Xbox 360 and Plasma Televisions

[Imperius]

Ok ok, I caved.. I longed to find out what HD gaming is all about. A few weeks ago I bought a BRAND SPANKING NEW (kinda) Hitachi 42 inch HDTV Plasma Television with motorized stand for just under 4k.

Now before all of you ask me for money, I'm not rich. I got it on financing and it will only take 10 months to pay it off.

Secondly, I dealt with the PERFECT commisioned salesman. He was leaving the province for a new job. (Moving from here in BC to Ontario) and he didn't mind selling products at insane prices.

Here is the breakdown.

Retail for my TV: $4199

Actual price payed:$3099

Price total including taxes: $3989

Now, since I'm posting this in the xbox 360 forum, I suppose I must talk about how its working ;)

The graphics are SPECTACULAR! I've noticed at least 10 times greater detail. Since its a HD plasma, I can change alot of the details. ie - How vivid or sharp the picture is. The only small annoyance is that you need to work for a while to get the picture perfect. Otherwise, the gaming setting might not look good when your watching regular TV, and vice versa.

As for the audio, its vastly improved. My plasma includes built in dolby sound (2 speakers).

This isn't an indulgence, its an investment. This tv will last well over 30 years and won't burn out. Also, the fade in thing has been destroyed, none of that fade in graphics stuff.

Anyway, If you can get a plasma for cheap, I suggest it. It works wonder with the 360.

*is in uber HD heaven! :hardcore:

Anyway, thats all my bragging..er.... Review of My Plasma.

Best Regards,

Brian
(Imperius)

P.S. - Its technicly not a NEW plasma, its the display model with was surprisingly kept in mint condition. No scratches or anything. It weights a ton though.

[killerscott]

Thats nearly 30% tax man! or was there something else included? (still a good deal anyways getting that size hd plasma for that thur price)

[BuLLsEyEWTF]

Godamnit.. GIMME HD NOW.

[Whisper]

thanks for gloating.. im dying to get into the HD world but sadly wont be happening for atleast 6 months

[Imperius]

LOL, gloating isn't my style. Mild Bragging is.

I'm telling you guys, what are the odds that i'd run into a guy willing to give me a huge discount. I'm guessing 1 in a couple thousand.

Just save and watch those fliers, watch for going out of business sales.

As for killerscott. I didn't pay 30% tax. I payed 14% MAX. Only 5% provincial tax and 7% Goverment tax. All about 700 bucks.

If any of you live in canada, check out Avu.ca, its the company i got my plasma from.

Now, if your planning on going for HD in the near future, I HIGHLY suggest you don't buy LCD tv's, they easily burn out and their pixels can burn out within years. I suggest plasma because they don't have pixels and they last much much longer, up to 50 years.

As for warranty's, I highly suggest you get one. For example, my 42 inch Hitachi came with a one year warranty. I got an additional 5 years for only $250.

This ain't no damn "send away if broke" warranty. Hitachi or simular electronics repairment will come to you in your home and fix your tv. Besides, its too damn heavy to ship lol.

So for those looking for quality and something that will last long term, invest in a plasma. You can get a 33 inch or 20+ inch for as little as 2000 or 3000. Don't forget three important things though.

#1 - see if you can haggle and lower the price. Pretend your not very interested.

#2 - Get that warranty!

#3 - There are two kinds of plasma. ED and HD. Here is the difference ED = normal quality, HD = what you want. Make sure you get HD built in.

I hope I helped you guys, I gloated yeah, but I think I made up for it here. :) Let me know what you think of my tips.

[odpr]

mmm few more things o n the plasma. which are not good.

first plasma is a gas, that means that through the years the gas is running out, and spreading in the room, so it need maintenance, the brightness of the screen is running down very fast, and I really don't know how you did the thirty years calc but plasma usually don't last more then four years.

Second, it takes a lot of electricity, actually plasma is the first electricity consumer in the house prepare the electricity bill.
Third there is the refresh rate issue you can se the plasma flicker and so.

This is why liquid crystal display doesn't have all this, last much more, although not thirty yyears ..
and doesn't have gad, this is why all the industry left the plasma idea..

[CarGuy]

mmm few more things o n the plasma. which are not good.

first plasma is a gas, that means that through the years the gas is running out, and spreading in the room, so it need maintenance, the brightness of the screen is running down very fast, and I really don't know how you did the thirty years calc but plasma usually don't last more then four years.

