Looking at buying my first LED TV

[Seks]

Been eons since I watch TV regularly...and I'm talking about teenage years and college years when my parents had a CRT connected via coaxial cable.

So I'm looking at the following:

http://www.samsung.com/ca/consumer/tv-video/tv/productcompare?prda=UN46F5500AFXZC&prdb=UN40F5500AFXZC&prdc=UN40F6300AFXZC

Anyone have any of the 3? Recommendations?

I'm not gonna set up a home theatre so I would think the speakers on these TV are sufficient???

I'm also leaning towards Telus Optik since I already have home Internet with them.

Thoughts?

[shakalaka]

All those Smart TV's are great. I have the series 6 in 55" and it does the job just fine. Sometimes out of nowhere it freezes and turns itself off on me. It did right off the bat but I was too buy to get it checked out under manufacture warranty and now it has been over a year. Anyway, as far as smart tv's are concerned, it's a good one, has lots of apps like Netflix, Youtube etc. Mine is a 3D tv as well, however I have never used that lol.

I also have Telus Optik and I can't really complain about anything. :thumbsup:

[Deetz]

Samsung is an awesome brand. I bought one a couple years ago and couldn't be happier. I went the route of going with one of their plasma tv instead of an LED. There has been so much improvement with that technology the last 5 years, they use less power, don't run nearly as hot, and the expected life is something like 30 years. With a refresh rate of 600hz, it has pretty amazing picture

[slinkie]

don't get RCA brand. mine is getting short-term image burn in. not even used often. very annoying

[chathamf]

I've got a 50" LG LED..only paid like $800 and it has a great picture and no issues at all. Love Samsung though as well.

[danno]

i have 2 sharps 1 led and 1 lcd, and 1 plasma samsung and it's the worst tv i ever bought. has about 19 lines running across it and 2 vertical. i had the extended warranty but futureshop would do nothing for it, i forget why it was a few years ago, i do remember the guy saying you should have bought the higher model ( i have a series 6). my 10 year old sharp still works great, the samsung is maybe 6 years old the lines appeared in the second year i believe.

[Deetz]

Originally posted by danno
the samsung is maybe 6 years old the lines appeared in the second year i believe.

Those older tv's had issues, they have improved leaps and bounds since then

[The_Penguin]

We have 3 Samsungs and a Panasonic (2 plasma, 2 LCD) would buy either brand again. Samsung have had the odd problem, but when I go to upgrade to a "smarter" TV Samsung will be it.

P.S. It's still an LCD TV, the LED technology is just the backlight.

[CanmoreOrLess]

I am in the plasma camp, sad days for my lot as plasma is dying off. Every time I watch a sporting event on an LED or LCD, the fast motion always looks fake, kind of jerky in motion. Prime sports to see this would be hockey and soccer, just focus on the leg movement in full motion. I've had plenty of seat time in front of a higher end 60" or more, Sammy from late 2013, and there it is... motion fail. It might just be my standards are too high as they sell millions of these units. I do know my next TV purchase will be a forced to buy LED, as plasma is sadly DOA. Sammy has some really innovative tech features.

The new TVs come out in late spring, so there will be deals to be found.

[The_Penguin]

I agree. Newer LCD are better than they were, but for motion (sports, movies) plasma is still king.

Sad that marketing and stupid consumers are killing off plasma.

[stillworking]

A quick look in the Consumer Reports buying guide for 40"-46" reveals mostly Samsung, Panasonic, and an LG in the top positions.

Personally, I would avoid purchasing a TV with the SmartTV feature baked in. I find that other platforms (AppleTV, WDTV, plugging in your laptop, etc.) offer more options and functionality. See this thread... http://forums.beyond.ca/showthread/t-376622.html

Costco is one of the best place to by TV's from in IMO. Unless of course you have some other hookup. Right now, TV's are on sale as they make way for the 2014 stock.
They have a 90 day return policy/price protection, and I don't feel like less of a person when I speak to their salespeople.

More and more, people are choosing to pair their TV with a soundbar which dramatically improves sound. If you go that route, just make sure it is one that will integrate with the TV volume control or can be controlled by your universal remote. Nothing worse then having a separate remote to adjust the volume.

Optik TV is nice, but if you are a heavy internet user, you may want to reconsider. Optik shares bandwidth with your internet connection (and Telus landline, if you have that). The majority of Telus come in to houses on a pair of very very tiny wires. Some people I've talked to have ditched Optik for that reason. YMMV.

Whatever you do, just make sure you get a PVR.

[Mitsu3000gt]

Get a Panasonic ST Plasma while you still can. Without question the best bang for the buck TV going right now.

OR

Just buy the largest TV you can within budget, if you don't really care about the details. You will appreciate screen real estate more than anything else at the end of the day.

[spikerS]

My first flat screen was a Toshiba, was awesome, and had great color and quality, and I loved it, I am just pissed that it only lasted about 20 months before it totally crapped out on me, but that might have been from my move.

Currently we have an LG, and it is every bit as good as my old Toshiba, and we only paid about $1700 less for it.

Can't go wrong with Samsung either, I like their TVs too.

[16hypen3sp]

I have a 40 inch Samsung Series 6 LED Smart TV in my bedroom.

First smart tv I have ever owned. (Purchased on Boxing Day)

The tv is hooked up to my router via WiFi. I can turn the TV on, open Youtube on my iPhone, and send the video playing on my phone to the tv. What surprised me the most was it was very flawless. Works perfectly.

I have nothing bad to say about the tv at all.

I have heard good things about plasma tv's from Panasonic as well. Never tried one tho.

[Seks]

Originally posted by 16hypen3sp
I have a 40 inch Samsung Series 6 LED Smart TV in my bedroom.

First smart tv I have ever owned. (Purchased on Boxing Day)


Un40f6300afxzc? How much was it during boxing day?

[16hypen3sp]

Originally posted by Seks


Un40f6300afxzc? How much was it during boxing day?

Best Buy shows a regular price of $800. On Boxing Day it was $700. Not much of a deal. I picked it up and went to the nearest check out. I told him to take another 50 bucks off and give me the extended warranty for free to which he agreed.

So yah I got everything for 650 plus tax.

