What type of TV? Plasma vs LED

[unknownxxvii]

I am going to buy either a 55in LED or a 60in plasma TV from either Samsung or LG to replace my 30in Samsung HDTV. I wanted to know which type of TV is better for gaming based on response time and picture quality: sharpness, clarity, rich colors, and deep blacks. All four TVs cost about the same within a $20 margin, so if plasmas are equal or a little better I rather have 5 more inches for the same price. Finally which TV would last longer, and be more reliable? Would I need anymore than 4x AA for TVs this large? Thanks for the help, as I am thinking that I will purchase one no later then the end of Easter.

Possible Contenders:
60" Plasma
http://www.samsclub.com/sams/60-lg-1080p-600hz-plasma-hdtv/prod6480269.ip?navAction=

55" LED
http://www.samsclub.com/sams/55-120hz-led-tv-1080p-2-hdmi/prod7870081.ip?navAction=

 

[blazorthon]

Plasma is usually better for deep blacks and contrast, but it may be far worse if not in a dark room.

Increasing display size without increasing resolution increases, not decreases, the usefulness of heavy AA for gaming.

 

[unknownxxvii]

I have a GTX 670 OC @ 1267 and I usually play all games maxed (1080p) with 4xAA, so I just wanted to know if I doubled the screen size would I need to run 8xAA, or does it look similar with 4xAA? Also I do play in a dim and sometimes very dark room. But the main issue is gaming on one - i don't play fps or multiplayer, so I just want the best quality with minimal lag.

 

[cranachan]

Plasma is usually better for deep blacks and contrast, but it may be far worse if not in a dark room.

Increasing display size without increasing resolution increases, not decreases, the usefulness of heavy AA for gaming.

Plasmas are terrible for deep blacks, they work by heating inert gases in small spaces (the pixels) this means that the darkest blacks will still have some light coming from it, unlike LED TVs where the pixels can be switched off. Contrast wise they are fine and are perfectly good for normal TV viewing

 

[bak0n]

My wife plays on our 58" Samsung Plasma. If you have low electric rates and a dark space, go plasma. Otherwise you might very well be better off avoiding it.

 

[photonboy]

I have a GTX 670 OC @ 1267 and I usually play all games maxed (1080p) with 4xAA, so I just wanted to know if I doubled the screen size would I need to run 8xAA, or does it look similar with 4xAA? Also I do play in a dim and sometimes very dark room. But the main issue is gaming on one - i don't play fps or multiplayer, so I just want the best quality with minimal lag.

The screen size has no bearing on performance, it's the resolution as you may know (I wasn't sure). As for 4xAA or 8xAA, well when you are CLOSER to a screen you can pick out any graphical issues so anti-aliasing is slightly more important as you get closer.

However, which one is a non-issue really because you still should be simply picking the best quality settings to achieve your desired frame rate (such as 60FPS VSYNC'd at least 90% of the time).

Plasma vs LED:
I'd probably recommend the Plasma for the better picture. My dad has one and the black levels make a huge difference.

Be aware the POWER consumption is probably about 3X that of an LED HDTV.

*I guess you know the new Kepler cards like your 670 can use HDMI for both sound and audio, however you must change to NVidia's audio solution in the Audio Properties.

 

[photonboy]

Plasmas are terrible for deep blacks, they work by heating inert gases in small spaces (the pixels) this means that the darkest blacks will still have some light coming from it, unlike LED TVs where the pixels can be switched off. Contrast wise they are fine and are perfectly good for normal TV viewing

You have this completely backward.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasma_display#Advantages

(Picture burn-in is essentially a non-issue now. They subtly shift the pixels on the screen to prevent this.)

 

[smeezekitty]

LCD or LED!
Plasma are now pretty antiquated. They are susceptible to burn in, leave ghosting and make terrible RFI.

I have a 42" plasma screen and I definitely would not have bought it if it were not free.

 

[jasont78]

plasmas are a slowly dying breed alot of companies are stopping producing them. as everyone has said they can be better in the right circumstances but the power consumption is alot higher. end of the day you get what you pay for with anything i personally have a mid range 2012 sammy 55" led 3d i does most things good but im not happy with the led backlighting at all you press info button to see what time your program finishes backlight jumps to 100% all over the screen then dims back and all sort of stupid stuff like that(i think you really need the high end model with locational micro dimming), i never had that problem with any other tv. other than that it has a nice picture also passive 3d is easier on your eyes,the glasses are cheaper and more comfortable. the only reason i bring up 3d is if your gonna get a new tv you might as well get it with it

 

[blazorthon]

LCD or LED!
Plasma are now pretty antiquated. They are susceptible to burn in, leave ghosting and make terrible RFI.

