LCD and Plasma Bargains

[BeLgaRiOn]

Hi

Sounds like LCD would suit you well. You should still check out plasma though as many prefer it for movies to LCD (I'm talking entry plasma vs entry LCD).

The LA40C430 is a 60Hz TV, but since you're not into sport, you should be just fine without it. I'm not sure how much of a difference gaming is on 100Hz, but I've gamed plenty on 60Hz LCD and have been more than happy, never noticing any motion blur. Entry plasmas are 600Hz which is why they suit people who watch sport.

Go to a store and check out the LA40C430 (±R7,000) vs the PS42C430/C450 (±R6,000) to get a good idea of which you would prefer. I'd say LCD.

The LA-40C530 looks very tempting. Is it end of range? I'll look into the LA40C430 too. Thanks!

 

[PostmanPot]

The LA-40C530 looks very tempting. Is it end of range? I'll look into the LA40C430 too. Thanks!

Nope it's still very current. Sorry, I messed up with the product codes - it's the LA40C530 as you pointed out. Then the PS42C430 is the plasma.

 

[BeLgaRiOn]

Awesome! Thank you. Not sure about JustCats though. I've found the LA40C530 at Cat's for R6,499. Quite a decent price!

 

[PostmanPot]

Awesome! Thank you. Not sure about JustCats though. I've found the LA40C530 at Cat's for R6,499. Quite a decent price!

My pleasure. That is a good price!

When you test, it would also be good to take along some of your own media that you will be playing, especially SD movie/series rips if you intend watching those.

One more thing, the PS42C450 is the upgraded version of the PS42C430, so try and check that one out, will be better when comparing price for price.

 

[CraZee]

That's a great 32" LCD TV, but from what I know they are end of life? Is JustCat Cats' online shop? Never heard of it. Many of these online shops have outdated products/pricing. I tried looking for a 32" Series 6 before I got my plasma, but even the Samsung distributors could not get them. This was 6 months ago.

Don't forget to check out 40" LCD/42" plasma - the size might be enough to win you over. Perhaps you're overlooking the 60/100Hz thing.

I recently bought the LA32C630. A fantastic buy, I have no regrets. One of the only LCD's I could find in that price range with an ethernet port. I stream movies over my network to my Tv using DLNA.
Definately worth it.

 

[PostmanPot]

I recently bought the LA32C630. A fantastic buy, I have no regrets. One of the only LCD's I could find in that price range with an ethernet port. I stream movies over my network to my Tv using DLNA.
Definately worth it.

Very nice, where did you get it from?

I tried everywhere in Cape Town.

 

[CraZee]

Very nice, where did you get it from?

I tried everywhere in Cape Town.

Saw it online through justcat.co.za but bought it from nashuaelectronics.com
Series 6 TV, truMotion 100Hz, 4 hdmi, ethernet, 2usb and plays all my movies directly from harddrive (Except .mkv)

 

[PostmanPot]

Saw it online through justcat.co.za but bought it from nashuaelectronics.com
Series 6 TV, truMotion 100Hz, 4 hdmi, ethernet, 2usb and plays all my movies directly from harddrive (Except .mkv)

It is capable of playing .mkv though, right? Or not? Because people said the LA40C430 can play .mkvs. Unless they were wrong? I also have the USB media player on my PS42C450, haven't tested though, got a Mede8er.

 

[Spectrum1]

Moderator, please can this ego trip

 

[PostmanPot]

 

[Zenbaas]

Moderator, please can this ego trip

Thanks for your valued input. Now unless you have anything else of value to add please confine your personal posts to PM.

 

[Dolby]

LCD and LED always have brighter whites

Since contrast is deepest black and whitest white ... LCDs will often have a greater contrast ratio than plasma

Plasmas lose out on no colour accuracy by having less bright "lighting" than LCDs/LEDs

Constrast is the difference between the deepestblacks and the brightestwhites - it's got nothing to do with colour

Firstly, show me how dimmer whites would affect colour accuracy (whites are totally different to blacks). Secondly, show me where plasmas always have dimmer whites.

