40/42" LCD/Plasma (£700 Budget)

Soldato
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Im looking for the best 40-42" LCD/Plasma for a budget of around £700.

Main uses would be: xbox360, ps3, htpc

I was thinking of getting the Sony W/V4000 series as they seem within budget and reasonably good tvs, just wondering is there any alternatives?

Thanks,

Mark. :)
 
Could look at them but beware of the many issues surrounding those screens such as smearing and horrible clouding. There is a massive thread about it on what hi-fi forums somewhere.

Samsung 6 series maybe, just make sure you get an LCD which can handle fast moving games. A plasma would be better, but with it being used as a gaming tv/monitor I would suggest you stick with LCD.
 
Doesnt the 6 series have input lag for games? :confused:

According to HDTV test,
  • 100Hz Motion Plus] may introduce interpolation artefacts like tearing, stutter or shimmering around moving objects
  • Shiny "Ultra Clear Panel" reflects ambient light and causes glare
  • Mild input lag (except in "Game" mode or over VGA) may affect sensitive gamers
  • Some clouding and backlight unevenness (though reduced to unobtrusive levels after calibration)*
  • Slight low-pitched hum from back of TV unless the screen is very bright*
 
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I havent got one but Im sure many people will recommend the panasonic plasma range
 
I have always understood that LCD was better for games and I remember a few months ago a guy I knew who has a plasma feared playing games on it because he was afraid still game images would burn into his screen.:confused: Sounds like a good point but I don't know if that is still an issue with plasma screens??.
 
pz80 panasonic. no burn issues - welcome to plasmas made in the last few years!
some plasmas have retention problems rather than burn - my samsung does. but the panasonics dont.
 
Well again PX80 / PZ80 blah blah / get a plasma it's the best etc etc. You know, the tech is so good, they don't NEED a gaming mode. Did your old CRT screens have a gaming mode button?

I have a PX80 and I admit before buying I was worried about the so called 'problem' of image burn. But now my screen has been on 1707h15m and switched on 391 times. Idon't take any precautions any more regarding image burn. It can be on the same kids channel solid for 10+hours a day, with on screen logos, when gaming I pause it and don't care. The screen dims, and the console dims after about 10 mins or so. Sometimes the virgin info bar will be on the screen for a couple of hours, I turn it off and there's no issue. The kids leave handprints over the screen, and have hit it with toys in the past (not recommended obviously) but it has done the screen no harm and i have absolutely no hinting of any image burn whatsoever.
 
Actually why did I even think of LCD, I'm with whitecrook.

My best mates dad got a panny 37 viera at £2.5k (just before HD ready came out), and they have seriously abused the set over the last 5-6 years. Loads of music channels, sports news, sports, and lots of left left overnight during our drunken nights in. Not a hint of retention on their set after what I would class as abuse of a plasma.

GO for it, your game will look better on a panny plasma than sony lcd.
 
You know, I (almost) wish it would burn, becuase then when I get a newer better set in the future I'd know what NOT to do with it.... but beleive me there is no hint of burn. Even IR is very minimal, and is only noticable when you (say) bring up the OSD on a totally black screen. As soon as you flip onto a moving picture and back to black it's gone. I think the only way to burn it would be CCTV style white time stamps in the corner. These also did the dirty on convential CRTs so it's not really a problem.


Also, my screen has been knocked over onto it's front. all that happened was a scratch in the front - since this point on I have been 'abusing' it :D
 
I was chatting a guy earlier and discussing the purchase of a new tele. I mentioned buying the PZ80 and he responded with "why buy a plasma when they are fading them out?" I heard that statement two years ago and they are still about. Is that the general case and will LCD completely dominate?

Oh, PZ80 at sub £700? I've yet to find it that low.
 
I was chatting a guy earlier and discussing the purchase of a new tele. I mentioned buying the PZ80 and he responded with "why buy a plasma when they are fading them out?" I heard that statement two years ago and they are still about. Is that the general case and will LCD completely dominate?
did you not ask him what he was talking about?

BS if you ask me.

It's taken until now for plasmas to become mainstream enough for people to question whether they should get one over an LCD (for the same cost) Expect the tech in the next few years to get much better and more advanced. Look at the 2K Kuros give it a year or two and that tech will be affordable for most people.

If you have only £500 to spend on want a BIG tv then you probably still have to go with LCD for now. Plasmas occupy the 500+ market and the LCD's at this price point may have extra ports, added features, extra tuners W.H.Y, but that's cos the extra cost has went in to the most important thing - the screen..


Oh, PZ80 at sub £700? I've yet to find it that low.

Yeah, maybe as part of a deal, but you can get them for £740.
I think the point was if the OP wanted to go for 1080p then he can do it with a plasma for an extra 40 squid.
 
The PZ80 was the tv i wanted, but seen so many mentions of image rentention and image burn in, which put me off a little.

Due to the static images of the channels i watch and games i play i thought it might cause an issue, SSN on all day everyday and the radar in fifa and scorebar for both football channels and in fifa.

If there isnt much retention or burn-in i would go out and buy a PZ80 tomorrow, and from what yous are saying there isnt?

And ive also heard of input lag on games, is this true or has it been fixed with a firmware update?

And does the PZ80 have 1080/24 with no judder?
 
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