I have lived with this tv for only a week now but I would like to say I researched to no end for a tv that is over 60 inches.The other choices were the 65 inch sharp lcd and the 65 inch panny plasma. I have compared this tv to the others with the same feed and similar settings and the samsung wins in my eyes. The colors on this tv are more vibrant then the lg ,kuro, and panny.

I would say the panel and stand are a very nice glossy black with the option to swivel to some extent. The tv arrived connected to the stand which made setup very easy. The menu used to change settings is very user friendly as well. I like how you can label each input source this way it is obvious which input works with each device. The BD playback on this tv is excellent. I could go on and on.

There is a B590 which inlcudes cinema smooth and a screen which is ultra filter bright plus as opposed to ultra filter bright. You will not notice the difference.

BTW, I also saw this tv side by side with last years 63A650 playing same feed using same settings mode. It was not even close in my eyes. The 63b550 looked sharper, brighter, colors were more vibrant etc…

Click Here to see more reviews about: Samsung PN63B550 63 Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV

Product Description:
Samsung PN63B550 – Experience the best of action-packed sports and movies; PN63B550 plasma HDTV ensures as it uses E-panel technology that produces crisp clear images by reducing the blur in the motion. 1080p High Definition ascertains the lucidity and clarity in reproduction. Further more Unique Touch of Color TM design makes it an ultimate technological master piece. No matter what; but surely you are going to enjoy most realistic picture rendering and exceptional TV time at home with this Samsung Plasma HDTV.

Want to buy Samsung PN63B550 63 Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV at other amazon sites? Click the corresponding icon below:

Samsung PN63B550 63-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV Review is a post from: Cheap Plasma TVs

Great quality at this price point, way above my expectations!

My goal was to get an HDTV for no more than $1000.

This is how I convinced that Plasma 42″ 720 p is the right choice for me .I’ve done quite bit of click shopping at online stores- amazon, eBay, newegg, abt.

1. Size: I don’t need a TV bigger than 50″. I live in a Condo. This is for my living room. Watch distance is ~8 feet.

2. Output: For <=50" size, I can not distinguish if the output is in 720p or in 1080 p(or 1080i).Comcast telecasts HD in 1080i in my area. As per my research, it takes at the least 2-3 years for Cable providers to upgrade their output quality to >=1080 p as such upgrade requires huge investment.

3.Plasma vs LCD vs rear projection: Partly this choice was governed by next criterion, price. Rear projections , available in the market, are largely >50″. Between Plasma and LCD- I could not find any annoying feature in either technology when I watch those sets in stores -Walmart, target, sears, frys and best buy. At times I found colors of Plasma-warm and more appealing than I found those on LCD.
4.Price- I found Plasma sets did better on this criterion over LCD sets. Also most LCD sets produce 1080p. I do not need 1080p and I did not want to pay for that feature.
5.Other hygiene factors: HDMI inputs(3), Component connection, Optical link for sound
6. Factors I did not care: height(above 6000 feet) . I ‘ve no reason to believe that I’ll need to use this set at that elevation. Watching in light: I ‘m okay to pull the blinders if too much sunlight affects experience . Burn in: latest Plasmas have advanced technology that constantly moves the picture and does not let burn in happen. Also if burn in does happen after few years, I am okay. I am sure I’ll go for another TV in next 3+ years and can use this in any other room. 1080p-bluray: my TV downgrades the output signal to 720p. I wouldn’t notice any difference anyways between 720p vs. 1080 p at <50".
7.Brand: Pioneer, Panasonic, Samsung are the leaders in plasma. Pioneer’s TVs are way above my requirements- in terms of TV size and price.
8.Personal Tests- At stores- without looking at specifications- tried to call out output and LCD vs Plasma. I was largely successful in identifying LCD vs Plasma but not quite successful in identifying 720p vs 1080p. On closer look 1080ps looked better than 720ps.( I just told myself that store guys apply settings in such a way that 1080ps look better..See I made the decision to buy 720p and was looking for evidence to support my decision! )

I narrowed down choices to Panasonic P42X1 and SamsungPN42B450. Both appeared great- my wife likes Samsung’s external finish over Panasonic. I like the fact that Samsung is $20 economical compared to Panasonic.

I bought this item from Amazon , received it yesterday. Out of box settings are great. Played around with those options on remote control -with energy efficient options, Picture modes, sound modes. It’s exciting.

Will post updates to this review if find anything exciting or disturbing with this unit.

**Update 6/21/2009- I could not find any significant evidence that Plasma increased my energy bill.
-My energy bill for May 2008-June 2008 was USD 76, for Apr 2009-May 2009 was USD 82 , for May 2009-June 2009 it is USD 63. I’ve got few additional electronic appliances since last year including this Plasma (I kept my 20″ LCD in my guest room) April last week.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Samsung PN42B450 42 Inch 720p Plasma HDTV

Product Description:
High definition 720p plasma has never looked so good. Thanks to its E-Panel technology, Samsung’s PN50B450 is able to deliver stunningly smooth video reproduction. First, 600Hz Subfield Motion improves the continuity between frames, creating seamless, lifelike motion. Second, an incredibly fast 0.001ms pixel-response time minimizes blurring in fast-action sports and movies. Further, FilterBright technology reduces panel glare for improved performance in rooms with ambient lighting. Finally, a Game Mode speeds up processing and sharpens detail for an optimal gaming experience.

Want to buy Samsung PN42B450 42 Inch 720p Plasma HDTV at other amazon sites? Click the corresponding icon below:

Samsung PN42B450 42-Inch 720p Plasma HDTV Review is a post from: Cheap Plasma TVs

Samsung and Panny’s are 1a & 1b when it comes to plasmas.You really can’t go wrong either way, they both offer exceptional value in their 720p sets.And obviously if you are checking this TV out value and price are a big deal to you (me too!).So why did did I go with this set over a Panny?It just happened to be cheaper at the time of purchase, I would have went either way.

