LCD vs Plasma TVs

[Winnow]

I'm thinking of buying a 42" flat panel for my bedroom or as an extra TV/PC monitor for the living room. I have the projector but don't always like to turn that on and the 2nd 24' LCD isn't quite big enough for me when playing console games. (although they look nice on it) In the bedroom I've got an old 40" HDTV and my old Z2 HD projector but the lamp is old and I don't want to shell out 300.00 for another lamp for a secondary projector.

Anyway, I spotted a coupon for 200.00 off on a Phillips 42" LCD ($1,199 before coupon). It's been awhile since I've actually looked at HDTVs. I remember LCDs being complete crap. Horrible viewing angles and just a shitting picture in general. On the other hand, Plasmas had a nice picture but weren't as sharp and suffered from burn in if you played video games or kept side bars on too long. Having ruined an HDTV from burn in already, I'm cautious of this.

Anyways (part duex), I was pretty blown away by the latest ('08) generation of LCD TVs. The viewing angles are no longer an issue. The one glaring issue with LCDs is pixelation during high motion scenes.

I took a long look at a shitload of LCDs and Plasmas at Fry's today. I prefer the LCDs.

From my initial research:

Plasmas:

-better for high speed stuff
-not as sharp as LCDs
-better for light controlled environments, not as bright as LCDs for daylight, etc conditions
-not as good for gaming (burn-in being primarily the reason)
-not as good for PC use (lack 1:1 pixel ratio) New LCDs are 1920X1080 so you're basically almost getting another 1920x1200, less 120 veritcal pixels monitor.
-image will deteriorate over time (years)

LCD:

-For lack of a better phrase, more "pop" to the picture. brighter colors although possibly less accurate than plasmas
-better for gaming, leave it on all night and don't worry about burn-in.
-better for HTPC (1:1 pixel mapping)
-cheaper (I think although not by much)
-thinner
-don't suffer from deteriorating image over time
-can suffer from uneven backlighting (I didn't notice this myself while viewing the TVs)

As for the specific TV in question:

http://www.consumer.philips.com/consume ... TA648BX-37

I like it because it has 4 - HDMI inputs. I can already fill those up! And 2 more component inputs.

It also has a USB input for directly viewing images and listening to MP3 music on any USB storage device formatted in FAT. (can go 19 directories deep)

I think the USB thing is pretty common these days but still cool. As far as I know, there's no plasma/LCD that will directly play Divx movies from USB but there are 60.00 upconverting DVD players that have USB inputs and will play Divx/Avi files. It would be nice to have a TV that played them directly but I can always pop a thumb drive into my PS3 and play them on the TV.

For 1K, it seems like a no brainer. I'm still researching them. The Pioneer Kuro LCDs are the best but they also cost double what other sets cost (2-3K) and this isn't going to be my main set. In this case, bigger isn't better as well. 42" seems about right for my use. Some dude on AV forums was talking about using them as sort of a PiP for his projector, lining up a few of them on the sides of his 10 foot screen. Sounds like a good idea (especially for sports fans)

I've been hitting the AV Science forums pretty hard to see if there's any new tech that I might be missing by grabbing the Phillips LCD.

There was an article May 1st that said Sony was slashing prices big time on their LCDs to try and regain market share which is causing big drops in LCD (and eventually plasmas) this month so it's a good time to buy.

Still lots of research to do as I'm anal about home theater equipment and PC stuff.

[Boogahz]

check power consumption differences while you're researching...I can't remember were I last heard the numbers, but I could have sworn that the larger Plasmas were sucking more energy than the LCDs

[Neost]

You really should consider the Samsung slim line with the LED light engine.

[Fairweather Pure]

Plasmas have a shiny, mirror like, glass finish which reflects light, so it's best to use in a darkened room. LCDs do not suffer that problem and are better in well lighted areas.

I love my samsung rear projection, but I don't feel they will be around for too much longer. My next set will likely be a plasma. Well, that's about 4 years off, so who knows what will be out by then or how far current technology will improve. If I had to buy another set right now, the slim line is still the best bang for your buck out there IMO.

