Best LCD/LED for under R10K?

After putting it off for a very long time I've finally decided to take the plunge and get myself a LCD/LED TV for the lounge.

A 40" will probably be sufficient however at this point I'm tending towards a 46" as I'm afraid that I might wake up in a years time and think "damn I should've bought the bigger one" but then again I also don't want to break the bank.

I'm currently looking at the following options:

Sammy 40" Series 5 LED LCD (On special at Makro for R7499)

Sammy 46" Series 5 LED LCD for R10,500 at Makro (This is my first option but I really don't want to spend over R10K on a TV).

Sammy 46" Series 5 standard LCD (on special at Makro for R7999)

I also like the Bravia's however I keep hearing that Sony get their panels from Samsung anyway so they're basically the same thing.

I was also looking at the 46" HiSense LED at HiFi Corp the other day and it also looks like a decent display but I've been told that Samsung/Sony/LG are more expensive because more technology goes into the product and they have better filters etc. than the cheaper brands.

As most people I'm obviously tending towards the LED as it's newer technology and because it's supposed to have a better contrast ratio, better viewing angle and longer lifespan than a standard LCD.

My predicament however is that I've read on some sites that the Series 5 LED's are rather weak as they're only 50Hz or 60Hz (or something like that) and that I'd be better off going for a series 6 LED. I've also read that the technology in Series 6 has improved so much that the standard Series 6 LCD's kill the Series 5 LED's in terms of performance and picture quality (not sure how true it is though).

Any pointers would be appreciated.

Any reason why you aren't considering plasma? What are you going to watch on this TV mostly?

You can get the new Samsung 51D450 or 51D490 for way under R10k, that gets you 51" instead, it is not full-HD but don't let that deter you.
http://www.catsdigital.co.za/plasma-television/samsung-1-2/new-d400-series-4-plasma-tv-t-b-a-.html

You can also get the Samsung 51D550 which is Full-HD for about R11k.
http://www.catsdigital.co.za/samsung-ps-51d550-51-full-hd-3d-plasma-tv.html - Ignore the price in this link, it is a mistake.

The Digital Experience and Tafelberg furnishers seem to have some good prices on these.

HiToKiRi said:

Sammy 40" Series 5 LED LCD (On special at Makro for R7499)

Sammy 46" Series 5 LED LCD for R10,500 at Makro (This is my first option but I really don't want to spend over R10K on a TV).

Sammy 46" Series 5 standard LCD (on special at Makro for R7999)

Click to expand...

These will all be excellent if you don't need the TV for SD TV (normal TV/DSTV channels) or sport (entry level LCDs as above do not handle motion well).

46" Series 5 LCD without a doubt. Don't let the marketing/salesmen fool you into how much better LED LCD is. Chances are the sets in store are cranked up to torch mode so that they appear brighter and more contrasty. Okay, LED's do have a slight edge in contrast (brightness) than LCDs, but I cannot imagine you would ever need to go so bright in a TV room/lounge with (I assume) curtains/blinds and duller ambient lighting.

Series 6, under R10,000, will only get you 40". Excellent TVs though.

OMG gifs said it!

Why not plasma? It's best for normal TV and sport and everything else. Do you have a Blu-ray player, or will you be using the screen to do a lot of work on the PC?

If you're dead set on LED/LCD.. then like PP says the 46" Series 5 will be your best bet...

But do consider Plasma (I can't believe i'm saying that)... although if you're dead set on it being a FHD set.. you won't find a decent plasma below R10k for that iirc.

B.O.F.H. said:

If you're dead set on LED/LCD.. then like PP says the 46" Series 5 will be your best bet...

But do consider Plasma (I can't believe i'm saying that)... although if you're dead set on it being a FHD set.. you won't find a decent plasma below R10k for that iirc.

Click to expand...

PS50C550 50" FHD plasma is probably R9,000 or lower now. But I think it would be worth it for the PS50D550 at R10,500 - being newer, and having 3D and all.

Excludes 3D [-]goggles[/-] glasses.

Thanks for the input guys.

Well I will be watching SD content on DSTV until I decide to get DSTV HD. Other than that I'll be using it for Blu-Ray but mostly with the media centre PC I'm building so most of the content will be viewed from the media centre PC.

