Q. I also heard there is no noticable difference between 1080i vs 720p when your set less than 50"
A. LCD - This is the everyman HDTV. Its mass produced, cost effective, low on power consumption, and just what people "know." LCD monitors in computers make it a more familiar product for many. Its SD playback tends to be a bit sharp/crisp; think the evening news (this isn't good vs bad, this is personal taste). Its colors tend to be a bit more muted (again not good vs bad, just taste). LCDs have a matte finish for the viewing surface (the edge around it can be glossy though depending on model).
LCD's are inherently bad with motion playback. The suffer from motion blur (ghost trails). This is why you see "better" ones advertised with 120Hz or 240Hz refresh rates. The improved refresh rates are an attempt to overcome that inherent flaw.
LCD's will give you weaker blacks, colors, and contrasts on the whole. This is why you see the proliferation of the LED LCD. That technological step alleviates those LCD problems.
Plasma TVs inherently give you better blacks, colors, and contrast. They are also inherently strong in motion playback as their refresh rate is near instantaneous (like a CRT). Plasma colors tend to have more pop to them (not good vs bad, just taste). Plasma SD tends to be a bit softer (think Hollywood films); again not good vs bad, just personal taste.
Plasmas should be conditioned though. For the first 100-200 hours of operation you want to keep the contrast and brightness cranked way down. Then optimize and enjoy. This isn't necessary persay, but most "nerd" consumer groups will tell you to do it for paranoia sake.
Plasma TVs are a shiny finish though, so in rooms with light control problems that finish can create reflection problems. Plasma technology on the whole does use more power than LCD. But not all models are made equal, so one must do some homework. And worst case scenario, a "very bad" Plasma TV would likely only cost you $40 more per year in electricity bills (and again not all models are made equal).
Plasma myth (1) - They experience burn-in. This is inaccurate, those days are gone. Just condition the gasses and then use it as normal and you're fine. Also, the better sets have built-in features to prevent this (on top of the technology just generally being better now than say 5 years ago).
Plasma myth (2) - They have short life spans. This is another inaccuracy. Most are now rated in the 60,000-100,000 hours range. At 8 hours a day 365 days a year that would mean a life of 20-30 years. So do you think you'll still want/own the same TV in 15 years, let alone 30?
Plasma myth (3) - They won't work in high altitude because of problems for the gasses. This is again no longer an issue. Current Plasmas can be purchased and used in mile high Denver, and above, so you'll be fine where ever you are (unless you're living in the Himalayas).
720 vs 1080 - There is no set size on when it matters. Typically though its though that anything under 40" definitely doesn't show any of the advantages of 1080. 40" - 50" is the grey area where some argue it matters and others say maybe a bit or not so much. 50" and above you definitely want native 1920x1080 resolution for your TV, as the advantages will become noticeable.
Damn almost forgot... DLP Rear Projection. The image quality, on all levels, is fairly close to Plasma. It would be at par with it if it wasn't a dying technology. Mitsubishi is the last developer of the technology after Samsung recently announced they were giving up on it. So Plasma is just getting more R&D and advancements than DLP. That said though DLP is still a rock solid image.
Its often joked that DLP will be the last TV you ever own. That refers to the expectation that the TV will still work until its actually physically falling apart (decades). But the bulbs in it need to be constantly replaced. Depending on the bulb and your TV usage, it could last anywhere from 1 year to realistically 4 years. Replacing is something you can do on your own easily enough. A new bulb though costs $200-$250 or higher. Also, some sets have air filters that you should clean every month or two. So there is certainly an inconvenience factor in owning the sets.
LCD's are inherently bad with motion playback. The suffer from motion blur (ghost trails). This is why you see "better" ones advertised with 120Hz or 240Hz refresh rates. The improved refresh rates are an attempt to overcome that inherent flaw.
LCD's will give you weaker blacks, colors, and contrasts on the whole. This is why you see the proliferation of the LED LCD. That technological step alleviates those LCD problems.
