New TV - help needed!

[RetroRaz]

to the OP:

I think what you need to do is go into a store such as John Lewis / Currys and look at the comparison wall. It will physically show you what the difference in picture quality is like. All 3 technologies (Plasma, LCD , LED) have their advantages and disadvantages. See what suits you, read up on it and make a decision.

If i were you and wanted a plasma, Id definitely get Panasonic, if Pioneer were still in the market, it will be a pioneer.

I myself have a Samsung LED and an LG LED,  cant tell a lot of difference in terms of picture quality, samsung maybe has a bit more vibrant colours, and the LG has slightly better motion. I use the Samsung in my bedroom more though because it plays most major formats of my movies from my server.

[RetroRaz]

oh forgot to mention, Also have a LG plasma in my dads room. Dont like it 

[berg]

LED is nothing more than an LCD but with an LED backlight system instead of small strip lights (like the ones that you find in a kitchen or garage). Therefore LED (read LCD) is actually older tech than Plasma. Reflections can be a problem but with the latest generations it's not so bad, combine that with a little common sense (don't place it opposite a window for example) and you will be fine.
The future is actually 4K OLED which is drop dead gorgeous with a mind blowing picture but......... It's at least 12 months away. So many things have to change to make 4K viable.
Better compression systems are in development (a lot have been confirmed but will need to be put into practice), with these it will make terrestrial TV possible (Japan are trailing this now and Sony/BBC are experimenting at Wimbledon as I write). I also read yesterday that a new WiFi platform has just been agreed to make 4K streaming around the home a possibility) (great, that means I have to buy another router).
Then the real problems will need to be tackled, Broadband speed will probably be the most important thing that will need to change as the amount of data needed for a movie is huge (around 500gb using traditional compression for a 2.5hour movie). If we believe that our movie and TV viewing future is via the internet that is.
Clearly, 500gb does not fit on BD disc, even if it was capable of 4K (it's not, as it was never in the original agreement/specification) and also HDMI is technically capable of carrying the data needed but it is not ratified to carry native 4K content (yes it can do upscaled) and this will be solved by the introduction of HDMI 2.0. However this will not happen until next year so that lovely 4K Sony TV thats at the front of a lot of Curry's stores at the mo, is almost useless already, or the 4K LG in Richer Sounds.

Anyway, rant over.......Get yourself a 42" GT50(if you can find one) or GT60 ( if you can afford it ) You will not regret it. As far as size is concerned the general rule of thumb is that for 2D you should sit 3 times the size of your TV away and for 3D it should be 1.5 times the away, i.e. if you buy a 42" you should sit 10ft away for 2D and 5ft for 3D so at 8ft away you should have a very happy compromise!
Also, if you go to a panasonic store I believe you can get a 5 yr G'tee.

TA

thanks for input. yes think will go to John Lewis Raz and have a look at them 

[Biano44]

Panasonic have halted plasma development. All you'll get for the next couple of years are the same screens as this year in new chassis and some gloss on the software.

You're quite right, Panasonic have stopped further development. But please remember they are a few years in front of the consumer market so hopefully we will still get some nice improvements going forward.
Plus the reason for stopping is because its coming to the end of its natural life cycle/development path. As the next couple of years go by, as more strict legislation comes into power, Plasma would be unsellable in places like California due to its power consumption.
That said, the new Technology like 4K OLED is not here to replace Plasma........it's here to replace Plasma,LED and LCD, it has the potential to be a much better technology than all of 'em!

Personally, I'm really looking forward to it and watching it's evolution.

[simonp]

Don't know why the OLED screens have to be 4K, though, as it has already been established that you need a 160" screen to fully appreciate 4K from a distance of 10 feet. Surely the current failure rate during production of these screens would be reduced if they didn't insist on the higher resolution?

Anyway, I'm not holding my breath!

[Biano44]

No, they don't need to be 4K but this would not reduce the failure rate during manufacture either.
4K is coming, there is a benefit on "smaller" screens like 50" but its less obvious than it is on much larger screens. Obvious I guess.

The reason for such a high failure rate during the methods practised by the likes of Samsung and LG are because they are being made in a heated vacuum, which as an environment is quite hard to maintain while making tv's.
Other manufacturers have been working together to improve this situation with different manufacturing processes and once they do, the prices will come down and availability will go up.

The real problem facing TV manufacturers who want to make OLED TV's is achieving a decent lifespan. Plasma's are good for 100,000 hours and LED's 65,000 hours. If you divide that by 5 hours a day, they supposedly last along time. Now, if you consider the OLED that Sony launched 4 or 5 years ago was rumoured to have a lifespan 5-7000 hours...= very poor value for money I.M.O!