Displays that support 1080p/24 signal at multiplies of the original frame rate

[HDTV1080P]

** Important Update to the List **

There are now a total of 5 lists of 1080P/24 displays:

1. List 1 of 5 contains all the current in production Front Projectors and Plasma Screens that handle 1080P/24 correctly.

2. List 2 of 5 contains all the different versions of LCD screens with LED backlighting that handle 1080P/24 correctly and that are currently in production.

3. List 3 of 5 contains all the Standard LCD screens that handles 1080P/24 correctly and that are currently in production.

4. List 4 of 5 contains all the discontinued 1080P/24 display technologies accept for standard LCD screens.

5. List 5 of 5 contains all the discontinued 1080P/24 Standard LCD screens.


List 2 of 5 now contains 3 different LED backlight technologies

(The average consumer will be very confused now with 3 diffrent LED technologies on the market):


LCD with Local Dimming LED backlighting (flat panel) : So far historically the best picture quality of the 3. But that could always change over time. Allows backlight to dim or turn off LED's along the entire screen for pure color and deep blacks. Great Plasma alternative.


LCD with LED backlighting (without Local Dimming) (flat panel): LED backlights without local dimming that are arranged behind the screen instead of edge.


LCD with Edge-lit LED backlighting (flat panel) : LED's are arranged around the Edge of the screen. So far there has been screen uniformity issues and the blacks are not as deep. But displays are ultra thin at 1.2 inches or smaller. Also less power used with this design in general.

Click on the following link for a August 28th article from CNET regarding the 3 different technologies:

http://reviews.cnet.com/4321-6482_7-6661380.html?tag=mncol

[HDTV1080P]

The following Toshiba standard LCD displays have been added to the list

Toshiba 40XV648U (1080P/24 correctly refreshed at 120HZ when Film stabilization is set to standard mode)

Toshiba 46XV648U (1080P/24 correctly refreshed at 120HZ when Film stabilization is set to standard mode)

Toshiba 52XV648U (1080P/24 correctly refreshed at 120HZ when Film stabilization is set to standard mode)

[HDTV1080P]

New 65 inch 120HZ NuVision LCD flat panel added to the list

NuVision NVU65FX5 (1080P/24 correctly refreshed at 120HZ)

Click above link for PDF spec sheet

There are now a total of 4 NuVision LCD flat panels on the list. The latest one to be added is a 65 inch LCD flat panel. All 4 NuVision LCD flat panels display 1080P/24 signals at 120HZ using the 5:5 pulldown method. The 4 FX5 series displays on the list are backed by a 2 year parts and labor warranty.

According to the manuals all 4 displays also support 576i and 576P signals at 50HZ using the HDMI and componet connections. According to the manuals all 4 FX5 series displays support PAL input on the S-Video and composite inputs.

Here is some more info on the true 1080P/24 method used by Nuvision

http://forums.highdefdigest.com/1189267-post224.html

http://www.nuvision.com/technologies.aspx

[HDTV1080P]

12 VIZIO 1080P 120HZ flat panels have been added to the list

All 120HZ VIZIO displays have now made the list since they have a true 5:5 pulldown mode when Smooth Mode Effect is turned off.

Note: The pseudo 240HZ VIZIO displays will not be added to the list until more information is learned about how they handle 1080P/24 source material.


VIZIO VF550XVT1A (1080P/24 correctly refreshed at 120HZ when Smooth Mode Effect is turned off)

VIZIO VF550M (1080P/24 correctly refreshed at 120HZ when Smooth Mode Effect is turned off)

VIZIO SV470XVT1A (1080P/24 correctly refreshed at 120HZ when Smooth Mode Effect is turned off)

VIZIO SV420XVT1A (1080P/24 correctly refreshed at 120HZ when Smooth Mode Effect is turned off)

VIZIO SV370XVT (1080P/24 correctly refreshed at 120HZ when Smooth Mode Effect is turned off)

VIZIO SV320XVT (1080P/24 correctly refreshed at 120HZ when Smooth Mode Effect is turned off)

VIZIO SV470M (1080P/24 correctly refreshed at 120HZ when Smooth Mode Effect is turned off)

VIZIO SV420M (1080P/24 correctly refreshed at 120HZ when Smooth Mode Effect is turned off)

VIZIO VL470M (1080P/24 correctly refreshed at 120HZ when Smooth Mode Effect is turned off)

VIZIO VL420M (1080P/24 correctly refreshed at 120HZ when Smooth Mode Effect is turned off)

VIZIO VT470M (1080P/24 correctly refreshed at 120HZ when Smooth Mode Effect is turned off)

VIZIO VT420M (1080P/24 correctly refreshed at 120HZ when Smooth Mode Effect is turned off)

VIZIO use to be known as a low end brand. In just over a year VIZIO has really improved the quality of their displays. VIZIO no longer makes 60HZ Plasma displays but before they stopped making the plasmas there was a professional review published that claimed the 60HZ VIZIO plasma screens had 80% of the picture quality of a Pioneer plasma screen (reference link to plasma comment). Now the latest face off between a $900 VIZIO 120HZ LCD model and a $1,300 Toshiba 120HZ LCD model has resulted in proof that VIZIO LCD screens can beat other companies not only on price but also on overall picture quality. VIZIO did not have as good as picture quality when compared to the 120HZ LG 42LH40 LCD and Sony BRAVIA 40V5100 LCD models.

The 42 inch VIZIO SV420M has a overall better picture quality compared to the 42 inch Toshiba REGZA 42ZV650U according to the September 2009 Home Theater face off (pages 20-36). The VIZIO beat the Toshiba in Black level, Shadow detail, and resolution. The Toshiba REGZA 42XV650U costs $1,300. The VIZIO SV420M is a better value at $900.

VIZIO Home page Link to read specs and manuals: http://www.vizio.com

Here are a few select quotes from the September 2009 Home Theater review face off
(pages 20-36)

"Coming from nowhere just a few years ago, this relatively new television manufacturer has managed to muscle its way into the ranks of the market leaders by selling its sets largely through major discount warehouse retailers like Costco."

"As with all the LCD sets here, the Vizio operates at a refresh rate of 120 Hz. And as such, it offers its own aptly named motion-smoothing feature: Smooth Motion. It has two separate adjustments: Smooth Mode Effect and Real Cinema. If the set receives a 1080p/24 input with the Smooth Mode Effect control off, it repeats each frame four times (5:5 pulldown) in order to reach the displayed 120-Hz refresh rate. With Smooth Motion Effect on (in any of its three active modes—Low, Middle, or High) and the Real Cinema control set to Smooth, the set also adds four new frames for each real one. In this case, the frames are interpolated. Oddly, if Smooth Motion is on and the Real Cinema control is set to Precision, the Vizio first converts 1080p/24 to 1080p/60 and interpolates a single added frame to reach 120 Hz."

