to test them properly....

I've had a look around, and it seems that if you want a smaller tv then go for LCD, but for the bigger tv's, which is the type we want, then go for plasma?

From experience:

We got a 42" plasma. The picture was so horribly bad that it went back. We were mis-sold it (I've spoken about WHY here: http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/ftopic21375. ... ght=plasma )

The picture, although nice and contrasty, whites were white, blacks were black, was really really REALLY naff. Without HD input (i.e. a new DVD player AND Sky HD) this would always be the case.

We now have a smaller LCD, which is crisp and clear.

Advice: go for a decent brand, with decent contrast ratio (It's the thing that says '1500:1' or somesuch).

DON'T be fooled by HD or how many HDMI inputs etc unless you have all the kit to support it.

And remember... in the shop, ask them to show you STANDARD DEFINITION demos on the screen, and not their HD showreel. Sky+HD has only got about 4 or 6 HD channels (including SPORTS) and is a real rip-off, and being honest, so are HD DVDs.

Sadly, until HD is a recognised default format, it's a total waste of money, as SD pictures upscaled on most HD kit look awful.

I really wish I'd have listened to my instinct and just bought a big LCD projector and serious home cinema surround system... sod the clarity and quality, it would be HUGE hhehehehehehe

AndyRegs wrote:I've had a look around, and it seems that if you want a smaller tv then go for LCD, but for the bigger tv's, which is the type we want, then go for plasma?

I need to phrase this so it won't end up in the Innuendo Thread lol - Where do you draw the line between big and small. I'm looking at either 28" or 32". When does a TV stop being classed as small - in other words if I was to buy a 28" or 32" would you recommend plasma or LCD

seige wrote:I really wish I'd have listened to my instinct and just bought a big LCD projector and serious home cinema surround system... sod the clarity and quality, it would be HUGE hhehehehehehe

In the Pudding household we went the projector route about 5 years ago. We originally intended to just use it for the occasional movie and watch 'everyday' programs on a conventional telly. We soon found ourselves watching EVERYTHING on the big (8 foot diagonal) screen, even Coronation Street looks like an epic on it! We've upgraded the projector every two years and are now on our third (a Mitsubishi DLP) which has a fabulous sharp and bright image, if you don't mind watching in a dark room (they don't work in light rooms) I think they're unbeatable and not that expensive nowadays either... I wouldn't swap to anything else.

Yorkshire Pudding wrote:

seige wrote:I really wish I'd have listened to my instinct and just bought a big LCD projector and serious home cinema surround system... sod the clarity and quality, it would be HUGE hhehehehehehe

In the Pudding household we went the projector route about 5 years ago. We originally intended to just use it for the occasional movie and watch 'everyday' programs on a conventional telly. We soon found ourselves watching EVERYTHING on the big (8 foot diagonal) screen, even Coronation Street looks like an epic on it! We've upgraded the projector every two years and are now on our third (a Mitsubishi DLP) which has a fabulous sharp and bright image, if you don't mind watching in a dark room (they don't work in light rooms) I think they're unbeatable and not that expensive nowadays either... I wouldn't swap to anything else.

Don't forget that you still require the space to project onto...

If you want a display to watch current digital/hd tv, then an LCD television ( of good brand and function ) will serve you well.
If you want to watch sports, then get a display with 100hz as this will help illiminate blurring when things pan quickly on the screen.
LCD is currently catching up with Plasma technology

If any of you have a John Lewis near you, I highly recommend you go and see for yourself the difference between LCD and Plasma.
Plasma, for me, still has the better picture quality.
I saw a Samsung plasma next to a Toshiba LCD in JL Oxford street.
Same programme being broadcast, ( not demo disc, but regular broadcast )but the colours and the clarity of the Plasma were far superior to the LCD.

I am on the verge of buying a new set and will definately look at the Plasma range. I do not watch regular tv, only movies and the odd video game. I've had a home cinema for years and no longer have my 46" rear projection.

Good luck with your purchase

Best wishes
Gary Scott

LCD screens are far better quality up to a certain size, if you are going bigger than a 37" you should then think about getting a plasma. A good test is to take a fast action dvd (Stephen Segal or similar) and get the sales man to play it on differant TV's during fast movements a LCD will be blury, the better quality the less 'blur' better definition.
Just make sure what you buy is HD ready or in a year or 2 it will be out dated, also a cheap make called LG is actually a market leader, they make the screens for many name brand companies like Pannasonic etc
hope that helps

also a cheap make called LG is actually a market leader, they make the screens for many name brand companies like Pannasonic etc
hope that helps

That is actually one I have come accross today in my searches. Cheers![/list]

AndyRegs wrote:

also a cheap make called LG is actually a market leader, they make the screens for many name brand companies like Pannasonic etc
hope that helps

That is actually one I have come accross today in my searches. Cheers![/list]

I was looking through my local free newspaper (the one that's usually cluttered with ads ) and I saw a few new LG LCD TV's for sale and I wasn't too sure about them - so you're saying even though they're a tad cheaper, they are quite a good brand

LG are a great make. Just because you don't see them under the same spotlight as Sony or JVC (for instance) doesn't mean they don't produce decent stuff.

Almost everything I've ever owned made by LG has great quality, great value and most of all, great innovation.

In the world of things like TV for instance, bear in mind that most components in an LCD TV originate in the same factory. Manufacturers/designers just utilise them differently.