42" TELEVISION

Panasonic VIERA TC-P50ST30 50-Inch 3D Plasma TV

admin — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:15:12 +0000

Looking for a large TV which supports all the latest tech at a LOW price? Best Buy has you covered by offering this Panasonic TV for only $729! This TV has full support for 1080p High Definition playback along with full 3D for the latest and greatest. Being a plasma its designed to give you intense movie quality, that is achieved by its 600Hz sub-field drive which supplies super smooth playback in every scene. Also it supports Internet connectivity in the form of Hulu Plus, Netflix, Facebook and much more so you never run out of exciting content to watch. It even has 3 HDMI inputs for easy HD connectivity along with Component, Composite and PC video connections for all other devices.

Holy savings! This TV use to sell for $1299.99 and is now $729.99. Add Tax and $70 for S&H if you don’t pick up in store.

Samsung UN55D8000YF 55-inch 240hz LED TV

admin — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:45:12 +0000

Now your first reaction to this deal may be confusion, considering our previous coverage was a deal including a Blu-Ray player as well; but this time around it’s Samsung’s top-of-the-line model which is being cut down in price. The 8000YF gives you the thinnest bezel we’ve seen, making the image pop out like never before. Of Course being 55-Inches as it is you have full support for 1080p HD video and 3D support for even more immersion. It includes the 2 Pairs of Active 3G glasses as well so you can view it right away. This TV also features a 240Hz refresh rate for super smooth playback of all scenes and incredible level of contrast magnified but it’s local dimming plus. Wi-FI connectivity is here as well, providing access to the limitless resources of the Internet for video watching, so you never have to be bored in your livingroom.

LG Infinia 55LW5600 55-Inch Cinema 3D

admin — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 11:53:12 +0000

Now here’s an impressive bundle offer from a combination of TigerDirect and Amazon! For a limited time you can save big and grab this huge 55-Inch LG Infinia TV with full 3D and 1080p HD support along with 4 Pairs of 3D glasses for just $1,319.99! After those savings you can enjoy the latest and greatest that home theater technology has to offer and watch all your favorite movies and shows in the very best quality. The TV also has an 8,000,000:1 Dynamic contrast ratio for showing off the best color transitions and that’s even combined with a 120Hz TruMotion refresh rate which makes the transitions of every scene crystal clear. 4 HDMI inputs are built in for plenty of expansion headroom and with built in Wi-Fi connectivity you can connect online and stream audio and video from many sources including YouTube, Hulu Plus, Netflix, Pandora Radio and much more so you never run out of things to watch on the big screen.

Low price alert! This bundled deal sells for $1319.99 with free delivery!

JVC JLC47BC3000 47-Inch 1080p LCD TV

admin — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 09:26:12 +0000

Looking for a new way to pimp out your living room area? If you’re looking to save some money at the same time it’s usually pretty difficult, but thanks to Amazon you can grab a huge 47-Inch HDTV for only $549.99! This JVC branded TV includes full 1080p High Definition support so you can watch everything in the latest of HD quality without trouble. For being an entry-level brand-name and price this TV sports some impressive picture quality, with plenty of reviewers giving it high marks in terms of picture and pricing to match. It maintains a thin design, easy to place in the room and also includes an input for USB multimedia connectivity for some extra content. And when it comes to sound this model features Xinema audio.

For a limited time, Amazon sells this TV for $549.99 with free delivery. Looks like ship time maybe delayed, but well worth it considering the price.

LG Infinia 55LW5600 55-Inch Cinema 3D

admin — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 08:13:12 +0000

We’ve seen this same deal recently, but now TigerDirect has upped the anti a bit and lowered the price a tad more, and who can complain about that. But regardless you’re getting this LG Infinia 55-Inch TV and four pairs of 3D glasses for only $1309.99 total and that includes free delivery! This TV of course has the full 3D support it needs and 1080p High Definition resolution for the best picture quality around. It also sports a 120Hz TruMotion Refresh rate for crystal clear transitions between scenes and that’s topped off by its 6,000,000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio which makes every color clear as day. You can even enjoy full Wi-Fi connectivity which offers content from YouTube, Facebook, Netflix, Hulu Plus and much more so you never have to be bored in the livingroom!

