Deciding on new HDTV for my needs - 32/42in; Plasma/LED?

[kidrow]

Hi all, 1st time poster here & a complete noob.

So my 25 inch BPL CRT is acting up lately & while I'm sure it can be fixed, folks are divided over whether it's time for a new TV. Frankly, I'm pretty happy with CRTs for SD viewing but if you want to buy a new TV, there's not much choice besides the HDTVs.

I'm not sure about what screen size I'm looking for yet. From what I've read, at 8 feet or so, the minimum recommended is ~50in. Now of course that's the THX standard. Not sure how it applies to viewing TV content. In either case, my budget will allow a maximum of 40in.

Also not concerned about 1080p. Seemingly it's a waste at that distance & screen size even with perfect vision. & if it's 720p, I can hook up my PC to play games, lol. But is it necessary for future-proofing?

So the bottom line is that I'm looking for the cheapest VFM TV for regular SD TV content (read saas bahu serials) with the occasional HD movie. I'm not a videophile & no one else in my family is. I'm not too sure if any of us can make out whether the blacks are deep enough. (Is it obvious enough for a regular joe to notice or are you gurus just splitting hairs?)

However, I'm also not too sure about how many channels are available in HD, packages, requirements, cost etc. So I don't know if it makes sense to switch to HD content, rather than look for a TV which can do a decent job of upscaling, given my limited budget.

With regard to the screen size, I presume the 32in will be about the same as my 25in CRT when adjusted for the different aspect ratios. So if I want something bigger, it has to be around 40in?
I also have a feeling that the 32in panels nowadays are smaller than ones found few years back. I'm basing this on the fact that my friend's 32in Sony seems much bigger than what can be seen in stores today.

1. Most usage will be at night with a regular tube light on (so is plasma out?) for about 3-4 hours. Only Sundays will see usage of about 7-8 hours.

2. My budget - If it's a 32incher, anywhere from 16k to 25k; If a 42incher, between 30k to 40k

3. Viewing distance. - About 8 feet

4. Sources/inputs such as HD DTH/consoles/stand-alone media players etc. - SD Videocon dth

5. Preference for plasma TV/LCD TV/LED-LCD TV. - None. Cheapest preferable but with power savings, if any, factored in. Also whatever is best suited for usual SD viewing (serials, news etc.) in room lit by a tube light.

I know I'm asking a lot of questions before even going into showrooms to have a look. But I'm hoping some responses will help arm me with the info I need so I can be more discerning when I do check the TVs.

What should I be looking at when demoing? What is it that'll help distinguish men from the boys? Any trailers or so that I should download & carry to the stores to help?

Thanks for your time & patience. Can totally understand if people say, "Dude, just stick with the CRT". Frankly, I feel that way since I'm on a tight budget. Nonetheless, would appreciate some guidance & suggestions.

Quick online perusal throws up the following 39-42 inchers -
1. LG 42PN4500 at ~35k
2. Philips 40PFL4758 at ~35k
3. Panasonic 39B6D at ~40k
4. Samsung 43F4900

Source - http://www.snapdeal.com/products/el...ty&#phtl|Size:39-42 inches|Price:25704,90499|

So any ideas? Cheers & have a nice day!

 

[anubisX]

You can go for Plasma (Samsung 43F4900) but you're concerned about reflection on screen at night with lights on.

About power consumption, plasma will consume more or less same as the CRT but LED consumes much lesser, at least 1/2 of the CRT. Although, it also depends on the brightness of the screen and such.

I would suggest you to audition all the models and decide. Also, check DTH contents as you'll be doing TV-viewing a lot.

 

[kidrow]

Hi & thanks for your reply.

Any particular reason you recommend the Samsung over the others?

I'm not concerned with the power consumption per se. It's just that whether the power savings are enough to off-set the initial premium for the led sets. For eg, the difference between the LG Plasma & the Panasonic LED is about 5k. Will the power savings in 3 years equate to about 5k? If so, it essentially means that I can ignore the initial price difference & make a decision on other factors. I realize that this has many variables, yet wondering if a rough estimate can be made.

Besides reflections, I'm also concerned about how dull/natural the images will look since anyone talking about Plasma sets speaks of ambient lighting first. The way it's currently set, the CRT has the tube light above & slightly behind. So there's no problems. But I'm planning to have the HDTV in a new location. The tube light will then be located towards the top-right relative to the set.
Are the CRT & Plasma screens comparable with regard to reflectivity? If so, I can move my CRT so as to get an idea of whether it catches the reflection from the tube light.

