Is there another competing technology war going on?
By Matt Burns 
posted Aug 21st 2006 6:26PM
posted Aug 21st 2006 6:26PM
Sometimes we get all caught up in the HD DVD/Blu-ray format war that we forget that there is another competing technology war going on right under our nose: LCDs and Plasmas. Gone are the days where LCDs are the small flat-panels and plasmas are the big ones, now a person can choose from the same size panel for about the same price. Worse yet, they offer the consumer nearly the same life span, picture quality, inputs, and now, price. People have long favored LCDs as plasmas had a rough start, but now that they have matured quickly thanks to their high sales, they are very much improved.Is this technology war more important then the other one about Blu lasers and high-def? What would/have you chosen for your flat-panel of choice?
Well, it would be a 'technology war' except for the simple fact that either LCD or plasma will be able to play movies from ANY movie studio!
So no ;P
I'm sticking with CRTs a while longer. I just think you still get a fantastic picture with a high def tube.
It'll be interesting to see how the landscape shifts when (and if) SED TVs hit the market. I'd love to have the quality of a CRT in a screen I can hang on the wall.
I have a 42" Panasonic EDTV plasma, 2 1/2 years old, and a 1 year old Samsung 32" LCD. I have to say, even though the Panasonic isn't even an HDTV, the picture is fantastic - brighter, better contrast, so I have to say I like plasma better.
All I ever see when I look at an LCD in stores is major blue push and backlighting. Coupled with poor viewing angles I'm not sure why so many people seem to think LCD are superior, but each to his own.
lcd definatly, and we all just want a hddvd/bluray device im holding out for it by buying the ps3 to satisfy my hd movie wants until some company gets the memo
How are you forgetting about probably the best HD picture? DLP. I have a 46" Toshiba DLP and it looks gorgeous. Very bright, brilliant colors, and superb contrast. Not to mention its the cheapest out of all of them. It takes up more space, but not really that much, and the ONLY disadvantage is you can't hang it up. But I prefer my TV on eye level anyway so I don't even think I would hang a plasma or LCD. Just my opinion.
There is no format war here. Both can coexist peacefully and live on, if economics allow. The only problem for consumers would be if one format dies out, and support for that dead format (repair work, etc.) dies too.
DLP is still a projection technology, so viewing angles suck. Couple that with the fact that I can see rainbows (I think...:P), and DLP is definitely not for me, or anyone else that doesn't like projection TVs as a whole.
It isn't just the rainbows with DLP. It's the silk screen effect that drove me crazy. You see that on DLPs and LCD RPs. Just horrible. That is why I went plasma. Plasmas just have a very pleasing picture to me. And I wanted a 50", I haven't seen any 50" LCDs around, plus the 46" LCD I saw in Circuit City looked blurry in action. So I had to go for plasma.
I have two LCDs (one 40" Samsung, one 32" Westy), with another 40" Samsung on the way. I absolutely love the picture quality I get from both, although the Samsung is clearly superior. I get great viewing angles as well!!
I agree that Plasmas do offer a better overall picture but the main reasons for me going LCD included:
-MUCH less power usage (anyone notice there's an energy crisis in the world these days!!!)
-Lack of burn in or picture retention (although, I'm told this isn't as much of an issue w/ Plasma's these days)
-LCDs last longer (I read here it's the same, but everywhere else I've read - and everyone in stores I've talked to say Plasmas die out earlier, and lose brightness as they grow old as well)
That's really it. The power thing was huge with me, though, and would serve as reason enough unless the price difference was just so in favor of plasma. Just my opinion! At this point, I don't see myself ever going Plasma.
I deal with TVs on a daily basis and theres one thing left out here about plasmas...
Burn-In..
LCD can burn-in easily but not as easy as a plasma.. Ive seen a plasma set (bout 6-12 mths ago) that in a matter of only 2-2 1/2 hrs had burn-in..
Also as far as picture quality they are both about the same.. LCDs are starting too look really nice, but plasmas seem to have come to a halt in quality..
DLPs thou are IMHO the best picture out there, with a good Rear Projection, and then the LCD with plasma bringin up the rear..
How about the higher resolutions on LCDs like full spec 1920 x 1080 and the ability to accept 1080p? This seems like a better match for HTPCs. Plasma resolution seems to be stuck at 1365 x 768 or less.
What I do not understand is that some plasmas like the new 60" Pioneer at Best Buy says it accepts 1080p via HDMI but the resolution (1365x768) does not seem to support that anyway. Can someone clarify this?
It is unfortunate that the licensees of SED are holding off their technology due to costs. I am not sure this is more of a political decision or legit manufacturing costs, but I think in time both LCD and plasma will be slapped like the street ho's they are. :)
Technology based on blocking always-on light is a bad approach. Sure, I love CRT-based displays and is why I expect SED to do well in time. For now, though, the flat-panel wars is nice and some great every day use LCDs are dirt cheap.
Well it looks like one of the major players might, just might, be looking out for consumers. Ok, their hedging their bets so the format wars wont effect them, but in the long run, I would rather pay a little (ok, a lot) more for a player that handles both formats than try and pick a winner and end up loosing again (I don't need another piece of hardware next to my BetaMax player and my MiniDisk recorder).
I don't see the various display technologies fighting a "war" anything like media format wars because multiple types can survive without pain for the consumer. Since each display has it's own strengths they will find their own niche in the market. At this point I am personally leaning toward LCD because I have a bright room, wide angles, and a desire for 1080p (short viewing distance). I also want to avoid fan noise, high power consumption, and burn-in. However, when I am finally ready to buy, everything will be on the table, so maybe the LED DLPs will be bright enough, or the 1080p plasmas will be cheap enough... yea right...
I don’t view this as a war at all either. It is actually better for consumers as there are more choices available, and the competition will drive down prices. Format wars are very bad for consumers. I won’t be kicking myself in 2 years for buying plasma, like I would if I bought that "insert bias here" player.
I am with TJ. My CRT is just fine, and I am not ready to hang my TV up yet. When the resolution is up to 1080 at an affordable price, I will be ready. Maybe another 5 years.
Kas, I love my minidisc. That one didn’t fail; it just never made it mainstream. I have yet to scratch a MiniDisc. They are indestructible. I have found minidiscs that have music from CD’s that died years ago.
I don't think this one is nearly as bad. Plasmas and LCDs have the same inputs (or have the ability to have the same inputs). But, Blu-Ray/HD-DVD has their own formats, their own specific lasers, and if you get a HD-DVD player now, it wont play blu-ray, and vice versa.
So, I think this war isnt nearly as bad because either way, you can watch your TV and not worry about it going out. If PLasma fails, your TV will still have stuff coming out for it, because it uses universal connections.
I agree that this is not a war, or at least not a negative war. This kind of competition is perfect, and great for consumers, UNLIKE Blue Ray and HD-DVD. Why? Because this is comepetition and it pushes down the prices and increases the quality and features, AND if you buy the wrong one you can still use it in the future. That is the problem with the next gen disk wars, you have a 50/50 chance of buying an obsolete player.
Thomas, I have a panasonic 8 series 50" plasma and depsite my nanny leaving it on TWC music channels for hours a day where the static images with borders would be expected to produce burn in, I have seen absolutely no evidence of it and believe me, I have checked obsessively. Of course I was worried when I found out that this is what she was doing but I let her continue after seeing no burn in. Not even immediate, temporary image retention.
Phosphor application in plasmas has improved dramatically recently so, if my experience is typcial, no one should be worried about burn in in today's plasmas.