37 inch LCD or plasma?

[admin_exported]

Please help- I am having real difficulty choosing a TV for my lounge!
I will sit about 3 to 4 metres from the screen and feel that 37 to 42 inch would be about right in terms of size. I mainly watch TV broadcasts with occasional freeview use so strong performance from the built in tuner is an absolute must. The room is also quite bright.
I watch quite a few DVD's and also plan to buy a PS3 in the near future for HD movies and gaming. I have a surround sound system so movie sound performance of the integrated speakers is not that critical.

Shortlisted products are:
Pana 37" TFT Full HD TXLZD70 £800
Pana 37" Plasma HD ready TH37PX70 £650
Pana 42" Plasma HD ready TH42PX70 £700
Pana 42" Plasma Full HD TH42PZ70 £950
Sony 37" TFT HD ready KDL37P3020U £600
Sony 40" TFT HD ready KDL40S3000U £650
Sony 40" TFT Full HD KDL40D3500U £900
Sony 40" TFT Full HD KDL40V3000U £1000

In short I have a budget of £600 to £1000 max and want the best picture performance "off air" with the capability to do Blu-Ray DVD justice in future. The one I am leaning to is the Panasonic full HD 37" LCD (as it is the best size and full HD) but there seems to be little by way of reviews of this set or most importantly a direct comparison with the 37" Panasonic plasma (my other fave).

Any help or experience of these products greatly appreciated

 

[matthewpiano]

Of the Sony sets you mention, I'd go for the 40D3500 which is Full HD and uses the latest panel (the same as the W3000 and X3000/3500 series sets). In side-by-side comparisons it beats the V3000 (which doesn't have the latest panel) by some margin and its slightly cheaper to boot. The 40S is good for the money but I think, with your gaming plans, the extra performance of the D is worth paying for. Avoid the 37P.

 

[Anonymous]

thanks M8. Thats the Sony set I'll look at then, though still pretty stuck on the 37" Panny Plasma, I know its "only" HDR but still not sure about fast motion on LCD's!

 

[Anonymous]

avoid the 37P what nonsence i have one, its superb, have you read the reviews? avoid it on what basis?

 

[jetjohnson]

...I've seen the 40" Sony's you mention (albeit in a showroom situation) and was admittedly impressed by the picture quality ...but (and I think it's a big but) for me if a premium brand plasma set is available within your price range and your preferred screen size it would beat ANY LCD anytime for picture quality.

Surely there's a reason that in every head to head Plasma v LCD test I've ever read the plasma has always come out on top ...even allowing for different reviewers personal tastes the plasma always wins (someone's going to tell me a situation when a LCD set "won" but I can't remember it ever happening!)

I guess all Home Cinema magazines have to continue to test and report on LCDs as for some reason the public at large buy them in enormous quantitys but in my humble opinion plasma sets are simply better in all those areas that matter.

 

[matthewpiano]

RE; The 37P. Its entry-level. Good for the money but colours are on the un-natural side and it isn't as clean with SD freeview as the better 40" Bravias. If the budget and size requirements can go up to 40", why would you buy the 37P when you can get the 40D3500 which is superior in every way?

 

[Anonymous]

No no no , having test drove both sets i cannot agree, while the panny plasma has a slight, only slight orange tone to some reds the is correctable and the skin tones are very natural in cinema mode and your Sony LCD still cannot hold a candle to the black levels on this plasma set, and to my eyes no lcd at the moment can. yes they are getting better but plasma is still the best sets for normal front room auditioning. However i do conceed that the Sony set is superb for me its the Plasma all the way

 

[matthewpiano]

37P to me = Sony KDL37P3020. Its not the Pana 37" plasma that I'm criticising...

 

[Anonymous]

sorry mate good call totally agree!!