Coming to the audition, should I take a copy of the Dark Knight trailer or so with me to check on black levels? Any other material that you would suggest?

Is it a given that SD channels will look squished? Or can a good quality upscaling chip make an image look identical to what the 4:3 CRT displays?
My mom says Jahnvi & Shree (Zee Marathi, anyone?) look fatter on her friends' TVs, lol.

Again, many thanks.

 

[anubisX]

I don't know about your place but Samsung's after-sales service is just frigging prompt in our place. So I recommended Samsung. Not only that, Samsung's F4900 plasmas are pretty great in performance too and it's a great buy in that budget.

About the power consumption, I had 32" LCD and have 42" Plasma now. Power consumption is slightly more than the LCD but then again, my settings are quite lower too. The LCD used to run 18-19hrs a day, plasma runs 14-15hrs now as I'm using it as monitor and don't want to get IR. So there you go.

People talk about reflection first coz that's the only drawback with plasmas, they don't come with matt finish like the LCD / LED and it's glass. So much of the quality is lost (dark scenes) when you watch Saash-Bahoo and your family too on the TV So if you can control the ambient light, it's a great purchase. The light should be dim and not bright.

You can take any HD clips from Dark Knight or Matrix. For 3D quality, you can get the clips from here, action sequences are there too : http://www.hifivision.com/television/45002-3d-clips-testing-3d-your-display.html

Yes, you'll not get that CRT quality on LED / Plasma, period. All the HD channels will look good, SD channels will be little bland but you can always play with settings for better quality. Jahnvi & Shree will look a bit fatter on Widescreen but you'll get used to it once you start watching.

 

[kidrow]

Thanks for your replies.

Will hopefully be able to do a recce of what's available this weekend. Will reply back then.

 

[kidrow]

Just to update, I had a look at a few yesterday. Here are my impressions -

1. 32 inchers just seem too small. I'm not sure if they are even as big as my 25 in. CRT. I almost felt like I'm watching my computer monitor. Is that fairly accurate after making the adjustment for screen size vs distance? Am I exaggerating? Maybe. But it definitely doesn't feel like an upgrade.

2. 39-42 inchers might be too big for regular TV. Not so much as to go OMG though. So I think we'll adjust after a bit once we get used to it.
I think ~36 in. would have been ideal.

3. Switching to regular SD content (Zee Marathi) makes images look not so sharp (kinda "blurry"), but it's not smooth overall. I mean it's not the same as blurring an image in photoshop where you'll say that an image is not as sharp as any other but it's still pleasant. This is different in the sense that there are some sort of artifacts but I'm not able to pinpoint the exact cause. Either way, it was disturbing for me.

SD viewing reminds me of youtube. If you watch 360p in the windowed player, it's fine. But that switch to 144p immediately is noticeable.

Now on the 32 inchers, SD is tolerable but ~40 in. & it becomes worse. There were some differences between sets but whether they were due to actual differences in the chips or the tv settings, I'm not sure. (& I only compared models within the same lower end price range)

So when it comes to SD broadcasts,
a) is it always going to be a downgrade? Or is something like the Panasonic E6d which is generally reviewed to have good sd performance going to be as good as CRT (for the average joe, not the videophile)?
b) are showroom tv settings or the signal getting divided amongst many sets to blame?
c) Is any technology inherently better for SD viewing? So is a Plasma closer to CRT than say LED?
d) How does no. of pixels relate? So say a 720p TV vs 1080p being better an processing OR displaying an SD signal?
e) Is it possible to have a windowed mode (as opposed to pillar box) on every TV so there is a 1:1 relation?

4. Between Plasma & LED, the latter were burning like a torch while the former were more soothing (in fact, comparatively dim). Now while I tried to get the attendants to change the modes on the TV, they were reluctant though & I couldn't get any of them to do it. So I wasn't able to see what the sets look like when toned down (for LED) or up (for Plasma).

Overall, I couldn't really see any major differences between any of the brands/models within the budget & within the technology. It all seemed to be differences in settings & nothing else.
One thing I did notice though was that the sharpness seemed to vary wildly. Taken 2 was on in HD. I was comparing Panasonic 39b60d LED & LG Plasma 4500. I could have sworn it was not HD. But looking at the Sony & Samsung, I could make out Liam Neeson's stubble. I'm putting this down to the settings because even on the 2 budget computers I own the images are as sharp. Also I don't think it's the resolution difference since the Pana is a 1080 unit.

