Plasma or LCD..some ambient light BUT also some off angle viewing

[lithnights]

I know this is a hotly debated topic so I'll try to keep it simple. My future TV will be in a fairly open family room which has two windows and a sliding door.

So the room does get light, although there is no direct sunlight since the room is on the north side of the house. I also have full control of the light since the blinds are often down on the windows and the slider has blinds in the doors.

There may be a fair amount of watching from angles since we are often in the kitchen looking into the TV. This angle is usually between 30 and 45 degrees (with 90 being right in front and 0 being right next to).

Here is a link to some pictures that should help. You can see the windows and sliders and the first picture shows the angle we see the TV from the kitchen. (Please let me know if you can't view these?)

http://picasaweb.google.com/lithnights/HT#

So basically I have the issue of some ambient light (where LCD would win) but also potential of some off angle watching (where plasma would win). I guess I don't understand how much light in a room is considered "a lot" of light. Anything more than no light (like a basement)? Anything less than a sunroom?

I've read rave reviews of Samsung PN50B860 50-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV (which I mentioned in my other thread) and am really leaning toward that but I just want to make sure I don't make a mistake in the plasma vs. lcd decision.

Also LED is an option, although above my ideal budget. Would LED resolve my issues?

Based on the pictures in the link, do you all have any thoughts? Like I said, I know this has been hotly debated but I'm hoping my specific situation will bring some more specific guidance.

Thanks in advance!

[blackraven]

In your current set up you can clearly see the over head light reflection in your
TV. I still think that indirect light will be of some issue when the sun is shinning.

[GMichael]

IMO, you’d have to be in a sunroom for a plasma not to be bright enough these days. As far as glare, they are much better than they used to be. Think of it this way. Would you rather be bothered by glare now and then, or not be able to view at all from your kitchen?

[lithnights]

Think of it this way. Would you rather be bothered by glare now and then, or not be able to view at all from your kitchen?

I think that's a good way to look at it. The other way I looked at it was, at least I can control the light (turn off any light, close the blinds) but I can't control any lack of viewing due to the angles.

[BadAssJazz]

From the looks of the room...and without knowing whether your windows are East-West facing or North-South, I think you'll be fine. If you don't have any issues with ambient lighting where the tube set is currently situated -- and my guess is the glare on the screen is from your camera flash and not from the window or a skylight -- then you'll be fine with either plasma or LED/LCD.

I say pick the flatscreen that you feel gives you the best overall picture quality/size/price.

And if you want to know which gives you the better PQ between a plasma and a LED/LCD...don't ask here. You'll start Flatscreen Armageddon! You've been warned.

[lithnights]

From the looks of the room...and without knowing whether your windows are East-West facing or North-South, I think you'll be fine. If you don't have any issues with ambient lighting where the tube set is currently situated -- and my guess is the glare on the screen is from your camera flash and not from the window or a skylight -- then you'll be fine with either plasma or LED/LCD.

I say pick the flatscreen that you feel gives you the best overall picture quality/size/price.

And if you want to know which gives you the better PQ between a plasma and a LED/LCD...don't ask here. You'll start Flatscreen Armageddon! You've been warned.

The TV is on the north wall. And yes, we have no major issues with glare with the current TV. If it was on the opposite wall, I think I'd have an issue (with lots of light coming from the sliders), but where it is, we usually have no issues. You know I think you're right, that light in the TV is the flash from the camera. I took those during the day and wouldn't have had any lights on.

And I won't get into the PQ between plasma and LCD... I read about a hundred plus posts last night in other threads where this was battled out. I've read enough. : )

[Woochifer]

your room layout looks similar to mine. You won't get much glare unless that light is bright and shining directly into the screen. Basically, if you don't have issues with glare right now (with a CRT), you won't have any with a plasma screen. Also keep in mind that some LCD models, especially from Samsung, have gone to glossy screens.

The light output comes down to personal preference, but if you keep your TV calibrated to reference levels, you probably won't need the extra output.

Now that I've had a plasma set for a year and a half, I really started to notice the off-angle color shifting with LCD sets. Because we use a telescoping wall mount, we're always repositioning the TV so that it can be viewed from adjacent rooms.

[BadAssJazz]

Now that I've had a plasma set for a year and a half, I really started to notice the off-angle color shifting with LCD sets.

I have that sense of retrogression whenever I go from plasma to LCD viewing.

I've owned 3 plasma sets over the last 5-6 years (due to upgrade-itis and not because of any flaws or shortcomings in the format). But whenever I visit my brother, who owns an LCD, or while staying at hotels -- and I travel quite a bit -- that have primarily LCD sets, it takes my eyes a minute to adjust to LCD quality.

Now I don't mean to imply that hotels have gone through the rigorous process of fine tuning every LCD in each of their guest rooms to achieve the best picture. I'm quite sure that would be costly, if not Sisyphean. I'm simply saying that it feels as if my eyes are "plasma calibrated" and it takes a few minutes to shut out the nagging, nitpicking voice in my head that keeps reminding me that I'm looking at an LCD when I watch one.

I wonder if individuals who were weaned on LCD's have that same problem when going from LCD to plasma?

[GregLee]

I have a Samsung pn42b450 plasma in a room with double windows on 3 walls, and the TV is plenty bright. However, I do see screen reflections (though they don't bother me).