Is there a better 32" LCD-TV than the Sony 32EX400?

Calavaro

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Title says it all.
Is there a better 32" LCD than the Sony 32EX400 (preferably in the same price range)?

It would be used as a HTPC/Game PC screen, 75% would be media viewing with 20% gaming (new/old RPG's) and the rest light web surfing.

If there aren't any better LCD's, is there anything specific I should look for when getting the EX400 (eg. differences in panel)?

Thanks.

Edit: Apparently there is 1 contender. The LG 32LD450, but a guessing game if you get a "good one"or a "bad one". I'd rather not guess.
 
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Edit: Apparently there is 1 contender. The LG 32LD450, but a guessing game if you get a "good one"or a "bad one". I'd rather not guess.
The LG LD450 is likely NOT better than the Sony EX400 series, not saying it isn't good, but the EX400 is supposed to be a step up. It competes well because it's priced around $75-$100 less than the Sony.

As for the LG LD450 panel lottery, it almost doesn't matter what you get, if anything the newer AUO VA panel may be better overall than LG's old S-IPS. AUO keeps tweaking and upgrading their VA panels and has been getting some respect the past couple of years.

I'm not as familiar with the Samsungs that NCX mentioned above, so can't really comment except to say that i see others recommending them as well...a healthy sign.
 
@daddy-o

I will do that. I suppose, based on your comment, that the text on Sony's are bad.

@NSX

Thanks very much. I hadn't thought about Samsung in any way as I hadn't been impressed with them previously.
I'll give the Samsung a fair comparison look. Sony and Samsung has large booths right next to each other at my mall, so it should be an easy task to compare relative performances using my laptop.

@SJetski71

Thanks. I will strike the LG off my list, and add the Samsung C5x0 instead.
 
So I am back from some very subjective & non-scientific testing of the following models
Sony Bravia 32" EX400
LG 32" LD460
LG 37" LD460
LG 32" LD550
Samsung 32" C530
Samsung 32" C550

My first immediate impression was OMG HORROR at the LG LD460's. The image was jerky/jumpy/blurry to the extreme. Plus side? Guaranteed to be IPS panel by the shop (with proof). Also plays back almost any media format via the USB input.
However the LD550 (120Hz), was smoooooooooooooth in every aspect of displaying moving images. Since it was refreshing the screen faster/more often, the image itself was SHARP with very nice, vivid colors. Downside? +$190.

The Sony EX400 was very nice. Smooth playback (although a little blurry with very fast moving images/scenes. Not distracting.), nice vivid colors, good contrast. Also priced to move. Cheaper than the Samsung C530 and much cheaper than the C550, just $40 more than the LD460. Downside? USB port only plays back MPEG 1&2, MP3 and JPG.

Samsung CX530/550 were nice, but surprisingly more expensive than the EX400 ($42 and $135). To me this LCD was on par with the EX400.

Subjective conclusion?
EX400 still is the best buy as far as I can tell.
 
@daddy-o

I will do that. I suppose, based on your comment, that the text on Sony's are bad.

@NSX

Thanks very much. I hadn't thought about Samsung in any way as I hadn't been impressed with them previously.
I'll give the Samsung a fair comparison look. Sony and Samsung has large booths right next to each other at my mall, so it should be an easy task to compare relative performances using my laptop.

@SJetski71

Thanks. I will strike the LG off my list, and add the Samsung C5x0 instead.
daddy-o was inquiring about text because he was thinking about buying the Sony EX400 for himself, and not implying that text was bad ;)

I wouldn't scratch the LG LD450 off your list just yet, it does have the lowest input lag of all the LCD's in this thread (1 frame). But i would probably keep it low on the list since most of your use will be media viewing and the other choices posted should be a step better for that. If you see it on display then by all means hook your laptop to it and give it a whirl. Those other LG models aren't necessarily going to be better btw...and like i said before, i would NOT worry about the panel lottery since you would probably like the substitute panel better anyway.



