Deciding on new HDTV for my needs - 32/42in; Plasma/LED?

[kidrow]

In my plasma (and all Panasonic plasma, I suppose), the pillar box mode has an option in settings to display the black side bars as light gray. This takes care of image retention issues.

Have you looked at Sony LEDs? They are costlier but very good in quality.

Lets hope the same is the case with the LG & the Sammy.

& no, haven't considered Sony because it just is out of my budget. I'm not too keen on stretching the budget because 1) I can't & 2) I'm not sure if anyone at home including me can appreciate the differences in PQ. Maybe I'll get better at it once I've owned one for a while & had some experience with it. But as of now, I can safely say I'm not a connoisseur. (It's like when you buy your new smartphone. It's all great until your friend gets a faster phone. It's then you realize what's missing from yours! & you ultimately learn enough to appreciate the differences ).

You should aim at least 46~50" in my opinion. If that is out of your current budget, chuck your plans, save and then take the plunge.

Just that if I chuck the plans now, this'll be on the backburner (for the umpteenth time) & I don't know when I'll come round to it.

Why do call Toshiba as "low brand". Toshiba is quite good. Panel warranty is the main thing. Panel constitures 75% of the TV value. If Toshiba is giving 2 years extended warranty then it means that they are confident on their quality.

Glad to hear that, .
Didn't mean to say Toshiba is an inferior brand. But it's just behind the likes of Sony, Samsung, Panasonic, LG in terms of brand name. At least the perception in India is such.
But yes, there's no real -ve to the Toshiba except for the unstated warranty policy. I just need to see something in black & white to make sure it is 3 years.

Some LED TVs have a glass top surface. Glass is reflective. I am not sure about the above model.

Good to know that. I was assuming that all Leds are going to be matte. So I guess I'll have to also gauge what type it is irrespective of the tech. (Should be most apparent when the TV is off.)

Thanks for your time & patience. Don't know how many more trips it will take to make up my mind! Cheers!

 

[kidrow]

Another trip & have narrowed it down to the Toshiba 39p2305 & the LG 42pn4500, with the Tosh having the upper hand. I want to compare their warranty policies. If Toshiba indeed has a comprehensive 3 year policy, we have a winner!

PS: Is the Panasonic ev6d the same as e6d?

 

[aakashr]

Hi all, 1st time poster here & a complete noob.

So my 25 inch BPL CRT is acting up lately & while I'm sure it can be fixed, folks are divided over whether it's time for a new TV. Frankly, I'm pretty happy with CRTs for SD viewing but if you want to buy a new TV, there's not much choice besides the HDTVs.

I'm not sure about what screen size I'm looking for yet. From what I've read, at 8 feet or so, the minimum recommended is ~50in. Now of course that's the THX standard. Not sure how it applies to viewing TV content. In either case, my budget will allow a maximum of 40in.

Also not concerned about 1080p. Seemingly it's a waste at that distance & screen size even with perfect vision. & if it's 720p, I can hook up my PC to play games, lol. But is it necessary for future-proofing?

So the bottom line is that I'm looking for the cheapest VFM TV for regular SD TV content (read saas bahu serials) with the occasional HD movie. I'm not a videophile & no one else in my family is. I'm not too sure if any of us can make out whether the blacks are deep enough. (Is it obvious enough for a regular joe to notice or are you gurus just splitting hairs?)

However, I'm also not too sure about how many channels are available in HD, packages, requirements, cost etc. So I don't know if it makes sense to switch to HD content, rather than look for a TV which can do a decent job of upscaling, given my limited budget.

With regard to the screen size, I presume the 32in will be about the same as my 25in CRT when adjusted for the different aspect ratios. So if I want something bigger, it has to be around 40in?
I also have a feeling that the 32in panels nowadays are smaller than ones found few years back. I'm basing this on the fact that my friend's 32in Sony seems much bigger than what can be seen in stores today.