I could go into the big 720p vs 1080p debate and take up a whole page.I am sure you’ve read many reviews already making the case for each.But the truth is, you wouldn’t be looking at this TV if price didn’t matter.I am not calling you poor!!You just have some reason why you don’t want to pony up for 1080p, that’s cool, me too.The PN50C430 does exactly what it was meant to, a great picture for a great price.As for burn in/image retention, just don’t leave something static on there for hours and you’ll be fine.If you get image retention just watch some TV and it will go away.Don’t use the scrolling or white features, it’s better to exercise the pixels with TV to get rid of image retention.

Ok first the PN50C430 vs. the PN50C450 model.These are basically the same TV.The 450 model has 1 more HDMI port and Touch of Color (a little red/maroon stripe of color on the bezel of the TV).That’s it.I went with the 430 because I didn’t like the red TOC.I wish it would have had that extra HDMI port, but there are solutions for that.I also own the 2008 PN50A450 model.It has a nice silver stripe on the bezel which looks better than both of the 2010 models.Anyway, now with the quick pro’s and con’s summary.

Pro’s:
Great picture for cheap! HD looks very good.
Good colors and tones, realistic
Nice looking (would like to have the silver stripe though!)
Much thinner than the 2008 model
More power efficient than the 2008 model
Lighter than the 2008 model (+/- 20 lbs!)
Good warranty
Basic menus but enough to customize picture nicely
Not a surround system by any means but decent sound for a flat panelCon’s:
No swivel stand, the 2008 model has it and it’s great
Remote, it’s cheap but serviceable.You could always buy a better one though.
Hookups, it’s manageable but it should have had 2 more HDMI ports and it doesn’t have VGA
Buzzing, but it’s not really noticeable unless right up next to the TV or with no sound on
SD picture is ok, it’s crisp enough but a little dark even with AVS Forum recommended settings

Click Here to see more reviews about: Samsung PN50C430 50 Inch 720p Plasma HDTV (Black)

Product Description:
Get a true cinematic experience without going to the cinema with a Samsung plasma HDTV. This Samsung PN50C430, with Mega Dynamic Contrast Ratio makes sure every frame is saturated with dense, rich color. Samsung is also ENERGY STAR compliant so you are assured that your 50 -inch plasma HDTV is helping the environment by using less enery while saving you money.

Want to buy Samsung PN50C430 50 Inch 720p Plasma HDTV (Black) at other amazon sites? Click the corresponding icon below:

Samsung PN50C430 50-Inch 720p Plasma HDTV (Black) Review is a post from: Cheap Plasma TVs

I Just picked up this TV at BB.I was just in the store walking around and went over to check out the PN50A450 but they had this next to the 1080p plasma from Samsung.This TV looked AMAZING.It was next to a couple of Samsung’s LCDs which looked much brighter but the colors were horrible.But I knew the brightness of the Plasma is just fine at home and the colors are very accurate.Put it in the truck making sure it stayed completely vertical and set it up at home – wow!Have my ps3 hooked up watching Blu-Rays on it and we are amazed at how great the picture looks.I haven’t tweaked any of the settings but it looks stunning out of the box.

It does have 2 component inputs even though they aren’t listed on here or on any location on the net for some reason, one of the reasons I was gunning for the A450 until I saw this.It also has a very slight touch of red color that you can only really tell if a brighter light is on.

The remote is pretty cheap, it almost feels like a fisher price unit.The remote itself does not have discreet input switching but I am pretty sure it accepts discreet IR commands if you have a universal like a Harmony.

The TV has a welcome mode that helps you set it up when you plug it in which was pretty cool.

Oh and the stand swivels which is pretty nice.

Overall this TV is amazing, it is like watching it at the theater.I can’t speak for the longevity or if any problems pop up, since I just got it, but I’ll update if there are any problems!

______UPDATE AFTER A WEEK OF HEAVY USE________4/19/09____
A few things I can update after using this thing to play a ton of Call of Duty World at War, the NHL/NBA playoffs, and Blu Rays:

I have experienced no burn in or IR issues.I have the pixel shift enabled at 2 2 2 in case you were wondering.But we play a ton of video games on this and it has been fine.I also lowered the contrast from the default settings by about 15 which did not affect picture quality.

This TV also generates barely any heat.After hours of usage I check with my hand and there are two small locations near the vents on the top back that are warm at best, but the rest of the TV is mostly cool to the touch still.I find this phenomenal considering my Samsung LCD that is next to it (2006 Model) generates at least 3 times as much heat.

Another thing to mention is how much you will get used to having no motion blur.We had the Cleveland/Detroit game on both the plasma and lcd and when I was looking at the LCD, I couldn’t believe I had been OK with all the motion blur you see in LCDs.There is none in the plasma.Also, the blacks and colors are so much better than an LCDS you will hate watching anything on an LCD after watching on this.

The only cons I have found so far is that the power and other buttons on the unit itself are touch sensitive, kind of like a PS3, but they are small and it is really difficult to see which one does which because the locations match the dark black of the frame so you have to kind of run your finger over the buttons and hope you are aiming your finger at the right one.Of course, most people use their remote for this.Another con is that the frame and stand collect dust very easily, however, it takes 2 seconds to wipe off with the towel.The screen, however, does not collect anything and has stayed crystal clean since it’s installation.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Samsung PN50B450 50 Inch 720p Plasma HDTV

Product Description:
Samsung PN50B450 – It’s easy to see the difference in picture quality with the PN50B450 plasma HDTV. 720p high definition resolution and e-panel technology deliver sharp images and crystal- clear details. You also get more realism and vivid color. Plus bothersome glare isn’t a problem with FilterBrightTM and 600Hz Subfield Motion with a .001ms response time delivers a clear picture for fast-moving scenes. Enjoy eye-catching images and brilliant color every day.

