Plasma vs. LCD vs. LED

So I've done my research in the past, during my last/most recent TV purchase - I'm a huge Samsung fan, purchased one of their 42" LED's several months back and haven't looked back; an absolutely amazing TV.

With that being said, my next purchase is going to be on different terms, so-to-say. I plan on grabbing a new TV for a recently remodeled "game room" or "man cave" of sorts - I have a PS3 which I then plan on subscribing to NFL Sunday Ticket (for those unfamiliar, allows you to view all of the Sunday football games, no matter where you live geographically) via the PlayStation Network.

Now I just spent a good amount of money on new furniture, paint, etc., the whole nine yards. I have no problem continuing to spend on a good TV (LED, for example) if it's truly worth it. I've never owned a plasma, went from LCD to a LED, but I do hear that plasmas can be good for viewing such programs like sports, even better in "low light" surroundings. Not sure how true this is, maybe someone can share their experiences here?

Essentially, I'm looking to get more bang for my buck; looking to go big on the TV here and obviously a big 60" LED or even LCD is going to cost me a lot more than a same-size plasma.

Is it worth still looking into plasma?

Thanks in advance.

not sure if plasma televisions have improved much in the last few years but they used to be horrible money pits. they needed to be seen every few years to be recharged/worked on. source: relative was a tv tech.

plasma screens do have better contrast than lcd screens but its not worth it.

you'd be better off with a 60" lcd or DLP ceiling mounted projector.

as far as pricing goes...yeah...it may be a 720p model. those are typically several hundred dollars or more cheaper.

I agree with ssddx.

To be honest, the most bang for your buck would be a DLP projector and a nice 100-120" screen. The new Acer H9500BD is 1080p DLP with 3D support. That and a good screen would be sub-2k. True, you have to replace the lamps in projectors, but the first time you sit down and watch the game or play your PS3 on your 10 foot screen , you won't care.

Thanks for all the replies.

I don't think a projector is something that I'd spring/settle for, so I'm going to leave that out of the discussion - thanks for the insight in regards to one, however.

I've never owned a plasma, and I suppose there's no reason to "downgrade" to one and "save some cash".

I suppose just spending the money on an LED is the smartest choice.

@brianito

from what the op said i'm guessing that a 60" or screen around that size is what was figured to be ideal. that means that anything larger would show as lesser in quality although it might not be much depending on viewing distances and size. i just wanted to make the op aware of this. its pretty basic but some people don't consider this. bigger is not always better. personally i agree that DLP projectors are handy if it fits your wants/needs and if you accept their limitations.

sorry but the parts availability is not based on rumor. i had a family member who worked as a repair tech, at a small repair shop, for at least 20 years up until about 6 months ago. getting parts for the low end models vizio, olevia, etc was next to impossible with some of the others being hard but not impossible. sony was the only brand he praised as being easy to get parts for. i'm not saying a television would ever need repair but its always wise to at least consider such possibilities.

i agree that the samsungs do look nice but from what i've heard i'd buy a warranty if i purchased one myself for peace of mind. then again i heard a few people mentioning about sony models online but my model has lasted over 3 years with heavy use. its a hard call sometimes and we all have our own opinions.

Hi everybody,

LED TV's and LCD Tv's different between back lights. Back lighting is the term used for the way LCD's lit. Regular LCD's use long fluorescent bulbs to provide the back lighting. LED type TV's use Dynamic RGB LEDs which are positioned behind the panel. This LCD TV technology currently provides the best colors, brightness and contrast ratios. You also have edge lit LEDs. The LEDs are on the edges with a special diffuser to even out the light. This arrangement allows for the thinnest possible TV. The bottom line is if you can afford it got an LCD LED TV. Their contrast and colors top regular LCD's can rival plasmas. Also, LED TV the best energy efficiency of all.

Thanks & regards
Dainard Jackson