Second, it takes a lot of electricity, actually plasma is the first electricity consumer in the house prepare the electricity bill.
Third there is the refresh rate issue you can se the plasma flicker and so.

This is why liquid crystal display doesn't have all this, last much more, although not thirty yyears ..
and doesn't have gad, this is why all the industry left the plasma idea..

..and that's why i bought an LCD for a fraction of the cost he paid for his plasma...

[l Maximus l]

It's difficult to say how long it will last since it doesn't have a history yet. Plasma TVs are the creme de la creme of TVs, though. Each individual pixel is lighted seperately and provides the best possible picture.

I saw a 55" Hitachi for $4200 that I'm thinking about picking up. I just bought my third home (I don't have three houses, just one by selling the other two) and I'm looking to dress it up with a kick ass plasma. Right now, I'm playing on a rear projection HDTV. Sadly, it doesn't produce 720p; however, it does produce 1080i and G.R.A.W. looks amazing on it. It's 50 inches and does the trick for now...I've had it for amost 4 years now. I calibrated it and it looks nice, but, I doubt it looks as good as a plasma...no way.

[Hedao]

mmm few more things o n the plasma. which are not good.

first plasma is a gas, that means that through the years the gas is running out, and spreading in the room, so it need maintenance, the brightness of the screen is running down very fast, and I really don't know how you did the thirty years calc but plasma usually don't last more then four years.

Second, it takes a lot of electricity, actually plasma is the first electricity consumer in the house prepare the electricity bill.
Third there is the refresh rate issue you can se the plasma flicker and so.

This is why liquid crystal display doesn't have all this, last much more, although not thirty yyears ..
and doesn't have gad, this is why all the industry left the plasma idea..


Here is a nice link that you might find interesting.
Plasmas do use more power than LCDs but no more than a standard tube tv. Also the gas does not leak out as you say it does.
http://www.plasmatvbuyingguide.com/plasmatvreviews/plasmatv-life.html

[CRAYMAN]

I had a 50 " SONY VEGA LCD HDTV and had to sell it. It WAS sweet.

I wanted another HDTV, but couldn't afford the 50" again. I picked up a 21" Olevia LCD HDTV for around $700 that I'm pretty pleased with. I did some research and hopefully got the most bang for my buck. It seemed to have the highest specs for the least $.

[mattgame]

Where's Shaded when you need him?

[ShadedNine]

I dealt with the PERFECT commisioned salesman

Actually, I'd say you met a rather typical commisioned salesman. Not only did he sell you a floor model at roughly street price (i'm guessing a little, since you haven't given me a model number), but he also tagged you on the warranty, after convincing you that it was built to last for 40 years :huh:

I don't mean to rain on your parade, and I've no doubt you're in absolute bliss right now, enjoying your first tastes of high definition..but your deal is not quite so hot as you might think. I worked selling various computer/av products for years, and still in a sense, though not so directly as before. MSRP is a fickle thing, and near as slippery as the salesman who so convincingly spit them out.

Your pessimism towards LCD is also a little unfounded. It varies more model to model than it does tech to tech. A salesman pushing a plasma isn't going to show you the latest and greatest in LCD technology..instead he'll show you a somewhat older model (yes, all the major techs have improved leaps & bounds over the last 2 years), and quickly churn out stats about pixel burnout etc. If he wants to push LCD, he'll switch which display he's showing of each, and prattle on about the gasses and plasma's troubled history with early models. Often the displays will be strategically positioned so that the cheaper of each technology hangs around closer to the best of the others, matching them up to not only push higher end TVs, but enable salesmen to focus on a single product (not that he really cares what you buy, but it helps you make your mind and finish the sale). Don't get me started on how they "calibrate" those things.

The new creme-de-la-creme though, is no longer Plasma. LCoS has not only matured to the point of offering significantly better contrast, using more familiar technology that resembles LCD, but has also hit a price point that hovers only barely over the heads of plasma.
Sony's 50" SXRD (LCoS) has a street price around $2500 USD (down from MSRP of $3500 USD)

That is until Canon pushes SED out, beginning the cycle anew.

Worry not, your salesman friend may be leaving the province, but he'll have no trouble affording the big move ;)
Just do yourself a favour and don't buy any monster cable.

[Imperius]

Actually I pretty much over exagerated on the "40 year life" thing. He didn't convince me of that. But he did say I'd be an idiot if I didn't buy the warranty. Besides, if the motorized base breaks or something won't work, it can be fixed free for 6 years. The warranty was cheap anyway.