WHAT 32INCH MONITOR??? Don't wanna return any more

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R0achTheWarHero

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jun 9, 2007
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Have bought and returned a Toshiba 32rv530u then a Samsung a550.

The toshiba has amazing black levels but has a buzzing sound when changing brightness levels. It looks amazing in HD movies or games but looks like ass in standard def. The Samsung has a crappy black level compared to the toshiba and doesn't look nearly as good in HD movies or in games. The only thing the Samsung does better is standard def movies and doesn't make a buzzing sound.

What should i get next??? Sony 32inch XBR6?
 
I personally just purchased the 32XBR6 and i love it. Sadly it is the first lcd hdtv I've ever had so i don't have anything to compare it to, but i must say i am very impressed. I was worried about using a tv instead of a monitor, but I love it!! The black levels are awesome, and unlike monitors i've had there is no back light bleeding. As long as you make the proper setting changes it works great. One thing I found that helps a lot is changing the Video/Photo Optimizer to "Photo" for the input you have your computer hooked up through (in my case HDMI 4). Hope this helps!
 
Hi... what do you mean by "buzzing sound when changing brightness levels". does that mean it buzzes at certain settings? ex. no buzzing at 100% bright, but hear buzzing at lower levels?

or do you hear something that depends on the dynamic screen content?

I really was leaning toward the Toshiba 32rv530 until I saw your post. could yours have been defective?
 
I'd be surprised if the a550 had poor black levels, beyond the way that all LCDs have poor black levels anyway...

Did you have power saving mode on high? (You have to activate power saving to get the deeper black levels, at least on some of the older models...)
 
jst4fun said:
Hi... what do you mean by "buzzing sound when changing brightness levels". does that mean it buzzes at certain settings? ex. no buzzing at 100% bright, but hear buzzing at lower levels?

or do you hear something that depends on the dynamic screen content?

I really was leaning toward the Toshiba 32rv530 until I saw your post. could yours have been defective?
Click to expand...

I'm interested in this also. I was literally about 30 minutes from ordering a 32rv530u.
This is the first I've heard of this problem, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist of course.
^ This is in reference to the buzzing sound you mentioned, I'm not worried about how it looks in SD since I won't be using it for that.
 
the a550 also has DNIE black levels. you need to adjust them, plus brightnessness, plus gamma, and turn off power saving mode to really get acceptable, and even exceptional, black out of the display. i say exceptional b/c for the price, the a550's have the best black levels of any LCD i've seen in their price ranges, ever. i'm using it now and used to sell HDTVs and have seen, and adjusted/optimized (by eye, no hardware or software calibration) probably 200 LCDs, plasmas, and DLPs.

Sony's XBR6 is deifnitely a greta display...but it's also 2.5-3x the price of the same sized Samsung a550 and is more closely comparible to the Samsung a750 series if we're comparing the 2 brands. XBR6 is the highest quality display that most nationwide retail chains carry (many also carry a750 now, too) but is among the lower quality displays that the high-end TV stores sell (tweeter and others).
 
Somnambulator said:
the a550 also has DNIE black levels. you need to adjust them, plus brightnessness, plus gamma, and turn off power saving mode to really get acceptable, and even exceptional, black out of the display. i say exceptional b/c for the price, the a550's have the best black levels of any LCD i've seen in their price ranges, ever. i'm using it now and used to sell HDTVs and have seen, and adjusted/optimized (by eye, no hardware or software calibration) probably 200 LCDs, plasmas, and DLPs.

Sony's XBR6 is deifnitely a greta display...but it's also 2.5-3x the price of the same sized Samsung a550 and is more closely comparible to the Samsung a750 series if we're comparing the 2 brands. XBR6 is the highest quality display that most nationwide retail chains carry (many also carry a750 now, too) but is among the lower quality displays that the high-end TV stores sell (tweeter and others).
Click to expand...

Why would you turn off power saving to get a deeper black?
 
Somnambulator said:
the a550 also has DNIE black levels. you need to adjust them, plus brightnessness, plus gamma, and turn off power saving mode to really get acceptable, and even exceptional, black out of the display. i say exceptional b/c for the price, the a550's have the best black levels of any LCD i've seen in their price ranges, ever. i'm using it now and used to sell HDTVs and have seen, and adjusted/optimized (by eye, no hardware or software calibration) probably 200 LCDs, plasmas, and DLPs.

Sony's XBR6 is deifnitely a greta display...but it's also 2.5-3x the price of the same sized Samsung a550 and is more closely comparible to the Samsung a750 series if we're comparing the 2 brands. XBR6 is the highest quality display that most nationwide retail chains carry (many also carry a750 now, too) but is among the lower quality displays that the high-end TV stores sell (tweeter and others).
Click to expand...

