So, HDTVs...

[Josh]

I have a 36" Samsung from 2007. Does 1080p and doesn't afraid of anything.

As soon as there is an actual legit reason to do so I'll probably upgrade it, but it still looks like it did when I got it, and still does all the things it's always done. If I play games on it I just push the couch a foot or so closer. It's best way to upgrade the size of your TV.

[GohanX]

I have been reading that Samsung E series TVs have a PC mode that completely turns off processing (more than Game mode does) to give an impressive 16ms lag. Hmmm...

[dog$]

After a few months with Viera P60U50:

Image vividness and response is great. Banding and image retention are not.

If you look for it, color banding is very commonplace on this set. Items that have gradient shades look like compositions of strips.

The set does have a program menu option to run an anti-image retention scroll for fifteen minutes, but if you play any video game that has a HUD of any kind for more than thirty minutes, elements of it will be retained on the screen. That is even after running the scroll for an hour.

Based on what people say about the Vieras, this is the result of me getting the relative tard version of the plasma lineup, so I guess it's possible for the issues to not be as prevalent on the higher end sets.

I'm not displeased with owning the TV, but I can't simply ignore the issues which it does in fact have.

[GohanX]

That's incredibly helpful, thanks.

[GohanX]

After looking at some display models, I think I'm leaning towards the Samsung plasmas, they seem to be better than the Panasonics at my price range, while the Panasonics seem to be better at the higher end of plasmas. I was looking at this 43" for around $400 or the 51" version for about $600. The only Pannys in that price range are the X5 series, which gets pretty bad reviews, and seems to have unacceptable lag levels even in game mode.

Any thoughts?

[Josh]

GTFO with that 720p shit.

[GohanX]

I can't tell a difference on a 42" set, and there is no 1080p version. I can tell the difference between the 50 720p and 1080p sets.

[cigsthecat]

I have the Samsung PN50C550 plasma, and it's been great. I got it in 2010 so it is outdated, obviously. It's been great for gaming and movies though. I can red parry in 3s and blurays look amazing.

Maybe read about the current gen of Samsung plasmas and how they relate to the older ones. The only thing to keep in mind is that you need to watch out for burn in. Mine has a "scroll" tool that you can use to wipe the screen that I use often and it's worked out so far. Certain games will be worse than others...Wizorb in particular was really trying to burn a hole through the screen.

[Thief Silver]

Gonna throw this here:

http://www.displaylag.com/display-database/

people putting together a lag database for TVs so you can see what kind of input lag you're looking at. Since TV companies don't really care about it.

[Diff-chan]

I bought a Viera LCD last year, returned it and got a plasma because that's what I really wanted. It's not just about input lag, but the colors and motion on plasmas are just a step above anything you can get on a LCD, short of maybe the Sharp Elites which cost eight times more.

Plasmas have their downside, IR/burn-in can still happen no matter what anyone says, and they use a lot more power, but for PQ, nothing on the market comes close.