Oh yea, you may not get a good demo with your laptop because you often have to change a lot of settings, both on your laptop and TV, here's just a few examples:

-- Look for a setting in the TV picture menu, it'll be called something like "full pixel or "just scan" or "dot for dot" or "screen fit" or some similar phrase, then set it to that, this will allow for a 1:1 pixel ratio.

-- Make sure the TV is NOT set on any "Zoom" mode.

-- Then go into your video card control panel and dig for scaling options, play with that slider (or even try disabling scaling if you have to) till the picture fills the entire screen and looks crisp, including text.

-- Careful with the clear-type setting in windows, it'll either make fonts look great on the TV, or a heck of a lot worse. I would start by turning it off.

-- If things aren't looking nice and crisp then something is wrong, like a wrong setting combo or something etc etc. It may take some online research to discover the right settings combination.
 
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daddy-o was inquiring about text because he was thinking about buying the Sony EX400 for himself, and not implying that text was bad ;)

I wouldn't scratch the LG LD450 off your list just yet, it does have the lowest input lag of all the LCD's in this thread (1 frame). But i would probably keep it low on the list since most of your use will be media viewing and the other choices posted should be a step better for that. If you see it on display then by all means hook your laptop to it and give it a whirl. Those other LG models aren't necessarily going to be better btw...and like i said before, i would NOT worry about the panel lottery since you would probably like the substitute panel better anyway.



Oh yea, you may not get a good demo with your laptop because you often have to change a lot of settings, both on your laptop and TV, here's just a few examples:

-- Look for a setting in the TV picture menu, it'll be called something like "full pixel or "just scan" or "dot for dot" or "screen fit" or some similar phrase, then set it to that, this will allow for a 1:1 pixel ratio.

-- Make sure the TV is NOT set on any "Zoom" mode.

-- Then go into your video card control panel and dig for scaling options, play with that slider (or even try disabling scaling if you have to) till the picture fills the entire screen and looks crisp, including text.

-- Careful with the clear-type setting in windows, it'll either make fonts look great on the TV, or a heck of a lot worse. I would start by turning it off.

-- If things aren't looking nice and crisp then something is wrong, like a wrong setting combo or something etc etc. It may take some online research to discover the right settings combination.

Again, thanks for the informative posts.
I must say that the LG staff were very knowledgeable and helpful. They did check the settings of the TV and came to the conclusion that this is the best it can do. It's a shame because I really liked the ability to be able to play back most media formats easily through the TV's USB port.
It's not like they wanted the TV to look bad considering all the other major brands that are all in the same general area of the store (all manned by reps from their respective company).

I'm not sure input lag would make a huge difference to me as long as it is staying below 5 frames (0.17 sec). I play mostly RPG's, so action is generally not fast and wouldn't require superfast mouse responses.

If nothing earth shattering happens within the next few day, I suppose I will be the owner of a EX400.
 
I'm thinking about selling my 23" ACD and 20" 2007FP for an EX400, so I'm interested to see how this thread turns out.
 
Again, thanks for the informative posts.
I must say that the LG staff were very knowledgeable and helpful. They did check the settings of the TV and came to the conclusion that this is the best it can do. It's a shame because I really liked the ability to be able to play back most media formats easily through the TV's USB port.
It's not like they wanted the TV to look bad considering all the other major brands that are all in the same general area of the store (all manned by reps from their respective company).

I'm not sure input lag would make a huge difference to me as long as it is staying below 5 frames (0.17 sec). I play mostly RPG's, so action is generally not fast and wouldn't require superfast mouse responses.

If nothing earth shattering happens within the next few day, I suppose I will be the owner of a EX400.
NP, and my apologies because i just realized that you had already visited the store before my last post :eek:

Now that i haven't skimmed through your post i see you found out some pretty interesting info. Your findings reflect much of what i've read elsewhere about the EX400.

Looks like the Sony EX400 truly is a bang for the buck TV that can be used as a monitor, and very comparable to the Samsungs you mentioned.
 