Get 20% OFF

Want to buy Samsung PN50B450 50 Inch 720p Plasma HDTV at other amazon sites? Click the corresponding icon below:

Samsung PN50B450 50-Inch 720p Plasma HDTV Review is a post from: Cheap Plasma TVs

1080p HD Picture Quality: The picture presentation of the from the 50S2 is still very bright and with the improved black levels much improved. Black levels are deep and strong with an HD signal input through HDMI. While not the best we’ve seen lately, they lose the dark gray haziness that the S2 can display with a 480i signal. Color is plenty saturated and dark shadow detail remains excellent.

Picture Presentation from 480i signals: We always test every TV with a 480i resolution. It is a great test of a TVs upconversion and processing chip sets. The signal may be likened to what you would see with your normal digital cable or satellite signal.The TC-P50S2 series plasma contains the new an updated version of the NEO PDP (i.e. plasma screen) from Panasonic. This is the same screen used in some of the higher end Panasonic series which should make this model a good value if picture quality is your primary objective. We find the picture quality overall improved from the prior S1 series. The drives do a little better job of eliminating motion artifacts than the S1 series did. Color rendition is still with black levels being the primary progress area of the S2 series delivering more depth and solidity. As was the case on the S1 series, brightness is a strength of the these newer Panasonic plasma models.

Calibration Notes: Overall, calibration to D6500K was very easy with this TV. Though there are no white balance adjustments available on the menu without entering the service menu, the 50S2 calibrated so close to D65 from the start that it would have improved the TV inappreciably. We started our calibration from the custom setting in the Warm 2 color temperature position. The S2 series TV does not contain the THX picture setting option. Follow the following settings to calibrate to a nearly perfect D65. These picture settings are best viewed in a controlled light environment fairly dark room:

Picture Mode: Custom
Color Temp: Warm2
Brightness: +74
Contrast: +75
Color: +45
Tint: -2
Sharpness: +15
Color Mgmt: OFF
x.v.Color: OFF
C.A.T.S.: OFF
Video NR: Weak
Block NR: Off
Misquito NR: Off
Black Level: Light
3:2 Pulldown: Off
HD Size: 2

Black Level/Contrast: Black levels were an area that the S1 series needed a makeover on. They got it with this S2 series. These are not going to be the best black levels we see this year and we dont anticipate them coming close to some of the Samsung plasma black levels. However, Panasonic has brought black levels back into welcomed focus. Final ANSI contrast measurement was 1261:1 which is a nice improvement over last year but far from what we want. One of the TVs greatest strengths lies in its white brightness which measured an average luminance of 31.50. This result nears LCD TVs in brightness and points to Panasonic’s desire to compete with LCD TVs in this area.

Dark Shadow Detail: Partly due to the high brightness of this plasma dark shadow detail is excellent. Panasonic plasma TVs have long been a favorite of ours in this important area.

Color Rendition/Color Accuracy: Color rendition is much more saturated with HD content. The TV excels with HD content and is much more subdued in presentation with lower signals. Colors can seem a little weak and hazy at times with lower end signals. I will give them the thumbs up on reality however.

Features: One of the key feature differences of the S2 series with the G20 series of plasma by Panasonic is the absense of The Viera Cast feature set, which enables online content via a web interface. As a result, there is also no Ethernet port. The included Viera Link feature allows the user to control other Viera link capable outboard equipment. Viera Image viewer is the Panasonic compatible technology which enables use of SD memory card viewing via the SD card slot.The S2 has discrete picture settings for each input as well as Panasonic’s new “600 Hz” specification for blur reduction.

This TV is Energy Star compliant due to an energy saver feature option. Power consumption for the S2 has been reduced from the S1. This is one of the main feature differences aside from improved black levels. Panasonic started improving efficiency in their plasma TVs in 2007 and have improved it 400% with this S2 model. They are now close enough to LCDs in energy efficiency that is should not matter.

To see the overall ratings and full review of this TV head over to Plasma TV Buying Guide

Click Here to see more reviews about: Panasonic TC-P50S2 50 Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV

Product Description:
Building on its award-winning 2009 Plasma line, Panasonic’s 50-inch VIERA TC-P50S2 Plasma HDTV features a new panel with NeoPDP technologies that provide the best balance of black and white under brighter environments while also offering higher energy efficiency. The new NeoPDP Plasma panel also further reduces reflections and creates sharper pictures with higher contrast in brighter environments. This S2 series model provides 1080p resolution, full-time 1080 TV lines of moving picture resolution, and 600Hz Sub-field Drive for superb motion clarity.
This and other models in the S2 line offer Panasonic’s VIERA Image Viewer feature, which enables you to play slideshows of JPEG images stored on SD memory cards, as well as the VIERA Link feature for controlling a variety of compatible components–from Blu-ray Disc players to digital cameras–through a single remote. This model also includes Panasonic’s Clean Touch Bezel, which resists fingerprints to help keep the surface clean.
Adhering to Panasonic’s commitment to the environment, this VIERA model–as well as all 2010 models–features improved power consumption and meets the new, more stringent Energy Star 4.0 requirements. And you’ll get a long Plasma panel life of up to 100,000 hours–more than 30 years of viewing when watched 8 hours a day–before the brightness of the panel decreases to half.

Panasonic’s VIERA S2 series Plasma HDTV.

Key Features

NeoPDP: By redesigning the Plasma panel’s cell structure and developing an innovative new filter, Panasonic has tripled the luminous efficiency (compared to 2007 models) of its VIERA Plasma HDTVS–resulting in stunningly beautiful images while also reducing power consumption.

1080 Moving Picture Resolution: With 1080 lines of moving picture resolution and integrated NeoPDP technology’s high-speed drive performance, the display time for each image frame is shortened to minimize afterimages, making decisive calls in football matches and delicate motions in figure skating performances appear crystal clear.

