Choosing a new LCD HDTV

[Transvaal]

I'm in the market to purchase a new LCD HDTV (i've heard I need to avoid plasma because of the burn-in caused by games and the like). I know that 1080p will run me a little more money, but my new computer has an 8800 GTX and i'd like to be able to run it to the new TV.

I'm looking for something between 42'' and 47'', and I was wondering if anyone who currently owns any of these can comment on the pros and cons. Brand name doesn't really matter to me, and i'm more concerned with the impressions of people who already own one. Any help is appreciated.

[Sean]

Personally I think that LCD TVs are awful for gaming and movies at that screen size. Smaller scale LCDs are awesome for computers and the like, but when you get into the big screens they are just not that great.

50" might be a bit past your size range, but the TV I'm currently looking at getting after I pick up my X360 Elite is one of the new 50" Samsung LED-DLPs.

Amazon.com: Samsung HLT5087S 50" Slim LED Engine 1080p DLP HDTV: Electronics

Now that you don't have to worry about replacing the bulbs, DLPs are getting a lot more awesome. They're also pretty slim.

[Transvaal]

Thanks for the info. I went and read up on LCD vs. DLP, and a lot of people share your opinion. I don't really plan to game much on the big screen, but moreso just watch movies from my computer. The price on the one you linked was really nice as well. I'm going to head out to Best Buy tomorrow and check out the DLP sets in person and see what I think.

The only bad thing i've read about them is a somewhat limited viewing angle. Thanks again for the info.

[Sean]

When you check them out do make sure you're looking at the new LED-DLPs and not the old color-wheel w/ lamps ones.

[kegkilla]

just a side note here you can save a ton of cash if you can get a best buy employee to buy it for you with their employee discount (they pay only slightly more than the product's wholesale value). a buddy of mine got a $5000 DLP for under $3500 that way. if you don't know any best buy employees (probably don't) you could try going in there and greasing up one of the sales floor members i guess i.e. get him to buy it and you'll give him a cut off the top. worth a shot.

[Xen]

Wow, that is a nice TV Sean. Samsung makes some very nice stuff.

[Rathi04]

How small of an LCD is worth while to play games on? I'm also looking at getting an HDTV and wanting to stay around 32" or so for my current situation. I've seen some nice ones with pretty good prices in that size range.

[Aegdaien]

That looks like a pretty nice TV that Sean linked and at a great price to boot. I own one of the older Samsung DLPs (w/ lamp) and it's magnificent. Full 1080p and it renders blacks great. The only downside is that you don't want to put it in a room with a lot of light as the screen is somewhat glossy and reflects sunlight. Most LCDs with a matte finish don't have this problem.

[guanna]

i had the mitsubishi diamond series 65" dlp set. heres a link.Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America, Inc. - WD-65831

after 3 months i could no longer stand the "rainbow effect" (led dlp sets do not have this problem) but you will still have to decide with any dlp, led or otherwise is the screen door effect going to bother you? for me the answer was yes.

i exchanged it for this set, another mitsubishi, this time a 46" lcd, still in the diamond line. i miss the extra inches, but the quality improvements are hands down worth the loss. here is the link to my new and current set. Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America, Inc. - LT-46231

ive gotten myself a PS3 and ninja Gaiden, i run this in its full 1080p glory never a bit of slow down yet or any lag or motion blur what so ever. please note this is considered a "high end" lcd tv.

i only own 1 blu ray title and it is pirate of the carribean dead mans chest. ps3 to tv via hdmi produces the best hd movie picture quality ive ever seen and i also owned a 360 and hd dvd addon in the past. king kong hddvd was beyond superb on my dlp. the lcd and blu ray really steal the show tho (both tv and ps3 support 1080p/24)

this lcd set just dropped in price drastically as they make room for the new line up of mits lcds in the fall, can easily find this tv for 3k, was 5.5k 1 month ago. good luck either way, but i am a dlp to lcd convert, for lcd to shine you REALLY need a superior set, otherwise i would have to say for the best bang for the buck it is hard to beat dlp.

[Sean]

From looking around at articles on it the new LED DLPs do not appear to have the rainbow problem nor much of a screen-door effect problem. Actually, the screen-door effect seems to be much more of an LCD quirk.

[Zodiac]

Originally Posted by Sean

Personally I think that LCD TVs are awful for gaming and movies at that screen size. Smaller scale LCDs are awesome for computers and the like, but when you get into the big screens they are just not that great.

50" might be a bit past your size range, but the TV I'm currently looking at getting after I pick up my X360 Elite is one of the new 50" Samsung LED-DLPs.

Amazon.com: Samsung HLT5087S 50" Slim LED Engine 1080p DLP HDTV: Electronics

Now that you don't have to worry about replacing the bulbs, DLPs are getting a lot more awesome. They're also pretty slim.

I Bought a Samsung HL-T6189S last week, great TV looks amazing for 360 and I haven't seen any ghosting or rainbow effects yet. SD tv stations look pretty bad to me in 16:9 mode, but if you switch the tv to 4:3 it looks fine. If your in the market for a new TV I would consider checking out the LED DLPs.

