plasma vs. crt vs. rptv vs. LCD

crt cons: geometry escecially in 36", convergence, focus in the the edges is sometimes off(not really a noticable problem is it), limited size and other problems like dirty sides, dark pathes, flicker

rptv cons: lack of contrast, convergence, bad in bright rooms, limited viewing angles(does that really bother anyone)... anything else??(just picture wise)

plasma cons: not black enough blacks in dark conditions, lip sync problems?, fan noise on some models?, price, limited life time

Would this be a correct analasis by me?? What would be the best tv to get picture wise, not a crt because currently they don´t come larger than 36"(except the curved loewe), Progressive component to a rear projection tv or plasma, which is better? What is the best possible? VGA connections from dvd.. does that exist? pal/ntsc progressive via component is that the best possible.. can scalers or line doublers (havent got a clue what they do) improve the picture in that setup??

 

In your cons for plasma you list limited life. I would say that current uncertainty about lifespan would be more accurate.

I know of only a few people with CRT TV's in, or older than, the current 10-20 year estimate on how long a plasma screen will last. On the other I know several people with CRT TV's that have died in the 5-10 year lifespan bracket.

I don't know about RPTV's but I don't think that there's a great difference in expected lifespan between any of the technologies. After ten years you'll probably want to upgrade to the latest micro laser array projection system or whatever anyway.

Charles.

 

So... what will give me the best picture. Plasma or rear projection??

 

Plasma is best by far.

 

Why is that, they have contrast problems like rear projections.. and would you say that a plasma image is better than a CRT? Is then a good progressive dvd player and a plasma the best picture you can get, would scalers or line doublers do anything to improve that image, are they maybe built in plasmas?(don´t have a clue what scalers and line doublers are)

http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_7_4/dvd-benchmark-progressive-shootout-12-2000.html

Why don´t all magazines review like that.. brillantly detailed. Magazines like what hifi give a full house of stars to the weirdest products and seem to downplay all faults. And don´t test the products as professionaly as this, I think they just compare scenes and don´t actually check for all the faults that could be there or am I wrong?

 

Have had both and as good as my Tosh RP was I would not swap my Panny plasma for anything currently available for UK use. In the US though that's a different question I would probable go for the hi res version of the Panny 5.

Plasma is great but please allow some dosh to get the thing connected

AND

allow some more dosh for the new DVD player with Pal and NTSC Progressive Scan

 

Ive owned Sony KV32FX60, Sony KV28FX65 (still own it, for my bedroom) Sony KV36FS70, all crt. The best for picture from them 3 is the 36FS70. Now owning a plasma, the pic quality is by far better than the crt's Ive owned. Plus, theres nothing better than sitting down in front of the plasma with ma feet up, it puts a permanent smile on ma face. As for rear-projection in my opinion, it shouldnt even be in the running. They are sorry excuses for tv's. Unless you want a 3 million inch crap picture compared to crt or plasma staring at you, then stay clear.

Plasma by faaaaaar.

Sharper : Come on you SPURS !!!!!

 

Charles.. well the manufacturer say themselves that the expected lifespan of a plasma is about 10 years with 2 hour use every day, if i remember correctly(someone else figure out the hours on that), so that is the lifetime that one should expect. There could very well be faulty plasmas that would give out sooner, but CRT´s last much longer if they aren´t faulty. I mean my grandmother and father have an ancient CRT and it works. But this pregiven lastability of a plasma would make them very hard to sell I would imagine after a few years(when Im ready to uppgrade).

The lifetime doesn´t bother me too much, I just want the best picture I can get. You guys actually say the picture from a plasma is better than a CRT? What about in a black room (like mine).

I was on the usa pioneer site.. what is the difference between these models PRO-800HD ,PDP-4330HD. Are they both available here in europe, what model is the mx?

http://industryclick.com/magazinearticle.asp?magazinearticleid=121666&magazineid=127&mode=print

This review said that the Pioneer's PDP-503CMX had greyer blacks than the panasonic Panasonic's TH-50PHD3U, but the pioneer was better in many other ways. Are these the newest models from them, have either of them got their problems sorted out.. Pionner with their black or Panasonic with the other niggles????

 

I think plasma's last longer than 10 years if you only use it for 2 hrs a day

Newer plasmas depending on vendor last around 20,000hrs to 30,000 hrs. Sometimes more, sometimes less.

Lets say on average it lasts 25,000hrs....Thats roughly 1041 days which works out at around 2.85 years the plasma will last if its on 24hrs a day.

Now, dono about you but I for one sleep and work.

