Vizio GV42LF or Samsung LN-T4061F? First Time LCD Buyer!!

mickey79

Ave,

I've owned a Panasonic TH-50PX60U 50" Plasma for over a year now and absolutely Love it!! I have it in the Family Room with DirecTV, XBOX, XBOX 360 & DVD Home Theater System.

My wife absolutely loves the Picture & the Flat Screen and she's been pushing me to get a Flat Screen for our bedroom. So I'm basically looking into getting one. My initial budget was around $800 - $900, but then I saw these two sets:

Samsung 40" LN-T4061F
Vizio 42" GV42LF

They are both going for $1,119 at Circuit City, and for 1080p, I'm willing to shell out the $200 over budget.

My basic requirements are 1080p (Since my Plasma is 720p), and I wanted to get a 42" Flat Screen. Both sets fit the bill perfectly! One of the biggest choice I had to make is Plasma or LCD. I own a Plasma & Love it - I've never owned an LCD but I'm very inclined to try one.

So that all said - my first Question is:

1) Should I go with an LCD over the Plasma? Any reason I shouldn't go with the LCD?

2) The only reason I'm considering Samsung is because of the Brand Name - but is it really worth loosing the 2" over the Brand Name? Or should I just go with the Vizio? It's always difficult when Cost is Exact Same! $100 +/- would have made it easier! Both sets have Excellent Reviews! So I'm very undecided!

3) My usage of the Set is going to be (In this order):
- Standard Def Cable
- HDMI Upconverting DVD player
- XBOX 360 Elite (1080p)
- HD Cable

When I was buying my Plasma - A lot of people said SD Content will look crummy on it - Well, it didn't! It looks exactly the same, if not better, then a regular Tube TV. My biggest concern is - how does SD Cable look on an LCD? I don't want it to magically look better - As long as it looks the same as regular Tube TV. It won't look crummy, will it?

Basically that's about it!
I'll appreciate any help/suggestions/advice you guys can give - especially LCD folks in here!

Thanks!

Scottnot

Since your current set is a 50" 720p, and you are very pleased with the picture quality, why the urge for a 40"/42" 1080p?
Also, one "arguement" goes that upscaled 480 (SD and DVD) should look better on a 720p set than on a 1080p set due to less pixelation and other artifacts.

I'd say, consider 720p and save a few $$.

Joe Las Vegas

In any case I have the Vizio VS42LF and it's great, I play 1080P via component with my 360, picture is beautiful and the settings on the vizio can be adjusted to the point where the picture can be perfect.
I got it at Costco back when it was on sale for $950.
Sound is great too and their simulated surround on the Vizio actually works.
LCD gets my vote.
SD channels looked a bit worse than with my CRT tv, but not that bad, I have DISH HD box 722.

__________________
MY 42" 1080p LCD TV / 360 / PS3 slim / 7.1 SETUP

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alwayslearnin

i'd go with the new panasonic 720p 42". the set is beautiful. I'd rather go with a great 720p then with a cheap 1080p. There is alot more to tv's then resolution.

PFC5

How far are you sitting that you think you will see a difference with 1080p over 720p? Unless you have 20/20 vision AND are around 7 feet from the display in your bedroom you will not be able to resolve the higher resolution of the 1080p. Also remember that if it is a bedroom display, chances are that it will be watch more with the lights out, so black levels will be more important under this scenario. You might be better off just getting a 720p Panasonic plasma for the bedroom do to the better black levels.

Quality plasma displays have better black levels than virtually any LCD can. Your Panasonic plasma has great black levels so I think you will be disappointed in the black levels on an LCD display in your dimly lit bedroom possibly. I have a 47" 1080p LCD in my bedroom and the black levels are not as good as most plasmas.

Now a Samsung LCD has some of the best black levels of the LCDs out there, and mine is a budget LCD (Olevia), so you will likely see some improvement over what I have in my bedroom with a Samsung LCD. Also make note that you cannot really see the black level of the LCDs in a store because they are brightly lit and where you will see the black level drop is when the lights are out or low.

