LED vs Plasma

[jeinnor30]

It'd be really cool if I could borrow/send back a TV, so as to have a test period. I'll see what I can organize.

PostmanPot - I've been gaming for ages and I've read numerous articles stating that below 8ms is where one should aim. Some say 5 and under. There is less risk of lag with a lower response time.

I've seen a Samsung LED with 6ms.

Samsung's taking f**king long to get back to me.

If you would like to take a look at a Samsung Plasma at somebody's house, send me a pm Blizzard and I will gladly accommodate. I have a pdp550 which I bought last year, I am very happy with my purchase. I originally bought myself the 8000 series of Samsung, but after a week sent it back as I was not happy with the edge lighting that I saw at my home. Also after calibrating it, found that the colour tones of various people were wrong!

I wanted something with fast refresh rate so there was no motion blur with fast action movies and sports! The Samsung Plasma does just that and since I have calibrated it with an HD Calibrator, the colours really seem great without being too bright etc.

The only thing I don't like about my plasma is that when I have come home early once or twice and wanted to watch a movie, I have had to hang blankets over my windows to darken it a bit as the reflection truly sucks!

 

[Bl1zz4rd]

jeinnor30 - Thanks a lot. I'll definitely consider it. I've seen quite a few pictures and that mirror-effect does seem pretty bad on plasmas. It's unfortunate, considering all that you're gaining by buying one. Have you noticed any image retention?

 

[Maverick Jester]

You can't get a 40 degree viewing angle sitting 2m from a 46" display.

You certainly won't get it sitting 1m away. And despite THX stating that a 40 degree viewing angle is optimum, even they recommend a viewing distance of at least 1.2m for a 40" TV...

 

[Maverick Jester]

If they state that the response time is GTG, they're not lying. And if all manufacturers list GTG, one can compare.

The implication is that GTG is an inaccurate measure for comparison. I have mentioned it before .

 

[Maverick Jester]

Haha. There is one last thing I want to solidify. That TV has a refresh rate of 100hz. Is that the "Samsung enhanced figure"? Ie. the CMR.

Yes. Samsung are dishonest in their marketing, as Roman4604 pointed out earlier. The panel probably is a 50Hz panel.

 

[Bl1zz4rd]

Maverick Jester - If turning off the AMP gives me a standard 60hz screen, then I can't see any problem buying it. So long as it will handle motion blur the same as my PC LCD. That's why I'm trying to compare the response times. I know you said it's not an accurate measure, but I think we agreed that it's still useful since it's the only one I have.

 

[PostmanPot]

Maverick Jester - If turning off the AMP gives me a standard 60hz screen, then I can't see any problem buying it. So long as it will handle motion blur the same as my PC LCD. That's why I'm trying to compare the response times. I know you said it's not an accurate measure, but I think we agreed that it's still useful since it's the only one I have.

PC is TN LCD. S-PVA/IPS are a fair bit slower. But even your PC LCD would most likely display motion blur if say, watching sports.

Gaming is different, when it's fed a consistent higher frame rate source, say 60Hz/FPS.

 

[Azbubu]

This is still going on? Just buy a TV ffs and if you're not happy with it, take it back and get another.

 

[Bl1zz4rd]

abzo - I don't understand your amazement. I'm learning as this progresses.

I'd rather research 'till I'm sure and then get something that doesn't need returning, than run out and get something and then have to have that hassle. I'm in no rush to get a TV and through thinking through each aspect, I will end up with something I'm truly happy with in the end. I really don't get the whole determination to see a thread open with a question, receive a few answers and then promptly close. What's wrong with a long discussion? As has been proven, more topics are raised and the discussion branches off into various other directions, which it wouldn't have had I said, weeks ago, on a whim, "fine. plasma.", and closed it. No one's forcing you to read the thread.

PostmanPot - I think there's a fair chance that I've seen the motion blur, but haven't been bothered by it. Perhaps once watching something on a plasma and then moving back to this, it will bother me. Hopefully not.

How is gaming different?

 

[Azbubu]

What I mean is there's no point in all the discussions without going out and seeing and playing with the TVs. It's like discussing car specs without having a test drive. You're focusing too much on the theory behind it all.

 

[Bl1zz4rd]

I usually do quite in-depth research into things before buying them. Pays off. I will definitely have a look at the TVs in stores (have done so already on numerous occasions).