"With a 1080p/60 input (or a lower-resolution input upconverted by the set to 1080p/60) and Smooth Motion turned off, the Vizio adds a single repeated frame to each real frame to reach 120 Hz. With Smooth Motion on, it interpolates a single added frame."

A few quotes from the review that are mostly negative

"When the Vizio plays back a 4:3 source in the 4:3 (Normal) aspect ratio setting or a letterboxed source that needs to be played in a zoom setting to fill the full width of the screen, the set can only produce a geometrically correct image when the input is 480i or 480p. When 720p, 1080i, and 1080p inputs are externally upconverted to these resolutions from standard-definition sources, they are squeezed or stretched, and no aspect ratio choice can put them right. (This is not a problem with sources that require a Full setting, such as native HD material and enhanced-for-widescreen DVDs.)"

"Three of the panelists saw deterioration in the set’s image quality when they moved off axis. But on the positive side, others noted that the set looked much better overall with the room lights on."

"Three of them thought the skintones looked a little unnatural, and one of those commented that the colors were too vibrant. Another rated the Vizio’s reds as the worst of the group and the greens as the second worst. While the set finished last in the composite scores for color, two of the panelists rated it highly, giving it a 9 out of 10, while others were much less enthusiastic. This shows just how personal the reaction to color can be. Even with careful calibrations, there can be underlying differences in sets that the available controls can’t completely dial out."

"While the Vizio didn’t turn in a great performance overall, remember that it is less than 75 percent of the cost of the next least expensive set in the group. I found it much more watchable than the group’s scores might suggest, and its HD video processing also handily beat out the other players in the group."

"You can do better if you’re willing to spend more, but this is a respectable set at an attractive price. And Vizio is on the cusp of interesting new models, some of which may well compete more aggressively with the other sets here in the $1,300-to-$1,500 range. It’s also about to join the parade of new local-dimming, LED-backlit sets, which should answer the black level and shadow detail issues, but at a price that might keep other manufacturers awake at night."

Click on link below to read the entire VIZIO review at the Home Theater magazine website:

http://hometheatermag.com/flat-panels/vizio_sv420m_lcd_hdtv/index.html

[HDTV1080P]

There are two different menu options for 120HZ Toshiba owners to use to get 5:5 pulldown mode turned on


The Toshiba 5:5 pull down comments in prior professional reviews from CNET and Sound and Vision magazine always mentioned that to turn on the 5:5 pulldown feature on the 120HZ Toshiba's one had to set the Film Stabilization feature to the Standard mode. There are two different ways in the menu to turn on 5:5 pulldown in Toshiba 120HZ models and the simulated 240HZ Toshiba models.

Method number 1 for 5:5 pulldown (quote 1):

Quote from CNET
"The other setting is called "Film Stabilization" and it has three choices: Off, Standard, and Smooth--all three deliver identical motion resolution numbers. The difference between Off and Standard will be difficult for most viewers to discern, since neither engages that obvious smoothing effect produced by, for example, the Standard setting on the Sony and Samsung. On the Toshiba, Standard doesn't introduce dejudder; it simply allows the TV to preserve the proper cadence of 24-frame sources, namely Blu-rays with the player set to 1080p/24 output mode. In such a setup, the ZV650U series' Standard setting worked well to keep the cadence intact, removing the hitching motion seen on the Panasonic plasma, for example, as the camera flies over the deck of the Intrepid during "I Am Legend."

http://reviews.cnet.com/flat-panel-tvs/toshiba-42zv650u/4505-6482_7-33490635.html?tag=mncol;lst


Method number 1 for 5:5 pulldown (quote 2):

Quote from Sound and Vision Magazine
"When sending a 1080p/24 signal to the TV from a Blu-ray player, the Standard mode engages 5:5 pulldown (each original film frame that's been encoded to video is displayed five times to hit the TV's 120-Hz refresh rate). "
http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/hdtvs/2854/toshiba-52-inch-regza-lcd-hdtv-setup-page2.html

There is also a second way to turn on the Toshiba 5:5 pulldown feature according to Home Theater magazine. The ClearScan feature can be turned off completely to turn on 5:5 pulldown:

Method number 2 for 5:5 pulldown (quote):

"The Toshiba can accept 1080p/24 program material. With ClearScan 240 off and a 1080p/24 input, it repeats each real frame four additional times to reach the set’s 120-Hz refresh rate (5:5 pulldown). With ClearScan 240 on (and the Film Stabilization control on Smooth), some of the added frames are interpolated. In either case, the blinking of the scanning backlight creates the effect of two frames for each actual frame, approximating 240-Hz operation. With a 1080p/60 source (or any source that the set upconverts to its native 1080p resolution), a single frame (repeated or interpolated, as determined by the control settings above) is added for each real frame.
http://hometheatermag.com/flat-panels/toshiba_regza_42zv650u_lcd_hdtv/

[HDTV1080P]

Five low cost $1,500 and under 1080P Flat Panels Face off HEAD TO HEAD

(September 2009 Home Theater Magazine pages 20-36)

In the September 2009 Home Theater Magazine on pages 20-36 is a very in depth article comparing 5 different brands of low cost HDTV's between $900-$1,500. This very in depth article had a panel of several professional reviewers that rated the 5 different brands of HD displays in terms of black level, shadow detail, color, resolution, value, and the ultimate final score of "OVERALL PERFORMACE".

In the Home Theater face off only 4 out of the 5 TV's were set to disable the 3:2 pulldown process since the 5th TV had a lot less brightness and a noticeable flicker issue when trying to display 1080P/24 material at multiplies of the original frame rate.

The 4 best TV's tested with the true 1080P/24 refresh rate feature turned on is the following displays:

1. Sony KDL-40V5100 LCD (Best performing LCD with true 5:5 pulldown) $1,500
2. LG 42LH40 LCD (Second best performing LCD with true 5:5 pulldown) $1,400
3. VIZIO SV420M LCD (Third best performing LCD with true 5:5 pulldown) $900
4. Toshiba 42ZV650U LCD (Fourth best performing LCD with true 5:5 pulldown) $1,300


Official Home Theater Face off Results when the Panasonic Plasma is viewed at 60HZ with 3:2 pulldown

1. Panasonic TC-P42G10 Plasma (Best picture quality overall, but only 60HZ viewing mode could be used with 3:2 pulldown during the face off) $1,300
2. Sony KDL-40V5100 LCD (Second best performing TV with true 5:5 pulldown) $1,500
3. LG 42LH40 LCD (Third best performing TV with true 5:5 pulldown) $1,400
4. VIZIO SV420M LCD (Fourth best performing TV with true 5:5 pulldown) $900
5. Toshiba 42ZV650U (Fifth best performing TV with true 5:5 pulldown) $1,300

