New TV time....

[Cameo]

Despite the problem with my LG, I'd buy another, but I'd want a 5 year warranty, not sure if John Lewis sell LG but I'd definately be buying from them to get the warranty, plus the excellent service.

Yes they do - it's where I bought mine (I had similar concerns about long term reliability). It was about £40 more than the cheapest online outlet but at £10/year for the extra warranty I thought it was worth it

[Milo]

Grrrrrrrrr, just lost a big post.

Quick question, 50" plasma or 47" LCD?

I know it's a sweeping question but assuming they're the same price, what to go for?

The size is irrelevant in many ways as physically, there's not a lot in it and I'd be happy with either. I had a good chat to a sales chap today at Currys today and he was actually steering me away from the 50" plasma towards a cheaper 47" LCD as a better picture option (both LGs; sadly I cannot get away with the patterned surrounds on the current Panasonics I've looked at around my budget).

I looked at the 50" plasma in 3 stores (with their shitty set ups mind) and have to admit to be being less than impressed. I've got a chance to see one properly set up in someone's house (cheers eldavo) so I'm still open minded.

The sales chap got me thinking though on the plasma vs LCD thing once the screen size hits 47"-50".

edit - I should add if I go for a 47" LCD, there are also others in the equation including Samsungs.

[Tipex]

In terms of weight per £ spent, the Plasma should be better, as they weigh a fecking tonne, so you certainly feel like your getting your moneys worth, and it's also a consideration depending on where your going to stand/mount the TV.

Really, only you can decide between plasma and LCD, both have their up and down sides, it all comes down to personal preference, forget about tech specs etc, you just need to decide if you prefer the softer picture of a plasma or the sharper picture of LCD.

[NewNiceMrMe]

Without HD TV, football is better on a Plasma than on an LCD in my opinion. We have HD TV so it didn't matter, but I'd have probably bought a Plasma if we didn't have it.

[Milo]

In terms of weight per £ spent, the Plasma should be better, as they weigh a fecking tonne,

I should weigh my 32" CRT in, should be worth £5k.

[craigyb]

I've just upgraded from a 1080p 50" panny plasma to a Sony Bravia 1080p 60" LED TV. The LED TV is stunning in HD, but not so hot on standard def. I prefer the panny for normal viewing.

[pingpongpo]

I should weigh my 32" CRT in, should be worth £5k.

My 36" CRT is still going strong (touch wood) and isn't planned on being replaced until I can trust the kids not to touch the screen.

This is where glass is so much better than whatever covers flat panel TV's these days.

[Tipex]

The panny's screen wipes clean after the kids have wiped their cheesy poofed fingers all over it!

[Milo]

I'm down to 2 LCD tvs now, both LG. I ruled the 50" LG plasma out as the screen was a bit too reflective for the room it will be going in. So.........

What to go for? Both models are 47", full HD, Freeview HD, same connectivity etc etc - identical other than the refresh rate and the contrast ratio.

100Hz + 70,000:1 contrast ratio - £625 delivered

200Hz + 80,000:1 contrast ratio - £725 delivered (although not in stock for up to 28 days)

Is it worth paying the extra £100 to go from 100Hz to 200Hz and 70,000:1 to 80,000:1?

[NewNiceMrMe]

I'm not sure you'd notice much difference. I think I'd take the £625 model.

[gizze]

How much light is actually in the room??

You need to be in a conservatory or have flourescent lighting as your main lighting for that to be of any real concern.

I have been trying the Samsung 8000 LED which is pretty much their top of the range LCD, and although pretty good in a well lit room and with nice bright HD material it really falls down when you are watching in the evening, slightly off axis or with dark scenes with some light in the image, the fluctuating black levels to try and keep the dark areas dark drive me insane.

Compared to something like the G20 Panny plasma it is a long, long way behind imho and it is also nearly twice the price too.

[Biscuits]

I'm still in love with my Pioneer PDP428XD Plasma and I'm loathed to replace it, dispute wanting a slightly bigger screen.

I'd still be going Plasma, although the LCDs use less power, are slimmer, produce less heat and weigh less so are easier to fit on the wall.

[Milo]

How much light is actually in the room??

You need to be in a conservatory or have flourescent lighting as your main lighting for that to be of any real concern.

I have been trying the Samsung 8000 LED which is pretty much their top of the range LCD, and although pretty good in a well lit room and with nice bright HD material it really falls down when you are watching in the evening, slightly off axis or with dark scenes with some light in the image, the fluctuating black levels to try and keep the dark areas dark drive me insane.

Compared to something like the G20 Panny plasma it is a long, long way behind imho and it is also nearly twice the price too.

