40" LCD buying help

By SnowRanger13
in Home Theatre Discussion

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What to buy?  

34 members have voted

  1. 1. What TV?

    • Sony Bravia KDL-40Z4100
      15
    • Samsung LN40A650T
      14
    • Toshiba Cinema Regza 40XF550U
      2
    • Other
      3

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Grand Master

SnowRanger13

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I've decided I want a high end 40" LCD, this TV is mostly going to be used for Gaming and Blu-rays, with both my 360 and PS3 connected to it. I thought to my self this shouldn't be to hard I know the size I want and I know I want the top end model. It turned out to be harder then I thought!

Originally I was looking at a Sony Bravia KDL-40XBR4, great reviews great TV then I find out that it's a 2007 model and this is around the time the new models come out. Turns out the XBR6 (replacing the XBR4 I was looking at) hasn't even been announced yet and is only highly rumored for a August or even later release.

I started looking at some other models because I don't really want to wait till August or later. The TVs I came across:

Sony Bravia KDL-40Z4100

Samsung LN40A650T

Toshiba Cinema Regza 40XF550U

What TV of those 3 should I be looking at? Any other TV's I should be looking at?

Edited by cloudstrife13
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Grand Master

SnowRanger13

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I have a Samsung LCD and I love it, but I don't know much more about TVs than that :p

No problem. I didn't expect everyone to understand what I meant here. Hopefully a few people can help me out though! :)

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Grand Master

SnowRanger13

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Well didn't get a ton of help from you guys but thats okay, I know I was asking a fairly complicated question where you need to know a decent amount about HDTVs to answer. But I thought I'd share what I found incase anyone else is looking for a high end 40" LCD. It looks like all three TVs use the same panel. So that means all of them are 1080p, 120Hz, 10-Bit, 4ms response time.

The Toshiba has better processing then the Samsung and won't have the Triple Ball Effect or the Soap Opera Effect, while the Samsung still sometimes have these effects.

The Samsung has a more glossier screen witch helps it give better contrast then the Toshiba, though it is more reflective because of this.

I don't think there will be any huge reason to wait for the Sony as it should be very comparable.

So It's between the Samsung and Toshiba. If you have a room with a lot of light the Toshiba would be the obvious choice, but the room I'm going to be using will be fairly dark. They say the Triple Ball Effect happen far less then last years Samsung's. I'm pretty torn but I think no matter witch of the 3 I go with I'll be getting a great TV.

I'll be getting it in the next few weeks unless info comes out on the Sony that says it will be better then the Samsung/Toshiba.

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Grand Master

Nicholas-c Veteran

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I read somewhere that sony buy there screens from samsung, so in a way you are paying for the brand with sony.

I have had a good experience with samsung so i recommend them :)

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Grand Master

SnowRanger13

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I read somewhere that sony buy there screens from samsung, so in a way you are paying for the brand with sony.

I have had a good experience with samsung so i recommend them :)

They have the same panel yes but image processing and back lighting usually makes the Sony a bit better. The Sonys are better, but most people don't find the price difference worth it.

If you don't mind me asking, why LCD? Why not plasma? Better blacks, you know. ;)

Honestly I don't know... Going into it I had the idea that LCD were better for gaming so I researched the hell out of LCD... Tonight I talked to a friend that sells TVs (he lives else where, just giving me advice). He said Plasma is the way for the gamer, better blacks, better response times.

Plasmas can burn in when LCDs can't but a lot of the high end Plasmas have technology that shifts the pixels around so burn in rarely happens.

Now I'm looking at Pioneer and Panasonic Plasmas but the models I'm intrested in don't come out till May/June. Thats the same time the Sony I was intrested in is released. I'm going to have to wait to then and make a choice then.

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+StevoFC MVC

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Like usual I would get the Sammy. 9 times out of 10 I recommend Samsung LCD's. 120hz is definitely a sweet feature on newer televisions. But models that have it are practically double the price of ones that don't.

I have two comments about plasma tv's...

Most of them draw ridiculous amounts of power compared to lcd, and they throw off a ton of heat.

Second, I have some experience with plasmas and while the picture quality is good (with exceptions) those burn in protection features seem to do very little. We have a 50 inch plasma here at work and the image retention on it is so bad it's not even funny. I am constantly running the white to black gradient feature to try and get the burn in to go away. And that's even with the pixel shift function enabled.

Without a doubt get an LCD.

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Grand Master

MightyJordan

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I'd go for the Samsung. Sony TVs are usually too expensive for what they're worth. Samsung TVs have some of the best picture quality I've ever seen. I've got a 50" Samsung in the living room, and watching the intro to MotorStorm is heaven!

