Plasma TV's...

[Darksim]

So about these Plasma Tv's...how will these babies improve over the years?
Don't worry about the technical talk, I can understand it. Will they be able to convert resolution lines with the whole hd-dvd to dvd downgrade? other possible improvements? what about price? plasmas are the best out there is there any chance these will drop in price the next couple of years?

[chlngr1970]

Well, IMHO, Plasmas are FAR from the best out there. Especially given the money you have to pay to get one. For the MSRP of the 50" Pioneer Plasma display, you can get several LCD and DLP projectors giving you ( again IMHO ) a better picture quality, and fact...BIGGER picture. If you do your homework, and have the patience, for that same Plasma TV, you can get a REALLY nice used CRT projector.

Now, neither will wow your neighbors as much as the Plasma, but that is why they sell right now. WOW factor.

Will they improve over the next few years? Sure, as long as they are able to make the individual cells smaller. Once they acheeve that, the pixelation problem will be solved. And, they will continue to go down in price. Another plus for the general public.

j

[Wirehed]

Why are people so darn excited about Plasma TVs? I just don't get it. The quality is just so-so and the price is crazy. Don't get me wrong, I think the technology is great, and of course the thin, wall hugging feature is great, but how many people really need those features when shopping for a TV?

For most people a new DLP projector would be a much better choice, and really for movies, nothing can beat a large CRT --and for the price of a plasma you could have just about anything.

[octopus1256]

It will be a fair few years until Plasma, projector or even those OLED screens replace good old CRT. They're the cheapest and easiest to make which will keep them in circu for many more years.

[Tyler Durden]

I used to feel the same as many of you in that Plasma's were over-priced and underperforming especially in comparsion to projectors or more traditional CRT sets. I would often poo-poo Plasma sets as being purely for poseurs. However, all this was until I actually had the pleasure of living with one. I feel that many of you are basing your opinions on what you may have seen in your local showroom - where we all know TV's are poorly calibrated to begin with.

I have been using the Philips plasma screen and I have to say that it absolutely knocked me sideways from the first day I installed it in my home cinema. The depth of field is absolutely phenomenal - far, far better than any other projector or television set I have tested - some scenes have such depth that the foreground takes on an almost 3-D like quality, I kid you not. Geometry is as solid as a mountain let alone a rock and the colours are vivid and stong without over saturation. For those of you familiar with Video Essentials I can tell you that the Plasma's ability to, "hold black at black"(!) is also better than any other conventional TV and knocks the socks off many projectors.

There are drawbacks certainly. Pixellation is still an issue and there are some instances of digital haze that can be intrusive but the set's sheer detail, depth of field and razor sharp image more than make up for a fleeting glimpse of such discrepancies.

Having now used a Philips plasma I would have to say that not only is the user interface an utter joy to use (it is the best I have ever seen) but the many features, stability and quality of the picture have made me seriously re-evaluate my opinion. Not only is the picture superb but the set itself looks simply divine as well. If you have the money I would go for the Plasma to be frank - you won't regret it and it will perform far, far better than you might think. Comparable with a TV set of the same value? Far better. Comparable to a projector of the same value? Maybe not in size but it will hold it's own picture-wise with ease and the features list should sway you as should the TV tuner that accompanies the set.

Best wishes

T

[tomdkat]

Originally posted by Darksim
Will they be able to convert resolution lines with the whole hd-dvd to dvd downgrade?

What do you mean by this?

Peace.....

[I 8 Piglet]

I think the 42" gateway for 3K really makes a strong argument for plasma. If its pic quality is even as good as the displays at best buy than I would really consider buying it (that is if I had the cash ). My father is considering it and the Plus Piano at this point.

[limacharliewhiskey]

I'm a little concerned about the lifespan of one of these plasma TVs. I don't think plasma TVs have the life-span that current TV tubes have, which is pretty much the life of the TV.

I've worked on a project with a company dealing with the little 5" flatscreens you see on airplanes in the overhead compartment to watch movies. The guy I worked with told me that the backlight which lights the screens up only lasts for a few thousand hours, and they have to replaced every so often, maybe once every year or 2 years.

A plasma TV is essentially a much larger version of the little screens I worked on, at least I think they are.

You may not necessarily need to replace the whole plasma TV if the backlight burns out, but you may need to have this backlight regularly replaced every few years.

When I saw a plasma TV demo at the Consumer Electronics Show, the quality was so sharp that it almost looked like a moving photograph.

If you think HDTV look great, HDTV on a plasma TV looks even better.

I'm all for the technology and hope the prices drop to a reasonable level that I can afford, but I have concerns about the longevity and maintenance of these plasma TVs.

[Flash Ahhh]

Anyone got any Plasma TV ilnks for FAQ's etc?

-Flash

[Darksim]

[quote]Originally posted by tomdkat
[b]What do you mean by this?



when a hd-dvd player is hooked up to a plasma, and assuming that the hd-dvd player is backwards compatible, when it's playing a regular dvd, will the plasma tv convert a non-hd dvd to hd resolution?

that's the longest sentence EVAR..

[chlngr1970]

No.

Shortest sentence ever

The most a display will ever produse is the maximum resolution that it is supplied. Meaning, if the display is sent a 480p signal the most it will do is display at 480p, unless there is an internal line doubler. In that case, it will probably upconvert the 480p signal to 540p, and line double it to 1080i. That is not to say that your DVD playback will BE 1080i, just line doubled to 1080i.

j

[Kenshiro 26]

Originally posted by Flash Ahhh
Anyone got any Plasma TV ilnks for FAQ's etc?

