Plasma or LCD?

RubusRoo · 28-02-2008, 17:17

We've got £800 ish to spend on a new tv.

I want a plasma, she wants a LCD

Could someone here give us your opinion as to which gives the best picture quality

We'll be using our PC with it too to watch HD TV & play games if that makes any difference

Many thanks in advance.

SeaviewHome · 28-02-2008, 17:29

Well I am happy with my Panasonic 37 inch Plasma.

It arrived today, around £650-£670 if you search the codes
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/s...d.php?t=742741

That price with codes includes a pedestal for it to sit on.

If I had gaming needs I would have plumped for an LCD but I purchased a plasma because the size is ideal for my room size, the picture quality is excellent, sharper than LCD for fast moving objects like footballs.

Anyway, I am sure many have prefences for other brands and models but for £652 with pedestal I could find anything better for the money.

Keefy-boy · 28-02-2008, 17:35

i've got one of each and in my opinion both are fantastic perhaps the plasma very slightly wins, but does have the downside of screen burn that you don't get with an lcd

SeaviewHome · 28-02-2008, 17:42

I agree screen burn has been an issue with the larger plasmas and the first generation models but its just about unheard of with the 37 inch model.

You get a 12 months guarantee and screen burn normally occurs inside the first 12 months.

LCD's are a lot cheaper to make and they are churned out 3 times quicker than plasmas. That tells a story in itself.

Jaycee Dove · 28-02-2008, 17:43

We looked very carefully and the Panasonic 37 Plasma was our choice.

The big plus is that it has excellent SD pictures as well as great HD images.

Many LCDs we saw struggled to give the same PQ to SD programmes.

Check this aspect carefully as there may now be very good LCDs. But I guarantee that otherwise you will be sorry as 90% of viewing is still in SD.

Keefy-boy · 28-02-2008, 17:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeaviewHome

You get a 12 months guarantee and screen burn normally occurs inside the first 12 months.

screen burn can occur at any time, there's no technical reason for it to be more likely to occur early in the life of the screen and it's generally specifically excluded from plasma guarantees as it results from what the manufacturers would class as improper use.

RubusRoo · 28-02-2008, 18:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeaviewHome

Well I am happy with my Panasonic 37 inch Plasma.

It arrived today, around £650-£670 if you search the codes
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/s...d.php?t=742741

That price with codes includes a pedestal for it to sit on.

If I had gaming needs I would have plumped for an LCD but I purchased a plasma because the size is ideal for my room size, the picture quality is excellent, sharper than LCD for fast moving objects like footballs.

Anyway, I am sure many have prefences for other brands and models but for £652 with pedestal I could find anything better for the money.

Can I ask why you'd opt for a LCD if you played games on it?

Is there a difference between LCD & Plasma when connecting to a PC (via 8800GTS HDMI output)

Thanks for all your opinions, we were looking at a tasty LG 42" at the mo

Jimmy Riddle · 28-02-2008, 18:08

I'd go down the LCD route with what you want to do with it.

What size are you wanting?

One tip, avoid LG LCD or Plasm.

RubusRoo · 28-02-2008, 18:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimmy Riddle

I'd go down the LCD route with what you want to do with it.

What size are you wanting?

One tip, avoid LG LCD or Plasm.

42 inch with a s-video input as well so I can watch older DivX movies.

Nigel Goodwin · 28-02-2008, 18:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keefy-boy

screen burn can occur at any time, there's no technical reason for it to be more likely to occur early in the life of the screen.

Yes there is, the entire reason it occurs is much more likely in the first few months of use - it's due to the rapid drop in brightness of the phosphurs used, and this slows down after a few months use, and is then gradual until it's no longer bright enough (although no Plasma set is likely to last that long). You get a similar effect with the CCFL tubes in an LCD, but of course they are used evenly at all times so no screen burn, and just like Plasma, the set is likely to be scrapped before they get too dull.

RubusRoo · 28-02-2008, 18:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nigel Goodwin

Yes there is, the entire reason it occurs is much more likely in the first few months of use - it's due to the rapid drop in brightness of the phosphurs used, and this slows down after a few months use, and is then gradual until it's no longer bright enough (although no Plasma set is likely to last that long). You get a similar effect with the CCFL tubes in an LCD, but of course they are used evenly at all times so no screen burn, and just like Plasma, the set is likely to be scrapped before they get too dull.

So, in non-tech speak, is it more likely to happen on a plasma or a LCD screen?

