Buying another Flat Panel - Need Help

I recently posted about purchasing a refurb'd Samsung 40" LCD, well yesterday I sold my one year old Sony Rear Projection LCD and now I need a replacement TV for it. I headed over to the shop last night where I bought the Samsung to have a look around and I wanted to get something a little nicer to replace the Sony.

I looked at 10 different TV's including another 40" like the one I just got, but I want something just a little bigger and nicer for downstairs.

I checked out the following Models:

LCD
LNT4065F - 40"
LNT4665F - 46"
LNT4061F - 40"
LNT4661F - 46"

Now the nice part is the 46" versions of each were hanging on the wall next to each other so I had a chance to compare them side by side. Same thing with the 40" models. I liked the the 65 series better. I think the blacks were a little more truer, and the overall contrast was better. Each TV had the exact same color settings so I didn't have to fiddle with that. However across the room was the Plasmas and they had some 42" and 50" models. They had 4 new models and 2 refurb's and I almost went Plasma because the picture was outstanding on the 64 series model, but I can't get past the screen burn problem known in plasmas. However, their PQ was amazing. I looked at the following models

HPT4254
HPT4264
HPT5054
HPT5064

CNET has given the 5064 an 8.0 rating but nagged that the antiglare was not very good. I looked at the 5064 model and was blown away, same with the 4264. The blacks were perfect, the overall color mix was fantastic, but I noticed a slight problem with greens on both models... more in the 54 series than the 64 series.

Do any members here own any of these TV's? if so please post your thoughts and what you feel are the TV's best features and worst features.

Thanks for the help.

Dj

TOSHIBA REGZA OR BUST

Funkmaster, cnet.com has great reviews on tv's. I would check out all their reviews. Personally if this is going to be the main tv in your house I would definitely go with a plasma. Don't stress about the burn-in issue. I was super worried about it too before I got my Pioneer plasma but it has never been an issue for me. I just didn't have any still images for the first 100 hours and I've been fine.

I know of a couple of people here at work with plasmas and they don't have burn-in issues. I enjoy my movies so much more since I got the plasma as colours are richer, the blacks are beautiful, plus the viewing angle on LCD's completely suck! On a plasma you could be standing all the way to either side of the tv and you can still make out the image quite nicely, not so on LCD's, try it yourself. Just make sure you get one with a nice contrast ratio, don't worry about refresh rates and such (since plasmas are very good in this department already), and check out the reviews thoroughly. Plus once you go plasma you never go back!

Like I said cnet is a good place to start but also check other sites as well.

EDIT: Also I don't know if the electronics store you shop in is bright or not but if it is you won't have an accurate idea of how plasma looks because bright lighting washes out the colours a bit (like the bright lighting in a Bestbuy store). If you can check out the tv's in normal or low lighting conditions and then see. Having said that my plasma still looks GREAT in the daytime but in the dark is when it REALLY excels. In the dark is when LCD's tend to have their blacks seem more gray. I used to have a 52" Sharp Aquos which was pretty good aside from a banding issue but plasma is definitely the way to go for me.

[Post edited by Falcon01 on Feb 8, 2008]

Quote:
Also I don't know if the electronics store you shop in is bright or not but if it is you won't have an accurate idea of how plasma looks because bright lighting washes out the colours a bit.

Yeah, sounds like plasma's the way to go!

I agree with Eddie. You should consider a Toshiba Regza. I have a 42 inch 1080p and it is awesome.

I agree with Posters5 and StevePro, go Toshiba Regza... Toshiba as far as I know is still using High End samsung panels, but uses Toshiba pwr supplies, and video processing. The Regzas are the best Bang for the Buck. Their picture quality is far better than the Samsungs.

I saw one of the first Regza LCD's released and the gray scale (blacks) sucked. Are the new ones that much better?

Yeah, they are a lot better than two years ago. The new ones are really impressive. I swapped out a Sony XBR4 with a Toshiba...

Is the RGEZA 42H167 a good model?

Hey Guys,

I bought the Samsung HP-T5064 Plasma. After walking around the store I sat and watched this TV for 30 Minutes, then the LCD for 30 minutes. The plasma had something going for it. I bought it, got it home and Popped in the remake of DAWN of the DEAD.

Hot Damn, the movie looked fantastic. After watching that we popped in my Training Day HD DVD which arrived today courtesy of Amazon and OMG, what a freaking picture.

CNET gave the TV an 8.0 out 10 rating and I can see why as this TV has just an amazing pop of color and PQ.