600Hz Sub-field Drive: 600Hz technology lets you view superb full-HD motion and still images with 1080 lines of resolution. For even greater clarity with motion images, Panasonic uses its own unique image-analysis technology, which converts the motion in each scene into data. And each frame is practically displayed for a shorter length of time than in previous systems, to reduce aftereffects (see an illustration of 600Hz technology).

VIERA Image Viewer: View full-HD images with the integrated SD card slot, enabling you to view JPEG photos captured from your digital camera or camcorder on the big screen. Navigate your images via an easy-to-use thumbnail display.

VIERA Link: Allows the interlinked operation of various AV devices–from DVD and Blu-ray Disc players to home theater sound systems to digital cameras and camcorders–using only the VIERA remote control by simply connecting the devices to each other by an HDMI cable (see pop-up illustration).

Game Mode: With Game Mode, quicker image response increases the enjoyment of video games when a game console is connected to the TV. What’s more, VIERA produces the dark images in video games more clearly. This mode works with the anti-image retention (wobbling) function, too.

Key Specifications

Series: S2
Screen type: Plasma
Screen size: 50 inches
Native resolution: 1920 x 1080 pixels
Contrast ratio: Native: 2,000,000:1
Shades of gradation: 6,144 equivalent
Receiving system: ATSC/QAM/NTSC
HDTV display capability: 1080p, 1080i, 720p
EDTV display capability: 480p
Speakers: 2 full range, 20W total power; surround sound capabilities
Image viewer: JPEG compatibility
Aspect control: Normal, Just, Zoom, Full, H-fill
Optional wall-mounting bracket: TY-WK4P1RW
Multi-lingual menu: English/Spanish/French
Energy Star qualified: Yes

Connections

HDMI: 3 (1 side)
Component (Y, PB, PR): 2; each with audio input
Composite A/V: 2 (1 side); each with audio input
Digital audio output: 1

Dimensions

TV with stand: 48 x 32.2 x 14.1 inches (WxHxD); 70.5 pounds
TV without stand: 48 x 30.3 x 3.7 inches (WxHxD); 66.1 pounds
What size TV should you get?

What’s in the Box

Panasonic S2 series Plasma HDTV, removable stand, remote control (with batteries), operating instructions

Panasonic 2010 VIERA Plasma and LCD Comparison

Series: G25 Plasma S2 Plasma U2 Plasma C2 Plasma U22 LCD X2 LCD C22 LCD Models: TC-P54G25 54″
TC-P50G25 50″
TC-P46G25 46″
TC-P42G25 42″ TC-P65S2 65″
TC-P58S2 58″
TC-P54S2 54″
TC-P50S2 50″
TC-P46S2 46″
TC-P42S2 42″ TC-P50U2 50″
TC-P42U2 42″ TC-P50C2 50″
TC-P46C2 46″
TC-P42C2 42″ TC-L42U22 42″
TC-L37U22 37″
TC-L32U22 32″ TC-L37X2 37″
TC-L32X2 32″
TC-L22X2 22″ TC-L37C22 37″
TC-L32C22 32″ VIERA Cast
— — — — — — VIERA Image Viewer
(AVCHD, MPEG2, JPEG)
(JPEG)
(JPEG)
(JPEG)
(JPEG)
(JPEG)
(JPEG) VIERA Link
webcam capable NeoPDP Panel — — — — — THX Display — — — — — — Contrast Ratio Infinite Black Dynamic: 2,000,000:1 Dynamic: 2,000,000:1 Dynamic: 2,000,000:1 Dynamic: 20,000:1 Dynamic: 20,000:1
22″: 15,000:1 Dynamic: 18,000:1 Moving Picture Resolution 1080 lines 1080 lines 900 lines 720 lines — — — Anti-Reflective Filter — — — — — Display Capabilities 1080p, 1080i,
720p, 480p 1080p, 1080i,
720p, 480p 1080p, 1080i,
720p, 480p 720p, 480p 1080p, 1080i,
720p, 480p 720p, 480p 720p, 480p 600Hz Sub-field Drive — — — 120Hz — — — — — — — Game Mode — — — Speakers 2; 20W total 2; 20W total 2; 20W total 2; 20W total 2; 20W total 2; 20W total
22″: 6W 2; 20W total Surround Sound HDMI input 3 (1 side) 3 (1 side) 3 (1 side) 2 3 (1 side) 3 (1 side)
22″: 1 2 Component input (Y, PB, PR) 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 Composite input 2 (1 side) 2 (1 side) 2 (1 side) 2 (1 side) 2 (1 side) 2 (1 side)
22″: 1 2 PC input 1 (side) — — — 1 1 1 USB 2 — — — — — — Ethernet LAN input 1 — — — — — — Digital Audio output 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 iPod Universal Dock — — — — — — Energy Star Series: G25 Plasma S2 Plasma U2 Plasma C2 Plasma U22 LCD X2 LCD C22 LCD

Learn More

Which Size HDTV is Right for My Room?

With standard-definition TVs, the rule used to be that viewers would feel comfortable watching a set from a distance of 3 to 6 times the screen size in inches. With HDTV, the resolution is so much better that you can sit closer to a larger TV without noticing the pixels. So with HDTVs, the rule tends to be you can sit anywhere from 1.5 to 3 times the screen size (in inches) for the best experience.
If you know the size of the room you have already, where you want to sit, and where your new HDTV should go once you get it, you can figure out the size HDTV you should get.

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

Get 37% OFF

Want to buy Panasonic TC-P50S2 50 Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV at other amazon sites? Click the corresponding icon below:

Panasonic TC-P50S2 50-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV Review is a post from: Cheap Plasma TVs

I got this tv on sale the day after it arrived in stores for only $720 and I could not be happier with it.The picture is fantastic right out of the box.As with all plasmas, make sure you take the break in period seriously by turning down the contrast and brightness a bit for the first 100-200 hours.I’ve also been running the anti-burn in scrolling feature for about an hour a night when I go to bed and have yet to notice any sort of image retention although I haven’t played any video games on it yet.