During the face off according to the Home Theater magazine review the Panasonic TC-P42G10 Plasma had a noticeable flicker that was so annoying to watch at 48HZ that the Panasonic display needed to be placed in the 60HZ 3:2 pulldown mode for all viewing and testing during the face off. Also the 48HZ mode greatly reduced the output brightness so it needed to be turned off to be more comparable to the brighter LCD displays. Even though the Panasonic 48HZ mode could not be used for this face off, overall the Panasonic produced the best overall picture quality even at 60HZ since it was the winner of the face off. The Sony KDL-40V5100 was a close second. The advantage of the plasma off angle viewing, color quality, and resolution pulled the Panasonic ahead in points enough to win the face off. The Sony KDL-40V5100 LCD beat the Panasonic in terms of deeper black levels. The amazing thing is that this Sony display is a standard LCD screen without Local Dimming LED backlighting. The picture quality gap between LCD and plasma is closing a lot faster with Pioneer now out of the picture. This Sony standard LCD display beat the Panasonic plasma in the area of black levels. Panasonic needs to start improving on their plasma technology since possible LCD's with LED backlighting might win a future face off. Back in Feb 2009 the Sony KDL-55XBR8 outperformed the Panasonic TH-50PZ800U. If Sony comes out with a new and improved 2009 LCD with Local Dimming LED backlighting display it might even beat the picture quality of the Panasonic V10 plasma series. Click here for Feb 2009 Face off results

Personally I do not like watching BLU-RAY's at 60HZ since camera pans add 3:2 pulldown judder to the image and the image looks more like video instead of a natural film quality look. For those that want the picture quality improvements of plasma with flicker free 1080P/24 refresh rates I would strongly recommend the Panasonic TC-P50V10 model that is 100% flicker free at 96HZ. The Panasonic 50 inch V10 list price use to be $2,199.95 but Panasonic just recently reduced it to $2,099.95. When on sale you can find the 50 inch V10 for under $2,000 at Best Buy or mail order companies.

For those consumers that would pefer to spend $1,500 or less on a TV and do not want to watch BLU-RAY's at 60HZ then the Sony KDL-40V5100 mentioned in the face off would be a excellent choice. The Sony 120HZ LCD properly handles 1080P/24 with no flicker issues and it even has deeper blacks when compared to the Panasonic TC-P42G10.

The following are word for word quotes from the September 2009 Home Theater face off written by Thomas J. Norton

"Our last Home Theater Face Off (February 2009) leaned heavily toward larger, high- end sets. The challengers this time around cover the popular 40-to-42-inch (diagonal) range. While they’re hardly cheap, they’re less likely to break the old piggy bank."

"The LCD sets here all use conventional CCFL (fluorescent) backlighting. They also operate at a 120-hertz refresh rate, with optionally selectable frame interpolation. The Toshiba takes this wrinkle a step further with its own variation on 240-Hz operation."

"The five sets were arranged in a row with a gentle arc and camouflaged to conceal the brands and models. The panelists shifted seats and viewing distances frequently during the test to judge various aspects of each set’s performance."

"The smoothing that interpolation provides can make film-based sources look like video, and there are mixed opinions of the process, even here at Home Theater. I switched this feature off during the group test and only demonstrated it to the panel members after they had completed their ratings."

Click here to read the compete Introduction to the Face off article at the Home Theater website

1. Panasonic TC-P42G10 ($1,300):

"The set will display sources up to 1080p/60p. For 1080p/24 material, a 24p Direct selection in the menu lets you choose either 48-Hz playback (2 x 24 frames per second, with no 3:2 pulldown) or 60 Hz. In the latter mode, the set converts 24-fps sources to 60p by adding 3:2 pulldown. We used the 60-Hz setting on the Panasonic for this review, as it provided significant added brightness. It needed this to match the brightness of the other sets as closely as possible. It also eliminated an image flicker that’s visible when 24-fps sources are displayed at a 48-Hz refresh rate"

"Others also noted the set’s lack of motion blur, although one panelist felt that the motion was slightly more juddery than the others. This might be traceable to the fact that the Panasonic was running at a frame rate of 60 Hz with 3:2 pulldown, as noted above."

"Excellent blacks and shadow detail"

"Superb off-axis performance"

"The Panasonic was clearly the judges’ favorite, and everyone rated it first or second. It pulled in first-place finishes in the composite scores (including ties for color and shadow detail) in three of the four main performance categories. It finished second only in black level and not by much."

"Everyone on the panel liked the Panasonic’s blacks, although some favored them more than others."

"Only one judge was a bit luke-warm, offering faint praise. “Pretty good black level for this bunch of sets,” he wrote, “but I’d still prefer darker.” No doubt, this was a recovering Pioneer KURO junkie."

"The Panasonic also topped the group in its resolution."

"Conclusions"

"There’s not a lot to say here, since the Panasonic nearly ran away with this Face Off. Only the Sony issued a strong challenge. In the raw scores, the Panasonic grabbed nearly 10 percent more points than the second-place Sony, 28 percent more than the third-place LG, and 43 percent more than the Toshiba. It was also the clear value leader."

"If you don’t need the extra brightness that an LCD can provide and you do most of your serious viewing in a room with subdued lighting, this could be your new flat-panel set."

Click here to read the complete Panasonic plasma review at the Home Theater website

2. Sony KDL-40V5100 ($1,500):

"Plasma-like blacks and shadow detail"

"Good color and resolution"

"As the most expensive entry in the group, as well as the smallest—though not by much in either case—a lot was expected of the Sony."

"The Sony does have a useful lineup of features; some were useful, others not so much. More importantly, its black-level performance and shadow detail surprised almost everyone when I revealed the sets’ identities."

"Sony’s Motionflow is the company’s 120-Hz technology. It worked about as well as any similar feature I’ve seen, although I’m not a fan of this sort of processing, particularly for movies. It does smooth out motion, which some viewers might find useful on sports or other video-based programming."

"The Sony accepts 1080p/24 material and displays it by either repeating each real frame four times to reach the display’s refresh rate of 120 Hz (in other words, 5:5 pulldown). Or, with Motionflow engaged, by inserting four interpolated frames for each real frame. It does the same with 1080p/60 (either a native 1080p/60 at the input or upconverted from 1080i or a lower resolution to 1080p by the set’s internal processing). However, in this case, it inserts a single interpolated frame instead of four to reach the set’s 120-Hz refresh rate."

"In my own time with these sets, the Sony’s black level and natural punch impressed me in a way that I never expected from an LCD without an advanced and expensive technology like LED backlighting with local dimming."

"The judges definitely agreed. “Best black level on axis and best shadow detail of the bunch,” wrote one judge, although he was a bit bothered by the way bright scenes washed out as he moved off axis. He also observed that the Sony had more video noise than the others in dark scenes. But none of this kept him from giving it solid 10 scores for both black level and shadow detail."

