Topic: Which to get Sony40S400 or Panasonic 42PV80 or Samsung 37A550

[SPARTAKUS]

Hi to all.

Im finally upgrading my screen. After much log in time here (10hours ) in pinoydvd and reading through almost every forum here regarding flat panels, i have narrowed it down to 3. Panasonic 42pv80 Sammy 37a550  or Sony 40s400. I figured out these 3 are in close price range to each other. I plan to get one of these this weekend. I really need help from some of the pros out there. This will probobly will be my last buy, been saving up for a year with my meager salary! im so excited.

This is currenty what im looking for:
1. primarily used as a pc monitor
PC Specs:
icore7, 4870x2 powercolor, msi eclipse motherboard, Vista 64
i have one game: COD4... never gets old....
2. used as a cable tv:
Sky Cable
3. used as a gaming tv (PS3)
i have one game... Assasins Creed
2 bluray disc: Dark Knight & Barely Legal w/ Lela Star & Ashlynn Brooke (the best christmas gift ever) hehe...
4. energy consumption
5. longevity

Please help...

[Clondalkin]

1. primarily used as a pc monitor
Samsung’s 1:1 pixel mapping at full HD resolution is a huge huge huge advantage.  Every single pixel coming out of your SLI card is mapped directly to the monitor without any scaling – awesome for gaming, regular and long-hours of PC applications.

2. used as a cable tv:
Plasma or stick to your CRT

3. used as a gaming tv (PS3)

Based on Xbox360 (which is arguably better than PS3 in terms of gaming – hehehe – trivial), HD gaming looks great both at 720p and 1080p settings.  LCD will give you the digitized high def look (or your current PC look but at much bigger size and better color saturation) and full HD one will highlight the details better.   Plasma will give you “smoother” high def look (very similar to high def CRT look with more defined resolution - have you seen any of those Japanese surplus CRTs) which I feel is less straining on the eyes (both are eyestrains in any case).  Both are quite pleasing to the eyes.

Plasma for movies, whether it be HD or SD, BD, HD DVD, DVD.  For contents like Barely Legal, it doesn’t matter - no fast paced action, no panning, color saturation need not be so rich,  but full HD 37 LCD will allow you to sit like 1.5 meters close, if that will heighten your excitement – seriously – hehehe.  37inch at 1.5 meters would feel bigger and probably more dramatic than 42inch at 3 meters.

4. energy consumption
LCD should save you A LITTLE BIT.  Multiply the rated maximum power of the Plasma by 0.4, while the corresponding multiplier for LCD is 0.55.  That should give you the approximate “average” rating under regular use.  But in case you want to consider full HD Plasma – that will burn the electric line for sure.

5. longevity
Have you heard of doomsday 2012?  Any of these TVs should survive that.

[jojitv]

5. longevity
Have you heard of doomsday 2012?  Any of these TVs should survive that.

What is doomsday 2012?

[SPARTAKUS]

@Clondalkin

Thanks so much for the speedy reply... what is your preference in the end? Seems like Samsung is winning... Any thoughts about the Sony S400?

[Carlo777]

@Clondalkin

Thanks so much for the speedy reply... what is your preference in the end? Seems like Samsung is winning... Any thoughts about the Sony S400?

I'd have to agree with Clondalkin, as a PC monitor the Sammy A550 will be a very good choice. About the Sony I'll be upfront and say that it has better colors than Samsung but it has a slow pixel response time unless you get the higher models.

[Clondalkin]

Thanks so much for the speedy reply... what is your preference in the end? Seems like Samsung is winning... Any thoughts about the Sony S400?

Well this is subjective but since nabanggit na rin ni Carlo777, I do have issues with the color saturation of Samsung.  Parang masyadong "matigas" ang kulay. I honestly think that even my LG LCD has better colors than Samsung too, but I highlighted the merits of pure 1:1 pixel mapping at 1920x1080 settings (which the Samsung series 5 is capable of) because you wrote that your primary application is PC monitor.  The PV80 has a native resolution of only 1024x768 - perhaps ok for occasional regular computing at a given sitting distance, but what if you actually intend to spend hours in front of a huge monitor doing a lot of computing?

Anyways, any reputable LCD HDTV has better color saturation than LCD PC Monitor so if you're using a regular PC monitor at the moment, you'd certainly notice that improvement.  Iba lang talaga ang kulay when you watch a movie on a Plasma.

So among your 3 choices, you have to weigh your priorities carefully.

What about a PV8 and a 24 inch full HD LCD PC monitor (the 16:9 one and not the 16:10) connected as dual monitor via your 4870x2?  or,

The PV80 and your current PC monitor connected as dual monitor.

 

[fernando_montalban]

If ever you decide for the Samsung, why not the 40"? is the price difference between the 37" and 40" big? Just curious. 
I've seen both the Sony and Samsung, two if my friends have these units (40 inchers, S and 5 Series), I like the Samsung over the Sony.

[XanderCage]

got myself a Sony 40s400 fullhd. nice deal from sights and sounds. Ü

[SPARTAKUS]

Hey everyone!!

Thanks for all your advice. In the end i got a Sony 40S400. i have been debating on it for the longest time. I went to sights and sounds in Shang and i out the two of them together. i even brought my laptop just in case. here is what happened:

For the Panasonic 42PV80, the icons were too big. Well you good of course change the res. at your PC. however i find it response slow. To each his own i guess.

For the Samsung, i noticed in playing first person shooter such as COD4 i found that there is a little ghosting when moving. i would rather settle for series 6 however i needed more cash. The colors i guess are not as pure as i wanted it to be. Also when watching @1080P i found that the colors in the samsung are not as vivid as the sony. Again, this is my prefernce.

