LED DLP - I Ate Crow Yesterday

H

HornGrad'01

250+ Posts
While I must caveat that, value aside, I still believe there to be better HDTV options that deliver superior image quality and positioning flexibility (my biggest gripes for DLP - and all rear-projection tech for that matter - were less-than-stellar off-axis viewing and the silk-screen effect), I have to admit that Sammy's 750 series, LED-based DLP tech is incredibly attractive - and downright untouchable when you factor in price. Never thought I'd do it - but the size-to-value ratio was just too great to ignore.

The 61" version, which set me back a mere $1,650, is an absolute gem. It would easily cost me more than double that for a comparably sized flat panel (and would be plasma, as LCD is still in the stratosphere of price at that screen size).

I also have the benefit of near-perfect viewing angles in the room in which the TV resides, on both vertical and hortizontal axes. I also sit just far enough away that the sparkles in brighter scenes caused by the screen material are almost a non-factor.

Now for the plusses:

- Properly tweaked (playing with the LED settings and contrast), this sucker can show some pretty inky black levels
- Color accuracy is amazing and are pretty customizable for individual taste
- Image quality on high-def material is solid - blu-ray movies looked fabulous, and it handles standard definition / interlaced material admirably (good video processing and deinterlacing and 2:3 pulldown executed near flawlessly)
- Compact frame, large presence - allows for more screen per inch of real estate
- Energy conservation - only 120 watts on, 1 watt off. Being green without the compromise
- Fewer moving parts. What color wheel?
- No bulbs to burn out means no replacement

Going to have this ISF calibrated soon - so looking forward to maxing out its capabilities.

Sure, I may have just invested in a dodo farm, but as long as this dodo lives - it will be fun to watch.
 
I am in the market to buy a 52" HDTV but can not decided whether to buy a LCD, Plasma or DLP. My budget is 2k-4k depending if it is worth it. I don't care about the thickness since it will not be wall mounted. It will be our primary living room TV with no window glared.

I saw the new Sony Bravdia and they look amazing in HD but am afraid what it looks in non HDTV feed.

The Sammy 750 looks like it might be an option.

Are there any other brands I need to look at? I am not in a rush so will the price go down for Christmas.

So confusing - any advice would be great.
 
I know of 3 people with a Vizio. I know of nobody that does not like their Vizio.

paging hornian.
 
CRun,

In a ~50", the DLP is going the way of the dinosaur. There are still a handful of options in that size, but Samsung and Mitsu are choosing to focus on the larger, more competitive sizes in the DLP tech. That said, as I mentioned above - its a great value for the amount of real estate you get.

If you are not wanting to go above 50", I'd like to know a bit more info before making a recommendation. Is your room bright and is there a lot of natural light for much of the day? Are you more of a movie watcher, sports watcher, or gamer? How far away will you be sitting from the TV?

FWIW, the Samsung 650 is a better value than the 750. Other than aesthetics and a couple features most folks won't use (or even like), the 750 is identical to the 650 - but costs around $200-300 more.

And, depending on how far you plan to sit from the TV - and whether or not you can control the amount of sunlight in the room - a 720p plasma is likely to be the best value in that size (and at 50", there are very few circumstances where 1080p will provide you much benefit).

I like the Sony (I just bought a Z4100), but they lose on overall picture quality to the Samsung IMO and are by no means a value-strong brand. If not for the touch of color, I would have not lost the battle to the wife and would have purchased the 650 instead.

Oh, and though I am no prognosticator, my money is on lower prices for the holiday shopping season. Sluggish economy will make for some good holiday buys.
 