"Conclusions"

"The Sony came in a close second in the judging. Two members of the five-judge panel voted it first overall, and two rated it second. No one really disliked it. I can’t say how I might have voted had I been participating blind, but I like to think I would have placed it on top, given my partiality to serious viewing in a darkened room and the resulting need for great black levels. As I noted earlier, the Sony also won raves for its performance with the lights on—although that was a very short part of the test and not included in the scoring."

"This Sony may not have grabbed a victory here, but it’s still a clear winner."

Click here to read the complete Sony 120HZ LCD review at the Home theater website


3. LG 42LH40 ($1,400):

"Korean-based manufacturer LG began as a Lucky Goldstar and evolved into a Life’s Good maker of a wide range of consumer electronics goods. It’s now one of the biggest makers of flat-panel televisions on the planet, if not the biggest."

"As with all the LCD sets here, the LG operates at a refresh rate of 120 Hz. With a 1080p/24 input, if you turn off TruMotion 120Hz (LG’s motion-smoothing, frame interpolation feature), the set performs 5:5 pulldown on the 24-Hz input, adding four repeated frames to reach the display’s refresh rate of 120 Hz. With TruMotion 120Hz turned on, the LG interpolates the added frames."

"With a 1080p/60 input (or a lower-resolution input upconverted by the set to 1080p/60) and TruMotion 120Hz off, the set adds a single repeated frame to each real frame to get to 120 Hz. With TruMotion 120Hz on and an input with 3:2 pulldown, it recognizes the 3:2 cadence, converts the signal to 1080p/24, and then interpolates four new frames for each real one. However, if a source has 2:2 pulldown, it pulls it down to 30p and then interpolates three new frames to reach 120 Hz."

"The LG turned in terrific scores for color (where it finished in a first-place tie with Panasonic) and resolution. It tied for second place in shadow detail, but two sets also tied for first in that category, and the second-place scores were well below the first-place ratings."

"Conclusions"

Altogether, the LG turned in a respectable but not star-making showing. Its strength was in its color, no doubt due to its remarkably flexible calibration controls. Its biggest weaknesses, which it shared with two other sets in the group, were its blacks and shadow detail."

"These problems were not as obvious when I briefly turned on the studio’s overhead fluorescent lights after the formal scoring was over. This means that you’ll be unlikely to see them in a brightly lit showroom. Perhaps not at home, either, if you rarely watch the set with the room lights dimmed—or turned off."

"We’re anxiously waiting to see what LG has in store in its upcoming local-dimming sets. They should greatly improve on these issues (although for a price), giving the company’s accomplishments in other aspects of image quality a chance to shine."

Click here to read the complete LG 120HZ LCD review at the Home theater website


4. VIZIO SV420M ($900):
"Coming from nowhere just a few years ago, this relatively new television manufacturer has managed to muscle its way into the ranks of the market leaders by selling its sets largely through major discount warehouse retailers like Costco."

"As with all the LCD sets here, the Vizio operates at a refresh rate of 120 Hz. And as such, it offers its own aptly named motion-smoothing feature: Smooth Motion. It has two separate adjustments: Smooth Mode Effect and Real Cinema. If the set receives a 1080p/24 input with the Smooth Mode Effect control off, it repeats each frame four times (5:5 pulldown) in order to reach the displayed 120-Hz refresh rate. With Smooth Motion Effect on (in any of its three active modes—Low, Middle, or High) and the Real Cinema control set to Smooth, the set also adds four new frames for each real one. In this case, the frames are interpolated. Oddly, if Smooth Motion is on and the Real Cinema control is set to Precision, the Vizio first converts 1080p/24 to 1080p/60 and interpolates a single added frame to reach 120 Hz."

"With a 1080p/60 input (or a lower-resolution input upconverted by the set to 1080p/60) and Smooth Motion turned off, the Vizio adds a single repeated frame to each real frame to reach 120 Hz. With Smooth Motion on, it interpolates a single added frame."

"When the Vizio plays back a 4:3 source in the 4:3 (Normal) aspect ratio setting or a letterboxed source that needs to be played in a zoom setting to fill the full width of the screen, the set can only produce a geometrically correct image when the input is 480i or 480p. When 720p, 1080i, and 1080p inputs are externally upconverted to these resolutions from standard-definition sources, they are squeezed or stretched, and no aspect ratio choice can put them right. (This is not a problem with sources that require a Full setting, such as native HD material and enhanced-for-widescreen DVDs.)"

"The Vizio landed in fourth place overall for black level and shadow detail combined, just marginally behind the LG and in front of the Toshiba. True, the Vizio did tie with the LG for second place in shadow detail. But first place was also a tie, and the spread of the scores between the first tied group of two and the second-place pair was a chasm."

"Three of the panelists saw deterioration in the set’s image quality when they moved off axis. But on the positive side, others noted that the set looked much better overall with the room lights on."

"Conclusions"

"While the Vizio didn’t turn in a great performance overall, remember that it is less than 75 percent of the cost of the next least expensive set in the group. I found it much more watchable than the group’s scores might suggest, and its HD video processing also handily beat out the other players in the group."

"You can do better if you’re willing to spend more, but this is a respectable set at an attractive price. And Vizio is on the cusp of interesting new models, some of which may well compete more aggressively with the other sets here in the $1,300-to-$1,500 range. It’s also about to join the parade of new local-dimming, LED-backlit sets, which should answer the black level and shadow detail issues, but at a price that might keep other manufacturers awake at night."

Click here to read the complete VIZIO 120HZ LCD review at the Home theater website

5. Toshiba 42ZV650U ($1,300):

"Sub-par contrast and black level"

"How did Toshiba put 240-Hz technology into a $1,300 set? By using a pseudo-240-Hz technique. The set has a native 120-Hz refresh rate, but this is supplemented by a scanning backlight that’s said to achieve some of the benefits of 240 Hz."

"The Toshiba can accept 1080p/24 program material. With ClearScan 240 off and a 1080p/24 input, it repeats each real frame four additional times to reach the set’s 120-Hz refresh rate (5:5 pulldown). With ClearScan 240 on (and the Film Stabilization control on Smooth), some of the added frames are interpolated. In either case, the blinking of the scanning backlight creates the effect of two frames for each actual frame, approximating 240-Hz operation. With a 1080p/60 source (or any source that the set upconverts to its native 1080p resolution), a single frame (repeated or interpolated, as determined by the control settings above) is added for each real frame."

"The Toshiba came in last in both subjective and measured black level, and it also placed last in shadow detail. It did take a solid second place in color (two other sets tied for first), where its extensive color adjustments pulled it through. And its resolution landed it at a near-tie for second place with three other sets."

"But a different panelist thought the Toshiba was the worst of all the sets with the Stargate star field scene. He said he saw very little shadow detail in the deepest blacks on other material. He also thought the image fell to pieces off axis. There was also a negative comment on how the Toshiba (and the Vizio as well) lost all detail on Kong’s fur in King Kong (chapter 48)."