 

[Lupus]

In the end you will be happy with what ever TV you end up with anyway, and you will come on here and defend your choice, so go out test TVs because reading isn't going to really give you the real picture

 

[Space_Chief]

What I mean is there's no point in all the discussions without going out and seeing and playing with the TVs. It's like discussing car specs without having a test drive. You're focusing too much on the theory behind it all.

I think both are important. Where you draw the line is a subjective choice though and each person is different.

How much is enough will vary.

And showrooms are also not always good places to inspect the sets, as they're usually in torch mode plus the ambiance may be different. Of course if you know what to look for e.g. viewing angle or ghosting, showroom may be beneficial regardless.

 

[Space_Chief]

In the end you will be happy with what ever TV you end up with anyway, and you will come on here and defend your choice, so go out test TVs because reading isn't going to really give you the real picture

Or he may have regrets that the set he bought has slightly worse parameters than a leading alternative.

 

[ichigo]

I usually do quite in-depth research into things before buying them. Pays off. I will definitely have a look at the TVs in stores (have done so already on numerous occasions).

I do that too here when buying anything since when I didn't I ended up with bad stuff even though there was only good comments on specs.

 

[Bl1zz4rd]

ichigo - Yeah, that's a sad situation to be in. It's better to get all the info you can and be confident when purchasing.

Space_Chief - I concur. I imagine different people need different amounts of info before feeling OK with buying something.

I've found stores to be irrelevant when judging the things I've looked for in the past on TVs. Their lighting is terrible, as are the positions of the TVs. They also, as mentioned earlier in this thread, have an annoying habit of playing bad quality media. What kinds of things should I look for in-store on the LED, LCDs and plasmas? (Stuff that I actually can determine in those terrible settings). Anything other than viewing angles and ghosting? How do I check properly for the quality of those?

 

[ichigo]

ichigo - Yeah, that's a sad situation to be in. It's better to get all the info you can and be confident when purchasing.

Space_Chief - I concur. I imagine different people need different amounts of info before feeling OK with buying something.

I've found stores to be irrelevant when judging the things I've looked for in the past on TVs. Their lighting is terrible, as are the positions of the TVs. They also, as mentioned earlier in this thread, have an annoying habit of playing bad quality media. What kinds of things should I look for in-store on the LED, LCDs and plasmas? (Stuff that I actually can determine in those terrible settings). Anything other than viewing angles and ghosting? How do I check properly for the quality of those?

When I check quality of TV's or monitors I take in my 3d bluray dvd player and movies to test if its working 100% to my satisfaction after the fail I had with the 3d on the LG monitor from Matrix Warehouse I had to take in my own stuff to test them, since they passed 2d-3d as full 3d when it isn't.

For gaming too I would take my laptop and try games on it with my own hdmi cable.

 

[Bl1zz4rd]

Haha, wow. That's quite a bold move, but I like it. That way you're a lot more sure.

That's really fail about the 3D thing. Did they try and trick you or was it a mistake?

 

[ichigo]

Haha, wow. That's quite a bold move, but I like it. That way you're a lot more sure.

That's really fail about the 3D thing. Did they try and trick you or was it a mistake?

na just an example of what they do in most shops like Kay Makan, Game etc where they pass a movie off as full 3d even though it isnt so you not actually testing the full 3d effects of the TV.

When I bought the 3d monitor I didnt have the 3d dvd player at the time so couldnt test it, but since the online reviews were good I expected the 3d would be like the movies but ended up blurry with lots of ghosting so after that I bought a bluray 3d player and went to every shop selling the same monitor and they all had the same problem with the LG's yet their TV's are 100% with my player/movies so thats why I went for a TV for 3d now than a monitor for gaming .

So after that I test everything before putting down a huge amount of money cause getting a refund is a headache especially with Matrix Warehouse with their own weird Terms and Conditions which go against the CPA act they also claimed the 3d wasnt blurry and was clear (which was a blatant lie since I see the TV 3d perfectly fine and the movie houses movies).

Buying the Samsung LED 32" 3d hopefully at the end of the month

Also dont give in to salesmen talk they will do anything to make a sale by even lying so when testing a TV take a friend with but tell him to wait outside then go randomly ask him to come give their opinion on how the TV looks and see what their reaction is .

 

[Space_Chief]

na just an example of what they do in most shops like Kay Makan, Game etc where they pass a movie off as full 3d even though it isnt so you not actually testing the full 3d effects of the TV..

You should rather test TVs in higher end shops like Audio-Vision or Dion. They have dedicated rooms with dedicated players. The stuff playing on in Makro or Game looks bad quality.