$1309.99 with free shipping. That’s a $10 drop from before.

LG 42LV4400 42-inch LED TV

admin — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 03:22:12 +0000

Buydig has some extra savings and even some freebies to throw in with this powerful home theater TV. This LG 42-inch comes to you for only $579 which is 27% off the normal price and included is a free Wall Mount and 6 foot HDMI cable so you can set it up with your other equipment right out of the box. Of course this TV sports a full 1080p High Definition resolution for viewing content in the best quality around, but in addition to that you get a plethora of other features which tweak and perfect the color for the best viewing experience possible. That comes in the form of a 100,000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio and 120Hz TruMotion refresh rate which smooths out the action in even the most intense and speedy scenes. It’s also only 1.8-Inches thin and that makes it easy to place anywhere in the room (Especially when combined with the included VESA wall mount)

How To Choose The Best LCD TV

admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 23:57:56 +0000

Here’s a run down on what to look for when choosing an LCD HDTV.

Definitions

When you head over to the local big box store to shop for a TV, you’re going to hear a lot of lingo. So understanding vocabulary is key to not getting lost. Here’s a few terms to learn:

LCD – Liquid Crystal Display. The image is produced by passing light through pixels that are turned on/off like little shutters. The pixels also have red/green/blue filters to change the color when necessary. Most newer LCDs right now are either edge-lit or back-lit by LEDs, although many budget LCDs still use a series of from florescent tubes to emit their light. This cannot be overstated as all LED TVs are LCDs, but not all LCDs are LEDs. Budget LCD TVs may opt for displaying with florescent light rather than LEDs, which we will talk about next.
LED – Light emitting diode. Rather than using florescecnt backlite, the current trend in LCD design using LEDs as the light source. This has several advantages since they are very stingy on power consumption and are also infinitely controllable thanks to a concept called “local dimming,” where each individual LED can be turned on, off, or even dimmed slightly.
EdgeLit vs. BackLit - With LEDs, the TV can control the light and provide much better detail in color and shadows. Edge lit LEDs are more popular and cost effective and consist of an array of LED lights on each side of the TV itself. But they can provide an uneven light on screen. This is where back-lit (or local) LEDs come in handy, as the light is coming directly behind the image, rather than being cast from the side. This provides the best spread of light and better color and contrast.
Contrast Ratio/Brightness – defined officially as “ratio of the luminance of the brightest color (white) to that of the darkest color (black),” Contrast ratio is essentially how “black” your blacks are. This is really important for getting greater detail in shadow. You’ll hear some pretty wild figures from salesmen as to how much a CR ratio should be, but unfortunately, there really isn’t a standard here. Manufacturers are all over the map in how they measure and rate the contrast ratio, which can make it very difficult to compare from one set to another based on the specs. And as stated above, edge lit LCDs will have lesser blacks than backlits will, even if the contrast ratio is higher. So in the end, it depends on how good those blacks look to you personally.
Resolution – We’ll get to size later, but in general, when trying to choose between 720p or 1080p, smaller 1080p TVs (under 40”) are simply a waste because you can’t really get the advantage of it. Additionally, the TV will also downscale the 1080p image from a Blu-ray disc which can cause some artifacting. So screens larger than 40” should go with 1080p. Smaller screens, like those that are also used for computer screens do just fine with 720p. But in the end, broadcast television looks the same with either.
Interlaced – your TV signal comes interlaced, meaning that every other line is projected on a screen at any given time. Your eye sees it as an entire image because the frames move at 60 frames a second, but you’re really on seeing half the image with a 1080i TV. The standard for broadcast television is 1080i, meaning that 540 lines are procast with each frame. Older HDTVs were 1080i by design.
Progressive – Nowadays, HDTV standards are progressive, meaning that they show the entire image, with every line of resolution, with each frame. TVs can come in 720p or 1080p, meaning 720 lines of resolution or 1080 lines of resolution. Naturally, the higher the number, the sharper and more colorful the image. Some stations broadcast in 720p, but not many, especially in cable or satellite, where the image is compressed.
Hertz (hz) – Hertz is essentially the number of frames per second, or times the pixels turn on and off. The more Hz you have on you picture, the more sharp it becomes. But it also can reduce motion blur and make your image look more plastic … called the “soap opera effect.” Most TVs now are 120 to 240 hz. Now your salesman will be pushing you towards 240hz. But for most, that’s overkill. Broadcast signals are usually sent at 60hz since that is the standard. This requires the TV to “interpolate” or add frames in between to the image and that’s what causes the effect. It’s great for sports and action films, but not so much on dramas, which cause the plastic look. But frame interpolation can be turned off which will cause the kind of motion blur that we are used to. Blu-ray, however, does take advantage of 120hz, so if you watch a lot of movies on Blu-ray, that may be a good option. And if the soap opera effect is off putting, most TVs have the option to turn off frame interpolation and bring back the motion blur you are used to.
Plasma – Plasma uses a trapped gas that is charged by electricity to create incredible light to pass through. It usually produces far bolder colors and great blacks, which are marvelous for shadow scenes. The downside with Plasma is that they are usually poor in bright, ambient lit rooms and originally suffered from a “burn in effect” (which has been overcome in recent years). These drawbacks have allowed LCDs to pass them in popularity to the point that Plasma is becoming less and less a factor in HDTV as more manufacturers abandon it for more popular and cheaper LCD designs. Since LCD has greatly improved in quality (thanks to LED backlighting), the contrast ratio gap between plasma and LCD has greatly reduced to the point where paying more for Plasma’s benefits is largely wasted on the average viewer.