Sorry to drag this one up from the pit, but has anyone pulled the trigger on this? How does the EX400 perform as a PC monitor, especially with regard to text?
 
Sorry to drag this one up from the pit, but has anyone pulled the trigger on this? How does the EX400 perform as a PC monitor, especially with regard to text?


I wasn't happy with the performance of the EX400 when it was connected to my MacBook Pro via HDMI. With VGA it was slightly better, but it was very blurry and underwhelming with both VGA and HDMI.

YMMV though, it might just be OS X and the nVidia GPU being funny. The TV signal was fantastic.
 
I picked up the LG 32LD450 and it was by far the best looking text I have seen on a 32" TV, but it still wasn't perfect, and it went back. I have two sets left to try, the Samsung and Sony. I'm running out of places to buy and return though, I think I'm getting close to being on a blacklist at Best Buy!
 
What Panel(s) is used in the EX400? Is is better than the Panasonic L32U22? My parents own a L32U22 and is a great looking set (IPS panel). Just wondering if any of you guys have compared these displays and what you came to as a conclusion?
 
that KDL32EX400 appears to be about $500 most places I look...Is that the price you are seeing it for?
 
I picked up the LG 32LD450 and it was by far the best looking text I have seen on a 32" TV, but it still wasn't perfect, and it went back. I have two sets left to try, the Samsung and Sony. I'm running out of places to buy and return though, I think I'm getting close to being on a blacklist at Best Buy!

I'll be genuinely surprised if you manage to find an HDTV with perfect text. The huge dot pitch guarantees you'll never see pin sharp text compared to a dedicated PC monitor.

I had an EX400 and an LD450 on my desk side by side and I'd say the LD450 had the the better text once I applied an EDID fix to my Nvidia drivers and disabled all the processing (I'm staring at it right this second). Still, even with total control of horizontal and vertical sharpness and flawless 4:4:4 performance, there's a slight softness to fine text. It's totally acceptable from regular viewing distance, at least to me. The EX400 had decent text with everything disabled in General scene mode, but meh. It fails 4:4:4, so text was always going to be an issue. Plus, for some reason I could see the pixel structure of the EX400 clear as day in certain circumstances when sitting at 3-4 feet. While playing L4D2 for instance, anytime I got near Nick with his white suit or Ellis with his light yellow shirt, I could clearly see individual rows of pixels. Made for ugly compared to the IPS LD450.

I'm expecting delivery on a Samsung LN32C530 next week. It's my final contender for 32" HDTV monitor. I've heard it displays the best text in PC mode and has blacks equal to the EX400, but it struggles with fast motion compared to the LG and has worse input lag. So I guess it comes down to what is more important to me: PQ/text or input lag/responsiveness. I won't know until I get it in front of me.

What Panel(s) is used in the EX400? Is is better than the Panasonic L32U22? My parents own a L32U22 and is a great looking set (IPS panel). Just wondering if any of you guys have compared these displays and what you came to as a conclusion?

Haven't compared the two, sorry. I generally avoid Panny unless I'm looking into plasmas.

that KDL32EX400 appears to be about $500 most places I look...Is that the price you are seeing it for?

Yeah, that sounds about right. I got mine for $540 CDN. Not a great deal, but I had a feeling I'd be returning it so I wasn't too concerned. :p
 
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Please keep us posted on what you find! I am in the market myself and considering these very same models.
 
Please keep us posted on what you find! I am in the market myself and considering these very same models.
Will do. The LG 32LD450 is the screen to beat. It's ideal barring relatively poor black level performance, and even then it's not terrible for an IPS. Hella better than my HP LP2475w, for instance. Otherwise, the panel is excellent. 16-32ms (very good for an HDTV). Amazing responsiveness. Great colors with no black crush or white clip. Crap viewing angles when not in the sweet spot, but this is a PC monitor - who cares? Text could be better, but it's the best I've seen so far by a LONG shot.