Nigel Goodwin · 28-02-2008, 18:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by thumps36

So, in non-tech speak, is it more likely to happen on a plasma or a LCD screen?

Only on Plasma, you can't get screen burn on an LCD as the phosphurs aren't separately addressed.

Jaycee Dove · 29-02-2008, 17:17

The Panasonics are also very good for no screen burn.

We ran it on the dynamic setting during the first weeks (which I gather is not recommended) and never saw any sign of this burn.

Very occasionally, with, say, score banners in football matches you can get image retention (which is not screen burn as it clears quickly on its own). But you had to go right up to the screen and look hard for it. Without knowing you would never have spotted it at all. And that was only in the early days. After a few weeks I never saw it again.

This being our first non CRT I was told again and again to buy LCD instead of Plasma as the latter was riddled with screen burn but we took the decision because the SD picture was much superior than any LCD we saw.

We might have been lucky but in my experience the threat of screen burn was hugely exaggerated and we never had any problem.

But we use the TV just to watch TV and DVDs and not for gaming. This - involving freeze frames and score screens - is probably a different matter. Plasma might have issues with that.

Keefy-boy · 29-02-2008, 17:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nigel Goodwin

Yes there is, the entire reason it occurs is much more likely in the first few months of use - it's due to the rapid drop in brightness of the phosphurs used, and this slows down after a few months use, and is then gradual until it's no longer bright enough (although no Plasma set is likely to last that long). You get a similar effect with the CCFL tubes in an LCD, but of course they are used evenly at all times so no screen burn, and just like Plasma, the set is likely to be scrapped before they get too dull.

my 50" LG is still prone to temporary screen burn after 2 years so i can speak from personal experience to say that it most definately does occur after 12 months at least on my screen

Jimmy Riddle · 29-02-2008, 18:34

Image persistence can occur on an LCD, but screenburn on plasma is far more common.

Fpr playing games and on the PC I'd say go LCD, Panasonic, Sony, Samsung or Toshiba.

bobcar · 29-02-2008, 19:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keefy-boy

my 50" LG is still prone to temporary screen burn after 2 years so i can speak from personal experience to say that it most definately does occur after 12 months at least on my screen

If it's temporary it's not screen burn but image retention - there is a big difference.

bobcar · 29-02-2008, 19:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaycee Dove

The Panasonics are also very good for no screen burn.

We ran it on the dynamic setting during the first weeks (which I gather is not recommended) and never saw any sign of this burn.

Dynamic is not recommended partly because of screen burn but mostly because it looks atrocious. You must be a real masochist to live with dynamic mode for a few weeks.

MaxCherry · 29-02-2008, 19:34

Have a 37'' Panasonic plasma and love it.

Its about 3/4 years old now I think. Ive noticed screen burn a couple of times (after playing a xbox game for a while you can still see your energy bar at the bottom of the screen when the console is switched off, or I fell asleep with it on one of thoes phone-in quiz shows for a couple of hours and when I woke up, you could still see the clues and the telephone number)

Every time it happens I just put it on mtv or another channel where the picture is constantly changing......after a couple of minutes the burn goes away

My relatives have all got LCD and I have to say I prefer the picture quality of Plasma, the colours look a lot more glossy.

This is only my opinion.

Kojack · 29-02-2008, 22:10

We have had our LG PDP for 18months & apart from the red sparkles which was fixed in a jiffy it has been a great PDP, was painting the living room today & had the screen on a music channel for 5+hrs, after switching around a couple of channels to catch up on the news & sport there is no sign of any logo, so image retention is very low indeed. The Pioneer of 2yrs ago was actually worse for image retention & cost then £500 to £1000 more

.

MaxCherry · 01-03-2008, 15:09

Yeah, mines a PDP also so no speakers

No worries though as I use a home cinema kit

Jaycee Dove · 03-03-2008, 15:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobcar

Dynamic is not recommended partly because of screen burn but mostly because it looks atrocious. You must be a real masochist to live with dynamic mode for a few weeks.

We love the dynamic mode and still watch everything on that setting after TWO YEARS!

We find the other settings rather dull by comparison. Maybe it is because we watch loads of things in HD and dynamic really brings HD to life in my opinion.

