Markpaq Posted September 14, 2004 Report Share Posted September 14, 2004 Smudge, have I made a good choice with the Sony KE42TS2E? TBH I've had it for nearly a year and it's been brilliant, I can't fault it but I'd appreciate your expert opinion. Have you heard any good/bad stories about them? Cheers. Mark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Posted September 15, 2004 Report Share Posted September 15, 2004 [ QUOTE ] I have a 32" Leowe Aconda. I bet you my bottom dollar it outclasses your 4 year old plasma, easily. I've worked with Plasmas for nearly 5 years, I wouldn't have splashed out then, regardless of how much money was in my bank account. [/ QUOTE ] I bought a dual tuner Loewe Arcada Sat 72cm in 1996 and it outdoes every plasma I've compared... Having said that, rather than replace it (as it seems to show NO signs of wear and has unbelievable imaging - and makes a nice high res 2nd display for the Powerbook) I'm looking to augment it with either a projector, or the new Sharp AQUOS 45" LCD (LC-45G1X) if they come down in price a bit and are easily obtainable (currently there's a wait list). The 37" version is still about $9K here - but if you put it against ANY of the plasma screens we can get here in Oz - it is embarrassing how much better the Sharp LCD is. I'm looking at a professional grade NEC or Sony projector (2400 - 3500 lumens) as my DVD movie watching display, with the Loewe as the daily TV. Smudge - do you or any other TSN'ers have a bias as to projector manufacturer and technology (like DLP)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GCab Posted September 15, 2004 Report Share Posted September 15, 2004 [ QUOTE ] The 37" version [...] if you put it against ANY of the plasma screens we can get here in Oz - it is embarrassing how much better the Sharp LCD is. [/ QUOTE ] Speaking as a non-expert, that was certainly my initial impression in the shop - coming across the Sharp LCD after browsing round the plasmas, it was so staggeringly clear and bright and sharp and (most of all) high-contrast that it rocked me back on my heels a bit, in a "what the hell is THAT, how do they DO that?" sort of way... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudge Posted September 15, 2004 Report Share Posted September 15, 2004 [ QUOTE ] Smudge - do you or any other TSN'ers have a bias as to projector manufacturer and technology (like DLP)? [/ QUOTE ] Dlp tends to be better than LCD if you want a big picture. With a large image you can see the pixels on LCD. The only draw back to DLP is the colour wheel. Make sure the unit you go for is at least a 6 segment colour wheel. Picture quality is far higher and you won't suffer so easily with the rainbow effect (the image from DLP projectors can sometimes give bursts of colour (red green & blue) which can distract from the film). Not everyone suffers from this though I do quite badly. Having said this, if you are looking for a cheap projector, LCD is better IMHO. DLP isn't cheap enough to better the picture quality of LCD at this level. Units I like? Any of the Infocus Screenplay range are good, but Benq have just entered the market with some cracking units for the home (they are really well priced too). Over that, Italian company Sim2 also do some projectors that are very very good. If you want high end, then Barco and Runco are top notch. Hope this helps?? Al. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russellfray Posted September 15, 2004 Report Share Posted September 15, 2004 [ QUOTE ] I have a 32" Leowe Aconda. I bet you my bottom dollar it outclasses your 4 year old plasma [/ QUOTE ] Perhaps... but CRT floor standing just doesn't have the same effect as a wall mounted plasma for that "home cinema" feel. I had a projector for a while but didn't like the low contrast, it meant closing the curtains etc to get a decent picture and it was a fairly expensive unit. I have two 19" LCD TV's aswell which are good (bedroom TV's) and would love a 40"+ TFT on the living room wall! I think it's down to your eyes though - some people will look at the same image as somebody else and one will think it looks great whilst the other thinks it looks awful. I'd recommend going in to the shops and having a look at them and see which looks best to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frodo Posted September 15, 2004 Report Share Posted September 15, 2004 Good recommendation about visiting the showrrom and seeing for yourself. Just the same as audio equipment you should listen to the setup, some people like bass, some prefer a more natural reproduction. So try it and see what you like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudge Posted September 15, 2004 Report Share Posted September 15, 2004 [ QUOTE ] Which TV do you have? I must say I have not seen a TV that produces a better picture (all factors considered) than my Plasma when being driven from a progressive scan DVD [/ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] I have a 32" Leowe Aconda. I bet you my bottom dollar it outclasses your 4 year old plasma [/ QUOTE ] Perhaps... but CRT floor standing just doesn't have the same effect as a wall mounted plasma for that "home cinema" feel. [/ QUOTE ] Russell. Please make your mind up!!!! Edit by smudge: Russell, sorry, just gone back & seen you have a Panasonic TH42PWD4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russellfray Posted September 15, 2004 Report Share Posted September 15, 2004 Hey I like CRT don't get me wrong, but the "look" of a plasma can't be beaten (not saying picture quality, I mean how it looks hanging on the wall!). I have the TH42PWD4, a few years old now but still looks as good as the day I bought it for a hideous price! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudge Posted September 15, 2004 Report Share Posted September 15, 2004 As I say, make your mind up then!! First you quoted this: [ QUOTE ] Which TV do you have? I must say I have not seen a TV that produces a better picture (all factors considered) than my Plasma when being driven from a progressive scan DVD. [/ QUOTE ] Which isn't saying I feel plasma give more of a "cinema feel". Again, IMHO, you want the "cinema feel" a projector & screen for the same money as you have spent (£6k) would wipe the floor with any plasma. Does your Pana have the Black or Silver Bezel? Al. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobK Posted September 15, 2004 Report Share Posted September 15, 2004 [ QUOTE ] Again, IMHO, you want the "cinema feel" a projector & screen for the same money as you have spent (£6k) would wipe the floor with any plasma. [/ QUOTE ] I agree that picture quality and "cinema feel" aren't the same thing. When I watch a film I'd much rather see it on my 92" front projection system than my 32" CRT telly, even though the TV has a superior picture. How can it feel like a cinema if you don't even draw the curtains?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daz Posted September 16, 2004 Report Share Posted September 16, 2004 OK I'm tempted at the moment and am trying to decide between these 2. Can someone help me decide. I've got a Sony KV28FD1 at present. Panasonic TH42PW6B plasma Panasonic TX32LXD1 LCD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudge Posted September 16, 2004 Report Share Posted September 16, 2004 Daz, I'd hold on a month or so for the TH42-PW7 or TH-42PWD7. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daz Posted September 16, 2004 Report Share Posted September 16, 2004 But how much are they going to be? The one's i'm looking at are around the £2k mark at the mo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudge Posted September 16, 2004 Report Share Posted September 16, 2004 Well prices will drop on the 6 now, but Panasonic tend to release the replacement screen at the same price, once all stock has gone. PM coming your way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daz Posted September 16, 2004 Report Share Posted September 16, 2004 Eeek - just found a TH-42PWD6 for £1699.05 inc vat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudge Posted September 16, 2004 Report Share Posted September 16, 2004 Hss it got video boards in that price? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daz Posted September 16, 2004 Report Share Posted September 16, 2004 Nope, no video boards in that price. They are £100+vat extra. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Posted September 16, 2004 Report Share Posted September 16, 2004 [ QUOTE ] Eeek - just found a TH-42PWD6 for £1699.05 inc vat. [/ QUOTE ] It is a fantastic screen and i am more than happy with mine, have a read of the review i posted further up the thread. Be aware that it probably doesn't come with the stand or wall mounting bracket for that either (£150 ish) but it's a really neat screen. The video boards are a PITA to retro fit if you use the pedestal stand because you can't slot the card in. I had to take mine off the stand then put the screen on end to add the card which takes 2 people due to the size and weight. I'll try to get a pic or two of mine tonight. Jon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daz Posted September 17, 2004 Report Share Posted September 17, 2004 I see the details of the new TH42PW7B is now on the Panasonic web site here Smudge, what are the main differences between the 6 and the 7? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudge Posted September 18, 2004 Report Share Posted September 18, 2004 Will have a look over the w/e & let you know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chav Posted September 20, 2004 Report Share Posted September 20, 2004 IMHO plasmas are overpriced. the technology is very simple, but the manufacturing is the tricky bit due to the accuracy required. prices will drop rapidly as the old crt stocks deplete. projectors give better value for money and a purpose built widescreen screen with a projector hanging upside down from the ceiling on a proper mounting (eg gyrolock) looks just as impressive as a plasma, only gives much bigger screen sizes we have 112inch screen in the lounge and 61inch in the bedroom. not all dlp projectors are better than all lcd projectors. lcd technology is cheaper so a good lcd projector will give a better picture than a cheaper (eg < £2500) dlp one in most cases. a 1200+ ansi projector is perfectly visible in the day with windows open. every 2000-6000 hours you need a new bulb but thats only a couple of hundred quid. plasma screens