If only the blacks were deeper it would be the no-brainer choice.

Realistically, I know what to expect from the Samsung, I'm just not sure which I will ultimately prefer. I'll report back once I've spent a few days with it.
 
Will do. The LG 32LD450 is the screen to beat. It's ideal barring relatively poor black level performance, and even then it's not terrible for an IPS. Hella better than my HP LP2475w, for instance. Otherwise, the panel is excellent. 16-32ms (very good for an HDTV). Amazing responsiveness. Great colors with no black crush or white clip. Crap viewing angles when not in the sweet spot, but this is a PC monitor - who cares? Text could be better, but it's the best I've seen so far by a LONG shot.

If only the blacks were deeper it would be the no-brainer choice.

Realistically, I know what to expect from the Samsung, I'm just not sure which I will ultimately prefer. I'll report back once I've spent a few days with it.

Sounds like a good choice. I've used my 40 inch Samsung A650 before for gaming and the best feature about it was the deep blacks , wiped the floor with any PC monitor I could find.
 
Sounds like a good choice. I've used my 40 inch Samsung A650 before for gaming and the best feature about it was the deep blacks , wiped the floor with any PC monitor I could find.

I'm hoping the Sammy puts up a good performance. I also watch Blu-ray on this rig, wherein the lack of deep black becomes painfully obvious. To be honest, I'm a graphics whore and a slave to picture quality, otherwise I'd be 100% satisfied with the LG. Assuming the smearing/ghosting isn't distracting and the input lag doesn't effect my game, I'll likely go with the Samsung if it can successfully produce text similar to or better than the LD450. I've also got my fingers crossed that it matches the LG on other levels as well, like zero backlight bleed and good uniformity.
 
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Why did you go with the C530 instead of the C550 (out of curiosity)?

And do keep us posted. I'm planning to buy a 32" TV soon (for PS3/blu-ray only, not to be used as monitor).
 
Why did you go with the C530 instead of the C550 (out of curiosity)?

And do keep us posted. I'm planning to buy a 32" TV soon (for PS3/blu-ray only, not to be used as monitor).

As far as I can tell, the C550 is identical to the C530 except for additional connections and network support (ReadyShare or whatever it's called). Not worth the extra coin, not to me. Plus, I really don't like the "Touch of Red" bezel.
 
Isn't the C530 Matte instead of glossy? I would go with matte if it is for computer use.
 
any updates on this? considering the same sets. A bit of a letdown that the Sony doesn't do as well as an LG, very weary about LG and Samsung after having so many products fail on me.

I think i read somewhere the sony does 4:4:4 via HDMI in game mode
 
Still waiting on my Sammy C530. It's taking much longer than the salesman predicted.

The EX400 fails 4:4:4 in all modes, but it definitely does a better job of it in certain scene mode presets, including Game. Basically, any of the modes that default to disabled processing offer the best PC monitor performance. You can get the same result in the General (??) preset if you simply disable everything manually. At least then you also have access to the white balance menu.
 
Is there any new versions of Samsung's C530? Like thinner, LED with lower input lag?
 
Is there any new versions of Samsung's C530? Like thinner, LED with lower input lag?

There is a 2010 32" Sammy LED, the UN32C*000. They are definitely thinner and LED (they go hand in hand), but as for input lag I honestly couldn't tell you. I personally haven't seen any test results and the internals are likely very different compared to the C530. I'm still avoiding LED until edge-lit technology improves or is phased out.
 
Just saw this thread and it reminded me that I missed the C530 from amazon for under $340 shipped............
 
As for the LG LD450 panel lottery, it almost doesn't matter what you get, if anything the newer AUO VA panel may be better overall than LG's old S-IPS. AUO keeps tweaking and upgrading their VA panels and has been getting some respect the past couple of years.