Hope this helps!

__________________
Denon AVR-887
Klipsch RP-5 Pwred Towers (mains) (525 watts peak each 12"Subs)
All Klipsch RC-25(ctr),(2)SS1(surr),(2)SS1(rearSurr)
Toshiba (2)HD-A20,PS3,BD35
For SACD/DVD-A Samsung HD-841
Panny 50pz80u plasma SETTINGS
RCA HD50LPW162 50"DLP w/HD2+
SA 3250HD
47" LCD+Yamaha5790+HD-A1(bedroom)
Harmony 680 + (2) 670s (amazing remote/support)
Game room with Onkyo receiver & B&W Speakers
The_Cable_Game
Take the high ground and be happier

Joe Las Vegas

I have 20/20 and I sit 5 feet away from the TV, and my 360 does 1080p so why downgrade to 720P? especially if you plan on keeping the tv forever, might as well get the 1080P which will be the norm soon, what's the point of getting a HDTV if it's not HD to the max?

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MY 42" 1080p LCD TV / 360 / PS3 slim / 7.1 SETUP

Check out my ride

PFC5

The point is why buy something you cannot see any improvement with? I understand trying to future proof your purchases, but it is an impossible dream with CE products, just like it is with computers.

Unless a person might eventually use their HDTV as their computer monitor or have it do double duty as such, if you are not sitting close enough to actually SEE the higher resolution, then you do not need to pay extra for it. I am saying this with the mind that plasmas have better black levels and seeing he will have it in the bedroom where dim/dark room lighting will be the norm. Better black levels will matter more than the higher resolution IMO, unless he is closer than 7 feet for the screen size he is looking at getting, or has better than 20/20 vision.

I have 20/13 vision so, I can see the higher resolution on my 47" 1080p display from a further distance than the 7.5 feet recommended limit myself.

FYI. The experts state that resolution once you get to a HD one at least is fourth on the list of most important specs in a HDTV.

I believe the order is:

1. Contrast ratio
2. Color decoding accuracy
3. Color saturation
4. Resolution

__________________
Denon AVR-887
Klipsch RP-5 Pwred Towers (mains) (525 watts peak each 12"Subs)
All Klipsch RC-25(ctr),(2)SS1(surr),(2)SS1(rearSurr)
Toshiba (2)HD-A20,PS3,BD35
For SACD/DVD-A Samsung HD-841
Panny 50pz80u plasma SETTINGS
RCA HD50LPW162 50"DLP w/HD2+
SA 3250HD
47" LCD+Yamaha5790+HD-A1(bedroom)
Harmony 680 + (2) 670s (amazing remote/support)
Game room with Onkyo receiver & B&W Speakers
The_Cable_Game
Take the high ground and be happier

mickey79

Ave,

Wow - Great insight there! Thanks for all the replies. Let me take some of what you guys are saying.

Firstly, I have to get this out of the way, @ alwayslearnin: "I'd rather go with a great 720p then with a cheap 1080p" --- Cheap!!! A Samsung 1080p LCD!!! You're kidding me, right? It's actually a $1,700 set which is on sale for $1,119 ($500 Discount) at Circuit City right now.

I totally agree with PFC5 on 'Black Levels' and some other points as well - But in some respects I have to agree with Vegas. The essential difference between a Good 720p like Panasonic, and perhaps one of the best 1080p LCD's like Samsung, at this point - is merely $100-$150. Not a whole lot. And while no one can ever be totally future-proof (I mean they're already working on 1440p), if you can get Full HD, why not? Also, to stress this point further, I do have a few Full HD 1080p 'Sources':
- XBOX 360 Elite
- 1080p WMV-HD Movies which I play throught my XBOX 360
- HD-DVD Add On for my XBOX 360
- 1080p Upconverting DVD Player (I know, not a Big reason)
- DirecTV HD

The first 3 devices giving me full 1080p source should be good reason for me to think about a 1080p display.