[Winnow]

Fry's has several "slims" LED TVs aong with rows of Plasma and LCDs.

I'm done with projection for now. I've got three projection HDTVS (2 front and one rear). The LEDs looked nice but I still prefer the LCDs for my use. The Plasmas were nice as well but it's personal preference and I prefer the sharpness of the LCDs. The vivid colors and brightness both favor the LCDs as well. I'm curretly reading up on all the latest '08 features from LCD manufacturers to see if any improve fast motion. Since I've been eying the Phillips model, the higher end model has Pixel Plus 3HD and ClearView, two additional enhancements to improve high speed motion, sharpness and some sort of color blending deal. Since the difference in prices is 1K and the cost of the set I was looking at is 1K, I'm heading back to a few stores to see if the extra moola is worth the improvements. Sometimes "enhancements" make things worse (like ClearFont or whatever it is on LCD PC monitors) since I like things as sharp as possible.

My point about "features" that don't really add to the quality of the image is reinforced with this persons recommendations on a particular set:

- Turn off all DNR,
- Turn off all contrast enhancements
- Leave the 120hz on
- leave the Pixel Plus on
- Turn colour enhancement OFF
- Use the Warm colour Mode.
- Keep the light sensor OFF

Thats four out of five "image improvements" he recommends turning off. Pixel Plus and 120Hz are what I'm going to look at today to compare with/without.

One thing I would like is dynamic backlighting and something called regional screen dimming (that's not the term).

With HDTVs and the way they improve, you've really got to go see them in person every year as the improvements with LCD have been impressive.

[Pherr the Dorf]

Sharp Aquuos ftw

[Winnow]

God Damn it.

All I wanted was good looking 42" LCD for 1K but after checking them out all day, I'll probably shell out $1,500-1900 for a 40" Samsung. I went to Costco, Best Buy and Frys. I spent a lot of time just viewing the pictures, walking up and down the rows of TVs. What I found:

-Contrast ratio makes a huge difference.

As with all LCD monitors, poor contrast ratio results in grey (washed out) blacks. The higher end sets that ranged from 15K:1 to 50K:1 contrast were easily better pictures and notable from a distance before checking the make and models. (LED Slim projection TVs aren't anywhere near the new LCDS. They have poor viewing angles, less bright, and less contrast. So while they're good, they aren't in league with the new LCDs. I checked out five of them and they really shouldn't be placed near the LCDs in the store as it must hurt their sales. Remember, I'm not knocking Slim LEDs. They have a great picture if you're directly in front of them with proper lighting conditions...but I'm kind of tired of the lighting condition and angle of view requirements.)

-120Hz refresh combined with motion enhancements > older 60Hz sets:

It's not a gimmick. 120Hz makes a difference.

After visiting the three stores, I've narrowed my choices to three brands. Samsung, Mitsubishi and Toshiba.

If I go the cheap route, the Toshiba is the best picture for low price.

Toshiba 42RV530U $1,199 Regza

The 42" Toshiba model above looks great. It's 60Hz, and lacks a USB port. (4 HDMI ports, nice!)

For the price, it's the best. The Phillips that originally got me interested in checking out LCDs lacks brightness and contrast ratio compared to the Toshiba.

Mitsubishi LT46144 $1,999

120Hz. Outstanding picture. Has the best anti glare. The other sets will have some reflection issues depending on lighting. This set, along with the Toshiba above it, has a nice thin frame so it's all picture when looking at it. I don't care for thick frames on TVs.

Samsung LN40A650 (~$1,500)
Samsung LN40A750 (~$1,900)
(Both 40" LCDs)

4 HDMI ports. Stupendous blacks. 120Hz, motion correction, etc. These are outstanding pictures with great features to correct the motion issues inherent with LCDs. Here's a rundown of some of the features . The first three bullets make up the $400 difference in price between the two:

What's New?

