LED vs LCD vs Plasma

[Tom Snyder]

Was over at a neighbor's house last night and got to talking about LED TV's. He's definitely decided to go LED for his Home Theater in the basement. Honestly can say I haven't even seen an LED set.

Anyone here have one yet (or at least done a comparison)?

[LoadStar]

Was over at a neighbor's house last night and got to talking about LED TV's. He's definitely decided to go LED for his Home Theater in the basement. Honestly can say I haven't even seen an LED set.

Anyone here have one yet (or at least done a comparison)?

When you say "LED TV" - do you mean a direct view LCD that uses LED lighting, or do you mean a rear projection TV that uses LED for the lamp?

[gparris]

When you say "LED TV" - do you mean a direct view LCD that uses LED lighting, or do you mean a rear projection TV that uses LED for the lamp?

Exactly.
I have the Samsung 67" LED DLP rear-projection set and it is fantastic for my HT setup in the family room, a great set all around.

In another room, I am planning to get the edge-lit LED LCDs, probably the 55" in the 7000 series (don't like the red colour in the 6000 series).
While cnet reviews the LCD panels as excellent without the LED illumination, using what I believe is cold cathode fluorescent illumination, the choice is a personal one.
Some claim some LED light spill on close-up details on some LED-based LCD panels, while I have not observed this.
Sony uses three colours of LEDs for its LCD panels, while others use other methods, but both imagining methods are agreeable by this viewer.
-It just depends on whether you want a flat panel LED LCD or the more standard (currently) panel set like Sharp has (it has a LED LCD set, too).
Samsung is also coming in with a 65-inch LCD panel using cold cathode fluorescent, too, if you want to wait, soon.
(Sony offers a 70" LCD set, but it is extremely expensive at around $20,000.)

[kevbeck122]

Samsung calls their LED edge-lit TVs LED TVs... even though they are still LCD.  I've seen one at Best Buy in Brookfield... it looks great and is very thin, but it's not really by other TVs so it's hard to compare.

[Tom Snyder]

I haven't seen any yet, but he said the one he's getting is only an inch thick(!).

[ArgMeMatey]

I have the Samsung LN-T4081, which is a 2007 model, I believe.  I don't know any objective terms to describe how it compares but many people have commented that it looks fantastic.  It has LED backlighting but is zoned (I can't remember the term they use) so the backlighting can be turned off in certain sections of the screen when not needed.  I think I read somewhere that the new thinner Samsungs are side-lit.  

I didn't buy it specifically for the LED feature but because it has both cable and air RF inputs.  Having read a lot about the huge improvement of LED over fluorescent backlights, I bought this rather than a 2008 fluorescent Mitsubishi or Samsung with two RF inputs.  

This set is mounted on a wall in the living room where most of the walls are windows.  No one has complained yet about brightness, although the big test is coming up with the summer solstice as we get more evening sun coming in the west windows behind the TV.  Hopefully then my wife will then let me get some blinds for those windows, since she watches the TV more than I do.  

[gparris]

I haven't seen any yet, but he said the one he's getting is only an inch thick(!).

Then he is getting the B6000 (red "touch of colour") or the 7000 or 8000 series.
Any of these three series, a fantastic set, even when off.
There are touch controls on the front to keep the lines of the set clean, too.
The depth of these LED LCD sets are so thin, I would want to have the set on a credenza to show it off by itself.
(Along with the center and separate side front channel speakers, of course).
Hopefully, for best resolution and "cinema" in his HT setting, the 55" set is being purchased, IMO (the currently-largest size available).

[Stanley Kritzik]

And, it is sensational.  It is also pricey, and has a very small screen -- about 5 1/2 by 10 inches.  The screen is paper thin, and I/we keep it on the kitchen counter with a flat OTA antenna.  The picture contrast is supposed to be 1,000,000 to one, as there is no back-lighting, so blacks are very black.

Overall the picture is as good as it gets.  My first one had a screen defect in it -- about a one inch by a quarter inch blur.  Sony replaced it without a fuss.  The second one is perfest.

If they could scale the screen size up and cut the price an awful lot, it would be a sensational main video screen and a super PC monitor (for the boss, only, of course!).  Whacking the price is, I gather, quite a challenge, and Sony lost money last year.  No question, though, that OLED is the best screen technology from a pure viewing standpoint.

Stan

[Tom Snyder]

Great article on the subject:
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE54L1TR20090522

[Stanley Kritzik]

We can hardly guess what's coming.  I remember going from mono to stereo -- what a difference.  Also B&W to Color.  Now, big LCD and Plasma screens.  The LEDs of the future at 65 or so inches will be fantastic.

What else can be coming -- 3D, obviously.  Maybe "smellevision", or even "feelevision" (if the Mrs. will allow it!), and stuff no one's thought of, yet.  How about a home version of a flight simulator or a race car experience?  Run the Millie Miglia against Michael  Schumacher in your own Ferrari F1?  How about voting from your easy chair at home?

Things are bound to happen.

Stan

[gparris]

Actually, even larger direct view screens that cover an entire wall (or a size the owner is comfortable with) that you can roll on or cut-to-fit in HD at 4K resolution would be more of an extension to what we have now.

For today, it seems like the 55" screen size is now the new "52" with the new entries for 2009 and 65" is being pushed more for larger screen sizes than ever before.

3D will only become moderately successful if and only if the need for those 3D glasses are no longer required and the seating area to get the 3D effect (w/o glasses) will have to be bigger, perhaps on those much larger TV screens.

Smell-o-vision and other gimmicks are just that, gimmicks, IMO.