Posted on 12/03/2007 6:09:05 PM PST by Graybeard58
I'm in the market to buy a big screen H.D.T.V. I don't know squat about them.
What's the difference in plasma and LCDs? Which is best? What is the best brand for the money? I'm looking for at least a 42 inch set. Do I need to buy a convertor box to get the signal from my cable company? Do I have to pay extra to my cable company for the service? Thanks
You two should talk.
My tube is outdated also.
Bump for later reference.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
I'm not interested in that porn stuff.
Just kidding, thanks for the link.
DLP has millions of tiny moving parts. Beware.
LCD tends to be better than Plasma, but more expensive. Plasma is subject to burn in, but LCD’s are almost impossible to burn-in.
Also, understand that merely having a flat-screen TV will not give you HDTV...you also need a source of HD programming (over the air or more likely, satellite or cable).
Maybe, maybe not. If you subscribe to cable, for example, you must have a cable box that will decode the HD signals, and you will most likely pay extra for a box that will handle that function. If the TV has an ATSC tuner built-in you should be able to watch the digital version of the TV stations in your local area using an antenna.
As far as LCD vs. Plasma, are you looking at flat-screen LCDs or rear-projection?
I have cable. If I buy the set will I need to buy some sort of converter? I’ve seen adverts from my cable company hyping their H.D. service or something similar, I’m not that savy and haven’t paid attention to their ads in the past. I’m assuming they would charge a fee for this service.
I want a new TV SO BAD! Mine is about on it’s last legs.
If there’s no special equipment needed, why does DISH network charge extra for “HD”???
I believe the cable company will provide an HD box to go with the service. At this point, I’m out of my league, as I’ve never seen it done.
You can use the flatscreen with SDTV, but for HD, the cable company can probably set you up.
Do some comparison shopping at that point! Check what they tell you against what DirecTV can offer.
I don't even know the difference.
If the TV has an ATSC tuner built-in you should be able to watch the digital version of the TV stations in your local area using an antenna.
ATSC tuner - I don't know what that is either. I don't have an antenna outside my house. I do have cable service though.
I'm ashamed to be so ignorant of this stuff and the termonology.
I don't even care to have one because I watch very little tv , it's a gift for my wife, who doesn't watch a lot anyway but I've heard her say that it would be nice to have one and Christmas is coming.......
Mr. Rattemus, please pick up the white courtesy phone.
Hold tight, graybeard. Ratty’s yer guy.
While we’re at it maybe we can address the programming, too. I’d like to see a well-produced comedy or drama mocking PC and Hollywood run amok. You may need TV help, but the TV needs more than help.
Advantages over LCD:
No motion Lag. Even 4ms will show blur during fast motion.
Black level performance. LCD’s can’t do black, when they try it loses detail in dark scenes. Things will be silhouetted when in reality they are not. No detail in things like dark hair or clothes.
Color performance. Colors are more realistic on a plasma.
Price. On anything 50 inches or over plasma is much cheaper.
Disadvantages to LCD:
Care and feeding. Burn in is not really a problem anymore but it can happen if you leave a static image up for an extended period. Don’t use a plasma as a computer monitor.
Power Usage. It takes a good amount of power to individually light each pixel.
An ATSC tuner means it can pick up over-the-air digital signals on the new digital standard. The old analog is NTSC, which will be phased out in 2009. So ATSC means it's "modern" and compatible with current and upcoming digital signals.
I don't know what cable service you have, but I'm going to assume that they offer "digital" service, and also carry HD channels. If you only subscribe to the basic analog cable channels, you may be able to get the digital versions of your local stations without a change in service. Otherwise, you will need to upgrade to digital cable, and possibly change your cable tuner to be able to get the appropriate channels.
Might have some more ideas tomorrow... but I don't know anything about your current situation and cable service.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.