LCD or Plasma TV ??

[Richie]

My folks are looking to replace the TV they have with either an LCD or Plasma telly and was wondering if ppl here could help out a couple of things -


1. Whats the main diff ??

2. Pros/Cons of each ??

3. what do you recommend to get... LCD or Plasma ??


Totally no idea so hoe you can help

[Lead_Head]

I think Plasma is better, simply from looking at them both side by side...

[StarkMjolk]

ok... Well, my favourite is plasma really. But they both have pros/cons.

LCDs live longer, the lamp is specified to 60000h. While a Plasma will have lost half it's intencity after 30000h I believe. They should begin getting worse after 20000h or so, until then they should have their full performance.

A LCD normally has better resolution than a plasma (though for example Pioneers plasma screens have really high resolutions).

LCD screens have much worse contrast ratios than plasma screens, and it is noticeable.

Though one thing I might add from my experience is that plasmas vary more in how good they perform than LCDs. So make sure to get a good look at them before you buy it. I've seen many really cheap Plasmas that perform quite mediocre.

Last you can think of what size you want... LCDs get really pricey when you take the big ones. And if you want like 42", you don't really have much choise. Plasma is the right one here.

If you're looking for 32" or there about, there are many good plasmas and LCDs, and under 32" There really are no plasmas, they don't come that small.

So basicly, <32" get an LCD.
Over 32" and under 42", you have to choose.
<42", get a Plasma screen.

[Richie]

Cheers Stark.... Think it will be LCD then

[StarkMjolk]

ok

Tell us what you're going for when you've descided on the model what size you aming at?

[Richie]

Think they are wanting around 32"

[Rave]

I dislike Plasmas and LCDs equally, I wouldn't want to watch TV on either of them. Anyway, my suggestion is that they wait a bit longer before buying, as the technology of both Plasma and LCD is still maturing and prices are still coming down. Unless they really need a thin TV now, I'd tell them to buy a decent flat screen 32" CRT, and then upgrade to LCD/plasma in a couple of years time. The screens will be cheaper and better then. At the moment, I'm pretty sure the problem is that the screens only take an analogue input, and in the course of being converted from digital to analogue and then back to digital, the picture ends up looking fuzzy and noisy. Pioneer have just released a plasma TV which can use a digital link to their own brand DVD players; apparently that's a big improvement. Other manufacturers are bound to follow suit soon enough.

BTW, there's no substitute for actually viewing the screens to see if you like them. Somewhere like a Sevenoaks Hi-Fi shop should be able to give you a demo of a properly set up plasma and LCD. You could probably view them in Currys too, but the chances of them having them set up to best advantage are somewhere between slim and none.

Rich :¬)