Why LCD TVs might soon be obsolete

[JimmyBoy]

i thought this was an interesting read, see what you think

Why LCD TVs might soon be obsolete - Tech and Gadget Features | Articles – MSN Tech and Gadgets UK

[GoNz0]

nice read

[Funkstar]

They said the same about Plasma when LCDs could be produced at larger sizes.

Funny, you still get plasma screens and in many ways they are still far superior

OLED screens, along with some other display tech that is due over the next few years in inevitable. I'm sure they will be better than the current tech in some situations, but as technology for existing systems improves many of those advantages deminish.

New displays don't make existing ones obsolite if they are functionally the same. Outdated, yes.

CRT -> Plasma/LCD - Massive difference in functionality because of HD resolutions, size and form factor

Plasma/LCD -> OLED - thats just an evolution of the same thing really.

It's like when you compare VHS to DVD, massive change between then, hence the reason DVD became so ubiquitus so quickly. DVD to HD disks on the other hand is another story, the latter is just an evolution of the former. The only difference with LCD to OLED is it doesn't actually matter what display technology you use, it is still going to work with everything else and you are still going to get a picture.

[steve threlfall]

Slight increases in picture quality are not really enough to get excited about but a super thin OLED screen is an attractive proposition

[GavinS]

Just bought a £400 set

[Funkstar]

Why the unhappy face?

Surely you knew that whatever high tech item you buy will be superceded by a newer better version in the future? And that what you buy now will be worth a lot less in the months to come?

This article doesn't change the usefulness or functionality of the TV you just bought. So don't worry or get upset about it, sit back and watch some TV instead

[TheAnimus]

The artical is more an overview of some of the emerging technologies. Its a bit useless because it (obviously can't) tell you which one is going to be the best right away.

Its intresting because CRT to me still gives the best picture quality, followed closely by the recent (last 15 months) LCDs, with plasma a distant 3rd.

[Funkstar]

Personally I still prefer plasma. LCD has caught up quite considerably, but still isn't as colourful

[nichomach]

Originally Posted by Funkstar

This article doesn't change the usefulness or functionality of the TV you just bought. So don't worry or get upset about it, sit back and watch some TV instead

QFT; also note:

Originally Posted by MSN Feature

These are all emerging technologies, so you can expect several years to pass before they reach the same level of affordability as today’s plasma and LCD screens.

Personally, I don't exactly feel short-changed by my Samsung just yet...

[Ben_]

Originally Posted by TheAnimus

The artical is more an overview of some of the emerging technologies. Its a bit useless because it (obviously can't) tell you which one is going to be the best right away.

Its intresting because CRT to me still gives the best picture quality, followed closely by the recent (last 15 months) LCDs, with plasma a distant 3rd.

A decent plasma wipes the floor with lcd.

And there are some very trustworthy opinions to back that up.

[bigblue]

If OLED comes good in big sizes, it'll be a lot more than a slight increase. Pretty much every aspect of the image will be improved

Surely the whole LCD v Plasma debate has had it's day ?They have different benefits for different people and uses. It's impossible to state one is universally better, despite numerous "FACT!" comments on varius AV sites

I prefer plasma myself, but if it's just for day to day TV watching there's not a lot in it. If it's purely for a home cinema, get a projector !

[toolsong]

Originally Posted by Ben_

A decent plasma wipes the floor with lcd

Agreed!

[Koolpc]

I have been told that if you want a TV over 38" then it is Plasma all the way for a far superior picture. Can anyone confirm this?

[TheAnimus]

No, LCD images do not become worse after a certain size, they do become more complex to make thou.

A couple of manafacturers have dropped plasma in the last 2 years because its really a mature technology that is very much at its end of life.

Difference between Plasma and LCD TVs - Editorial explains some differences but is horrifically out of date.

My main bug bears with plasma is the way pixels 'bleed' into the ones next to it, this to me often results in a head ache Its the reason why i didn't buy the panasonic plasma.

Plasma is also a lot lot cheaper to make, so you can get a 'better' brand for your buck.

However in terms of refresh rate, the modern <8ms LCDs really are very good indeed, i bought my TV from a shop, paid the premium for that because i was able to see it working, next to many other brands (yes, i made the poor sods stick it next to about 6 other TVs i was considering before i bought it, but when squandering 2k on a TV its worth really doing your homework)

If your comparing a LCD from 18 months ago, plasma wins hands down. However the newer ones are just stonkingly crisp.

The only point, that plasma has over LCD, which isn't mentioend in any of the articals i googled is that if you've got a 90% white image, the backlight is still on at the same level as a 10% white image (due to the nature of having crystal 'shutters' behind RGB filters). This means if you've got your screen in use as a media PC, and have your start bar at the bottom, you can easily observice this effect by opening a white window (like notepad) maximizing it, then minimizing it. The colors in the start bar area will become a lot more bright when its minimized.

Plasmas really don't suffer from that as much.

[Funkstar]

This shot on Engadget is interesting:


Yes it is a dems set up by Pioneer, but it does illustrate that there is a lot of room for improvement in the whole display market.

Pioneer KURO and friends hands-on - Engadget

The Kuro line does look fantastic.

"blackerness" love it

[TheAnimus]

very, very, very unfair.

Viewing angles.