Which is better Plasma or LCD?

[PabstBlueRibbon]

So I've been hearing the arguments about Plamsa's looking better for movies, live TV, and LCD's looking better for games. I've also humored the arguments about life expectancy on both sets, but when it comes down to it, which do you guys prefer?

I'm leaning towards Plasma...:confused:

[Ioman]

I used to be a big fan of plasma, but with the new LCD's and their faster refresh rate, I might be changing my mind.

[jtfields]

I don't know if size or money is an issue with you but if it is then you might want to check out the 60 inch Pioneer PDP6070HD plasma at Sam's. It's last year's 7th gen model. I picked one up yesterday for a little under $3,000 plus another $300 for a five year extended warranty. For comparison, the cheapest 60 inch plasma Best Buy carries is $5,000 and the Pioneer model that replaced it is $6,500. I was up until 3:30 AM mounting that sucker on the wall above my fireplace. I've only had it for a day but it is georgeous in both looks and picture. I'm just in awe of it.

The primary thing you gain by getting this year's 8th gen model is 1080p which isn't that important to me. I spent a lot of time looking at the 1080p sets before I bought this one because I was worried I'd be making a mistake and I just couldn't tell much of a difference.

[Ioman]

JT, can you post pictures of your mounted plasma? I would love to see it. Was it hard finding a mount that handles a flat panel that size?

[jtfields]

Sure, I'll take a picture in the next day or two. I bought the mount at Sam's for $99 (that was the in store price but oddly enough Sam's sells it online for $163.). It's a tilt mount that included all the hardware and even a stud finder. It's supposedly for TV's up to 63 inches but mine barely fits. I wanted to get an OmniMount articulated mount but couldn't justify the cost ($650 at Circuit City and $350 on eBay.)

[Ioman]

We bought an Omnimount for a 32" LCD for my office here and its really sweet, but we paid a pretty penny at $200. That's why I was wondering about your mount for such a large set.

[jtfields]

JT, can you post pictures of your mounted plasma? I would love to see it. Was it hard finding a mount that handles a flat panel that size?

I've got the picture. How do I post it?

[Ioman]

Click on "manage attachments" when you reply, or post.

[jtfields]

Here is the pic. You'll have to forgive the messy cables. I haven't decided yet if I'm going to try and run those through the wall or conceal them some other way. Also excuse the wife and kid. I told my wife what I was doing and she thought it was funny to try and sneak herself and the daughter in. I didn't even notice it until I got the picture on the computer.

[Ioman]

Wow that TV looks great up there. I am not a fan of the cables though. Is it easy to run it into the wall?

Nice house too! And your wife and kid are adorable!

[jtfields]

Thanks. We just moved into the house. It was a foreclosure and we spent all summer remodeling. I have a son and daughter and they are both cuties (if I do say so myself.)

Anyway, I don't know how easy it will be to run into the wall. Since it is an exterior wall there will be insulation in there and being a fireplace there will be other stuff in there including a gas line. We've got some long curtains on order for those windows which I might be able to utilize to conceal a great deal of the wires. Then I'd only have to worry about them where they come out from behind the TV heading towards the window until they reach the curtains. I've seen some products out there disigned to conceal cables. I don't know, I have to give it some thought.

[Ioman]

You might need to get a quote for someone to come out and run the wires, I am sure they would know how to tackle this.

[jtfields]

I'm going to wait until we get the curtains up along with some cable management products. If I can't achieve an acceptably clean look then I'll start looking into running the cables in the wall either myself or by hiring someone. It would have been nice if Pioneer still used the separate media box as they did with their 6th gen and earlier models. Then all I'd have to worry about is running the one cable from the box to the TV. One thing that concerns me is that I go to all the trouble to run the wires/cables in the wall and then later I end up needing additional cables run.

[scottys94]

I would prefer a Plasma screen TV.

[JohnnyBoy12]

I have a Vizio SV420XVT that I love. I used to have a plasma, but with the XVT I've switched sides. I guess I'd say both, but probably not what you want to hear. The games are insane. I feel like I'm on the sidelines it's so crisp and clear. The 120hz also makes a big difference in my opinion. LCD all the way.