[johnlennon]

Plasma FTW :poosie:

Buy my t.v. bnib and much cheaper than in store :)

http://forums.beyond.ca/showthread.php?s=&postid=4256747#post4256747

[Seks]

Originally posted by 16hypen3sp


Best Buy shows a regular price of $800. On Boxing Day it was $700. Not much of a deal. I picked it up and went to the nearest check out. I told him to take another 50 bucks off and give me the extended warranty for free to which he agreed.

So yah I got everything for 650 plus tax.

I read that amazon.ca had it for $600 just before xmas.

Thinking of just wait it out for the 2013 prices to go down when the 2014 gets released

[ZenOps]

Plasma used to be much better for sports.

But any LED that does 120hz (or preferrably 240hz or higher) will have smooth left right panning. The gap has closed considerably.

The 2013 samsung 6400 series and higher have netflix sharpening built in. Which is basically the same thing as DIVX hardware accelerated decodes with "full sharpening and deblocking" I don't think that the PS3 or Xbox360 do the final image enhancements.

The effect is minor, but if you do a lot of netflix streaming - it might be worth it.

[16hypen3sp]

Originally posted by Seks


I read that amazon.ca had it for $600 just before xmas.

Thinking of just wait it out for the 2013 prices to go down when the 2014 gets released

Yah. It is a good tv. It's pretty thin but I wish it was a little more thin and square instead of being a little round on the back side.

Other than that... great!

[georgemagana]

I have a 65" Samsung 8 series and it is pretty epic. Love the motion control options!

Edit: The voice control options on the TV plus the XboxOne voice system pretty much eliminate the need for any controls!

[schocker]

Are those LG's any good. The Telus one, 42LN5700 or the 47LN5750. Both 1080p LED, 120hz, 240 CMR, $650/$690 at visions. I think costco in store might be similar. Seems quite good for the price, was thinking of taking a look to replace my 4yo samsung 40" 120hz lcd.

http://www.visions.ca/catalogue/category/Details.aspx?categoryId=14&productId=21407&sku=42LN5700

http://www.visions.ca/Catalogue/Category/Details.aspx?categoryId=521&productId=21440&sku=47LN5750

[Mitsu3000gt]

Originally posted by schocker
Are those LG's any good. The Telus one, 42LN5700 or the 47LN5750. Both 1080p LED, 120hz, 240 CMR, $650/$690 at visions. I think costco in store might be similar. Seems quite good for the price, was thinking of taking a look to replace my 4yo samsung 40" 120hz lcd.

http://www.visions.ca/catalogue/category/Details.aspx?categoryId=14&productId=21407&sku=42LN5700

http://www.visions.ca/Catalogue/Category/Details.aspx?categoryId=521&productId=21440&sku=47LN5750

Not bad. None of the entry level TVs are amazing, which is why I always recommend people to go for size above all else, while staying within "main" brands. You could get a 60" TV for $150 more on Boxing Day and Black Friday. If one of those TV's is truly an IPS panel and the other not, you want the IPS panel.

If you just want new TV, in a non-HT environment, I would suggest getting a 50-60" plasma at the lowest price you can find. Unless you are a critical viewer, 9/10 times people are much happier with screen real estate than slightly better picture in a non-ideal viewing environment.

[schocker]

Gotcha. I believe my existing is a 2009 LN40B610 lcd 6 series samsung so maybe I would be happy with something equivalent again to a 6 series. I don't want something too big because my tv room is not very big. I also like the lcd/led because I use mine for games/movies no tv.

[Mitsu3000gt]

This is a good deal:

http://www.visions.ca/catalogue/category/Details.aspx?categoryId=524&productId=21216&sku=60PN6500&utm_source=Visions+Electronics+Newsletter&utm_campaign=a35cdfab33-02202014_RushIn&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_9e7e232242-a35cdfab33-12974789

I sit 7 feet away from a 74", it's completely fine. I've never heard someone say "that TV is too big" haha. Go for the 60", you'll love it. I'd much rather play games or other fast moving content on a Plasma than a LCD. Burn in is a thing of the past for the most part, and most TV's have burn in protection you can turn on which shifts the image every now and then undetected. Unless you have extreme time periods with a static image I wouldn't worry about it.

This is an OK deal if you want slightly smaller and LCD:

http://www.visions.ca/catalogue/category/Details.aspx?categoryId=16&productId=22362&sku=55LN5310

[schocker]

I think you are oversestimating the size of my tv stand and room the tv is in :rofl:
I did see the 47LN5400 & 47LN5750 at costco. I think the LN57 is their better models? $585/687 respectively. Seems like a pretty good deal. Same price as visions on the 5750 and the 5750 is also smart and has 3 hdmi in whereas the 5310 only has one and the 5400 has 2. Might have to bite on the 5750.

[Seks]

$689 now for the Samsung UN40F6300

hmmmm

[schocker]

Originally posted by Seks
$689 now for the Samsung UN40F6300

hmmmm
Places are showing that regular price is only $699 though, that seems odd for the 6 series. I am more confused now. Assuming these are all 2013 models, but still. Too many options :nut:

[Mr_John]

Does anyone know if buying online at Costco is more expensive than in-store? The online price includes shipping and handling, but I rather pick it up and save on the S&H since I live nearby.

[95EG6P]

Originally posted by Mr_John
Does anyone know if buying online at Costco is cheaper than in-store? The online price includes shipping and handling, but I rather pick it up and save on the S&H since I live nearby.

it is cheap to buy at the store as i was looking to get a sound bar and online and it is more 15$ more

[schocker]

Originally posted by 95EG6P


it is cheap to buy at the store as i was looking to get a sound bar and online and it is more 15$ more
Yeah, generally cheaper in store as the shipping is usually kind of factored in and the prices in store are lots of times less like the 47" LG is like $130 cheaper in store as it is on sale.

[Mr_John]

Awesome! Thanks guys.

[Nav13]

Gonna bump this thread instead of starting a new one. I'm looking for a new tv in the 55-65" range. How do the latest plasmas perform in really bright rooms? I have a wall of windows facing west so there will be a ton of light coming in. The tv will be mounted opposite the windows so probably the worst set up for a plasma. Should I stick to LCD? If so is there a stand out in terms of bang for your buck?

