TV: Plasma or LCD ?

[rajsriadit]

There have been many discussions on TVs, and pretty much the same questions
what to buy ? where to buy ? what features to look for ? others
Here are a few key topics.


Plasma VS Lcd


Which one is a better option ? To address this we have to compare various things. This topic has been beaten to death and there is no clearcut winner.

http://www.cnet.com.au/tvs/0,239035250,240036500,00.htm
http://www.practical-home-theater-guide.com/plasma-vs-lcd-TV.html

Both are similar in that they are flat panels, at the same time they are not similar in that they use different technologies for processing images. Here are a few things used for comparison.


Size and Price

Plasma has an advantage in big screens 42" and higher even though the gap is closing all the time. For 37" and lower, Lcd has the advantage.



Picture performance

Both Plasma and Lcd are pretty close in overall performance, but there are differences as well.
Plasmas have high contrast ratio which means they can display deep blacks and details in simultaneous dark and light conditions. A higher contrast ratio increases the device's perceived picture quality.

Contrast Ratio is a measurement of the difference in brightness between the whitest white and the darkest black within an image. A ratio of 300:1 means the brightest point in the image is 300 times as bright as the darkest point.

Picture quality : Both are equally good in reproducing original signals, be it a dvd, cable or satellite. Images are crisp and clear and there is very little to choose between the two. One thing to note though. Plasmas perform well under controlled normal light conditions, whereas Lcds perform well even in brightly lit rooms.

Viewing angle: Plasmas have slight advantage as they have better viewing angles. This is changing quickly and Lcds are catching up fast.


Life


This is a non issue as both plasmas and lcds have long life. Manufactures claima half-life of 60,000 hours for both.



Burn-In


Burn-in can be considered as a permanent image retention. Image retention occurs when a static image is displayed on the screen for extended periods of time. This could be caused from pausing a picture for a long time or static logos of channels displayed in the same spot constantly. Image retention is temporary as it disappears after a while when you switch channels or watch something without logos for a while. Burn-in is more permanent, as a display may or may not recover from it.
Burn-in and IR (Image Retention) used to be a problem with plasmas, but with the technological advances is no longer an isssue. Even Lcds are not immune to IR and as long as the displays are not abused, should not affect them.


Important Note:

Plasmas have to be broken-in properly, the first few hours of turning them on. The first 100 to 1000 hours are very important for plasmas and proper care has to be taken. I will address this separately.



Response time


Traditionally, Plamas have had better response time which makes them perfect for videos. Lcds are getting better, but still haven't caught up with plasmas. What does this mean ? Slow response time will result in blurred images during fast moving scenes in sports and movies. Fast response time results in smooth images. If you want to learn more about it, here's a link.

http://www.practical-home-theater-guide.com/lcd-response-time.html


Features:


There are various features to look for in a tv for a person R2I.

1) NTSC and PAL compatibility.
2) Dual Voltage.

There are other things also but don't necessarily affect tv buying decision.


What to Buy and Where to Buy


There are two types of models, namely, consumer and commercial. Most cosumer models (there could be exceptions) are made for US market and hence are NTSC only. If you are able to find a consumer model which is both NTSC and PAL, please update this thread for the sake of others. I haven't come across any of them yet. Not all commercial models support NTSC and PAL and one has to verify that the model selected supports both.
There are various differences between consumer and commericial (industrial) models. Commerical models are meant to be used as displays, so they don't come with "bells and whistles" like tuners, speakers, and stands. They also come with less number of input connections like hdmi, component etc. If you need to add a particular type of connection, then you have to buy the corresponding input board (called the blade) from the vendor. They are purely displays and can be found in commercial places like airports, public buildings etc. Consumer models on the other hand cater to the consumer needs and have any or all of the features mentioned.

Buying a tv is dependent on various factors

1) Brand name
2) Size
3) Model (consumer, commercial)
4) Price

Always buy a good brand name tv like panasonic, sony, samsung or pioneer as they have good quality video processors. Never buy a tv because it is cheap. You pretty much get what you paid for.
If you are settled on buying a consumer model, then there are various choices for buying them.

1) Local electronics' stores: Various stores keep running specials all the time and especially around major holidays. Most of them price match their competition and you can get the lowest price by scouting around. If you look in the proper places online, coupons are available for various stores which sweeten the deals. Some times you can't combine specials with coupons, but coupons can be used at all other times. Some of the places to look for deals and coupons.

www.slickdeals.net
www.Fatwallet.com

2) online vendors : There are many as listed in the next section.

