Looks like people are finally catching on.
In case anyone is interested, Walmart's highly advertised deal on a 42 inch Panasonic plasma tv is easily beaten by Circuit City who has the next higher model up for even less money. And you can order it online from Circuit City and get it delivered free. Total savings over Walmart... about $450.
I wouldn't buy a plasma TV from anybody. Go LCD, better technology and much lighter weight.
The problem with LCD technology is there little detail in the dark areas of the picture. LCD has improved, but so has plasma technology. Panasonic is on its 9th generation. Only the early technology versions had problems. New ones are rated for enuf hours to last 22 years.
By the way, Motorola has a patent that if they can work out the bugs, will replace plasma and LCD. Take an old fashion phosphor tube and eliminate the electron gun and vacuum tube and replace it with a flat panel that makes the phospors light up. It promises to be higher quality than anything currently on the market.
How does DLP rate against plasma and LCD?
DLP is quite good in terms of on-screen quality. Also, (like LCDs) no screen burn-in (important when watching 4/3 aspect TV).
The main drawbacks is that they have moving parts (a mirror is spinning at fairly high speed all the time) which can cause noise or eventually need service. Also, the bulb starts to gradually fade and can reach half-brightness in as little as 2-3 years (if you watch a lot of TV). The bulb can be replaced, but costs about $350 for most DLP sets.
A neighbor has one and it looks terrific but my understanding is that some people can see noise from the moving mirrors. On the other hand, I believe HP just came out with new technology to double the resolution of DLP by somehow taking advantage and changing the images dot by dot as the mirror move.
I'll bet it's not worth while buying anyway. Full HDTV is 1920 x 1080p resolution. Sony just came out with a number of these models. Up to now most HDTVs have been about 1366 x 768i. I wouldn't waste my money on a cheap low resolution HD TV.
Here they are clearing out cheap 852 x 480i plasma TVs for about C$500, which is about US$450. That's not even the lines of analog, just cheap stuff that can't give you the best picture.
Also I agree with those who say go LCD in that size for in home use. Plasma is brighter so would be better in high light areas. DLP becomes practical in the large 60+ inch size, but the better LCD is moving up there in size and specs. DLP is expensive to maintain.
As has been said, CRTs are very good, in fact the other designs are attempting to equal CRTs. Just imagine a 60" CRT, not stealable! The projection TVs we've had for years have to small a viewing angle. Watch out for the vertical viewing angle of LCDs though, some have a very small vertical angle.
I'm waiting until the designs settle down and full HDTV is fully available. The broadcasters have some catching to do and some analog signals do not look very good on an HDTV set. For now my 27" Sony TV which has never needed a repair is just fine.
I've replaced the flyback and picture tube in our old Sony. Next problem will be bye-bye to the recycle center.
Reliable Sonys are a thing of the past. Their quality has been suffering tremondously lately.
I guess I've been lucky. I've been buying Sony products for over 20 years, and even the most recent ones I have bought have been problem-free.
My guess is Wal-Mart purchased their TVs from Panasonic before Panasonics recent price cuts, and Target afterward.
In any event if one shows a current Circuit City ad, and it is in fact the same model as one sold by WalMart, they will match the price. ;)
mike
Sony TVs were (are?) made to very close tolerances. I worked at Sony San Diego from 03/91 to 12/03, and in the CRT manufacturing area from 4/99 to
12/03. Specifically, I worked those last 4 years in the department that made the 20" and 27" aperture grills.
Except the Circuit City model is a better model for less money. And on the internet, Circuit city offers free deliver. Walmart wants $250. Only idiots buy at Walmart.
Read my post again. I went there out of desperation because I needed certain things for my father who was just out of the hospital. But I left everything at the store and left empty handed when I couldn't get checked out by a cashier and the check yourself out system wouldn't work. I was indeed an idiot to go there even out of desperation.
Careful, dizzy will become jealous if you steal his nickname !!!
People who use the checkyourself out system are only making more work for themselves.
Example: Self service gas stations.
Years ago before the self service gas stations I could remain in my car during a blizzard and have my tank filled, windows deiced, oil checked, tires checked oh and bring me out a nut goodie would ya. Then with the change and big thankyou sir. Now I have to do all that myself in the dead of winter and some stations don't even want you to come inside, it's pay by credit card OUTSIDE, how silly can we be.
Not if the other lines are long, & the DIY lines are short, or empty, & you have few items. Better than waiting in line at one of the regular check-outs, IMO.
As to this last, it's easier than trekking to the inside, often waiting in line to pay. If paying by CC outside, you just replace the nozzle & get back into the car, & drive off.
Cathy
to each his own. I liked the full service stations which are unheard of today. Do you remember .28/gal gas?
"dbu'" >,
DAYUM, I thought *I* was old. Lowest I remember is about 50 cents.
Natalie
There's still at least one here, about a mile from my house. Which I used - the full serve pump, I mean - until gas went *way* up this past year. At that point, I said the hell with it, & finally started pumping my own.
Do you remember .28/gal gas?
Nope. The last low price I clearly remember was $.33/gallon.
Cathy
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