I have been saving a few bucks lately and was thinking about getting a plasma tv. I saw one 42" for $2000 can. Anyone know of any good deals out there for a new TV, or maybe a LCD?
Plasma
- Thread starter deke
- Start date
Edtv
I think a lot of the plasmas in that price range are EDTV only. It is great for DVDs which are only 480p as there is less interpolation but for any HD signal it really does not do it justice.
I think a lot of the plasmas in that price range are EDTV only. It is great for DVDs which are only 480p as there is less interpolation but for any HD signal it really does not do it justice.
The simple explanation of Digital TV
Digital TV describes the current crop of higher scan frequency sets. The designation is bestowed on sets that are able to display progressive signals or include a line doubler to convert the incoming viewable NTSC signal at 480i (interlaced) to 480p (progressive). Digital TV can be 4:3 or 16:9 aspect ratio. Ultimately, it is the ability to display the high resolution image defined by the ATSC standards of 1080i or 720p that is the solid foundation of Digital TV.
HDTV or HD-Ready
During the course of shopping for a digital television, the labels HDTV and HD-Ready maybe of some confusion to the consumer. This HDTV designation signifies that the set has an internal ATSC tuner/decoder, as well as meeting the widescreen specifications often required to be considered a true HDTV. The sets will meet the requirement to display in 1080i/720p, although it is often the former only. Very few digital TVs on the market will display in native 720p. The lack of an ATSC tuner/decoder is not necessarily a negative as many set-top decoders are now available with more features than those included in the integrated HDTV. The separate purchase of a HD-Ready TV and the external set-top-box often provides flexibility to the consumer to choose one that offers added features such as satellite receiver and the proper output signal. Most HD-Ready sets will include a high-band component (Y-Pb-Pr) DTV input, although few on the market also offers RGB for this purpose. There have been much debate between manufacturers as to the aspect ratio specifications of the HDTV designation, and it is now recognized that a true HD set will provide widescreen 16:9 aspect screen.
The Definition argument
The most common Digital TV's today are based on the Cathode Ray Tube technology. This is true with both Direct View and Rear Projection sets. Some purists will argue that the many of today's sets should not be defined as HDTV because the CRT's used cannot define all of the picture elements (pixels) required to display 1920x1080 resolution. While this is true for most with the exception of 9" CRT based sets, this specification alone should not be the the reason to shun these sets. While it is true that higher pixel count provides better picture on larger sets, there are variety of smaller TVs that do not require the full 1080 lines to provide incredible picture quality. These high-fidelity TV's often cost quite a bit more than the sets that use the standard 7" CRT or direct view sets. If the digital TV that you plan to purchase is bigger than 55", a comparison to a 9" CRT based TV before purchase is highly recommended.
Industry Standards
Due to the confusion in the Digital Television labeling, the Consumer Electronics Association has defined the descriptions for television equipment standards listed below:
High-Definition Television (HDTV): HDTV refers to a complete product/system with the following minimum performance attributes:
* Receiver: Receives ATSC terrestrial digital transmissions and decodes all ATSC Table 3 video formats
* Display Scanning Format: Has active vertical scanning lines of 720 progressive (720p), 1080 interlaced (1080i), or higher
* Aspect Ratio: Capable of displaying a 16:9 image1
* Audio: Receives and reproduces, and/or outputs Dolby Digital audio
High-Definition Television (HDTV) Monitor: HDTV Monitor refers to a monitor or display with the following minimum performance attributes:
* Display Scanning Format: Has active vertical scanning lines of 720 progressive (720p), 1080 interlaced (1080i), or higher
* Aspect Ratio: Capable of displaying a 16:9 image (1)
(1) In specifications found on product literature and in owner's manuals, manufacturers are required to disclose the number of vertical scanning lines in the 16:9 viewable area, which must be 540p, 810i or higher to meet the definition of HDTV.
Enhanced Definition Television (EDTV): EDTV refers to a complete product/system with the following minimum performance attributes:
* Receiver: Receives ATSC terrestrial digital transmissions and decodes all ATSC Table 3 video formats
* Display Scanning Format: Has active vertical scanning lines of 480 progressive (480p) or higher
* Aspect Ratio: None Specified
* Audio: Receives and reproduces, and/or outputs Dolby Digital audio
Enhanced Definition Television (EDTV) Monitor: EDTV Monitor refers to a monitor or display with the following minimum performance attributes:
* Display Scanning Format: Has active vertical scanning lines of 480 progressive (480p) or higher
* Aspect Ratio: None specified
* Audio: Receives and reproduces, and/or outputs Dolby Digital audio
Standard Definition Television (SDTV): SDTV refers to a complete product/system with the following performance attributes:
* Receiver: Receives ATSC terrestrial digital transmissions and decodes all ATSC Table 3 video formats, and produces a useable picture
* Display Scanning Format: Has active vertical scanning lines less than that of EDTV
* Aspect Ratio: None specified
* Audio: Receives and reproduces usable audio
What is the benefit of buying DTV for NTSC viewing?
