LCD and Plasma Bargains

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poffle said:
you guys rate the Samsung LA40D550 a good tv to get?
Makro has it for R4999 this week

Edit : Rather --- why would you NOT buy this Tv
http://www.samsung.com/my/consumer/.../LA40D550K7RXXM/index.idx?pagetype=prd_detail
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Buy it. I recently bought the LA46D550 which is the same but 46". Its an amazing TV despite what some people say on here about the 50Hz etc. The blacks and colours are amazing and the response time is excellent. I only use the TV for Xbox, Bluray and HTPC (720 and 1080 mkv). I have found that the 100Hz on higher end models makes no difference to Xbox and HTPC (if set up properly as your graphicscard can actually perfrom a lot of magic in producing a good 60Hz output which is equivilent if not better than the 100Hz engine in many TVs). On BluRay its a matter of preferences, I personally have found no issues with 24p movies but I suggest you test it yourself.

I also had a look at the 5 series LED but didn't think it was worth the extra money. In fact, I preferred the colours on the LCD (more natural) while the LED looked more vivid.

I also had a look at the 4 series Plasma but didn't like the reflections. Also its a 720p display which for my purposes isn't good enough.

Let me know if you have any questions regarding the TV, I will try my best to answer them as objectively as possible.
 
Awesome thanks Tim.

I guess if i am not happy i can take it back within 7 days an get something else, so its not really a train smash.
 
poffle said:
Awesome thanks Tim.

I guess if i am not happy i can take it back within 7 days an get something else, so its not really a train smash.
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Let me know what your experiences are. For me personally it was one of the best buys in a long time. I have to admit, the frame of the Samsung LEDs and Plasmas look better but that's not really what you buy a TV for. Its the picture quality that matters. Plus, IMO the frame still looks better than most Sony and LG.

I have tested the TV extensively and have really only one complaint. The TV in unable to handle 5.1 audio throughput from HDMI to SP-DIF. So if you have an audio system you will need to hook that up seperately. Almost no other TVs in this range supports that either and its not a big issue but worth pointing out to some.
 
Tim182 said:
Buy it. I recently bought the LA46D550 which is the same but 46". Its an amazing TV despite what some people say on here about the 50Hz etc. The blacks and colours are amazing and the response time is excellent. I only use the TV for Xbox, Bluray and HTPC (720 and 1080 mkv). I have found that the 100Hz on higher end models makes no difference to Xbox and HTPC (if set up properly as your graphicscard can actually perfrom a lot of magic in producing a good 60Hz output which is equivilent if not better than the 100Hz engine in many TVs). On BluRay its a matter of preferences, I personally have found no issues with 24p movies but I suggest you test it yourself.

I also had a look at the 5 series LED but didn't think it was worth the extra money. In fact, I preferred the colours on the LCD (more natural) while the LED looked more vivid.

I also had a look at the 4 series Plasma but didn't like the reflections. Also its a 720p display which for my purposes isn't good enough.

Let me know if you have any questions regarding the TV, I will try my best to answer them as objectively as possible.
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The CFL backlit LCDs (like the Samsung D550 and Sony CX) have a very non-reflective matte screen :)

The 100Hz is useful for sport. On my 46EX500 you can see the difference when you turn Motion Flow off - the fast movement on the screen is a bit stuttered (judder) and not as smooth - you notice it sometimes on the ball, and players legs when running, but it isn't really a massive deal.
 
Tim182 said:
Buy it. I recently bought the LA46D550 which is the same but 46". Its an amazing TV despite what some people say on here about the 50Hz etc. The blacks and colours are amazing and the response time is excellent. I only use the TV for Xbox, Bluray and HTPC (720 and 1080 mkv). I have found that the 100Hz on higher end models makes no difference to Xbox and HTPC (if set up properly as your graphicscard can actually perfrom a lot of magic in producing a good 60Hz output which is equivilent if not better than the 100Hz engine in many TVs). On BluRay its a matter of preferences, I personally have found no issues with 24p movies but I suggest you test it yourself.

I also had a look at the 5 series LED but didn't think it was worth the extra money. In fact, I preferred the colours on the LCD (more natural) while the LED looked more vivid.

I also had a look at the 4 series Plasma but didn't like the reflections. Also its a 720p display which for my purposes isn't good enough.

Let me know if you have any questions regarding the TV, I will try my best to answer them as objectively as possible.
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How much did you pay for the 46"?
 
Well i went to dion wired to check the TV out and its quite kief. Granted you cant judge a TV by just the shop display, but i really liked it. Dion wired is R2000 more expensive than makro.
 
poffle said:
Well i went to dion wired to check the TV out and its quite kief. Granted you cant judge a TV by just the shop display, but i really liked it. Dion wired is R2000 more expensive than makro.
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Go for it. Its a great TV and I'm sure you won't regret it, especially at that price. Do yourself a favour though and take a flash drive with some HD sports (or similar) to the shop and see if 50/60Hz is an issue for you. I personally found that the LAXXD550 range has decent image processing and had no issues displaying fast motion but some people may feel differently. Of course, it also depends on what you watch.
 
