Plasma VS LCD your opinion 50-52 inch size

auralia

auralia

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hubby and i are shopping for a new HD tv 50-52 inches, 1080p of course... over all we would prefer to hang it on the wall but a stand could be tolerated.

We were almost set on the 52 inch aquos for 1300 but when we were out and about the other day a guy at sears (i know i hate sears too) started braging up the "new plasmas" I never really considered one because of burn in issues, but he's saying that the issue is pretty mute in the new ones, that they can do more fps, and that they come w/ built in things to "melt out" any minor burn ins... the samsung plasma 50 inch is 1000 bucks. I looked up various articles online but most of them are very wishy washy. I have 360, ps3, and wii.

what direction would you guys go? 1000 on the plasma or 1300 on the aquos or is there something better out there that i just don't know about? I worry about hanging a plasma that big on the wall because they are over all heavier than LCD's. For note my tv room has 5 windows, all have black out curtains though during the day the light is average and at night my room is quite dark even with lights on.

also wouldn't want to go over 1600 for price and being a cheap ass of course i lean on the cheaper end.
 
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For anything 42 and above, I would really suggest plasma. Burn in is not nearly the issue people make it out to be. Mix up formats the first 100 hours if you're watching anything with "black bars" on the sides or bottom.
 
If cost is an issue, you may want to go Plasma. The newer LED LCDs (uggh, already sick of that term) are amazing on color reproduction, they're crazy thin, and produce a lot less heat than plasmas or normal LCDs.

of course, they're also pricier, and only Samsung makes em for now so there's little competition.

As for burn-in on plasmas, it's harder to do, but still quite possible. I work for a cable tv company and see the side effects of running a static image on a plasma more than I'd like to. One recent customer's kids shut off their gamecube and forgot to turn off the tv, and the tv literally destroyed itself. it put up a box with "NO DISPLAY" written in it. overnight. it's now permanently burned into his screen. He's got a good court case against the manufacturer if they don't offer to replace it outright.

It was a Panasonci, I believe.
 
If you game a lot, I'd go with a nice LCD. Is anything sub-50 inches a dealbreaker? There was a deal on a Sony Bravia 46-inch 1080P LCD the other day from Dell for about $900. I'd sacrifice a few inches for that price.

Before anyone flames, I will also note that I own a 50-inch 720P Samsung plasma (that I got for $600 last October through a Best Buy deal), and for the money, that thing just can't be beat. Except when it comes to video games.

Permanent burn-in may not be an issue on modern plasmas, but image retention still is. While my Samsung has a couple tools to "wipe" away image retention, I still get bars and after images 8 months later when I play certain games with fixed HUDs. Yes, I broke it in with a break-in disc and kept my brightness dialed down, and, yes, they do go away. But if you freak out at the sight of something like that even temporarily affecting your $1,000 investment, plasma may not be for you.

In terms of color reproduction, though, nothing tops my Samsung. I love that TV to death, and I would highly recommend plasma if you're like me and you're not anal about temporary image retention. But, next time, I'll probably give one of the newer LCD models a spin. Maybe on our next TV.

And if you want the link to that Bravia deal, here it is:

http://forums.slickdeals.net/showthread.php?t=1355169
 
until recently, i have been selling tv as a sup for circuit city. i don't think the sammy plasma is 1080p, only 720, if its only 1000. the sammy or panny 1080's are both around 1500 or so. i agree with getting a plasma, it refreshes faster and has better colors than a comparable lcd. when you do decide to get one, find the absolute best price online, even if its a shady dealer, and go to hhgregg. since they work on commish, they will match just about anything.
 
As many have noted here - Plasmas will generally have better picture quality I've LCDs for a (usually) cheaper price.

However, as others have noted, burn in is still something you need to keep in the back of your mind when using the tv, and it's important to note that plasmas are incredibly fragile - if you plan to ever move with this tv, keep in mind you must be extremely careful in moving it, and it must be transported upright.

My personal opinion would be to purchase an LCD due to peace of mind concerning burn in and transportation issues.

