52" advise

[TheAnimus]

After moving into our new flat, my poor little 32" is so very very small.

So i'm looking for bigger and better

the samsung LE52M87BDX is very tempting at £1850inc vat + delivery. Plus with 9 months intrest free credit, thats effectivally £150 knocked off the price (assuming i actually put the money in my savers that is!).

So anyone own one, is it worth buying?

I've been very impressed with the smaller samsungs before now, 40", 32" ,26" and just last week a 19" have all been aquired by friends and family, all of which have been very impressed with no dead or stuck pixels.

[Bluecube]

Is that an LCD? For something that size I personally would go for a plasma. I find that the larger the LCD the more artifacts and blockiness that can be seen even with HD feeds. I stress that this is only my view and I can be incredibly fussy about this sort of thing.

On the topic of plasmas though Richer Sounds had a LG/ Samsung (can't remember) 50" 1080p plasma for a grand. Don't know if it's still there but it got good write ups.

[Funkstar]

nope, not there any more.

All their plasmas are 720p at the moment.

[IBM]

Don't do it!!!

But only from reasons of personal taste. We've got a 42" plasma in our lounge, bought it about 3 years ago, and it's just too big.

"Heretic" I hear you scream, "TV? Too big? It's not possible."

But we've got quite low ceilings, and the set just doesn't fit in the room as it should. Just make sure that you've got the space and it's not going to totally warp space and time with it's sheer bulk....otherwise, as I've found, I'm actually regretting buying something that large.

[TheAnimus]

Theres a 32" there at the moment, which just looks tiny, so much so my flatmates sister didn't think it was the same one that i had in my old place. So size issues isn't a problem.


Plasma.... Hmm, personally, while i like the improved viewing angle, i really do find that plasma has some issues getting the colour response i'm acustomed too. Not too mention the power useage!

TFTs should in no way develope artifacts at higher pixel sizes or res, it could only make existing ones more apparent.

The problem with 52" is unless you sit far back, you realise how crap the quality of so much is

[dangel]

I've got that Samsung in 40" and it's very (very) good (15000:1 contrast ratio, proper blacks, great connectivity) but... it's limited by it's source. It's going to rock when everything is 1080P but.. it's not, yet

Personally I reckon this is bang on in size - even 5" more would annoy the heck out of me and fail the WAF test.

[TheAnimus]

WAF test?

[Alex]

Why not get a projector to come down over the 32" TV - use the TV for watching neighbours, use the projector for films and gaming in the eve. Like this was done, on AVForums. Much nicer solution

WAF = Wife Acceptance Factor

[TheAnimus]

got a projector, the problem is the darks just don't look right, plus if yours is single bulb (like mine) and you see flicker easyily (i hate bad strip lighting) then you see nasty rgb flashes on the edge of very fast moving scenes on anything that has highish FPS.

Plasma suggestions will be considered, projectors can jog on!

(ps if anyone wants a projector in need of a new bulb.... )

[bigblue]

50-55" ? Do it !!! I'd definitely say a plasma rather than LCD though, even if you do have to sacrifice 1080p to do so.

I tried pretty much every LCD out there, and I'm yet to see a really big LCD that's much cop. In my experience anyway plasmas were much better at anywhere near 50". LCD's do have some artifacting at that size, mainly motion problems, possibly more due to picture processing than panel. There's "mosquito" noise evident on many sets, some of which is from source but some is most definitely from the processing.

Though with plasma you still have the dreaded screen burn issue !

There were still a few Panny 50PX60's kicking about cheaply recently, but the replacement PX70 series have much (MUCH ) nicer cabinets and aren't too painfully priced. There's also a PZ70 for FullHD that's out next week but as with all 1080 plasmas it's pricy, about 3k.

Pioneer have a new range coming out, revolutionary supposedly (as usual), but they've been surprisingly well received by unbiased enthusiasts and forums. Seems there are improvements, but at a financial cost. The mags will no doubt be gushing over them on shelves as we speak but well, they would, wouldn't they ?!

I think there's a good Samsung 50" plasma too, but I don't know much about that one. What Hi-fi are reviewing it and a few others, so have a look if you're in a petrol station or somewhere and spot it

[TheAnimus]

Hmm, i was up tottenham court road today, and i honsetly can't se anything wrong with the new M series (as mentioned in first post).

Granted the humming sound i doubt i'd be able too hear in that enivronment, so its something i should take into consideration (i'm guessing that comes from the backlight).

But these '100hz' LCDs just look great with rapid motion, like burning fire. I really do prefer the colour on them too most plasmas, but i might check out these new pioneers.

I could get a plasma for lot less money if i dropped the 1080p, so i would definately go for one, but i've yet too see one with a picture thats as good as this years LCDs.

[bigblue]

Well, if you like it, ignore my rantings Just make sure you give us a review and some pics !

I went with a rear-pro and I know many folks would have advised against that, but I'm blissfully happy with it. Well, if they maybe updated the firmware to allow 24fps, I'd be even happier so I guess I'm buying a scaler. Or hoping PS3 has a 48fps output soon, but I digress...

If you're happy spending Pio prices, is it maybe worth waiting for the updated Sony W & X ? Just to see ? I know there's always something coming out around the corner but aren't you just a little curious ?

[dangel]

These new samsungs are very different from the last gen of LCDs - you have to see one to believe

[bigblue]

I've seen one, but I'm still not a believer ! They're certainly much improved but just not for me... yet !

It took me long enough to give up my CRT and I still pine for that now

[TheAnimus]

Originally Posted by dangel

These new samsungs are very different from the last gen of LCDs - you have to see one to believe

Anyother fan eh?

Well its coming tommorow eve, so i'll let you lot know on weds then.

I bought it from a shop, having seen one in action, its better than the sharp by a long way (the sharp however as the liverpool street richer sounds shows, is way better than any of the last years plasma's they had on display next too it).

These new LCDs are great, well and truely better looking than plasmas (which are now cheaper, and quite tempting as such!) in my mind, the colour representation does get a bit offish at the large size, but its very small, and can be adjusted too mostly suite.

Roll on more HD stuff

[DR]

Get the Samsung - its the best 50+" out at the moment - and worth every penny.