Which new TV to buy?

[fte50]

Originally Posted by sgt_doofey

Plasma - heavy TVs that use a lot more power than LCD and LED/LCD TV's. Also have a larger border around the screen
LCD/LED - Lighter and uses about a quarter of the power of a plasma. Also, the borders are a lot smaller so the screen looks more like it goes right to the edge of the TV.

These differences mentioned dont equate to a better picture though.
Weight - never really hold my tv when i watch it - more power?? about $50- $100 more pa, cheaper than the annual difference of 91ron to 98 ron.

[damo6]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

Anyone here got a TV from Kogan? Prices are dirt cheap, don't know if they are just re-branded Chinese stuff or Korean panels.

we just got a 50'' kogan lcd for our smoko room at work,absolute **** sound but the screen is good,they supposedly use samsung screens in them. i recently got a 40'' samsung led lcd smart tv,very happy with it,has usb ports,can go online with etc..

[M&Ms]

We've got a 46" Sony Bravia LCD in the Lounge room, and a 37" Panasonic Viera LED 3D TV in the bedroom. I thought the Sony had good picture quality, until I bought the Panasonic... WOW!!!!

Sony is still quite decent though, works really well using the Bravia Sync functions to control the Blu-Ray Player and the Pioneer Hi Fi system. Very quick to go through the menus too. Probably has the best standard speakers of any TV I've heard too, hardly use the HiFi except when watching a movie and craving some Bass. Panasonic is a newer model and as said, the picture quality is second to none. The 3D also works great, especially with some of the documentary Blu-Ray's I've got.

We have a 55" Samsung LED 3D TV in the lunch room at work - horrible sound quality, and the most frustrating and slow menu in the world! Takes about 5 seconds to bring up the next screen in the EPG, and picture quality is nothing to rave about. Has the most boring and confusing remote control to boot! (Nothing beats the layout of the Sony remote IMO, it's these little things that make it my favourite!)

Personally I'm a big fan of LED TV's, think the picture quality is soooo much better. All you've got to do is compare a Plasma and LED/LCD side by side and its like comparing HD to SD. There's a reason why the equivalent Plasma TV is about 30% cheaper than the LED one. The Sharp Aquos is another TV that appeals to me.

Personally, my order of preference would be Sony Bravia (Very good deals out there too!), Panasonic Viera (very close second), Sharp Aquos.

Had issues with LG products in the past, so wouldn't go there again, and Samsung is just like Apple, overrated and overhyped yet not even on par with some of the competition out there. Avoid Kogan like the plague. And all the other brands just fill up the gap in between for the 'average quality' product (Sanyo, Toshiba, Hisense, etc.)

Good Luck

[flappist]

Big picture (pun intended) does it really matter what you buy?

You can get the sooperest dooperest gollywog brand with double overhead dihedral throbotrons and carbon neutral ozone friendly whale saving quantam widgets for $1.24 + GST and 30 seconds after you pay for it the price will drop and a new bigger faster better gooder one will be released.

Buy whatever then buy another one 3 months before the warranty runs out and sell your old one on ebay or gumtree.

[Resurrection]

Originally Posted by Pedro

That's why I bought the Hitachi in the first place but my understanding of the current manufacturing is that they are all made in China apart from the Korean brands.

The plasma Panasonic I purchased in 2006 is clearly assembled in Japan. That is one of the main reasons I purchased it.

[sgt_doofey]

Originally Posted by fte50

Weight - never really hold my tv when i watch it

It matters to me. I have a 10 month old son who's just started crawling. Soon he'll be walking and I'll have to strap the plasma down to the TV cabinet so he can't pull it over on to himself. Won't have to worry about the LCD one we have.

Also, you'll never ever shift the TV ever again? I just swapped one of our plasma TVs for the aforementioned LCD one. The weight difference is amazing!

Hanging the TV on a wall? It'll be easier to mount the LCD/LED rather than the plasma.

[Ford_The_Win]

Originally Posted by flappist

Big picture (pun intended) does it really matter what you buy?

double overhead dihedral throbotrons .

Please flappist, tell me more about these double overhead dihedral throbotrons. I'm intrigued...

[BHDOGS]

perhaps its time for a show us your lounge room set up thread!!!! haha pimp those tvs and sound systems.

[duaned]

Originally Posted by fte50

You havent seen the Pioneer Kuro - if you had you would swallow ur words.
Kuro is king and IS still benchmarked as the reference standard for pic quality.

What drivel! I actually do have a Kuro here ( well it recently failed) and I am an AV installer so I see many more panels than you will ever come into contact with. Yes the Kuro was magnificent, and Panasonic have yet to produce (Samsung as well) that had accuracy as the Pioneer. But like all plasmas, they are useless in bright conditions. Plus the Kuro hasnt been available for years so what point is your post?
Black screen filters on Plasmas help, but whites and light colours are still affected. And not to mention the image retention issues that plague Plasma, Pioneer heavily included! A well calibrated Samsung LED LCD is the overall win. I see it, I hear it every day. And I own one.

