TVs LCD Or Plasma

[Sporky_McGuffin]

True.

From what I recall, an ideal viewing distance (so not seeing the pixels while getting a decent all round view) is:

1080p = 3 1/2 x the diagonal (so 42")

SD (which is 512) is 5 x the diagonal.

I think that's close to the Infocomm rules of thumb - 6 times the screen height for HD, 10 times for SD. I did once work out all the maths, though I'm usually more interested in the other way around - making sure people can see all the pixels (information display rather than telly watching).

[holnrew]

I do wish they'd stop calling them LED TVs - they're LCD with an LED backlight.

Me too, the average layperson will actually think it's LEDs.

What is the standard method of backlighting and why are LEDs better?

[Sporky_McGuffin]

I think standard is cold cathode or similar.

LED (in this context) gives a better colour gamut - redder reds, greener greens, bluer blues - and a more even lighting. In theory (though I honestly don't know if they do this with the current sets) you can also vary the backlighting aross the screen, so that bright part of the images get a brighter backlight, and dark areas get less. My suspicion is that that's not yet done, but it'd make quite a difference in terms of black levels and contrast.

LED does also let you make much slimmer screens, but the downside to that is that there's no longer space to put the scaler and such in so most of the uber-thin LED LCDs have a separate "media hub" which has all the connections and an umbilical to the screen itself.

[boogie man]

I did a lot of research into all this recently when I was looking for a new tv. The ultra thin led tvs generally have shit sound because there's no room for reasonable size speakers. Might not be a problem if you're going for a soundbar or a separate surround speaker set-up, but worth bearing in mind.

IMO the best LCD sets, in terms of picture quality, were Philips and LG. For a plasma I'd definitely go for a Panasonic. I eventually got a Philips 32" 9604. This place has some really good deals http://www.hificonfidential.co.uk/ or Richer Sounds are always worth looking at.

[MattANJH]

Found a nice 37" panasonic, an X10 i think. 450 quid

[Snap]

that might be a 50hz scan, compare it to the G10, supposed to be better for similar money.

[bertie]

Im after a 19" er now........the 17" philips in the bedroom's just gone tits up (shame cos it was feckin superb)

Sony Bravia and Pannasonic from Richer Sounds look like the top two candiates for me I think

[AndrewG]

I honestly haven't found much to match the picture-and sound (built-in sub)-quality on my Panasonic Quintrix SR Acuity. Last generation CRT and absolutely awesome-and you can pick them up stupidly cheap with a nice stand. Their weight though, is epic.

[Snap]

Im after a 19" er now........the 17" philips in the bedroom's just gone tits up (shame cos it was feckin superb)

Sony Bravia and Pannasonic from Richer Sounds look like the top two candiates for me I think

both of which will be fine I'm sure. I'm soon to be after a new LCD, prob something like a 32". Cheap these days.

on distance from sceen and all that. I think a lot of what's spouted is horseshit. We sit around 12 feet from our 42 plasma and SD looks brilliant. I've just got AVatar on blu ray and that looks unbelievable, ultra vivid and crisp.