Tim182 said:
Two reasons. Less reflective and full HD. If you don't care about either and mostly watch dstv get the plasma
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Oh okay, what is the problem with the reflectiveness? I guess that might be perspective, the big question I suppose is picture quality?
Things like which one will show deeper blacks, more vibrant colors, which one will have less blur during fast scenes etc.

Also have to ask yourself how far you'll be sitting away from that 40".

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk
 
CoolBug said:
Oh okay, what is the problem with the reflectiveness? I guess that might be perspective, the big question I suppose is picture quality?
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It's not as big a problem as people make out to be. If your room has dimmer ambient lighting and less direct sunlight, it's usually fine. If not, it's not fine.

Things like which one will show deeper blacks, more vibrant colors, which one will have less blur during fast scenes etc.
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Plasma, of course. Well the colours are a bit more natural, I guess LCD appears more vibrant as they are more washed out.

Also have to ask yourself how far you'll be sitting away from that 40".

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk
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True.

Tim often likens entry 42" plasma to DSTV only. Complete poppycock. ;)
 
CoolBug said:
Oh okay, what is the problem with the reflectiveness? I guess that might be perspective, the big question I suppose is picture quality?
Things like which one will show deeper blacks, more vibrant colors, which one will have less blur during fast scenes etc.

Also have to ask yourself how far you'll be sitting away from that 40".

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Its very reflective with lights on and sunlight. Very noticeable on the 51, not as much on the 43. Bothers some people, others don't mind. Picture quality again depends. If you watch a lot of 1080p stuff and are looking to get a next gen console (which may be out next year) then get a 1080p TV. To me it makes a big difference, the moment when you get up to go to the bathroom walk closely by the TV and see the actors hair on their hands and forehead is priceless :D.

If you SOLELY watch DSTV and DVDs then the nothing will beat the PS51D450/490 in value (as long as you can live with the reflections).

But I wouldn't just look at the prices and sizes of the TVs. Ask yourself, what are you going to use it for and which factors are most important to you. For me personally the main points were FHD resolution and size followed by picture quality and contrast. And the LA46D550 fit the bill perfectly. I should say though that I mostly have 720p and 1080p sources, do not have DSTV and use the TV purely with a HTPC and XBox.
 
PostmanPot said:
It's not as big a problem as people make out to be. If your room has dimmer ambient lighting and less direct sunlight, it's usually fine. If not, it's not fine.
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Boils down to personal preference. Convince yourself. PP has a point but two people on this forum exchanged a PNXXD550 within 7 days because the reflections bothered them so much. PSD450 and PSD550 are equally reflective. It bothered me personally but many people don't care.


PostmanPot said:
Plasma, of course. Well the colours are a bit more natural, I guess LCD appears more vibrant as they are more washed out.
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LCD don't look washed out at all. Plasma's colour look the most natural but not necessarily the best. LCD colours are a bit more vibrant and LED colours are really vivid. go to a shop and compare what you like best. A large part can be tweaked in the settings as well. Plasma of course has the benefit of handling fast motion better which is important if you watch a lot of sport. Again, consider what you use the TV for. I liked the colours of the LED best but not so much more that I would have spent a few grand extra. I think a Series 5 LED looks slightly better than a Series 5 LCD but not enough to justify the price difference.

PostmanPot said:
Tim often likens entry 42" plasma to DSTV only. Complete poppycock. ;)
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Yes, because that's the absolute best example. The TV does not support FHD so I won't recommend it to someone who mostly uses FHD sources. Sure, they still look good but you just cannot get the level of detail as on a FHD TV. The further you sit away the less of a difference it will make. FHD sources look best on a FHD TV with 1:1 pixel mapping.


Bottom line, tell us what you'll be using it for and take it from there
 
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I am saving up for the 51D550, I think the 1080p upgrade is worth the 3.6k extra.

It comes with 3D as well but for me that's a consolation prize, not to mention a few other little additions.

Almost the same price as the Cannon D550 I want :D

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk
 
PostmanPot said:
It's not as big a problem as people make out to be. If your room has dimmer ambient lighting and less direct sunlight, it's usually fine. If not, it's not fine.
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Well, that is what I thought... but after owning a 51D550, the reflections were a major problem. And our room isn't that bright. We had to watch will all lights off. I actually stayed at a lodge last weekend, and our room had a Samsung 50C550 - it has an AR coating, and it was MUCH better with regards to reflections!
 
greg_SA said:
Well, that is what I thought... but after owning a 51D550, the reflections were a major problem. And our room isn't that bright. We had to watch will all lights off. I actually stayed at a lodge last weekend, and our room had a Samsung 50C550 - it has an AR coating, and it was MUCH better with regards to reflections!
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It's such a pity we are not given the option of a mat or glossy finish.

http://www.photodon.com/c/samsung-tv-screen-protectors.html
 
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