Series 7 Step-Up Features

* Internal flash memory (1GB) with pre-loaded interactive content such as cooking recipes, children's entertainment, HD artwork and more
* Integrated woofer for an enhanced audio experience
* DLNA-Compatible: for better interopability with electronics, computers and mobile devices from many different manufacturers (Learn more)

New for all Series 6 and 7

* 50,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio: up from 25,000:1 on 2007 models (Learn more)
* Blazing 4ms response time: down from 8ms on 2007 models thanks to a new high-speed liquid crystal
* Transparent and Opaque Color (TOC) bezel with infused color creates an ultra-sleek shape and appearance (Learn more)
* InfoLink: Get free RSS feeds of news, weather and sports right to your HDTV with a built-in Ethernet port (Learn more)
* 4 HDMI 1.3 ports: Simplay compliant, and up from 3 on 2007 models (Learn more)
* Sports and Game modes boost on-screen performance and interaction with the latest gaming systems
* Side-mounted USB 2.0 port: connect USB devices directly to your HDTV to view JPEG photos or MPEG movies or easily listen to your MP3 player through your HDTV's audio system or your home theater system.
* Compatible with Samsung's Home Digital Media Adapter (sold separately) for playback and navigation of Internet and stored PC multimedia

Features Overview

* Full 1080p HD (Learn more)
* Automotion Plus 120Hz image interpolation technology provides smoother motion (Learn more)
* 178-degree viewing angle from all four axes with Super Patterned Vertical Alignment (Learn more)
* Better clear panel technology for deeper blacks and more vibrant colors (Learn more)
* Hidden speakers with SRS TruSurround XT audio (Learn more)
* Cold Cathode Flourescent Lamp (CCFL) and Wide Color Enhancer technology offer a wider color range (Learn more)
* Picture-in-Picture (PIP) enables convenient simultaneous viewing of TV programs and video or PC sources
* V-Chip system1 allows blocking of rated TV and movie programs determined by the parent to contain objectionable content.
* Trilingual on-screen displays in English, Spanish or French.
* Variable sleep timer to turn the TV off in varying time intervals.
* Auto wall mount compatible: 3-dimensional operation via TV’s remote control; no external IR receiver required.
* Swivel stand included
* 1 year parts and 1 year labor warranty (90 days parts and labor for commercial use), with in-home service, backed by Samsung toll-free support.

Right now, it looks like the Samsung LN40A650 is the best fit for me.

There's also a "Halo" effect issue with the more expensive 750's. The frame has some clear plastic that sticks out enough to cause it to glow from the light emitting from the LCD. It doesn't affect the picture but I don't want to see a reflected glow coming off the frame. People say it's kind of annoying. The internal 1GB flash, woofer don't appeal to me and DNLA only somewhat so the 650 seems like a better fit.

The only knocks on the 650/750 are small. The frame is a little thicker than the other brands I mentioned and they have "Touch of Red" which should really be called "Touch of Gayness";

Samsung’s Series 6 marks the first appearance of TOC (Touch of Color) design in the 2008 LCD HDTV line-up. Inspired by designs from the automotive and fashion industries, Samsung’s unique Transparent and Opaque Color molding process creates a clean, smooth finish infused with a hint of a translucent color during the manufacturing process for an ultra-sleek appearance.

huh? completely unnecessary and a waste. I'd rather have it without that "touch".
-------

Still researching and will update my findings after nerding out on the AV Science forums, but I'm glad I took the day off to shop some and see these LCDs in person. Other good LCDs I didn't mention: Pioneer Kuro (best but hella expensive), Panasonic Viera (looked nice but I haven't researched it)

Edit: The Samsungs above have excellent upscalers (important for you Wii people)

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost ... count=6592

Edit: looks like xvid, etc can only be played via DNLA server so that excludes the 650 model. USB will do images and music though.

[Fairweather Pure]

Keep in mind that comparing the same image in a store, even side by side, doesn't mean much at all if the settings are optimized on one set and not the other.

My Samsung has an almost disturbing amount of options for tweaking the set. I have each input optimized for each component. I have video game, theatrical, and day/night settings. It took me several days to research and set up each input.