Jacko Jay · 03-03-2008, 21:30

Thumps, After many months of researching and comparing large TVs we've just bought a Panasonic 37" HD LCD and it is superb! It has the best picture of all with no smearing effect when watching sport like you get with most other big screens and this is watching Standard Definition
broadcasts. I can't wait to try HD when I get a set-top box. The model is TX37LZD70 and you can buy this for £700 from hughesdirect.co.uk. I have no connection with either of these companies. :]

nigel306 · 03-03-2008, 23:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jacko Jay

Thumps, After many months of researching and comparing large TVs we've just bought a Panasonic 37" HD LCD and it is superb! It has the best picture of all with no smearing effect when watching sport like you get with most other big screens and this is watching Standard Definition
broadcasts. I can't wait to try HD when I get a set-top box. The model is TX37LZD70 and you can buy this for £700 from hughesdirect.co.uk. I have no connection with either of these companies. :]

Think you're £100 out, unless you got a voucher, it's on website @ £800 + delivery with 1 year warranty unfortunately.

You can do a price match with John Lewis and Empire Direct @ £749.99 (+ £25 if you want delivery)
includes 5 year warranty

w3dal · 04-03-2008, 09:19

for the money you cant beat one of these.

http://www.digitaldirect.co.uk/produ...oduct_id=12738

stick with plasma mate and screen burn rarely happens these days - i get so bored of reading the same thing.

If you got the room go for a 42" 37" and lower is just too small.

Enjoy!

Dal

bobcar · 04-03-2008, 09:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by w3dal

for the money you cant beat one of these.

http://www.digitaldirect.co.uk/produ...oduct_id=12738

stick with plasma mate and screen burn rarely happens these days - i get so bored of reading the same thing.

If you got the room go for a 42" 37" and lower is just too small.

Enjoy!

Dal

It completely depends on how far you sit from the screen, I don't know how many times this has to be repeated!

If you sit 7' from a 28" that's bigger than a 42" at 11'.

28-02-2008, 17:17	#1
RubusRoo Inactive Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 9,588	Plasma or LCD? We've got £800 ish to spend on a new tv. I want a plasma, she wants a LCD Could someone here give us your opinion as to which gives the best picture quality We'll be using our PC with it too to watch HD TV & play games if that makes any difference Many thanks in advance.

03-03-2008, 21:30	#22
Jacko Jay Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 1	37" Television Thumps, After many months of researching and comparing large TVs we've just bought a Panasonic 37" HD LCD and it is superb! It has the best picture of all with no smearing effect when watching sport like you get with most other big screens and this is watching Standard Definition broadcasts. I can't wait to try HD when I get a set-top box. The model is TX37LZD70 and you can buy this for £700 from hughesdirect.co.uk. I have no connection with either of these companies. :]

28-02-2008, 17:29	#2
SeaviewHome Banned User Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 1,386	Well I am happy with my Panasonic 37 inch Plasma. It arrived today, around £650-£670 if you search the codes http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/s...d.php?t=742741 That price with codes includes a pedestal for it to sit on. If I had gaming needs I would have plumped for an LCD but I purchased a plasma because the size is ideal for my room size, the picture quality is excellent, sharper than LCD for fast moving objects like footballs. Anyway, I am sure many have prefences for other brands and models but for £652 with pedestal I could find anything better for the money.

28-02-2008, 17:35	#3
Keefy-boy Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Brighton, UK Posts: 9,434	i've got one of each and in my opinion both are fantastic perhaps the plasma very slightly wins, but does have the downside of screen burn that you don't get with an lcd

28-02-2008, 17:42	#4
SeaviewHome Banned User Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 1,386	I agree screen burn has been an issue with the larger plasmas and the first generation models but its just about unheard of with the 37 inch model. You get a 12 months guarantee and screen burn normally occurs inside the first 12 months. LCD's are a lot cheaper to make and they are churned out 3 times quicker than plasmas. That tells a story in itself.

28-02-2008, 17:43	#5
Jaycee Dove Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 16,680	We looked very carefully and the Panasonic 37 Plasma was our choice. The big plus is that it has excellent SD pictures as well as great HD images. Many LCDs we saw struggled to give the same PQ to SD programmes. Check this aspect carefully as there may now be very good LCDs. But I guarantee that otherwise you will be sorry as 90% of viewing is still in SD.

28-02-2008, 17:52	#6
Keefy-boy Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Brighton, UK Posts: 9,434	Quote: Originally Posted by SeaviewHome You get a 12 months guarantee and screen burn normally occurs inside the first 12 months. screen burn can occur at any time, there's no technical reason for it to be more likely to occur early in the life of the screen and it's generally specifically excluded from plasma guarantees as it results from what the manufacturers would class as improper use.