I can see why people say Plasma is reflective. Comparatively, it is. However, I'd say it's as reflective as CRT & therefore a non-issue for me since I'm used to it.

5. I could also make out a weird kind of a stutter during fight scenes. Is this the limitation people speak of with regard to LEDs? How do I not notice any such thing on computer monitors - Larger vs smaller screen size?

Current mindset - So what am I thinking at the moment? I don't think I could watch SD broadcast on any of these but it's my folks who have to take a call since the majority of tv viewing is done by them. As for HD movies, I didn't see any major differences. But Plasma is easier on the eyes. Now whether it has to do with settings or otherwise I know not. The only LEDs which I thought were pleasing was a 40 inch Toshiba (can't recollect the model ) for 40k, & an AOC 40 inch for 31k (again no model no.) Probably it's best to buy the cheapest with the most warranty & call it a day?

Will update the thread after further developments of course. Until then any help/thoughts is much appreciated.

 

[sonygeorg]

Hi did you think about the heat generated by plasma when you are watching tv. Will you ask your friends about that

 

[baijuxavior]

My suggestion - go for min 40" screen. SD looks better in small CRT TVs. However you won't notice the artifacts in SD channels if the HDTV is watched from a sufficient distance like 10 feet. Also take HD STB connection to enjoy the TV to the fullest. 'Windowed' mode is available in all TVs. The setting is called aspect ratio.

 

[kidrow]

Thanks to all for your replies.

Hi did you think about the heat generated by plasma when you are watching tv. Will you ask your friends about that

No I haven't considered the heat factor. I've read about it but I don't quite understand what it is about heat that is the issue. Does a plasma emit heat to an extent that it becomes uncomfortable for a viewer or does it mean components will get fried without decent ambient cooling? Is it so much more than an LCD/LED to be a downer?
None of my friends have a Plasma, so I can't confirm.

My suggestion - go for min 40" screen. SD looks better in small CRT TVs. However you won't notice the artifacts in SD channels if the HDTV is watched from a sufficient distance like 10 feet. Also take HD STB connection to enjoy the TV to the fullest. 'Windowed' mode is available in all TVs. The setting is called aspect ratio.

I'm having a difficult timing explaining the "artifacts". It's not like the blocks you see from poor compression of a bad rip. It is closer to what people describe as haloing around the edges when oversharpened combined with a soft picture due to the signal & tv resolution mismatch.
So my only hope is that it's the TV settings that are to blame & not the inherent technology.

I'll be watching the TV from a distance of ~8 feet. As for HD STB, the staple diet at our home are regional Marathi channels, none of which are offered in HD.

Is windowed mode a strict no-no on Plasma sets on account of image retention?

 

[just4kix]

Thanks for your time & patience. Can totally understand if people say, "Dude, just stick with the CRT". Frankly, I feel that way since I'm on a tight budget. Nonetheless, would appreciate some guidance & suggestions.

Welcome to the confusing world of HD-TV. Plasma vs. LED is an eternal debate. I am sure that you must have read many threads on this. So, I will not go into that again (let me know otherwise).

Based on my own experiences and seconding some of the thoughts here:

• I will tell you first and foremost (and probably you have come to the same conclusion), 32" is something that generally does not cut it. It is simply too small and no bigger than a 29" TV. You will feel the small size within a month, if not earlier. 40" is the minimum.
• 720p is good for 32" but at higher sizes you should opt for 1080p.
• SD Channels WILL LOOK BETTER on CRT. Nothing will ever change that. If that is what concerns you, get your current CRT serviced and stick to it. HD-TV is meant to be sourced with ... ummm ... HD. So after buying HD-TV, HD feed is recommended. This means extra cost of subscription. If this worries you, stick to CRT.
• Your budget it too low even for a 40". You will not get a good TV in that range and even if you do, it will not have good PQ. Believe me, blacks (aka contrast) are important and this fact can only be discovered when watching on a TV that delivers excellent blacks. CRT delivers excellent blacks. But for saas-bahu serials blacks do not matter that much. But the point is, get a TV with good PQ otherwise you will regret later. My axioms that I repeat at many posts:
  - if you buy quality, you will cry once only
  - if you shell out peanuts, you get monkeys
• For more or less the same money, plasma will deliver bigger size, better PQ and more VFM. There are drawbacks as well that you must be aware. A (bare-minimum) decent 42" LED such as Samsung 5 Series or Sony W650A will cost you 55-60K (check your own prices). Anything below, is not what I would recommend and would say, "stay put". For the same amount you will get 51" plasma (Samsung 51F4900).

