Plasma vs CRT?

[ddlooping]

Hi all.

I don't really have any opportunity to compare myself, so I was hoping you could help me out.

Purely in terms of PQ, how would you say a 36" CRT (like the Toshiba 36PZ38) compare to a 42" £2.5-3k plasma (like the Hitachi, Panasonic and Pioneer models in this price range)?

TIA.

 

[sarll]

i've owned a Tosh 36, and my Panny 37pw5 blows it away in my opinion. I've found 36" crt to be horrible with sky digital, whereas my plasma shows far less digital imperfections. Dvd's are better also.

Can't comment on 42" though, so not much help sorry. Getting a plasma was the best decision i've made though..

 

[steeve]

SARL ....Sorry to hijack, but I am thinking of the Panasonic 37" do you like yours? Any problems?
ddlooping, 36" CRT too big and heavy, go plasma.

 

[sarll]

i love mine, had it a year now. I'm not sure how good the newer version is in comparison unfortunately, but I can vouch for mine. I went for 37 over 42 because I felt (with my room size) that PQ was alot better with the slightly smaller screen. Its very important to get decent cables and something like a JS converter box. I got a JS RGB>PC converter for sky and spent quite a lot on component cables for DVD. This setup was vastly better than the tuner...

It looks great on the wall also.

 

[Techno]

ddlooping - difficult to take other peoples word for things, you really need to see for yourself.

A friend of mine bought a 42" Samsung last year and raived about how good it was, better than any CRT he'd ever seen etc etc. Sorry, but when I saw it I thought it was ****e compared to my 36 inches of CRT, was he trying to justify his spend or were his eyes telling him something different to mine? Who knows.

 

[FCP FAN]

ddlooping:

I had a Toshiba 36ZD26P, wich had the "black bars" and i switched it for a Panasonic 36PD30D that had progressive scan porblems.

after having 2 "top notch" 36" crt Tvs, that failed to deliver the goods, i sent the Panny back and trade it for a Panasonic 42" Hi-def Plasma.

In my opinion the 36" crts only have an clear advantege today: the price, and that advantage is disappearing.

If you can, go for a plasma (Panny or Pioneer) and if its too expensive for you, then save for another year and then you can buy a plasma. believe me, its a world apart from crt tvs, the picture is awesome and it really is impressive.

 

[Pollywoggle]

Now you have done it, just wait for the crt lot to start wading in!

 

[ddlooping]

Thanks all for your replies.

sarll, what was the Sky picture like without the JS RGB>PC converter, and how much did the converter cost?
Does the difference in PQ really warrant spending in excess of £1000 more?

Space is not a big problem as I'm currently using a 4 year-old 32" widescreen Hitachi.

 

[hornydragon]

If you prize PQ above all else then there is only one to go for but @ over £2,500 for a 32" CRT it might be a bit expensive. Having said that the 42" Plasma of the same range is £13k. But offerings from regular manufacturers CRT i think has the edge but manufacturing defects and issues are the biggest issue, A "perfect 36PD30" will give a better image for every source than a 37" or 42" PA20 (both have same video drive circuits) 42 HD PW6 with top quality sources will compete from normal distance and possibly look better but to be fair to the displays you should sit further from a 42" and hence can look better. One big issue is the amount of time you are prepared to spend on tweaking the display and how much you will spend on sources. Simple things like a larger sky dish can make a huge difference in some area's etc etc etc

 

[ddlooping]

Thanks hornydragon.

"...@ over £2,500 for a 32" CRT it might be a bit expensive."
I was more thinking along the line of £1300 or so for a Toshiba 36PZ38.

My reasoning is it would be an improvement on the 32" 50Hz Hitachi I'm currently using, without costing an arm and a leg.
I could then wait a year or so and get a Plasma when their prices have dropped.

 

[Dean]

As I just had to buy a TV recently (cos my Mitsubishi died) and automatically opted for panny 6 series plasma. IMO plasma picture quality is almost as good as CRT smaller 36" screens, and then you get all the style advantages. And to be honest I wanted something I can hang on the wall as my huge bulky 4:3 33" Mitsubishi has been staring at me too long and I actually hate looking at 'bulky' sets now.

 

[Galaxy]

ddlooping, I had a 37" Mitsubishi 4:3 CRT TV for over 13 years, and with sky digital via RGB it was still as good as the day I bought it, a superb picture, I have just replaced it with a 42" Plasma, and I knew the picture wasn't going to be as sharp or detailed , indeed it cant be!
But I do not regret the choice at all, the picture quality is fantastic in relation to the technology.
Of course there is no way this screen will still be any good in 13 years time! LOL

Best regards David

 

[Galaxy]

I just realised that at £2500 in 1990, that 37" Mitsu, only cost me £16 per month.......never went wrong.......and still works......try and rent a TV for that price? LOL

Although at 90Kg it's going to take some shifting to get rid of it? <BG>
Best regards David

 

[LV426]

See here....
http://www.avforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=116740

 

[ddlooping]

I had a look at the 32" and 37" plasma available and they all are > £2500.

I think I'm going to use my head instead of my heart and go for the 36PZ38.
I'll be buying a plasma in a year or so.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to reply.

 

[hornydragon]

seems mad to spend £1300 on a TV and replace it in 12 months!

 

[ddlooping]

Well, if I get rich it might even be less than 12 months.
If I don't, it might have to last me a few years.

In any case, I should be able to sell it for a few bobs.

 

[ddlooping]

Well, guess what, I've changed my mind.
I'm gonna keep my Hitachi for a while and save for a plasma.

 

[LV426]

Now that seems like a more rational approach. Clearly you know that you really want a flatscreen.

 

[ddlooping]

"Clearly you know that you really want a flatscreen."

Yes, I think I've known right from the start, but my wallet isn't agreeing.

In the meantime, I'm gonna try the following on my Hitachi and see if I can get a better picture, pseudo wow-factor out of it.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=261309