[Mitsu3000gt]

Originally posted by Nav13
Gonna bump this thread instead of starting a new one. I'm looking for a new tv in the 55-65" range. How do the latest plasmas perform in really bright rooms? I have a wall of windows facing west so there will be a ton of light coming in. The tv will be mounted opposite the windows so probably the worst set up for a plasma. Should I stick to LCD? If so is there a stand out in terms of bang for your buck?

Anything in the Panasonic ST and above range will be just fine. They have excellent anti-glare coatings, and that is the best bang for the buck TV out there right now period, all things considered. The 60" is around $1700. The glossy coatings they put on most LED LCD's these days are way worse IMO. Best to see for yourself though, store showrooms are pretty bright, as is the LED flash on your phone if you want to do some quick & dirty tests.

Honestly as long as you have blinds, you'll be fine with most anything. Most people's TV watching is done after dark anyway, especially when half the year it's dark before you're even off work.

It won't be long before you can't buy Panasonic plasmas anymore - such a shame. They are the best TV's you can buy, but I think profit margin is WAY higher on LED LCDs, among other things. Hopefully they sell their tech to Samsung or LG or something haha.

[Nav13]

Do you know if they can still be found in stock locally or do I have to look online? Would it make sense to wait a month or two to see what comes out later in spring? If so I'll bare with my old tiny sony for a bit longer. From what I am reading it doesn't seem like there will be a comparable tv (price and picture quality) to the Panasonic st for 2014.

[The_Penguin]

Originally posted by Nav13
Gonna bump this thread instead of starting a new one. I'm looking for a new tv in the 55-65" range. How do the latest plasmas perform in really bright rooms? I have a wall of windows facing west so there will be a ton of light coming in. The tv will be mounted opposite the windows so probably the worst set up for a plasma. Should I stick to LCD? If so is there a stand out in terms of bang for your buck?

I have a Samsung PN50B850 plasma in a bright room, no problems. It's a few years old, one of the first advertised as being fine in a brighter room. I'm still a plasma fan, but they're getting rare these days.
Mrs. Penguin wants a bigger main TV, so keeping an eye on the Samsung 8000 prices. It'll be a step down in picture quality though.

[Mitsu3000gt]

Originally posted by Nav13
Do you know if they can still be found in stock locally or do I have to look online? Would it make sense to wait a month or two to see what comes out later in spring? If so I'll bare with my old tiny sony for a bit longer. From what I am reading it doesn't seem like there will be a comparable tv (price and picture quality) to the Panasonic st for 2014.

They are around. Visions has some in 55" (but not ST, last year's "S" series, not quite as good). Visions also has the ST series in 55" for $1598. They have last year's VT series for $500 off as well in 60", which is an incredible TV. Nothing about 60" in the Panasonics, but visions has some choices.

London drugs carries the VT series as well.

Future shop/best buy also carry the VT series.

Memory express has some still too.

Also custom install places like General Audio and BASE Electronics deal with Panasonc plasmas.

I'm putting together another HT in my living room, and I will most likely end up getting one of the last Panasonic's. I'd hate to miss out on those. The performance gap between the ST and VT series lately is very small. I would also take a Samsung F8500 plasma but they are really spendy still. That TV is a worthy rival to the Panasonics.

Or, you could go the other way, as there are several 60" plasmas for $750-$800 these days - won't be as good as the Panasonics but if it's not going in a critical viewing environment, you may not care as much. Anti glare coatings are definitely better on the more expensive TV's though.

In fact, if you end up wanting a ST55 or ST60 let me know, maybe we can get a deal on 2 of them :thumbsup:

[flipstah]

Anyone has experience with the Sharp Aquos? I read LED is better for rooms with a lot of sun exposure.

A 70" is the same price as a 65" Samsung! Leaning towards size here:

http://www.visions.ca/Catalogue/Category/Details.aspx?categoryId=17&productId=20967&sku=LC70LE550U

http://www.visions.ca/Catalogue/Category/Details.aspx?categoryId=17&productId=9679&sku=UN65EH6000

[schocker]

I believe at work we have the 80" version of that aquos. Picture is really good, you should probably get the 90 though..... :D

Samsung is always a safe bet but I believe the aquos are still good also so it is like 5" for free.

[rage2]

My only complaint with Sharp LEDs is that it's a bitch to calibrate properly, especially with the Quatrons. Once they're calibrated though, the color rendering is even better than my Samsung 8 Series, which still has a bit of exaggerated saturation that the general public seems to love.

[Nav13]

Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt



In fact, if you end up wanting a ST55 or ST60 let me know, maybe we can get a deal on 2 of them :thumbsup:

I'll keep you posted, I am leaning towards the ultra thin bezel Samsungs. I know they might not be the same value in terms of bang for your buck and picture quality but mounted on the wall properly they are almost a work of art.

It's sad but its because of people like me that plasma's might die off.

[bjstare]

Originally posted by flipstah
Anyone has experience with the Sharp Aquos? I read LED is better for rooms with a lot of sun exposure.

A 70" is the same price as a 65" Samsung! Leaning towards size here:

http://www.visions.ca/Catalogue/Category/Details.aspx?categoryId=17&productId=20967&sku=LC70LE550U

http://www.visions.ca/Catalogue/Category/Details.aspx?categoryId=17&productId=9679&sku=UN65EH6000

+1 for this TV. My parents bought one for their house in the states. My dad liked it so much that when they came back to Calgary, he bought one for their house here haha.

Only thing that sucks, is I tried playing a FPS on it one time and it was brutal. Gaming's not really my thing anymore, but if it was, I wouldn't plan on doing it on those TVs.

[flipstah]

Is there lag on the Aquos unit? I still game from time to time.

[danno]

My sharp lags but there is a game mode and it's all good.

[bjstare]

Originally posted by flipstah
Is there lag on the Aquos unit? I still game from time to time.

If you game, go out and buy a ~24" monitor to play on.

It's a game-changer (so to speak). You'll never go back.