Size vs Viewing Distance

Now that we have definitions out of the way, we can turn out attention to the most important factor when buying an lcd tv … Size. Most people tend to buy HDTVs that are smaller than they really need. They do this in an attempt to save money. But the trade offs can really affect the viewing experience. As a rule of thumb is to get a screen large enough to fill a 30 degree viewing angle at the distance that you are sitting. Anything less will cause you to be pulled out of the program. Here’s a handy calcuation to determine the best size for your room:

Minimum size= Viewing distance/3
Maximum size=Viewing distance/1.5

Using this calculation, and the average viewing distance of about 10-12 feet, the proper HDTV size would be about 42-55 inches, or more depending on your budget.

3D or no 3D

These days, most higher end TVs are 3D. But more budget conscious designs are also offering 3D, making it just another feature. And many experts say that the best 2D TVs are 3D capable. However, there are some drawbacks with a 3DTV, chiefly being the lack of programming and having to buy glasses. Active or Passive? Active more expensive. And it pretty much puts the kabosh on viewing parties unless everyone has the same pair of glasses. Another important consideration with 3D is that the best refresh rate for 3D is 120Hz minimum.

This is because 3D splits the frames, one for the left eye, one for the right and as such, the resolution is halved for each frame. To that end, if you had a 60hz 3DTV, the refresh rate to each eye would only be 30hz which would be terrible. So manufacturers made the spec 120hz minimum to keep up with broadcast standards. On the other side of the coin, though, we’re starting to see 240hz TVs and frankly, that’s a waste of money since there really is no broadcast signal at 240hz and the TV ends up doing way too much interpolating and again, making hte images look like a soap opera. But some prefer it because the look is essentially flicker free.

Wired or Wireless?

HDTVs that are Internet capable are rapidly becoming a standard feature. In fact, most new HDTVs are now able to stream video directly from the Internet. And with over a third of all internet traffic being streaming video from services like Netflix, and with more people “cutting the cable” and getting free from payTV services, streaming is a solid option. So having an internet capable TV is beneficial. But not required, as many Blu-ray players are also internet capable, along with streaming boxes like AppleTV, Roku, and the Boxee box.

Wired considerations also lead to having a wireless connection that will hook into your Network wirelessly. This is of great advantage because then you don’t have to string long ethernet cables from your router to your TV. However, wireless does have the drawback of signal interference and slower speeds. If you have your router on the other side of the house, or maybe in a room upstairs, you may need to get a repeater to pass the signal along for better streaming of video.

Inputs

What inputs should one look for in a good LCDTV? Well, at this stage, you want to keep things all digital. HDMI is the digital standard and every TV comes with it. This also allows you to hook it into a current home theater, satellite box, and keep both audio and video signals completely digital. The more HDMI connectors you have, the better, but 3 is the minimum since that would allow you to connect to to your cable or satellite box, video game console, and Blu-ray/DVD player.

