What do you think of them. Execpt they cost too much. I heard when they break they can't be fixed. You have to buy a new one. They do look cool and I want one above my fireplace. Not if they dont last though.

 

I just can't justify spending spending that much more for a tv. They are nice but I don't think the picture quality (or any other features) are that much better...

 

The guy that hooked up my satalite system said they only last about 3 years... imagine the suprise some will be in for.

 

I don't know how well (or long) they last but the picture quality is exceptional. I watched the superbowl on a plasma and it was broadcast in High Definition. WOW!

 

I have heard several people say the same thing. I just can't see spending thousands of dollars of my hard earned money to buy something that I really don't need that isn't going to last. I'll just stick with my standard TV set.

 

i can give you a little insight here( i sold high end electronics for 16 years until about a year ago) a plazma tv's picture is made by using a display panel that consists of many cells, the more cells the higher the resolition. there are 2 main grades of resolution edtv(640x480) or hdtv (1024x1024 or better) .the panel uses chemical reacations within the cell to produce different colors to make the picture. each cell is completely sealed and has no moving parts. plazma panels are rated to last far longer than a normal crt tv(the panel is the most expensive part of the tv to fix), but normally when somethig goes wrong with a plazma its not the panel. a plazma is a hotrod(like all highend hdtv's) it will only perform when it has a good clean source put into it, ie progressive scan dvd, or hdtv signal. if you hook your everyday comcast cable into it, its going to look like doo doo. also remember you get what you pay for a $2999.95 plazma is about as cheap as it gets, and thats just what it is (the yugo of plazmas) if your are going to spend that much money on tv buy a brand you know; sony, panasonic, mitsubishi,pioneer, hitathi,. however if $3000 is all you want to spend, stay away from the plazmas and buy a nice bigscreen.

 

prices WILL drop.......as HDTV becomes more-mainstream.....the transition will happen. If you can wait a year or two......you'll be VERY happy you did.
Personally, I bought a (very) large widescreen to last me until the plasmas......the REAL good ones.......are less than $2500, and HDTV is more-readily available.
Without HDTV feeds, you are WASTING your money if you buy it for a better picture quality. If you just need the size, and don't need to mount it on a wall, buy a typical largescreen.

But WITH HDTV?? WOOOOOWWW! I still remember the first time I hooked up the feed to mine. I love football (that's what I was watching) and I COULD NOT pull away from the tv. SO REAL; looked like I was looking thru a window at actual people behind it.

I've also heard that Plasmas can wear out fast; and conversely that they outlast normal tvs. ONE thing to be VERY aware of.....is plasma screens suffer the worst from "Burn In" which if you watch a channel that has a logo fixed in the same area all the time (like a sports game), or plan to use it for video games with something similar.....the screens tend to "burn in" the logo, which stays somewhat-visible on every other picture. Supposedly, they're overcoming it with new tech, but I'd be cautious of it 'til proven. LCDs are a good option too.......so the competition is a GREAT thing to have~~~meaning prices will have to drop quite a bit.
Hope that helps!

 

I've owned a 50" Panasonic plasma for over 2 years and absolutely love it. The picture, if given the right feed, is just unbelievable. I expect it to last 8-10 years and don't worry much about image burn. The thing that really surprises me is how hard it is to watch any TV program not shown in "wide screen" format.

The wife likes it because it takes up so little space in the room.

 

I have seen first hand they do not live very long.
2.2 years was the one at work.

 

I want one to install directly OVER my bed so i don't get a neck ache watching TV in bed. LOL But the $$ is definitely a prohibitive factor.

Chris

 

I have also heard that when they do break they cannot be fixed. Also I believe that they cannot have a constant image or it get burned into the screen.

Just like DVD's they will be a lot less money in 3 - 5 years

 

Make sure it is securely fastened to the ceiling or you won't be laughing!

They're heavy.

 

Yeah that would truly suck. My better and smarter half would not allow such a thing anyway. Just something I've always wanted to do. i wear bifocals and laying down and watching TV makes it difficult.

Chris

 

I hav elooked at getting a plasma but am still waiting for the prices to drop some more. From all I've seen and heard the plasma and the LED are supposed to last longer then regular CRT TV's.

 

Lasting longer, is not what I understand they do.