So...... lets say you watch it 12hrs a day, it will last you roughly 6 years.

I for one wont watch it bang on 12 hrs a day, sometimes more, and obviously less, according to my calculations it should last you around 6-8ish years.

If you still have your plasma at the current rate of technology progression I'll eat ma shoe.

 

I would have though 4 hours a day would be more realistic. (I suspect that I'm going to be a lot less myself, say two hours on average.)

4hrs per day would be 18 years. 2hrs per day 36 years. I suspect that some other part would fail due to actual age rather than usage age but still.

I'm not saying that any plamsa will last longer, or not fail sooner, I'm just saying there is no evidence for the expected lifespan being any lower than 10-20 years. It may be that the current crop all start going pop immediately after two years - but who knows!

Charles.

 

Joe Fernand

Your post is interesting. I am seriously considering the 433 MXE hooked up to a PC with DVI output. I was considering this for general PC use, but from what you say it sounds like it would outperform my Sony 9000ES via component. Any comments? Presumably using the PC to play DVDs would remove any need to buy a de-interlacer such as the iScan Pro for PAL material (the 9000 is PS only for NTSC).

I will probably call soon to discuss prices etc.

 

Thank you all for your help.
Now that panasonic is coming with the 5th generation model.. is pioneer coming with something new.. it seems that the pioneer is better in many ways than the panasonic except for the black level, and I always watch movies in a black room so this wories me a little and am hoping that pioneer fix this on their next model. The us site sais that hde has purecinema 3:2 pulldown, is this something that I should think about... does the mxe have this. My pioneer 737 has also a logo of progressive "pure cinema". Do these plasmas make full use of pal progressive(2:2 pulldown?)??

 

As a plasma owner this is certainly reassuring, even if it doesn't directly concern the latest consumer models.

Charles.

 

I think I remember pioneer stating that their latest plasmas last longer than others... am i remembering correctly?

What can a pc dvd do that my pioneer 737 can´t?

How bad will vcr and tv look? Isn´t there dnr to make them watchable?

Do neither the panasonic or the pioneer have inverse mode(quite clever isn´t it) to protect from screen burn? It would be possible to write an insverse cd on a pc and play it once in a while woulnd´t it... have bright widescreen bars etc... or doesn´t that help any?

A tv guy that has seen it all just told me that the best plasma image is not as good as the best CRT´s, but you guys are sure you disagree??

 

Thanks for your help and info.

I agree that there are lots of problems with CRT´s (I think I had them all on my 36zd), but the guy was referring to a crt without faults... which actually are available. But there are also quit some complaints in the forum on plasmas.. about lip sync problems and fan noize and soforth.

Are the pioneer´s new... then why can I find reviews here http://www.plasmatvguide.com/plasmatvreviews.htm from 2000, are these different models? It´s measured in some review that the panasonic has half something black level as the pionner(panasonic much blacker blacks) is this still the case?? I really want a pioneer and am hoping that they improve their blacks a little if that is the case(my room is is a black hole).

Do you know of anything new or improvements arriving to plasmas, I´m prepared to wait for up to a 1/2-1year. Don´t wanna get something that´s that expensive and after a year something SIGNIFICANTLY better arrives. And plasmas must get cheaper since they are selling more and more every year. So a better plasma in a year may cost less than the best now. Or is the pioneer 43mxe the way to go right away? Does it have an inbuilt scaler orline doubler to make non progressive signals better or is that something that I sould buy.

 

Thanks you very much Joe.

I found it on the faq´s somewhere on the homepage, but can´t find it now... there were measurments of contrast and black levels and soforth... I think that the one model(think it was the elite model in the us) was a little better than the mxe in all measurements... but I cant find the stats now. Darn it. Are the elite models coming here?
Thanks again.

 

Found it...

Pioneer PRO-1000HD
Black Level(NITS) 0.4 to 0.5
Brightness(NITS) 60
Ave/Avg Contrast Ratio 245:1
Peak contrast ratio 274:1

Pioneer PDP-433CMX
Black Level(NITS) 0.6
Brightness ?
Ave/Avg Contrast Ratio 138:1
Peak contrast ratio 175:1

... the pro is the elite model I think and the numbers look slightly better.. is that coming to europe and is it getting replaced any time soon in the us??

Fujitsu 5002
Black Level(NITS) 0.2
Brightness(NITS) 70
Ave/Avg Contrast Ratio 567:1
Peak contrast ratio 589:1

These specs look much better than the Pioneer´s and some in the US seem to prefer the Fujitsu... what do you make of this?