[flipstah]

Thanks for the help, everyone! I'll check out Visions and see what other models they have on the floor to compare. :thumbsup:

[phreezee]

Ended up buying this over the weekend. The Smart features are great since the PS4 can't stream LOL.

http://www.visions.ca/Catalogue/Category/Details.aspx?categoryId=529&productId=21017&sku=UN65F6300

I had considered the Sharp 70", but side by side the color on the Samsungs always look better over Sharps.

[Milk2%]

Originally posted by phreezee
Ended up buying this over the weekend. The Smart features are great since the PS4 can't stream LOL.

http://www.visions.ca/Catalogue/Category/Details.aspx?categoryId=529&productId=21017&sku=UN65F6300

I had considered the Sharp 70", but side by side the color on the Samsungs always look better over Sharps.

I have the 55'' of this model. Great TV would recommend to anybody

[ZEDGE]

I recently picked up a 55inch LG LED. Love it so far. The magic remote works awesome, and the smart TV is actually usable and fast to navigate. TV has a dual core CPU and 4GB of memory for apps etc, thats crazy for a TV. It is rated very good for gaming with 30ms response in gaming mode. Thats very low for a large LED/LCD TV. Most are upwards of 100ms. I know a monitor is best but I don't want to play console games on a 24inch monitor lol.

Also went with LG over Sammy as I hate the active 3D on Samsung TVs, it strains the eyes very quickly. The Passive 3D on LG sets is far superior and more like what is in the theaters. The LG sets are direct lit LED as opposed to edge lit on the Sammys. Apparently this gives better blacks etc? Not sure. Looks fine to me.


http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/product/lg-electronics-lg-55-1080p-120hz-3d-led-smart-tv-55la6205-55la6205/10243589.aspx?path=7d916be4071eb13647970deffd807c2fen02

[Mitsu3000gt]

I ended up snagging a LG 60" 60PN6500 Plasma for $784 at Best Buy on the weekend. They had a 1-day sale on Friday, and I put one on hold until I could get a friend with a truck to help.

Kind of a funny story, I go to the store on the Saturday to pay for it, since the hold was only good for 24 hours. I had customer service confirm the price, model number, and stock multiple times. I show up to the store, ask to pay for it, and one of the managers comes out. She is a complete b*tch, very impolite, tells me I don't know what I am talking about, calls me a liar (indirectly), says Best Buy has never once in history sold a 60" TV below $900, and and she would know for sure because she is "good with computers". I also showed her an old search result on my phone showing the price, and she said "I know how google works, it just shows you whatever you type in". She also did not care that her employees checked and double checked, confirming the price for me the previous day. The webpage had already reverted back to $999, so I left, feeling defeated. Then I remembered google cache search. I was able to find the previous version of that Best Buy website, which thankfully showed the price at $784.98. I called back, got a different manager, and they said just email them a screen shot and it would be no problem. So, I ended up getting it all sorted out but it was far more effort than necessary thanks to that useless manager. This was the West Hills location by the way. The manager I ended up dealing with in the end was excellent.

So, just so others can learn from my mistake, ALWAYS grab a screen shot or something of anything that is on sale at FS/BB. The stores *apparently* cannot see pricing history, and you will be SOL if you can't prove it.

As for the TV, I am extremely happy with it for the price. It looks great, the bezel is very thin, and the TV itself is extremely thin. Colors are pretty good out of the box, but I'll run a calibration on it later. My sole complaint is it lacks the better anti glare coatings of the more expensive plasmas, however in my room that is a non-issue, and for under $800 I can't complain.

[flipstah]

Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt
I ended up snagging a LG 60" 60PN6500 Plasma for $784 at Best Buy on the weekend. They had a 1-day sale on Friday, and I put one on hold until I could get a friend with a truck to help.

Kind of a funny story, I go to the store on the Saturday to pay for it, since the hold was only good for 24 hours. I had customer service confirm the price, model number, and stock multiple times. I show up to the store, ask to pay for it, and one of the managers comes out. She is a complete b*tch, very impolite, tells me I don't know what I am talking about, calls me a liar (indirectly), says Best Buy has never once in history sold a 60" TV below $900, and and she would know for sure because she is "good with computers". I also showed her a search result on my phone showing the price, and she said "I know how google works, it just shows you whatever you type in". She also did not care that her employees checked and double checked, confirming the price for me the previous day. The webpage had already reverted back to $999, so I left, feeling defeated. Then I remembered google cache search. I was able to find the previous version of that Best Buy website, which thankfully showed the price at $784.98. I called back, got a different manager, and they said just email them a screen shot and it would be no problem. So, I ended up getting it all sorted out but it was far more effort than necessary thanks to that useless manager. This was the West Hills location by the way. The manager I ended up dealing with in the end was excellent.

So, just so others can learn from my mistake, ALWAYS grab a screen shot or something of anything that is on sale at FS/BB. The stores *apparently* cannot see pricing history, and you will be SOL if you can't prove it.

As for the TV, I am extremely happy with it for the price. It looks great, the bezel is very thin, and the TV itself is extremely thin. Colors are pretty good out of the box, but I'll run a calibration on it later. My sole complaint is it lacks the better anti glare coatings of the more expensive plasmas, however in my room that is a non-issue, and for under $800 I can't complain.

Fuck, that's a good deal. Congrats! :thumbsup:

[jwslam]

Originally posted by flipstah
Fuck, that's a good deal. Congrats! :thumbsup:
http://accessories.dell.com/sna/products/Video_Conferencing/productdetail.aspx?c=ca&l=en&s=dhs&cs=cadhs1&sku=A6820863
And it comes to your door so you don't have to try and shove it into your hatch... though I bet that'd work out better than a civic sedan :rofl:

[phreezee]

Originally posted by flipstah


Fuck, that's a good deal. Congrats! :thumbsup:

Beacon Hill Costco had 60" Samsung plasmas going for $785 right as you walk in last week. Might still be available today.

[rage2]

Originally posted by Nav13
I'll keep you posted, I am leaning towards the ultra thin bezel Samsungs. I know they might not be the same value in terms of bang for your buck and picture quality but mounted on the wall properly they are almost a work of art.
Yea, I went with the 8 series Samsung purely for it's looks and not picture quality. We had purchased all new furniture in the bedroom, and all of a sudden the old TV looked completely outdated. The 8 series looks amazing and modern.