I just got a Sony 32" 32EX710 which happens to have AUO's "latest and greatest" AMVA panel. Let me just say, this panel SUCKS. Viewing angles are HORRIBLE. While color shifting isn't as prevalent as a TN panel, there is major contrast shift from just a minor off angle position. I will never buy another AUO equipped TV with a VA panel from them. Sucks that Sony is moving a number of their otherwise excellent Bravia3 line to AUO panels (both the 32EX710 and 46EX710 have them). IPS and PVA equipped TVs are miles better than anything with an MVA from AUO.
 
I've hooked up a Samsung LN32C550 to test alongside my LG 32L450. As mentioned before, I initially wanted a C530 but I instead wrangled a good deal on the 550. I otherwise would have been in for a lengthy wait and no guarantee in the panel lottery (avoiding the C panel).

The Sammy is an AA01 (AUO MVA), which many consider to be the best balanced panel available; alexnet2003 notwithstanding (though I respect your opinion). :p Blacks aren't as good as a PVA but it handles motion better. There's definitely slight color shift but I've never been overly susceptible to it. I don't find the viewing angles all that bad, not that it matters as I'll be viewing from the sweet spot 100% of the time. Can't say much beyond that. I spent maybe 15 minutes with it before I was out the door, on my way to work.

To be honest, I'm tired of chasing the perfect LCD TV/monitor. Everyone knows there's no such thing, but that doesn't stop some of us from obsessing over every detail as we attempt to come as close as possible. For me, it's down to the LD450 and the C550. The LG suffers weak blacks and slightly blurred text, the Samsung struggles with subtle motion blur and color shift.

Pick your poison.
 
Haven't compared the two, sorry. I generally avoid Panny unless I'm looking into plasmas.

Could you please elaborate on this? I'm very impressed with the picture quality of the Panasonic I own. IPS panel, and no motion-blur that I can see. I don't have a way to test for input lag, so I'm uncertain what the specs are in that department. But so far, very happy with the TV and the price is really nice. Just wondering why Panasonic isn't looked at as a strong contender in the LCD market?
 
Could you please elaborate on this? I'm very impressed with the picture quality of the Panasonic I own. IPS panel, and no motion-blur that I can see. I don't have a way to test for input lag, so I'm uncertain what the specs are in that department. But so far, very happy with the TV and the price is really nice. Just wondering why Panasonic isn't looked at as a strong contender in the LCD market?

Oh hey, don't let me talk you out of a purchase you're happy with! For my purposes, Panny LCDs simply don't fit the bill. It's all about 4:4:4 (failed) and input lag (high-ish). Really though, if you don't notice either, don't give it a second thought. Panasonic simply fail to excel in any one department (the departments I consider important). For instance: Samsung and Sony tend to offer better black levels, LG often boasts better input lag. Which isn't to say Panny sucks, they just don't scratch my particular itch.

When it comes to plasmas, though, Panasonic are the new king of the ring (imo) since Pioneer abdicated the throne.
 
Oh hey, don't let me talk you out of a purchase you're happy with! For my purposes, Panny LCDs simply don't fit the bill. It's all about 4:4:4 (failed) and input lag (high-ish). Really though, if you don't notice either, don't give it a second thought. Panasonic simply fail to excel in any one department (the departments I consider important). For instance: Samsung and Sony tend to offer better black levels, LG often boasts better input lag. Which isn't to say Panny sucks, they just don't scratch my particular itch.

When it comes to plasmas, though, Panasonic are the new king of the ring (imo) since Pioneer abdicated the throne.

Ah, alright then. I haven't gamed on the TV yet, so I'm wondering if that'll be a problem with Racing sims or the like. Do you happen to know what the numbers are for the input lag?

Well, I want to make a more informed purchase when I step into the market. So talking me out of a purchase that down the line I may regret is fine by me.

BTW, Are all LG LCD's IPS panels? Or is there a panel lottery with them? Panasonic is the only brand I've seen so far that's touted the use of IPS in their TV's.
 
Ah, alright then. I haven't gamed on the TV yet, so I'm wondering if that'll be a problem with Racing sims or the like. Do you happen to know what the numbers are for the input lag?