[ECA]

they have just introduced LASER projection TV...
1/4 the power to run, MORE colors, Faster refresh..

[jtfields]

I was at the mall Friday night and as I was walking by the Sony Store a small TV caught my eye and I had to go in. It turned out to be the new OLED TV. I believe it was around 11 inches diagonally (widescreen of course.) Cost...$2,500! Eventually OLED will put Plasma and LCD to shame but at over $200 an inch it has a long way to go.

I still think plasma is the best right now. The blacks on the newest plasmas look so good and the prices are still better than LCD. A 50" Panasonic can be had for $1,000.

The new LCDs do look good though and I do think they will eventually surpass the plasma (mainly because there seems to be more companies pouring their resources into LCD.) I saw a Sony LCD the other day that had a spectacular picture but it was overpriced. Still I did not think it's pictures surpassed that of my Pioneer plasma (and mine's not even 1080p.) It was close though. I'm pulling for LCD. Plasma sets are too heavy and are power hogs.

[ECA]

jt,
If you look around you can find 42" for Under $2k..of either..
I'll wait for LASER to to finalize and lower prices..

[ECA]

http://gizmodo.com/342045/mitsubishi-laser-tvs-colors-look-even-juicier-than-the-girls-on-the-set

[JohnnyBoy12]

Love my Vizio LCD (sv420xvt) and it really does make a difference when you are watching the games to have 120hz and the 1080p. You can see EVERYTHING!! It's crazy when you can see each blade of grass - and now that they have the same technology in a 50" plasma I guess I might have to try it out and see where I stand then (and at $1500 why not). Can't I choose both?

http://www.vizio.com/productDetails.aspx?id=1600&pid=1502

[ECA]

The prices will keep falling..
I would wait until the beginning of the year AT LEAST..
OR wait for the NEW advancements to take hold, which should take about 3 years..

See if you can find the Mitsubishi Laser..
I'd love to hear a personal comment.

[jtfields]

Fry's had a limited time sale on Panasonic 50" Plasmas the other day. $800 for a brand new 50" Panny. I was trying to invent a reason to go buy one (doesn't everyone need a 50" plasma mounted in the garage?) In the end I just wouldn't have anywhere in the house for it. But that price was hard to pass up even when you don't need one.

[wired87]

I think getting a Plasma vs. LCD depends on a lot of things. I personally have tons of light in my living room and so I went with the Hitachi super duper thin 1.5in LCD screen. The image is crystal clear, and I swear it's so discreet sometimes it looks like a painting on the wall. I have to say I think this is the clearest LCD picture out there. I had almost 20 people over for a Charger game and I don't think there was a bad seat in the house...

[jtfields]

I think getting a Plasma vs. LCD depends on a lot of things. I personally have tons of light in my living room and so I went with the Hitachi super duper thin 1.5in LCD screen. The image is crystal clear, and I swear it's so discreet sometimes it looks like a painting on the wall. I have to say I think this is the clearest LCD picture out there. I had almost 20 people over for a Charger game and I don't think there was a bad seat in the house...

Wow, 1.5 inches. That's a really small screen. I bet you guys had to stand really close to it to see what was going on. :)

[ECA]

jt,
THATS thickness..
Like your head..

[Zelma]

There is a long list of reasons you should get both. the jist of it is that LCDs tend to do better in rooms that have ambient lighting (light sources you cannot control), and plasmas are better in dark rooms. Overall I personally think plasmas have the better picture quality, but both are catching up with each other. LCDs don't have the motion blur like they used to and plasmas don't burn in like they used to.

[jtfields]

There is a long list of reasons you should get both. the jist of it is that LCDs tend to do better in rooms that have ambient lighting (light sources you cannot control), and plasmas are better in dark rooms. Overall I personally think plasmas have the better picture quality, but both are catching up with each other. LCDs don't have the motion blur like they used to and plasmas don't burn in like they used to.

Wow, this is an old thread. BTW, still love my Pioneer plasma. I ended up not running the cables through the wall thanks to curtains and cable covers for the wall along with some strategically position items on the fireplace mantle.