28-02-2008, 18:00	#7
RubusRoo Inactive Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 9,588	Quote: Originally Posted by SeaviewHome Well I am happy with my Panasonic 37 inch Plasma. It arrived today, around £650-£670 if you search the codes http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/s...d.php?t=742741 That price with codes includes a pedestal for it to sit on. If I had gaming needs I would have plumped for an LCD but I purchased a plasma because the size is ideal for my room size, the picture quality is excellent, sharper than LCD for fast moving objects like footballs. Anyway, I am sure many have prefences for other brands and models but for £652 with pedestal I could find anything better for the money. Can I ask why you'd opt for a LCD if you played games on it? Is there a difference between LCD & Plasma when connecting to a PC (via 8800GTS HDMI output) Thanks for all your opinions, we were looking at a tasty LG 42" at the mo

28-02-2008, 18:08	#8
Jimmy Riddle Banned User Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 2,447	I'd go down the LCD route with what you want to do with it. What size are you wanting? One tip, avoid LG LCD or Plasm.

28-02-2008, 18:12	#9
RubusRoo Inactive Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 9,588	Quote: Originally Posted by Jimmy Riddle I'd go down the LCD route with what you want to do with it. What size are you wanting? One tip, avoid LG LCD or Plasm. 42 inch with a s-video input as well so I can watch older DivX movies.

28-02-2008, 18:35	#10
Nigel Goodwin Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: North Derbyshire Posts: 41,789	Quote: Originally Posted by Keefy-boy screen burn can occur at any time, there's no technical reason for it to be more likely to occur early in the life of the screen. Yes there is, the entire reason it occurs is much more likely in the first few months of use - it's due to the rapid drop in brightness of the phosphurs used, and this slows down after a few months use, and is then gradual until it's no longer bright enough (although no Plasma set is likely to last that long). You get a similar effect with the CCFL tubes in an LCD, but of course they are used evenly at all times so no screen burn, and just like Plasma, the set is likely to be scrapped before they get too dull.

28-02-2008, 18:47	#11
RubusRoo Inactive Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 9,588	Quote: Originally Posted by Nigel Goodwin Yes there is, the entire reason it occurs is much more likely in the first few months of use - it's due to the rapid drop in brightness of the phosphurs used, and this slows down after a few months use, and is then gradual until it's no longer bright enough (although no Plasma set is likely to last that long). You get a similar effect with the CCFL tubes in an LCD, but of course they are used evenly at all times so no screen burn, and just like Plasma, the set is likely to be scrapped before they get too dull. So, in non-tech speak, is it more likely to happen on a plasma or a LCD screen?

28-02-2008, 18:50	#12
Nigel Goodwin Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: North Derbyshire Posts: 41,789	Quote: Originally Posted by thumps36 So, in non-tech speak, is it more likely to happen on a plasma or a LCD screen? Only on Plasma, you can't get screen burn on an LCD as the phosphurs aren't separately addressed.

29-02-2008, 17:17	#13
Jaycee Dove Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 16,680	The Panasonics are also very good for no screen burn. We ran it on the dynamic setting during the first weeks (which I gather is not recommended) and never saw any sign of this burn. Very occasionally, with, say, score banners in football matches you can get image retention (which is not screen burn as it clears quickly on its own). But you had to go right up to the screen and look hard for it. Without knowing you would never have spotted it at all. And that was only in the early days. After a few weeks I never saw it again. This being our first non CRT I was told again and again to buy LCD instead of Plasma as the latter was riddled with screen burn but we took the decision because the SD picture was much superior than any LCD we saw. We might have been lucky but in my experience the threat of screen burn was hugely exaggerated and we never had any problem. But we use the TV just to watch TV and DVDs and not for gaming. This - involving freeze frames and score screens - is probably a different matter. Plasma might have issues with that.

29-02-2008, 17:54	#14
Keefy-boy Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Brighton, UK Posts: 9,434	Quote: Originally Posted by Nigel Goodwin Yes there is, the entire reason it occurs is much more likely in the first few months of use - it's due to the rapid drop in brightness of the phosphurs used, and this slows down after a few months use, and is then gradual until it's no longer bright enough (although no Plasma set is likely to last that long). You get a similar effect with the CCFL tubes in an LCD, but of course they are used evenly at all times so no screen burn, and just like Plasma, the set is likely to be scrapped before they get too dull. my 50" LG is still prone to temporary screen burn after 2 years so i can speak from personal experience to say that it most definately does occur after 12 months at least on my screen

29-02-2008, 18:34	#15
Jimmy Riddle Banned User Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 2,447	Image persistence can occur on an LCD, but screenburn on plasma is far more common. Fpr playing games and on the PC I'd say go LCD, Panasonic, Sony, Samsung or Toshiba.