Other inputs would be component-video (red, green and blue), SVideo or standard composite connections (red, white, and yellow) for older components. But some are looking to use LCDTVs as computer monitors and for that you can use a DVI connector. But with DVI, you’ll also need an audio cable connector to handle your sound since DVI doesn’t carry the audio signal. Another input option is Ethernet. If you have a computer or networked attached storage to stream video and audio, an Ethernet connector will give you access to that network.

Sound choices

Should you rely on the speakers that are built into the TV or go with a home theater or sound bar? I haven’t found a TV that has a speaker setup that rivals a home theater system. If you can swing a system, which usually comes with at least 6 speakers and a subwoofer, and a Blu-ray player, I’d say go for it. But if you don’t have space in your room, then by all means look at a soundbar. But if you’re on a budget, then sometimes the reality is that the home theater system will have to wait. Just start saving up for it. As for which one to get? That’s another show.

Apps

Many TVs have apps built into them. Applications that can be used to stream video from Netflix, do video conferencing via Skype, and even enjoy photographs you’ve uploaded to flickr. There are dozens of them. Is this a key feature not to miss? Not really. If your TV has them, that’s great, but chances are, if they don’t have the app you want, your new Blu-ray player will.

Which brands to choose?

So, what are the best LCD TVs out there? Samsung and Panasonic are top sellers, as is SONY’s Bravia line. But don’t count out Vizio, who makes a great LCD for the money. Still, there are plenty of great TVs out there and it’s a good do your research. HomeTheaterMag.com is a great resource for reviews on HDTVs. Also, keep in mind that Costco is a great source of LCD TVs, as they offer a 90-day warranty and 2-year warranty on all their sets. Amazon is another great place to look as they don’t charge tax in many states, which can often ad upwards of 10% to the price tag.

Setting up

Once you get the TV home, you’ll need to calibrate your TV to fit your room’s lighting conditions. Every TV is set for a “dynamic mode,” at the factory to look great on the showroom floor. That’s because they don’t know which one will be chosen to demo the model. But that also doesn’t look that great when you get it home. You can spend hundreds having a professional calibrate your TV, or you can go the DIY route with a great DVD called Digital Video Essentials: HD Basics, by Joe Kane. This has special test patterns and audio calibration signals that will help to optimize your HDTV for the special conditions of your viewing room, and it will do it in under a half hour. Well worth it’s below $20 price tag. But you can get 80% there by drilling into your TVs setup menu and selecting “cinema” or “movie” mode rather than “dynamic.”

What’s on the horizon?

The future is bringing all kinds of innovations, including glasses free 3D, 4K resolution, Skype support and even holographic projection. But at this point, they are largely prototypical, limited in viewing area, and there isn’t much in the way of content to support 4K or laser based TVs. And they are quite expensive. So for now, they are on the horizon and something to keep an eye on for your NEXT HDTV. The only exception is Skype support as many models do offer this as an “app” built into the system.

LG 42LV4400 42-Inch LCD TV

admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 23:19:12 +0000

Looking to experience home theater without the huge price tag? Check out Amazon’s new discount on this large 42-inch LG TV and save big! This great sized TV is packed into a slim and stylish chassis which makes placement in your living room a total breeze. And the fact it has a full 1080p High Definition resolution means you won’t be missing a thing in any of your favorite movies, shows or games. Quality is also assured thanks to its 120Hz TruMotion refresh rate which makes every bit of motion crystal clear and visible, so the best moments can be seen just right. Don’t forget the 100,000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio either, which supplies deep color quality all around. It includes 3 HDMI inputs for plenty of home theater expansion as well

$300.99 off the retain price brings this 42-Incher to an easily manageable $499!

How To Choose The Best Plasma TV

admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 22:30:01 +0000

Looking to upgrade your TV? Many of you are probably wondering how to choose the best Plasma, should you go that way. Here’s a few tips on not only choosing a Plasma, but whether plasma is the best choice from the very start.