If you are pressed for money, save and then take a plunge.

What should I be looking at when demoing? What is it that'll help distinguish men from the boys? Any trailers or so that I should download & carry to the stores to help?

Suggetions given already.

4. Between Plasma & LED, the latter were burning like a torch while the former were more soothing (in fact, comparatively dim). Now while I tried to get the attendants to change the modes on the TV, they were reluctant though & I couldn't get any of them to do it. So I wasn't able to see what the sets look like when toned down (for LED) or up (for Plasma).

Showroom conditions are simply too bright. They set all the TVs in dynamic/vivid mode that generates maximum brightness and colours. It looks unnatural.

Overall, I couldn't really see any major differences between any of the brands/models within the budget & within the technology. It all seemed to be differences in settings & nothing else.
One thing I did notice though was that the sharpness seemed to vary wildly. Taken 2 was on in HD. I was comparing Panasonic 39b60d LED & LG Plasma 4500. I could have sworn it was not HD. But looking at the Sony & Samsung, I could make out Liam Neeson's stubble. I'm putting this down to the settings because even on the 2 budget computers I own the images are as sharp. Also I don't think it's the resolution difference since the Pana is a 1080 unit.

DTH-HD feed is compromised by bit-rate, compression and such. True 1080p such as blu-ray uses typically 18-24 mbps bitrate whereas DTH-HD uses 4-6 mbps to save bandwidth.

 

[glen7x]

I was in a similar situation a while back. I was looking for a VFM TV, which gives most bang for the buck. I almost finilised on LG PN4500 plasma. I chose this over Samsung as the picture quality was good.
Thats when my dad told me about an option with Toshiba, PU200. Its a 40 inch TV and plays most (or almost all) Video formats. Being using this for a while and I am quite happy with this. I paid about Rs 36000 for this.

 

[RajithKumar]

Based on my little experience my suggestions are..
Go for minimum 40" LED TV (Samsung is better in terms of price quality & after sales service).
Plasma TV will be very heavy (If ur not mounting TV on Wall definitely u should use a TV Table which is rigid & strong) ,the power consumption is also high when compared to LED TV however the plasma TV can give u a better Contrast than LED TV but brightness will be more only in LED TV..
Pricewise Plasma will be cheaper..
Go for 1080p for 40" TV.

 

[kidrow]

Welcome to the confusing world of HD-TV. Plasma vs. LED is an eternal debate. I am sure that you must have read many threads on this. So, I will not go into that again (let me know otherwise).

Yes, have read quite a few threads on the same & have come to a conclusion that the cons of plasma do not matter much to me. Yet there is the question of heat raised above, implications of which are not known to me. & there is also the question of image retention, viz. are black bars a no-no even after the burn-in period?

[*]I will tell you first and foremost (and probably you have come to the same conclusion), 32" is something that generally does not cut it. It is simply too small and no bigger than a 29" TV. You will feel the small size within a month, if not earlier. 40" is the minimum.

Agree on the size. 32" is not an upgrade, 42" is. But the problem is I felt SD broadcasts are generally tolerable on the smaller ones as opposed to the larger ones.

[*]720p is good for 32" but at higher sizes you should opt for 1080p.

I based my 720p is enough argument on Carlton Bale's observations (i.e. 720p at 8 ft. for a 40" is indistinguishable from 1080p)

[*]SD Channels WILL LOOK BETTER on CRT. Nothing will ever change that. If that is what concerns you, get your current CRT serviced and stick to it. HD-TV is meant to be sourced with ... ummm ... HD. So after buying HD-TV, HD feed is recommended. This means extra cost of subscription. If this worries you, stick to CRT.

More than the cost of HD subscription, it's the fact that regional channels are not offered in HD. I had thought that eventually all channels will be. But if it hasn't happened thus far, who knows how long it will take?

I thought though that certain TVs have better upscaling chips (?) & so even SD can look good. Is that true? I realize that it is not going to be as good as CRT. But can it at least be watchable? Isn't that one of the differences between a Samsung series 4 & a series 5 etc. (i.e. low-end vs something better)?