There’s a lot of chatter about these Samsung plasmas having an annoying buzzing sound coming from them but I have yet to notice it.Maybe I just got lucky with mine but it runs very quietly.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Samsung PN50C450 50 Inch 720p Plasma HDTV (Black)

Product Description:
Get a true cinematic experience without going to the cinema with a Samsung plasma HDTV. This Samsung PN50C450, with Mega Dynamic Contrast Ratio makes sure every frame is saturated with dense, rich color. Samsung is also ENERGY STAR compliant so you are assured that your 50 -inch plasma HDTV is helping the environment by using less enery while saving you money.

Get 10% OFF

Want to buy Samsung PN50C450 50 Inch 720p Plasma HDTV (Black) at other amazon sites? Click the corresponding icon below:

Samsung PN50C450 50-Inch 720p Plasma HDTV (Black) Review is a post from: Cheap Plasma TVs

Let me start by saying that I am not a videophile, but when it comes to purchasing a television I can be very picky. I went through the whole LCD vs. Plasma dilemma 3 years ago when I bought my Samsung 5084 (one of the best non-Pioneer plasmas at the time). That said, I was ready to supplement that unit this year with a ‘smaller’ LCD for the bedroom (didn’t want to sweat IR, horizontal line bleed, etc). Needless to say, LCD options in the ‘budget’ range lack features that alleviate some of their drawbacks, forcing you to suffer through motion blur, clouding, and terrible black levels if you choose a set for ~$800).

Enter the 42″ plasmas. For the sake of comparison, I decided to investigate the plasma alternative once again. This essentially brought me to the Samsung C450 due to my positive experience with the 5084 and glowing reviews for the C450. Unfortunately, users reported an audible buzzing noise from the Samsung (a noise I know full well from the 5084 and did not want to deal with on a bedroom set).

Enter the PJ350. I only became aware of this set after seeing it next to the Samsung at the store. From a design perspective, it tops the Samsung with an ultra thin bezel, very thin chassis, and no ‘touch of red’. Furthermore, I heard no buzzing from the LG floor model, while the Samsung sounded like someone was digging honey out of a beehive. Since it is a brand new model I had no reviews to rely on, but I took the plunge.

Picture quality from this unit is superb for any sub-$1k TV, much less one at this price point. This 720p set rivals my 1080p plasma in most respects, most notably black levels. I have only had it for a few days now, but setting the TV on ‘cinema’ mode at 70 contrast and 50 brightness is really impressive (I recommend switching those two numbers for several weeks to break in the unit). If you place your head behind the unit, you can hear the typical plasma ‘buzz’, but this is completely inaudible at any reasonable viewing distance. While this goes without saying, all the benefits of plasma are apparent with this TV: cinematic quality motion (none of that chincy 120hz movement), 24p bluray playback, consistent backlighting, etc. I have noticed a tiny amount of false contouring, but less than my Samsung – hardly an annoyance. OTA video quality is, of course, superb. The reviewer who stated that colors are not as vivid clearly didn’t recognize that picture settings are independently adjustable for each input. This TV does offer a settings wizard to help set the picture based on your unit and environment, but I prefer manual adjustment to suit my personal tastes.

If you’re worried about not having 1080p, don’t be. At this size, you will not detect a difference anywhere outside 4′ from the unit. The screen is quite reflective, but if glare is your primary concern then you surely can settle for the inferior picture quality of a cheap LCD. While I have limited experience with my LG, I can honestly say that I am very pleased thus far.

Click Here to see more reviews about: LG 42PJ350 42 Inch 720p Plasma HDTV

Product Description:
If you think plasma means a bulky frame or power inefficiency, take a second look at the 42-inch LG 42PJ350 720p Plasma HDTV, which features a TruSlim Frame that helps trim away distraction without compromising screen size. Other features include 600Hz Sub Field Driving for elimination of motion blur, a mega contrast ratio of 3,000,000:1, stereo speakers with 20 watts of power and Dolby Digital decoding, three HDMI ports, and the capability to play MP3 audio files and JPEG photo slideshows from a USB drive.

Key Features

3,000,000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio
No more worrying about dark scenes or dull colors. The dynamic contrast ratio of 3,000,000:1 delivers more stunning colors and deeper blacks than you can imagine.
600Hz Sub Field Driving
Tired of streaky action or unclear plays during the game? See sports, fast action and video games like never before. The 600Hz refresh ratevirtually eliminates motion blur.
AV Mode
Sports, movies and video games are best enjoyed with customized settings. With AV Mode, you can easily select from one of three picture modes for “Cinema”, Sports” or “Games” to enjoy an optimized picture and sound experience.
Picture Wizard
Get easy self-calibration with on-screen reference points for key picture quality elements such as black level, color, tint, sharpness and backlight levels. Take the guesswork out of picture adjustments with this simple-to-use feature. It’s not actually magic, but it will sure seem that way.
Dual XD Engines for Superior video
This Plasma HDTV combines two of LG’s exclusive XD Engines to maximize picture quality for any type of video content. By combining XD Engine processors, panel performance is optimized ensuring higher color accuracy and more realistic images.. Intelligent Sensor
Don’t strain your eyes. Let your TV do the adjustments for you. Intelligent Sensor automatically optimizes the picture to the lighting and color conditions in the room for a more enjoyable viewing experience. 24P Real Cinema
Stay in for the theater. Enjoy a true cinema-like experience in your own home with movies the way they are meant to be seen. LG’s Real Cinema technology precisely displays 24p source frames on your screen, the same as on a movie screen. If you love movies, you’ll love Real Cinema. ISFccc Calibration Ready
LG’s ISFccc Ready HDTVs contain the detailed standards necessary for professional calibration of brightness, contrast, tint, sharpness, color levels and much more to meet local lighting conditions for both day and nighttime viewing. Settings are added to preset modes for easy access from your LG remote. Clear Voice II
Get audio the way it was meant to be heard. Clear Voice II enhances and amplifies the frequency range of the human voice to help keep dialogue audible when background noise swells.
Infinite Sound
What’s a great picture without great sounds to match? Infinite Sound delivers an amazing listening experience with deep, rich bass to make the most of your entertainment. Dolby Digital
Dolby Digital lets you experience compelling 5.1-channel surround sound. And you can trust that you’ll get the same great Dolby Digital audio quality no matter what you’re watching–a DVD or Blu-Ray Disc, TV programming or downloaded content. Best of all, you can be confident that you’ll hear the audio exactly as it was intended, because Dolby Digital is also used to create the soundtracks for movies and games. USB 2.0
Now reliving that fantastic family vacation can happen in the comfort of your living room. Easily connect your external USB devices to enjoy JPEG photos or listen to MP3 files. HDMI V.1.3 with Deep Color
Make installation of any enabled device a snap. Get 10.2Gbps of bandwidth for deeper colors and more to take advantage of the best Full HD experience. HDMI V.1.3 connectivity lets you prepare yourself for tomorrow’s technology today. SimpLink
Having a hard time keeping track of your remotes? With SimpLink, all your LG devices can be controlled with just one remote. Smart Energy Saving
With LG’s Smart Energy Saving Features, you can conserve money and energy.