Definitions

First, it may be a good idea to go over nomenclature. When you head over to the local big box store to shop for your plasma tv, you’re could get overwhelmed by a bunch of buzz words designed make you think you’re getting more than you really are. So understanding vocabulary is key to not getting lost. And since there will be a test (okay not really), here’s a few terms to learn:

Plasma – Plasma uses a trapped gas that is charged by electricity to create incredible light to pass through. It usually produces far bolder colors and great blacks, which are marvelous for shadow scenes. The downside with Plasma is that they are usually difficult to view in bright, ambient lit rooms and originally suffered from a “burn in effect” (which has been overcome in recent years). These drawbacks have allowed LCDs to pass them in popularity to the point that Plasma is becoming less and less a factor in HDTV as more manufacturers abandon it for more popular and cheaper LCD designs. Since LCD has greatly improved in quality (thanks to LED backlighting), the contrast ratio gap between plasma and LCD has greatly reduced to the point where paying more for Plasma’s benefits is largely wasted on the average viewer.

Contrast Ratio/Brightness – defined officially as “ratio of the luminance of the brightest color (white) to that of the darkest color (black),” Contrast ratio is essentially how “black” your blacks are. This is really important for getting greater detail in shadow. You’ll hear some pretty wild figures from salesmen as to how much a CR ratio should be, but unfortunately, there really isn’t a standard here. Manufacturers are all over the map in how they measure and rate the contrast ratio, which can make it very difficult to compare from one set to another based on the specs. The good news is that most plasma TVs have fantastic contrast ratios, so no matter what brand you end up with, odds are you’ll be pleased with how good the contrast is. But in the end, it depends on how good those blacks look to you personally.

Resolution – We’ll get to size later, but in general, when trying to choose between 720p or 1080p, smaller 1080p TVs (under 40”) are simply a waste because you can’t really get the advantage of it. Additionally, the TV will also downscale the 1080p image from a Blu-ray disc which can cause some artifacting. So screens larger than 40” should go with 1080p. Smaller screens, like those that are also used for computer screens do just fine with 720p. But in the end, broadcast television looks the same with either.

Progressive – As we mentioned above, the benefit of a plasma TV is that there are no interlaced scanlines. All plasma’s are progressive by design and that means you get all the visual information with every single frame you watch (as opposed to 1080i LCD TVs which show every other line at any given frame, but they are mostly phased out now). Nowadays, HDTV standards are progressive, meaning that they show the entire image, with every line of resolution, with each frame. TVs can come in 720p or 1080p, meaning 720 lines of resolution or 1080 lines of resolution. Naturally, the higher the number, the sharper and more colorful the image. Some stations broadcast in 720p, but not many, especially in cable or satellite, where the image is compressed.

Hertz (hz) – Hertz is essentially the number of frames per second, or times the pixels turn on and off. The more Hz you have on you picture, the more sharp it becomes. But it also can reduce motion blur and make your image look more plastic … called the “soap opera effect.” Most TVs now are 120 to 240 hz. Now your salesman will be pushing you towards 240hz. But for most, that’s overkill. Broadcast signals are usually sent at 60hz since that is the standard. This requires the TV to “interpolate” or add frames in between to the image and that’s what causes the effect. It’s great for sports and action films, but not so much on dramas, which cause the plastic look. But frame interpolation can be turned off which will cause the kind of motion blur that we are used to. Blu-ray, however, does take advantage of 120hz, so if you watch a lot of movies on Blu-ray, that may be a good option. And if the soap opera effect is off putting, most TVs have the option to turn off frame interpolation and bring back the motion blur you are used to.2. Location, Location, Location

Now that we have definitions out of the way, we can turn out attention to the most important factor when buying an Plasma … location, location, location. As we briefly mentioned above, where you put your TV can pretty much determine the kind of TV you buy. Plasmas are best in rooms where there is either no windows (like a man-cave or home theater) or a room where the light can be completely closed off. This is because plasmas have highly reflective screens which can be difficult to watch in living rooms with bright ambient light. If you’re planning on putting your TV in the living room and there’s a ton of windows surrounding it, an LCD is probably a better choice for you. But if you can block off the outside light and essentially turn your room into a local movie theater, then a Plasma TV is ideal.

