Plasma VS LCD?

[William33 110]

Is there any clear advantage when comparing Plasma to LCD? I have read mixed reviews, so any personal experience would be appreciated.

Also, HDMI cables vary widely in price. Is there really a difference between the $149 model VS the $9 model? Gold plated connectors perhaps? Does that really help with clarity/signal capture?

Thoughts?

[AnewKINDofFEELIN 0]

Is there any clear advantage when comparing Plasma to LCD? I have read mixed reviews, so any personal experience would be appreciated.

Also, HDMI cables vary widely in price. Is there really a difference between the $149 model VS the $9 model? Gold plated connectors perhaps? Does that really help with clarity/signal capture?

Thoughts?

There is definitely a difference in cheap and expensive cables. I honestly recommend looking up the cables on a site like ePinion.com. The quality is not always proportional to the price, so keep that in mind. Online review sites usually do a good job. Avoid RadioShack. They are expensive. I usually buy cables online, as you can usually find some great deals with little effort.

[GaryC 7]

I have a DSP and an LCD HDTV. Both look great. As far as HDMI cables go, I would go with a moderate priced one. I bought a $50 cable and it gives great pictures but I also have a cheap one that the cable company gave me with my box and it is giving me problems. The picture cuts out and I have to wiggle it to make it come back. The really expensive ones I don't really see the need for. Unless you have a really high end system you will not get much benefit from the expense.

[isleta521 5]

Have also heard mixed reviews. I hear that the plasmas have improved recently. Just bought a Toshiba LCD Hi def 42in. 1080 res. Very nice picture and the colors are intense. We just have an antenna and what is cool is that we get a lot of channels that we normally couldnt receive. Very satisified. Oh, as far as HDMI cables, have used them at work for an application and we just purchased the cheap ones which seemed to work ok for the application that we used it for.

[William33 110]

Thanks Guys. I understand there is a risk with really "cheap" HDMI cables, so we won't do that.

Any further thoughts on Plasma VS LCD?

Edited February 15, 2008 by William33

[CBR 0]

Have also heard mixed reviews. I hear that the plasmas have improved recently. Just bought a Toshiba LCD Hi def 42in. 1080 res. Very nice picture and the colors are intense. We just have an antenna and what is cool is that we get a lot of channels that we normally couldnt receive. Very satisified. Oh, as far as HDMI cables, have used them at work for an application and we just purchased the cheap ones which seemed to work ok for the application that we used it for.

I think you have the same tv as me! I love it too. I was told to buy the HDMI cables (gold) but not to go with the most expensive ones because they are for people with a cable co that offers HD. I don't mean a few HD channels, I mean the HD dvr box. So unless you have that the cheaper (of the better gold cables) are all you need. Mine were around $50. I'm no expert so this sounds lame, but at the store you should know what I mean if the salesperson knows what they're talking about.

Thanks Guys. I understand there is a risk with really "cheap" HDMI cables, so we won't do that.

Any further thoughts on Plasma VS LCD?

Again, just what I was told at the store. Plasma screens have been improved as far as their longevity and that I should base my choice on whether I like a brighter (lcd) screen or the darker look (plasma). The prices were very comperable and I went with lcd because I like the brighter look. It would be smart to factor in where you're putting the tv and whether there will be glare issues from a window & such.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Thanks Guys. I understand there is a risk with really "cheap" HDMI cables, so we won't do that.

Any further thoughts on Plasma VS LCD?

Hey William,

I bought my HDMI cable from Walmart for about $25. Pedroh recommended getting a cheaper one. I am happy with it...no problems.

As for LCD...our 32" Philips has a beautiful picture. The one thing I notice is sometimes I'll see pixelation when someone is moving fast - like dancing, but for the most part I don't see it.

I bought a Philips home theater system - came with a DVD player that said it upgrades to HD when using the HDMI cable. The movies look phenomenal when played that way. The whole system was only about $160 at Best Buy. I can find you model if you are interested. The sound is totally adequate for the space we live in.

[Sister Fracas 5]

I swear I enjoy "Lost" just as much with my 15 year old Sony 27" ...

Edited February 15, 2008 by Sister Fracas

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I swear I enjoy "Lost" just as much with my 15 year old Sony 27" ...

I have a 7 yr. old, 20" Panasonic that has a beautiful picture too. However, the HDTV picks up HD channels that aren't available for regular viewing. There is a channel 50.1 KCET PBS station that I watch on my HDTV and it's great. There is a difference and with the falling prices on flat screen TV's, it's worth the extra money, IMO.

[junglee069 0]

plasma's are cheaper, but they have a glare.

i got a lcd.

lastly, cables don't matter much. if you buy a 10 dollar cable, or a 100 dollar cable - it will be the same. the one difference is that the 10 dollar cable won't last you as long.

i'd go mid range - a 40-60 cable is adequate.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Is there any clear advantage when comparing Plasma to LCD? I have read mixed reviews, so any personal experience would be appreciated.

Also, HDMI cables vary widely in price. Is there really a difference between the $149 model VS the $9 model? Gold plated connectors perhaps? Does that really help with clarity/signal capture?

Thoughts?

1.

Brand-Name HDMI Cables: Are They Worth It?

None of our editors could tell the difference. The fact is, HDMI is digital, meaning you either get the feed or you don’t. High prices and gimmicks like gold-plating don’t affect 1s and 0s. Our advice: Purchase your wiring online for cheap, and use the saved money to upgrade to a larger flat screen.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology...de/4235717.html

2. I bought 4 of these HDMI cables for $5 each including shipping. They work great.

http://www.amazon.com/Super-Resolution-Cab...8728&sr=8-1

3. OLED is the latest and greatest (11 inch TV for $2500) but I just bought this TV this week from Costco for $950. FWIW plasma uses much more electricity than LED.

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?...〈=en-US

4. Ignore contrast ratio. It's arbitrary how they come up with it. It's like corinthian leather.

http://www.practical-home-theater-guide.co...rast-ratio.html

5. check out AV science forum. They are to AV what VJ is to immigration.

http://www.avsforum.com/

[Sister Fracas 5]

5. check out AV science forum. They are to AV what VJ is to immigration.

but are their flame wars as interesting...

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

5. check out AV science forum. They are to AV what VJ is to immigration.

but are their flame wars as interesting...

geekier... for sure

[Heracles 417]

When it comes to HDMI the cables should not matter. The signal is digital therefore the cable it is carried on is irrelevant. Now I would not buy a $5 cable but anything above $30 should be ok.

LCD is definitely sharper than Plasma but has its drawbacks depending on what you want to use it for. Plasmas are not affected anywhere near as much by sunlight. LCDs viewing angle is also much smaller.

[isleta521 5]

I swear I enjoy "Lost" just as much with my 15 year old Sony 27" ...

I felt the same way until I decided to go with lcd. It took me a year to decide and I am glad I did.