However, if you're keen on getting the best image quality, plasma is a good option. Do keep in mind though that either tv will make your games look incredible.
 
[quote name='auralia']hubby and i are shopping for a new HD tv 50-52 inches, 1080p of course... over all we would prefer to hang it on the wall but a stand could be tolerated.

We were almost set on the 52 inch aquos for 1300 but when we were out and about the other day a guy at sears (i know i hate sears too) started braging up the "new plasmas" I never really considered one because of burn in issues, but he's saying that the issue is pretty mute in the new ones, that they can do more fps, and that they come w/ built in things to "melt out" any minor burn ins... the samsung plasma 50 inch is 1000 bucks. I looked up various articles online but most of them are very wishy washy. I have 360, ps3, and wii.

what direction would you guys go? 1000 on the plasma or 1300 on the aquos or is there something better out there that i just don't know about? I worry about hanging a plasma that big on the wall because they are over all heavier than LCD's. For note my tv room has 5 windows, all have black out curtains though during the day the light is average and at night my room is quite dark even with lights on.

also wouldn't want to go over 1600 for price and being a cheap ass of course i lean on the cheaper end.[/QUOTE]Go for the Samsung plasma, I just got mine a couple weeks ago and its badass.
 
I have been researching TVs a little bit recently, as I am in the market for a 42", and keep going between wanting a 40" LCD or 42" plasma.

The one thing I am worried about bothering gaming would be motion blur, something that could be an issue for LCDs that are not 120hz, but very rare/non-existent on plasmas. I would hate to buy a nice TV, but then be upset while playing games due to motion blur, which is why I am leaning towards plasmas.

Plasmas also have a great contrast ratio, with very deep blacks, something LCDs are getting close to, but are still not as good. Burn-in/image retention really doesn't seem like that big of a deal, as newer plasmas that are not of a lower line really shouldn't have this problem. Also, from what I can tell snooping around AVSforums and other sites, Panasonic plasmas > Samsung plasmas, as Panasonic's market for larger TVs is only in plasmas; plus their infinite black and Neo-PDP panels must be nice, using half as much energy as last year :)

Oh, and I don't know if you can find a Sony or Samsung for the same price as the Sharp, but if you do decide to go with LCD, go with one of those.
 
If your going to buy a plasma dont go for a Samsung.
Get a Panasonic. Panasonic makes the best plasmas now that pioneer is no longer making them.
On the other hand if your going to get a LCD I highly recommend getting a Samsung as they are the top dog in that category.
 
I worked at Sears but in Canada in electronics. Is your viewing environment going to be bright or dim? If you usually watch TV with all the lights on or have the TV facing a window, get an LCD. If you're able to control the lighting and dim it when watching, get a Plasma. Plasmas give you a better picture overall, but harsh light will ruin the quality of it. LCDs are more all around.

Personally, I'd stick with Panasonic for plasmas. We were able to get the equivalent of the 46" PZ80 for $1200 in Canada so you should be able to do even better in the States where TVs are much cheaper.

Do not get a Plasma TV from 2007 or earlier. Get a 2008 or 2009 model. They have little to no problems with burn-in. Even image retention (temporary burn-in) is rare on these sets. Do NOT get an LG Plasma. Get a Panasonic, and if you think it looks okay, a Samsung.

Also do NOT get the Sony 46" 4100, it's a very low quality TV.

Edit: Woah you can get the G10 for under your $1600 price limit: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...c_mri?_encoding=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&v=glance

Look around at prices on it. I heard really REALLY good things about it. Damn Americans with their multiple TV options and cheap prices >=( The MSRP for it is $2700 here -_-

Also look a the S1: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...c_mri?_encoding=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&v=glance
 
I'll go with LCD. Back when I was trying to decide between a Panny plasma and a Samsung LCD, seeing the Samsung in person sold me. It is an amazing T.V. and I'd be hard pressed to find something better.

I own the LN52A650 btw.
 
