June 2011: Best LED/LCD/Plasma TV in 40"

[paraspooja]

I am from Bangalore and looking for a LED/LCD/Plasma TV of 40".

However I am confused on many dimensions :
1. Which is better ? LED/LCD or Plasma ?? (based on latest models) (Though Viewing distance is 5-6feet" - and most of it is night viewing - my family has been pushing me to get a 40" inch only instead of 32" - for larger than life size experience).

2. I am looking to retain it atleast for 5-6 years...so life of TV also matters to me (though most likely I wont be shifting it for this duration). I heard Plasma's don't have good life.

3. Most important : What make/model to prefer (based on current models available in market - I can also wait for 2-3 months if required) ? If I can find the best prices for them in Bangalore - it will be icing on top

4. This one is tough : should I buy through some shop/some schemes available to employees of these companies ?

I know there are lot of threads in this forum - which might answer most of them - but searching these posts is quite tough (i need to have a gap of 30 seconds between each search )

 

[indiglo]

if night time movie viewing is a priority in a dimly lit/dark room, then consider plasmas only(coz lcd & led-lcds r best in a brightly lit room while plasma shines & shows their best in a darker environment)...btw,there is NO 40" Plasma tv,only lcd or led-lcd's,minimum for plasma is 42" but most of this smaller 42"r not FHD(1080p)....also if larger than life "cinema"like experience is a preference,the rule of the thumb is, larger the better...best is a projector,but within tv, only plasmas mayb 50-60 inches which gives some immersive experience & at the minimum a 42 incher,but all depends upon your budget & priorities!

 

[paraspooja]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts: I can get some pointers from your response...
Projector is out of question for me (due to bulb life etc)...and even 42" - should be fine..but inputs of which make/models will really help (I know I am looking for shortcut without investing much time....but the more I look into this forum/posts - the more I am getting confused...)

 

[adder]

Whats your budget and how bright is the room.

 

[indiglo]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts: I can get some pointers from your response...
Projector is out of question for me (due to bulb life etc)...and even 42" - should be fine..but inputs of which make/models will really help (I know I am looking for shortcut without investing much time....but the more I look into this forum/posts - the more I am getting confused...)

there is Nothing much to b confused, if u do go the plasma way & stick to FHD 1080p tv only...there is Not much of a choice,except mayb the best one..i.e the 42"Panasonic V20 Plasma,which can be availed at around 56-60k(depending upon location & ur bargaining).But mind it this is a 2010 model & may b quite difficult to find out,but if u can have one,i suppose u will be real HAPPILY content!

 

[ranjit]

If u r looking for best deal go for Toshiba 40AV700E for rs 34,990 at Ezone (might not have as much features as of Sammy LG, but very good at price front for 40 incher).

http://ezone.futurebazaar.com/Product/Audio+%26+Video/LCDs/Toshiba+Regza+40AV700E+LCD+TV/2449994

 

[just4kix]

1. Which is better ? LED/LCD or Plasma ?? (based on latest models) (Though Viewing distance is 5-6feet" - and most of it is night viewing - my family has been pushing me to get a 40" inch only instead of 32" - for larger than life size experience).

   This totally depends upon what one intends to view. As a general rule, plasma is better suited for movies because within the equivalent, similar priced, size, model, plasma will have better black levels and much more contrast ratio. Also plasmas have better viewing angle. To overcome these shortcomings, LCDs were replaced with LED back/edge lighting instead of the CCFL, IPS, etc. LCD/LED are better suited for normal television where picture carries more light, inherent contrast, etc.
   
   Size per size, you will find that plasma is cheaper but are not available below 42". Plasma consumes more electricity - typically plasma = 350-400W, LCD = 200-250W, LED = 180-200W. Plasmas have glass panels and most plasmas have high reflectivity which can be a real pain while watching, especially if the light is from the opposite wall or sides.
   
   LCD/LED are inherently very bright and in my view produce too vivid colors. I personally prefer the natural colours of plasma. But individual tastes differ. As stated above, plasma is suited for watching TV in darker surroundings while LCD/LED will be better in brightly lit rooms.
   
   You should demo all three - LCD, LED, Plasma and decide what you like best. I will not advice you anything but will definitely recommend large size. In my opinion, 32" LCD/LED (16:9) is worse than 29" CRT (4:3). If your viewing distance is 6', then a TV of 3' width is defintely watchable and will not produce strain.

2. I am looking to retain it atleast for 5-6 years...so life of TV also matters to me (though most likely I wont be shifting it for this duration). I heard Plasma's don't have good life.