What higher quality 32 and 37 inch LCD displays are there than the XBR6?

Why is the XBR6 more comparable to the 750 than to the 650?
 
SH1 said:
What higher quality 32 and 37 inch LCD displays are there than the XBR6?

Why is the XBR6 more comparable to the 750 than to the 650?
Click to expand...
i erroneously thought there was a 32" a750. the XBR series is generally equivilent to Samsung's flagship model as well but since there is no 32" 750, the 650 is priced accordingly.

both are cheaper than i thought, as well.
i remember the 32" XBR2 and 4's debuting at close to $2000.
 
I'd stay away from the XB6, from my experience it looks like crap. Hideous "opaque" colors, the most pathetic black levels i've ever come across. POS!

:eek:
 
Timm said:
I personally just purchased the 32XBR6 and i love it. Sadly it is the first lcd hdtv I've ever had so i don't have anything to compare it to, but i must say i am very impressed. I was worried about using a tv instead of a monitor, but I love it!! The black levels are awesome, and unlike monitors i've had there is no back light bleeding. As long as you make the proper setting changes it works great. One thing I found that helps a lot is changing the Video/Photo Optimizer to "Photo" for the input you have your computer hooked up through (in my case HDMI 4). Hope this helps!
Click to expand...

I'll go along with this guy and you can discount all the other responses about the XBR6. I bought one recently myslef and was very sceptical at first because I just wanted it for a TV and now it's my monitor. Seriously, just fiddle around with it and get the colors the way you like, because it has the ability to change pretty much anything. Then set it and forget it. You would love this set. And btw, I got it new for only $100 more (at a local retailer) than the samsung you returned so don't buy that nonsense about it being 2.5 times the cost either.
 
Ok, took the Samsung a550 back and got a Sony 32inch XBR6.

Here are the facts about the 3 monitors:

- Sony looks best in standard def, followed by samsung, then toshiba looks awful in SD

- They all have too much lag to use for PC monitor but Toshiba has least lag

- Toshiba looks best in full 1080 HD followed by Samsung, theres really not a whole lot of difference between watching SD and HD on the sony which is kinda disappointing.

- In gaming, the Sony and Samsung look like anus. The Toshiba's great black level makes games look awesome but there seems to be a lot of black crush which I don't know if you can get out with a calibration or not.

- In terms of movement, the Toshiba looks the worst when watching things move in movies, looks kinda awkward, didn't notice anything like that in games though. The sony has the smoothest movement

I dunno what I will do now, probably will take back the sony too, I wan't a monitor that doesn't look like crap when hooked up to the PC, only returned the Toshiba in the first place because the loud buzzing sound, that and how poor standard def TV looked.

There are basically huge negatives to each of these monitors
 
Next up is the Sharp Aquos line, and LGs, Phillips or Panasonics with their IPS panels. By the time you're done, you'll save me alot of footwork. Thank in advance :)
 
bump, any more input on the toshiba RV32530 buzzing sound or bad motion artifacts during movies?
 
I know the Samsung and the Toshiba both use VA based panels. I also know the Panasonic uses a IPS alpha panel and the Sony, uses.... well Im not sure what the sony uses.
 
I own the 32rv530u.... no complaints here so far at all.... had it for a week now. Games look great. no motion blur in any games i have played yet.. haven't tried COD4 on it yet tho. But everything else looks great. gonna order a new video card soon since i bought for gaming and pc mainly. Right now its just console gaming for me (xbox360) . I don't own a hd or blue ray player so i cant comment on that side of things. No buzzing No backlight bleed no stuck pixels and i got it at $779. :)
 
Anyone know how the new Panasonic 32" LZ800 compares to the 32XBR6? I've been looking at stuff on the LZ800 and from what i've seen it's supposed to have better black levels and overall better picture quality. Anyone have real life experience with the panny? Maybe even experience with it hooked up to a computer?

Thanks
 
I gave up up on the smaller HDTVs, they get stuck with older tech unlike the bigger sets.
Because the bigger LCDs are so good, they are stiff competition for Plasmas and some Plasmas are damn cheap now!

A new Plasma series has been released by Panasonic at extremely good prices.
I have the 42" 1080p TH-42PZ80B and its the best money I have spent in a long time, incredible picture.
Basic stats:
30,000:1 static contrast ratio
1080p via HDMI
Supports Deep Colour 16bit per channel http://www.hometheatermag.com/gearworks/207gear/ (not needed yet but its coming)
100,000 hour half life
You can get them for £760 in the UK, no doubt cheaper in the US.

