Television Help!

There will be many that disagree, but I am a huge advocate of the 720p Plasma. The prices on those have gone down so low relative to quality, and the picture on Plasma will always be better than LCD, even if companies are phasing it out because it is less profitable for them. http://www.plasmatvbuyingguide.com/p...ma-vs-lcd.html http://www.lcdtvbuyingguide.com/lcdt...p-vs-720p.html

I would also reccomend the 42". Plasma has a nicer picture, and you are unlikley to actually be able to tell the difference between 720 and 1080.

the best deal is going to be the one you get the most pleasure out of watching. when i was buying mine a couple of years ago, i did a lot of book research, but i was really surprised at how different the viewing experiences could be ... not necessarily "better" or "worse" in a cnet way, but aesthetically ... i ended up with a sharp because the quality of the picture appealed most to me ... it seemed a little "creamier" and not jarringly contrasty. if you prefer a lot of contrast, ymmv. watch both in person and then buy whichever you like best.

viera plasmas have good reviews afaik

Whenever my dad was in a Best Buy he would always drift towards the plasmas because he liked the picture the best. He felt LCD's look too artificially sharp, bright, and have a jerky motion.

I bought my dad a 42" Samsung Plasma (2010 model) for his birthday and I can safely say that Plasmas have come a long way from even a couple years ago. They're much lighter in weight, produce less heat (way less than my 2007 120hz 1080p Samsung 40"), consume less energy, and prevent screen burn-in than before.

If you sit more than 6 feet away from your TV, get the 42" plasma. You likely won't be able to notice the difference in resolution, and you'll appreciate the color accuracy and smoother action scenes provided by the 600hz subfield motion of the plasma.

I will say that if you plan on placing the TV in a sun drenched room, you may want to consider the LCD over the Plasma. Plasma's in general have very reflective screens and can't get as bright as LCD's, therefore they don't work well in bright environments. If you pull down the blinds and make sure there are no light sources that directly face the TV you should be ok with the Panny.

Another con of the Panny Plasma is that it only has 2 HDMI inputs. I'm not sure how many HD devices you plan on using, but that should be fine if you only plan on using an HD cable box and either a Blu-Ray device or Gaming console. There is always the option of an HDMI switcher if you ever need more than the provided 2 HDMI inputs.

The Samsung LCD would make a much better computer monitor with the higher resolution.

It's your call. I'd personally check out both TV's at your local Sears or Best Buy (if they have them on display) before making a decision.

Hope this helps.

this effect is what i was talking about that pushed me to the sharp lcd. there really is a difference among picture-makers.