[quote name='Firestorm']I worked at Sears but in Canada in electronics. Is your viewing environment going to be bright or dim? If you usually watch TV with all the lights on or have the TV facing a window, get an LCD. If you're able to control the lighting and dim it when watching, get a Plasma. Plasmas give you a better picture overall, but harsh light will ruin the quality of it. LCDs are more all around.[/QUOTE]

This is the main reason our family went with an 52" LCD in the living room. Though plasmas look much better than LCDs, the glossy finish made it nearly impossible to watch anything during the day because of sunlight (via our high, uncovered windows) or during the night because of our chandelier in the center of the ceiling. We tried to move the TV around to all different areas but there was always some kind of glare on the screen unless we watched it at night, without the lights on.

We were able to return it and get an LCD.

I read that Pioneer or Panasonic (whoever's the largest producer of plasma panels) is stopping plasma production. I'm not sure what that means for the future though...
 
[quote name='Vinny']This is the main reason our family went with an 52" LCD in the living room. Though plasmas look much better than LCDs, the glossy finish made it nearly impossible to watch anything during the day because of sunlight (via our high, uncovered windows) or during the night because of our chandelier in the center of the ceiling. We tried to move the TV around to all different areas but there was always some kind of glare on the screen unless we watched it at night, without the lights on.

We were able to return it and get an LCD.

I read that Pioneer or Panasonic (whoever's the largest producer of plasma panels) is stopping plasma production. I'm not sure what that means for the future though...[/QUOTE]Pioneer is getting out plasma production, and some of the tech and manufacturing is going over to Panasonic. Vizio and LG are both getting out of the plasma market as well, I think. Pretty much would leave Samsung and Panasonic left in the plasma market, and a whole lot of LCD vendors.

Plasma and LCD both have their strong suits and issues, though when I went with my 52" TV, I went LCD with a Sony KDL-52XBR6 and it looks amazing with nice deep blacks.

For the price the OP is looking at, I'd look into some last year's models from Samsung, such as the LN52A650. Sony would be a hard one to get in that price range that the OP is looking for, as there's a wide gap between the 52W4100 and the 52XBR6.
 
i'm also currently shopping around for a tv in the 40 to 46 inch range and you should google "lcd input lag" and "plasma phosphor trails". these are 2 important issues that are much less frequently discussed. if you get a tv that suffers from one of these problems, it could definitely have a negative effect on your gaming.

i have been planning a summer hdtv purchase all spring and it is the most ridiculously frustrating process. everytime i think i have found the right tv, i uncover another problem. and then when i find out about one of these problems, like phosphor trails, i end up on a message board where half of the people say it is a huge problem and the other half say it almost never happens and is completely insignificant when it does.

i spent a few hours on sunday researching these panasonic g10 models and thought i had my mind made up and then i started reading about phosphor trails, the heat that the tv gives off, the extra electricity being used, the noise the fans make, etc. and now i feel like i need to start over again.
 
I love my Panasonic 50" P50G10 plasma. Panasonic makes wonderful plasma TV's.

When it comes to games, I can't really give either one the nod. Motion blur frustrates me on LCD's, and plasma has phosphor trails. In the end, the trails are less noticeable to me, and plasmas just have a great picture.
 
While you'll always find some trade off between either plasma or LCD, my and others' experiences with burn-in (on new sets mind you, not ancient ones) was enough to set me to LCD only for now.

Maybe in the future, but as for now on many plasmas one episode of forgetfulness can ruin your TV. The good ones have amazing picture and all will be fine if you're adamant about preventing burn-in, but personally I don't like the added hassle; there are some just as amazing looking LCDs.
 
If it's worth anything, I was long considering getting the Pioneer Kuro 50" Plasma (5020FD), then was thinking of getting the Kuro Elite 60" Plasma (151FD), but am now thinking of just getting a 52" Samsung LCD (LN52B750).

Cost is an issue ($2000, $5000, $2500 respectively), but other factors such as energy, viewing ability, and sturdiness (may move within a year, may be nice to rotate the tv so I can view it from around the room) have started to play a role in the decision.

