Author Topic: Plasma TV? Finally got one. Revised with "photos" (Read 3184 times)

seaweb11 · « **on:** November 10, 2006, 02:25:05 PM »

Any one bought one of these lately?
I'm on the hunt for a 50" and am completely lost in the quagmire of options.

Bob Wessner · « **Reply #1 on:** November 10, 2006, 03:11:53 PM »

I went through the same research recently. At one time, plasma had an edge in terms of viewing angle and viewing in brightly lit settings. However, they do draw more juice than LCD's, if that matters to you. However, LCD's have improved a good deal. We were in the market for something larger for a basement room we recently completed. After researching, we settled on a Sony Bravia, partly because of good CR reviews. Viewing angle is fine, good picture, we like it. One of the best things you can do is go to one of the big box stores and check them out in person from the distance you will view and walk from side-to-side to check the viewing angle limits.

Ratfink · « **Reply #2 on:** November 10, 2006, 05:40:05 PM »

Are they less than $4000 now? Im thinking about selling my SOHC and buying a plasma.........so I can play my new PS3 on it........

Bob Wessner · « **Reply #3 on:** November 10, 2006, 05:46:07 PM »

A 50" plasma can run between $2,000 and $3,000. Oh yeah, that's one other difference, plasma generally costs more than the equivalent sized LCD.

aptech77 · « **Reply #4 on:** November 10, 2006, 05:56:24 PM »

Go DLP....IMO

seaweb11 · « **Reply #5 on:** November 10, 2006, 06:31:23 PM »

I guess what threw me off my game today was a chat with a TV repair guy who said both LCD and Plasma will be redundant as of Jan 1st in the US. That Texas Instruments has something new comming out next year that will make all the other stuff a waste of time. He also said Canada won't see it for another 2 years

I could die before 3 years rolls by and I want a wall mount to finish up the "theater room" downstairs. I have been building this house now for over 3 years, just want to make the best choice.

I HATE doing things twice!

Found a very cool adjustable mount today that will be the cats ass, but still need to make a decision on the TV.
I love the engineering beauty of this thing.

aptech77 · « **Reply #6 on:** November 10, 2006, 06:33:07 PM »

What's it called?

seaweb11 · « **Reply #7 on:** November 10, 2006, 06:37:10 PM »

Sorry, I should have made a note on my post.
Digicom PM-A772
Online they range in price from $349.99 to $249.95 http://www.amazon.com/Articulating-Mount-Universal-Design-Displays/dp/B000J3AF08

aptech77 · « **Reply #8 on:** November 10, 2006, 06:39:45 PM »

And what's the new tv called?

seaweb11 · « **Reply #9 on:** November 10, 2006, 06:42:45 PM »

No idea, I went to the Tex Inst web site but the site was built for PCs not Macs and I didn't get very far

http://www.texasinstruments.com/

Steve F · « **Reply #10 on:** November 11, 2006, 02:15:03 AM »

Regarding PLASMA, it's been said that plasma TV's need to be "recharged"? every couple of years??? The sales people acknowledged this, but couldn't elaborate. Something about the gas being consumed in the dispaly, and it costs around $400 each time. Anyone else heard of this?

mcpuffett · « **Reply #11 on:** November 11, 2006, 05:26:17 AM »

is it plasma tv's that die a little every time you switch them on? $:-\$ , mick.

Steve F · « **Reply #12 on:** November 11, 2006, 06:23:10 AM »

I found these links regarding plasma "recharging". Interesting read.
http://www.best-plasma-televisions.com/plasmatvrecharging.html
http://www.plasmatvbuyingguide.com/plasmatvreviews/plasmatvpixel.html

aptech77 · « **Reply #13 on:** November 11, 2006, 08:39:47 AM »

Plasmas last about 3-5 years.

mennedy · « **Reply #14 on:** November 11, 2006, 11:31:50 AM »

I bought my son and his wife a plasma for their wedding present. My wife and I spent about 4 hours at Costco and ended up standing waaayyy baaaack from the TV section looking at plasma v LCD. I prefer the LCD but after 40" or something the LCD isn't as good and I found the "tracking" - when a character moves/walks across the stationary picture - on the LCD to be poor, especially on the much larger screens. I have a 15" LCD which I love and it is hardly noticeable.
Both have an optimum service period but it is like 15 - 20K hours (divided by 5 hrs per day = 4,000 total days divided by 365 days/yr = up to 10.9 years). It is not a big concern.

Both require an HD broadcast and therefore require a satellite dish or digital box.

As the previous post says, go to a big box store and watch both. Everything I have bought in the last 5 yrs has been obsolete before I got it home and the price is usually outrageous. I quit worrying about it and just buy something I like today for the best price I can get and let tomorrow take care of itself.

My son and his wife are a very happy couple - when watching TV anyway!

Peterbylt · « **Reply #15 on:** November 11, 2006, 12:07:20 PM »

I have a Viewsonic PJ452 LCD projector that is projected on a 108 inch pull down screen. I just had Brighthouse cable with HD installed. The picture in high definition is incredible.
This is the largest possible screen I could put in the room. With 1800 lumen's you can see the picture on the brightest of days although it is better when the room is dark. I paid $599.00 for the projector at CDW.com and another $99.00 for the screen on ebay. I built my own ceiling mount for the projector out of spare motorcycle parts.
In my opinion the picture is better than my friends 60 inch LG Plasma screen that cost almost $5000.00 (he thinks the plasma screen is better)
Nascar and Hockey in HD are incredible.

