If you felt confused and left behind with all the fuss about LED, DLP and Plasma TVs, now you have something that puts understanding the differences between these within anyone's grasp; no longer does a reference to a certain resolution or babble about necessary inputs have to hold you back! While you can see a previous article regarding this (if you feel better about Panasonic or Sony answering your questions), this source provides reasons, pros and cons about each kind, along with indicative name brands in each 'flavor'. Here's a little snippet to give you an idea of what you might find here:
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It also includes 'wait and see' advice regarding the
uncertain winner between HD-DVD and Blu-ray.
While the article names brands of the respective HDTV varieties, it does not provide evidence on which would be best. Just as it listed the best video quality in order in using the different inputs, it would have been nice to see at least some references to narrow down if any particular brand has more problems than another.
Of course, two obvious options should be to consult various threads regarding user's HDTV experiences inside our corresponding CDFreaks forum; another option would be to check for online reviews at a site like Epinions.com, one that is usually quite consumer-friendly'”which means if you are slightly 'technologically challenged,' you'll find reviews and terms you can understand. The third option (and possibly best direct way of finding out) is to ask a person who repairs these TVs to tell you which one has the highest quality components, as well as the one(s) that are repaired least/repaired most, and what the common shortcomings of each brand are. If you opt for Panasonic or Sony to help you understand it, the link to the article above will clearly show that Panasonic is dedicated to far more effort than Sony in giving the potential customer the better answer, so read the respective support options carefully.
Naturally, while the manufacturer may be helpful to differing degrees, one must remember the manufacturer is there to make money and probably won't tell you 'you should hold off on buying' if one's concerns really warranted that kind of response. Additionally, between the three varieties one could buy, it is obvious that one should not 'fall' for the snazziest commercial to help one decide, as in the alluring Texas Instrument's advertisement on DLP with the little girl and elephant. Otherwise, based on the information presented, the 'best buy' in terms of cost and quality would seem to be the LCD option.
Plasma might be a good idea if one wants the largest displays, but it is also the biggest 'power hog' of the three, so factor that in when considering plasma's cost to buy and to maintain. If you want plasma display size without the price, DLP seems the winner (but be aware of the trade-off mentioned about viewing). As the sage computer advice goes something to the effect of 'buy the closest to the best,' with whatever being the next step down that will provide you with basically the same quality. In this sense, LCD seems the logical choice. Finally, make sure to follow the author's advice when going to a store to weigh and evaluate your options: find 'darker areas' on the showroom floor for the various displays of LCD and plasma; watch a 'baseball game' to check for motion clarity and graphics performance; follow the same advice for what to do with your 'baby' if you purchase plasma when you get it home to help avoid 'burn in' with images.
Source: Metromix-Chicago Tribune
Slinkytrips, I applaud you for not only a careful reading of the article, but for such a truly insightful reaction, filling out the technical details between LCD and Plasma. These are the kinds of posts I have requested in past reactions to my news postings, but have only gotten a few times. Many thanks to you for providing the extra information that embellishes and explains, as it is exactly the kind of reaction all posters should aspire to. 
Deezus, the purpose of the article is clearly not to convince anyone to buy a certain one of the three; the purpose of all newspostings is to *inform* on a given topic, then for me to infer or draw conclusions based on the information in the article, or provide other insights based on facts the source may not include. Also note my use of "seem" and "might be," as these are classic indicators of possibility or otherwise leaving the decision clearly in the hands of the reader. Here at CDFreaks there is no inherent purpose other to inform with these articles, as I nor other posters receive money for newspostings, nor any money nor 'greater notariety' for getting the 'most reactions.' So, there is no agenda behind these articles other than to inform--that's it.
Sorry again
Peca
I have an NEC 20WGX2 LCD display and I also have an HP w19 LCD. The NEC has some of the blackest black levels on an LCD I have ever seen. The HP in comparison is rubbish at black levels. The NEC has a shiney panel over the screen that seems to make a BIG difference.
I agree with deezus on this one. Plasmas rule. Better black level, motion artificats, contrast, and better depth in field. Burn in is something that almost never happens anymore.Deezus, thank you for your clarifications and input. Sadly, while we all try to check the source article for accuracy, this is a volunteer effort, so unless the particular newsposter has expertise in that area, the primary article must be relied upon, then it is up to people reacting to add or clarify information in a responsible manner, which your other posts did, Deezus. Now it will be here for others to refer to, which is exactly the point--if someone has more information that will help others decide or know more about the subject/topic at hand, that is a very responsible way to use a reaction. The part about who makes glass was an interesting addition as well.
Deadman, I have seen a lot of NEC LCDs being bought and used in many places, and your post seems to suggest why--NEC does very well in that dept., so perhaps going with NEC for LCD is the best option.Interesting that your Plasma isn't the 'power hog' the author of the article implies it should be. Nice to know! Then it seems the source author is also not an expert in these TVs, although I remember the DLP pitfall of having the replace that component.
I would like to say one thing about buying a 16:9 display that is capable of at least 720p regardless of what it is. Here is a tip. When you go to BestBuy or wherever to look at displays, ask the sales person to change the channel. Because invariably, it will be on a 16:9 format high definition 1080i station, like Discovery Channel or they will be playing a widescreen version DVD of Finding Nemo, which looks awesome on a lot of sets. Ask them to put it on any standard definition station. Make SURE, you are satisfied with the way the display handles standard definition 4:3 broadcasts, this *could* make a difference. Many TVs will stretch this and the way they do it also differs! Also, some sets that look great on 1080i or 720p simply look like hell on a 480i station, while others, it looks quite nice!
I can assure you, they will not leave it on the SD channel any longer than it takes for you to see what you want. As this is not how you sell these fancy 16:9 sets. Many displays cannot produce a decent image on SD. However, right now, this is the bulk of what you will be watching on your new set. So be sure to please check this. My Panasonic 7uy plasma kicks ass with SD and looks great, it has a special stretch mode that just stretches the ends and leaves the center alone, it is difficult to tell it is a 4:3 stretched to 16:9. It also has Auto mode as long as you use the DVI input, so it can change to whatever mode is correct to fill the screen. I am so happy with this set. I just wish it was 50 inches instead of 42! [edited by Crabbyappleton on 30.09.2006 02:09]
Crabbyappleton, when you get back, could you include the model number of this Panasonic plasma? 42" doesn't sound like a sacrifice to some, I'm sure. Also, great input on what to look for, since there are few HD channels currently available, and most will be SD. Had I thought of this, I would have included it in the news posting, since I've heard a lot about that, and the author of the source article did not mention anything about viewing a potential display in this fashion, as you have. Great feedback!
I haven't bought an HD TV yet, but I'll probably stick with CRT when I do. Sony has a very nice 34" model. LCD and plasma technologies concern me since both have obvious shortcomings and are probably temporary steps along the way toward something better. DLP beats them both hands down for picture quality, but did anybody ever really look into DLP technology? It's something Rube Goldberg would have been very proud of! 
Happy Birthday to you 