decay too. brightness decays on a plasma from day one, just like a projector bulb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gizze Posted September 21, 2004 Report Share Posted September 21, 2004 www.av-sales.co.uk are doing the PW6 with input board of choice, wall or stand mount including vat and delivery for £1850, they will do a pixel check for about £20. Plasma Vs. Projector Depends what you want from your home cinema set up, and what projector you are using, I would take a Plasma over a digital projector everytime, but I would take a crt projector over everything else, everytime, but, they are bloody big! I was using an NEC XG 8" CRT with D-theater (HI-DEF) material and it gave a truly stunning image, this was on a 80" 16:9 screen. For TV and DVD I was using a Lumagen scaler running Pal and NTSC in line tripled and very good it was, but dvd and Pal/NTSC is very soft compared with Hi-Def on anything over 40". I also had a BenQ 8700+ DLP digital projector, this is a 1280x720 resolution projector with a contrast of 2500:1, it does its job pretty well, good colours nice and sharp and easy to set up, I could let my daughter use it without the worry of a Nick Jnr logo burnt into the screen, but it is no where near the CRT projector. Also you have to have a light controlled room to watch the projector, total pain in the ass, and for this very reason we ended up watching alot of stuff on the plasma, you don't always want to sit in a pitch black room. I can't see myself going back to a projector for a long time, not until they are bright enough to project onto a black screen in ambient light. The plasma gets used all day everyday and I have got my money back on it in months, the digital projector looses money as fast as cars and the CRT is just too big. Personally I would get a PW6 now, the 7 series will be out by the end of the year, there are more shades in the greyscale which will give more detil in the black areas, but I don't think it will be a massive difference, and you will need to find another grand no doubt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chav Posted September 21, 2004 Report Share Posted September 21, 2004 everyone has their own opinions of course... our projector in the living room is our main tv... we go through a bulb every 6-8 months (£300) its fine with/without the curtains shut. (1400ANSI). We have a silicon image iscan to increase the effective resolution of sky+, but dvds are a straight progressive feed. if the picture was looking noticeably soft, probably wasnt setup correctly. sky+ isnt exactly a brilliant quality feed. it goes through the AV to the i-scan to the projector onto the 112" 16:9 screen. and the image is sharp, vibrant, flesh tones well portrayed, and blacks pretty spot on too. theres no pixelisation/de-interlacing artifacts visible during motion as with many plasmas, and its obviously a much larger screen than avail with plasma. doesnt mean its right for everyone though, but we love movies and theres only one way to get that cinema feeling....have a screen as big and euro2004 was awesome....until a certain game went to penalties Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin M Posted September 21, 2004 Report Share Posted September 21, 2004 To me sound is an important part of the home cinema experience and all projectors have a fan which spoils the quiet parts of movies for me. My plasma has done good service considering it's original £4,200 cost 2.5 years ago and not noticed any fading nor had to spend £1,500 in bulbs which you have ad to over the same period. With plasma screens now half the price, you could buy a plasma for the price of 3.5 years bulbs alone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gizze Posted September 21, 2004 Report Share Posted September 21, 2004 [ QUOTE ] everyone has their own opinions of course... if the picture was looking noticeably soft, probably wasnt setup correctly. [/ QUOTE ] Beleive me, it was set up well, and the Lumagen is a big, big jump up from the iscan I had for a couple of years, but 480i lines of resolution is always going to look soft against 1080 lines of resolution. This is taken using the crt projector, and line tripled using the lumagen, using a panny rp82 chroma free player (beats progressive from a tag dv32) Same again but with the HD2+ DLP projector (same settings on camera) And to show that when I say soft, I don't mean really soft, just comparing 720x480(ntsc dvd) with 1920x1080(hi-def) Resident Evil ntsc dvd scaled to 720x720p All these were taken on a 80" wide 16:9 matte screen using a fuji 4700 using 1.3mega pixel mode and the same exposure, obviously the camera really points out the difference in balck level between the crt and digital projector, but the human eye adjusts amazingly to trick you into thinking that the black levels are pretty good, it isn't till you go back to the CRT that you realise what is missing, and does it really matter?? I completely agree that it is nice to watch a film etc. on a big screen, but I wouldn't give up teh plasma before the projector. I am sure I have a couple of pics of U-571 on D-Theater and on DVD somewhere to compare the difference, and it isn't subtle! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now