[Winnow]

Keep in mind that comparing the same image in a store, even side by side, doesn't mean much at all if the settings are optimized on one set and not the other.

I went to several stores to view the same TVs so I could have multiple looks at the same TV just in case it was set up wrong in one store.

I'm pretty set on the Samsung LN40A650 now.

There's an 8,000 post thread I've been wading through over on AV Science Forums specifically about the xx650 Samsungs. I spent the entire day/night reading up on LCDs in that forum.

Amazon has the 650 for 1,558.00 with free shipping and "White Glove Delivery" meaning they'll unpack it in your home and make sure it's not damaged before leaving. Same TV at Fry's is $1,799 before taxes so Amazon is a huge savings for this TV. I've also read up on the LN40A750 and it's not worth the extra money, essentially for a built in subwoofer (which I don't care about) and DNLA capability (which I don't like on the PS3 either).

I'll order it Monday or Tuesday if it's still in stock. I need a few more days to get through that massive thread on AV Science Forums and the A750 thread as well since the panel is exactly the same as the A650 so feedback on the picture quality and issues will be similar.

I'm not even sure where I'm going to put this thing. I'm also tempted to get the 46" for 2K since I have a feeling my projector will get turned on a lot less if I get one of these and I've used to watching a 120" picture the past 4 years. Seems like my TV spending habits are 2K every two years. '02, '04, '06

[Winnow]

I'm done researching.

The Samsung 650 series (and 750 series) are the best out there for LCDs.

I went to three more stores today, including another Best Buy that was actually a little better setup to display HDTVs. They were playing a Blu Ray movie (Fantastic Four 2) on a 40" Samsung 650 and it was jaw droppingly good. I was able to view the 52" and 46" 750 Samsungs and they were also eye popping. (exact same panel as used in the 650's)

I went to a Circuit City and viewed the same 650's and 750's yet again and they dominated all the other LCDs (and Plasmas). I'm leaning toward the 46" 650 now. It's a shame that BB and CC have it listed for 2,499 while Amazon.com sells it for 1,880 shipped. That's over an $800 difference in price when you include tax on top of it. Crazy. The difference in price between online and local is getting out of hand.

There is a single issue with the 650/750's. A very small number of people report a purple haze where the background isn't pure black. I actually saw this today on one of the 650's. I've seen about 20 total 650/750's in my shopping journeys and one had the purple haze. This falls in line with the ~5% report on AV Science Forums. So I'll have a 5% chance of returning the TV but that's not too bad. I haven't seen one report of dead pixels in the 8K post thread yet. The picture still looked fantastic on the purple set but that doesn't excuse the effect.

These new Samsungs are all over Best Buy and Circuit City so you can check them out easy enough. Just make sure you're viewing a 650 or 750. There are a lot of 550's out there still. The 650/750's have the "Touch of Red" which it turns out isn't bad at all. You can't even see it unless it's really bright in the room and you're close to the set...and even then it looks OK.

In most of the stores I was in, the lighting was the worst possible for viewing. Bright lights, semi glossy finish on screen and still they looked great. In circuit city, the 750 was set up where all of the bright ceiling lights would be reflected off the screen and the picture looked great. In the last BB I was in, they actually controlled the lighting and the sets were amazing (the Samsungs)

Edit: bah the 46" went up $100 to $1,999 on Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-LN46A650- ... 88&sr=8-12

Samsung Product page:

http://www.samsung.com/us/consumer/deta ... A650A1FXZA

Circuit City Customer Comments:

http://www.circuitcity.com/ccd/Expanded ... ustRatings

Amazon Customer Comments:

http://www.amazon.com/review/product/B0 ... ewpoints=1

(the issue concerning the set turning off randomly was already addressed with a firmware update. Firmware updates are as easy as downloading a file to a thumb drive and then sticking the thumb drive in the 650's USB port. The TV will recognize the file and do the rest)

The 8K post thread on AV Science forums:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1007540

The AV Science forums are harsh. They'll tell you right up front all the possible issues. Just understand that every TV has issues. It doesn't matter what brand you buy, the AV Science forums will detail the issues.