Key Specifications

Screen size: 42-inch class (41.6 inches diagonal)
Resolution: 1024 x 768 (720p HD)
Dynamic contrast ratio: 3,000,000:1
Brightness: 1500 cd/m2 (candela per square meter)
600Hz Sub Field Driving: Yes
Built-in tuner: ATSC/NTSC/Clear QAM
Audio output: 20 watts (10W x 2)
Speaker system: 2-way, 4 speakers
Dolby Digital decoder: Yes
Surround system: Infinite Sound
Input labeling: Yes
Swivel stand: ±20 degrees
VESA compliance: 400mm x 400mm
Warranty: 1 year parts and labor; 2 years on the panel

Connections

HDMI (version 1.3, HDCP): 2 rear, 1 side
Component: 2 rear
Composite A/V: 1 rear, 1 side
RF: 1 rear
PC input (15-pin, D-Sub): 1 rear
PC audio input: 1 rear
Digital audio output: 1 optical, rear
USB: 1 side
RS-232c input: 1 rear

Dimensions

TV without stand: 38.9 x 24.3 x 2.2 inches (WxHxD); 44.1 pounds
TV with stand: 38.9 x 27.1 x 10.2 inches (WxHxD); 47.6 pounds
What size TV should you get?

LG 2010 HDTV Comparison

Series: LD350 LD450 LD520 LD550 LD650 LE5300 LE5400 LE8500 LX6500 PJ350 PK550 PK750 Models: 22-inch
26-inch
32-inch32-inch
37-inch
42-inch
47-inch32-inch
42-inch
47-inch
55-inch32-inch
42-inch
46-inch
52-inch47-inch
55-inch22-inch
26-inch
32-inch
37-inch32-inch
42-inch
47-inch
55-inch47-inch
55-inch47-inch
55-inch42-inch
50-inch50-inch
60-inch50-inch
60-inch Panel type LCD LCD LCD LCD LCD LED LCD LED LCD LED LCD 3D LED Plasma Plasma Plasma LED Local Dimming — — — — — — — — — — 3D Ready — — — — — — — — — — — Resolution 720p 1080p 1080p 1080p 1080p 1080p 1080p 1080p 1080p 720p 1080p 1080p Contrast ratio 50k:1
dynamic 100k:1
dynamic 100k:1
dynamic 150k:1
dynamic 200k:1
dynamic 3mil:1
dynamic 4mil:1
dynamic 9mil:1
dynamic 8mil:1
dynamic 3mil:1
dynamic 3mil:1
dynamic 3mil:1
dynamic Refresh rate 60Hz 60Hz 120Hz 120Hz 240Hz 60Hz 120Hz 120Hz 240Hz 600Hz 600Hz 600Hz Response time 5ms 4ms 2.4 2.4 2 2.4ms 2.6ms 1ms 2ms — — — Netcast Entertainment — — — — — — HDMI input 2 2 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 4 Component input
(Y, PB, PR) 1 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 2 2 2 Composite input 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 PC input USB port 1 1 1 2 2 1 2 2 2 1 1 2 MP3 and JPEG
playback — DivX video
playback — — — — — Ethernet — — — — — — Wireless 1080p Ready — — — — — — Energy Star — — — — — — — — Series: LD350 LCD LD450 LCD LD520 LCD LD550 LCD LD650 LCD LE5300 LED LE5400 LED LE8500 LED LX6500
3D LED PJ350 Plasma PK550 Plasma PK750 Plasma

Learn More

Which Size HDTV is Right for My Room?

With standard-definition TVs, the rule used to be that viewers would feel comfortable watching a set from a distance of 3 to 6 times the screen size in inches. With HDTV, the resolution is so much better that you can sit closer to a larger TV without noticing the pixels. So with HDTVs, the rule tends to be you can sit anywhere from 1.5 to 3 times the screen size (in inches) for the best experience.
If you know the size of the room you have already, where you want to sit, and where your new HDTV should go once you get it, you can figure out the size HDTV you should get.

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

Want to buy LG 42PJ350 42 Inch 720p Plasma HDTV at other amazon sites? Click the corresponding icon below:

LG 42PJ350 42-Inch 720p Plasma HDTV Review is a post from: Cheap Plasma TVs

After researching HD plasmas for about a month, I was all set on an LG model from a different website because it was the least expensive 42 incher with the best reviews I could find, but then I came across this model on Amazon for a hundred and fifty dollars cheaper (This was onsale for under $500 then..I dont think it is anymore).This is the least expensive 42 incher I’ve been come across, and I’m very satisfied with the quality.After watching a lot of movies with dark scenes, I was concerned because if I increased the brightness the colors seemed to wash out – well, after selecting the ‘dynamic’ picture setting instead of ‘standard’ that has been resolved – the colors are crisp and dark scenes are sharp and more visible.