Read up about the first 100, 200 and 1,000 hour burn in periods before using one.
I'm about 150hrs into mine and have suffered no ill effects using the PC for browsing (in Eco mode at 1/3 brightness and contrast).
All games, TV and movies are played fullpower with no issue.

It doesnt get much better than this :)
 
If you don't need a 1080 display, I can recommend the rarely heard of LGLC7D for gaming. I was able to get really nice black levels out of that with pretty decent shadow detail, colours were really nice as well. This year, after owning the current generation Panny Plasmas, The last Sony LCOS, last years sony LCDs, JVC LCOS, and a few others, the LG had the best value, bar none. Price to PQ was really nice.
 
My next buy will either be the Panasonic 42PZ8OU plasma or the panasonic 32inch LZ800 IPS. I can look at the plasma 8 miles away but no idea where to see the IPS LCD.
 
you should get the 32LG70. That's the best 32 in on the market specs wise.
 
I don't see anything outstanding spec wise about that monitor, says 15,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio. The Sony xbr6 I had for a few days claimed 25,000:1 and it was rather sucky in black level.

The spec sheet for that monitor: http://us.lge.com/products/model/detail/tv|audio|video_lcd flat panel__32LG70.jhtml

Says 178degree viewing angle so possibly IPS. It may be the same IPS panel thats in the Panasonic LZ800.

If it's not an IPS, it's definitely not good. I consider VA panels worse than TN panels due to horrible input lag.

Theres a review of a larger version of that LG, they say crappy blacks: http://reviews.cnet.com/flat-panel-tvs/lg-47lg60/4505-6482_7-32891601.html
 
It should be an IPS, all though for some reason LG has stopped advertising their sets as S-IPS in the specs.
 
About the Sony and the Samsung, did you turn on the power saving modes?
 
R0achTheWarHero said:
No, why would I
Click to expand...

"Energy Saving" mode is a key setting when adjusting black level to one's taste on a Samsung LCD TV.

Only with the backlight set to 0 and Energy Saving on high, could you probably have seen how good the black level on a Samsung TV can be. (I say probably, because that's how last year's Samsungs, such as the LN-T4065F, behave.)

In other words, the backlight doesn't really just have 11 steps, but several times that, because each backlight setting from 0 to 10, also has a further adjustment, low/medium/high, via the Energy Saving, mode...
 
SH1 said:
"Energy Saving" mode is a key setting when adjusting black level to one's taste on a Samsung LCD TV.

Only with the backlight set to 0 and Energy Saving on high, could you probably have seen how good the black level on a Samsung TV can be. (I say probably, because that's how last year's Samsungs, such as the LN-T4065F, behave.)

In other words, the backlight doesn't really just have 11 steps, but several times that, because each backlight setting from 0 to 10, also has a further adjustment, low/medium/high, via the Energy Saving, mode...
Click to expand...

Turning energy saving on cranks the contrast down too so what is the purpose of using it if you end up with a slightly better black level but lower overall contrast ratio o_O

I think when I had the a550 hooked up to PC via HDMI, backlight setting of 4 looked best. Anything lower was too dull and washed out so energy saving mode is not going to help when I still had much more room to lower it.

S-PVA panels are pretty much garbage due to black crush effect and high input lag, there is no remedy for it unless you have a magic wand that turns it into an IPS panel.
 
R0achTheWarHero said:
Turning energy saving on cranks the contrast down too so what is the purpose of using it if you end up with a slightly better black level but lower overall contrast ratio o_O

I think when I had the a550 hooked up to PC via HDMI, backlight setting of 4 looked best. Anything lower was too dull and washed out so energy saving mode is not going to help when I still had much more room to lower it.

S-PVA panels are pretty much garbage due to black crush effect and high input lag, there is no remedy for it unless you have a magic wand that turns it into an IPS panel.
Click to expand...

Activating energy saving to lower the backlight lowers a panel's contrast ratio? Can you back that up? Do you have a link? (As far as I know, it just operates on the backlight, not the panel...)
 
R0achTheWarHero said:
...The Sony xbr6 I had for a few days claimed 25,000:1 and it was rather sucky in black level...
Click to expand...

Black level is how black a monitor can get. You obtain it by cranking down the backlight to minimum (possibly with the help of power saving modes) and then by taking a measurement with a full black screen.

This is a real issue with displays as many cannot get very dark, because they are tweaked for marketing purposes just to be bright.

However, you appear to be talking about contrast ratio. And more specifically, dynamic contrast ratio. (That's what that 25,000:1 figure is.)