29-02-2008, 19:05	#16
bobcar Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 14,718	Quote: Originally Posted by Keefy-boy my 50" LG is still prone to temporary screen burn after 2 years so i can speak from personal experience to say that it most definately does occur after 12 months at least on my screen If it's temporary it's not screen burn but image retention - there is a big difference.

29-02-2008, 19:08	#17
bobcar Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 14,718	Quote: Originally Posted by Jaycee Dove The Panasonics are also very good for no screen burn. We ran it on the dynamic setting during the first weeks (which I gather is not recommended) and never saw any sign of this burn. Dynamic is not recommended partly because of screen burn but mostly because it looks atrocious. You must be a real masochist to live with dynamic mode for a few weeks.

29-02-2008, 19:34	#18
MaxCherry Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Manchester Posts: 8,825	Have a 37'' Panasonic plasma and love it. Its about 3/4 years old now I think. Ive noticed screen burn a couple of times (after playing a xbox game for a while you can still see your energy bar at the bottom of the screen when the console is switched off, or I fell asleep with it on one of thoes phone-in quiz shows for a couple of hours and when I woke up, you could still see the clues and the telephone number) Every time it happens I just put it on mtv or another channel where the picture is constantly changing......after a couple of minutes the burn goes away My relatives have all got LCD and I have to say I prefer the picture quality of Plasma, the colours look a lot more glossy. This is only my opinion.

29-02-2008, 22:10	#19
Kojack Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Pomgolia Posts: 1,162	We have had our LG PDP for 18months & apart from the red sparkles which was fixed in a jiffy it has been a great PDP, was painting the living room today & had the screen on a music channel for 5+hrs, after switching around a couple of channels to catch up on the news & sport there is no sign of any logo, so image retention is very low indeed. The Pioneer of 2yrs ago was actually worse for image retention & cost then £500 to £1000 more .

01-03-2008, 15:09	#20
MaxCherry Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Manchester Posts: 8,825	Yeah, mines a PDP also so no speakers No worries though as I use a home cinema kit

03-03-2008, 15:16	#21
Jaycee Dove Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 16,680	Quote: Originally Posted by bobcar Dynamic is not recommended partly because of screen burn but mostly because it looks atrocious. You must be a real masochist to live with dynamic mode for a few weeks. We love the dynamic mode and still watch everything on that setting after TWO YEARS! We find the other settings rather dull by comparison. Maybe it is because we watch loads of things in HD and dynamic really brings HD to life in my opinion.

DS Forums

Plasma or LCD?

03-03-2008, 23:22	#23
nigel306 Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 69	Quote: Originally Posted by Jacko Jay Thumps, After many months of researching and comparing large TVs we've just bought a Panasonic 37" HD LCD and it is superb! It has the best picture of all with no smearing effect when watching sport like you get with most other big screens and this is watching Standard Definition broadcasts. I can't wait to try HD when I get a set-top box. The model is TX37LZD70 and you can buy this for £700 from hughesdirect.co.uk. I have no connection with either of these companies. :] Think you're £100 out, unless you got a voucher, it's on website @ £800 + delivery with 1 year warranty unfortunately. You can do a price match with John Lewis and Empire Direct @ £749.99 (+ £25 if you want delivery) includes 5 year warranty

04-03-2008, 09:19	#24
w3dal Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: /system/share/w3dal Posts: 315	for the money you cant beat one of these. http://www.digitaldirect.co.uk/produ...oduct_id=12738 stick with plasma mate and screen burn rarely happens these days - i get so bored of reading the same thing. If you got the room go for a 42" 37" and lower is just too small. Enjoy! Dal

04-03-2008, 09:44	#25
bobcar Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 14,718	Quote: Originally Posted by w3dal for the money you cant beat one of these. http://www.digitaldirect.co.uk/produ...oduct_id=12738 stick with plasma mate and screen burn rarely happens these days - i get so bored of reading the same thing. If you got the room go for a 42" 37" and lower is just too small. Enjoy! Dal It completely depends on how far you sit from the screen, I don't know how many times this has to be repeated! If you sit 7' from a 28" that's bigger than a 42" at 11'.