The dude who rails on the 650 initially, loves it later after he figures out that he had missed the three Sports, Game and Cinema modes which take care of the TBE (Triple Ball Effect/Motion Blur).

----

The only way you can really get a feel for how good these sets are and if they're worth the extra money (they are) is to see them in person. Video signals will vary but it should be obvious the the blacks are better, the picture sharper and brighter than the other LCDs around (including the Plasma, Slim LEDs, DLPs, whatever else). Check the viewing angles side to side, above/below, try to find at least one set playing a Blu Ray to it for perfect conditions. As a bonus, the upscaler in the 650/750's is outstanding as well. In closing, you could get the same size LCD for ~500 less but it's not the same. Ignorance is bliss when it comes to TVs.

While in CC, I talked to a man for about ten minutes about the Samsungs and pointed out the purple haze on the 46" inch. It turns out he was the Panasonic Rep but didn't once try to sell me or talk to me about the Panasonic LCDs. I felt like buying a Panasonic just for the fact that he didn't sell me on them. That's rare these days.

I also had a 15 minute conversation with another customer about LCDs. He also had done some research on the AV Science Forums but kept mentioning a Cnet Review of LN52A650 Review..(rookies!). I helped talk him into the Samsung. The linked Cnet review is actually pretty good BTW.

[valryte]

Winnow, check the form regarding that purple haze. I have a 61 RP DLP LED Samsung which suffered from something similar (I knew ahead of time when I bough it) and I just got it fixed. There is a part inside that is reflective instead of black. They replaced it and no more purple haze. Granted, you'll looking at LCD's so not sure what the cause/fix is for them, just sounds close to what happens on the RP tv's that Samsung makes.

[Winnow]

Winnow, check the form regarding that purple haze. I have a 61 RP DLP LED Samsung which suffered from something similar (I knew ahead of time when I bough it) and I just got it fixed. There is a part inside that is reflective instead of black. They replaced it and no more purple haze. Granted, you'll looking at LCD's so not sure what the cause/fix is for them, just sounds close to what happens on the RP tv's that Samsung makes.

I'll know within a minute of turning the set on if it has the purple haze. If the "White Glove Service" people will wait around long enough for me to turn it on, I might be able to send it right back as the services states I can reject it at the time of receipt. At least it's a have or have not thing and won't materialize later.

I'm 95% sure that won't happen though. : )

Even better would be if they caught it and corrected the manufacturing process. Hopefully I'll be getting a second batch that has even less chance of it being there. I'm not too concerned about it. I'm eager to get this new TV but it's definitely not a necessity so I can be patient and get a perfect set. this set, unlike my projectors, will have a life longer than 2 years. Bedroom, bathroom, somewhere...I'll find a place for it if I buy a new TV.

[Winnow]

I've been monitoring Amazon's prices on the LCD I want to buy.

Over the past three days, the price has fluctuated as follows:

$2,197, up to
$2,297, down to
$2,228 up to
$2,248 and currently just dropped $200 to:
$2,088

This is for the higher end LN46A750 (46" LCD)

During that time, the LN46A650 has remained a constant $1,989 until an hour ago it dropped $5 to $1,983

Buying an LCD on Amazon is like buying a stock. The price between the two sets has ranged from ~$100-400. Amazon has 30 day price protection. They must keep busy issuing partial refunds.

The price at the BB, CC and Fry's fluctuates $300-400 as well but their price is also $200-500 more than online. (before tacking on even more with taxes)

[Winnow]

I ended up ordering the LN46A650 from Amazon for $1,989

In the end, four things determined my decision for getting the 650 over the 750:

- exact same picture quality
-lack of AC3 on DNLA and USB kind of negates the video player usefulness
-aesthetically, I think the 650 looks better than the 750 (also no Halo effect) I looked at them both a final time at Frys during lunch.
-purple haze is a factor but only 5% chance and Amazon will deliver a new TV to me while I wait, watching the one I'm returning so no loss there.