[duaned]

Originally Posted by BHDOGS

perhaps its time for a show us your lounge room set up thread!!!! haha pimp those tvs and sound systems.

Actually there was one in the Entertainment area but it lacked in replies and photos!

[duaned]

Originally Posted by flappist

Big picture (pun intended) does it really matter what you buy?

You can get the sooperest dooperest gollywog brand with double overhead dihedral throbotrons and carbon neutral ozone friendly whale saving quantam widgets for $1.24 + GST and 30 seconds after you pay for it the price will drop and a new bigger faster better gooder one will be released.

Currently searching Gumtree for one of those!

[Mechan1k]

Bought a 24" Kogan with inbuilt DVD player for my sons room ... mounted on a wall bracket high up .... he just watchs cartoons in there ... nothing taxing.

I got it when they had them on special with free delivery .... $99 a the time. Specs seemed good.

It was literally delivered the next day ... I had it up on the wall and running.

For a "cheap" unit ... it really surprised me how good it actually was. Very impressed for what i paid ... and going on what I had seen in th shops at equivalent units .... I am happy i decided on it.

Tempted to get one of their larger units for the lounge room that i barely use.

Other than that .... i have a smaller Sharp 32" 1080P 100hz unit that I have had for 6 years now .... and it's still excellent for what it is ... makes my in-laws 2yo similar spec Samsung (which is LED) look average.

I wouldn't mind trying one of the newer Sharp units ... at least I know it's got a 3 year warranty on it standard ... and my current 32" unit was Japaneses made/assembled as well.

I paid a bit more for my Sharp back in the day ... but there really wasn't much in the way of a 1080P 100hz 32" unit (all i could fit in my current TV unit where I lived at the time). I am still impressed with the way it handles HD content through it.

As for sound though a flat panel ... i don't care really ... as it's one of those things that you run through sound system really.

[trentski]

Originally Posted by sgt_doofey

It matters to me. I have a 10 month old son who's just started crawling. Soon he'll be walking and I'll have to strap the plasma down to the TV cabinet so he can't pull it over on to himself. Won't have to worry about the LCD one we have.

You are out of touch, my 50 inch Samsung plasma weighs 21kg, I hung it on the wall myself, it's less than 6cm deep.

You might want to reconsider not strapping down your LCD though, it could still hurt him if he pulls it down on top of himself

[fte50]

Originally Posted by duaned

What drivel! I actually do have a Kuro here ( well it recently failed) and I am an AV installer so I see many more panels than you will ever come into contact with. Yes the Kuro was magnificent, and Panasonic have yet to produce (Samsung as well) that had accuracy as the Pioneer. But like all plasmas, they are useless in bright conditions. Plus the Kuro hasnt been available for years so what point is your post?
Black screen filters on Plasmas help, but whites and light colours are still affected. And not to mention the image retention issues that plague Plasma, Pioneer heavily included! A well calibrated Samsung LED LCD is the overall win. I see it, I hear it every day. And I own one.

Drivel you say mr av installer ?????
Point of my post was merely stating Plasma aint dead and can still hold its own. Perhaps u should read into a thread b4 jumping.
I do question your points though..
Has no other brand of tv failed other than Pioneer???
Plasma useless in bright conditions - slightly more so than an LCD as we know if ur talking heaps of light, but as an AV INstaller 1 would assume you should know their best positioning. Never been to a cinema with skylights, or a tv in front of a window, perhaps you've fitted 1 of them as an expert installer.

Consumption & image retention are the only negatives with plasma.
And although very good, no current generation Samsung will deliver Kuro accuracy calibrated or not so dont bother going there.

[distortion]

Meh, all current generation plasmas and LED's are going to be outdated sooner rather than later, the next 'big thing' that should actually take off, is 4k. 3D will die IMHO.

[Cheese3]

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-33199_7...-still-stupid/

[distortion]

I completely disagree with the tool from that link. His claims that people are going to only want 50 inch screens is just stupid, everyone (mainly men perhaps) will always want bigger and better. His claim also that distance to the screen is changing doesn't really matter, considering viewing distances are a personal thing, if I sit closer, and notice higher detail, does that mean I should have 4k, but others in the same house who sit further away, shouldn't? I repeat, what a tool.

[xisled]

There is always going to be a need for smaller TV's. Not everyone can fit a 50 inch in the bedroom.

[distortion]

most people I know have a smaller tv, and a big main tv...

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by Ford_The_Win

Please flappist, tell me more about these double overhead dihedral throbotrons. I'm intrigued...

But Flappy forgot to mention that they need an aftermarket Gyroscopic Deflagulator or they don't work!

[GREGL]

Have a Panosonic vienta 50" , no problems and easy as to navigate . The ads are much crisper and those interruptions like the footy seem clearer as well .

[Dusty1]

50 inch Panasonic (plasma) here. Purchased in Nov 2008, red hot price for $2850!

