Not sure yet. Was planning to go in Saturday, but now I have to fly to NY this weekend for a funeral, so I won't be able to go in until Monday...

 

My NEC 42XR4 arrived yesterday. I'll start a new thread with pics once I get it mounted.

Last night I couldn't stand looking at the box so I got it running leaned up against a wall. The HD picture on it is absolutely amazing. The biggest surprised to me was how good SD programming looks on it. The SD picture looked better than my 8 year old 27" Panny tube, even in stretch mode. The scaller in the NEC really lives up to the hype. Keep in mind my Panny TV was nothing fancy. Just a run of the mill "Pannablack" non flat tube. So its picture was average for a tube TV.

 

LOL. When I got my first Sony plasma display it spent a good month leaned up against a wall hooked up to a TiVo without a telephone line

 

haha, nice. Yeah, we made sure this TV came with the stand b/c we knew it would be a little while before we put it on the wall. I'm in the same boat as well as far as the picture goes. I was amazed how clear the SD programming was. Like I mentioned above, when we turned it on it was on ESPN SD and we thought it was HD but just wasn't perfect b/c I was using the component cables. LOL.

Now that I had some time to tweak it a bit, the picture is even better. I was up until 1am last night watching some shit on flood on NOVA just b/c it was on PBS HD. lol.... good stuff....

 

Obviously, you must have liked the Samsung plasma or you wouldn't have bought it...

My question is, why Samsung over the other sets out there?

Curious.

 

Pricing was good. As mentioned we got a great deal on it. That and I've had nothing but great experiences with the Sammy DLP, so it made me partial to the Samsung off the bat. So the combination of those things is what made us go for it.

Also... had we been looking for a plasma for a Home Theater, we may have looked a bit higher end, but for the bedroom, this thing is awesome

 

Are you using component or HDMI? Right now I'm using component and I wonder if its even worth going to HDMI? The panel has two HDMI inputs so there is no problem in taking one up.

 

I've been looking at Panasonic, Mitsubishi and Pioneer primarily for my dad... I may go take a look at the Samsung sets.


Did you look at any of the forementioned?

 

Since I'm pretty lazy and I have not been following AVS as much as I used to...where is the settings for your display section?
Thanks!

 

I looked at the Panny, and read some comparisons over on the AVSForum website. They seemed pretty even (IMO), and since I have a Samsung and loved the picture, went with my gut. I'd LOVE to get a Pioneer... but most of their good stuff was so expensive. As mentioned, if this was for a Home Theater, I'd be in Pioneer territory, but I don't need something that great for the bedroom.

As for the Mitsu... I don't know... for some reason they don't impress me. My neighbor got a 61" (think it's 61") 1080p high-end DLP... like the $7k one... and the picture didn't wow me. Even when viewing them in the higher-end home theater stores, they really don't do anything for me... and BB didn't have any Mitsu plasmas on display.

 

There is no section for that, just needed to try a whole bunch of different search terms to find what I was looking for. Some TVs, like my Samsung DLP or the Sony 60" LCD (when I had it) were easy to find. Other TVs like my dads 52" JVC, HD-ILA and this Sammy, took longer to find.

When searching, first go into the right display section (Rear Projection for DLP, LCD, etc., Flat Panel for LCD or Plasma, and so on). Then start out by searching your model number. If you can find a thread labeled as the official thread for that model, go into it, then search within the thread for keywords like tweaks, settings, color enhancement, and so on. If that doesn't work, it just becomes a shot in the dark trying different combos of the manufacturer, model #, and keywords....

 

Right now component, but I ordered the HMDI cable Tuesday, so it should be here today or tomorrow

It's totally worth it IMO. I have the Sammy 50" DLP, and used component cables for about 2 months. This is when I started doing more reading, so once I found out more about HDMI, I switched (except made the stupid mistake of buying Monster from BB). Man, what a difference. Colors are so much more vivid and everything is just so crisp and clear. So now, I won't run anything except HDMI which is why I ordered the cable (actually had to order DVI->HDMI b/c the STB only has DVI) before the TV even came . Did the same thing with my father. He had the cable before he had the TV. Cable company hooked up the HD box with Component... he loved it. I went over, hooked up the HDMI, and his jaw hit the floor. This from a guy who was saying he wanted to return the HDMI b/c he liked the TV the way it was. On his TV, it made a world of difference. Biggest improvement I've personally seen. Made it like a whole new TV and it looks phenominal.....