I have a 42" plasma screen and I definitely would not have bought it if it were not free.

Don't confuse old plasma displays with new ones. If you want bring up old problems with plasma, I can bring up old problems with the other display technologies such has LCD's poor picture quality. AFAIK, the only serious issue with a plasma today is power consumption.

 

[unknownxxvii]

It seems as if this thread as turned into many that I have read - a mix between both TV types. I am stuck in the middle even more. The big question is, Is there a big enough difference between plasma and LED to persuade me against 5 extra inches on the plasma? The TVs are all the same price, so 5 extra inches is a lot, but if plasmas are bad for gaming then LEDs are what I'll choose from. If it matters, my budget is $900 including tax.

Also, my current TV is a 3 yr old LCD, and I really enjoy the "Dynamic" setting as all the colors are nice and bright.
-not sure if its LED or not.

 

[Mousemonkey]

This topic has been moved from the section Graphics & Displays to section Computer Peripherals by Mousemonkey

 

[smeezekitty]

The viewing angle of LCD as well as any ghosting has pretty much been correct. In real life, do you really need 5 more inches?

Is 3x the power consumption and taking out and AM radio on the property and any FM radio within 3 feet worth it?

If not, stay clear of plasma.

 

[unknownxxvii]

I think the issues you have raised about plasmas is old and no longer viable.

 

[photonboy]

I think the issues you have raised about plasmas is old and no longer viable.

Exactly.
I'm an electronics technician and helped my dad choose a Panasonic Plasma 46" HDTV about four years ago.

There are simply no issues worth mentioning other than heat/power and that's a non-issue for my dad as the HDTV's in the basement. If a room getting hot is an issue then stay away from Plasma.

If you want the BEST picture then get Plasma.

SCREEN SIZE:
Some places say to divide the viewing distance by between 1.5x and 3x to get the range of screen size.

In practice, I would tighten that up and use between 2.2x and 2.6x. Example:

Viewing distance: 10 feet (120 inches)
HDTV screen size: (120/2.2 and 120/2.6)
or

*For a 10-foot viewing distance I recommend either a 46" or 55" HDTV.

 

[smeezekitty]

Exactly.
I'm an electronics technician and helped my dad choose a Panasonic Plasma 46" HDTV about four years ago.

There are simply no issues worth mentioning other than heat/power and that's a non-issue for my dad as the HDTV's in the basement. If a room getting hot is an issue then stay away from Plasma.

Did you check it for RFI?

 

[photonboy]

Did you check it for RFI?

No, I don't own an AM radio or a garage remote. The point is worth noting though.

 

[photonboy]

It seems as if this thread as turned into many that I have read - a mix between both TV types. I am stuck in the middle even more. The big question is, Is there a big enough difference between plasma and LED to persuade me against 5 extra inches on the plasma? The TVs are all the same price, so 5 extra inches is a lot, but if plasmas are bad for gaming then LEDs are what I'll choose from. If it matters, my budget is $900 including tax.

Also, my current TV is a 3 yr old LCD, and I really enjoy the "Dynamic" setting as all the colors are nice and bright.
-not sure if its LED or not.

Plasma HDTV for gaming:
http://n4g.com/user/blogpost/hd300gamr/149992

Other:
*Be aware that many HDTV's regardless of Plamsa or LED should be calibrated at home for the proper color. They are often too bright. While you say you like the "dynamic" setting be aware that these default settings (meant for viewing in a store) alter the color, especially the faces which can look sunburned.

You may wish to Google about calibration, though my dad's Panasonic Plasma had a default setting that was pre-calibrated.

 

[eyeage]

The solution here is simple. You want to play video games, do not get a plasma. Plasmas are great, and especially for gaming, but the problem comes with break in time. IR (image retention) is generally greatest during the first 500-1000 hours of life. During that time, leaving static images (like HUD, Map, etc) on a screen for long periods of time can cause image retention. The only warranty (that I know of) that covers image retention is best buy's.

