Help me buy a new TV

Hi all, I am looking to purchase a new TV for the living room and relocate the existing 32" LCD Samsung upstairs to my bedroom.

I can only purchase from my Littlewoods catalogue as i just don't have the cash to visit a store.

I have narrowed my choices to one of two LG 42" TV's.

The 42" LCD Full HD Freeview

or

The 42" Plasma HD-Ready Freeview TV

I play lots of games through the Xbox 360 and enjoy watching a bluray through the PS3. I also watch a lot of football and i have a Virgin Media Tivo HD box.

This is where i need help.

The plasma is obviously cheaper for the same size screen but i have heard that playing games on a plasma screen can damage it.

The plasma screen also says "HD Ready" which i assume means its 720p compatible and not 1080p.

So which should i purchase?

Thanks

Mike

ok i'm ready to be berated, i personally think that plasma wees all over lcd for picture quality.

so therein lies my answer Plasma all the way baby!!

(zeets will be along soon to back me up:))

cheers, JuvUK

sorry just read the specs, yep the plasma is only 720
http://www.lg.com/uk/tv-audio-video/...tv-42PJ550.jsp

lcd

http://www.lg.com/uk/tv-audio-video/...v-42LE4500.jsp

armed with this info i'd go LCD

btw, never had a problem playing games on my plasma

I like the idea of better picture but what about all this burn-in and image retention by playing games?

Hmm, you pose an interesting question. While the LCD is 1080 the Plasma does 600Hz for smoother playback. You said you play lots of games and you watch Blu-Ray. For that I would recommend 1080 as there is a picture difference between 720P and 1080P (The LCD doesn't state that it is progressive or not though.) Neither of the TV's are really a bad choice, it just depends on the budget you have and the wants that you really have. Looking up the specs for both of the TV's neither one states it has Scart connectivity. Is that uncommon now? Also not listed on the LCD is whether it does 1080P24, which would be the best to watch movies on with your PS3 as that gives you true cinematic frame rate, so the movie will look exactly the same as it does in the theater.

Edit - Dug deeper into the links provided by JuvUK. Based on the information I can find from those specs, I would recommend the LCD due to cinema playback and 1080P playback. Where as the consoles for the most part will upscale to 1080P for their graphics, channels that support 1080P will look much better. As to the burn in issue on Plasma TV's, I was under the impression that that had been corrected a while ago.

Plasma is the way to go if you ask me, hands down.

Well the decision was made, we opted for the LCD.

Mainly because on researching the connectivity the plasma only seems to have 2 HDMI ports and the LCD has 4 to support the xbox, ps3 and Virgin TV box along with VGA (just in case), Scart for my CD32, Component for Classic Xbox and AV which has no use yet but i'll find one. I also like the idea that the LCD supports full 1080p and allows the 1080p24 cinematic frame rate.

Should be delivered a week on Monday.

I hope it does everything you want and more. Let us know what you think of it when you get it on Monday.

Regarding the Plasma vs LCD debate. LCD is better for gaming and Plasma for films. Plasma is smoother for motion because it has a much higher refresh, whereas LCD is crisper and sharper, but not quite as smooth motion.

I personally prefer LCD myself, and would pick an LED over anything else these days. Also remember that plasma isn't so good in brightly lit rooms, whereas LCD is.

In regard to burn-in, plasma does suffer from it, but a lot of the more expensive models have pixel shifted technology built in that shift the sub pixels slightly every so often for static elements of the screen to help prevent it. Plasma will still suffer from it though after a long gaming session where static content is visible such as the rev counter in GT5. For anyone with a Plasma, stick something static on your screen and leave it there for 2 hours. Downloading a large game update on the PS3 would do. Then after a couple of hours switch the TV to a different screen or a dark image and you will see the ghost of the static display on the screen. This will happen on most plasmas but is hardly ever permanent and will fade completely fairly quickly once moving images are using the ghosted parts as it will unlock them. You won't see this on an LCD.

Regarding make, I know you had limited options, but I have always avoided anything by LG due to poor reputation, so I would like to know what you think of the TV once you get it and have chance to test it out. I personally normally go for Samsung for LCD and Panasonic for Plasma. Although recently the Sony's have been stepping up their game, and their prices finally coming down.

Plasma

and even after playing Dragon Origin week after week and leaving what looked like permanent circles where the characters faces reside while playing, a few sessions of the anti burn functions removed the ghostly images. It's the only game that ever left these types of marks but to be honest I was burning the candle at both ends while playing this game and quite often I fell alseep infront of the screen :lol:

hence, burn...

There are no circles and the 50" Samsung Plasma I have to play my 360 games through has serious built in anti burn technology... as for bright lights I still use a 200W bayonet lightbulb in my small game lounge and its easy on the eyes... I always have bright lights, I need to change to higher illumination technology just can't be bothered :lol:

I can't stand LCDs even the modern ones... they are alright on on SAMs though... :D

btw, the unwritten rule at the moment seems to be, if you are 42" and under go for LCD but if you cross that line and go 46" and higher for example, Plasma still wins hands down... I think perhaps to use LCD they need to create another level of resolution perhaps? and who the hell wants to do that again...

People keep forgetting one little but very important feature of LCD panels over plasma: energy consumption!

Plasma units tends to make the energy meter spin enough to take off!