"Conclusions"

"The panel results make it hard to be upbeat about the Toshiba. Still, there appears to be a good set in there trying to get out. It’s hard to fault the overall color quality—or the color adjustments that can help a good calibrator get there. While the set’s resolution only drew middling praise, several of the sets were tightly clustered in their scores for this category. I don’t think any potential buyer will be unhappy with the Toshiba’s color or resolution, particularly on mid-level and bright scenes."

"The black level and shadow detail are another matter. But as with Vizio and LG, Toshiba is now introducing sets that will use LED backlighting with local dimming to improve black level and shadow detail. They should be available by the time you read this. Such sets will not immediately filter down to this price range, but they should still be relatively affordable (at press time, the first Toshiba 46-inch LED local dimmer was priced at $2,300). Hopefully this development will answer our concerns."

Click here to read the complete Toshiba 120HZ LCD review at the Home theater website

[HDTV1080P]

Quotes from the 5 judges on the Home Theater Flat Panel Face off

Click here to read the compete comments by the 5 judges in the Flat Panel Face off


Following are select quotes from Shane Buettner Editor

"Sure enough, the Panasonic plasma quickly revealed itself as the set that made every seat the best seat in the house."

"The Sony’s blacks were not only astonishing, they were better than the plasma sitting next to it. Shadow detail favored the Panasonic, and in mixed scenes with strong light and dark areas, the Panasonic showed more punch in the bright areas. But it was still neck and neck. Did someone sneak a local-dimming LCD into the mix? While the plasma still had a better pic- ture off axis, the Sony’s color fidelity was far more natural and consistent, which is entirely inconsistent with my overall experience with LCDs. To top it off, turning on even a little room light killed the plasma, while the Sony still looked awesome. I’m a kook who prioritizes nighttime movie watching, but the Sony had the better blacks with the lights out, too. So my little world was really turned upside down. I’m a plasma guy. I own a plasma. I love my plasma! But this Sony was the best of the bunch."

"Nevertheless, it’s clear that the days of plasma kicking sand in LCD’s face are coming to an end. Plasma has undeniable strengths, but it doesn’t win a Face Off just by showing up anymore."

Following are select quotes from John Higgins, Contributor

" When we have a Face Off that mixes technologies, I always find it interesting to see how they stack up against each other. In the past, the difference between LCDs and plasmas was easily discernible, if only by the black level.
But over the past couple of years, LCDs have come so far in that regard that plasmas don’t stand out as much due to black level—especially with the recent loss of Pioneer’s KUROs."

" The Panasonic had what looked to be the best black level and shadow detail of the group. Still, when the lights were turned on, the image looked washed out, which isn’t totally unexpected from a plasma display. If you’re thinking about it as your display, I recommend that you only use it in a dark room"

Following are select quotes from Claire Lloyd, Executive Editor

"... I knew beforehand that one of the sets in the test was a plasma model. I sat smugly in the Face Off, confident that the Sony’s stunning black level and shadow detail marked it as the plasma lurking in the herd of LCDs. This was the set my eye inevitably wandered back to during the dark demo clips from The Dark Knight and Stargate: The Ark of Truth."

" Naturally, I got the wind knocked out of my sails when Tom revealed the sets’ identities at the end of the day. Since I was in a roomful of video experts, I refrained from blurting out the fact that I’d misidentified the plasma. That’s our secret. The Sony’s black level and shadow detail were remarkable—that’s all there is to it."

" In the color department, the Vizio was my initial favorite. However, after a couple of hours of its candy-coated goodness, I came to appreciate the Sony’s more realistic, natural palette."

" Overall, the Panasonic plasma came in at a very close second on my scorecard, earning just three points less than the Sony. The Panasonic handled motion admirably and had very acceptable color and shadow detail. But its black level dropped substantially when the room lights were on, and that alone was enough to lose it my first-place vote."

Following are select quotes from Debbie Stampfli, Contributor

" My favorite of the bunch was the Panasonic TC-P42G10 plasma. If I could’ve taken this home in the trunk of my car without anybody noticing, I would have. At Home Theater, the buzz is always about the deepest and darkest blacks. This HDTV ran circles around the others with its incredible blacks. A space scene from Stargate: The Ark of Truth made this screen pop. I could see stars in the vast blackness of space that didn’t even exist on any of the other screens. Best of all, the Panasonic didn’t lose any of its picture quality when I changed seating positions."

" My second favorite was slightly more con- troversial. While all the experts in the room seemed to dislike the Vizio VL420M LCD HDTV, I really enjoyed watching it. I have a soft spot for bright, vivid colors, and this one delivered colors that were supernaturally bright. Scenes like the crowd scene in Spider- Man literally came to life on the screen."

" Although the blacks in the Sony KDL-40V5100 LCD HDTV were excellent, the picture faded out dramatically when it was off axis. It was a deal breaker for me."

Following are select quotes from Scott Wilkinson, Contributor

" Two of the sets stood out dramatically, with deeper blacks and much better shadow detail than the other three, making this a Face Off between the Panasonic TC-P42G10 plasma and the Sony KDL-40V5100 LCD."

" Going into this, I knew that there was one plasma in the bunch, which I expected to do well in the black-level department. What surprised me was how well the Sony LCD did in that department. In fact, its blacks looked even a bit deeper than the Panasonic’s. This is amazing since its backlight is a conventional CCFL, not LED with local dimming."

" Even more astonishing, the Sony’s off-axis performance on dark scenes was remarkable.Yes, the apparent black level did rise a bit, but it wasn’t nearly as much as the other LCDs in the Face Off or just about any other LCD I’ve seen. On the other hand, bright scenes were totally washed out when viewed from off axis, which was very strange. Of course, the Panasonic plasma’s off-axis performance beat all the LCDs hands down."

" We did most of our viewing with the lights off, but we turned them on briefly just to see what would happen to the pictures, even though all the sets had been calibrated for a dark environment. All the LCDs, especially the LG, Toshiba, and Vizio, looked a lot better under some room light. The Panasonic plasma looked much worse, with gray blacks and a seriously washed-out image. This was a clear demonstration of why LCDs sell better than plasmas in brightly lit showrooms. Unfortunately, many LCDs that look great at the retailer don’t live up to that promise once you put them in a light-controlled room."

[HDTV1080P]

JVC DLA-HD750 Front Projector (September 2009 Sound and Vision review)

This is one of the original JVC reviews I quoted from back in August in this thread. The review just became available online. Like all other JVC Front Projectors the DLA-HD750 will properly display 1080p/24 signals at 96HZ. 60HZ signals are refreshed at 120HZ.

Here is the weblink
http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/equipment/3218/jvc-dla-hd750-front-projector.html

[HDTV1080P]

** Info regarding the web links on the 1080P/24 list **

As most people are already aware the list is located at the very beginning of this thread. When the weblink is clicked on a review for each model will most of the time take a person to the official professional review written for that exact model or series of display. When a professional review is not available that mentions how the 1080P/24 feature works the link will usually take a person to the manufactories official PDF spec sheet or other location that mentions how the 1080P/24 process works.