-Flash

Here's a link to an FAQ created by the members of the AVS Forum. It goes into some depth about the benefits as well as the downfalls of Plasma displays.

I believe Plasma is the future, but until it can be manufactured and sold to the consumer at a cheaper cost, CRT tubes and projectors will still have a place in the market.

[octopus1256]

Originally posted by limacharliewhis
The guy I worked with told me that the backlight which lights the screens up only lasts for a few thousand hours, and they have to replaced every so often, maybe once every year or 2 years.

Those are cold cathode lamps, which are used on LCD screens. Almost all scanners use them, and if they do last a short time, how long are scanners gonna work for?? Plasma screens don't use these, they use phosphors - yes the same stuff as in CRTs, to produce light from a small current behind it. Essentially Plasmas use a gas to pass the circuit from the back, to the front, where the phosphors are. It's that easy - except they have to have millions of individual pixels - each made up of three colour sections. Not cheap after all.

[tomdkat]

[quote]Originally posted by Darksim
[b]

Originally posted by tomdkat
when a hd-dvd player is hooked up to a plasma, and assuming that the hd-dvd player is backwards compatible, when it's playing a regular dvd, will the plasma tv convert a non-hd dvd to hd resolution?

Oh ok... that wasn't quite what you asked in your original question, which is why I got confused....

As for an answer, what chlngr1970 said.....

Peace.....

[Flash Ahhh]

Originally posted by Kenshiro 26
Here's a link to an FAQ created by the members of the AVS Forum.

Tanks Dood...

-Flash

[I 8 Piglet]

I know someone here complained of burnin on a plasma screen. Does anyone know how serious a problem this is, and maybe how it compares to an RPTV?

[octopus1256]

Originally posted by I 8 Piglet
I know someone here complained of burnin on a plasma screen. Does anyone know how serious a problem this is, and maybe how it compares to an RPTV?

I know a TV show that uses massive plasma screens which are put wide-ways vertically and have a 16:9 aspect ratio video area. The rest of the screen is white - the idea beain that using a dozen of these to show video around the studio and have white-light to give it that glamour look. I'd love to see how those white sections looked running normal full size videos.

[limacharliewhiskey]

I just ran across a pretty good article about plasma TVs in an article in the Los Angeles Times web site. You do have to register to read it, but registration is free:

http://www.latimes.com/business/prin...Dpe%2Dbusiness

It basically talks about how some plasma TVs have dropped in average price from $12k 3 years ago to $6k right now. They predict that the price could fall by a third in the next year.

There is also a concern about competition from LCD TVs, where Samsung plans to sell a 43-inch LCD TV soon for about $3700.

Pretty interesting article.

[Auditor55]

Originally posted by limacharliewhis
I just ran across a pretty good article about plasma TVs in an article in the Los Angeles Times web site. You do have to register to read it, but registration is free:

http://www.latimes.com/business/prin...Dpe%2Dbusiness

It basically talks about how some plasma TVs have dropped in average price from $12k 3 years ago to $6k right now. They predict that the price could fall by a third in the next year.

There is also a concern about competition from LCD TVs, where Samsung plans to sell a 43-inch LCD TV soon for about $3700.

Pretty interesting article.

The only thing worst than a plasma TV is a LCD TV.

[MRSMITH]

Originally posted by limacharliewhis
I'm a little concerned about the lifespan of one of these plasma TVs. I don't think plasma TVs have the life-span that current TV tubes have, which is pretty much the life of the TV.

I've worked on a project with a company dealing with the little 5" flatscreens you see on airplanes in the overhead compartment to watch movies. The guy I worked with told me that the backlight which lights the screens up only lasts for a few thousand hours, and they have to replaced every so often, maybe once every year or 2 years.

A plasma TV is essentially a much larger version of the little screens I worked on, at least I think they are.

You may not necessarily need to replace the whole plasma TV if the backlight burns out, but you may need to have this backlight regularly replaced every few years.

When I saw a plasma TV demo at the Consumer Electronics

Show, the quality was so sharp that it almost looked like a moving photograph.

If you think HDTV look great, HDTV on a plasma TV looks even better.

I'm all for the technology and hope the prices drop to a reasonable level that I can afford, but I have concerns about the longevity and maintenance of these plasma TVs.

I believe the real clue to actual longevity of plasma display
screens will be found in the availability of extended warranty
periods. Here, both sevice-only firms, and insured plans
come up against the real world. I've checked, and am unable
to find any independent extended-warranty plans willing to
cover the display for more than 3 years. That should tell you a
lot; once they are available for more than 3 years, I would
suggest that the displays will in fact last longer. Everybody
I talk to says at 7 hours average daily usage, the current
displays are good to produce a quality image for only about
the three years of the original warranty.

[Frank Z]

You have to admit that a Plasma screen has a major "WOW!" factor. I have wanted one for many years and have been dropping hints to my wife until recently. Not any more! Turns out that here in Colorado a lot of owners of these units are hearing a constant hum form the screen anytime the set is turned on. The problem is associated with the plasma in the sets being affected by the high altitude. If this problem can be corrected then I'll re-visit the idea, but until then I'm "Stuck" with my WS! Poor little me!

[Istagi]

In Colorado there is a unique problem with Plasma TVs. I have seen or more to the point heard the problem.

At high elevations the plasma, tube I guess you would call it, makes this horrible conatant buzzing sound.

All plasma screens or any large size do it and proper instilation requires sound dampening.