[*]Your budget it too low even for a 40". You will not get a good TV in that range and even if you do, it will not have good PQ. Believe me, blacks (aka contrast) are important and this fact can only be discovered when watching on a TV that delivers excellent blacks. CRT delivers excellent blacks. But for saas-bahu serials blacks do not matter that much. But the point is, get a TV with good PQ otherwise you will regret later. My axioms that I repeat at many posts:
- if you buy quality, you will cry once only
- if you shell out peanuts, you get monkeys

Lol. Yeah, I keep telling everyone at home that a HDTV is meant for the shaukeen (connoisseur), someone who can splurge on an expensive screen, surround speakers etc. But while I realize that, I also get others' point about how much longer is the CRT gonna go for.Whether fixing it is wasteful expenditure because it is going to give way sooner rather than later. My CRT TV is about 17 years old (bought in 1996). Unfortunately, new CRTs are not available in the market anymore. So I'm in a fix.

[*]For more or less the same money, plasma will deliver bigger size, better PQ and more VFM. There are drawbacks as well that you must be aware. A (bare-minimum) decent 42" LED such as Samsung 5 Series or Sony W650A will cost you 55-60K (check your own prices). Anything below, is not what I would recommend and would say, "stay put". For the same amount you will get 51" plasma (Samsung 51F4900).

So will a Series 5 be better at SD broadcasts than the other? Since you mention the 51F4900, is the 43F4900 in the same league? I think that can be had for about 40k. & how does it compare to the LG PN4500?

DTH-HD feed is compromised by bit-rate, compression and such. True 1080p such as blu-ray uses typically 18-24 mbps bitrate whereas DTH-HD uses 4-6 mbps to save bandwidth.

So any of these HD broadcasts won't give the same enjoyment as a proper blu-ray? Are we then doomed to "stuttery" action?

Thanks for your inputs. The way things stand, I've asked my mom to come along & have a look at Zee Marathi in the showrooms. If it looks fine to her eyes then I can delve further into details like which model is better. But if she can't stand it, then we bury the HDTV plan. Fingers crossed.

 

[kidrow]

I was in a similar situation a while back. I was looking for a VFM TV, which gives most bang for the buck. I almost finilised on LG PN4500 plasma. I chose this over Samsung as the picture quality was good.
Thats when my dad told me about an option with Toshiba, PU200. Its a 40 inch TV and plays most (or almost all) Video formats. Being using this for a while and I am quite happy with this. I paid about Rs 36000 for this.

Yeah, there was one Toshiba 40 inch LED which I felt handled SD a bit better. I was quoted 41k for it. Could very well be the same model. I will definitely look into that particular model. What also makes me open to Toshiba is the 3 year warranty. At least I have my rear covered for 3 years. Was looking for Panasonic for the very same reasons. But it seems they no longer offer 3 year warranty.

Not too concerned about the video formats atm. If need be, I'm prepared to buy a media player later.

 

[just4kix]

Yes, have read quite a few threads on the same & have come to a conclusion that the cons of plasma do not matter much to me. Yet there is the question of heat raised above, implications of which are not known to me. & there is also the question of image retention, viz. are black bars a no-no even after the burn-in period?

Heat is not an issue of any real consequence - as a owner of 50" plasma, I can assure you. In the summer, it gets a little warmer in the room but the fan solves the issue. Our TV is in our 14x11 bedroom which will tend to become warmer than a wide living room. But no way can anyone claim that it becomes a furnace.

I have written enough on image retention. Yes, you have to be careful but there is no need to be scared. You will have treat the TV like Chinaware. I no longer run slides, and very rarely (once in two months) run the vertical white scroll bar for 15 minutes. I have seen no permanent or stubborn image retention.

Agree on the size. 32" is not an upgrade, 42" is. But the problem is I felt SD broadcasts are generally tolerable on the smaller ones as opposed to the larger ones.

We watch region channels including "Zee Marathi". We have a CRT as well. No one in our house says that 50" looks very bad. Yes, it looks bad as compared to HD but not that bad. Then again, the ST50 that I have is a top-notch TV. But my father-in-law has a 40" Samsung 5 Series LED and they do not complain either. They also watch Marathi channels.

