[mythtv-users] OT: LED or Plasma (was Advice on choosing a TV)

[Indulis Bernsteins]

OK, don't depend on what is set up in the store, if the LCD display's 
"demo mode" is set to be more colourful and higher contrast then it will 
look better in the store than the plasma.

Depends on who set up each display.  In real life you should use Digital 
Video Essentials once you have a set home, so that you still get details 
in dark shadows, that your eyes don't burn out from the bright colours 
etc.

I think the best thing you can do is to NOT take what you see as any 
indicator of real performance in the home.  I'd try a specialist site like 
avsforum.

I've had both plasma panels (42" and 50" Panasonics), and now have a Sony 
LCD 46". 

Read the display's manuals on-line so you can check that they can respond 
to the right resolution and Hz from the VGA port or the HDMI port.  Just 
because the panel is 1080 lines does *NOT* mean thay this resolution is 
accessible from a PC attached to the display (yeah dumb I know but there 
you go, my Sony won't do 50Hz inputs via the VGA port which I need because 
Australia is PAL!).

The other thing which is worth researching is make sure that the set you 
pick has remote control commands that can take you straight to a selected 
input (e.g. from watching TV to say HDMI2), and that you won't have to 
write stupid long sequences of IR commands into your learning remote to 
get to a menu, go right one, wait, go down 2, wait, select, send Enter. 
Look for JP1 on the net as the guys/gals there have been through this 
pain, you can even look up the Macros they've had to code to get displays 
to work.  ALso remotecentral web site.

Bu the way, I would go back to a good plasma over an LCD, the LCD has 
"clouding" so when you look at say a dark space scene that should be 
evenly black, you can see "fog" in the corners of the display.

Here is another site with a review of the G20 (as I said better to rely on 
reviews than on your eyes, EXCEPT for home theatre specialist stores who 
have set the displays up properly, ie NOT in demo mode)
http://www.hdtvorg.co.uk/reviews/plasma/panasonic_tx-p42g20.htm

I'd also consider the later generation Samsung Plasmas which are v good as 
well!

Good luck!

Indulis
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