[Nakilos]

Its been ages since I've bought a new TV and I really don't know what to look for. I'll straight up admit I don't really know why I would prefer LED versus LCD, or even why HDTVs are currently as popular as they are and why I should want to spend the money. Any good documentation out there?

I would just like to make an educated decision before I dump a fat wad of cash on a new TV.

[guanna]

ok, here it is in a nutshell. some of these statements can be argued, but this is a picture i will paint with very broad strokes for the sake of simplicity.

CRT or glass tube tv: honstly, its some of the best PQ (picture quality) available......for SD (standard def) there are few HD CRTs and even fewer widescreen ones. These are the traditional tv, heavy, bulky, and some of the best black levels youll ever see.

DLP color wheel: inexpensive for the size, most BIG tvs are dlps 50+ inches i mean. can be excellent PQ for HD, generally inferior PQ for SD due to most dlps being massive. really good black levels, very light wieght, my 65" wieghed in at 65 pounds. suffers from a visual shitfest known as "rainbow effect" some folks dont see it ever. once you do, if ever, you always will, with more frequency i might add. imagine when you blink your eyes or shift them even the slightest amount, everything on the screen splits into 3 lines 1 red, 1 blue, and 1 green for a split second. (remember, broad strokes) look forward to replacing a 250$ bulb every 2-3 years. silk screen effect, screen door effect (google) side angle viewing dropoff.

DLP LED: the evolution of the dlp tv. heavier, tho not by much, same PQ (some report a softer image than the traditional dlp sets) no bulbs to replace, no rainbows, use far less power than a trad dlp as well. silk screen effect and screen door effect still possibly an issue (its rear projection sets as a whole that suffer from this.) side angle viewing dropoff. its hard to beat DLP for value, but there are some serious cons if you get into too cheap of a set, but even the best can still have these issues (it depends on the person viewing) sean is right led is better than color wheel, but a bit more $$ are needed.

SXRD: i know this isnt really a tech, but just what sony calls it, the rightful name escapes me atm. thisis another rear projection unit made by sony (couple of others too, but only sony calls it the SXRD) same cons as the other 2 RP set types, screen door, silk screen, no rainbow effect here. no side angle viewing dropoff (well a tiny bit, but nothing like dlp sets) excellent PQ for movies, not so much for games or tv. these sets are made for film, a very soft, slightly grainy picture. if razor sharp HD is what youre after, skip this type. a lot pricier than dlp of either type.

Plasma:honestly, probably the best in HD PQ. the best black levels, by far. shadow detail is through the roof. to find a 1080p plasma worth a shit will require 5-6k. that being said most plasmas on the market are 720p. plasmas are HIGHLY reflective, daytime viewing in a well lit room is next to impossible. they get extremely hot to the touch and consume the most power of any set type avail now. perfect tvs for a home theater room. image retention is always a concern, "burn in"as it is also called. some will say they game just fine on plasma, and probably do, but it is a concern. i demoed gears of war via componant video cables on a 720p pioneer elite plasma, around 4k retail. it was the best i have ever seen gears look to this date. i personally decided against plasma because i game a lot, didnt want to ever have to worry that ive played too long and need to let my tv rest. 10k hours of life on average, i just found out this can be reduced to as low as around 4k hours of life for the set of you have "dirty"power and leave it unconditioned. (this is what i was told, no sources for verification on this)

LCD: inexpensive ones (except for westinghouse for some reason) will leave you unsatisfied. high end LCD def will deliver with excellent PQ, low power consumption, the razer sharp HD edges we all ohh and ahh over. not a soft picture at all. can and will reveal imperfections in the source material you would not see on another type of set, usually pixelizations, this is due to very poor black levels (broad strokes) in comparison to other types. high ends will get you a true black, cheaper sets will have a washed out black level to one extent or another due to the back lighting, also whites can very easily be WAY TOO white. proper tuning of this set to your viewing space is mandatory for acceptable viewing. these suckers arent light either, my 46"lcd outwieghs my 65"dlp by 35 pounds or so. price on larger sets 46" is still VERY high.3k minimum. relativly low cons vs lots of pros for high end lcds. cheap ones, the cons outwiegh the pros for sure. rated backlight life of 25 years of 24/7 useage on my mits diamond lcd. i dont think that is the norm tho.

front projection setups: dunno too much, these are the ones you project onto a screen, usually massive. i do know the prices on 1080p projectors have dropped from 7-8k to 1-2k in the last year. if you buy a DLP powered front prjector you can see rainbow effect. you "can"project onto a wall, but if youre gonna do it right youll want a screen. average quality 103"screen is 3k.

im bound to piss people off with my generalizations, but after doing two years of casual researching, this is what i have come up with. what ive written is very broadly generalized and is intened not to be gospel, but merely a starting point for your own research.

[Nakilos]

Thanks, that gives me a good place to start.

[Furism]

The thread you want to read his here : HDTV Megathread - The Something Awful Forums