Size Matters

As we mentioned in our How to Buy and lcd tv guide, the ratio of screen size to viewing distance is paramount for the best viewing experience. Most people just look at the price tag and end up with a TV that’s too small for their room, wishing they had gotten a larger screen. But in an effort to save a few hundred bucks, the viewer makes a faustian bargain which is nothing but a false economy. And many, simply don’t know that there’s a relationship between distance and screen size. As a rule of thumb is to get a screen large enough to fill a 30 degree viewing angle at the distance that you are sitting. Anything less will cause you to be pulled out of the program. So, when choosing your plasma, keep in mind how far away you plan on sitting and then look at the chart above to see what screen size is best for you. You can move up or down from it, depending on your budget, but at least you’ll have a starting point. Here’s a handy calcuation to determine the best size for your room:

Minimum size= Viewing distance/3

Maximum size=Viewing distance/1.5

Using this calculation, and the average viewing distance of about 10-12 feet, the proper HDTV size would be about 42-55 inches, or more depending on your budget.

3D or no 3D

Now I know what you’re thinking. 3D is 3D. Why would it matter between LCD and Plasma? Well, in fact, it does. In the beginning, LCDs suffered from slow refresh rates which became a factor in 3D due to motion blur, panning, etc. Plasma was always progressive by design and their refresh rates were quietly superior. But LCDs have improved their refresh rates to the point where Plasma manufacturers are having to now start pushing the envelope again. The result? Two plasma manufacturers (Samsung and Panasonic) are now saying in their specs that 3D plasma televisions have a processing speed of 600Hz. Why does that matter? Well, on that point alone it wouldn’t. Both LCD and Plasma can now show 3D in full 1080p resolution. But where LCD begins to fall behind is with a phenomenon called “ghosting” (referred to as “crosstalk”). This usually occurs due to LCDs that have edge lit LEDs, rather than back-lit lighting with local dimming. Plasma, by contrast, doesn’t suffer from ghosting because the entire display is one even backlighting of gas excited to the point of becoming plasma. That translates to bold colors, great shadows, and detail that 3D can take full advantage of. Couple that with speed to deliver the full 1080 lines of resolution to each eye and plasma gets the edge in three dimensions. So if 3D is your thing, you’ll want to go plasma.

Wired or Wireless

The future of TV is on the Internet. As such, many HDTVs, and plasmas are no different, are now able to stream video directly from the Internet through on board apps for Netflix, Hulu, and even broadcast stations like ABC. And with over a third of all Internet traffic being streaming video from these services more people are “cutting the cable,” and saving money. Over time, those savings along will more than make up for the extra money you spend to power your plasma.

But should you hard ware your new Plasma to your router or go wireless (WiFi)? Wi-Fi gives you the great advantage because then you don’t have to string long Ethernet cables from your router to your TV. However, wireless does have the drawback of signal interference, slower speeds and the likelihood of more buffering of the stream. If you have your router on the other side of the house, or maybe in a room upstairs, you may need to get a repeater to pass the signal along for better streaming of video.

Connections

How should you connect your new Plasma? Well, if you have a home theater or an audio/video receiver, the best connection would be HDMI, since it is the current digital standard and every TV comes with it. This also allows you to hook it into a current home theater, satellite box, and keep both audio and video signals completely digital. The more HDMI connectors you have, the better, but 3 is the minimum since that would allow you to connect to to your cable or satellite box, video game console, and Blu-ray/DVD player. Other inputs would be component-video (red, green and blue), S Video or standard composite connections (red, white, and yellow) for older components. But some are looking to use their TVs as computer monitors and for that you can use a DVI connector. But with DVI, you’ll also need an audio cable connector to handle your sound since DVI doesn’t carry the audio signal. Another input option is Ethernet. If you have a computer or networked attached storage to stream video and audio, an Ethernet connector will give you access to that network.

Sound

Which brand to choose?

This is where it gets really easy. There are only two – Samsung and Panasonic. As LCDs have gotten more popular, many manufacturers have gotten out of plasma manufacture because the cost to make them are higher and the market is driving the cost of a TV ever downward. There comes a point where it simply isn’t worth it for a narrow profit margin. Even the maker of the finest plasma ever made – the Pioneer Kuro – ended plasma production even though they offered the best TV in the category.

