# ..WHICH ONE LCD OR PLASMA..



## dooka (Apr 28, 2006)

Im looking to buy a new TV, probably a 40/42 inch, but there are so many conflicting views on which to buy at this price.

I thought upto 32" go LCD and over 32" go for Plasma. Is this the case.

Im looking at Pioneer plasmas, but can anyone recommend a good Plasma, or tell me which I should go for [lcd or plasma] and why..


----------



## Ikon66 (Sep 12, 2003)

you wont go wrong with a Pioneer i got my 5 series 2.5 years ago and it's still spot on


----------



## J55TTC (Apr 25, 2005)

first choice would be a pioneer plasma, second a panasonic plasma.


----------



## Hilly10 (Feb 4, 2004)

Agree with above only wrong way round :roll: Plasma to me is best colours and blacks seem so much better. IMO of course :wink:


----------



## J55TTC (Apr 25, 2005)

Hilly10 said:


> Agree with above only wrong way round :roll: Plasma to me is best colours and blacks seem so much better. IMO of course :wink:


I thought the pioneer were "supposed" to be better :?

I ended up with a 42" panasonic plasma as it was cheaper than the pioneers. So far I couldnt be happier


----------



## jbell (May 15, 2006)

J55TTC said:


> Hilly10 said:
> 
> 
> > Agree with above only wrong way round :roll: Plasma to me is best colours and blacks seem so much better. IMO of course :wink:
> ...


This is the coolest stand ever
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Floating-Profes ... 77&sr=1-24


----------



## QuackingPlums (Mar 10, 2004)

Panasonics can be a little "cold" compared with Pioneers, but that's not a bad thing - it's just down to personal preference so you should view both and compare. Personally I don't like my picture with too much red.
The Panny PX700 is pretty cheap at the moment as is the Pio 427/4270XD. Both very good screens. Opinion seems to be that if you can stretch to a 428XD then it's worth the extra, but again you should view the screen first.


----------



## Godzilla (Feb 20, 2007)

Hilly10 said:


> Agree with above only wrong way round :roll: Plasma to me is best colours and blacks seem so much better. IMO of course :wink:


Agreed Panasonic ftw


----------



## ratty (May 18, 2004)

Plasmas 42" and above blow LCDs away (no matter what 'features'' Sony / Sansumg try to use). Flame suit on!! [smiley=fireman.gif]

Look at the Panasonic 42" plasma currently with 5 year guarantee.


----------



## mrs coope (Mar 24, 2007)

We love our Panasonic plasma - whichever you decide though do check your prices with your local John Lewis - they offer 5 years warranty & will match/beat ANY local price, we managed to get over Â£500 off ours!


----------



## marcusgilbert (Jan 22, 2007)

I bought a 50" Pioneer Plasma nearly 4 years ago. It's been perfect ever since. Visitors always comment on how bright, but realistic the colours look. Two friends have since bought Pioneers based on seeing my screen. For me, the contrast definition on the Pioneers is unbeatable. The current models are even better than when I bought mine. And a darn sight cheaper!! :evil: 
For my money, the Panasonics run close and the latest Samsungs are very good value too.


----------



## WozzaTT (Jan 15, 2006)

So what's the best 42" plasma to buy with approx Â£1,000 then (maybe a bit more?).

I fancy a Panasonic but it's difficult to know which one and is it worth shelling out more for 10000:1 versus 8000:1 contrast ratio or more HDMI sockets etc etc? :?


----------



## J55TTC (Apr 25, 2005)

Panasonic TH-42PX70

Â£899

10000:1

2 x HDMI

The 700 version just has better sound. For best results in the sound department youll be better off getting something seperate.


----------



## CH_Peter (May 16, 2002)

Which? Best Buys at the moment. I think this tells you something about the quality of the Panasonic Viera range. I looked at Which?'s number one choice recently (TX-32LMD70) and showing both SD and HD it was mightily impressive.

*Panasonic Viera TX-32LMD70*

* Price: Â£600
* Score: 80%
* Type of TV: LCD

Standards are rising in the flat panel TV market and Panasonic are clearly leading the way.

This Best Buy HD ready, 32-inch LCD IDTV, boasts super pictures, great sound and an impressive array of features, such as an energy saving light sensor and audio description for those with hearing difficulties.

*Panasonic Viera TX-32LXD7*

* Price: Â£599
* Score: 80%
* Type of TV: LCD

The 2007 range of Panasonic TVs are all great models, but this relatively cheap entry level model is actually one of the best.

