Hi Definition Tv

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mark.t

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What do we all think of it and what are we watching in..... being a virgin media customer we get 720 wide .... but have decided that HDMI up -scaling is just as good .... the LCD TV that I have is supposed to be better at dealing with hi def pictures and is supposed to produce a better picture than plasma ...... how far can we go to archive the perfect picture..... and is it worth the cost
 
For the content , i can't see anything wrong with regular virgin media telly.

Seeing jock from jocks garage would give me nightmares and i really don't wanna see the dudes from american chopper either.

Sports look superb on my plasma and LCD , the odd bit of pixelisation but i can live with that.

You recon there is that much of a difference?
 
I notice that LCDs are often beating plasmas now in group tests of 40-46" screens. I think they have improved massively.
 
people spend a lot of mony on these TV's and forget about the add on's i have the latest Samsung and with a few tweaks what a picture :bannana: it has more settings than a 747..... and they do work ....a decent scart and changing settings to RGB helps to stop pixeliastion ..... but depends on how your sourcing your signal ...cable ..dish....of free view standard arial...... in standard def ...and hi def ...just a shame we spend so much on the TV and leave the fine tuning ......it like blue ray DVDS why££££????? hi def dvd player and HDMI lead and your way ahead in the viewing stakes already .......save ponds on dvd and view the collection you already have .....
 
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Hi,

I'm with Mark on this one.

We have (Virgin Media) V+ box but with scart input (to Sony X) picture was rubbish :eek: (worse than old sd picture with Samsung/scart) but with HDMI input (@ 108Oi) picture is great :D .

Cheers,
 
If you don't watch much TV then it is very hard to justify paying extra for the high definition option. If you do watch a lot of TV then the difference is mind blowing. I have kept the Discovery HD episode of 'Inside the Space Station' and whenever the young nieces and nephews come to see us they ask to watch it. None of this Simpson m'larky or Walt Disney, they want to see the high definition footage of inside the Space Station. To see a globual of water containing a coloured section of rice paper actually floating in a room and then watching someone quite literally sucking it into their mouth is mind blowing. I will never get into space but looking at a high definition documentary is the next best thing. The detail you can see is absolutely fascinating, but if your not a TV person then it is wasted.

My wife was watching the Last Night of The Proms on the latest very large CRT TV but it wasn't long before she came into my room to enjoy both the superior sound and picture of the high definition TV.

Each to their own and good luck with the decision.

Regards
John
 
I notice that LCDs are often beating plasmas now in group tests of 40-46" screens. I think they have improved massively.


Where LCD comprehensively beats plasma is in power consumption.

Plasma screens consume so much power that the Conservatives are considering banning their sale - if they ever get elected. LCDs are far less power hungry and would still be available.
 
i have been reading that each TV has optimum setting for SD and HD and that these tweaks make all the difference ...also settings for x box and ps3 etc .... for example viewing SD via a virgin box is on one setting for the TV .....and viewing via a V+ box is another setting for the TV ...contrast, colour, back light, gamma, etc..... and the same for sky ...sky+...then again in HD all very intresting now I have a lot of time on my hands
 
Where LCD comprehensively beats plasma is in power consumption.

Plasma screens consume so much power that the Conservatives are considering banning their sale - if they ever get elected. LCDs are far less power hungry and would still be available.

With all due respect, Rubbish.

For the equivalent size and brightness a plasma TV showing normal content will have a lower average power consumption than an LCD television.

An LCD tv is in effect a set of shutters, in front of a set of coloured filters, in front of a big white light. The light is on full all the time so the power drain is relatively constant, but the power consumtion is related to brightness, size and viewing angle, all of which are increasing with each generation of TV.

Plasma TVs use power to make light, I have had a power meter inline with mine for a while and it uses more power for a bright light scene (such as the top gear arctic special) and less for a dark scene (so fans of horror movies can get lower electricity bills too!)

The powere figures shown in the rating plate or user guide are maximum, expect an LCD to use about 90% of that, but a plasma about 60%.
 
i have been reading that each TV has optimum setting for SD and HD and that these tweaks make all the difference ...also settings for x box and ps3 etc .... for example viewing SD via a virgin box is on one setting for the TV .....and viewing via a V+ box is another setting for the TV ...contrast, colour, back light, gamma, etc..... and the same for sky ...sky+...then again in HD all very intresting now I have a lot of time on my hands

Don't read too much, let your eyes be your guide. If you like it, it's right.