If having both NTSC and PAL is an issue, then most likely the only choice is buying from online vendors (commercial) . You can also get consumer models from them. Buy only from a reputed online store. Here are a few vendors. I haven't dealt with them personally. Maybe others members can help with their feedback.

www.visualapex.com
www.dtvcity.com
www.plasmadepot.com
www.onecall.com
www.jr.com
www.vanns.com

P.S: Buying the right tv depends on brand name, model (consumer, commercial), size, features (ntsc, pal, dual voltage etc), price and performance. Too many variables, right ? If you think it is too confusing, simplify it by narrowing it to down to a couple of models before shopping around for price.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

If you decide to get a plasma tv, then there are certain precautions to be taken especially in the first few days of use.


Break-in :

Plasmas are most vulnerable in the first 100 to 1000 hours of use. Manufactures have taken care of Burn-in issue with advanced technology like pixel shifting etc. But, plasmas have to be broken-in properly in their early age. There are many ways to do it. First of all, all plasmas and lcds come with highest settings (vivid) from the factory. This is good for displaying in stores as they meant to catch the eyes of consumers. But, it is torture for the tv if it is left at this setting. It is critical to reduce all the settings to their lowest possible and still be able to see tv. Here's the setting I use for panasoncic plasma. Brightness, picture, contrast, color, tint and sharpness all set to zero or less. Secondly, don't watch channels with static logos for long periods of time. Keep switching channels. You can watch channels without logos for any length of time. Don't leave it on pause for long periods of time. Also don't watch dvds or channels with black bars on the sides and or top and bottom. You can change the color of side bars to grey and stretch the content to fill up the screen. Thirdly, you can use a break-in dvd to properly break-in the plasma. The first 100 hours are very critical for the plasma. There are a few places to get the break-in DVD. Here are a couple of links to them.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=583089
http://www.eaprogramming.com/

Read the instructions carefully. You are better of downloading in ISO format and recording the same to dvd.
You can watch normal tv, and use break-in dvd when you are not watching anything. After the first 100 hours and upto 1000 hours, you can increase the settings to a more pleasing level but still use caution.
There is no need to baby a plasma tv, but most problems stem from abusing them. Even Lcds can have burn-in if they are abused. Even Lcds have to be set to a normal setting as opposed to the vivid factory setting for them to have longer life.


Calibration:

Calibration is an essential key to getting the tv to perform at its best. Most tvs need calibration, be it Lcds or Plasmas or DLPs. There are various options available. The cheapest way is to do it on your own using a calibration dvd. Serious videoholics get it done by professional calibrators who really do a fabulous job. Professional calibration is very complex as it involves using proper instruments and tweaking service menus etc. Simple calibration can be done by individuals using simple color filters and calibration dvds. Here are a few sources:

1) Digital Video Essentials

2) Avia Calibration

http://www.ramelectronics.net/html/Video-calibration.html?gclid=CMq528eDz4oCFQ9jgAodMiokdg

http://www.amazon.com/dp/630551982X?tag=geekwithfamil-20&creative=373489&camp=211189&link_code=as3&creativeASIN=630551982X
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00005PJ70?tag=geekwithfamil-20&creative=373489&camp=211189&link_code=as3&creativeASIN=B00005PJ70

3) GetGray DVD

http://www.calibrate.tv/

I personally used GetGray dvd to calibrate my tv and it is very good. The only thing is, you need to buy color filter(s) with GetGray whereas the filters are included with the other two.
All the above calibration DVDs include various test patterns which can be used to properly calibrate tvs.


Benchmark Tests:

The performance of the various devices like DVD, plasma, LCD or DLP can be tested by using Benchmark tests. One of the best benchmark dvds is the HQV dvd. It can be found here.

http://www.hqv.com/benchmark.cfm

Usually it is $30, but use the coupon "smarthqv" to get it for $20. This can be used on various devices and it will show the true quality of the device. It has about 8-10 benchmark tests for various features.
A HDTV has to do a lot of processing before displaying the image and the dvd will test all of them. Some of the prominent processes include de-interlacing and scaling. Only the top brands with good video processors pass most of the tests. See the attached table on how the top brands fared in the benchmark tests. New models have been introduced this year and we have to wait on their reviews.

This is to help you get started and by no means exhaustive. I encourage all the forum members to read the post and leave their feedback on discrepancies, inaccuracies, corrections, and updates.


Disclaimer: With Technology changing ever so rapidly, what is good today may not be entirely accurate tommorow. So, as always use your own judgement when using this post. I claim no responsibility for any mistakes or inaccuracies made inadvertently.

[Desi_by_Nature]

I don't know - maybe i'm still confused between plasma and LCD, but from a very simplistic point of view, I feel that LCD technology is far more "simple" and comprehensible than plasma technology.

Ofcourse i'm no expert, but I tend to prefer things that are more simple in concept, design and construction.