Originally posted by cjblair
Only thing that sucks, is I tried playing a FPS on it one time and it was brutal. Gaming's not really my thing anymore, but if it was, I wouldn't plan on doing it on those TVs.

Originally posted by danno
My sharp lags but there is a game mode and it's all good.
You should try to use a mouse on an HTPC in Movie mode, it's so frustrating! I was using my video editing rig on the Sharp 80 since it was well calibrated, but it was frustrating as hell as the mouse cursor lagged my input by nearly a second. Game mode works, but it's on a separate calibration setting and oddly enough, I had problems calibrating it anywhere close to proper. I ended up doing all the editing in gaming mode, then used Movie mode to color grade the videos painfully with the mouse lag, and that worked out OK.

https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/t1.0-9/390586_10150955087540640_629029915_n.jpg


Originally posted by phreezee
I had considered the Sharp 70", but side by side the color on the Samsungs always look better over Sharps.

Originally posted by rage2
My only complaint with Sharp LEDs is that it's a bitch to calibrate properly, especially with the Quatrons. Once they're calibrated though, the color rendering is even better than my Samsung 8 Series, which still has a bit of exaggerated saturation that the general public seems to love.
That's the problem with looking side by side at stores, everything is in showroom or Vivid mode, and people buy based on how much saturation (especially reds) there are, but it's nowhere near accurate. Samsung is by far the most saturated in Vivid modes, but once calibrated, the saturation crush is ridiculous and can't be fully dialed back. I still prefer Sharp screens after calibration in color rendering accuracy.

[Mitsu3000gt]

Originally posted by phreezee


Beacon Hill Costco had 60" Samsung plasmas going for $785 right as you walk in last week. Might still be available today.

The lower end Samsung plasmas use a pentile display. I believe LG uses better displays as far as the "bargain plasmas" go.

Also, be careful when looking in store. For example in Best Buy right now, they have a Panasonic VT60 tv. It is probably the best TV they have in the entire store, yet it looks dull and dim. The casual shopper would definitely pick something else over that.

When you first set up a TV, it asks you if it's for in-home or in-store display use. Display modes usually pump everything to max to give people walking by a 1-minute "wow" factor to grab their attention. People also screw with the settings. I realize there isn't much for options, but comparing TV pictures in store is next to useless.

Most LCD TV's right now have pretty awful backlight uniformity as well.

[z24_wheels]

What are you guys doing for calibrations? I've never calibrated any of my TV's but have noticed their default settings are horrible.

[Mitsu3000gt]

Originally posted by z24_wheels
What are you guys doing for calibrations? I've never calibrated any of my TV's but have noticed their default settings are horrible.

You can do it with a calibration blu-ray and a colorimeter (same ones you use for computer monitors), or you can do a pretty good eye-ball calibration.

I use this blu-ray:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/Digital-Video-Essentials-Basics-Blu-ray/ref=%26%2574%2561g%3d%2562l%2575r%2561yf%256fr%2575m%252d20?tag=blurayforum-20&ASIN=B000V6LST0

But also there is a free one:
http://www.avsforum.com/t/948496/avs-hd-709-blu-ray-mp4-calibration

This is an OK guide for a quick & dirty calibration:

http://lifehacker.com/5858625/how-to-calibrate-your-hdtv-and-boost-your-video-quality-in-30-minutes-or-less

I have a super detailed guide that I used several years ago, but I can't find it for the life of me.

[flipstah]

Originally posted by phreezee


Beacon Hill Costco had 60" Samsung plasmas going for $785 right as you walk in last week. Might still be available today.

I'm pretty set on a 65" or 70". Thanks though :)


Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt


You can do it with a calibration blu-ray and a colorimeter (same ones you use for computer monitors), or you can do a pretty good eye-ball calibration.

I use this blu-ray:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/Digital-Video-Essentials-Basics-Blu-ray/ref=%26%2574%2561g%3d%2562l%2575r%2561yf%256fr%2575m%252d20?tag=blurayforum-20&ASIN=B000V6LST0

But also there is a free one:
http://www.avsforum.com/t/948496/avs-hd-709-blu-ray-mp4-calibration

This is an OK guide for a quick & dirty calibration:

http://lifehacker.com/5858625/how-to-calibrate-your-hdtv-and-boost-your-video-quality-in-30-minutes-or-less

I have a super detailed guide that I used several years ago, but I can't find it for the life of me.



:thumbsup:

[Mitsu3000gt]

Well, it looks like my TV is going back to Best Buy. It has a big, bright, stuck green pixel (or group of pixels) right in the middle of the screen. That is pretty unusual for plasmas. It's extremely annoying to re-pack and return a TV unfortunately, but whatever. Not sure if I will grab another one or not. Hopefully there are no issues returning it!

Called Best Buy and apparently it's no problem at all to just exchange it, so that's what I'll do I guess. If their "protection plan" covers me down to a single stuck pixel, I might just cave and buy it. They can discount the plans pretty heavily.

[Mitsu3000gt]

Visions and Best Buy have the LG 60PN6500 60" Plasma on for $737 for the next week or until sold out :eek:. That is cheap for a decent 60". Memory Express price beat puts you under $700 if you can find one in stock at Memex.

It's a little on the reflective side, but other than that it's an outstanding TV for the dollar. Nice thin bezels too.

[flipstah]

Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt
Visions and Best Buy have the LG 60PN6500 60" Plasma on for $737 for the next week or until sold out :eek:. That is cheap for a decent 60". Memory Express price beat puts you under $700 if you can find one in stock at Memex.

It's a little on the reflective side, but other than that it's an outstanding TV for the dollar. Nice thin bezels too.

Wow, that's cheap! Still unsure whether to go 60 or 70 because I don't remember the distance from the couch to the wall (haven't moved in yet).

[Nav13]

Going to bump this once again. I've been renovating my place the last couple months and the time has finally come to drop some cash and pick up a tv. I went into the usual stores yesterday (FS, BB, Visions, Costco) thinking I had it narrowed down to the Un60F8000 Samsung. Little did I know that Samsung has just released a bunch of new tv's for 2014.

