Video Asylum

Posted by Joe Murphy Jr (A) on October 09, 2004 at 13:38:18

In Reply to: Re: Hmmm... posted by townsend on October 08, 2004 at 21:58:37:

I don't know what happened to my first reply, so I'll try again.

ED vs HD
It's really up to you. If you feel that HD is needed for a 42" model at that distance, by all means get what you want. I understand the need to future-proof, but here's a suggestion. Why not get an ED model now (42" ED 7UY panel for $2050) and in a few years upgrade to a 50" HD model (funds permitting)? Remember, even with the next generation players in 2006, many people with today's ED plasmas still get that WOW! factor when watching HD material. I'm not trying to push you to an ED display: I'm just suggesting that you make an informed decision based on your needs. If a 42" HD model makes the most sense to you and that's what your eyes tell you, follow that route.

Budget
Looking at the prices I've seen for the new 7UY 50" and 42" HD Panasonics, would it be too much of a stretch to spring for the 50" model? The difference is $1k at 1800plasmas.com and in a few months I'll bet that difference will shrink by $200 - $300 due to the fact that 42" HD models are part of the least competitive section of the market.

DVI and Bravo vs Samsung
If you want to invest in a DVD player with a digital output (DVI or HDMI), I'd suggest waiting a few months. There are several players, a few of them rather inexpensive, that are being released soon and may get around some of the bugs that have plagued recent players.

I have a Bravo D1 that has not given me any problems. That's not to say that everyone has been so lucky. I'd say the odds are 80/20 that you will get a good player that doesn't cause you to regret your purchase. That said, the picture from the DVI output to the plasma is unreal at times. It almost looks like HD when a high quality DVD is played.

Stay away from Samsung. Their video engineers have shown for the second year in a row that they do not understand how to properly design a digital video circuit in a DVD player. That's not my opinion -- that's an easily proven fact.

Plasma vs LCD
That's a hotly debated topic. Specifically, regarding your question about depth, here's the 411. "Depth" perception in video is directly related to how well a display handles black levels. Plasmas just happen to do a better job than LCDs (flat panel and projection).