Is HDTV worth it?

[big dude 0]

My understanding has always been that if you get an LCD, they are prone to have the bulbs burn out after about 4,000 hours. And the replacement cost for the bulb is about as much as the TV itself, but I also hear the cost of the bulbs is coming down.

A friend of mine who does theatre installation said that if you get projection, get DLP. It will last longer and sometimes has a better picture than LCD.

However, plasma is ALWAYS better. My best friend just had a house built and bought a 52" plasma and has HDTV through his satellite hookup. It's UNBELEIVABLE!!!!

[WAR EAGLE!!! 0]

My understanding has always been that if you get an LCD, they are prone to have the bulbs burn out after about 4,000 hours.  And the replacement cost for the bulb is about as much as the TV itself, but I also hear the cost of the bulbs is coming down. 

A friend of mine who does theatre installation said that if you get projection, get DLP.  It will last longer and sometimes has a better picture than LCD. 

However, plasma is ALWAYS better.  My best friend just had a house built and bought a 52" plasma and has HDTV through his satellite hookup.  It's UNBELEIVABLE!!!!

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I think you have the plasma and LCD reversed. The plasma is more prone to burn out where as the LCD lasts longer.

[DCTiger 0]

Does anyone have experience with HDTV through UHF/VHF Antenna? Just bought a new antenna for my attic and it is HDTV capable. Thinking of buying a TV to go with it.

Dont do cable at our house.

[chuck 0]

"I clicked yes....because there was no "hell yes" option. "

I have never agreed with BamaGrad more in my life . .

SEC on CBS in HD is flat out amazing ..as are the Saturday night HD games on ESPN . .just make sure your programming provides it ...

[auee90 0]

big dude... regarding bulbs burning out, let me clarify for you. There are three LCD technologies: LCD flat screen (like today's thin computer monitors), LCD rear projection, and LCOS (liquid crystal on silicon, which is really a different technology... it's what JVC's HD-ILA is doing, among others). LCD flat panels don't have burn out. Plasma flat panels do, after thousands of hours. Yes, once those burn out to half brightness or less (or whatever you can tolerate), I belive the repair or replacement cost is quite expensive. But, expect plasmas to come down by the time that happens. LCD rear projection and DLP rear projection have a light source bulb that do burn out after a couple thousand hours (maybe more, maybe less). It costs $200-$300 to replace those (they are not your regular light bulbs). I have an extended warranty that covers the bulb for my DLP (most do not, read the fine print).

[big dude 0]

Okay, I'll admit it. I'm a knuckle-draggin' retard who doesn't listen well.

Listen to these guys, folks. The obviously know what they're talkin' about here.

Big Dude = :wacko:

Good thing I decided NOT to buy the plasma for my anniversary, huh?

[BamaGrad03 0]

DLP is the way to go. Mitsubishi now has a 1080p thats right P 52 and 62" DLP that is down right SICKENING how fine it is. And the 62" is only like 4k. A 52" plasma is like 6k.

And yes, off air HD is sweet. For those who were asking.

[auee90 0]

bg, ok, I knew that stuff. Yes, HDMI keeps it digital. The problem with Mits. DLP's is that internally, the HDMI signal actually gets converted back to analog component. I read this nugget on this AVS Forum, which has some really knowledgeable posters, some in the technology side of the business. It was a depressing though. I won't even bother connecting up the DVI (using a DVI to HDMI cable) out of my cable box. But this fact alone wouldn't have changed my mind about Mits. DLP.

[Mike4AU 1,740]

DLP’s are nice and certainly less expensive than plasma. Be aware, however, that some people suffer from the “rainbow effect” when viewing a DLP. LCD’s are nice also, but a significant degradation of picture quality occurs when viewing at angles (i.e. not straight ahead viewing).

In my book, plasma is the only way to go. Plasma’s are more expensive than the others, but when amortizing the cost differential over, say 5 years, the difference is minimal. And one can buy a commercial model (without speakers) to lower the cost (if one has surround sound already or will add).

If I did not go with plasma, I would go with DLP.

For those who are concerned about bulb-burnout on plasma's, that isn't the same problem as when plasmas were first introduced. It is pretty much a non-issue nowdays.

DCTiger, I have an OTA (UHF and VHF) and the PQ is even better with it vs satellite or cable. And, for what it is worth, there is no such thing as an HD antenna. For example, if you have an antenna that is 40 years old, it will pull in the HD signal (assuming you can get the signal in the first place). For antenna info (aiming and type) go to antennaweb.org.