As said by others, Plasmas have better picture quality on the whole (deeper blacks, more vibrant colors) and LCDs are more all-around. Each has their downsides, but look moreso at the positives to make your decision.

Also, remember that new TVs are constantly coming out, so if you can wait for a bit, just do it. As much as I'd like a new TV right now (since I don't have an HD), I'm sorely tempted to wait until August or so.

Additionally, keep in mind that TVs are an investment - you'll want to get something that satisfies you for several years. With that said, bigger is better, assuming the model you're getting is the right one (i.e. get the upper tier model on larger sizes). 52" should be good for either tier, though.

Hope that helps.
 
[quote name='trent82']i'm also currently shopping around for a tv in the 40 to 46 inch range and you should google "lcd input lag" and "plasma phosphor trails". these are 2 important issues that are much less frequently discussed. if you get a tv that suffers from one of these problems, it could definitely have a negative effect on your gaming.

[/QUOTE]
good points that are never brought up, I dont think the phosphor trail is really that big of an issue, when i was researching plasmas and any problems there was only like 5% on AVS forums that said they had an issue and they seriously had to FORCE IT. One guy was playing COD and he moved left and right HELLA fast over a 20 second span, why the hell would u do that in real gaming? lol.


Anyways as for Image Retetion and Burn in issues, Burn in is pretty much a non-factor unless youre an idiot.

To get burn in: leave a static image on your TV for over 14+ hours straight. I don't think anyone is THAT DUMB to do that.

Image Retention: I've left my TV On CBS for 5 straight hours. With commercials and such U cant even notice the logo or whatever. I leave my tv on ESPn for 4-6 hours probably every other day and the ticker and stuff is there, but only for 1-2 mins, and you really REALLY have to look for it. I play a TON of street fighter and the health bars are there ONLY if you REALLY REALLY search.


here is an article on burn-in/image retention

http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-6449_7-6844370-1.html

honestly if youre too lazy to change your channels every 10 hours, you got a problem lol.

Wall Mounting: I have my 46" plasma wall mounted on a "CHEAP" Monoprice mount. Everyone wants to spend $100+ on a wall mount, but I did my HW and my TV has been on my wall with zero problems since January. I've seen many other plasma owners mount their 50 or 60 inch plasmas with zero problems.

Honestly go check out Blu-ray.com or avsforum.com, theyre the true experts and where i got all my information when i was researching.
 
Panasonic Plasmas are pretty much the best tv's on the market right now, IMO, when considering the fantastic picture and the great prices these sets go for.

If you are mounting the set on the wall, a 50" Panny weighs about 75 pounds....at least the one I just bought does and as long as you have 2 studs in the wall to mount to you won't have a problem with the weight.

The only downside to plasmas is the glare and only you can determine if that is going to be a factor in your room.

I've got 3 plasmas in the house now and I love them.

The LED sets are nice but the overall picture quality still falls short to the Panasonic plasmas IMO. That basically leaves you with a good $500+ extra that you are paying for the LED over the plasma to get a much thinner TV and reduced power consumption.
 
My parents have a 50" Vizio plasma (720p) hanging on the wall right now. As long as it's done right, I don't think you have to worry about being able to hang it on the wall.
 
Get either a panasonic, samsung, or pioneer plasma at 50 inches. I personally have a 50 inch panasonic (1080p) that i use for gaming and regular tv watching. I almost always get image retention, but it always ends up going away within hours. So, I think you will most likely get some image retention (mine gets really bad sometimes), but don't worry about it as it will go away.
 
[quote name='mr_burnzz']arent plasmas life span shorter then LCDs?[/QUOTE]I don't think the OP is intending on keeping this TV for 20+ years considering the rate technology moves at. Plasmas take 30 years at 8 hours a day to become half as dim as they were when first opened.
 
Pick up the panasonic 50" g10 model at best buy. this is the top tier plasma from panasonic i think. its on sale for 1499.99... use that 10% off thing from the post office. i got this tv for my mom on mother's day and it's wonderful. dont forget to get some reward zone points with it!
 