The latest 8000 series is curved which I have no interest in, seems like the highest model that is flat non 4k is the 7150. Seems like the the "older" 8000 has better local dimming, but the 7150 has a newer smart interface, I am still leaning towards the 8000 (Only found 2 locally so I am going to have to act quick).

Whats your guys take on 4k, is it still a ways away before there's ton's of content out or is it right around the corner. Would it be foolish to drop 2200 on a tv and not 3000 on a UHD (4k) Tv to future proof it a lot further?

[rage2]

I picked up another 8000 series a few weeks ago because the 2014 models are curved. The curved screen looks stupid on a wall. The 2013 flat models are on clearance, I picked up my 60 for $1800 haha.

[BigMass]

what's the point of a curved screen unless you're going like 200"? Seems like a total gimmick.

[rage2]

I think the manufacturers are out of ideas haha. The gimmick with the curved screens is that there's more color uniformity at larger viewing angles. It's just too bad that it doesn't work well on a wall unless it's curved too. Throwing it on a stand and table really kills the aesthetics of the 8000 series. The 2013 models, wall mounted, is as perfect as you can get.

[Mitsu3000gt]

If you are looking to spend $2-3K right now I don't think you can beat a Panasonic VT60/65 plasma on clearance for outright picture quality.

I wouldn't bother with a curved screen either, I hate the way they look. The only place I'd want one is a huge 2:35 projection setup.

A clearance Sammy 8000 is likely your best bet in the LED camp, if that's what you prefer. Curved TV's look awful wall-mounted.

If this is just a general-watching TV, and not for a dedicated theater, I wouldn't spend $2,000 on a TV unless you want the aesthetics.

I won't bother with 4K until there is WAY more content. I also wouldn't bother with a <60-65" 4K TV - by far the most noticeable gains with 4K will be for massive TV's and projector setups.

[Nav13]

Yea in all honesty it's come down to aesthetics now. With the amount of renovations I did to my place and the prominence the TV is going to have in my living area I want it to look damn good mounted on the wall.

Rage where did you pick one up for $1800? Futureshop was giving it to me for $2099 if I bought the 4 year warranty for $479. Are warranties generally worth the cost for TV's? Pretty sure I read that they are. I will negotiate the warranty down when I go to finalize a deal as I know they can move quite a bit on it. But $1800 is a smoking deal for the TV.


Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt
If you are looking to spend $2-3K right now I don't think you can beat a Panasonic VT60/65 plasma on clearance for outright picture quality.

I wouldn't bother with a curved screen either, I hate the way they look. The only place I'd want one is a huge 2:35 projection setup.

A clearance Sammy 8000 is likely your best bet in the LED camp, if that's what you prefer. Curved TV's look awful wall-mounted.

If this is just a general-watching TV, and not for a dedicated theater, I wouldn't spend $2,000 on a TV unless you want the aesthetics.

I won't bother with 4K until there is WAY more content. I also wouldn't bother with a &lt;60-65&quot; 4K TV - by far the most noticeable gains with 4K will be for massive TV's and projector setups.

[speedog]

Aesthetics?

Check out this 60" Samsung at Memory Express for $1400 - link (http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX49785). Thin bezel, thin TV and good price - not as cool as an 8000 series though.

http://media.memoryexpress.com/Images/Products/Large/MX49785-1.jpg

[Nav13]

^ Looks like it's out of stock, that's what the 8000 looks like but with even better picture quality is what I am reading, plus the 8000 can use the evolution kits ( but not sure how useful they are).

[speedog]

Originally posted by Nav13
^ Looks like it's out of stock, that's what the 8000 looks like but with even better picture quality is what I am reading, plus the 8000 can use the evolution kits ( but not sure how useful they are).
Then try the 3D version at $1600 - link (http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX45493), in stock or 65" Smart TV for $1600 (regular $2900 - link (http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX49782)).

[rage2]

Originally posted by Nav13
Yea in all honesty it's come down to aesthetics now. With the amount of renovations I did to my place and the prominence the TV is going to have in my living area I want it to look damn good mounted on the wall.

Rage where did you pick one up for $1800? Futureshop was giving it to me for $2099 if I bought the 4 year warranty for $479. Are warranties generally worth the cost for TV's? Pretty sure I read that they are. I will negotiate the warranty down when I go to finalize a deal as I know they can move quite a bit on it. But $1800 is a smoking deal for the TV.
Visions. I bought 2 TV's at once though, another Sharp 80" 3D, and the 60" Samsung 8000. $3900 for the Sharp 80, and $1800 for the Samsung 60".

And ya, it's all about aesthetics now. Every screen I've bought that's half decent in the last few years calibrates so close to each other that the difference is fairly minimal. I can make a $1000 panel look as good as a $3000 one.


Originally posted by speedog
Aesthetics?

Check out this 60&quot; Samsung at Memory Express for $1400 - link (http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX49785). Thin bezel, thin TV and good price - not as cool as an 8000 series though.
That bezel isn't thin enough haha.

Here's the 8000 in my bedroom. Excuse the colors, haven't done a full calibration on her yet.

http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc475/rage2amg/14473A78-7AE8-474B-8956-85D324F3CAE3_zpsalfct5bo.jpg

[Nav13]

Originally posted by rage2

Visions. I bought 2 TV's at once though, another Sharp 80&quot; 3D, and the 60&quot; Samsung 8000. $3900 for the Sharp 80, and $1800 for the Samsung 60[/bIMG]


Such a good deal. I think I might have just bought one of the last one's in the city. Paid full price just to hold it for the weekend while I am in Kelowna. Gonna go back on Tuesday with a friend who is also looking to buy a TV but I don't think I'll be able to get it close to what you paid since your other tv was close to 4 grand and he's looking for a smaller 46'' TV. Oh well I am just glad I have one locked down for now.


What do you guys recommend for wall mounts, ones that extend out or fixed ones that are nice and small that keep the TV close to the wall? Its going to be in a long room where the TV will be seen from the side so I don't want a huge bracket visible, but I have never had a wall mounted TV and don't know how handy it is for the bracket to extend and swivel. Is it something you just set and forget?

