plasma or DLP?

[rb]

Anyone advise what the current best brands are around 42inch and wwhich is better and why?


tks

[enforcerviper]

LCD ;)

I'd buy dlp if depth is not an issue. HD plasma's are too expensive. EDTV plama's suck, I had one and returned it.

[TinyTank]

plasma has a life of only 10 years

LCD-unlimited just need to replace bulb every few years.

so my choice DLP

[Gee]

My choice is also DLP, but you can't mount it like Plasma.

It is rumoured that NEC actually has a 42" LCD TV, but for the price, you can buy 4 DLP TVs.

[sonick]

DLPs, better colors and black levels than LCD

[shabby]

I prefer plasmas, simply because you dont have to sit in front of the tv to see the image. If you try to watch from an angle the image is going to get dark with dlp's.

[Gee]

DLPs, better colors and black levels than LCD

Of course they do. But they are not 2" thick and you cannot mount them

[Coke355mL]

I prefer plasmas, simply because you dont have to sit in front of the tv to see the image. If you try to watch from an angle the image is going to get dark with dlp's.

Actually with DLPs, they offer a much wider viewing angle compared to the older projection tube tvs.

[Jokez Guy]

plasma has a life of only 10 years

LCD-unlimited just need to replace bulb every few years.

so my choice DLP

My family is also planning to buy a new tv, just wondering if we buy an LCD and bulb goes out, how much does it cost to get a new bumb replace if it cost the same as buying a new LCD, then probally not worth it

[aw124]

My family is also planning to buy a new tv, just wondering if we buy an LCD and bulb goes out, how much does it cost to get a new bumb replace if it cost the same as buying a new LCD, then probally not worth it

The replacement bulbs for LCD/DLP RPT are approx $250-$300 right now. There bulbs are rated between 8000 to 10000 hours before their half life. For the average home, that should be at least 3-4 years before you need to replace it. Hopefully in 3-4 years from now, the prices for the bulb will come down even more.

[Jaytee]

You need to provide more information. There are positive and negatives to each technology and you should pick the one that best fits your needs.

What are your video sources and how many? Would it be used mostly for TV or movies?
Do you need a wide viewing angle?
Do you have space limitations both in moving the TV and where it will be?
How important is image quality?
How important is price?

If you decide to get a DLP, make sure you and your family/friends arent part of the 5% or less that are effected by the rainbow effect.

You probably also get more educated answers at some audio/video specific sites like http://www.avsforum.com

[sonick]

Of course they do. But they are not 2" thick and you cannot mount them
well, the OP didn't specify it needed to be thin and wall-mountable, now did he?

if he's goin for 42", and with LCD, he'll probably go with rear projection LCD, rather than an actual LCD panel, which would be the same size as a DLP rear projection display.

plasmas are overpriced for what they offer (low resolution for decent prices, poor blacks). only if you MUST have it wall-mountable, or you're only looking for style and no substance, should one go with plasma.

how fast are color wheels nowadays for DLPs normally? i'd think they'd be fast enough now that less than 1% of people would see rainbows.

[shabby]

Actually with DLPs, they offer a much wider viewing angle compared to the older projection tube tvs.

Ya the old rptv were garbage when viewing from an angle, and the new dlp's are better, but compared to plasmas theres really no comparison. Since our living room has two couches shaped in an L, the samsung dlp that we had for a short time simply wasnt watchable from an angle. So we returned it and got a plasma in exchange.

[felix]

Actually with DLPs, they offer a much wider viewing angle compared to the older projection tube tvs.
yeah, that's what i noticed too when i walked into the Sony store last time. I could see it fine on an angle and I'm pretty sure it said LCD.

I'm also in the market for one. :)

[ChinpokoMon]

The Philips Ambilight series look pretty cool. A colored light, which changes to match the on-screen content, is projected onto the back wall. This bias lighting is supposed to reduce eyestrain and improve perceived picture quality. More about this on Philips' website (http://www.flattv.philips.com/index.cfm?event=main&cat_id=1&subcat_id=2&page=pg3).

http://www.ixbt.com/news/dvd/pics/philips-Ambilight_green.jpg

[felix]

The ambilight thing looks interesting .. but I think for me it would be too big of a distraction with the backlight changing colours all the time.