Peter

mennedy · « **Reply #16 on:** November 12, 2006, 11:38:11 AM »

Yessssss, Peterbyilt. I have been looking at doing just what you have done. It is a great space saver, I have heard the quality is excellent and the price very affordable. Now you say it is comparable or better quality. Fabulous! I will now look seriously at this option.

The obvious drawback is that it cannot be moved around as it is a permanent installation but that is not a problem for me.

Tx

seaweb11 · « **Reply #17 on:** November 12, 2006, 02:05:50 PM »

Peterbylt
was it a hasle cutting a hole in the ceiling, or where does the projector go?

Peterbylt · « **Reply #18 on:** November 13, 2006, 11:36:02 PM »

No holes were cut in the ceiling. First cut two pieces of shelving bracket to size flip the projector over and mount the brackets to the provided screw holes in the bottom of the projector. Then get two pipe flanges mount one to the shelving brackets the other locate a stud in the ceiling and mount flange to stud using drywall screws. screw pipe into top flange and screw projector on to pipe. Using the menu system on the projector flip the picture and zoom to fit your screen.
It only took two weeks for my wife to stop fussing about the hideous thing hanging from the ceiling.
Plans are to shorten the down pipe to 4 inches and put an outlet box in the ceiling to rerout the wires.

seaweb11 · « **Reply #19 on:** November 13, 2006, 11:51:59 PM »

I heard they could be noisy

Peterbylt · « **Reply #20 on:** November 14, 2006, 01:10:14 AM »

The previous Proxima projector was a little noisy. This Viewsonic projector is very quiet it also has a whisper mode that dims the bulb a little but is so quiet you can't hear it at all. Besides when I get the Sony 600 watt Dolby 5.1 surround sound cranked up you can't hear jets flying over never mind the projector.

dusterdude · « **Reply #21 on:** November 14, 2006, 06:42:45 AM »

dlp is the way to go,but you cannot wall mount them.

GoatBaSS · « **Reply #22 on:** November 15, 2006, 06:47:40 PM »

I was in the elec repair business. Made my money taking care of this stuff. Here is what I KNOW and am not supposed to tell.
Plasma is a gas that does degrade every time the unit is turned on. If you Drop it (happened) your son jams a pencil through it (happened), your sons friend slings a baseball bat through it (happened) your housecleaner sprays solvent on it to clean it and it drips down behind the screen or on to the circut boards(happened) or a ladybug crawls in between the screens and dies leaving a spot with a yellow ring of decay(happened) your option is to replace the display or get a new one. If you choose to replace the the display (out of warranty of course, as none of these afflictions are coverd by warranty) and your repair place can find another display (good luck as most are spoken for for your natural life) and you have the 6 weeks to wait, please multiply the purchase price of your TV by 1.5 and that should be about right. The sheer amount of work to do the job is akin to taking a flaky pastry crust appart layer by layer, fan by fan(they put out a ton of heat, but hey, don't duct that room) board by board and then remove display, replace display and pray you don't break it, then put it back together. There are damn few people in the world who do this work and fewer who do it well.
They have a great picture, but they will die out soon (much like the local TV repair center). You can order a projector, extra bulb or two, movie screen material, go to radioshack and get the proper cable from box to projector, local lumber place for some trim, mount it on the wall, and when you are not watching racing or the game, you can give powerpoint presentations to your kids and inflict slideshows on your neighbors and still not approach the cost of a plasma, and with a couple of bulbs, triple or quaddruple, the viewing life of a plasma. While burn in is an issue on both counts, it will go away on a projector, plasma not so much. DLP and LCD nice and cheaper also. But if you want BIG, make a home movie house. I have seen it done and it is the way to go.

CBGBs · « **Reply #23 on:** November 15, 2006, 07:00:56 PM »

It's funny. Just before reading sohc forum I was shopping for a TV.
[url]http://www.officedepot.com/ddSKU.do?level=SK&id=940651&N=263980&An=browse[/url]

seaweb11 · « **Reply #24 on:** January 02, 2007, 09:01:22 PM »

Thought I would continue my thread on this topic as some may be thinking of doing the same in the near future.

Toshiba 50" Plasma. Bought at a boxing day sale. Saved $1000.00 I was shopping back in November. Here in Canada they are a bit more than in the US. Got this one for $2495.00 ...with another $500.00 spent on a 2 year extended warrantee. I've never bought an extended warranty until this, but based on what info I found on-line, it seemed a good investment.

I wanted a wall mount with all the extentions and swivels. Bought the one shown above for $250.00. They wanted $650.00 CDN for the same thing here in a store.

Spent today drilling holes in the wall and mounthing the new wall mount bracket. Very happy with everything. Nothing like watching off road races and the trucks look like there going to land in your lap!!!!

Here are a couple of photos of install so far, still want to get the center speaker mounted on a bracket above screen and side speakers mounted up beside screen.

P.S. The cooler in the bottom left hand corner still has a couple of beers left over from the UFC fight party the other night.
.....and yes that is Muhamad Ali on the screen

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Author Topic: Plasma TV? Finally got one. Revised with "photos" (Read 3184 times)

Ratfink