Plasma TVs inherently give you better blacks, colors, and contrast. They are also inherently strong in motion playback as their refresh rate is near instantaneous (like a CRT). Plasma colors tend to have more pop to them (not good vs bad, just taste). Plasma SD tends to be a bit softer (think Hollywood films); again not good vs bad, just personal taste.
Plasmas should be conditioned though. For the first 100-200 hours of operation you want to keep the contrast and brightness cranked way down. Then optimize and enjoy. This isn't necessary persay, but most "nerd" consumer groups will tell you to do it for paranoia sake.
Plasma TVs are a shiny finish though, so in rooms with light control problems that finish can create reflection problems. Plasma technology on the whole does use more power than LCD. But not all models are made equal, so one must do some homework. And worst case scenario, a "very bad" Plasma TV would likely only cost you $40 more per year in electricity bills (and again not all models are made equal).
Plasma myth (1) - They experience burn-in. This is inaccurate, those days are gone. Just condition the gasses and then use it as normal and you're fine. Also, the better sets have built-in features to prevent this (on top of the technology just generally being better now than say 5 years ago).
Plasma myth (2) - They have short life spans. This is another inaccuracy. Most are now rated in the 60,000-100,000 hours range. At 8 hours a day 365 days a year that would mean a life of 20-30 years. So do you think you'll still want/own the same TV in 15 years, let alone 30?
Plasma myth (3) - They won't work in high altitude because of problems for the gasses. This is again no longer an issue. Current Plasmas can be purchased and used in mile high Denver, and above, so you'll be fine where ever you are (unless you're living in the Himalayas).
720 vs 1080 - There is no set size on when it matters. Typically though its though that anything under 40" definitely doesn't show any of the advantages of 1080. 40" - 50" is the grey area where some argue it matters and others say maybe a bit or not so much. 50" and above you definitely want native 1920x1080 resolution for your TV, as the advantages will become noticeable.
Damn almost forgot... DLP Rear Projection. The image quality, on all levels, is fairly close to Plasma. It would be at par with it if it wasn't a dying technology. Mitsubishi is the last developer of the technology after Samsung recently announced they were giving up on it. So Plasma is just getting more R&D and advancements than DLP. That said though DLP is still a rock solid image.
Its often joked that DLP will be the last TV you ever own. That refers to the expectation that the TV will still work until its actually physically falling apart (decades). But the bulbs in it need to be constantly replaced. Depending on the bulb and your TV usage, it could last anywhere from 1 year to realistically 4 years. Replacing is something you can do on your own easily enough. A new bulb though costs $200-$250 or higher. Also, some sets have air filters that you should clean every month or two. So there is certainly an inconvenience factor in owning the sets.
How to choose gaming LCD/LED monitor?
Q. I am planning to get a new LCD or LED monitor for gaming. What should I look for when choosing a monitor for gaming. Can you also give me some recommendations please.
Thanks
Thanks
A. There are many important factors to purchasing you monitor.
1- Buy a monitor with a 2ms response rate or less
2- Are you ever going to use nvidia 3d? If yes, buy a monitor with 120hz refresh rate.
3- Resolution. A good gaming resolution for the price is 1920x1080. Most games do not exceed this resolution.
4- Size. Monitors have different lengths, but can have the same resolution. This means the DPI changes, or more pixels per inch square.This really won't make much difference though.
5- Contrast ratio. Look for high contrast ratios.
6- Color. Get a monitor with a wide field of color.
7- LED back lit. This affects the brightness
Verdict
I strongly recommend this monitor:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236083
When I considered buying a new gaming monitor, this was my top pick for the price.
1- Buy a monitor with a 2ms response rate or less
2- Are you ever going to use nvidia 3d? If yes, buy a monitor with 120hz refresh rate.
3- Resolution. A good gaming resolution for the price is 1920x1080. Most games do not exceed this resolution.
4- Size. Monitors have different lengths, but can have the same resolution. This means the DPI changes, or more pixels per inch square.This really won't make much difference though.
5- Contrast ratio. Look for high contrast ratios.
6- Color. Get a monitor with a wide field of color.
7- LED back lit. This affects the brightness
Verdict
I strongly recommend this monitor:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236083
When I considered buying a new gaming monitor, this was my top pick for the price.
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