Well, I want to make a more informed purchase when I step into the market. So talking me out of a purchase that down the line I may regret is fine by me.

BTW, Are all LG LCD's IPS panels? Or is there a panel lottery with them? Panasonic is the only brand I've seen so far that's touted the use of IPS in their TV's.

If you're looking for hard input lag numbers, the AVSForum "Input Lag Wars!" thread is a great place to start. If I recall, it shows the Panasonic TC-L32U22 in Game mode with all processing disabled as having 2-3 frames (32-48ms) of lag. Not terrible for an HDTV, really. It's apparently the best result from Panasonic's 2010 crop. If you have a different model, do a thread search and it'll pull up results assuming someone has done any kind of lag testing on it.

An educated fellow on AVS ran a battery of detailed 4:4:4 tests on a slew of sets and basically condemned Panasonic as a brand name (at least in 2010).

Consider also that Panasonic does in fact use IPS panels almost exclusively and you can guarantee somewhat middling black level performance. It's a limitation of the tech. I only opted for the LG IPS because of low input lag, confirmed 4:4:4 performance and an awesome array of menu calibration options at the price point.

No. LG are not all IPS, at least not with the LD450 (though I've heard the 47" are all IPS, but haven't seen absolute proof). Those jerks mix in a craptacular panel with grievous viewing angles and other issues. When purchasing, ensure the product code includes a W and not a D and bingo, you've got an IPS. The lack of a panel lotto is definitely a feather in Panasonic's cap.
 
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If you're looking for hard input lag numbers, the AVSForum "Input Lag Wars!" thread is a great place to start. If I recall, it shows the Panasonic TC-L32U22 in Game mode with all processing disabled as having 2-3 frames (32-48ms) of lag. Not terrible for an HDTV, really. It's apparently the best result from Panasonic's 2010 crop. If you have a different model, do a thread search and it'll pull up results assuming someone has done any kind of lag testing on it.

An educated fellow on AVS ran a battery of detailed 4:4:4 tests on a slew of sets and basically condemned Panasonic as a brand name (at least in 2010).

Consider also that Panasonic does in fact use IPS panels almost exclusively and you can guarantee somewhat middling black level performance. It's a limitation of the tech. I only opted for the LG IPS because of low input lag, confirmed 4:4:4 performance and an awesome array of menu calibration options at the price point.

No. LG are not all IPS, at least not with the LD450 (though I've heard the 47" are all IPS, but haven't seen absolute proof). Those jerks mix in a craptacular panel with grievous viewing angles and other issues. When purchasing, ensure the product code includes a W and not a D and bingo, you've got an IPS. The lack of a panel lotto is definitely a feather in Panasonic's cap.

Very informative post. Thank you for this. I'm off to read up! :)
 
Very informative post. Thank you for this. I'm off to read up! :)

No problem! Good luck.

So. Samsung LN32C550.

The Good News:

1. PC mode. As advertised, renaming an HDMI source "PC" results in perfect 4:4:4. Besides passing all of my test images, I also fired up a game of Prototype. It's an ideal test because the menus are all red text on black background. Under these circumstances, a television failing 4:4:4 is very obvious. Outside of PC mode with Size set to Screen Fit, the font is badly blurred and smeared. With the HDMI renamed "PC" (defaults to 1:1 Screen Fit), everything is clear as a bell. Excellent.

2. If there's a major increase to input lag compared to the LG, I don't notice it.

The Bad News:

1. PC mode severely compromises the contrast of the television. I've been fighting with this thing for hours, calibrating and re-calibrating with my i1D2 w/ iMatch software and I've been unable to bring the minimum black under 0.1 cd/m2. It's actually a struggle to match the black level of the LG, which is ridiculous considering the panel technology. I ran a quick and dirty calibration outside of PC mode and managed 0.07 without breaking a sweat. It's obvious that Samsung had to make sacrifices in order to offer proper 4:4:4, though I'm not entirely sure what is causing the issue. Some form of critical processing has been disabled, something I can't seem to compensate for. Besides the television's OSD and iMatch, I've also been messing with the Nvidia Control panel all morning and I can't dial this thing in to save my life. If someone knows something I don't, please share!

