Screen Televisions

What do I need to know about flat screen televisions to select the best one for me?

I don't know very much about flat screens. I don't want to spend a fortune, but I want to get a good one. So, what brands do you all recommend? What is the difference between plasma and lcd...or is there a difference? Does the little p after the number mean pixels or what and what is a good number? What about size...I want a fairly large one...I was sort of wanting something in the range of 32 to 50".

Public Comments

1. Each technology has certain pros and cons. You have to choose what's right for you. LCD: Lighter Brighter - best for brightly lit rooms or rooms that have lots of natural light More energy efficient Poorer viewing angle - picture degrades as you move sideways away from the tv. More expensive in larger sizes Doesn't display dark scenes as well Motion blur can be a problem, but not as bad as earlier generations No burn in problems More easily damaged screen Plasma: Heavier Not as bright - less suitable for brightly lit rooms or rooms with lots of natural light. Less energy efficient and runs hotter Wide viewing angle Less expensive in larger sizes Displays dark scenes better No motion blur Subject to burn in, but not as bad as earlier generations More durable screen Many don't know it, but LCD screens are more subject to damage. My kid threw a pacifier at our brand new 52" LCD and knocked out a small group of pixels. Poke the screens in the store with your finger. You'll see what I mean. As for brands, Sony, Samsung, Pioneer and Panasonic are the best of the brands in my opinion. Sony and Pioneer are more expensive, but Samsung and Panasonic are nicely priced. TVs today come in 2 resolutions, 720p or 1080p. That number means lines of resolution packed into the same space. More lines = better resolution. However, you really can't tell much of a different until you start getting to 40" and larger.
2. I won't recommend a specific brand, but here are a few details to ponder: The number before the (p) is the number of pixels on the screen; the higher the number, the better the fine detail. 768 is good, 1080 is great (particularly for larger screens). (p) means progressive rather than interlaced (i). Progressive means a full image is is produced with each beam scan down the screen. (I) means interlaced where one half of the image is produced with each scan down, and the other half fills in the lines in between. Old fashioned TVs were interlaced. Flicker might be noticeable with interlacing (low probability). Plasma generally is brighter and suitable for a lit room. It can be viewed at a fairly wide angle. Individual pixels may fail and its brightness will degrade with time (years). LCD is backlit by a single light source. It is less bright and works best in a less brightly lit room. Its brightness does not diminish much with use until the bulb eventually burns out. The bulb can be replaced to restore performance but is quite expensive.