Problems with discontinued displays on the list

Over time every display every made ends up one day on the discontinued list. The problem is as more time passes older models on the list sometimes no longer have working weblinks. If the link changes I just update the link and point it in the correct area. The problem is I have been noticing more and more magazines either going out of business or pulling their old reviews from the their website. Also some companies after a while remove spec sheets from the web. My main point is the displays on the discontinued list use to work when clicking them on, but now the reviews and spec sheets for some models have been removed completely from the Internet. I have no control over this. So for the links that do not work in the discontinued section you will need to search the thread for quotes that mention how the 1080p/24 process works and how good the display performed in the year it was made.

[HDTV1080P]

The Samsung LN-65B650 standard 120HZ LCD screen has been added to the list

Samsung LN-65B650 (1080P/24 correctly refreshed at 120HZ when Auto Motion Plus (AMP) is turned off)

I am glad to see more and more 65 inch displays being released that properly display 1080P/24 signals similar to a film projector. When Auto Motion Plus is turned off this 65 inch Samsung will do a true 5:5 pulldown for 1080P/24 signals.

65 inch and 70 inch displays are more enjoyable since the screen is bigger and closer to the movie theater experience. Many consumers do not have a dedicated dark Home Theater room to project an 80 inch, 100 inch or 200 inch 1080P image from a ceiling mounted Front Projector and end up getting a flat panel instead (BLU-RAY looks the best on high quality Front Projectors). Also a LCD and Plasma flat panel can be used with room lights on for causal TV watching.

For those interested in the Samsung LN-65B650 65 inch LCD, the list price on the display is $5,999.99. From one of my reliable sources I have learned the Samsung LN-65B650 will be selling for around $4,403 from some discount mail order companies once large quantities of the display become available. Of course to get those prices one may need to wait 2-3 months at least. There is also an advantage of purchasing at a retail store since most have a 30 day return policy.

In the purposes of comparing this display to other displays I will only deal with list prices on all the following models I mention below. The Samsung LN-65B650 at a list price of $5,999.99 is one of the most expensive 65 inches on the market. For those looking to save money the 55 inch Samsung LN-55B650 with the exact same picture quality according to the specs, lists for $2,899.99. So one is paying $3,100 more for an extra 10 inches of screen when they move up to the LN-65B650 model. Of course the extra 10 inches is more enjoyable. Personally if I was in the market for a new Samsung I would get the new UN55B8500 LCD with Local Dimming LED backlighting. The Samsung UN55B8500 is Samsungs flagship display for the best picture quality. The 55 inch Samsung UN55B8500 lists for $4,499.99. It is 10 inches smaller in size compared to the 65 inch models and to enjoy the display more one would need to sit closer to the display. No one makes a 65 inch LCD with Local Dimming LED backlighting yet. Most likely the first generation 65 inch LCD with Local Dimming LED backlighting model would cost around $10,000 from Samsung or Sony. The NuVision NVU65FX5 and the Sony KDL-65W5100 are also good 65 inch LCD screens to look at. The Sony KDL-65W5100 list price is only $4,999.99. That is $1,000 cheaper then Samsungs LN-65B650. I have not compared the picture quality of these two displays and maybe the Samsung has a better picture quality then the Sony which would justify the extra $1,000 cost. It would be interesting to have a face off between the Sony KDL-65W5100, Samsung LN-65B650, and NuVision NVU65FX5. Then if one includes the 65 inch Panasonic TC-P65V10 plasma that lists for only $3,999.95 it would clearly win the face off against all the standard LCD models. The Panasonic TC-P65V10 is THX certified and at a list price of $3,999.95 it is a bargain. The Panasonic is $2,000 cheaper compared to Samsung's 65 inch model and a $1,000 cheaper then Sony's 65 inch model. Then on top of that the V10 series has been getting the best reviews with comments like it has the best picture quality of any display reviewed so far this year (The discontinued 2008 Pioneer Elite plasma still beat the V10 in overall picture quality) .The Panasonic V10 properly handles 1080P/24 at 96HZ and the CNET review can be found on the link on the main list. To be fair the V10 needs to be put in a face off against the new Samsung UN55B8500 and possible a new 2009 Sony LCD with Local Dimming LED backlighting to see who wins (So far no news on if Sony has a replacement for the excellent XBR8 that has Local Dimming).

For those that really want a standard 70 inch 120HZ LCD and need that size for a large room, Sony still makes the KDL-70XBR7 for $19,999,99. The $4,999.99 Sony KDL-65W5100 has a better picture in the area of contrast ratio according to Sony specs. Paying an extra $15,000 just for an extra 5 inches is a little costly for the average consumer. I remember the days when Sony launched their first 70 inch LCOS (SXRD) rear projector for $13,000. It was only a 60HZ 1080P display. It would be ideal if Sony and other manufactories could get the price down on the 70 inch LCD's to around $10,000. Then they would sell a lot more 70 inch displays. There were consumers purchasing Sony 70 inch 1080P 60HZ rear projectors for $6,999 before Sony left the rear projector business. It may take a few years for 120HZ 70 inch LCD's to fall under the $10,000 mark.

[HDTV1080P]

Samsung adds true 24P refresh rates to plasma screens for the very first time

New Samsung PN58B860 and PN50B860 96HZ Ultra Thin 1.2 inch Plasma's added to the list

It is good news that Samsung has improved their plasma screens and for the very first time offers true 4:4 pulldown at 96HZ when a 1080P/24 signal is received. This 1080P/24 film quality refresh rate of 96HZ is available only on Samsungs top of the line PN58B860 and PN50B860 1080P plasma models (Panasonic also offers 96HZ on a few select higher-end plasma screens like the V10 series).

The Samsung B860 series is both a 60HZ and 96HZ plasma panel. When watching a BLU-RAY or Direct TV on demand movie that is encoded at 1080P/24 the Samsung B860 will display the image at 96HZ when the Cinema Smooth option is turned on in the Samsung menu. This 96HZ film quality mode will bypass the 3:2 pulldown process and camera pans and fast moving motion will look more like natural film compared to a 60HZ video look. According to page 27 of 284 in the Samsung instruction manual, only the PN50B860Y2F and PN58B860Y2F offer the Cinema Smooth feature. To use the Cinema Smooth feature a 1080p/24 HDMI signal has to be present.