2. Even with PC mode enabled the text is NOT as clear as a properly configured LG LD450. In "Expert" mode, the LG gives you access to both horizontal and vertical sharpness settings, giving you a ton of control over how text appears. Even with ideal H and V sharpness and an EDID fix in place, the text on the LG is far from perfect ... but it's better than the Sammy. The Samsung in PC mode locks Sharpness at 20 (boooo) and offers no other option for tweaking the appearance of text. It's not terrible from a decent viewing distance, not awful for an HDTV, just not as good as the LG.

3. I wrangled the EDID of the Samsung and reinstalled Nvidia's 260.99 with the proper info included. With every other television I've tested, hacking the Nvidia drivers with model specific EDID either improves clarity or offers no obvious benefit. In the case of the C550 it actually made things worse, which is really odd. Test images outside of PC mode became strangely mangled, wherein red and magenta are usually the culprits, suddenly green when to hell as well. PC mode remained unaffected. Not really bad news, I suppose. Just interesting.

4. Motion blur. In a game of Metro 2033, turning results in an obvious blur whereas on the LD450 it does not. There's also obvious ghosting on fast moving objects. Given the MVA panel, this is par for the course and is hardly a surprise.

5. Color/gamma shift. I mentioned before that I'm not super susceptible to it and that's true. But it's there. Can't deny that.

6. Screen door effect. This relates to the EX400 as well. What I first thought was "pixel structure" is actually an unfortunate effect caused by the anti-glare coat. Not sure why I didnt think of it sooner as it's the obvious cause of the issue. While the IPS LD450 displays no such "defect", it's pretty bad on both the Samsung and the Sony. I really like the semi-gloss coat on the LG. It diffuses reflection just enough without obscuring the image. Since I'm using the screen as a PC monitor, I'm sitting very close. This makes the anti-glare coat an important consideration.

So, the C550. I'm a tad disappointed. I was prepared for ghosting and blur, and I was willing to make that sacrifice for better blacks and improved text quality. Instead, enabling 4:4:4 with PC mode cripples the major advantage of the panel technology (deeper blacks) and text is only "just okay". I'll definitely spend more time fussing with it, but at this point it looks to me like the LD450 is the clear winner.

Naturally, YMMV. The flaws I consider to be dealbreakers, you might not even notice them. Judging the merits of a television is very subjective. There's only so much you can gleen from the experience of others before you're left with no choice but to take the plunge and see for yourself.

Cheers! :D
 
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Deeky, so do your observations apply to the Samsung LN32C530 as well or are they different panels? I've been sifting through threads on multiple site for months trying to find the perfect TV for me. I thought it was the Samsung but now I'm not so sure. All I'm asking for is a 32" to game on that has great picture quality and the lowest input lag.
 
The Sammy is an AA01 (AUO MVA), which many consider to be the best balanced panel available; alexnet2003 notwithstanding (though I respect your opinion). :p Blacks aren't as good as a PVA but it handles motion better. There's definitely slight color shift but I've never been overly susceptible to it. I don't find the viewing angles all that bad, not that it matters as I'll be viewing from the sweet spot 100% of the time. Can't say much beyond that. I spent maybe 15 minutes with it before I was out the door, on my way to work.

I was more than a little ticked laying out close to eight Franklins for a 32" Bravia3 Sony only to find contrast changes with a slight head movement.

Let me just say though, if you're in the sweet spot (dead center), the MVA panel offers good clarity and color (as you say, good balance). My mistake was using it as a PC monitor. Sitting so close to the TV made the contrast changes painfully obvious, like using a massive TN panel only slightly better. As a bedroom TV it's ok.
 
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