I was concerned that this tv might have the ugly red stripe on the base of the tv like some pictures of other samsungs I’ve seen, but thankfully it does not.The tv frame and base are a sexy piano black.My opinion on why it’s inexpensive is because it has the fewwest inputs on it.It only has 2 hdmi inputs.Perfect for an hd cable box and a ps3.This tv also has 2 sets of component inputs, which are ideal for a vcr or other video game system that isnt in hd (like a wii).

I don’t have digital cable, just a plain old basic cable service and the QAM tuner picked up all the digital channels, but they’re not in hd so I’m still thinking of getting a comcast hd box, even though I despise the significant compression comcast utilizes with its signal.Compare comcast hdtv to a blu ray and you’ll notice how compressed the comcast video signal is (tiling and pixelating and motion blur is evident from the comcast signal).

All in all, at this price point, this can’t be beat.

Anyway, feel free to ask any questions on this new model via the comments section and I’ll be happy to respond.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Samsung PN42C430 42 Inch 720p Plasma HDTV (Black)

Product Description:
Get a true cinematic experience without going to the cinema with a Samsung plasma HDTV. This Samsung PN42C430, with Mega Dynamic Contrast Ratio makes sure every frame is saturated with dense, rich color. Samsung is also ENERGY STAR compliant so you are assured that your 42 -inch plasma HDTV is helping the environment by using less enery while saving you money.

Want to buy Samsung PN42C430 42 Inch 720p Plasma HDTV (Black) at other amazon sites? Click the corresponding icon below:

Samsung PN42C430 42-Inch 720p Plasma HDTV (Black) Review is a post from: Cheap Plasma TVs

I had tried to buy the previous “B” model at close-out prices, but I missed the boat. Thought I might be outta luck until the “C” version started showing up a day or so afterward and it turned out to be basically the same TV, just about 25lbs lighter – only 2 people needed to wall mount – I was down with that and $[...] bucks still didn’t seem too bad. I had already researched for some time and Plasma was it for me. The Panny G-10 had a similarly good picture too, and although it offers much to consider, I liked the Sammy’s picture just a bit more, but you may want to check it out as well. I received the set with zero problems or issues: no dead pixels or any buzzing, whines or anything amiss at all. Outta the box the picture was quite good, and showed me good resolution performance even with SD cable with no video noise issues (although initially I did find it necessary to use the 3 supplied ferrite, choke magnets that snap onto the power cord. These not only eliminated the several horizontal noise bands in the picture, but cleaned up the resolution on the overall picture with no downside – an easy fix that totally nixed the problem for me).

But, tweaking the picture a bit is where this set shines the most. When researching, I came across a site that offered a list of picture control settings for the “B” version. Since this is really the same panel, I factored it into my buying decision accordingly. Especially since the settings were said to be obtained with a Sencore color analyzer (about a $10,000 pro device for calibrating video displays and is the sort of thing used by the Imaging Science Foundation – ISF. They at least did pioneer and continue to legitimize the video calibration practice, but more to the point, it WASN’T done by any of the more lame imitators that have since cropped up (like Geek Squad, Spyder and others) whom, I feel, exist to separate you from your money (at about $300 a calibration) while hardly giving you a better picture adjustment than you can get on your own with a $25 calibration DVD).

What this means to us is that the results of, what I’m taking to be the equivalent of a $300 (legit) picture calibration, for this particular set anyway, have already been posted on the web for free – not an inconsequential consideration, for anyone interested. I’m posting those numbers here, for those who are:

White Balance Settings:
Red-Offset:22
Green-Offset:25
Blue-Offset: 12

Red-Gain:33
Green-Gain:25
Blue-Gain: 33

Picture Settings:
Picture Mode:Movie
Color Temp:Warm 2
Brightness:56
Contrast:90
Cell Light 8
Color: 53
Tint:G35/R65
Sharpness: 10
Black Tone:Off
Dynamic Contrast:Off
Gamma: 0
Colorspace:Auto
Flesh Tone:Off
Edge Enhancement:Off
Digital NR:Auto
HDMI Black Level:Low
Film Mode: Auto

When I tried these settings I noticed a very organic, natural-looking picture, one that offered me a few surprizes. This set happens to be inherently capable of showing a more-than-generous amount of color saturation without problem. I personally prefer a picture that’s just slightly undersaturated, if anything (but, I expect this set will accomodate anyone’s taste on that score, if yours are different than mine). With all this, what I found was that even when slightly undersaturated and I felt the picture was indeed realistic-looking, whenever an unusually colorful object was displayed (like a particularly vivid piece of clothing, or a brightly flourescent color – like some NASCAR colors, for example), this TV displayed BOTH the less intense colors of the more mundane objects, and the most decidedly vivid ones, equally well in the same scene AT THE SAME TIME – never subduing the most vivid colors even when the overall color level looked ‘properly’ undersaturated to me on the more everyday objects. Nor was it unnaturally emphasizing them, for that matter. The result was a TV that, on any good, HiDef, cable feed, regularly showed me a surprisingly wide (yet natural-looking) “dynamic range” of color intensity in the images. I could just about feel as if the TV itself were getting out of the way and showing me clearly (and more truthfully than I’ve seen in my home before) just what the camera saw. Very nice and, as I say, surprizingly convincing (and this with simply 1080i and 720p cable feeds – a Blu-ray player is definitely next!). This set, after my preferred adjustments, didn’t make all the colors look too subdued, like some plasmas I’ve seen have ended up doing, nor all the colors too vivid, like some LCD’s. I felt like it walked the line beautifully – not merely a good compromise, but it seemed truly the best of both in this regard. Black levels were great and with excellent detail – no complaints.