Click the following link for Samsung owners manual:
http://org.downloadcenter.samsung.com/downloadfile/ContentsFile.aspx?CDSite=US&CttFileID=2236344&CDCt tType=UM&ModelType=N&ModelName=PN58B860Y2F&VPath=U M/200906/20090619194425781/BN68-02271A-02L03_0618.pdf

According to the Home Theater review the list price on the 50 inch Samsung PN50B860 is $2,400. The list price must have been lowered recently since the Samsung website is now showing a list price of $2,199.99. The list price on the 58 inch Samsung PN58B860 is $3,199.99. One disappointing thing about the new Samsung B860 series is that the black levels are not as deep as a discontinued Pioneer Kuro. The discontinued 2008 Pioneer Kuro still has a better picture quality then any LCD or plasma screen. Hopefully a new top of the line Samsung, Panasonic, or other brand of flat panel model in the years to come will be able to match or beat the picture quality of a Pioneer plasma screen.

Not all plasma screens are better then the best LCD screens. Just because a screen is a plasma does not mean it automatically is going to have the best picture quality. There are now LCD with Local Dimming LED backlighting displays that will out perform some plasma models in the area of contrast and black levels. For example the Samsung UN55B8500 according to Samsungs own spec sheets has 7,000,000:1 Contrast Ratio compared to the Samsung B860 Plasma that offers only 3,000,000:1 Contrast Ratio (ANSI numbers are more important numbers when comparing contrast ratios and I wish those numbers would be released). If one places the 240HZ $4,499.99 Samsung UN55B8500 up against the $3,199.99 Samsung PN58B860 most likely the UN55B8500 would win the face off in the area of deepest blacks and excellent contrast ratio when compared to the Samsung plasma(straight on viewing performance). LCD screens off axis viewing keeps improving and motion blur issues keep improving but LCD screens still are not as good as plasma in those areas. Plasma strong points is it has almost the same picture quality no matter where one seats in the room plus excellent motion with fast moving images.

The improved 240HZ feature of the UN55B8500 LCD that reduces motion blur is still not as good as plasma's running at 96HZ. The UN55B8500 LCD still has a response time of 2ms. In comparsion the B860 response time is rated at only .001ms. The lower the number for response time the better fast motion will look on the screen.

The 600HZ subfield drive mentioned in the specs of new plasma displays might offer a slight improvement to motion blur but it really is more of a marketing buzz word that plasma companies are using. Plasma already has excellent motion and instead of listing the real 96HZ motion the subfield drive is being mentioned a lot since 600HZ is a bigger number compared to 120HZ or 240HZ LCD screens. Also almost all or most 60HZ plasma's used a 480HZ subfield drive before the improved 600HZ subfield drive was released.

Click here for the Samsung PN58B860 spec sheet

Click here for the Samsung PN50B860 spec sheet

Samsung PN50B860 (1080P/24 correctly refreshed at 96HZ when Cinema Smooth option is turned on)

Samsung PN58B860 (1080P/24 correctly refreshed at 96HZ when Cinema Smooth option is turned on)

The following selected quotes are from the September 2009 Home Theater review on the Samsung PN50B860.

" The Film mode provides four different settings: Off, Auto1, Auto2, and Cinema Smooth. The Cinema Smooth option displays 1080p/24 program material with 4:4 pulldown—in other words, at 96 Hz. It repeats the additional three frames; no frame interpolation is involved. If the source is 1080p/60, the Film mode defaults to Off, and if the source is interlaced, the available Film mode options are Auto1, Auto2, and Off. If you select Cinema Smooth with a 1080p/24 source and subsequently switch to a 1080i source, for example, the Film mode will automatically switch to Auto1—and back, again automatically, as needed."

Click here to read the complete review at the Home Theater website

" Unlike many HDTVs, the Samsung offers both 4:3 and Zoom aspect ratio options when the incoming resolution is 1080i or 1080p."

" Yet the alternative in the flat panel market, plasma, continues to hang in there. The reasons are simple. Until very recently, plasmas could be (although they weren’t always) less expensive than similarly sized LCDs. Good performance on rapid motion and flawless off-axis viewing also come with the territory on a plasma but not on LCD. And for years, plasmas were capable of better black levels and higher contrast—although this wasn’t universally true and is, in any event, slowly changing."

" The new Samsung PN50B860, together with a number of siblings, is distinctive for a number of reasons. Perhaps the most visible is its amazingly thin design—approximately 1.2 inches deep (without the stand). Because plasma’s picture elements are self-illuminating, as with a CRT, they don’t require a backlight, so making them thinner involves fewer challenges than with an LCD. Ultra-thin LCDs are also available, but they tend to be expensive."

" The PN50B860 is not only thin, but at 57.5 pounds (without the stand), it’s considerably lighter than most plasmas of the same size. This is challenging to LCD’s long-held advantage in the weight department."

" Subfield drive is fundamental to all plasma displays, and while 600 Hz may be a step up from the frequency Samsung used last year, it’s not unique. "

" Don’t confuse this 600-Hz frequency with the 120-Hz (and up) operation of many LCD sets. It isn’t the same thing. And in any case, plasma’s inherent resistance to motion blur doesn’t need heroic enhancements."

Some negative quotes regarding the B860 series Plasmas

" There’s no S-video and only one component and one composite input, which are shared (you can’t connect them both at the same time)."

" Problems? Yes, a couple. Even after more than a hundred hours of use, the Samsung appeared to be more prone than usual (for a plasma) to temporary image retention. But you should be able to render this moot if you use the included features to minimize this problem. You should also exercise a reasonable—not paranoid—degree of caution in avoiding extended viewing of stationary images."

" The set also emits an inescapable mechanical buzz, which varies in level from insignificant to obvious, depending on the average brightness of the image. In my experience, the program material audio nearly always masked it, but your annoyance factor with this may well vary from mine."

" Black level and shadow detail are the twin obstacles that unhinge many an otherwise fine HDTV. And at either a subjective or objective level, the Samsung plasma falls short of the state of the art (see HT Labs Measures). There is an odd twist that sometimes (but not always) drives the set’s black level to nearly off in immediate transitions from a bright scene to black. Still, the black level is most often a lighter gray than I’ve seen on many recent sets—even LCDs."

" Conclusions"

"If, like me, you watch movies in the dark and are a nut for the deepest, darkest blacks you can get from scenes with little or no inherent contrast (even if such scenes are relatively rare in most films), this might not be your ideal HDTV. But if you’re looking for an appealing combination of high resolution, accurate color, tempting price, outstanding off-axis and motion performance, useful features, and respectable rather than jaw-dropping blacks and shadow detail—all in a slim, attractive package—this might just be the set for you."

Click here to read the complete review at the Home Theater website

[HDTV1080P]

SONY 240HZ LCD Flat screens, more info needed before adding them to the list

Home Theater magazine just released a September 2009 review on the Sony KDL-52XBR9 which has a true 240HZ refresh rate. The problem is the writer did not mention if the display will do a true 10:10 pulldown when Motion Enhancer (MotionFlow) is turned off.