Plasmas tend to be heavier, consume a lot more power, then there's some gas circulating inside the screen which gets charged by electrical pulses and thereby changes color .....aarrgghhhh! sounds too complicated. Just like a chemistry lab inside a TV - who knows what may blow up or burn out. :emsmilep: god only knows what goes on inside a plasma tv.

On the other hand LCD technology is so clean, so simple, so environment friendly.

I guess at the back of my mind, that may be the reason why i like LCD better. :emteeth:

[dhindia]

Thanks for the info DBN. What TV do u have ?

[Dil_Ki_Suno]

Hi rajsriadit and other experts,

Your post is very informative. I have Philips 50 inch Plasma TV model 50PF7320A, I think it is NTSC model and I was wondering what are the ways to make it work in India. I will be r2ing end of March so would really appreciate if you can throw some light on the options I have.

1. I do not have a DVD writer so was thinking of purchasingLite-ON LVW-5006, you have mentioned that you used Lite On DVD writer. So if I buy this will it suffice in India? Or do I still need a PAL-NTSC convertor?

2. Are there any other DVD writer which can be used?

3. If I have to go with purchasing a Vidoe convertor then what is the best and most cost effective option?

4. I will be R2Ing to Hyd so are there any cable providers that will give a set up box which will spit out NTSC signals?

5. Is it possible that I can convert the PAL Analog signal to Digital signal and the Philips TV will work fine?

Your help is truely appreciated.

-DKS

[rajsriadit]

Hi rajsriadit and other experts,

Your post is very informative. I have Philips 50 inch Plasma TV model 50PF7320A, I think it is NTSC model and I was wondering what are the ways to make it work in India. I will be r2ing end of March so would really appreciate if you can throw some light on the options I have.

1. I do not have a DVD writer so was thinking of purchasingLite-ON LVW-5006, you have mentioned that you used Lite On DVD writer. So if I buy this will it suffice in India? Or do I still need a PAL-NTSC convertor?

2. Are there any other DVD writer which can be used?

3. If I have to go with purchasing a Vidoe convertor then what is the best and most cost effective option?

4. I will be R2Ing to Hyd so are there any cable providers that will give a set up box which will spit out NTSC signals?

5. Is it possible that I can convert the PAL Analog signal to Digital signal and the Philips TV will work fine?

Your help is truely appreciated.

-DKS[/quote]


Sorry for the not replying earlier. I was extremely busy the last couple of days and didn't have too much time.

I can answer your questions simply, but I want you to be aware of some facts.

Conversion from PAL to NTSC is quite a complex subject. One needs to understand some of the basics.

NTSC.........525 Lines.(480 viewable).......30 Frames........60 HZ
PAL ..........625 Lines.(576 viewable)........25 Frames........50 HZ

Conversion from Pal to Ntsc involves dropping 100 lines and adding 5 frames /sec. This is done using various methods. Following are the methods in increasing order of complexity.

Linear Interpolation
Inter-Field Interpolation
Adaptive Motion Interpolation
Adaptive Motion Interpolation - Block Matching
Phase Correlation


Simple converters use simple methods and algorithms for conversion, whereas mid-range converters use more complex methods and high-end, expensive converters use the most complex methods. Obviously, complex methods require massive amounts of processing power, sophisticated software and complex circuitry.

Some advertised converters convert both video and audio and others convert video alone. Each type claims its superiority over the other type, but it is hard to say which is better. Need input from members who have used the converters to determine which is better.

Other than external converters, there are vcrs and dvd recorders which have built-in converters (like the liteon model). The quality of conversion of these is quite acceptable for SD (480 i/p) signals. As the quality of broadcast in India is SD, it will work for now. There may be problems when we start getting HD signals in India.

Many of the commercial TV models support both NTSC and PAL. I am sure that they don't have to convert the signals. They display the signals in the native format, i.e, NTSC source in NTSC and PAL source in PAL format. So, they are ideal for R2I. On the other hand, for NTSC only Tvs, converters have to be used for converting from Pal to Ntsc, thereby resulting in various problems associated with conversion.

There is another option other than buying high-end expensive converters. Computer graphic cards support HD video in both pal and ntsc. In fact, benchmark tests on ATI and NVDIA cards showed superior performance. I am still exploring that route and don't have defnite answers on that. I am quite busy and don't get too much time to play with it.

Looking at the specs on your tv, it is NTSC only and you will need to convert from PAL to NTSC once you R2I.

1) The liteon 5006 you mentioned will do the job as it can play and record in both PAL and NTSC.
2) There are plenty of dvd writers from sony, panasonic, pioneer etc. One thing they have in common, they are all expensive.
3) A simple question, but there is no simple answer. Read my notes on converters.
4) Somebody in the MSN forum mentioned TATA sky has STBs which have NTSC output, but I don't know for sure.
5) Conversion to digital is one thing, but conversion from PAL to Ntsc is another thing.