To become better informed on HDTV and display units, visit AVSForum.com. That site is a wealth of info.

I would also suggest that one spend some time in a B&M store viewing DLP to see if you suffer from the rainbow effect and to experience what I mentioned about LCD viewing angles).

Hope this helps.

[tgr4lfe 220]

tgr4lfe, thanks for the info.  In my case, it isn't the "how to," but more of the "where to" in my den...and, then of course, I have the WAF with which to deal.

Regarding your personal situation, ya just need to tell your wife that you can't possibly extol the virtues of her company without having the holistic experience, which includes the HDTV!!!

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It's not a matter of her not wanting it, b/c she does, now that she is working in a technology rich field, she has come to the dark side of us techno gadget freaks. She wants one, wel can't say as bad as I do, but she would love to have, our problem is $$..I am a public servant employed with county, so I don't make much and we are waiting on her commissions to start kicking in.

[russnagel1 26]

One thing that no one has mentioned is the fact that HDTVs need to be calibrated. They come with a standard factory calibration and it isn't very good. From what I have read a calibration costs around $400.00. I have also read that there is a huge difference between a calibrated HDTV and an uncalibrated one. Just go to Google and ask for HDTV calibration.

[tgr4lfe 220]

DLP’s are nice and certainly less expensive than plasma.  Be aware, however, that some people suffer from the “rainbow effect” when viewing a DLP.  LCD’s are nice also, but a significant degradation of picture quality occurs when viewing at angles (i.e. not straight ahead viewing).

In my book, plasma is the only way to go.  Plasma’s are more expensive than the others, but when amortizing the cost differential over, say 5 years, the difference is minimal.  And one can buy a commercial model (without speakers) to lower the cost (if one has surround sound already or will add).

If I did not go with plasma, I would go with DLP.

For those who are concerned about bulb-burnout on plasma's, that isn't the same problem as when plasmas were first introduced.  It is pretty much a non-issue nowdays.

DCTiger, I have an OTA (UHF and VHF) and the PQ is even better with it vs satellite or cable.  And, for what it is worth, there is no such thing as an HD antenna.  For example, if you have an antenna that is 40 years old, it will pull in the HD signal (assuming you can get the signal in the first place).  For antenna info (aiming and type) go to antennaweb.org.

To become better informed on HDTV and display units, visit AVSForum.com.  That site is a wealth of info.

I would also suggest that one spend some time in a B&M store viewing DLP to see if you suffer from the rainbow effect and to experience what I mentioned about LCD viewing angles).

Hope this helps.

184944[/snapback]

I think it is dependant ont he brand of plasma. There should still be concern for the bulb life, but if you want a high quality plasma, I highly recommend getting an LG brand with the XD engine. New technology that increase life of bulb and eliminates the chance of station logos "burning" onto screen. They have awesome pictures!!!

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

I did not answer the question because there is no "I don't have HDTV" option.

My biggest deuterium to HDTV is that I am electronically challenged.

It was just yesterday I was at Sam's looking at these great looking screens and wondering "Where are the tuner & volume controls?"  

184878[/snapback]

If I can do it you can

[auee90 0]

I don't suffer from the rainbow problem. No matter how hard I try, I can't see them. I'm happy about that.

There are some minor viewing angle issues with DLP's too. Side to side, only plasma is better. They suffer vertically. If I lay down on my carpet closer to the TV, the brightness and contrast degrade significantly. It's still watchable, but not nearly as good from a good viewing height.

I don't believe plasmas have a bulb. They have phosphors, like CRT's have (thus, they have the CRT burn-in problem). The plasma gets excited and gives off something (electrons, I would guess) that hits the right phosphors for the right colors.

[Mike4AU 1,740]

In regard to calibration, I looked into that when I got my HDTV and decided that it was overkill. After seeing purple jerseys on the Mn Vikings and good purple on LSU jerseys, I knew I did not have to spring for another $400 to calibrate what was already an excellent color rendition. I would disagree that factory calibration is no good, at least on my set...and I suspect that to be the case on most brand name sets.

In the for-what-it-is-worth dept, if I were buying a plasma today, it would be a Panny. That is not to suggest that other brands are not good. Panny had a huge price drop at the end of Aug and one can now get a 42" Panny plasma for $3K and a 50" for $4K. It has not been that long ago when a 50" ran $10K.