So in short, totally worth it. Check out www.monoprice.com . Got my 6ft cable for $22 and change shipped. Gets great reviews on the AVSForum as well, so I'm very excited to rip these component cables off

 

FYI, got my cable yesterday. Holy crap... I thought the picture was good before!! It's sooo much more crisp now. I did some basic tweaking and man, it looks awesome. What surprises me the most is how great SD channels look. I was watching AMA Supercross on Speed (which is an SD channel), and it looked so good, I could hardly believe it.

Overall I'm very happy and this again solidifies the need for an HDMI cable for anyone who wants the most out of their picture.

 

I found that the HDMI cable made things a bit too crisp for my taste. I actually perfer component's softer picture. HD looks fantastic...

 

Ok, now I have to order one. On the bright side, I got mine mounted on the wall last night

 

That's what the sharpess adjustment is for




Nice!! It will be a while before we mount ours on the wall, but that'll just complete the cool factor

But yeah, jump on that HDMI cable.... you'll love it

 

Already had it all the way down

 

I do not know if I should print all these threads out or just invite you over when I take the plunge and get a new TV.


Thanks for posting all this info - very helpful.

 

Doh!!

Different TVs will respond to the cable differently... so that could be it. For the Sammy DLP and Plasma I have, and my dad's JVC 52" HD-ILA, they've made a world of difference. Funny enough, the picture was too crisp on the plasma with the HDMI (like it was on yours), but after tweaking the settings, got 3 I like, so I left one default (standard), and made the other 3 picture modes custom. The one I love has sharpness in the 30's if I remember correctly. Anything over 40 made it too crisp and yucky

 

Or just post on here!! I definitely do not know everything, and there are others on here who know much more... but I do A LOT of research before buying things... so the countless hours spent on the AVSForum have overloaded me with info

 

Muchos gracias....I'll do this before the big party on Sunday.
I have not calibrated my plasma since a month after I got it and I've been wanting to try something besides the S&V DVD...
Thanks!

 

Well, the cable I used was the one that came with my HDDVR. So, that might be my problem right there. I bought several component cables from avcable.com and I was very happy with the quality, so I might buy one from them and take more time to tweak it. Though its nice having everything connected via component to my receiver...

What settings did you use on your Sammy DLP? I have the 61"

 

I'll check it out tonight and write them down/post here. Even if you personally do not like the settings, they will be a good starting point....

 

Great, thanks a bunch.

 

I was about to buy that Samsung Plasma too, but with mounting brackets, installation and extended warranty (a must for plasma), the deal was no longer a deal.

I bought a 56" Samsung DLP instead, $2150 shipped from oncecall.com

 

How can you go from a 42" screen to a 56" screen? When I'm looking for TVs, I cross-shop TVs in the same size range b/c my needs (or the room size/layout) don't change. Plus, you went from plasma to DLP, which is even more odd. Again, when I'm shopping for a TV, I know the type I want and cross-shop within the same technology. If I go out for a plasma, I either come home with nothing, or a plasma.

Anyway, warranty was only $300, and it's on a console... so no wall mounts needed so it was still a killer deal. When we do wall mount it down the road, I'll do it myself. No way I'm paying a store all that money. Plus, we already have a Sammy DLP for the Great Room, and we were shopping specifically for a 42" (further confusing how you could go from a 42" to a 56") b/c that would be as large as I would go in the bedroom... so larger was never an option or desire.

Oh, and FYI, the warranty for the DLPs is highly recommended as well since one bulb will run you between $200-$300... and over 5 years, you'll probably go through at least two bulbs. The warranty for my DLP was $400... which is more then the plasma warranty was b/c of the larger screen size.

 

Are the bulbs really included in the warranty? I thought they were considered a consumable. Aren't they considered consumables in front projectors?

 

Depends on the warranty. Some places cover them... some don't. Some also may cover one replacement, while others may cover more. So there's really no yes/no answer. Just need to make sure to ask before buying...

 

First I looked at the 42" plasma, that meant I would have moved the couch closer to the TV. Then I looked at the Vizio 50" HD Plasma $2,500 @ Costco. Making numbers, and checking on the brightnes and actual angles I would have at home, I found out that DLP was a great alternative, plus I did not require to move the couch.

Aditionally, I was not with the idea of placing a Plasma TV on a table. If I was to buy a plasma or Flat LCD, I would have hanged it for sure.

A 42" Plasma weighs around 90 lbs, while the 56" DLP weighs 80 lbs.
A 50" plasma uses ~ 550 watts of power; a 56" DLP uses ~ 250 watts of power.

Buying a DLP saved me around $1,000, plus I got a bigger screen.

Finally, I strongly believe that Flat LCDs will ultimately replace Plasmas. Thats why you will see 1080p Flat LCDs, and just 720p/1080i Plasmas.