Furthermore, if buying a plasma, I wouldn't buy anything except a ST50 (or higher version) by panasonic (I have one, it's amazing, seriously retarded). I have a movie theater with a JVC projector for movies, but the panasonic gets a lot of use for movies too, because the picture is superb. It's more expensive than the samsung you're looking at, but panasonic is the plasma to beat (and hasn't been). It's worth the extra price. Yes it's over your budget, but if you want a plasma, save a little more.

Plasma also has a higher refresh rate. Plasmas have a more reflective surface. If it's going to be in a room with windows, you'll need to black them out or buy an LED.

Plasmas have IR, so if you're not wanting to baby the TV for 1000 hours or so, then you need to buy an LED. Plasmas IR decreases as the phosphors age.

Plasma is the better TV (if you buy the right model, in this case I'd get a 55st50), but it's not without caveats, which I've listed above.

I own 2 plasmas, 1 LED, and a movie projector. The LED is in the room with all the windows. That's really the deciding factor. If windows behind, or a lot of windows, get an LED. If not, or if you don't mind blacking them out, 55ST50 plasma. You'll thank me for the recommendation, even if it is a bit more.

The TV will probably go on sale in a month when new models release. I suggest you wait a bit.

 

[photonboy]

*It appears BURN-IN is still an issue. It's likely you could manage this easily, however I think I'd have to err on the side of caution and recommend against Plasma:
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-33199_7-57449881-221/samsung-plasma-wins-cnets-accidental-burn-in-test/

 

[eyeage]

Yeah, it's an issue during the first 1000 hours of life or so. I have a plasma right now that I can let sit on an image all day and no IR will present itself. It's a panasonic. It's got about 5000 hours on the panel, so there is a point where it becomes a non-issue. Personally, I'd rather baby it (run the anti-IR mode every 20-30 minutes while gaming for the first 500 hours, that or just run break in slides for a couple weeks), than use an LED for gaming. Just my opinion.

Break in slides are generally used for calibration, but will work just fine to age the panel as well. Just pop them on a USB and have them run continuously for two weeks or so. That should be enough to prevent any issues honestly. Then again, not everyone is dedicated enough to do these steps in order to have the best image possible.

 

[photonboy]

I believe there's enough information for him to decide now.

I think it boils down to:

Plasma:

Pros:
- better picture
- better response

Cons:
- higher power consumption
- *burn-in

*Burn-in can be managed, however you MUST understand your HDTV such as how LONG you can maintain a static image and WHAT you must do.

Summary:
Pros and Cons. If you think managing burn-in may be an issue then avoid Plasma. If you don't mind the Cons then get Plasma.

 

[eyeage]

I believe there's enough information for him to decide now.

I think it boils down to:

Plasma:

Pros:
- better picture
- better response

Cons:
- higher power consumption
- *burn-in

*Burn-in can be managed, however you MUST understand your HDTV such as how LONG you can maintain a static image and WHAT you must do.

Summary:
Pros and Cons. If you think managing burn-in may be an issue then avoid Plasma. If you don't mind the Cons then get Plasma.

Yep, sums it up pretty well. Also, as with anything, different models behave differently; it's important to do some research on the specific model and not just the technology.

 

[smeezekitty]

The "better picture quality" is constantly becoming less and less of a factor as the technology of LCD, LED and hybrid improves.

IMO The current LCD are quite beautiful without many of the old problems.

 

[eyeage]

The "better picture quality" is constantly becoming less and less of a factor as the technology of LCD, LED and hybrid improves.

IMO The current LCD are quite beautiful without many of the old problems.

True, but without going for a Sharp Elite ($5000), you won't find a LED that will rival the PQ of a Panasonic Plasma, much less the Kuro. Either it is a factor or it isn't, for me it is. Just like I prefer to watch fast movies without significant blurring/stuttering, something you just don't have to worry about with a quality plasma. Plasma is still the best quality you can get, but with caveats. If you have kids, or have a bright room, an LED is the best option, but that doesn't mean it looks as good.

That said, when OLED hit the mass market it'll crush everything currently in production. Eventually we'll have paper thin tvs that will be so good you won't be able to tell it from a window. So, advancements will continue to be made, but for today, right now, plasmas still reign in the world of picture quality.