   Modern plasmas have a half life of over 100,000 hours. This translates to over 27 years assuming 10 hours per day. In fact LCD and LED TVs have less life as compared to plasma. There are no well established and tested figures for LED especially since the technology is new. But rest assured, whether it is LCD, LED, or Plasma, it will last you more than 5 years unless affected by external factors such as electrical power surges, bad volatage, physical mishandling, etc.

3. Most important : What make/model to prefer (based on current models available in market - I can also wait for 2-3 months if required) ? If I can find the best prices for them in Bangalore - it will be icing on top

   No idea. Personal demo is highly recommended. Visit the brand websites. They quote MRP. Expect a discount of at least 20-25% of LG/Samsung especially on the older models. Sony does not yield by more than 3k to 5k. Panasonic will probably come down by 15-20%.

4. This one is tough : should I buy through some shop/some schemes available to employees of these companies ?

   Simple. Whatever works out the best price. Isn't it?

You should read the following:
Plasma vs. LCD
Common Misconceptions About Plasma TVs

 

[adder]

Size per size, you will find that plasma is cheaper but are not available below 42". Plasma consumes more electricity - typically plasma = 350-400W, LCD = 200-250W, LED = 180-200W. Plasmas have glass panels and most plasmas have high reflectivity which can be a real pain while watching, especially if the light is from the opposite wall or sides.

Those are the max power consumption figures mostly of some previous years.
Todays tvs are much more efficient probably half of those figures.

LCD/LED are inherently very bright and in my view produce too vivid colors. I personally prefer the natural colours of plasma. But individual tastes differ. As stated above, plasma is suited for watching TV in darker surroundings while LCD/LED will be better in brightly lit rooms.

Lcd/LED-lcd all have the potential to be very bright if the need arises.They can be just as dim as plasma (which isn't always a good thing) if you set them correct.
Lcds based on VA tech or local dimming IPS based lcds can show very deep blacks,so they can be good at dark rooms too.

Modern plasmas have a half life of over 100,000 hours. This translates to over 27 years assuming 10 hours per day. In fact LCD and LED TVs have less life as compared to plasma. There are no well established and tested figures for LED especially since the technology is new. But rest assured, whether it is LCD, LED, or Plasma, it will last you more than 5 years unless affected by external factors such as electrical power surges, bad volatage, physical mishandling, etc.

Trust me not a single tv will have a life span of so many hours,considering todays build quality standards due to cost cutting.
There are other components in a tv like the power supply board which can go kaput,it can cause a chain reaction of other boards going kaput.
Plasma screens produce far more heat and there power supplies need to handle quite a lot of power that the plasma panel demands especially during light colored or white image,which is the same time they develop heat and fans start spinning faster.
You will be lucky if todays tvs be it a plasma or a lcd reaches 10 years.

 

[just4kix]

Those are the max power consumption figures mostly of some previous years.
Todays tvs are much more efficient probably half of those figures.

I am strictly going as per published specs.

Lcd/LED-lcd all have the potential to be very bright if the need arises.They can be just as dim as plasma (which isn't always a good thing) if you set them correct.
Lcds based on VA tech or local dimming IPS based lcds can show very deep blacks,so they can be good at dark rooms too.

Yes. LCD/LED TVs can be dimmed too (brightness reduced). But from what I have seen, this completely pales it colours. If brightness is reduced significantly, all colours apppear too dark as if a lot of gray is mixed in the colour.

I always demo TVs during the evening. The showrooms are brightly lit. They have big glass panes where the bright sunshine/light overcomes the brightness of TVs. During evenings, I even ask the showroom person to switch off a few lights if possible.

 

[adder]

I am strictly going as per published specs.

Yes. LCD/LED TVs can be dimmed too (brightness reduced). But from what I have seen, this completely pales it colours. If brightness is reduced significantly, all colours apppear too dark as if a lot of gray is mixed in the colour.

Again not all lcds do that ,lcds with VA based tech have natively high contrast ratio and they do a good job at keep good black levels.If want the colors to pop you have to increase the backlight.Which may not be always a good thing.
Do also note that many don't even like the dim calibrated picture where the colors doesn't pop out.
Also not all lcds have a backlight control,some just have a brightness control which controls both the brightness and backlight setting for eg like philips which always feels bright.

Do note that many don't even like the dim calibrated picture where the colors doesn't pop out.

Again not all people watch in pitch dark condition or only at night,many would be watching in daytime.So without knowings the amount of ambient light in ones living room.you can't always recommend a particular tech.
In my living room there are plenty of light so only a matte screen lcd or a glossy lcd with very effective anti-glare coating will be watchable and a plasma or a CRT would just wash out including the V20