1. Most usage will be at night with a regular tube light on (so is plasma out?) for about 3-4 hours. Only Sundays will see usage of about 7-8 hours.

2. My budget - If it's a 32incher, anywhere from 16k to 25k; If a 42incher, between 30k to 40k

3. Viewing distance. - About 8 feet

4. Sources/inputs such as HD DTH/consoles/stand-alone media players etc. - SD Videocon dth

5. Preference for plasma TV/LCD TV/LED-LCD TV. - None. Cheapest preferable but with power savings, if any, factored in. Also whatever is best suited for usual SD viewing (serials, news etc.) in room lit by a tube light.

I know I'm asking a lot of questions before even going into showrooms to have a look. But I'm hoping some responses will help arm me with the info I need so I can be more discerning when I do check the TVs.

What should I be looking at when demoing? What is it that'll help distinguish men from the boys? Any trailers or so that I should download & carry to the stores to help?

Thanks for your time & patience. Can totally understand if people say, "Dude, just stick with the CRT". Frankly, I feel that way since I'm on a tight budget. Nonetheless, would appreciate some guidance & suggestions.

Quick online perusal throws up the following 39-42 inchers -
1. LG 42PN4500 at ~35k
2. Philips 40PFL4758 at ~35k
3. Panasonic 39B6D at ~40k
4. Samsung 43F4900

Source - Television: Buy LCD, LED TV, Full HD / 3D & Plasma TV & Accessories | Snapdeal

So any ideas? Cheers & have a nice day!

you cant beat plasma in terms of price vs performance. Its the best bang for the buck. Also at entry level, plasmas are better than LEDs. Tubelight will not cause a lot of reflection, but sunlight will. If your viewing is going to be mainly during the night with a tube light, plasma can also be considered. Also, when you look at price..........plasma will be cheaper. But no matter what anyone says, please always demo the tv and then decide. I got my brother the Samsung 43F4900 and he loves it.
In LED, I would go with Sony/Samsung/Panasonic.

 

[kidrow]

you cant beat plasma in terms of price vs performance. Its the best bang for the buck. Also at entry level, plasmas are better than LEDs. Tubelight will not cause a lot of reflection, but sunlight will. If your viewing is going to be mainly during the night with a tube light, plasma can also be considered. Also, when you look at price..........plasma will be cheaper. But no matter what anyone says, please always demo the tv and then decide. I got my brother the Samsung 43F4900 and he loves it.
In LED, I would go with Sony/Samsung/Panasonic.

Though I'm ok with all of the issues with Plasma, the one that's a downer for me is the fact that Cos. are moving away from the tech. So Co. after-sales service might be an issue. I don't think local technicians are competent for Plasma repairs. Parts might be hard to come by. On the other hand, LCD/LED is a lot more common & local technicians are competent for servicing them. So there are options even beyond the Cos.

& at the end of the day, I didn't see any earth shattering difference between the two. I'm not probably enough of a videophile to gauge the differences. So that's the major factor for the preference for LED.

Btw one store owner told me today that even Toshiba doesn't have a 3 year warranty anymore. It was only until 15th of November. So I don't know what to believe anymore. Really need to get a hold of the warranty policy in black & white before I pull the trigger.

 

[Dushie]

Samsung has a extended warranty program that is in black and white, call their customer care they should be able to answer your queries.

 

[ps_sonic]

Samsung 43F4900 plasma all the way. LED is brighter plasma is natural.(The choice is yours) I prefer plasma all day. Being a owner of Samsung 43F4900 I am totally pleased with the quality. First I was worried before buying the the product as it was made in India as I usually prefer imported items & was moving towards a panasonic plasma. I did a comparison of samsung & panasonic. Believe me the entry level plasma of Panasonic are no match to samsung. Samsung is Value for money.

 

[sonygeorg]

LG is bringing new model plasma this year as reported in CES. Specs are not out. We will have to wait till feb for it to come to market. Samsung did not have any new models