[Asian_defender]

Originally posted by rage2

Visions. I bought 2 TV's at once though, another Sharp 80&quot; 3D, and the 60&quot; Samsung 8000. $3900 for the Sharp 80, and $1800 for the Samsung 60&quot;.

And ya, it's all about aesthetics now. Every screen I've bought that's half decent in the last few years calibrates so close to each other that the difference is fairly minimal. I can make a $1000 panel look as good as a $3000 one.


That bezel isn't thin enough haha.

Here's the 8000 in my bedroom. Excuse the colors, haven't done a full calibration on her yet.

http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc475/rage2amg/14473A78-7AE8-474B-8956-85D324F3CAE3_zpsalfct5bo.jpg

looks a tiny bit crooked :D

[rage2]

Originally posted by Asian_defender
looks a tiny bit crooked :D
haha, ya it's the light switch that's crooked. Really need to get that fixed.

[tsi_neal]

Originally posted by rage2

And ya, it's all about aesthetics now. Every screen I've bought that's half decent in the last few years calibrates so close to each other that the difference is fairly minimal. I can make a $1000 panel look as good as a $3000 one.


At least when comparing edge lit LED to edge lit LED. For picture quality Plasma still hands it to the LCD/LED's get them while you can... but of course you have to deal with an extra inch of bezel :rofl:

Rage what hardware are you calibrating with?

[rage2]

I used to do it by eye along with a bunch of reference discs, but now I'm using the Spyder4. It's kinda basic, doesn't do greyscale or color space, but the graphs help me figure out what needs to be changed manually.

I'm thinking of picking up Calman Basic, which does a way better job, and has detailed steps on nailing greyscale and color space. No more guesswork.

[tsi_neal]

Originally poproperlysted by rage2
I used to do it by eye along with a bunch of reference discs, but now I'm using the Spyder4. It's kinda basic, doesn't do greyscale or color space, but the graphs help me figure out what needs to be changed manually.

I'm thinking of picking up Calman Basic, which does a way better job, and has detailed steps on nailing greyscale and color space. No more guesswork.

Check out a xrite i1display pro, a couple hundred bucks and literally miles ahead of the spyder and should work with calman basic. Free software option is colorHCFR, works awesome but there is a learning curve, and that should work with the spyder. But calibrations are only as good as the meter.

Get the greyscale done! It makes the biggest impact of anything.

[jwslam]

Originally posted by rage2
I bought 2 TV's at once
How come I never see old TV's FS by you in the marketplace?

[rage2]

Originally posted by jwslam
How come I never see old TV's FS by you in the marketplace?
I let my tier 1 friends have first dibs.

[danno]

Does anyone game on a projector? I'm looking at spending $1000 or so on a tv or projector. My basement is pitch black so I think a projector might be nice down there, but I know nothing about them.

[flipstah]

How is the 8000 for gaming? Any lag?

As for HD projectors, you need a big, dark room. My parent's living room had to be super dark in order to make it watchable. The windows were boarded with plywood and then making it look pretty on the inside only.

It looks like a crack house from the outside :rofl:

[rage2]

Theres quite a bit of lag in movie mode. I play in game mode which has slightly worse PQ and it's fine, but I don't play MP stuff so I don't need razor sharp inputs. PC mode has virtually no lag but it disables everything and black levels become pretty bad.

[flipstah]

Lame. Looks like I have to do research on a gaming rig. Open to recommendations. :D

[Xtrema]

Originally posted by flipstah
Lame. Looks like I have to do research on a gaming rig. Open to recommendations. :D

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

I picked up UN75F6300 last Christmas, lag isn't bad when it's on game mode but like Rage said, black level goes to shit.

If you check the database, the bigger the screen the worse the lag is.

The fastest 65" are Sony's. Then Samsung comes in a bit slower when you go beyond 65". Besides I don't have the space for it, the Sharp 80"and 90" screens are pretty laggy.

[Nav13]

Well I picked up a UN60F8000 and it's time to mount it up on the wall. I already ordered this mount from monoprice

http://www.monoprice.com/Product?c_id=108&cp_id=10828&cs_id=1082812&p_id=5918&seq=1&format=2

then I realized that it's against code to run a power cord in the wall so I am thinking of grabbing this kit

http://www.monoprice.com/Product?c_id=104&cp_id=10425&cs_id=1042513&p_id=4652&seq=1&format=2


I was about to order some HDMI cables of monoprice as well but Rage informed me of this site that you can pick up from locally, plus they are a lot slimmer making them easier to run with ultra slim mounts.
http://www.bitstreams.ca/HDMI-1.4-Cables-ACHDMI4.html

I've done a tiny bit of research and couldn't find a definitive answer, is it with in fire code to run standard hdmi cables behind the wall or do you need to have CL2 rated wires? I know the chances of an hdmi cable starting a fire are slim to non (think the code has more to do with the way they burn then starting a fire) but I live in a condo and would rather just do it right and avoid any potential headaches down the road.

[rage2]

Monoprice HDMI cables sucks for a super slim mount. I could only get 3 in there on a slim mount. Those iron cores are so bulky.

http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc475/rage2amg/6E6FF88D-B5CB-4545-B048-7BF2844E45DB_zpsveaurhvf.jpg

[iron_man888]

Originally posted by rage2
I picked up another 8000 series a few weeks ago


hey rage.. any chance you'd like to share you calibration settings.. damn kids was playing around with our tv and now the settings are all over the place :nut:

[rage2]

What size 8000? The 55 and 60 are completely different in settings. I'm guessing there's a lot of panel variations.

[iron_man888]

we bought the 60" :)

[rage2]

I'll post my settings tonight when I get home for the 60.

[flipstah]

Originally posted by Xtrema


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

I picked up UN75F6300 last Christmas, lag isn't bad when it's on game mode but like Rage said, black level goes to shit.

If you check the database, the bigger the screen the worse the lag is.

The fastest 65&quot; are Sony's. Then Samsung comes in a bit slower when you go beyond 65&quot;. Besides I don't have the space for it, the Sharp 80&quot;and 90&quot; screens are pretty laggy.