I have a custom builtin that is specific for a 52" so I can't get a bigger TV so I can buy a better quality TV rather than a larger TV. It will be in the living room so the moderate natural light the room gets can be controlled by the blinds.
- We will mostly watch regular TV programming (mix of HD and non HD programming) so it is important the HD TV will look good with a non-HD signal.
- We will watch sports but not many movies
- The TV will be 6-8 feet away with very little side viewing
 
Cr,
50" Panasonic 1080p plasma is my suggestion. Probably the best value/quality plasma on the market.

see:

Great Reviews. I own last years 42" and it is perfect w/ bluray and reg sd signals/

Panasonic Viera TH-50PZ85U 50" 1080p Plasma HDTV
The Link
 
Holden,

Was going to suggest the same TV as well as the 800u.

At that viewing distance range, specifically the lower end of the range (you get cuspy towards the higher end of your range - SMPTE and THX are around 6.5 to 7ft recommended), you should benefit from 1080p in most viewing circumstances with a 50" set.

The Panny's offer fabulous pictures, and plasmas handle fast motion fabulously well, so sports viewing should be a real treat. Like all plasmas, they tend not to be as bright as LCDs, but with the light control you say you have, should not be an issue. Great black levels and good detail in dark scenes - a close second to the Kuro, but at a fraction of the price. Great color accuracy and commendable video processing for SD viewing.

The 800u adds a THX display certification ("THX mode") with improved picture contrast and color accuracy and depth and top-of-the-line video processing. Also adds a swivel stand (useful for some)

Whether the 800u is worth the extra scratch will be entirely up to you. I'd check out both and do a comparison yourself.
 
HG'01,

Your right. I meant the 85OU:

The Link

Adds more than the 800. This is as close to a Kuro killer as you can get and is an excellent value.
 
I once bought a Vizio and won't make that mistake again. Bought it almost 3 years ago from Sam's when they were just coming on to the scene. One year later the picture went yellow and had to get a new processor (without it for 3+ weeks). I rarely purchase the extended warranty but because it was only $60 and Vizio was a new brand I did so. Thank god. Then a few months ago an area started to fade out (not burn-in). After supposedly ordering a new screen I just received a refund check for the TV.
 
What are the negatives about DLP? The TV will be in a console so weight and depth are not a concern. Picture quality is the most important criteria for me - how does DLP compare with the Panasonic Plasma?
 
The negatives are size. What dimensions are you able to fit? DLP in the sub 56" is near obsolete. There is a non-LED based version, the 650 series, made by Sammy in a 50". Just not much out there.

And frankly, as I said in my very first post, I think you're likely to be more satisfied with the picture on a plasma - but to each his own for sure.
 
HornGrad

How close are sitting to the screen? I've read nothing but rave reviews and that bigger is better. Do u wish u would have bought the 67"?
 
I haven't measured, but would guess I am about 8-9 ft from the primary seating area.

Would've loved the 67", but couldn't due to size restrictions of space it was going in. 67" would have overwhelmed the space (and wife).

I count my blessings she agreed to let me have the 61".
 
free+good, a co-worker had that happen to his Sony about five months ago. Did you find out what the problem was? He had a warranty too and got it replaced. He's lucky he got the warranty.
 
If you're looking at the 550/650/750- you may want to watch out for the 630- which is coming out this month. Supposedly a better version of the 550- with a semi-matte screen (not glossy like 650/750).
 
The 630 is actually already out and reviews are pretty mixed. Gave up quite a bit of "pop" without the glossy screen (not as 3D-like and black levels/contrast are not quite as strong). But, for some that have to have a semi-matte, its obviously one of only a few choices in the Sammy lineup. That said, not sure I personally think the 630 can best some of the Sony offerings (though Sony has its own issues - sparkles, backlight flux, etc.).

All-in though, the 52" 630 should be able to be found readily for under $2K by the holiday shopping season.
 
I have no idea what the issue was. The tech came out, took the TV apart, said it needed a new screen and that he'd call us and schedule a time to come back out and install it. 3 weeks later we received a check for the original price of the TV. The good news is that for the same amount of money I can get a bunch more TV now, but it was a pain in the *** to have it break twice.
 
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