Got my parents a 42 inch same spec 2010 for $900. Grat TVs. Decided I didn't need all the extra stuff liked true in picture, speakers as I use a receiver. Bought a Bluray with dongle to access YouTube, iview etc, never used it.

I would trade in the extra smart tv features for a better screen, decent build quality. I'd look for a panel made in Japan. I turn mine off at the wall when not in use, so I can't compare power usage, but everything costs money to run.

Also have a small led in the bedroom, picture ok but we don't watch it as much as the plasma.

Haven't moved mine since I got it in 2008.

[Crazy Dazz]

One quick point; so called “LED” TVs are still just LCD. LCD requires backlighting, and in the past used miniature fluorescent or mercury vapour tubes and diffusers. Now they use LEDs for backlighting. It uses less power and apparently produces a better picture from the LCD. Point to note is that a better quality LCD is still better than a poorer quality with LED.

The Plasma v LCD debate is still the same.
LCD is lighter, uses less power, and gives you a sharper, crisper image. However their refresh rates are abysmal. Try to get one that is at least 200Hz.
Plasma is still generally cheaper, uses more power, but delivers vastly superior refresh rates.
If you want to watch sport, or fast action movies, choose Plasma, but for everything else LCD gives a better picture.

Personally when buying, I try to avoid the latest and greatest. I don’t see the value in paying twice as much for some new feature, or a few more inches, only to see it obsolete in 6 months. But that’s just me.

As for “3D’, the TV is 2D. We take a 3D world and we represent it in 2D, which then appears on your TV. Attempts to trick your brain into perceiving 3D depth are as old as the hills, at least as old as photography.
Personally I cannot stand “3D” movies, they make my eyes hurt, my head ache, and my stomach churn. Last thing I want is my TV trying to **** with my head. But again, just me.

[mik]

I've always liked panasonic stuff myself, one tip I got from a salesman was that the star energy rating if it is high means they are probably getting it by having less pixels to suck energy and therefore comprimiseing on picture qaulity.

[Polyal]

Well I just picked up a Toshiba LED LCD the other day, the model number escapes me now but my main concern was the Hz..ended up getting a 200. Seems to do the job ok.

My laptop screen died the other day so i just HDMI it straight in and now have an instant media center!

The only thing I dont like about the newer TV's are the rubbish speakers, it forces you to get an amp etc...so thats next on the list.

[Franco Cozzo]

Anyone know if these new fandangled LED TVs have transformers on the wall plug and run off 12V?

I'm after something I can cut the transformer off and feed it 12V, and it still work.

After something for the back of my GMC Sierra, but all those "caravan" models are like 21" POS, would like to go 40" most likely.

[Crazy Dazz]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

Anyone know if these new fandangled LED TVs have transformers on the wall plug and run off 12V?

I'm after something I can cut the transformer off and feed it 12V, and it still work.

After something for the back of my GMC Sierra, but all those "caravan" models are like 21" POS, would like to go 40" most likely.

I don’t think I have ever seen one with the transformer external. You would probably need to ask somebody who repairs them what the internal transformer steps down to. If it’s something close to 12v, then you could probably easily fit a plug and run it off a 12v regulator.

[trentski]

The difference in weight and power consumption between a late model plasma and led lcd is not enough to be a consideration when purchasing.

LCD is generally better in high light conditions but the viewing angle suffers as a result. Plasma is generally better for blacks and fast moving pictures.

A general LCD vs plasma debate is pointless. Comparing specific models is the only way to decide which TV is better for your circumstances.

[mik]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

Anyone know if these new fandangled LED TVs have transformers on the wall plug and run off 12V?

I'm after something I can cut the transformer off and feed it 12V, and it still work.

After something for the back of my GMC Sierra, but all those "caravan" models are like 21" POS, would like to go 40" most likely.

I think you can buy an invertor that will do the trick, there is a specific type of invertor for tv's and computer equiptment, I think it is sinewave? The standard type is good for lighting, electric motors, power tools , etc,
You would have to look at the power consumption of your tv / amp to see what size invertor you need, they come in various sizes, and if your ambo does'nt have the dual battery set up you might need one to run your gear for any length of time.
Dick smith/ jaycar have the invertors, probably 4x4 shops and caravan places to.

[cheap]

Plasma Plasma Plasma

Plasma's consume more power (so watt), they weigh more (so what), they're supposedly prone to the infamous "image burn" .... but they still have better picture quality over LCD/LED.

We have an old 2008 50" Panasonic as well as a newer 50" Full HD 1080p LCD/LED, I will take the Panasonic over the new LCD/LED any day. Watching anything from sport to drama on the LCD/LED it looks like it's a cartoon, nothing looks lifelike, where everything is superimposed on a green screen background. If you want a kids gaming TV, then go for LCD, if you want picture quality Plasma.

When the 50" fails, I'll be buying a 65" Panasonic Plasma.