Korean Job Discussion Forums

[The Cosmic Hum]

To anyone in the know about this kind of thing:

I am interested in getting some good insights into buying a new TV.
My price range is around W3,500,000
I am hoping to get a 50' screen or larger...depending on price.
I have looked at a few...Samsung...LG...Sony.
I liked the 55' LG PDP...it had a nice screen...easy on the eyes.
I found the Samsung Paav...LCD...too...hmm...bright..everyting looks like a came from a home movie...not sure how to explain it.
I have been doing some internet investigating...but my learning curve could use some help...I am hoping someone out there has some experience or expertise in this area...the whole PDP/LCD/DLP etc... so...please feel free to shed some light on this...brands...models...sizes.
I don't play computer games...so that is not much of an issue.
But...I love watching movies...so I am most interested in a home theatre kind of system.
Thanks

[smogdonkey]

if you can read korean, check out http://www.dvdprime.com

[itaewonguy]

go with the 55 PDP you will not be disappointed!!

[gsxr750r]

I saw that model. Make sure it's got at least the 1366xwhatever resolution (my numbers may be off a bit) and you'll be fine. The older 1024x768 will disappoint, and is old technology being dumped now.

I've got the 42" Full HD 1920x1080 model from LG. Just got it 3 weeks ago. You really don't need Full HD at this point, unless you plan on using it for a computer monitor too. The 1080i signals coming via TV don't reach the full progressive (p) level anyway. They look incredible, too. Be sure to ask the sales person to show you what regular DVDs, Standard TV, and HDTV look like on a set before you buy it.

Make sure you room is big enough so that you don't have to sit too close. I can't stress this enough.

I liked the LG look better, too.

It might interest you to know that older DVD players dont' upscale the image well, and look like crap. You need to get a newer player that upscales. I use my computer to output via VGA port, and it looks excellent. My older DVD player looked like crap because it didn't upscale. Properly upscaled HDMI would look a bit better, I imagine.

And as Itaewonguy and I have discussed, these TVs have an on-screen adjustment to set the port to the proper kind of machine signal you are inputing. If you don't change to the proper setting, The size can be out of whack. Took me a while to figure that one out.

Oh, mine is an LCD. At first, I was a bit disappointed until I adjusted everything correctly and mastered proper settings. Now I love it. Glad I got an LCD over PDP (mine has 10,000 to 1 contrast). Older LCDs had really poor contrast by comparison. DLPs look great too, but don't do as well in a brighter room. If you plan on viewing with shades closed, or in the evening, it's not an issue.

LCDs tend to have a bit more of a "digitally-painted" feel to some of the images, but it's slight with newer technologies. They are just so incredibly sharp, they can look too sharp. I found a setting to control this, so I'm much happier.

I went with a "stand" model. I didn't want a wall-mount, because you're up a creek every time you want to move, or change rooms. Gotta remount and cut holes in the wall. Cords hang, too, unless you go to the huge pain of threading cords through walls.

[smogdonkey]

I would love to have full HD for the PS3 because watching bluray discs is already ridiculously sweet on my puny 1080i/720p 32" LCD screen.

I only have one, but one of my students is a home theater junkie (he runs http://www.dvdprime.com ), and lends them to me. I have no idea where he gets them.

[gsxr750r]

Probably the USA or Japan. We're in the same region.

If you learn of a place currently selling them in Korea, let me know. I have been considering buying a PS3. Would love to talk to you about it.

[rocklee]

There has been a number of threads regarding PDP/LCD TVs just recently.

The problem with the bigger screens is that you cannot take them home with you like I just found out. I got a FullHD TV/monitor and I am very happy with it. Had a 30" 2560x1800 whatever resolution monitor and found that it wasn't effective as a TV (fonts were waaaay too small).

[smogdonkey]

I just checked his site out with my rudimentary Korean, and he has a handful of BD reviews up, so maybe he got them for free somehow. I know that with the PS3 itself, he got a demo to try from Sony that came with a 47" Full Bravia for an undisclosed amount of time. The Superman disc he gave me is American.

Side note--I brought my PS3 down to Hollywood Grill in Itaewon and hooked it up to his gigantic projection screen last night. The picture was not impressive because we only had an s-video connection. The colors, however, were. It was a hell of a lot of fun to play 2-on-2 hockey on a huge screen, albeit a little embarrassing with a bar full of people watching (at least we won). And I'm now stoked as all hell to play the full version of Motorstorm (March 6), because the demo is amazing. Everyone at the bar was ooing and awing every time someone blew up or crashed, and as I said it was only standard definition.

I'm going to run to Yongsan tomorrow and try and find a component-to-dsub converter.

When I get it running on an HD connection at the bar, I'll let you know so you can check it out if you have time. If anyone is an expert (it's not as easy as it sounds) and can tell me exactly where to find the cable/converter I need, help would be appreciated.

[OneWayTraffic]

I'm still happy with my old CRT (except for PCs I'm happy to be retro.) About the only thing I have to add is that I understand LCDs are more power efficient. This may not matter to you but it may help in Summer. Nothing worse than having a whole heap of electronic equipment pumping heat into your living room in mid July.

[gsxr750r]

That is a point. My LCD doesn't need a fan (or at least, I don't see or hear one) but I saw some PDPs did. Maybe all of 'em did.

[The Cosmic Hum]

Hey thanks all,

I am glad to get your feedback...some useful stuff in there...I will get my girlfriend to check out the site...my Korean skills just won't help me there...but it was great to get the link.
I will have to check out that info about the energy consumption and the heat...our new home will be pretty big...so heat won't be a problem...but I don't want to spend a fortune on aircon...just to cool my t.v...lol
I will keep checking out some more info...so if anyone has anything else they can add...I think I will be making my decision in the next week or so.
Again, thanks for all the help.