Many TVs keep different settings for each input which is handy!
 
Don't read too much, let your eyes be your guide. If you like it, it's right.

Many TVs keep different settings for each input which is handy!

my eyes :D i have tried it and for me it works all i'm saying is you spend a grand + and people just leave it set to the factory setting just a few alteration and your away .... its a bit like modding a merc ......or altering the ecu ......
 
my eyes :D i have tried it and for me it works all i'm saying is you spend a grand + and people just leave it set to the factory setting just a few alteration and your away .... its a bit like modding a merc ......or altering the ecu ......

I bought my LCD TV about 2 years ago - before prices had dropped to where they are now.
I paid £599 for a 32" non HD model and use it with a Sony freeview box - which at the time was an absolute bargain.............
I spent several hours getting the optimum settings for all the values, both sound and picture and in my opinion the result is better than most HDTVs I have seen. Careful setting pays dividends. Obvoiusly a well prepared HDTV would knock spots off mine, but most people dont seem to bother and just "plug'n'play" out the box.
To be honest, when I first got the 32" screen it seemed massive, but now, what with many people going for 40" and 50" - even in small rooms, mine now seems rather ordinary. I might upgrade before the winter sets in with a nice big 50" HD with a decent 7.1 surround system. :bannana:
 
I have a Panasonic Viera 50" Plasma and I thought the picture was unbeatable, until I got HD and that takes it to a completely different level! I love it. :bannana:

I also have a Panasonic Viera 26" LCD and the picture quality comes nowhere the Plasma set. :(
 
With all due respect, Rubbish.

For the equivalent size and brightness a plasma TV showing normal content will have a lower average power consumption than an LCD television.



With all due respect, why is it that every independent source of information I have found (except you, obviously) supports the view that LCD screens use only a fraction of the power of plasma screens?

Could it be that you have an axe to grind?

Don't bother to reply, because I know *exactly* what you are going to say.


"Rubbish". :(
 
With all due respect, why is it that every independent source of information I have found (except you, obviously) supports the view that LCD screens use only a fraction of the power of plasma screens?

Every? I've seen reports that go both ways, I also own both plasma and LCD TVs. What I state is correct for equivalent brightness, viewing angle and scren area. Of course that means a 32" LCD is quite likely to have a lower average power consumption than a 42" plasma, but 42 to 42 for a quality panel will be lower average but higher peak power for the plasma over the LCD. For example - LG42PC56 plasma, 1500cd/m2, 15000:1 contrast 310w typical, 400w max. LG42iLY95 LCD, 500cd/m2, 5000:1 contrast 260W typical, no max figure supplied. Note the plasma is three times brighter. All manufacturers figures but all I've got to hand.

Could it be that you have an axe to grind?
No. I'm not allowed sharp implements...

Don't bother to reply, because I know *exactly* what you are going to say.


"Rubbish". :(
I could have said b*****s or b*****t, but chose to be polite.
 
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Interesting thread now.

I have a query in so much as if plasma uses less average energy than an LCD screen, why does it radiate more heat?

I know Tim has gained an average energy consuption figure for his plasma screen, has anyone done similar for an LCD one and does anyone have any annual consumption figures available?
 
LCD sets have back lights to produce the picture, so little energy is required for the picture content, Plasma do not, it takes energy to produce the brighter picture and heat is an unavoidable side issue
 
But the heat is an efficiency loss, so which is more efficient, an LCD with fluorescent backlight or a plasma?
 
I dont know about power consumption comparisions, and frankly to argue over that point is rather inconsequential. People will buy what they want to buy regardless of things like that.
Personally, I prefer LCD over Plasma, but thats my personal preference after looking at both in stores.
I have heard arguements for both. I have been told that Plasma beats LCD for the "blackness factor" in that Plasma displays the colour black as true black whereas LCD its only very dark grey.
But the thing that swayed me towards LCD over plasma is that if your TV is positioned in your room where sunlight at some point in the day shines directly onto the screen, the picture on a LCD is unaffected whereas on a plasma you lose the picture and have to pull the blinds. My TV screen catches sunshine for a couple for hours every day in late afternnon and being LCD, I can still watch it without having to pull the curtains.
 

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