I based my 720p is enough argument on Carlton Bale's observations (i.e. 720p at 8 ft. for a 40" is indistinguishable from 1080p)

That is true but you will notice the difference when text and sharp objects are displayed. While I will not recommend 4K TV, I think 1080p is now the norm. It is your decision. Most LEDs will be 1080p anyway.

More than the cost of HD subscription, it's the fact that regional channels are not offered in HD. I had thought that eventually all channels will be. But if it hasn't happened thus far, who knows how long it will take?

I thought though that certain TVs have better upscaling chips (?) & so even SD can look good. Is that true? I realize that it is not going to be as good as CRT. But can it at least be watchable? Isn't that one of the differences between a Samsung series 4 & a series 5 etc. (i.e. low-end vs something better)?

See come comments above regarding SD. I will also like to clear some misconceptions. A TV does not have upscaling chip. A TV accepts the input resolution and adjusts the input to match the native resolution.

There is a lot of difference between different ranges of the TV, e.g., 4-Series vs. 5-Series vs. 6-Series, etc. The PQ is improved in the high end versions, better blacks, better video processing, less motion artifacts, etc. The panel itself is better.

Lol. Yeah, I keep telling everyone at home that a HDTV is meant for the shaukeen (connoisseur), someone who can splurge on an expensive screen, surround speakers etc. But while I realize that, I also get others' point about how much longer is the CRT gonna go for.Whether fixing it is wasteful expenditure because it is going to give way sooner rather than later. My CRT TV is about 17 years old (bought in 1996). Unfortunately, new CRTs are not available in the market anymore. So I'm in a fix.

I cannot really comment on this except that I think that if the current TV can be serviced for less than Rs. 2500, it is worth.

So will a Series 5 be better at SD broadcasts than the other? Since you mention the 51F4900, is the 43F4900 in the same league? I think that can be had for about 40k. & how does it compare to the LG PN4500?

I again cannot comment as you will be a better judge. Do a demo and decide. Between 51F4900 and 43F4900, both are 1024 x 768 plasma TVs with identical features except the size.

So any of these HD broadcasts won't give the same enjoyment as a proper blu-ray? Are we then doomed to "stuttery" action?

Thanks for your inputs. The way things stand, I've asked my mom to come along & have a look at Zee Marathi in the showrooms. If it looks fine to her eyes then I can delve further into details like which model is better. But if she can't stand it, then we bury the HDTV plan. Fingers crossed.

You will never get blu-ray quality picture on DTH. EVen abroad I have not found the same quality. Same is true with SD - the SD channels come no where close to DVD quality even though pixels are same.

 

[glen7x]

Yeah, there was one Toshiba 40 inch LED which I felt handled SD a bit better. I was quoted 41k for it. Could very well be the same model. I will definitely look into that particular model. What also makes me open to Toshiba is the 3 year warranty. At least I have my rear covered for 3 years. Was looking for Panasonic for the very same reasons. But it seems they no longer offer 3 year warranty.

Not too concerned about the video formats atm. If need be, I'm prepared to buy a media player later.

Ah, forgot this. The 3 year warranty is what sealed the deal for me. I bought this from Cochin BTW, I found the prices to be comparatively low than in Bangalore. Drove home for during a weekend, bought this back.

I did audition this and compared this side by side to a Sony and I found the PQ to be comparable (or more or less the same).

 

[kidrow]

If a Plasma set is used in pillar box mode every day for 3-4 hours, does it necessarily mean image retention will occur? Can it be prevented by running some patterns daily? Doesn't something like the orbiter mode tackle IR due to black bars? Thanks.

 

[anubisX]

Depends on your settings too, you'll see more with high contrast settings like Dynamic / Vivid. You'll see temporary IR which goes away if you run the slides or the scroll bar for 5-10 mins.

 

[kidrow]

Thanks anubis... To the rescue again!

Yep, took my mom to have a look at the TVs the other day. She can't seem to get over the mismatch between the input & output aspect ratios (i.e. stretching) for SD content. She is oblivious to the blur & loss of sharpness though. I asked the attendant to run the set in Pillarbox mode & while my mom was happy with the correction in aspect ratio, it does reduce the viewable screen real estate by quite a bit.

On this occasion, we went to another store & I found the images were cleaner in SD than what I'd seen in other stores. So either a) I've reduced my expecations knowing what to expect (thus in a sense getting used to it) or b) the input signal is better at this store than at previous ones. I took the Panasonic 39b6d as reference since that seems to be the one available across most stores.