I thought that most Plasma's are only "HD ready" and therefore can't do full 1080p or am I mistaken? I'm a bit wary of plasma's due to their apparent shorter life span and their tendency to burn in but once again maybe with the newer plasma's they've corrected that?
A friend of mine had a Sammy plasma that burnt in after 8 months or something.

So PostmanPo you reckon the 46" Series 5 LCD is a good buy? I'm just a bit concerned about the whole "50Hz motion plus" thing. Wouldn't a display with 60Hz or higher be better?

HiToKiRi said:

Thanks for the input guys.

Well I will be watching SD content on DSTV until I decide to get DSTV HD. Other than that I'll be using it for Blu-Ray but mostly with the media centre PC I'm building so most of the content will be viewed from the media centre PC.

Click to expand...

SD DSTV = plasma
SD content from PC (.avi's etc.) = plasma

Blu-ray = you need 1080p, remember for the "full effect" you need to sit within 2m @ 50". Question is, how much Blu-ray will you be watching? If only like 5%, personally I wouldn't worry about FHD knowing I could get a 720p 50" plasma for R6,500! But if you want FHD, and want to be somewhat future proof etc, why not look into the new Sammy PS51D550. Several forumites now have them, we're jsut waiting for some detailed reviews. So far they are loving them though. It will beat LCD in the same size/price bracket at SD content, and could be better for HD/FHD stuff. Plasma generally has better colours and deeper blacks when compared to similarly price/sized LCDs.

I thought that most Plasma's are only "HD ready" and therefore can't do full 1080p or am I mistaken? I'm a bit wary of plasma's due to their apparent shorter life span and their tendency to burn in but once again maybe with the newer plasma's they corrected that?
A friend of mine had a Sammy plasma that burnt in after 8 months or something.

Click to expand...

Most are HD Ready/720p, but that should only throw off the most pedantic resolution phreaks. I agree that for mostly Blu-ray viewing, 1080p is probably better. But what many don't realise is that for the full FHD effect, you need to sit uncomfortably close (40" = 1.5m, 50" = 2m). Further than these viewing distances, you start losing the full FHD effect. This means that for the most part, HD Ready plasmas are perfect!

Samsung plasmas are rated at 200,000 hours before half life.

There have been no reported cases of burn-in on these forums in the past 8 -10 months. There was only 1 case where a forumite's Samsung plasma was used by his kids to watch Cbeebies often (abuse ). Since the logo is retardedly contrasty (I think it's yellow - I wouldn't risk putting my plasma on that channel for a second! - I think they have since toned down the image), it burnt into the screen. Samsung swapped it out.

Burn-in aside, there is another factor called image retention. Possibly 20% of all owners in my experience report on it. This is where after watching something with static images for, say 2 hours +, while running the plasma at higher than normal light cell/brightness/contrast levels, there is a temporary residual image left on the screen for a few seconds. This goes away once changing channel/source, and really should not bother you. You might not even get IR, I don't, nor do most of us.

All in all, plasmas have improved ten fold over the years.

So PostmanPo you reckon the 46" Series 5 LCD is a good buy? I'm just a bit concerned about the whole "50Hz motion plus" thing. Wouldn't a display with 60Hz or higher be better?

Click to expand...

Only if you must have LCD. Yes the 50Hz is a concern for sport, and also entry level LCDs (like Series 5 and below) are worse at displaying SD, SD TV especially. For sport on LCD you need a minimum of 100Hz, which = $. 46" 100+Hz will set you back over R12,000. And even then, I still think the PS51D550 plasma will be a better option. R1,500+ cheaper, and more suited for what you're using the TV for.

if youre getting LCD/LED then make sure its at least 100Hz or plus! then its worth it. also look at features, like the bravia's have functionality like picture in picture which is totally cool and their guis are awesome and highly customisable

Wow .... no real answers :/

poorestguy said:

if youre getting LCD/LED then make sure its at least 100Hz or plus! then its worth it. also look at features, like the bravia's have functionality like picture in picture which is totally cool and their guis are awesome and highly customisable

Click to expand...

Dude, have you heard about the Samsung LAxxC530? It puts the concept of 100Hz LCDs (like Series 6) to shame. Who needs 100Hz when there is no motion lag in athletics viewing?!

Dolby said:

Wow .... no real answers :/

Click to expand...

Did you read past the OP?

PostmanPot said:

Did you read past the OP?

Click to expand...