It's an HD ready, 32-inch LCD TV with integrated Freeview tuner, boasts a great picture, super sound and some nifty features like a light sensor and audio description. And to top it all, it's simple to use.

*Panasonic Viera TX-32LXD70*

* Price: Â£900
* Score: 79%
* Type of TV: LCD

Beneath the simple, yet stylish design beats the heart of another potential winner from Panasonic. The TX-32LXD70 is an HD-ready, 32-inch widescreen LCD TV with integrated digital (Freeview) and analogue tuners. It's simple to operate, boasts fantastic picture quality and itâ€™s also the first TV in the UK to support audio description. There is a slight technical glitch with sound interference on the five analogue TV channels but itâ€™s difficult to pick out and doesnâ€™t affect digital TV.

Standard definition pictures boast vibrant colours with good skin tone and depth. Blacks are detailed, while high definition pictures hide banding well and have an almost 3D effect. Our expert viewing panel reckon this Panasonic is one of the best we've watched. Our expert listeners liked the spatial dynamic feeling but felt it was a bit harsh and edgy at higher frequencies.

*Panasonic Viera TH-42PX600B*

* Price: Â£1,000
* Score: 75%
* Type of TV: Plasma

This outstanding 42-inch Panasonic plasma proudly stands head and shoulders above the competition. It's an HD-ready IDTV that is awash with great features and stunning pictures.

The natural-looking high-definition pictures are the best we've seen to date but picture detail, depth and colour are all very good when watching standard TV broadcasts too.

*Panasonic Viera TH-42PX700*

* Price: Â£1,399
* Score: 71%
* Type of TV: Plasma

Panasonic can't seem to put a foot wrong at the moment and here's yet another example of a great flat panel IDTV.

This Best Buy HD-ready, 42-inch plasma screen is festooned with features including a memory card slot and light sensor.

*JVC LT-26DX7BJ*

* Price: Â£655
* Score: 69%
* Type of TV: LCD

This Best Buy HD ready, 26" widescreen TV has both analogue and digital tuners. It's a simple design, with a matt black and silver surround and a coordinating rotating pedestal stand - though it can be wall mounted if a suitable bracket is bought. Picture quality is great in standard definition and good in HD too - there's a slight greenish tinge to skin tones but excellent detail which gives a superb 'depth' to pictures. The sound received mixed reviews - some of the panel really liked it whereas others found it unnatural, thin with a tendency to be boomy and tinny.

The remote control is uncomfortable to hold due to its long broad shape and some of the buttons are too with confusing labelling.

*Toshiba Regza 37C3030D*

* Price: Â£680
* Score: 69%
* Type of TV: LCD

This Toshiba C-series IDTV is an HD ready, 37-inch LCD. It's a Best Buy featuring fairly decent sound quality.

Picture wise it's OK but the pricier x-series Toshiba is better for watching HD.

*Toshiba Regza 37X3030D*

* Price: Â£800
* Score: 69%
* Type of TV: LCD

This super high resolution top of the range HD ready, 37-inch LCD TV features an integrated Freeview tuner.

Both sound and pictures are pretty good making it a worthy Best Buy despite some usability niggles. It is also one of the first TVs on the market that should work properly with high definition DVDs.

*Panasonic Viera TH-37PX70*

* Price: Â£900
* Score: 65%
* Type of TV: Plasma

This HD ready, 37-inch plasma TV features an integrated Freeview tuner and boasts some nice picture quality.

It's easy to use and the sound isn't bad but on the downside it's fairly power hungry.

*Pioneer PDP-4270XD*

* Price: Â£998
* Score: 65%
* Type of TV: Plasma

Pioneer manage to keep the plasma TV flag flying with this decent 42-inch PDP-4270XD. It's a cinch to use, with nice clear menu systems, logical remote and a well integrated Freeview digital tuner. The sound quality is good (but the cabinet buzzes a bit if it gets too loud) and there are plenty of reasonable features (three Scart sockets for example). Despite a fairly mediocre picture the plus points just about make it worth the Best Buy tag.

The contrast ratio in particular left one or two of our viewers squinting. They commented that the picture is green, soft and noisy, although it reproduces the test card well. The picture suffers solarisation, flat blacks and lacks resolution. In Freeview mode colours are oversaturated. However, they are vivid and the softness hides MPEG noise.

*Panasonic Viera TX-26LXD60*

* Price: Â£600
* Score: 63%
* Type of TV: LCD

This HD ready LCD IDTV is a smaller 26-inchmodel from Best Buy stalwarts Panasonic. Our expert panel remarked upon its good colour reproduction and resolution. Sound quality is OK - but could be muffled at times.