About extended warranty. Based on reviews and experiences with friends, the bulb is the only item that usually needs to be replaced on a DLP. $200 for a bulb every 6,000 hours comes out cheaper for me than getting the extended warranty. But, I am not sure if extended warranty will replace it anyways.

Plasmas, one day they work, the other day they might just stop working. No bulb to replace, thats the whole TV that needs to be replaced. So extended warranty is a great buy in that case.

 

I just recently bought the extended warranty as the factory warranty just went out in December. No way would I spend this much on a TV and not have it covered. The bulb in a DLP is one thing, but my concern would be the color wheel. Anytime you have something spinning at a high rate (i.e. Hard Drives), something is bound to go wrong after several years...Rather not risk it...

 

I might consider that when my warranty expires. How much did you pay?

Its a hit or miss. I have only bought extended warranty for my MiniDisc Bundle and My Nissan Altima.

The minidisc deck ended up being returned 2 years later due to problems that could not be repaired, so i got my money back. The Nissan Altima, I am short $300 still for breaking even, so I will make sure I use it before Feb. 2007.

I have 1 year to research on past experiences with Samsung DLP owners, and I will decide if I take the risk or not. Plus one clause of the credit card states that if for some reason the equipment does not work I am not entitled to pay for the rest. I got an 18-month same-as-cash deal, which of course, would be paid off by month 17 (It would have been dumb letting this pass).

 

LOL, I was just about to come in here to post that, b/c that's the other thing that has me worried is the color wheel. Thankfully, Samsung did away with it on it's 2006 models, so the next DLP I get will be free of that (but have another technology to worry about I'm sure).

Oh and zamo, I hope LCDs never replace plasmas. Their pictures are terrible and aren't even close to plasma IMO. Plus, the screen-door effect on LCDs are so bad, that if LCD technology was the only new choice out there... I'd keep my old tube TV. Also, I don't know of any flat-panel 1080p LCDs. Projection LCDs yes, but not flat panel. Oh, and don't be fooled, 1080p plasmas are not far away at all....

 

See that's different, you just went out general TV shopping. I went out looking specifically for a plasma. So I knew there were bigger, cheaper TVs to be had... but I didn't want them for the bedroom. That's what the great room and bonus room is for....

 

Really? Well thats not a good sign...I wonder if there's been any reported issues...Need to check avsforum...

 

I think it was around $350 for 3 years, from Circuit City. I had an old rear projection Mitsu that had a five year warranty on it. Had to get warranty work twice on it. First time was to replace all three tubes, which were $250 a piece. The second was to completely recalibrate the screen, as the picture just went to crap. So, it easily paid for itself.

 

No doubt that Plasmas have better black level and overall brightness compared to a flat LCD. But the new Flat LCDs are getting pretty close (talking about th 45"+ LCD screens). New technology will make LCDs larger than 50" more common and cheaper than the current ones

Two people at work just bought the 45" Sharp Aquos Flat panel LCD 1080p, those llook amazing.

I was just concerned about being stuck with a phasing-out technology. 1080p technology already on Flat Panel LCDs, and DLPs. I wonder how long it takes for Plasma to catch up.

 

My NEC 42XR4 plasma will accept a 1080P signal on component but not HDMI.

 

Right, Tvs are supposed to accept higher signals and downconvert them. But one thing is supporting a signal, and another is displaying it natively.

 

juniorbean, anyways, congratulations on the purchase. I am just giving you my opinion regarding Plasmas. I still believe Plasmas deliver one of the brightest images and best black levels on the market.

 

zamo say what?

First off, there are more then a dozen 1080p plasmas headed for market at this very moment... with more scheduled through the year. So there's that theory.

As for the rest, why do you think that?

There is no sign that LCD, in its current incarnation, will EVER replace Plasma.

If anything a, new, superior technology will replace both.

Modern direct-view LCD's do not come ANYWHERE CLOSE to modern Plasmas. Plasmas, by most every account, have a significantly better picture over direct-view LCD. Plasmas are also advancing in picture quality faster than LCD. You see far more VAST improvements in Plasma displays from year to year than you currently see for LCD, which remains relatively stagnant.

LCD is, believe it or not, a fairly mature technology. There is not much reason to suspect VAST improvements (which are needed) anytime in the pipeline.

Again, it's VERY VERY VERY unlikely that LCD will ever compete, let alone replace, Plasma.

Unless you have some fact to support your theory, I'd say it's just that... your lone theory.

If it were even a possibility several-several years down the road, by then, a new technology (many of which are already in limited production) will most likely replace both.