If you do not live in area that offers HD transmission (click here for the listings of HD markets) or you do not subscribe to the satellite services that offer HD programming (requires additional hardware), is there an advantage to purchasing a Digital TV? The big answer is "YES". The benefits of digital TV grows with the viewing size. With smaller direct views, the high resolution capability is not as apparent. The differences in picture quality is more visible especially when the rear projection DTVs of today are compared to a big screen TV's of the past. The use of what the television manufacturers often call "progressive scan" which is often more aptly described as "line doubling" often eliminates the distracting black scan lines increasing the appearance of brightness. The set uses various line doubling algorithms to emulate a "progressive" image, and the use of various scaling techniques often dictate the final image quality of the line doubled image. It is often common to find an external line scaler in the advanced home theater, such as the iScan Plus marketed by DVDO and Princeton, Crystal Image, or even Faroudja. It is more common to find these devices in the home theater consisting of a Front Projector driving a large screen.
To 720p or not to 720p
Very few sets offer the ability to scan in 720p (progressive), and much of today's high-definition programs are transmitted in the 1080i (interlaced) format. As digital engine based sets such as the DLP and LCD TV's become more common, it is expected to adopt and convert incoming signals to the 720p format. It is inherently simple to do so when using a display technology based on computing monitors, which are natively progressive. Many consumer electronics manufacturers have decided to forego the more expensive circuitry required to scan in 720p. There has been much debate as to if this standard should be adopted in our television sets, and it is indeed the preference of many videophiles in viewing film based pictures in the progressive mode, where the movement flows smoother with the full frame based image.
Digital TV describes the current crop of higher scan frequency sets. The designation is bestowed on sets that are able to display progressive signals or include a line doubler to convert the incoming viewable NTSC signal at 480i (interlaced) to 480p (progressive). Digital TV can be 4:3 or 16:9 aspect ratio. Ultimately, it is the ability to display the high resolution image defined by the ATSC standards of 1080i or 720p that is the solid foundation of Digital TV.
HDTV or HD-Ready
During the course of shopping for a digital television, the labels HDTV and HD-Ready maybe of some confusion to the consumer. This HDTV designation signifies that the set has an internal ATSC tuner/decoder, as well as meeting the widescreen specifications often required to be considered a true HDTV. The sets will meet the requirement to display in 1080i/720p, although it is often the former only. Very few digital TVs on the market will display in native 720p. The lack of an ATSC tuner/decoder is not necessarily a negative as many set-top decoders are now available with more features than those included in the integrated HDTV. The separate purchase of a HD-Ready TV and the external set-top-box often provides flexibility to the consumer to choose one that offers added features such as satellite receiver and the proper output signal. Most HD-Ready sets will include a high-band component (Y-Pb-Pr) DTV input, although few on the market also offers RGB for this purpose. There have been much debate between manufacturers as to the aspect ratio specifications of the HDTV designation, and it is now recognized that a true HD set will provide widescreen 16:9 aspect screen.
The Definition argument
The most common Digital TV's today are based on the Cathode Ray Tube technology. This is true with both Direct View and Rear Projection sets. Some purists will argue that the many of today's sets should not be defined as HDTV because the CRT's used cannot define all of the picture elements (pixels) required to display 1920x1080 resolution. While this is true for most with the exception of 9" CRT based sets, this specification alone should not be the the reason to shun these sets. While it is true that higher pixel count provides better picture on larger sets, there are variety of smaller TVs that do not require the full 1080 lines to provide incredible picture quality. These high-fidelity TV's often cost quite a bit more than the sets that use the standard 7" CRT or direct view sets. If the digital TV that you plan to purchase is bigger than 55", a comparison to a 9" CRT based TV before purchase is highly recommended.
Industry Standards
Due to the confusion in the Digital Television labeling, the Consumer Electronics Association has defined the descriptions for television equipment standards listed below:
High-Definition Television (HDTV): HDTV refers to a complete product/system with the following minimum performance attributes:
* Receiver: Receives ATSC terrestrial digital transmissions and decodes all ATSC Table 3 video formats
* Display Scanning Format: Has active vertical scanning lines of 720 progressive (720p), 1080 interlaced (1080i), or higher
* Aspect Ratio: Capable of displaying a 16:9 image1
* Audio: Receives and reproduces, and/or outputs Dolby Digital audio
High-Definition Television (HDTV) Monitor: HDTV Monitor refers to a monitor or display with the following minimum performance attributes:
* Display Scanning Format: Has active vertical scanning lines of 720 progressive (720p), 1080 interlaced (1080i), or higher
* Aspect Ratio: Capable of displaying a 16:9 image (1)
(1) In specifications found on product literature and in owner's manuals, manufacturers are required to disclose the number of vertical scanning lines in the 16:9 viewable area, which must be 540p, 810i or higher to meet the definition of HDTV.