For the difference in price, I can buy a new 8800 or 9800 video card, which I'll need to run three monitors off my PC anyway, that will enhance everything I do. I'll be hooked up to my PC all the time so the limited USB isn't worth it along with being hooked up to the PS3 which does a much better job of processing the USB/movies.

Done! Now I wait roughly a week for delivery.

Also: 40" too small to make 1080P worthwhile, 52" too big to be used as a PC monitor @ 1920X1080 being pretty close to me as opposed to the usual distance to a home theater TV so 46" was just right.

[archeiron]

I ended up ordering ... from Amazon

Thanks! I really appreciate the business!

[Winnow]

I ended up ordering ... from Amazon

Thanks! I really appreciate the business!

not so fast there Archie! My CC hasn't been charged. I called Amazon three times tonight inquiring as to what the holdup is. I made sure with my bank that my single charge limit was enough to cover the TV (the max buy is way above the cost of this TV), I ordered the TV around noon and nothing had been charged to my card six hours later. (TV still shows in stock and I made sure Amazon had it in stock and it wasn't one of the third party vendors pimped through Amazon)

Heavy accent Indian lady (horrible connection, Amazon must use skype or something to connect with their cust service in India) told me to re-enter my CC info. I did so. canceled my order and reordered. I then called BankofAmerica and they said there were two charges for $1 from Amazon of which they said is normally used to validate a card before charging it.

One day wasted so far and no shipped TV. I entered the 2nd order (there was nothing wrong with the first but redid it per their suggestion) around 6pm tonight. If my card hasn't been charged by noon tomorrow, I'm canceling and looking elsewhere. Amazon couldn't tell me anything and suggested that my bank had placed a hold on the large amount (completely untrue and verified by me directly with BofA) The lady said it was because it was "a really huge dollar order". I've ordered $2K+ of stuff many times using online vendors without issue and this comes in under that at $1983.38

Amazon's ordering system seems robust but it blows for status. I received an initial email stating my order was accepted and then nothing. When I saw that my CC wasn't charged after arriving home in the evening, I new I was pretty much screwed as nothing ships without being charged first.

Kind of blows. I'm going to have to sit here and wait to see if Amazon charges my card and gets the show on the road for another day, delaying shit and tying up money.

So far:

Newegg * * * * *
Amazon *

for satisfaction and keeping the customer informed.

[Winnow]

Never had an issue with an online company taking money from me. Amazon is bad news...In stock item, ordered early in the day, and the order has just sat there and rotted since yesterday. They need to study Newegg's 5 stage status update system. Either that, or they're scamming people with their "in stock" status.

Found a good video card for my multi monitor/HTPC setup.

Besides the dual dual-link DVI ports, it has an HDMI port and the new display port which is replacing DVI eventually on monitors.

don't know if this will link or not:



Using this, I'll be able to clone the second monitor over to the TV or switch over to the TV. I mostly like it because I won't have to bother with switching out cables as I can have everything connected and then switch around.

[Sargeras]

I you Arch, but I h8 Amazon.

Almost a week and a half to ship me my computer parts (the ones Newegg had out-of-stock) and Newegg had their parts to me in less than 48 hours, with standard shipping.

/end derail

Gratz on the TV Winnow!

[Winnow]

I'm going to cancel my order but now it say my password doesn't match. This is the exact same password I've used with Amazon for years.

Fucked up to say the least. Trying to reset it but no email has been sent by Amazon yet.

[Winnow]

I'm going to cancel my order but now it say my password doesn't match. This is the exact same password I've used with Amazon for years.

Fucked up to say the least. Trying to reset it but no email has been sent by Amazon yet.

Quoting myself above.

They FINALLY sent me an email saying that my phone number didn't match the one on file with Bank of America and that's what was holding up the order.

I called BofA and sure enough, they had a phone number from about 10 years ago on file for me. I corrected that and emailed Amazon back requesting they reverify my account. That was around 11am this morning. No response, nothing and I'm locked out of my account so I call Amazon and they say I can't access my account because it's on hold. I told them the reason why and they said they'd email the info to whoever verifies this stuff.