It's got a simple, yet stylish, design with a matt black and silver surround. It comes with a matching stand though it can be wall mounted if a suitable bracket is bought.

*Sony Bravia KDL-26S2010*

* Price: Â£600
* Score: 63%
* Type of TV: LCD

This HD ready LCD IDTV is a great 26-inch model from Sony, sporting unrivalled high definition picture quality for this screen-size. The standard picture is very good too; our expert panel were impressed by the realistic colours and good detail. Sound quality is OK - slightly 'nasal' but clear.

IT's a smart looking telly, with matt gunmetal coloured plastic surround and silver trim and comes with a matching stand - though it can be wall mounted if a suitable bracket is bought. It's got two Scart inputs (both accept RGB) and one HDMI socket on the back and there's a further AV input on the side for easy connection of a camcorder or games console, for example. There is a headphone socket and audio output for connection to a hi-fi system too.

*Sony Bravia KDL-40X2000*

* Price: Â£2,300
* Score: 63%
* Type of TV: LCD

Sony comes up trumps once more with another winner from the hugely successful Bravia range. The 40X2000 is a superb all rounder and highly spec'd 40-inch LCD with built-in Freeview digital tuner.

The great high resolution picture is complemented by super internal speakers and there are more inputs and outputs than you can shake a remote control at, including a power-saving light-sensor. There are a few niggles with the oft illogical menu system â€" but if you've got the cash to spare don't let this put you off.

*Sony Bravia KDL-32U2000*

* Price: Â£600
* Score: 62%
* Type of TV: LCD

The smart looking Bravia KDL-32U2000 is a 32-inch Best Buy LCD from Sony. It features a decent built-in Freeview digital tuner (ideal for weak reception areas) and fairly enjoyable picture and sound quality. However, we've seen better HD pictures and our viewing test revealed some issues with over-saturated colours and a soft picture prone to green and yellow tinting.

But if you're watching Freeview the picture softness helps disguise some of the graininess. High definition tests split our panel but there are definitely some noticeable streaking effects.The TV has two easily accessible Scart sockets (one which is SmartLink enabled, allowing a suitable VCR to be triggered via the EPG) and one HDMI socket located at the rear of the set.

*Panasonic Viera TH-42PX70*

* Price: Â£1,000
* Score: 61%
* Type of TV: Plasma

Panasonic LCD TVs have the edge on their plasma ranges but there's still a lot to shout about this Best Buy HD ready, 42-inch plasma with integrated Freeview tuner.

This is a slightly lower spec'd version of the 42PX700. Both models feature good pictures but the cheaper PX70 loses out on sound quality.


----------



## dooka (Apr 28, 2006)

Very handy, thanks you..


----------



## Wallsendmag (Feb 12, 2004)

Toshiba Regza 37X3030D

* Price: Â£800 
* Score: 69% 
* Type of TV: LCD

This super high resolution top of the range HD ready, 37-inch LCD TV features an integrated Freeview tuner.

Both sound and pictures are pretty good making it a worthy Best Buy despite some usability niggles. It is also one of the first TVs on the market that should work properly with high definition DVDs.

Just bought one of these ,being delivered today at a cost of Â£682


----------



## CH_Peter (May 16, 2002)

Indeed, take the costs with a pinch of salt. Better online deals can be found. The first choice at the top can be had delivered with HDMI cable for Â£500.00. Just awaiting clearance from 'er indoors. :roll:

Just be careful, as some places I found sell TV only, no stand, wall bracket or anything. :x


----------



## WozzaTT (Jan 15, 2006)

Thank you for all the excellent advice - very helpful [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

Dixons are doing the Panasonic TH-42PX70 for Â£778.00 and free delivery or Â£815.00 including a wall bracket. They want Â£200 to install it themselves which seems a bit of a farce.

John Lewis want Â£999 for the same tv plus God knows how much for the bracket. 5 year guarantee is very attractive but not sure it's worth the extra Â£200 (potentially Â£400 including the bracket issue)?

Are these plasmas pretty reliable? Is it worth paying a lot more for the 5 year guarantee?


----------



## Neil (May 7, 2002)

WozzaTT said:


> Is it worth paying a lot more for the 5 year guarantee?


JL will price-match (not internet stores though).


----------



## ratty (May 18, 2004)

wallsendmag said:


> Toshiba Regza 37X3030D
> 
> * Price: Â£800
> * Score: 69%
> ...


They only work in black & white.

:wink:


----------



## Wallsendmag (Feb 12, 2004)

ratty said:


> wallsendmag said:
> 
> 
> > Toshiba Regza 37X3030D
> ...