I have 20/20, I'll be sitting about 5' - 6' from the set, and I have 1080p sources (A pretty good library of 1080p films in WMV-HD) - I may not see an incredible difference between 720p & 1080p - but in essence, I will be downgrading sources if I get a 720p set - over perhaps $150.

Having said all of that - I cannot in any way undermine the 'Black Levels' issue. The fact that it's a Samsung set is definately on my side - but still, I get what you're saying and I don't want to be left disappointed and craving my Plasma PQ, so I'm concerned.

I actually did look around for a 1080p Plasma - but they're all $1400 and over - out of my league at this moment.

I'll be honest - if it was between Vizio 1080p LCD & Panasonic 720p Plasma - I'll probably be leaning more towards the Panasonic.

I'm just not sure right now - definately don't want to make a mistake.

One thing guys - if any of you can give me a good input on this. How do SD Stations on Cable look on an LCD, compared to Plasma?

Thanks!

Loves2Watch

I think the SD channels look much better on my Panasonic plasma then they do on any LCD I have seen. Go with the Panasonic plasma #1 for the quality of picture and black levels you are used to #2 for reliability (sorry guys there have just been way too many Samsung issues posted both here and on other forums) and Panasonic is on top when it comes to reliability #3 you will really not see any difference between this excellent 720 plasma and a 1080 LCD at the distance you will be viewing and #4 plasma TV's don't have the lag time for fast moving objects that LCD TV's do.

__________________
Theater 1 - Panasonic TH-85PF12U Plasma TV, 6 Conrad Johnson LP275M Amps, Anthem Statement D-2 Pre/Pro, 6 Thiel SCS4 Speakers, 2 REL T-1 Subs, Infinity Interlude 120S Sub, Simaudio MOON Orbiter Universal Disc Player, ELP Laser Turntable, 2 Dish Network ViP 622 DVR's, Oppo BDP-83 Blu-ray Player, Onkyo DV-HD805 HD DVD Player.
Friends don't let friends buy Korean brand TV's.

mickey79

You know - I'm hearing & reading this so much more & more that I'm pretty much shifting my point of view from 1080p LCD to Panasonic Plasma. In fact, This TH42PX80U is looking really, really good right about now - with 3 HDMI inputs & 15000:1 Contrast Ratio!!

Loves2Watch

An excellent choice!

__________________
Theater 1 - Panasonic TH-85PF12U Plasma TV, 6 Conrad Johnson LP275M Amps, Anthem Statement D-2 Pre/Pro, 6 Thiel SCS4 Speakers, 2 REL T-1 Subs, Infinity Interlude 120S Sub, Simaudio MOON Orbiter Universal Disc Player, ELP Laser Turntable, 2 Dish Network ViP 622 DVR's, Oppo BDP-83 Blu-ray Player, Onkyo DV-HD805 HD DVD Player.
Friends don't let friends buy Korean brand TV's.

killer scott

I would go plasma as well. I got a 32 inch Samsung LCD, and I am very happy with that choice; there aren't any 32 plasmas. The only thing that bothers me is the ghosting I get on SD sources when viewing darker images. With you having a plasma currently, I would think that any ghosting would be really noticable to you and annoy you to no end. In addition, in a 42 inch size I don't think it would be that big a benifit having a 1080P display anyway.

Good luck!

mickey79

Definitely going the Plasma route - was at Circuit City yesterday and spoke to the guy over there, even he was pretty blunt - if you're gonna watch SD, don't go for LCD.

They didn't have any good 42" Plasma's in stock, so I'll wait a bit - but yeah, we absolutely love our 50" Plasma downstairs - we're gonna stick with it!

Joe Las Vegas

Don't confuse value with cheap, Vizio is about great value, not cheap POS tv's.

Spectre... that's cheap crap.

__________________
MY 42" 1080p LCD TV / 360 / PS3 slim / 7.1 SETUP

Check out my ride

mickey79

Ave,

I should probably start a new thread - considering this thread is about LCD's and I've moved on to Plasma's.

But anyhow, what do you guys think of the TH-42PZ700U Panasonic 42" Plasma?

Thanks!