MEANWHILE, the fucking TV goes out of stock this afternoon. SURPRISE! Three days after I order it, it's out of stock. So I call back up and tell them to cancel my order and the lady tells me she can't access my account because it's on hold so can't cancel my order. I tried to get a manager on or anyone that could cancel my order so Im not charged for the TV that's no longer in stock, trying up money even more.

What a bunch of clowns. Customer Service is useless with Amazon. The five times I called them, they couldn't tell me what was going on. The indians answering the phones don't know shit unlike Newegg customer service. They're on the ball and keep track of everything and can resolve shit real time while you're on the phone, not send the info off into limbo for someone else to take care of at an unknown time/date.

Anyways, I simple TV order blew three days of time because they couldn't fucking tell me that the phone number didn't match the first day so I could correct it.

Now, I can't even cancel the order and have no idea whether 2K is going to be charged or not because I don't know if there's a TV reserved for me or if they release the stock when a hold is placed on an account.

Fuck Amazon! Sell your stock, quit your job or sever whatever connection you have with them Arch!

[Winnow]

Talk about timing!

Fry's Website front page has the Samsung LN46A650 on sale: (one day sale)

http://www.frys.com/


They have the TV I want on sale for 1,983, the exact same price as Amazon and it's available locally at my Frys (six in stock). I'll pay 160 in taxes but worth it I suppose. Now I need to borrow a friends vehicle that's big enough to haul it.

[Winnow]

Update:

This TV has met all of my expectations and more. The backlight is like a blowtorch.

I spent most of the night last night setting it up. I hooked up my PS3, Cable and PC (all HDMI). I also hooked up an ethernet cable to the back of it for the info services.

First, as a 46" 1920x1080 monitor for the PC, it's amazing. I've always wanted to view images, movies, and surf from the easy chair on a big screen but my projectors were only 1280x720 res which is a bit lacking for that. The higher res and super crisp text, colors, etc. make for good times in this department. I ordered a new video card (mentioned above) so I can have both 24" monitors and the 46" Samsung hooked up at once (although only two sources at the same time. I'm going to clone my 2nd 24" and have both 2nd 24/46" display the same thing or switch between the two depending on the situation.

I have the new TV about 4 feet away from me, off to the side. It's huge at the distance but not overwhelming for PC stuff, etc.

The TV really shines with the PS3 source. I set the PS3 to display full 1080P and played thee Uncharted Demo with happy results.

There are plenty of settings to adjust the picture along with additional settings in the advanced service menu but I found the three prime settings balanced well for my taste so far, Movie, Entertainment/Games, Sports so you don't have to mess around too much if you don't feel like it.

I almost face planted into the TV while picking it up to place on a stand. Got a cramp in my calf right as I picked it up. Close call!

The Samsung 650's and 750's may be $500 more than other TVs of the same size but they are clearly the best (IMO after extensive viewing of many brands) The info service (avail on both 650/750) is kinda cool though. You get news, stocks, weather in the corners of your TV along with the ability to blow up a window with the full story including images also overlaid on your TV no matter what source you're displaying at the time. It's not a must for sure but kinda neato. Most importantly, the image quality of these TVs is outstanding out of the box but also allows for many tweaks.

Luckily, not purple haze issues and I only have one small flashlight on the screen which is minor and may go away altogether according to peeps that say it takes 100 hours or so before that might happen. Zero dead pixels of course.

I'd recommend the 650's because the networking isn't that great with the 750's. The speakers on the 650 are also quite good for TV speakers. If you need subwoofer in your TV, maybe go for 750 but most will be hooked up to home theater.

I did end up grabbing the 9600GT that has the extra HDMI port:

* 1 x PALiT NE/960TSX0252 GeForce 9600GT SONIC 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail

The 9600GT's performance is on par with that of a 8800GT. For 169.00 (154 with mail in) it has the DX10, etc and will get the job done playing HD material a little smoother than the 7800GT I currently have until the 9900 is out with stable drivers.

