Sony 40W2000 or Samsung LE40M73 - 1080p or 100hz?

[NobodyHome]

Like many before me, I'm torn between two new TVs. The choice is Sony's 40" KDL-40W2000 (aka KDL-40W2000U) or Samsung's 40" LE40M73 (aka LE40M73BD or LE40M73BDX). Here's the advantages of both as I see it:

• Sony: True 1080p resolution, 8000:1 contrast.
  
• Samsung: Predictive 100hz, £350 cheaper than 40W2000 (£1100 vs £1450).

• The Sony has the best contrast ratio of any 40"ish LCD TV (AFAIK) at 8000:1 (soon to be beaten by Samsung's 10000:1 M9 series). The Samsung is still pretty impressive at 6000:1.
• Sammy's new intelligent 100hz Motion Estimation technology is pretty impressive (unique in LCD TVs AFAIK).
• I'll be watching a lot of Sky in SD, Xbox 360 gaming (Maybe PS3 later), and DVDs via progressive scan (on Toshiba SD330E).

The real question is whether Samsung's new predictive 100hz technology is worth choosing over 1080p and slightly better contrast.
From what I've heard and reading several articles on how it works (including this one: http://www.behardware.com/art/imprimer/641/), it looks like it makes for a considerably better viewing experience with normal TV and HD gaming.

The 100hz looks like it will be great for gaming on my xbox 360, solving the ghosting and jerking that 50hz & 60hz flat screen TVs suffer from . Using the 360 vga cable I should get an exact resolution match of 1366x768 which should also help the sharpness even more (why do TV manufacturers usually make their screens in 1366x768 or 1024x768 to support 720p 1280x720 res !? )

I'm inclined to think that I'd notice the benefits from the reduced motion blur on Sky and the 360 more than I would notice the jump from 720p to 1080p (I've heard a few 360 owners say the difference between between 720 & 1080 was negligable).

Any input would be greatly received .

[bigtim]

Originally Posted by NobodyHome

Like many before me, I'm torn between two new TVs. The choice is Sony's 40" KDL-40W2000 (aka KDL-40W2000U) or Samsung's 40" LE40M73 (aka LE40M73BD or LE40M73BDX). Here's the advantages of both as I see it:

• Sony: True 1080p resolution, 8000:1 contrast.
  
• Samsung: Predictive 100hz, £350 cheaper than 40W2000 (£1100 vs £1450).

• The Sony has the best contrast ratio of any 40"ish LCD TV (AFAIK) at 8000:1 (soon to be beaten by Samsung's 10000:1 M9 series). The Samsung is still pretty impressive at 6000:1.
• Sammy's new intelligent 100hz Motion Estimation technology is pretty impressive (unique in LCD TVs AFAIK).
• I'll be watching a lot of Sky in SD, Xbox 360 gaming (Maybe PS3 later), and DVDs via progressive scan (on Toshiba SD330E).

The real question is whether Samsung's new predictive 100hz technology is worth choosing over 1080p and slightly better contrast.
From what I've heard and reading several articles on how it works (including this one: http://www.behardware.com/art/imprimer/641/), it looks like it makes for a considerably better viewing experience with normal TV and HD gaming.

The 100hz looks like it will be great for gaming on my xbox 360, solving the ghosting and jerking that 50hz & 60hz flat screen TVs suffer from . Using the 360 vga cable I should get an exact resolution match of 1366x768 which should also help the sharpness even more (why do TV manufacturers usually make their screens in 1366x768 or 1024x768 to support 720p 1280x720 res !? )

I'm inclined to think that I'd notice the benefits from the reduced motion blur on Sky and the 360 more than I would notice the jump from 720p to 1080p (I've heard a few 360 owners say the difference between between 720 & 1080 was negligable).

Any input would be greatly received .

Ignore the 8000:1 and 6000:1 contrast figures - they are "dynamic" contrast .i.e. created by the nasty image processing that you will want to switch off anyway. It's the true contrast you should be interested in and for the Sony it's 1800:1 and 1300:1 for the Samsung . Still a clear lead for the Sony there - it's way ahead of the other panels (this month!) SAmsung share panels (the actual glass) with Sony so that M9 may well be the same as the 40w (if it's a 1080 screen?) but the BS CR ratio is to do with processing.

100hz is more image processing and you really won't want this on 360 games - it will add extra lag between when you press a control and something happens on screen - the 2 wil be a bit out of step. Many LCDs (inc samsungs I think) have a "game" mode where all this processing is turned off. PC monitors don't have any of this for example.

If you check the w series thread you'll see that the xbox360 will work at 1920*1080 over VGA with it too.

Running a "p" rather than an "i" should be the biggest benefit when playing video games as the original progressive image isn't being interlaced then deinterlaced by the screen (causing lag and blur).

That's my 2p. Time for a Samsung owner to extol the virtues!

[NobodyHome]

Thanks for the info .

I guess a lag of a couple of frames is probably too much of a trade off for 100hz gaming (though it'd be nice to try it ). Definitely never been keen on interlace - I'd take 720p over 1080i, especially on gaming.

Only thing that concerns me about 1080p is I'd end up running my xbox 360 in 1080p and I know a some games have problems with frame rate and frame tear above 720p .

I read a while back about Sony and Samsung sharing manufacting plants for their panels, so I suppose it's not surprising the ones I like the look of are from these two co's . I'd love an M9 (W series panel with LED backlight I guess), but it'll be out of reach for me .

Would you expect to see a big difference between 1300:1 & 1800:1 contrast? I watch a lot of sci-fi, so darker scenes are important (waiting to unwrap our new unedited/original Star Wars DVDs )

[NobodyHome]

I found an LE40M73BD in a high street shop today. The shop was selling them for a bargain price of £1099 - cheaper than internet prices

Looked very good, and 100hz did definately improve the picture for normal freeview. Lower bandwidth channels still didn't look as good as I'd like, but unless you can afford something like the Sony 40X2000 that upscales to HD, I don't see it getting much better than the Sammy.

[ash]

Ignore conrtast ratios, can be taken with a pinch of salt.

The Toshiba WLT68 series also has the 100hZ thingy-bob. Check it out, I would personally take that instead of the Samsung.

[NobodyHome]

AFAIK the Tosh uses a completely different technique. Is Tosh's motion fix better than Samsung's predictive one?

As Samsung and Sony Bravias use the same panels I was expecting the Sammy to be better than Tosh's current panels in the same price range. I think the M73 uses the same panel as the Bravia 40V2000 but I could be wrong

[ash]

Originally Posted by NobodyHome

AFAIK the Tosh uses a completely different technique. Is Tosh's motion fix better than Samsung's predictive one?

As Samsung and Sony Bravias use the same panels I was expecting the Sammy to be better than Tosh's current panels in the same price range.

Who said the Sony panels were better then what Toshiba use? It might be true, but it also depends on the manufacturer as they use different pricure engine.

As for the technique, not really sure

[NobodyHome]

Originally Posted by ash

Who said the Sony panels were better then what Toshiba use? It might be true, but it also depends on the manufacturer as they use different pricure engine.

Someone somewhere probably said it at some point, and I dare say someone else also said the opposite , but tis fair to say there should be a IMHO in there somewhere . I seem to prefer the Sammy & Sony panels but that may be a processing thing rather than a common panel

I have a sony kdl 52x2000, when i went to buy it i saw the w2000 and was amazed by how good the picture quality was when playing x-men 3 and also how good it was at sky hd, so imo i would get the sony.

[raigraphixs]

Excellent in-depth review of;

Sony BRAVIA KDL-40W2000 40" LCD 1080p HDTV

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