Boxing Day - Plasma TVs - ?

OK, so I'm looking at big-screen plasma TVs. Plasma because my living room is quite dark, and big-screen because... Well, they're big!

 

Current situation - Standard def digital, but will almost certainly upgrade to HD in the next year or so.

 

I'm looking for some quick thoughts on what I should be looking for, and avoiding. Geek that I am, I'm not completely ignorant about the whole deal - But I find myself rethinking some of the stuff I thought I knew.

 

I kindof had my eye on the Panasonic Viera 50" (or maybe 46"), 1080p, 20,000:1 contrast version:

http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetai...=&langid=EN

 

One thing that I'm kindof questioning now is the necessity of 1080p, based on the reviews for the 720p, (10,000:1) version of the same product (for much less $$):

http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetai...&langid=EN#

Am I really missing out without 1080p?

 

Then there's this one, for 25% more $ - Looks like the same thing as above at a glance, but seems to have a lot more contrast:

http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetai...=&langid=EN

 

...and things start really confusing me. Contrast ratio seems like another spec that probably only really matters if you are sitting way too close to the TV - Any thoughts on what's truly sub-par for that?

 

This LG 50", 720p, 30,000:1 - Looks a lot like the more expensive 720p Panasonic above, features and customer rating-wise - Normally about the same price but happens to be on a $200 discount:

http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetai...amp;catid=23526

 

One LCD competitor, based more on the nice sale price than any buzz about the product - LG 47", 1080p:

http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetai...=&langid=EN

...But I really think a plasma will work better in my room. I hear plasmas are uber space-heaters and electricity hogs - Are LCDs just as bad?

 

Anyone have an eye on something else that seems as good or better, or much less expensive and almost as good as the Panasonics?

Edited December 26, 2008 by Fatherpeteus

bw, help this man out.

Assuming you have a 360/PS3 or blu-ray player, you WILL be missing out if you don't go with 1080p. The difference is definitely noticeable.

 

 

Edit: I also prefer LCD over Plasma, the screens themselves tend to hold up better over time, and can have less burn-in from games/stationary images. Plasma's advantage generally is higher contrast ratios leading to deeper colors, and more variety in the colors. As for the heating, I've noticed LCDs produce less heat in general than plasmas, I don't know this to be a fact, but I've noticed the ones I've had/seen like that.

Edited December 26, 2008 by Sploit

Thanks for the thoughts Sploit...

 

I should have mentioned - There is no console plugged in at all (although I'm half-convinced to get a Wii, especially after finally finding a decent dueling game on my brother's this Christmas. Star Wars - Force Unleashed is more fun than a barrel full of monkees, in duel mode!)

 

No Blu-Ray player yet either - I really don't rent movies, just catch them when they come around via satellite a few months later.

 

So yeah, I'm looking for the best fit for standard def / soon to be HD digital TV watching, without being noticably bad if I eventually hook up a Wii (480p iirc) and a blu-ray player.

Edited December 26, 2008 by Fatherpeteus

I personally would never go with any less than 1080p, the way I see it, its going to be more common with TV broadcasts in the future, so unless you plan on getting another new TV in maybe 1-2 years, I would go with 1080p.

 

(lollongsentence)

my cable box only does 1080i!

 

also just now i realized wtf your topic title meant. i thought you wanted to get a big tv for a boxing match or something then i saw http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boxing_day and remembered we have some canucks in the guild, so yea, i get it now

Edited December 27, 2008 by Erlin

1080p/hdmi, pioneer elite, plasma,

 

look for those keywords

my cable box only does 1080i!

 

also just now i realized wtf your topic title meant. i thought you wanted to get a big tv for a boxing match or something then i saw http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boxing_day and remembered we have some canucks in the guild, so yea, i get it now

 

I had no idea it wasn't Boxing Day in the states too...

 

the wiki says parts of the US but i've just never heard of it before.

1080p/hdmi, pioneer elite, plasma,

 

look for those keywords

Heh - Thanks Paigow...

 

The Pioneer elite is the ultimate, but unfortunately it isn't in my pricerange. For whatever reason they cost almost 4x the LG with the same specs, 2.5x the Panasonic even. Future Shop doesn't even carry them, I assume because they know they wouldn't get much volume.

 

I'm not that kind of consumer, I suppose. Wish I was!

Edited December 27, 2008 by Fatherpeteus