[stoic-one 1,553]

I don't suffer from the rainbow problem.  No matter how hard I try, I can't see them.  I'm happy about that.

There are some minor viewing angle issues with DLP's too.  Side to side, only plasma is better.  They suffer vertically.  If I lay down on my carpet closer to the TV, the brightness and contrast degrade significantly.  It's still watchable, but not nearly as good from a good viewing height.

I don't believe plasmas have a bulb.  They have phosphors, like CRT's have (thus, they have the CRT burn-in problem).  The plasma gets excited and gives off something (electrons, I would guess) that hits the right phosphors for the right colors.

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Photons??

[Mike4AU 1,740]

Double E, I don't see the rainbows either, but I understand that folks who do see them get major headaches...and I also understand that if one has that problem, one will see it right away when viewing a DLP.

BTW, you live in my old stomping grounds...grew up there and folks and siblings still live there.

[auee90 0]

Mike, yes, calibration is not critical, but nice to have. I started looking into it too. For now, I'll just adjust with my Avia DVD (heard the Digtal Video Essentials DVD works well too) to do my own calibration. Granted, an ISF-certified calibrator can do much more.

I agree on the Panny plasmas. Probably best bang for the plasma buck. A friend of mine bought a 42" Panny EDTV plasma for like $1500 a few months ago. His plan is to have that for a while, watch HD programming (get most of the HD quality with ED) in the meantime until HD prices come down. His living room has issues with built-in cabinets.

[BamaGrad03 0]

Actually, if you have a darker room...what you need is a DLP HD Projector from InFocus or Mits Just a shade under 8k.

But there aint nuthin like a 10' TV!

[Mike4AU 1,740]

Double E...I had bulb on my brain...meant to say screen burnout...not that much of a problem nowdays.

I was going to do the Avia or DVE thing, but after really looking at my PQ, I figured if it ain't broke I ain't fixing it (I have a Toshiba 34" CRT).

For all you guys hanging on the sideline, trying to decide if HDTV is worth it, there ain't nothing better than watching AU in HD (well, Jennifer Garner in HD might be a tad better, sometimes). And it will be great watching Spurrier fling his visor down after we smoke 'em!

[auee90 0]

stoic-one... I need to do some reseacrh. Phosphors are involved somehow. Photons are coming off the phosphor to your eyeball. I spoze I should know this (EE).

back from google...

http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/plasma-display.htm

...The released ultraviolet photons interact with phosphor material coated on the inside wall of the cell... When an ultraviolet photon hits a phosphor atom in the cell, one of the phosphor's electrons jumps to a higher energy level and the atom heats up. When the electron falls back to its normal level, it releases energy in the form of a visible light photon.

The phosphors in a plasma display give off colored light when they are excited. Every pixel is made up of three separate subpixel cells, each with different colored phosphors. One subpixel has a red light phosphor, one subpixel has a green light phosphor and one subpixel has a blue light phosphor. These colors blend together to create the overall color of the pixel.

By varying the pulses of current flowing through the different cells, the control system can increase or decrease the intensity of each subpixel color to create hundreds of different combinations of red, green and blue. In this way, the control system can produce colors across the entire spectrum...

It's actually a pretty complicated process. No wonder they are so expensive.

[stoic-one 1,553]

stoic-one... I need to do some reseacrh.  Phosphors are involved somehow.  Photons are coming off the phosphor to your eyeball.  I spoze I should know this (EE).

back from google...

http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/plasma-display.htm

...The released ultraviolet photons interact with phosphor material coated on the inside wall of the cell... When an ultraviolet photon hits a phosphor atom in the cell, one of the phosphor's electrons jumps to a higher energy level and the atom heats up. When the electron falls back to its normal level, it releases energy in the form of a visible light photon.

The phosphors in a plasma display give off colored light when they are excited. Every pixel is made up of three separate subpixel cells, each with different colored phosphors. One subpixel has a red light phosphor, one subpixel has a green light phosphor and one subpixel has a blue light phosphor. These colors blend together to create the overall color of the pixel.

By varying the pulses of current flowing through the different cells, the control system can increase or decrease the intensity of each subpixel color to create hundreds of different combinations of red, green and blue. In this way, the control system can produce colors across the entire spectrum...

It's actually a pretty complicated process. No wonder they are so expensive.

184977[/snapback]

Well that just makes mee haid hoit.....