You can probably get a Samsung at a very good price. Over here in the UK, you can get the 50" one I've got (can't remember which model, but it was last year) now for ?1000 ($2000)!

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Grand Master

+Audioboxer Subscriber²

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Samsung or Sony. They'll no doubt be on par with picture quality, so it might just come down to aesthetics.

And definitely LCD for gaming.

Not to mention to get your equivalent TRUE 1080p Plasma you'll probably need to pay a little more than LCD.

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Grand Master

SnowRanger13

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Samsung or Sony. They'll no doubt be on par with picture quality, so it might just come down to aesthetics.

And definitely LCD for gaming.

Not to mention to get your equivalent TRUE 1080p Plasma you'll probably need to pay a little more than LCD.

Yeah I think I'd rather go with the Samsung or Sony, and IMO Sony has much better aesthetics then the Samsung so if I end up buying a LCD I'll actually probably go with that one.

Why do you say LCD is better for gaming though? Plasma has faster response time then LCD, and that is a big factor in gaming. Sure Plasma can burn in but it doesn't happen often on the newer TV sets, It's like saying CRTs can burn in.

I'd love to look at the Pioneer Plasmas because they are like the king but this year they are making nothing smaller then 50".

If I go with LCD it's probably going to be the Sony Bravia KDL-40Z4100. Click on the name to see more about it.

If I go with Plasma it's probably going to be the Panasonic Viera TH-42PZ800U. I could only find the 46" info but they are the same specs.

Both come out next month, both look like really amazing sets.

Edited by cloudstrife13
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Grand Master

shockz

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Don't get the Toshiba... Toshiba's top of the line model in terms of picture color and quality is like a mid range Sony. Except it has the 120hz. We have all the tv's except the new Sony (we still have the m/s/w3000 instead)at work... and they just happen to be side be side and Toshiba always looks washed out or not as clear as the others. Not to mention the whites on the new tosh have almost a neon blue color to them. It doesn't look that good. Calibrations for the TV seem to help that blue tinge... but calibrations make everything look good anyways.

Toshiba made great tubes, but their LCD's leave much to be desired.

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Grand Master

SnowRanger13

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Don't get the Toshiba... Toshiba's top of the line model in terms of picture color and quality is like a mid range Sony. Except it has the 120hz. We have all the tv's except the new Sony (we still have the m/s/w3000 instead)at work... and they just happen to be side be side and Toshiba always looks washed out or not as clear as the others. Not to mention the whites on the new tosh have almost a neon blue color to them. It doesn't look that good. Calibrations for the TV seem to help that blue tinge... but calibrations make everything look good anyways.

Toshiba made great tubes, but their LCD's leave much to be desired.

Thanks for the tip! What do you think about LCDs vs Plasmas for gaming?

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Grand Master

+StevoFC MVC

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Cloud, I'd just like to point out it seems like you are basing the quality of these tv's based off of their specs only. Have you even seen them in person? Or are the examples you gave only there because of their specs?

Almost everyone here has said get a Samsung but you just keep linking us to the Sony specs. It all comes down to personal preference during actual usage, not what a piece of paper, or in this case specs on a website say.

Go look at them and decide for yourself what looks best to you.

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Grand Master

SnowRanger13

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I've gone and looked at the ones they have yes. A number of the ones I'm interested in aren't out yet, so I have to wait for them to come out to compare.

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Glorious

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I voted Samsung the other day but didn't have time to post.

I have an F86 and it was the best TV purchase I've ever made, they're really closing the bridge on black levels.

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Grand Master

kak

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I'm not sure what is different in the new Samsungs, but I have an LN-T4071. It was their first set to have 120Hz processing and Auto Motion Plus technology (which is crap regardless of brand). The PQ on this set is absolutely amazing. I have it calibrated to match some videophile specs posted on AVS and it is beautiful.

Get the Samsung. You won't regret it.

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Grand Master

deuz

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We have a 50 inch plasma here at work and the image retention on it is so bad it's not even funny. I am constantly running the white to black gradient feature to try and get the burn in to go away. And that's even with the pixel shift function enabled.

u must have some ****box plasmas at your work[no offense ;p], very hard to get image retention on them these days....we keep some tvs on fta the whole day[6-8hrs] get get no retention on our plasmas o.o[panas+samsungs]...not talking about the cheap and nasty ones...hope ur not talking about on of those

but anyways mate u gotta decide what u want to wait or buy now no point lingering....

personally id go with the samsung but the sony aint that bad...

oh and i hate how tvs get relseased jap>us>uk>aus ....... :p well get the new sony prabaly sept-dec :(

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