I scrolled and read plasma, plasma, plasma and more plasma

If I was the OP, I'd be a little more keen from someone that had a 42" plasma - and purchased both a 46" Series 6 and a 47" LG LED. I think it's more in line with what he wants

EDIT : and my input .... shouldn't worry about lifespan with either technology. Even the first ones many, many years and it's likely you'd have upgraded by then. Currently the lifespan is not an issue.

Agree with the 50 and 100hz thing. I haven't seen the specs of what you looking at - but they're 50hz I wouldn't really consider it. The answer is plasma for sure. A Series 6 is amazing ... but if it's out the bracket, then the plasma may be suited to you.

LG 42' LED at Makro for R6 999 with a 3 year gaurantee.

Plasmas are decent but they have glossy screens. I don't like to see any reflections at all on my screens. Very distracting. Do they make matt plasmas now?

BOYAH said:

LG 42' LED at Makro for R6 999 with a 3 year gaurantee.

Click to expand...

Nice looking set however the 50Hz thing is putting me off.

Dolby said:

I scrolled and read plasma, plasma, plasma and more plasma

If I was the OP, I'd be a little more keen from someone that had a 42" plasma - and purchased both a 46" Series 6 and a 47" LG LED. I think it's more in line with what he wants

EDIT : and my input .... shouldn't worry about lifespan with either technology. Even the first ones many, many years and it's likely you'd have upgraded by then. Currently the lifespan is not an issue.

Agree with the 50 and 100hz thing. I haven't seen the specs of what you looking at - but they're 50hz I wouldn't really consider it. The answer is plasma for sure. A Series 6 is amazing ... but if it's out the bracket, then the plasma may be suited to you.

Click to expand...

Yep, a Series 6 would be great. But as you said towards the end of your post, they are out of budget. Unless he goes for 40" 6 Series, but we both know that the difference in size between it and 46/50" is huge. Even 42" is noticeably bigger.

I just want to point out that here we have a resident expert, very experienced after having owned personally many sets (albeit 5 year old plasma that suffered old plasma tech shortcomings ) recommending plasma instead of 50Hz LCD.

Roman and Tim, eat your hearts out.

SaiyanZ said:

Plasmas are decent but they have glossy screens. I don't like to see any reflections at all on my screens. Very distracting. Do they make matt plasmas now?

Click to expand...

Not as far as I know. Plasmas are either glass or perspex-type stuff due to the tech. However, the more you pay, the better the anti reflection coating is.

PostmanPot said:

(albeit 5 year old plasma that suffered old plasma tech shortcomings )

Click to expand...

.... under 4 years!

I'm in the exact same boat as the Op, HiToKiRi.

I would like a 40" (rather 46") TV for R10 or under.

I was at Makro today and they have a Series 6 LCDs on special that is not mentioned in the papers.
They are the LA46C650 and LA40C630. They tell me the "C" means it's a 2010 (older) and that they dont have "D"s (2011). They not sure if Samsung will make 6's in LCD anymore.
So anyway the 40" was going for R6999 and the 46" was going for R9999.
They both LCD (not LED backlit), they both 100Hz and they both handle motion quite well.

I took memory sticks and it played 4:3 VHS rips ok, 350MB TV shows better than I expected, and 1.1GB mkv TV shows quite well.
I compated it to the NEW LA46D550 for R8999 (not special) and found the video playback to be quite similar.
But I guess further testing on high motion vids would show this series 5 LCD's 50Hz weekness.
I also asked and about the price and the salesman said if they do put it on special in a few weeks it would go for about R7999.

Whats putting my off the 50Hz is when I plug my PC to it, games are going to look kuk vs the 100Hz Series 6 (even if they are 1 year older, C vs D).

All TV's are 1 year Samsung warrenties but for R650 more they will add 3 year Makro warrenty that runs after the Samsung 1 year.

Later today I saw a 50" Samsung series 5 Plasma at Dion Wired for R9999.
Full HD 600Hz (wtf?) PS-50C550. But the coloures looked dull and I was wondering if that wasnt done on purpose by Dion.
They were pushing me towards a LG 42LE8500 42" LED 200Hz with 3 year warrenty.
I can't understand why they are so Pro LED and so anti Plasma?
I'm sure that LED was maxed out and the Plasma dim'd down.

Right now I'm leaning towards the LA46C650, but am wondering if the PS-50C550 will be a good option.

Comments.