Set up

When bringing your new plasma home, do NOT transport it on it’s back. Many people have found their TVs don’t work well after doing this and some have broken altogether. Carry it straight up or have it delivered and set up professionally. That way, if they screw it up, it’s covered. You do it yourself and your taking calamity into your own hands.

But if you’re in ernest to set it up yourself, then once you get the TV home you’ll need to calibrate your TV to fit your room. You can spend several hundred dollars to have a professional do it, but you can also go the DIY route wit a few tools and tips. Every TV is set for a “dynamic mode,” at the factory to look great on the showroom floor. That’s because they don’t know which one will be chosen to demo the model. But that also doesn’t look that great when you get it home. You can set your TV to movie or cinema mode in the setup menu and that’ll get you about 80% there. But you can also pick up a great product called Digital Video Essentials: HD Basics, by Joe Kane. This includes special test patterns and audio calibration signals that will help to optimize your HDTV for the special conditions of your viewing room, and it will do it in under a half hour. Well worth it’s under $20 price tag.

You’ll also want to break in your Plasma TV by working out display for the first 100 hours. You can tune into a 16×9 HiDef channel with no ticker or bug in it and let it play, but the SD version of Digital Video Essentials has a great pattern that’s a solid, full white field which will exercise all the pixel phosphers the same. Also, there’s a Plasma TV Logo Removing DVD, available in NTSC or PAL format that you can get at beginwithsoftware.com. It puts colored noise on screen.

What’s on the horizon?

The future is bringing all kinds of innovations, including glasses free 3D, 4K resolution, Skype support and even holographic projection. The fact is that plasma TVs are a vanishing breed and may not be around that much longer. Even though they offer superior color saturation and contrast ratios, the fact is that LED LCD TVs have closed the gap dramatically. And with prices heading downward as the technology advances, it’s only a matter of time before plasma vanishes altogether. So if you’re thinking about getting one but are hesitant, buy one now because the next time around, they probably won’t be there except in the clearance section.

Putting a myth to rest

Many people have shied away from plasmas because of the burn in or image retention factor. It is true that early plasma TVs suffered from a burn in which would show a ghost image of a previous image – thereby ruining the picture. This usually occurred when a TV was on for hours at a time on the same picture – like a news channel. And that little channel logo (called a bug) in the lower right hand corner was also a culprit for burn in. Plasma manufacturers have albeit eliminated the burn in issue thanks to a “screen wipe” function which wipes out any looming ghosting which may have started to happen, so now it’s a distant memory.

But there is a new issue that plasma TV manufacturers are aware of and that elevated black levels after about 1500 hours of viewing time. For some reason, the TV will amp up the contrast after this time, forcing viewers reconfigure it from the menu. Both Panasonic and Samsung are aware of this issue and working on a firmware fix. But in the mean time, it’s easily handled.

Conclusion

In short, Plasmas have bolder colors, deeper blacks and contrasts and are perfect for home theaters where the room can be darkened. They make for great 3D TVs and don’t have nearly the plastic issues (the soap opera effect) as their LCD cousins. However, they’re generally cheaper when it comes to your money, but they use more power than LCDs (long term vs short term). But for the videophile who loves the best possible image and bang for buck, you can’t beat them.

LG 42LK450 42-Inch LCD TV – $460 + Free Ship

admin — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:25:23 +0000

Amazon is also offering extra savings on this LG 42LK450 42-inch lcd tv!

Well there’s nothing better than a price drop and Amazon has surely delivered on that inherent desire with this large 42-Inch LG TV! This TV of course delivers a full 1080p High Definition viewing experience for the best quality in all your content. That is matched up nicely with its 100,000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio and Intelligent sensor technology which automatically adjusts the brightness based on the rooms lighting. Because of that you can get the best color experience at any time, so you can kick back and enjoy your favorite movies and shows. In addition it’s certified with Energy Star for superior savings in energy and therefore more money you save and has 3 HDMI inputs for easy connectivity with other equipment.

You can now get it for $459.99, which is $25 off the last posting, though this doesn’t include a wall mount. Free S&H.