The Absolute Best Flat Screen TV, Nov. 23, 2006

Review by David (Los Angeles, CA)

I spent over a week dedicated to going to stores all over town.  I feel I know what I'm talking about - at least more than when I began looking.

First off, don't get sucked into the hype of LCD's like I almost did.  If you look at a Pioneer plasma, then go back to a top of the line LCD like the Sony XBR3, you will realize the picture quality of LCD is a total joke.

 Also don't get sucked into the contrast ratio game.  I.e. this TV has 10,000:1 or that one has 7000:1.  All the paper statistics on a TV are worthless.  You gotta go and see it.  I almost bought the new Sharp Aquos LCD.  From what I read about the contrast and colors it sounded amazing, in fact I almost bought it sight unseen, but when I finally saw it in the store it looked like garbage.

 Looking back, I titally got sucked into the LCD trap and was so close to buying the 46" Sony XBR3 (their top of the line LCD), but something told me to hold off before I blew $3,700 and take one last look at my other options including plasma.

 I walked into Best Buy and found myself totally captivated by a movie on a flat panel TV.  It flet like I was really at a movie theater - the picture quality was amazing.  I asked the salesman about it - he said it was last year's plasma.  The whole world of plasma opened up to me.  And I'm so glad it did, because the plasma picture quality is the best out there.  A salesman explained to me that plasmas have phospherous (or some element that sounds like that) and LCD's can never have, and that is what makes for their superior color.  Wheter that phospherous like is true or not, either way it was clear to my eye that heigher end plasmas looked so much better than any LCD out there. 

I've had a Pioneer 4270 plasma set up in my living room for over a month now and I couldn't be happier with it.  It is 5 times better than the top of the line Sony LCD and $1,500 cheaper - price not a factor for me - I just wanted the best flatscreen.