Daywalker Posted November 4, 2004 Posted November 4, 2004 Hello all I will soon be going out to audition a new tv. Have been sitting on the fence for months trying to create a shortlist. Anyway, I read alot about black level and shadow detail when people talk about display devices and get the impression that it is an important factor to consider. My question is. What do I look for in a picture to decide if the tv has good black levels and shadow detail ? I think i know but just need some other opinions and clarification. Thanks Daywalker (also posted over at HTC)
Steffche Posted November 4, 2004 Posted November 4, 2004 Take with you a copy of Lord Of the Rings (Part I) and go to the scene when they're walking through the caves....with torches and stuff......BELIEVE me you will know when a display can't handle it.....unlike the VIERA!!!!
danadelaide Posted November 4, 2004 Posted November 4, 2004 Hello allI will soon be going out to audition a new tv. Have been sitting on the fence for months trying to create a shortlist. Anyway, I read alot about black level and shadow detail when people talk about display devices and get the impression that it is an important factor to consider. My question is. What do I look for in a picture to decide if the tv has good black levels and shadow detail ? I think i know but just need some other opinions and clarification. Thanks Daywalker (also posted over at HTC) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Also important is the lighting in the showroom - they almost all look good in brighter conditions. Try to see them with low light or lights out and showing a dark scene as mentioned above or a space scene in a star wars film etc. Of course none of this is important if you watch with lights on most of the time! Dan.
Daywalker Posted November 4, 2004 Author Posted November 4, 2004 Dan I plan to set the tv up with lighting behind the screen. My other half hates watching tv with the lights off so i thought this woukd be a good compromise. I've also heard it improves picture quality aswell.
danadelaide Posted November 4, 2004 Posted November 4, 2004 Dan I plan to set the tv up with lighting behind the screen. My other half hates watching tv with the lights off so i thought this woukd be a good compromise. I've also heard it improves picture quality aswell. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Daywalker, If you are doing this then this will negate the difference in the blacks between the panny based screens (some fujitsu screens are Panasonic glass) and the other better plasmas ie Pioneer and NEC. I am doing the same and deciding between NEC and pioneer at the moment. Pio for form/warranty/free install/+included stand or wall mount and NEC for value. The Pio is in front for me based on it's looks - suits our house! Both great picture quality IMHO! Good luck!
Owen Posted November 4, 2004 Posted November 4, 2004 Using some subdued lighting behind the screen is in deed a good idea. A small, low power desk lamp pointing at the roof works well to reduce eyestrain caused by viewing in a completely dark environment. In this subdued lighting environment, it is a good idea to reduce the Contrast setting on the TV otherwise it will be blindingly bright. You will also need to adjust the Brightness control so that black is black and not grey. This is an area of performance where digital displays have REAL problems. You will find that you will be unable to get a black screen in subdued lighting with a digital display. All you will get is a shade of grey. Under these circumstances, you will also notice the low shadow resolution and pixelation inherent in current digital displays. Only CRT RPTV’s, and some direct view CRT TV’s can give true blacks and shadow detail in a low light environment. Blacks on a good CRT RPTV can be so good that the screen is not visible with the lights off. Now that’s black. Most digital displays have a contrast ratio of about 1,000:1 compared to a CRT RPTV’s 8,000-10,000:1. That’s a BIG difference. So, if you have your hart set on a digital display, plan on viewing with the lights on, or you may be annoyed by the grey blacks and lack of shadow detail. IMHO, good black performance is very important, as it greatly enhances depth and the three dimensionality of the image. Regards, Owen
ijd Posted November 4, 2004 Posted November 4, 2004 Well I wouldn't say that my NEC plasma is known for great blacks, but I have trouble seeing whether it is on or off in a dark room! I was quite surprised given Owen's prior warnings.
Daywalker Posted November 4, 2004 Author Posted November 4, 2004 Thanks for your replys guys Maybe i did not explain myself that well. I will not be buying a digital display. It will be a 76 cm crt. Owen has confirmed to me what I thought that good black levels give depth and a 3D quality to the image. On my old 68 cm nec the image looks very 2 dimensional compared to the 76 hx sony which looked very 3 dimensional. At the time I wasn't sure why. The scene i was looking at was from the LOTR FOTR. Thanks Daywalker
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