And from your comments, it's not even clear if you had the Sony's dynamic contrast function switched on...
 
I went to Circuit City last night and they had the new 32 inch Samsung A550 (I think thats what it was, the latest model), the Sony 32 inch XBR6, and the Sharp Aquos 32 inch GP3U all side by side.

Looking at them side by side, the Sony was the best (best blacks, best contrast), then the Sammy, and then the Sharp. They were all pretty similar, and I'm sure if they were adjusted properly it might be a different story.

For some reason the Sony looked sharper too, does the 32 inch XBR 6 have 120hz?
 
Not sure about 120Hz and the XBR6...have heard both it does and it doesn't...

There are a lot of decent 32 inch options now. Personally, I'm hooked on the mirror black screen coating of some of the Samsungs (e.g., 65F, A650). However, because it is reflective, some people don't care for it...
 
I think roach just ordered the panasonic. Hopefully that's a winner so I can order mine :D
 
I feel like I'm talking to GED students. Lowering the backlight doesn't just magically give you better black level + better contrast with no negative repercussions. It lowers your high range shades + mid range + specular and anything else you can think of. Once you hit a certain range (i think it was backlight of 4 on the samsung), lowering any further loses you far more high end per click than the miniscule amount of low end gained thus destroying the contrast ratio if going beyond that point.

Yea I ordered the 32LZ800
 
ButtZeX said:
I think roach just ordered the panasonic. Hopefully that's a winner so I can order mine :D
Click to expand...

I had a TV die and I consider the xbr6 and a550 s-pva tv's to be garbage so if for some reason it isn't a good PC monitor it will still be a better TV than what sony and samsung have. Sears has on display the slightly lower end version of this model except with a matte screen in 37 inches called the LZ85 if you want to look at something similar. The LZ800 is the top of the line panel and is supposed to have better blacks and motion, etc, also has a glossy screen as opposed to matte. When i looked at the LZ85 37inch, it was very crisp due to being IPS and looked a hell of a lot better to play a ps3 or xbox on than a sloppy PVA panel from samsung or sony, the a650 samsung does look good though. Costs about 1500+
 
R0achTheWarHero said:
I had a TV die and I consider the xbr6 and a550 s-pva tv's to be garbage so if for some reason it isn't a good PC monitor it will still be a better TV than what sony and samsung have. Sears has on display the slightly lower end version of this model except with a matte screen in 37 inches called the LZ85 if you want to look at something similar. The LZ800 is the top of the line panel and is supposed to have better blacks and motion, etc, also has a glossy screen as opposed to matte. When i looked at the LZ85 37inch, it was very crisp due to being IPS and looked a hell of a lot better to play a ps3 or xbox on than a sloppy PVA panel from samsung or sony, the a650 samsung does look good though. Costs about 1500+
Click to expand...

Yeah im looking to spend no more than about 1200. This one looks good though
 
R0achTheWarHero said:
I feel like I'm talking to GED students. Lowering the backlight doesn't just magically give you better black level + better contrast with no negative repercussions. It lowers your high range shades + mid range + specular and anything else you can think of. Once you hit a certain range (i think it was backlight of 4 on the samsung), lowering any further loses you far more high end per click than the miniscule amount of low end gained thus destroying the contrast ratio if going beyond that point.

Yea I ordered the 32LZ800
Click to expand...

I saw the Hitachi and the Sony side by side at Circuit City. Their image quality was almost identical. The Hitachi didn't have better blacks. When the feed faded to black, the black screens were identical. The highs were the same or very similar as well.

If you saw a big difference, I don't think you had the Sony set up right...
 
R0achTheWarHero said:
I had a TV die and I consider the xbr6 and a550 s-pva tv's to be garbage so if for some reason it isn't a good PC monitor it will still be a better TV than what sony and samsung have. Sears has on display the slightly lower end version of this model except with a matte screen in 37 inches called the LZ85 if you want to look at something similar. The LZ800 is the top of the line panel and is supposed to have better blacks and motion, etc, also has a glossy screen as opposed to matte. When i looked at the LZ85 37inch, it was very crisp due to being IPS and looked a hell of a lot better to play a ps3 or xbox on than a sloppy PVA panel from samsung or sony, the a650 samsung does look good though. Costs about 1500+
Click to expand...

I think you will be much happier with the gloss screen. I am...

(That black level performance floor, such as the Samsung at backlight level 4, in what I guess is a well lit room, with light reflecting off the matte screen, is less of an issue. Black, at least on the Samsung version of a gloss screen, such as on the a650, really does look black, which is a trick even many CRTs and plasmas don't accomplish in a non-darkened room...)
 
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