Thanks! Looks like I'm gunning for this Samsung 3D TV based on that link:
http://www.visions.ca/Catalogue/Category/Details.aspx?categoryId=16&productId=21030&sku=PN60F5500

Reviews are relatively good for this model as well.

[rage2]

Samsung UN60F8000 Calibrated Settings. Settings may vary between panels, lighting conditions, etc. YMMV.

Picture Mode: Movie
Backlight: 16
Contrast: 90
Brightness: 46
Sharpness: 20 (Personal Preference)
Color: 51
Tint: G49/R51

Advanced Options
Dynamic Contrast: OFf
Black Tone: Off
Flesh Tone: 0
RGB Only Mode: Off
Color Space: Custom (Refer to chart)
White Balance: Refer to Chart
10p White Balance: On (Refer to Chart)
Gamma: -1
Expert Pattern: Off

Color Space:
Red (30R, 0G, 0B)
Green (0R, 50G, 0B)
Blue (0R, 0G, 50B)
Yellow (50R, 50G, 0B)
Cyan (0R, 50G, 50B)
Magenta (50R, 0G, 50B)

White Balance:
R Offset: 21
G Offset: 24
B Offset: 20
R Gain: 14
G Gain: 8
B Gain: 18

10p White Balance:
Interval 1 (-3R, -1G, -4B)
Interval 2 (0R, 0G, -1B)
Interval 3 (0R, 0G, -1B)
Interval 4 (-3R, -3G, -5B)
Interval 5 (-3R, -5G, -8B)
Interval 6 (-4R, -7G, -10B)
Interval 7 (-5R, -8G, -10B)
Interval 8 (-3R, -6G, -10B)
Interval 9 (0R, -3G, -6B)
Interval 10 (0R, 0G, -8B)

Picture Options:
Color Tone: Warm2
Digital Clean View: Off (Source Dependant)
MPEG Noise Filter: Off (Source Dependant)
Film Mode: OFf: (Source Dependant)
Auto Motion Plus: Off (Personal Preference)
Cinema Black: Off

http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc475/rage2amg/3F8F42E8-4F60-4CA3-B086-719A76A1BA40_zpsnfbqmecy.jpg

http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc475/rage2amg/9E07C9A0-51A4-4116-BFDC-B27FD538C776_zpsrlsojhw3.jpg

http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc475/rage2amg/7D7666BF-859E-4B18-A6B5-E73A395EDE96_zpsynzko5pb.jpg

[georgemagana]

Rage, any idea how those setting would work on UN65F8000? Id give those a try regardless tho!

[iron_man888]

appreciate it Rage

[rage2]

Not sure how it translates on the 65, but the settings are vastly different than my 55. Regardless, let me know how it looks for you guys.

[flipstah]

So I don't care about features and 3D crap. I just want a good TV for movies and some gaming.

Which of the following would you go and would you pay extra to have less size for LED vs. plasma? I'll be buying blackout curtains for my living room so glare shouldn't be an issue.

Samsung 3D 55in LED
http://www.visions.ca/Catalogue/Category/Details.aspx?categoryId=16&productId=21010&sku=UN55FH6030

http://www.digitaltrends.com/tv-reviews/samsung-un55fh6030-review/

LG 60in Plasma (Might get this model)

http://www.visions.ca/Catalogue/Category/Details.aspx?categoryId=16&productId=21216&sku=60PN6500

http://reviews.plasmatvbuyingguide.com/lg-plasma-tv/lg-60pn6500.html

Another LG 60in Plasma

http://www.visions.ca/Catalogue/Category/Details.aspx?categoryId=16&productId=23812&sku=60PB5600

Samsung 60in Plasma
http://www.visions.ca/Catalogue/Category/Details.aspx?categoryId=16&productId=21007&sku=PN60F5300

http://reviews.plasmatvbuyingguide.com/samsung-plasma-tv/samsung-pn60f5300.html

[Mitsu3000gt]

If you are going to be gaming very heavily (i.e. many hours at a time every day with banners, life bars, etc. on screen) you may want to avoid the plasma due to burn-in. If it's causal gaming you'll be totally fine.

If not, I personally prefer the picture from the LG plasmas. Ive had mine for a while now, I've got it dialed in and I am absolutely loving the picture (60PN6500). Extremely natural picture with great blacks and gradients. It is somewhat reflective, if I had to pick something bad to say about it. Absolute steal for the price and 60".

That Samsung plasma uses a pentile display, and you can do better IMO.

Grab the LG plasma unless you are going to be gaming a ton or unless you're putting it right behind a window, then go for the LED. The picture on the LG plasma is quite a bit better than those cheap LED TV's IMO for movies and such. I prefer a natural look over the crushed blacks and glossy surfaces of most LED TV's though so that is just my preference. The LED will be brighter than the LG plasma, if that is a concern, but the LG is plenty bright for normal use.

[flipstah]

^ Not gaming heavily; just once in a while. The window will be on the side so blackout curtains will be in full effect.

I'll likely buy the 60PN6500 this weekend but I read around that LG quality in terms of longevity is questionable. Have they improved or is this just 1/million issue?

[Mitsu3000gt]

Originally posted by flipstah
^ Not gaming heavily; just once in a while. The window will be on the side so blackout curtains will be in full effect.

I'll likely buy the 60PN6500 this weekend but I read around that LG quality in terms of longevity is questionable. Have they improved or is this just 1/million issue?

I don't think any TV has a particularly bad reliability rating. I've read a few articles that had most brands between 2 and 4% failure. So even if they are on the high end, in the grand scheme of things it's very low.

My first 60PN6500 had a stuck pixel, BestBuy exchanged the TV without issue and I got offered a 2 year warranty for $80 or something so I thought what the hell, I'll try it out. The replacement has been flawless.

Most credit cards increase the warranty to 2 years as well.

It's also a $750 TV, if it breaks after a few years, no big deal, pick up whatever is cheap again to replace it. I'd be a lot more worried if I got a $5000 4K TV or something.

[danno]

I ended up getting a epson projector for my basement. I'm actually really happy with it 105" is the size I have got comfortable with. It's for gaming and watching movies.

I would highly reccomend a projector if you have a room you can blackout that's how good i think it is.