[quote name='quanex']Pick up the panasonic 50" g10 model at best buy. this is the top tier plasma from panasonic i think. its on sale for 1499.99... use that 10% off thing from the post office. i got this tv for my mom on mother's day and it's wonderful. dont forget to get some reward zone points with it![/QUOTE]

Hope my kids grow up as nice as you! :)
 
for those of you with large plasma tvs, how much heat does it seem to generate after it has been on for a few hours? if you put your hand near the front or back, do you feel heat without having to touch it?

i have a fairly small room (big enough for a 46 inch tv, but still rather small), and my electronics frequently warm up my room even with the air conditioning on. the combo of a gaming pc, crt tv, receiver, and gaming consoles can result in some serious heat issues. i think i'm actually willing to take a chance on the phosphor trails, but i've become more worried about excessive heat and power consumption.
 
[quote name='trent82']for those of you with large plasma tvs, how much heat does it seem to generate after it has been on for a few hours? if you put your hand near the front or back, do you feel heat without having to touch it?

i have a fairly small room (big enough for a 46 inch tv, but still rather small), and my electronics frequently warm up my room even with the air conditioning on. the combo of a gaming pc, crt tv, receiver, and gaming consoles can result in some serious heat issues. i think i'm actually willing to take a chance on the phosphor trails, but i've become more worried about excessive heat and power consumption.[/QUOTE]

It definately will generate a lot of heat. You will feel your room get hotter by a decent amount.
 
Bring your PS3 or XB360 (PS3 preferably) into the store to see which TV you actually prefer. If they want the sale, they'll do that for you. Test out a Blu Ray and a game to see if you notice any differences with quality before you consider the residual effects.

I personally prefer plasma because of its refresh and contrast. Putting in Dark Knight or Wall-E just seems to pop more.
 
[quote name='steveinneed']It definately will generate a lot of heat. You will feel your room get hotter by a decent amount.[/QUOTE]
I've never compared the two, but LCDs get quite toasty as well. Even with a moderate backlight setting (mine's at 6) you can easily feel the heat radiating off when you stand near it.
 
[quote name='Allnatural']I've never compared the two, but LCDs get quite toasty as well. Even with a moderate backlight setting (mine's at 6) you can easily feel the heat radiating off when you stand near it.[/QUOTE]

I had a 60"sony a3000 (LCOS-Liquid Crystal on Silicone) and replaced it with a 50" panasonic plasma, the plasma made the room noticeably hotter.
 
Samsung makes good LCDs but NOT plasmas.

Unless you want to go with Pioneer PDP which I own and would pick over LCDs any days for its fantastic PQ, I would stick with Aquos.
 
[quote name='PaRappa/GMRTAG']Samsung makes good LCDs but NOT plasmas.

Unless you want to go with Pioneer PDP which I own and would pick over LCDs any days for its fantastic PQ, I would stick with Aquos.[/QUOTE]

Samsung has decent Plasmas....they rank about third tier. First would have to be Pioneer, hands down. Second is Panasonic.
 
I bought a 52 inch aquos a couple of months ago. Has all the bells and whistles. Great tv. Paid 1100. You can't go wrong. It is up to you though. Shop around and get a good deal.
 
[quote name='quanex']Pick up the panasonic 50" g10 model at best buy. this is the top tier plasma from panasonic i think. its on sale for 1499.99... use that 10% off thing from the post office. i got this tv for my mom on mother's day and it's wonderful. dont forget to get some reward zone points with it![/QUOTE]


I have this TV - it's EXCELLENT! I have the PS3 and 360 hooked up to it. Incredible.
 
quick question, OP - are you using a VGA cable with any of your gaming consoles, by any chance? Because if you are, I think the Samsung plasma would be your best bet. They seem to be one of the only brands that take full 1080p through the VGA input.

That ended up being the deciding factor for my recent TV purchase, since I was gonna be using a VGA cable with my Xbox 360.
 