In the end, I did opt to deviate from the settings above, but only with respect to overall contrast/brightness and color level settings, everything else was the same. This gave me an appreciable gain in contrast that suits me and my family’s tastes in our well lighted, daytime living room. Plasma is usually not as vivid in the contrast department as most LCD’s or LED’s, but in the mid-price range ($1,000-$1,500 retail) it’s a small price for me to pay for a picture that I feel (with adjustment) is otherwise decidedly sharper, clearer, more life-like and dimensional than anything else for the money. I haven’t felt that any comparative lack of overall contrast has resulted in any buyer’s remorse for me at all, as no such notion has yet remotely entered my head anytime I’ve watched it.

I’ll add that in my experience with LCD’s vs. Plasmas, Plasmas kill LCD’s and LED’s when it comes to motion – at least in the sets in this price range. Up over about $2,000 and differences between the panel types start to get quite a bit smaller to me. But, just before I settled on this Sammy, I went to Wally World and dragged home a Vierra LCD, mainly to see if ‘taming down’ an LCD picture to suit my tastes could possibly be better than trying to ‘pump up’ a Plasma. In this case, a huge waste of time! What I saw was a 120-Hz LCD on sale at just under a 1,000 bucks that just couldn’t do motion very well at ALL. I popped in a SD DVD of Lawrence of Arabia and it looked like it was shot “live-to-video”, perfectly goofy. I also found out just how bad a 5-ms response time can look on a 47″ set. The 120Hz feature DID work as advertised and made fast motion MUCH better than without, but any slow-speed pan or movement caused a nearly instantaneous defocusing of the area of motion, until the motion stopped and the blurred area was able to snap back into focus. When watching a head shot of someone speaking, for example, their face would perceptably blur in the areas of facial movement while the face of another person in the scene next to them (not talking) remained in sharp focus – too disconcerting. And too much of a disconnect to the experience to NOT want to look at a person while they were talking(!). Plasma (600Hz or no) inherently has no such motion problems that require the consumer to spend money on to overcome. If that wasn’t enough (and, believe me, for me it was) the somewhat artificial vividness to the picture proved, at least on this LCD, to be something I could never quite tame, no matter what the settings.

For me, to pass muster, a flat panel must make no major blunders in the 4 most important performance areas of color, contrast, resolution and motion. To me this Sammy does all of that and at a very nice price – I don’t know how I can do much better than that, especially without another free video calibration. In fact, the only Plasma that I’m confident could beat it hands down is the discontinued-but-still-available Pioneer Kuro 50″ plasma. But then, it should, it retailed for a mere $4,500 when new. But, a few months ago it could be had on the web for only 1,600 bucks. It’s just that at the time, I didn’t have the scratch. Now, the remaining ones, if you can find ‘em, were, the last time I looked, hovering around $3,000. Oh well, I’ll tell you one thing, though; this machine at this price, has certainly eased my pain…;) I know this isn’t 3D, or more colors than RGB or anything, but I’m more than content now to wait all that out. Til the next round, this will do me just fine!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Samsung PN50C550 50 Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV (Black)

Product Description:
Get a true cinematic experience without going to the cinema with a Samsung plasma HDTV. This Samsung PN50C550, with Mega Dynamic Contrast Ratio makes sure every frame is saturated with dense, rich color. Samsung is also ENERGY STAR compliant so you are assured that your 50 -inch plasma HDTV is helping the environment by using less enery while saving you money.

Want to buy Samsung PN50C550 50 Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV (Black) at other amazon sites? Click the corresponding icon below:

Samsung PN50C550 50-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV (Black) Review is a post from: Cheap Plasma TVs

Just received the TV today! It arrived a day early, which was a pleasant surprise.Once I fired it up, I was ecstatic with this set.The quality is amazing for the price, the picture blows away a top of the line 42″ 1080p LCD display that I’ve seen.Deep rich colors, high contrast, fluid motion…there is nothing not to like!Streamed Spartacus off Netflix, and compared to my old little 22″ LCD it really came to life.(Even if the writing is really bad)

It was able to find some basic cable channels in HD, which is awesome, and Modern Warfare 2 looks simply astounding (again, much better than on aforementioned 42″ and 22″ LCDs.)

The sound is decent, it’s actually better than I was expecting.It’s obviously no Home Theatre, but I was impressed.It’s got a few connections which aren’t listed on Amazon…the 3 HDMI, 1 PC, 1 USB, 1 Component, 1 Dual Component/Composite, Audio In 1/8″, Audio Out 1/8″, Optical out, and cable.The menu is very easy to navigate and adjust, and in it you can turn off it’s startup/shut down sound if you find it irritating.It’s kinda soothing though.

One negative I’ve found is that the audio running out isn’t controlled by the televisions volume, I guess that’s pretty standard, but it means my cheap computer speakers aren’t much good.(No remote) Also when installing the base stand it felt like I was about to destroy the thread on the screws that are used…They aren’t easy to get in there!

It’s very elegant, and looks great in my living room.It’s not super bright, which I love (LCD panels hurt my eyes after a while) All in all, for the money it’s a fantastic TV.I was looking for quality, affordability, and style.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Samsung PN42C450 42 Inch 720p Plasma HDTV (Black)

Product Description:
Get a true cinematic experience without going to the cinema with a Samsung plasma HDTV. This Samsung PN42C450, with Mega Dynamic Contrast Ratio makes sure every frame is saturated with dense, rich color. Samsung is also ENERGY STAR compliant so you are assured that your 42 -inch plasma HDTV is helping the environment by using less enery while saving you money.

Get 10% OFF

Want to buy Samsung PN42C450 42 Inch 720p Plasma HDTV (Black) at other amazon sites? Click the corresponding icon below:

Samsung PN42C450 42-Inch 720p Plasma HDTV (Black) Review is a post from: Cheap Plasma TVs