Why do you keep going on about colour accuracy?

http://www.displaymate.com/lcd_test.html

Display contrast is the ratio between the peak white intensity and the black-level intensity

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contrast_ratio

The contrast ratio is a property of a display system, defined as the ratio of the luminance of the brightest color (white) to that of the darkest color (black) that the system is capable of producing

http://www.practical-home-theater-guide.com/contrast-ratio.html

Contrast is the ratio between the white and black parts in an image. A contrast rating of 300:1 means that the luminance or brightness level of the white areas in the image is 300 times brighter than that of the blacks.

http://www.mediacollege.com/lighting/contrast-ratio/

Contrast Ratio is a measurement of the difference in brightness between the whitest white and the darkest black within an image

http://www.tech-faq.com/contrast-ratio.html

Contrast ratio is defined as the difference between the brightest color (white) and the darkest color (black).

 

[CraZee]

It is capable of playing .mkv though, right? Or not? Because people said the LA40C430 can play .mkvs. Unless they were wrong? I also have the USB media player on my PS42C450, haven't tested though, got a Mede8er.

Just tested it and to my surprise it does play .mkv when connected directly to the usb not through the streaming. Maybe with a better program it can be streamed though Im using windows media player to stream

 

[Dolby]

Oh - I must add ... my mom bought a Canon P&S camera the other day for R999.00.

Now remember Canon make the worlds best camera!

If anyone is interested, they've got them at Dions wired ...

 

[Dolby]

Just tested it and to my surprise it does play .mkv when connected directly to the usb not through the streaming. Maybe with a better program it can be streamed though Im using windows media player to stream

Try TVersity

 

[Zenbaas]

Oh - I must add ... my mom bought a Canon P&S camera the other day for R999.00.

Now remember Canon make the worlds best camera!

If anyone is interested, they've got them at Dions wired ...

Wrong thread, now GTFO

 

[CraZee]

Try TVersity

Thanks Dolby. I have used it but found it to be quite slow. The best program I have found is called Twonky but unfortunately the free version is limited.

 

[Dolby]

Wrong thread, now GTFO

My bad

@crazee ... Tried the latest version?

I've never tried streaming to the TV via it though ; I stream to an application on BB and listen to music via it. I only tried WMP and TVersity - but it was much faster than WMP!

 

[PostmanPot]

I know what contrast ratio is. I just love your babying though! You really are perched on a stallion.

1. Show me how a plasma being less bright (according to you) would affect its ability at displaying a picture vs that of LCD under normal ambient lighting conditions (besides being in a really bright room where plasmas aren't recommended)
2. Show me how having brighter whites (LCDs, supposedly according to you) is as significant as having deeper blacks (plasma, fact)
3. Show me where all LCDs have higher contrast ratios than all plasmas.

http://www.practical-home-theater-guide.com/contrast-ratio.html

Contrast is the ratio between the white and black parts in an image. A contrast rating of 300:1 means that the luminance or brightness level of the white areas in the image is 300 times brighter than that of the blacks.

I love even more how you provided this link. I implore you, or anyone who thinks Dolby's contrast story is of any importance, to read through it fully.

I'll summarise:

So what's the whole discussion here?

Do not get carried away with big contrast numbers. The eye dynamic response is the limiting factor; at any one point in time, you would not be able to perceive a contrast ratio of more than at most 1,000:1 - irrespective of display technology.

Equally important is that the presence of even a minimal amount of ambient light would make a home theatre projector or a direct-view display device with a high contrast ratio rating behaves the same as one with a much lower rating. Direct-view systems are less affected in this respect though their blacks would still suffer under a bright light environment.

Opt for a high contrast projector or display device only as long as you can view the image in a light controlled room. Despite what might seem to be a huge difference in absolute terms between say a 1,000:1 and a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio, you will have to view the image in a completely dark room to perceive the resultant minimal difference in picture performance. Paying extra just to enjoy a higher contrast ratio is just waste of money.

Conclusion: Numbers are there to impress and help the marketing people sell the product. But quoted peak contrast ratings do not really give you any information on the video projector or display device ability to render images with lifelike gray scales and colors. Rather, the only information that contrast ratio can deliver is how much brighter the 'whites' can be than the 'blacks'!

I'm not surprised Dolby refers to them as LED TVs - he must have fell for the marketing gimmick, as he did with dynamic contrast ratio.

 

[PostmanPot]

Just tested it and to my surprise it does play .mkv when connected directly to the usb not through the streaming. Maybe with a better program it can be streamed though Im using windows media player to stream

Another huge reason I recommend Samsung LCDs over Sony.