Enhanced Definition Television (EDTV): EDTV refers to a complete product/system with the following minimum performance attributes:
* Receiver: Receives ATSC terrestrial digital transmissions and decodes all ATSC Table 3 video formats
* Display Scanning Format: Has active vertical scanning lines of 480 progressive (480p) or higher
* Aspect Ratio: None Specified
* Audio: Receives and reproduces, and/or outputs Dolby Digital audio
Enhanced Definition Television (EDTV) Monitor: EDTV Monitor refers to a monitor or display with the following minimum performance attributes:
* Display Scanning Format: Has active vertical scanning lines of 480 progressive (480p) or higher
* Aspect Ratio: None specified
* Audio: Receives and reproduces, and/or outputs Dolby Digital audio
Standard Definition Television (SDTV): SDTV refers to a complete product/system with the following performance attributes:
* Receiver: Receives ATSC terrestrial digital transmissions and decodes all ATSC Table 3 video formats, and produces a useable picture
* Display Scanning Format: Has active vertical scanning lines less than that of EDTV
* Aspect Ratio: None specified
* Audio: Receives and reproduces usable audio
What is the benefit of buying DTV for NTSC viewing?
If you do not live in area that offers HD transmission (click here for the listings of HD markets) or you do not subscribe to the satellite services that offer HD programming (requires additional hardware), is there an advantage to purchasing a Digital TV? The big answer is "YES". The benefits of digital TV grows with the viewing size. With smaller direct views, the high resolution capability is not as apparent. The differences in picture quality is more visible especially when the rear projection DTVs of today are compared to a big screen TV's of the past. The use of what the television manufacturers often call "progressive scan" which is often more aptly described as "line doubling" often eliminates the distracting black scan lines increasing the appearance of brightness. The set uses various line doubling algorithms to emulate a "progressive" image, and the use of various scaling techniques often dictate the final image quality of the line doubled image. It is often common to find an external line scaler in the advanced home theater, such as the iScan Plus marketed by DVDO and Princeton, Crystal Image, or even Faroudja. It is more common to find these devices in the home theater consisting of a Front Projector driving a large screen.
To 720p or not to 720p
Very few sets offer the ability to scan in 720p (progressive), and much of today's high-definition programs are transmitted in the 1080i (interlaced) format. As digital engine based sets such as the DLP and LCD TV's become more common, it is expected to adopt and convert incoming signals to the 720p format. It is inherently simple to do so when using a display technology based on computing monitors, which are natively progressive. Many consumer electronics manufacturers have decided to forego the more expensive circuitry required to scan in 720p. There has been much debate as to if this standard should be adopted in our television sets, and it is indeed the preference of many videophiles in viewing film based pictures in the progressive mode, where the movement flows smoother with the full frame based image.
Holy crap hitrack, I hope you copied & pasted all that. So if I can afford it, I should get an internal ATSC tuner, with 1080i and/or 720p. Any good deals around the lower mainland?
Yah I just copied and pasted all that, don't blame ya if ya didn't read it all.deke said:
More of my 2¢
I would just buy HD-ready and goto to shaw and either get the HD PVR or atlest the HD cable box. Gettin a full blown 720P TV is gonna cost premium bux, for that sophisticated addition of circuitry to handle that res. Most TV's are the 420i/p and 1080i variety.
If you do a search for Plasma vs LCD it over whelming the responses you'll get.
I have a Shaw Digital Box and a Panasonic HDD/DVD Recorder. I tried the LCD vs Plasma on google. Seemed to be tilted towards the LCD, but at twice the price.
yeah but with plasma TV, you can simply hang it on your wall, saves ALOT of space than traditional TVIngrid said:I've never been a fan of a tv that's so big it takes over the room.
Is this a male thing?
Why don't you get one of those tvs that are hidden in a wall....press one button and voila! there is it! (very james bond....mmmmm.............)
Samsung HLP5685W 56 in. Rear Projection HDTV-Ready Television
google search this or goto the local Future Shop to check this out.
A&B Sound doesn't carry Samsung, but this TV is definitely the one I'm purchasing once I save some coin. DLP is the way to go over both plasma and LCD. You can compare them in the new Granville and Robson Future Shop. I've read many reviews and talked to many salesmen and this is it for me!
google search this or goto the local Future Shop to check this out.
A&B Sound doesn't carry Samsung, but this TV is definitely the one I'm purchasing once I save some coin. DLP is the way to go over both plasma and LCD. You can compare them in the new Granville and Robson Future Shop. I've read many reviews and talked to many salesmen and this is it for me!