[Winnow]

Amazon really needs to copy Newegg's great order tracking and service:

Step 1:
Your order has been successfully submitted. Your credit/debit card has not yet been charged. Please allow 1-2 business days for your order to process and ship.

Step 2:
Verification and fraud prevention measures are complete. Your credit/debit card has not yet been charged.

Step 3:
Your credit/debit card has been successfully charged. Please note that you may no longer make changes to your order.

Step 4:
Your order contents will soon be packaged and sealed.

Step 5:
Your order has shipped. You may view your tracking information by clicking the applicable Order Number above. However, your tracking number may not appear immediately as the shipping couriers update only periodically. Your tracking number(s) will also be sent via e-mail to your Newegg.com login.

Step three was completed within five minutes of placing the order.

I also like going back through all my Newegg Orders over the years. It's usually the fastest way to find a model number for something I have like memory since I usually forget the timings, etc and don't want to take the memory out to check it etc.

[Winnow]

A quick update.

After several more days with this new LCD, I can give it my full blown recommendation. I tend to use it over my 24" monitors for general PC use. (sitting 4 feet back) in 1920x1080, as a PC monitor, the text, images, colors, etc are all amazing. I've played SL on it a few times and plan to play AoC on it.

While 2K might be a bit much for a PC monitor, keep an eye on the price of the Samsung LN46A650 (46") as the year goes by. I'm sure it will drop to 1500 or under later in the year. Try to hold out for 46" over 40" size. It doesn't sound like much but it is and will make good use of 1080p.

I'm extremely happy with my purchase. Be aware that there are some tweaks to be made. PC, PS3, and Cable HDTV all required slightly different settings for best results. Lots of recommendations in the AV/Forums for settings.

Things that actually matter with new model LCDs over older ones:

-contrast ratio (deep blacks instead of gray)
-120Hz (coupled with motion correction makes a big difference over old 60Hz LCDs)

It was worth my time to visit several local stores to view LCDs first hand, multiple times with various sources.

As for Divx/Xvid type material. I've found that the 1.3 GB divx/xvid files are acceptable while you will notice the quality deterioration with the 700-800MB divx movies but they're watchable. Pure 1080P sources (PS3/Blu Ray) are jaw dropping. I'm going to download a 10GB 1080P file to check out later (1/120th of the bandwidth discussed in another thread). No need to download full blown Blu Ray ISOs. (720P movies can be had for ~7GB and 1080P for ~10Gb and as mentioned above, even a 1.3GB movie will look pretty good)

Don't bother with the 750 series over the 650. The USB/DNLA image, mp3 (and videos for 750) aren't well handled compared to the PS3's functionality in that area. The built in audio is also pretty good for the 650. If you need better sound that that, you'll be hooking it up to your home theater anyway so the subwoofer isn't a big deal with the 750.

I wasn't expecting this TV/LCD to be as nice as it is as a PC monitor.

Note: fuck Amazon. Tracking shows my Newegg order is scheduled to arrive a day early today.

[rhyae]

I'm going to be buying a new TV, and I found your obsessive compulsiveness very helpful.
I give this review 5 stars.
*****

[Winnow]

Well, it's been a month and I wanted to follow up with a quick update:

The Samsung LN46A650 hasn't disappointed in the least and surprisingly is now my main PC monitor. It's not your usual setup as you need to sit 4 feet back from the screen so a typical desk won't work but if you're creative you can have an incredible PC/HTPC for doing everything from standard work to watching movies and gaming on. With the newer nVidia cards (and probably ATi's as well) it's hassle free to use as a monitor. The ease on the eyes at that size is great without losing any sharpness. The most impressive thing is viewing the Dell 24, Acer 24 and Samsung 46 with black screens with the lights turned off. The two 24" monitors glow greyish while the Samsung is very black. (contrast ratio in these new LCDs = big difference)

I took my Fry's receipt in and received $142.00 back on my credit card as the price had dropped from $1,983 to $1,851 over the course of the month and Fry's (Amazon as well if you buy from them), will credit any price drops for 30 days. Normally I don't bother but that was enough scratch to make it worthwhile.

My obsessive compulsiveness paid off!