Thats ok i bought it for the football 24 hours until my first visit to St Jame's this season ,i'm starting to shake.


----------



## ratty (May 18, 2004)

wallsendmag said:


> ratty said:
> 
> 
> > wallsendmag said:
> ...


I would start worrying with big fat Sam in charge, dour, boring football, Owen's injury prone and past it, Martins will be off as soon as someone show him a wedge, Gerime (what ever his name is) is past it. I think you are in for a hard time. We can alway send Lua back to help out :wink:


----------



## Wallsendmag (Feb 12, 2004)

ratty said:


> wallsendmag said:
> 
> 
> > ratty said:
> ...


I wouldn't be jumping for joy if he came back ,I thought he was of to Wigan?


----------



## ratty (May 18, 2004)

wallsendmag said:


> ratty said:
> 
> 
> > wallsendmag said:
> ...


Could be, I reckon he will be off somewhere before the window closes. Doesn't exactly endear himself to the fans.


----------



## Neil (May 7, 2002)

J55TTC said:


> Panasonic TH-42PX70
> 
> Â£899


Now Â£799, with pedestal, and Panasonic giving a 5-yr warranty


----------



## WozzaTT (Jan 15, 2006)

neil1003 said:


> J55TTC said:
> 
> 
> > Panasonic TH-42PX70
> ...


Neil - where can it be had for that price with the 5 year guarantee?


----------



## my-cats-a-quattro (Apr 22, 2007)

Well just to go against the grain I believe that the LCD is a better choice, before buying mine I read a lot about the two.

They both have pros and cons, the LCD screen will last around 30% longer than the plasma, but the plasma has a better picture quality.
Plasma screens suffer from a memory imprint, if one area of the screen is allways light or dark or has something like the CNN logo in the top left hand corner for a long time it will become a perminent imprint on the screen, a bit like a coffee table leg on your carpet.
But the plasma screen has a better black picture quality.

As I say lots of pros and cons.

IMO LCD with HD Sky, picture is perfect and it will last a lot longer, thats what sold it for me.

John.


----------



## WozzaTT (Jan 15, 2006)

Anyone had any dealings with 'cheapelectricals.co.uk'?

They are doing the Panny tv for Â£719.00 with free delivery and free 5 year warranty.

Seems too good to be true? :?


----------



## Toshiba (Jul 8, 2004)

All those Panasonic TV are not full 1080, they are cheap one. The Tosh X series posted (ps it is a LCD TV) is a much better TV and is full 1080. Panasonic ones also have no optical connector for digital sound from sky or X360 etc.

You need a Z series Panasonic for 1920x1080 which is about 2k for 42".


----------



## ratty (May 18, 2004)

Toshiba said:


> All those Panasonic TV are not full 1080, they are cheap one. The Tosh X series posted (ps it is a LCD TV) is a much better TV and is full 1080.
> 
> You need a Z series Panasonic for 1920x1080 which is about 2k for 42".


OK, so you get a 'true' 1080p panel, what 'true' 1080p source(s) are you going to drive it with?


----------



## Toshiba (Jul 8, 2004)

Blueray player, PS3, X360 or HDDVD, Sky plus is planning to go full HD. My point is buy it but be aware its limited life and its not technically as good.


----------



## Neil (May 7, 2002)

WozzaTT said:


> neil1003 said:
> 
> 
> > J55TTC said:
> ...


Not quite Â£799, I got the shops mixed up, but www.totaldigital.biz do it for Â£815 with the 5yr warranty till 31st july, and www.digital-point.co.uk do it for Â£799, but just with 1yr guarantee.


----------



## ratty (May 18, 2004)

Toshiba said:


> Blueray player, PS3, X360 or HDDVD, Sky plus is planning to go full HD. My point is buy it but be aware its limited life.


PS3, X360 do not output at true 1080p. A lot of the content for Blueray, HD DVD are also only 720p. Sky may be 'planning' to broadcast full HD in the future but if so it will some years way because of 'technical' problem and bandwidth issues. I'm not say if you are planning to spend big bucks on a new panel you should not go for full 1080p but don't expect to see it working at it's optimum often! I reckon there's plenty of life left in the in some of the 'lower' spec (720p) panels yet. :wink:


----------



## Toshiba (Jul 8, 2004)

Output from 360, PS3 and blue-ray is 1080p - the source quality will be based on the game, disc being viewed. Sky picture will depend on what the program was filmed in - 720p could look better than 1080i on a 720p TV.


----------

