What do you think about this tv?

Im debating whether or not to buy this tv

http//www.tacp.toshiba.com/televisions/product.asp?model=42lx177

The specs look amazing, and it is only $1800 on Buy.com.

But I am considering this tv

http//www.samsung.com/Products/TV/LCDTV/LNT4065FXXAA.asp

Which one looks better? Thanks!

I remember dmorris saying something about plasma TV's 40" and above looking better than LCD's at that size.

Toshiba makes good gear, as does Samsung, but yeah I don't go for LCD's above 37". At that size I much prefer an LCoS/SXRD or DLP, or plasma if wall-hanging is required. But if you can, try to watch a mix of content in the store. Large format LCD panels tend to have scaling and artifact problems with fast moving, bright images with high contrast. Screen door effect is also a common problem. But technology improves every day so expect things to get better. Samsung is a great brand, and that one is a 40" so it might be small enough that you don't see the degree of image problems that you'd notice on a larger panel.

But image quality is subjective and not everyone is as picky as I am, so you'd probably be happy with either. You might try searching AVS Forum for reviews and comments on those models. It's the first place I go for A/V info when I'm looking for something.

I love the way the first one looks.

I got an older model of that samsung, and I am very pleased with it. It has a wow factor. Every time someone sees it they are like wow what a sweet and expensive tv. I would say go for the samsung.

The last time I went somewhere with a bunch of TV's, the Samsungs stuck out. They just seemed much brighter and sharper than the rest. I don't know about those2 models here, but just an observation.

Which one seems to be better (taking the specs into account)? And does the 120hz refresh help with anything?

The 120Hz refresh is supposed to help with fast motion updates. I don't think I've actually seen one yet to judge how well it works. It could be that is what the larger format LCD's needed to provide decent image quality, but that wouldn't help with the screen door effect that a lot of large LCD's suffer from.

Size is important, so if the image quality is acceptable to you I'd say go with the Toshiba 42" over the Samsung 40". Samsung probably makes a slightly better TV overall, but Toshiba's are pretty nice too. However if the Toshiba looked bad enough compared to the Samsung, then I'd rather give up the extra 2" to get good image quality.

I feel Samsung is on top of their game when it comes to televisions, but toshiba is not far behind. So, I would go with the samsung, but see if you can see them in person.

theres a 42" 1080p LCD Toshiba "regza" on tigerdirect for $1300 if you're interested.

[quote0973eb6bbb="dmorris68"]Toshiba makes good gear, as does Samsung, but yeah I don't go for LCD's above 37". At that size I much prefer an LCoS/SXRD or DLP, or plasma if wall-hanging is required. But if you can, try to watch a mix of content in the store. Large format LCD panels tend to have scaling and artifact problems with fast moving, bright images with high contrast. Screen door effect is also a common problem. But technology improves every day so expect things to get better. Samsung is a great brand, and that one is a 40" so it might be small enough that you don't see the degree of image problems that you'd notice on a larger panel.

But image quality is subjective and not everyone is as picky as I am, so you'd probably be happy with either. You might try searching AVS Forum for reviews and comments on those models. It's the first place I go for A/V info when I'm looking for something.[/quote0973eb6bbb]

Actually, this is not so much true anymore. About 5 years ago, any TV that was over 40" really needed to be a Plasma for optimal picture quality. But now, LCD has caught up with Plasma, and will actually soon overtake plasmas in terms of large screen sizes and their picture quality.

Now that we have 1080p technologies, LCDs are much better at larger sizes, and refresh rates and contrast ratios are getting better by the day. I owned a 50" plasma about 2 years ago, and LOVED the picture quality. But once 1080p began to show up in more and more TVs 40" and up, I did lots and lots of research and spent lots and lots of time in the AVS forum.

Now I have a 46" Samsung 1080p LCD. It blows the plasma TV away in all respects!

I would definitely go with the Samsung if you can afford it. Though Toshiba has a couple good models out there, Samsung on the whole puts out a much more solid product! )

You dare to question dmorris?!

[quotea500d08480="tylerc"]You dare to question dmorris?![/quotea500d08480]
Lol, that's what I was thinking!

[quotefb1197a716="tylerc"]You dare to question dmorris?![/quotefb1197a716]
He's welcome to! ;)

I agree that LCD has improved, and there are perhaps a very few models that I would buy larger than a 37"... but I've not seen one yet. And I'd take NONE over my SXRD. Form factor notwithstanding, there isn't an LCD made that can touch an SXRD in image quality (according to my eyes). And mine is a 1st gen XBR, the newer XBR's look even better.

I look at TV's every time I walk through a big box store, including just today while walking through Sam's. I have still yet to see a really good looking large screen LCD.

1080p has perhaps helped with the SDE problem, although I think I can still detect it (because I'm looking for it), but without the fastest refresh they still don't handle motion that well, especially at high contrast.

So I'll stand by my statement for the most part. As I said, there are most likely some newer models that I've failed to see yet, but of those large format LCD's I've looked at up until today, I wouldn't spend my money on a single one. I still say if I had to hang it on a wall, I'd buy plasma. Otherwise an RP SXRD, or DLP if I couldn't afford SXRD.