For the Sony... i think i just fell in love with it. In the end the 2 mega pixel helped as it does not pixelate as much. max res on my pc is just on 1080P, i havent tried the cable yet. the PS3 games just looks great, including my Barely Legal. its a complete shock and awe. And yes, you would have to sit at least 3 meters away cause its its too bright with if put on vivid. i put mine on cinematic so that i dont have as much eye strain.

Sony 40 is @ 55,500 i bought an HDMI cable for 1k. (FULL HD)
Sammy 37  is @ 55,000 (FULL HD)
Panny 42 is @ 52,000

Again 500 for an extra 3"? Why not? Its a great buy. In the end i really liked it for my small room. Hehehe!

P.S. the sounds on the t.v is complete crap... dont buy it for the sounds.... hook up better sounds for like 2k at creative labs, its a whole lot better.

I will post pics on this soon.
Again thank you to all who have helped.
In the end it was just a personal preference.

Thanks!

[gabmik]

Congratulations on your purchase!  I got the same LCD 2 weeks ago.  I bought mostly on price for a Full HD model and didn't even do head-to-head comparisons.  Was ok with my purchase then became impressed and happy when used for PS3 and blu-ray movies. Your review and comments made me feel even better.  Thanks!

[E-reply]

Re stocking Sony TV

30 units Sony KLV40S400 coming on Friday
Full HDTV at very affordable price

For price inquiry or reservation, call Sights and Sounds 634-1789 to 90. Mobile 0917-5413491.

[fernando_montalban]

Congrats on your new TV...
This forum really offers great insights to people... It helps to just take in what we can get, opinions and criticisms, and of course, finally decide for ourselves...

Medyo OT pero it involves the KLV40S400 na rin... hehe...
Too bad for someone I know though, he was not aware of this forum and sadly did not know that there are shops that give out such great prices.  I got lucky with my 40" Sammy Series 6 from SnS.

Both of us did not know that we bought new TVs only days apart, while I got mine from SnS, he got his from Abenson, I think.  He said, "May bago rin kaming TV, 40 inch din, Series S ng Sony, nakuha ko ng 80,000 lang."  lumaki na lang mga mata ko nung narinig ko yung price.  I did not have the heart to tell him that I could have gotten it for 55,500. Almost 25k din yun.  Blu-ray player or a PS3 na rin yun.  Up until now, I haven't told him about the price difference. Di ko kaya sabihin, ako na lang ang nanghihinayang for him.  Kung alam ko lang na bibili din siya ng bagong TV, nasabihan ko sana siya.  But I do know that he is very happy and satisfied with his new TV, one reason why I don't want to tell him.  I don't want to rain on his parade.

So to everyone, do try to share this forum, kahit di pa talaga bibili or interested lang to get a new HDTV, tell them about this forum.

[xtreme]

Congrats on your new TV...
This forum really offers great insights to people... It helps to just take in what we can get, opinions and criticisms, and of course, finally decide for ourselves...

Medyo OT pero it involves the KLV40S400 na rin... hehe...
Too bad for someone I know though, he was not aware of this forum and sadly did not know that there are shops that give out such great prices.  I got lucky with my 40" Sammy Series 6 from SnS.

Both of us did not know that we bought new TVs only days apart, while I got mine from SnS, he got his from Abenson, I think.  He said, "May bago rin kaming TV, 40 inch din, Series S ng Sony, nakuha ko ng 80,000 lang."  lumaki na lang mga mata ko nung narinig ko yung price.  I did not have the heart to tell him that I could have gotten it for 55,500. Almost 25k din yun.  Blu-ray player or a PS3 na rin yun.  Up until now, I haven't told him about the price difference. Di ko kaya sabihin, ako na lang ang nanghihinayang for him.  Kung alam ko lang na bibili din siya ng bagong TV, nasabihan ko sana siya.  But I do know that he is very happy and satisfied with his new TV, one reason why I don't want to tell him.  I don't want to rain on his parade.

So to everyone, do try to share this forum, kahit di pa talaga bibili or interested lang to get a new HDTV, tell them about this forum.

I agree with you sir..lalo na sa "kahit hindi ka pa talaga bibili" part...at first, I was hesitant to join this forum...kaya one of the main reason kung bakit ako sumali sa forum na ito not only to gain knowledge about the specs of the TV,but also the pricing of the TV's available in our country... and dito ko lang din nalaman na makakakuha ako ng better deal sa TV...

[urworstenemi]

So to everyone, do try to share this forum, kahit di pa talaga bibili or interested lang to get a new HDTV, tell them about this forum.

I agree, coz the more we read the more we learn and we can decide better on what to purchase.

So keep those honest opinion raining guys.

raise the roof, lower the price.

hehehe

[smoke]

Re stocking Sony TV

30 units Sony KLV40S400 coming on Friday
Full HDTV at very affordable price

For price inquiry or reservation, call Sights and Sounds 634-1789 to 90. Mobile 0917-5413491.

PM price please. thanks.

[E-reply]

PM price please. thanks.

Sent pm.

[XanderCage]

just saw recently sa sm appliance center, yung sony 40s400 is amounting to P94,500, grabe ang mahal!

buti na lang sa SnS ako bumili! hehehe. naka save ako ng 40k!

[anya618]

usually kasi sa appliance store SRP ang selling price nila

[sardaukar]

Matatawaran pa yan ng konti. Kaya yata ng 80 or 85k. Plus may freebies pa yan like htib and/or digital camera. Pero mas mahal pa rin talaga. But not as much as 40k.