I don't want a top of the range TV, whether it's LCD, LED or plasma, I'm sick of buying top end products only to see them half in price in 6 months and be old technology in 18. I don't watch enough TV to justify it.

The 50" LG plasma was too reflective, the glass was acting like a mirror. As it happens the room has windows on 3 sides, one of which is full height and 3m wide so there's a lot of natural light and the plasma simply did not work for me. Hence my decision to go with a 47" LCD as 47" LEDs are over budget. What I'm wondering though, is it worth paying £725 vs £625 for 200Hz vs 100Hz and 80000:1 vs 70000:1 contrast ratio.

[gizze]

I know people were paying around £750 for the 46" G20 panny plasma and £850 for the 50".

So I was thinking that if you were looking at £725 for the 47" LCD then £750 for the 46" plasma would be OK?

[gizze]

Have you got links to the LG models you are looking at??

I would guess there will be absolutely no difference, however, there could be a massive amount, but not due to the figures you have listed.

[gizze]

I bought this for our conservatory and I prefer it to their 8000 led model...

Samsung LE46C650 Black Full HD 46" LCD television with freeview HD and internet@tv | Beyond Television

Not sure what the newer one offers, but seems a good price.

Oh, and John Lewis now price match online, as long as the company has at least one bricks and mortar premise somewhere in the UK.

Well worth it for their 5yr guarantee.

[gizze]

One last thing, do you sit dead in front of your TV??

If 'No' then don't even consider an LCD, they get really washed out and change colour.

I am going to try and find a post of a Panny plasma vs one of the best off axis LCDs, may have even been the Samsung 8000.

Hold on.

[gizze]

Yeah it was the Samsung 8000 and it was the basic Panny S20 plasma..

That is the problem with LCD, as soon as you move away from dead centre the image lightens and the colours go all funny.

This is his screen shot of the cheap S20 Panny plamsa...

[gizze]

I'm not saying don't get an LCD, all I am saying is there are certain things you need to really consider, cause if 'you' don't meet 'their' requirements they're ****!

If you do then they can be blindingly good.

[gizze]

Last post...promise!

This is our conservatory, and I would say this is just on the limit of being plasma friendly....

As I said above, I bought the B650 LCD as I thought that would be better, and during the day it was slightly, however I was never happy with it at night and was constantly changing the settings for every programme, so I sold it and bought another cheap Panny plasma.

[Chav]

gizze it makes sod all difference to most people. all new tvs look good really - more so the 720p ones as the blurring by downsampling fullhd more than compensates for lower contrast ratios - all of which are complete bollox in any case.

i wouldnt spend 700 quid on a 46inch tv...no point.

for 500 quid you can get good hd projectors. for 800 quid you can get good fullhd projectors.

200hz/100hz its all bollox. the signal is 25fps for ffs. a bluray plays at 24hz.

anything by lg, samsung or whatever in last couple of years is nice really. they're doing the old upsell of features that make no difference to most users.

[Chav]

gizze all tvs look good showing monsters inc or any other pixar movie.

a much harder test is something with crap mastering like bladerunner or terminator 2...natural tones in dark environments etc.

but again, does anyone really notice? nope. you need to sit 5 or 6 ft from a 40 inch tv to see the dots:-)

[gizze]

I'm not really sure what you're saying mate??

I am trying to say, go and buy the cheapest Panny plasma. I would rather have a £500 plasma than a £2000 LCD.

With LCD there are things that will still annoy, regardless of price, even those that know sod all about TVs. I have however never heard anyone who is not extremely techy find anything to slightly niggle about a cheap panny plasma.

Bladerunner on an LCD or LED is a joke, local dimming sets were meant to save them and they make it even worse, with the lights against the dark night skys looking like they are on dimmers!! :D

If someone doesn't care why ask on here??

[Biscuits]

i wouldnt spend 700 quid on a 46inch tv...no point.

for 500 quid you can get good hd projectors. for 800 quid you can get good fullhd projectors. .

A projector is no good for watching tele everyday, last thing you want is a fan buzzing away in the background and having to sit in a dark room to stop the screen washing out with daylight.

I find LCDs look great with a great feed, otherwise they look poor IF you compare them with a good plasma. Plasma is the "old news" technology... so you can get some cracking deals.

Panasonic wouldn't have bought the KURO technology off Pioneer if they weren't going to use it.

[Tipex]

A projector is no good for watching tele everyday, last thing you want is a fan buzzing away in the background

To be fair, my <1 year old Panny plasma has 3 fans buzzing away in the background, although they are quiet, and you don't notice them till your standing by the tv and switch it off.

Panasonic wouldn't have bought the KURO technology off Pioneer if they weren't going to use it.

They did? I was gutted Pioneer stopped selling TV's, my mate has one of the last Kuro's and the picture simply blows my panny into the weeds.