VIZIO kicks plasma to the curb, will focus on LCD TVs
By Darren Murph 
posted Feb 11th 2009 3:30PM
posted Feb 11th 2009 3:30PM
posted Feb 11th 2009 3:30PM
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I wonder when will LG announce that it will also be discontinuing plasma? My bet is LG, Samsung, and then Panasonic.
Of course, what do you expect from a "low end" company. Plasmas will become a niche item for the educated discerning few. At least until true LED displays become available in larger sizes.
I fell in love with LCD's Matte finish. Now if only dell would go back to that so I can get a laptop!
Someone let me know when we will have a good selection of 'affordable' LCD's between 52-65" that have great blacks and viewing angles.
Thanks,
Bye
The only LCD I like is the Sony 55XBR8, and that is looking past the bad viewing angles and the $7,000 price.
"dont show as well in big box stores"... i had a display model the vp422 at my store over the holidays. i couldnt sell them if my life depended on it. very poor contrast (as with any vizio TV). then again, it was next to my 42px80, which makes most tvs look flat in comparison. oh, and to boot, my vp422 lasted about 2 mos before the power supply took a shat. we didnt fight to get a replacement...
When / if Panasonic stops selling VIERAs I will cry. If my only option for a TV in the future is LCD, I honestly don't know what I'll do. I just pray my current VIERA will last until OLED is affordable, because I will not buy LCD. It's a true shame that the sheep (consumers) flock to LCD simply because of marketing and Plasma myths. Plasma really is the TV for the educated, everyone can have their LCDs I suppose.
This makes me cry. I have a 50" Vizio plasma now, which has been excellent (LG glass), but I was planning on upgrading to Vizio's apparently now canceled 60" 1080p plasma. Seeing the LCD craze makes no sense to me-- they're worse in every way. I have a high-end beast of a LCD monitor for my desktop (Samsung 244T, 550 cd/m^2! None of that TN panel crap) but plasma is where it's at for HDTVs.
Comparing HDTVs at the store, the plasmas always blow away the LCD TVs. Why on earth are the LCDs selling better? Seriously, who would buy them? Anyone who compares them specwise will find plasma superior, and even the layman comparing them visually will find the plasma looks significantly better. Do the stores and salespeople get a larger margin on the LCDs or something?
There are 2, or possibly 3 reasons why LCD's sell better in stores.
1. They are brighter, which draws the idiots to them instantly. Think of it like a bright light at night. The bugs just SWARM to it. Same thing in a store. People walk in and are drawn to the brightness.
2. Salesmen. I FUCKIN HATE SALESMEN. The biggest reason that plasma myths are still ongoing today is because the salesmen themselves are the ones that are spreading them! I know I'm not alone when I say I have heard a salesman make some shit up about plasmas. Swear to god, I heard a salesman at Wal-Mart tell a customer that plasma gas leaks out, and is hazardous in the home if it is breathed in. WTF. Now, granted, this is wal-mart we're talking about, and we all know ya don't have to be a genius to work there, but still. It is that guys JOB to know about the product, but instead of researching, he goes and makes shit up.
3. "plasmas are too heavy" or "plasmas use too much electricity" Those are 2 of my favorite excuses. Seriously a 42" plasma weighs like, 55 lbs? 60 lbs? That is not heavy at all. And even if it could be considered heavy, what the hell are these people doing? Carrying their TV on their back at the mall or what?
While it is true that plasma does use more electricity than LCD's, it is insignificant. It is nowhere near as much as people think. It's actually only like 1 or 2 dollars a month, and if you can't afford the extra 1 or 2 bucks a month, then perhaps you shouldn't be buying a $1,000 TV in the first place.
The last thing I want to buy is a LCD for my HDTV needs!!! LCD is fine for my PC Monitor, but if I want a great looking, more Natural Picture, Plasma wins hands down. It's No contest. If you want to spend a whole lot on a Very High end LCD, they are getting closer to Plasma, but why spend that kind of money for something that's still not as good as a Plasma?!?!?! As for Heavy, I'd let you know I lifted my 50" Panasonic Plasma, around 86 pounds onto it's mount by myself. Not that I recommend doing that. It's heavy and awkward to lift and hold. The whole Power thing is a joke. Sure it uses a bit more, but unlike a LCD the Back-light is always ON, at least on most LCD displays, on a Plasma, when part of the screen is Black, it's using no power on the blacks. So darker Movies, Less Power. You see the MAX Power Usage and you go wow that's a lot, but it's not real world.
Plasma's are Completely sealed, there's no Plasma Leaking!!! There's no such thing as having to fill up your Plasma Display. Sad to see Viszo leave the Plasma Market, but even more so with Pioneer leaving. I don't think Panasonic will be leaving the Plasma market anytime soon. Samsung I think will stay in for a while at least, LG? I think they will leave Plasma also within a year or two.
Shame on Vizio. They have gone over to the dark side.
the matte finish looks more natural to me, when i look at plasmas it looks like i'm looking through a glass window at an image but when looking at a movie on a lcd tv with a matte finish its like i've opened the window and i'm looking at the object or movie itself, ya know what i mean ?
That's the number one reason why I hate plasmas. But even bring that up and you get your head chewed off. I can't stand the glass, it takes the cinema effect out of films. That's why I always say the picture from a plasma looks overblown and fake. But I guess a theres a niche of people who like that look. My favorite is DLP. Can't beat the color gradients on one of those sets, especially one you can have custom calibrated.
Well you're pretty much gonna be shit out of luck this year when most LCD manufacturers go to a glossy screen like Samsung. By the way these have the worst reflection ever.
"First, PDP sets simply 'don't show as well in big box stores'"
Maybe VIZIO plasmas don't show as well, because they're shite! Go into any retailer with sets on display and the plasmas are clearly the ones with the best picture. LCDs don't show well, unless you're under horrific fluorescent lights.