Either way, I compared the Toshiba 39P2305 & the Panasonic 39b6d & found no difference in SD. I also had a look at a Samsung series 5 led. While it looked comparatively sharper for SD, I'm thinking it's down to the settings.

So atm, it's between -
1. LG 42 PN4500 : +ve: Cheap & 42"; -ve: Plasma related issues, 1 year warranty
2. Samsung 43F4900 : +ve: 43" & 3d & good service & good (probable) buyback; -ve: Plasma related issues, 1 year warranty, costlier
3. Panasonic 39b6d : +ve: Brand name; -ve: 1 year warranty, comparatively costly
4. Toshiba 39P2305 or 40PU200 or etc. : +ve: Cheap & 3 year warranty*; -ve : Brand name
Have skipped AOC because I read their warranty policy & it is not a comprehensive 3 year policy. So makes no sense.

Fresh questions:
1. So it is highly likely that my mom will be watching the TV in pillarbox 4:3 mode. So is Plasma out then? Based on anubisx's post above I'd say it's not a strict no-no. However I can't simply set it & forget it. I will need to take care.

2. & yet, of the sets I've come across within my budget, it is only the Plasmas which are 42/43 in. Since pillarbox reduces the actual viewable area, I figured I need to go with the biggest possible screen size. So should a 2-3 inch difference between the Plasmas & Leds (say between 39" & 42") be a factor? Or is that too small a difference to matter?

3. *As for Toshiba warranty, their site does not mention 3 years anywhere. All they have under their TV policy is this explanation of what constitutes dead pixels as per warranty.
a) So is this (viz. the no. of pixels thingy) standard for the industry?
b) In the store, the attendant mentioned Toshiba has a 1+2 year warranty. The 1st year is comprehensive while the next 2 cover only the panel. Is that good enough? A panel failure is what constitutes the greatest after-sales expense, right?
I'm harping on the warranty simply because that is a major differentiating factor for me.

4. In this video here of the Toshiba P2305, the panel seems to be quite reflective. So does it mean that even Leds can be as reflective & prone to glare as Plasma? Or am I missing something here? Is it the same as choosing between laptop screens where certain screens are glossy & others are matte? So in the end, it isn't a given that the Leds won't be reflective?

Again, thanks for your time & patience. Cheers & have a nice day!

 

[just4kix]

1. So it is highly likely that my mom will be watching the TV in pillarbox 4:3 mode. So is Plasma out then? Based on anubisx's post above I'd say it's not a strict no-no. However I can't simply set it & forget it. I will need to take care.

In my plasma (and all Panasonic plasma, I suppose), the pillar box mode has an option in settings to display the black side bars as light gray. This takes care of image retention issues.

Have you looked at Sony LEDs? They are costlier but very good in quality.

2. & yet, of the sets I've come across within my budget, it is only the Plasmas which are 42/43 in. Since pillarbox reduces the actual viewable area, I figured I need to go with the biggest possible screen size. So should a 2-3 inch difference between the Plasmas & Leds (say between 39" & 42") be a factor? Or is that too small a difference to matter?

You should aim at least 46~50" in my opinion. If that is out of your current budget, chuck your plans, save and then take the plunge.

3. *As for Toshiba warranty, their site does not mention 3 years anywhere. All they have under their TV policy is this explanation of what constitutes dead pixels as per warranty.
a) So is this (viz. the no. of pixels thingy) standard for the industry?
b) In the store, the attendant mentioned Toshiba has a 1+2 year warranty. The 1st year is comprehensive while the next 2 cover only the panel. Is that good enough? A panel failure is what constitutes the greatest after-sales expense, right?
I'm harping on the warranty simply because that is a major differentiating factor for me.

Why do call Toshiba as "low brand". Toshiba is quite good. Panel warranty is the main thing. Panel constitures 75% of the TV value. If Toshiba is giving 2 years extended warranty then it means that they are confident on their quality.

4. In this video here of the Toshiba P2305, the panel seems to be quite reflective. So does it mean that even Leds can be as reflective & prone to glare as Plasma? Or am I missing something here? Is it the same as choosing between laptop screens where certain screens are glossy & others are matte? So in the end, it isn't a given that the Leds won't be reflective?

Some LED TVs have a glass top surface. Glass is reflective. I am not sure about the above model.