Here are some links

www.world-import.com/samar.htm
www.world-import.com/cmd1500.htm
www.regioncodefreedvd.com/videoconverter.html
www.220-electronics.com/comworld.htm
www.samstores.com
www.planetomni.com

Here are some of the popular models

Kdv-5000: Converts only video
cmd 1500 : Converts both audio and video.
cmd 2000 : Converts only video.

There are numerous others and vary a lot in quality and price.

[Dil_Ki_Suno]

Raj (#4),
Wow you know this stuff really well. Thanx for sharing the knowledge. I am leaning towards purchasing the Liton model for now. The converters seem expensive but I may eventually decide to buy one.

Also please let me know when you get a chance to evaluate the option for the Graphic card. Here are you intending to rout the cable TV input to the PC via the graphic card and then to the Plasma TV? Let me know the process and I can try that too.

Thanks,
DKS

[rajsriadit]

Newer LCDs have built-in calibration tools. Is it really necessary to calibrate using AVIA or other tools you mention?

What is the benefit?[/quote]


There are a lot of patterns put forth by manufacturers of different calibration discs and there are similarities and differences. Different people recommend different calibration discs and eventually it is upto the individual to make up his/her mind on what he/she is happy with. I don't know how thorough the built-in patterns are and if they cover everything and may or may not be complete. It is similar to buying tvs, different people like different models from different brands. One thing good about these discs are that they are quite cheap and it doesn't hurt to own more than one. Some people are happy with only a few tweaks, some people want to dig deeper and a videoholic will have the HDTVs calibrated by a professional which costs upto $300. My recommendation is to get atleast one of them and test it against the built-in ones. Also, if it really interests you on seeing how the tv would fare against the benchmark tests, you can get the HQV disc which can also be used to test dvd players and other things.

[Dil_Ki_Suno]

Raj and other experts, Finally I have decided to go for SB 3690 PAL/NTSC converter. It costs around 170 dollars. Any of you have used this successfully in India? I have to order it soon as I will be r2ing this month end. Help me make a right choice.

Thx,
DKS

[rajsriadit]

Raj and other experts, Finally I have decided to go for SB 3690 PAL/NTSC converter. It costs around 170 dollars. Any of you have used this successfully in India? I have to order it soon as I will be r2ing this month end. Help me make a right choice.

Thx,
DKS[/quote]

DKS, I don't know how good or bad the converter is. Looking at the specs, it doesn't look too bad, but it is basic and don't expect too much from it. You can buy it cheaper here.
http://www.lenexpo-electronics.com/PAL-NTSC-Converter-p-1-c-307.html?gclid=CNO5k4qT5YoCFQxDgQod1BmcxA

Like I said before, quality of conversion depends on the method used and makes a difference with HDTV. The converter above has only analog inputs/outputs, so you won't get a high resolution on it either. If you don't mind spending more money, you can get a much better converter(s). Not only do you look for the quality of conversion, but also the inputs and outputs. Here are 2 products that just got released and they support pal/nstc. If you are interested, you may want to call them to make sure you receive it before R2I.

1) Gefen Home Theater Scaler : $449

2) Gefen Home Mate Scaler: $349

The only difference between the two as far as I can see (looking quickly) is that one has DVI input/output and the other has HDMI input/output.

The other thing you can do also is use your computer to convert signals. Use this as a backup in case nothing else works. All you need is a computer with good graphics card like ATI with vivo technology or Nvidia with purevision and latest drivers. The newer graphics cards support High Defnition and have built-in pal/ntsc support as well. You also need a tv tuner card which supports PAL (they are cheap). Then you can connect PAL input through the tv tuner card and output through DVI from the computer to the HDTV. When you set the output mode to NTSC, it automatically converts from PAL to NTSC in high quality. This is putting it in a nutshell. You can build your own HTPC just for the conversion using mini cases, reasonable speed cpu, good memory and graphics card and tv tuner card, and a good sound card.

[rajsriadit]

I use the Yamaha RX-V2700 to upconvert 480i/480p and 720p inputs to 1080i

This works as long as your Satellite or Cable receiver has HDMI output
and progressive scan DVD player has HDMI output.

SD transmission is visually a whole lot clearer (though it does not appear in full 16:9 aspect)

OTA HD transmission is magnificent[/quote]

Your receiver is capable of more than that.

1) Analog video to HDMI digital video up-conversion
(composite video ↔ S-video ↔ component video → HDMI digital video) capability for monitor out

2) Analog video up-scaling from 480i (NTSC)/576i (PAL) or 480p/576p to 720p or 1080i