[quote name='BustaUppa']quick question, OP - are you using a VGA cable with any of your gaming consoles, by any chance? Because if you are, I think the Samsung plasma would be your best bet. They seem to be one of the only brands that take full 1080p through the VGA input.

That ended up being the deciding factor for my recent TV purchase, since I was gonna be using a VGA cable with my Xbox 360.[/QUOTE]
Samsung is one brand that'll take 1080p over component too. Something else to consider.
 
I always advise against plasmas. Aside from the burn in which may or may not still be a problem with the newer models, they absolutely EAT energy and produce a lot of heat. If you have no problems with your electric bills and dont mind the extra cost each month, and dont mind the possibility of burn in, only then would I consider a plasma.
 
New Samsungs LCDs look absolutely incredible. I can't believe something that thin could look so good.

Plasma has great Blacks, produce more heat, use more energy and are heavier than LCD's. Possible Burn In and Image Retention. Glare depending on where you put it.
LCD's have better whites, weigh less, do not get as hot, comes with no glare screens usually, don't have to worry about burn in.

I use to be a big Plasma guy, but LCD has sold me. I do love the colors of a plasma, however, the new Samsung LCDs look just as good if not better IMO.
 
[quote name='guinaevere']I always advise against plasmas. Aside from the burn in which may or may not still be a problem with the newer models, they absolutely EAT energy and produce a lot of heat. If you have no problems with your electric bills and dont mind the extra cost each month, and dont mind the possibility of burn in, only then would I consider a plasma.[/QUOTE]

Newer models are not as power hungry and do not have the burn in problems like then once did. If you are replacing an older large screen you will not notice a difference in your power bill.

LCD and PLASMA are improving quite a bit each year.
 
hey ive been doing some digging about plasmas and LCDs because i just purchased a sharp aquos LC60c52u. this is a 52 inch LCD and its a monster. I dunno if this was the one u were comtemplating on buying but this tv is great. Not the top of the line since its debut was in 07 but the price was right. got it on a memorial day sale at 6th ave for 998.00 (also got 5 yr warrant for 200 for ease of mind if you know what i mean). There are some severe banding issues that come with this tv as many people have reported but many have also reported no problems (im one of them). I was gonna buy a plasma (only contemplated on the 09 panny viera S1) because the picture was insane. but the 50 inch was not within the budget.

I play ps3 on it. so far SF4 and COD5 and im just killin it! lol

I would reccomend my tv because its just so right for the price. Compared to higher end tvs u will notice that it doesnt look as 'sharp' but this is a great tv nonetheless. However, consider the banding to be an issue before purchasing and make sure the place u get it from will do exchanges, returns, whatever, so that u will be happy at the end. if u have a couple more hundred to spend, id get something a lil better just to get away from a tv that may have banding issues. i guess i was one of the lucky ones with a flawless aquos.

pros about aquos
less than a grand
4ms response
52 inches!
1080 p
sound is ALOT better than i expected

cons
typical contrast ratio is 2000:1 (dynamic is 10000)
may have banding issues
the outward look of the speakers isnt my style
2 hdmi ports
302 watts
 
I own a Panny 50 plasma, and have owned Sony and Samsung LCD's. The Plasma wins hands down in PQ, no comparison there. As far as burn in, no problems for me, although I believe that could happen if you left TV on same image for too long. I know image retention is there, although it does go away rather quickly, if it retains the image, burn-in is possible IMO. The plasma does use a little more energy, and is heavier, but HEAT is noticeable within a foot of my TV. If you are going to use this for hardcore gaming most of the time, than your decision should already be made, LCD all the way. If you are like many ppl, and use for occasional movies, television, etc. than a Plasma will do you fine. Last thing is, the reason I have a plasma now, well, extended warranty. Went through the Sony and the Samsung LCD's, and decided to finally get the Plasma. LCD's lasted about a year each, plasma is only 10 months old at this time... I highly recommend an extended warranty on whatever you decide.
 
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