I realize some consumers and video professionals prefer the look of interpolation of new frames since the image has a sharp smooth video quality look. This list is made up of displays that repeat the original 1080p/24 frame rate at multiplies of 24 for those consumers that perfer the look of film over the look of video. Hopefully future 240HZ Sony LCD reviews will mention if the repeating frame method is a feature on these new displays. Most likely the 240HZ Sony's offer a 10:10 pulldown mode when Motion Enhancer is off, but the Sony 240HZ models will remain off the list until documented evidence mentions the 10:10 pulldown feature.

A few Quotes on the 240HZ Sony KDL-52XBR9 from Home Theater magazine

"Lower black level than most conventional LCDs"

"This brings us to XBR9, a line with four screen sizes, including the 52-inch KDL-52XBR9—the largest of the bunch—reviewed here. Interestingly, the XBR8 line uses LED backlighting, whereas the XBR9 uses conventional CCFL, which makes the XBR8 the true flagship in Sony’s fleet, at least in terms of contrast and black level. On the other hand, the XBR9 is newer and offers several other advantages over the XBR8."


"At the top of the feature list is a 240-hertz refresh rate, which is twice the rate of the XBR8 and many other interpolating LCDs. (The smallest XBR9, a 32-incher, is 120 Hz.) And this is true 240 Hz. It interpolates three frames between each frame of a 60-Hz signal and nine frames between each frame in a 24-Hz signal. (Some LCD TVs that claim 240 Hz actually refresh the screen at 120 Hz and turn the backlight on and off in a particular pattern during each frame, so they’re a pseudo 240 Hz.)"


"Frame interpolation, which Sony calls Motionflow, is designed to combat the motion blur that’s endemic to LCDs—and it’s generally very successful at this task. However, it can also introduce artifacts of its own, particularly smudging in moving areas of fine detail. It also imparts what many reviewers describe as a video-like look, which some viewers object to."

"A couple of weeks after my main evaluation, I had the opportunity to compare the KDL-52XBR9’s 240-Hz operation with that of the Toshiba 42ZV650 from last month’s flat-panel Face Off, which is pseudo 240 Hz (that is, 120 Hz with backlight scanning). The Sony was clearly sharper on motion tests—in fact, the Toshiba was no sharper than the conventional 120-Hz sets from the Face Off. "

http://hometheatermag.com/flat-panel...dtv/index.html

[HDTV1080P]

The Mitsubishi WD-73837 Rear Projector will not be added to the list since it uses a 3:2 pulldown process for 1080P/24 signals

(Also all other Mitsubishi Rear Projectors and LCD flat panel screens will not be added to the list)

So far only Mitsubishi ceiling mounted Front Projectors remain on the list since they bypass the 3:2 pulldown process and display 1080P/24 signals at multiplies of the original frame rate (48HZ refresh).

The 120HZ Mitsubishi LCD flat panels and 120HZ Rear Projectors all add a 3:2 pulldown process to the 1080P/24 signal. The 1080P/24 signal is first converted to 60HZ and then to 120HZ. Hopefully future models of LCD's and Rear Projectors from Mitsubishi will offer a true 5:5 pulldown mode for 120HZ models.

Quote from page 63 in the October 2009 Home Theater magazine
"The Mitsubishi can accept a 1080p/24 input but can't display it at a rate that's a direct multiply of 24 (48, 72, 96, etc). Instead, to reach 120 hertz, it first converts it to 1080p/60 by adding 3:2 pulldown."

The Mitsubishi DLP rear projectors do not have as good as black levels and picture quality as a Pioneer Kuro according to page 65 of the October 2009 Home Theater magazine. For people that do not mind watching an average quality 1080P display with a little 3:2 pulldown judder added, the Mitsubishi DLP projector is a bargain with its strong points being screen size. The Mitsubishi 65 inch , 73 inch and 82 inch DLP projectors don't make the list since they lack true film quality 1080p/24 refresh rates, but a 73 inch 1080P screen only costs $3,000 list price and the bulb replacement is only $99. When I looked at the 82 inch DLP in Best Buy it reminded me a little bit like watching a Front Projector since the screen was so much larger compared to a flat panel. Sure I preferred the picture quality of a Pioneer Kuro or Sony XBR8 with the deeper blacks but the 82 inch DLP is ideal for someone that wants the biggest screen size at a low price and does not mind if the picture quality is average quality when compared to top of the line flat panel models. Also these new models of DLP's only lose brightness when viewing off angle. Color quality and black levels remained the same even at 45 degrees (page 64).

UPDATED WITH WEB LINK REVIEW http://hometheatermag.com/rearprojec...tv/index1.html

These are all standard 1080P's with 3:2 pulldown added

One can get an 82 inch 1080P screen for under $3,500 mail order plus free shipping
http://www1.bottomdollar.com/p__Mitsubishi_WD_82737_82_DLP_Projection_TV,__7308 34115/qlty=n/fd=1

One can get a 73 inch screen for under $2,300 mail order
http://www1.bottomdollar.com/p__Mitsubishi_WD_73837_73_DLP_Projection_TV,__7289 81678/search=WD-73837/st=query

One can get a 65 inch screen for under $1,700 mail order
http://www1.bottomdollar.com/p__Mits...65837/st=query

[HDTV1080P]

5 Samsung 96HZ Plasma screens have been added to the list

All 5 of the following Samsung plasma displays mention the "Cinema Smooth" feature in both the spec sheets and instruction manuals. This is the exact same "Cinema Smooth" feature located on the top of the line Samsung PN58B860 and PN50B860 plasma screens.

When the Cinema Smooth option is turned on the Samsung displays will display 1080p/24 signals from BLU-RAY and Direct TV sources at 96HZ just like a film projector does in the theater. 3:2 pulldown is bypass and no interpolation of new frames is used. Just true 4:4 pulldown of the original 1080P/24 signal.


Samsung PN50B650 (1080P/24 correctly refreshed at 96HZ when Cinema Smooth option is turned on)

Samsung PN58B650 (1080P/24 correctly refreshed at 96HZ when Cinema Smooth option is turned on)

Samsung PN63B590 (1080P/24 correctly refreshed at 96HZ when Cinema Smooth option is turned on)

Samsung PN50B560 (1080P/24 correctly refreshed at 96HZ when Cinema Smooth option is turned on)

Samsung PN58B560 (1080P/24 correctly refreshed at 96HZ when Cinema Smooth option is turned on)

Quote from Page 25 of Samsung 560 and 590 series manual

"Cinema Smooth: Cinema Smooth reproduces film cinema video with greatly reduced or without visible motion judder, as you see it in the movie theater."

The following selected quotes are from the September 2009 Home Theater review on the Samsung PN50B860.

"The Film mode provides four different settings: Off, Auto1, Auto2, and Cinema Smooth. The Cinema Smooth option displays 1080p/24 program material with 4:4 pulldown—in other words, at 96 Hz. It repeats the additional three frames; no frame interpolation is involved. If the source is 1080p/60, the Film mode defaults to Off, and if the source is interlaced, the available Film mode options are Auto1, Auto2, and Off. If you select Cinema Smooth with a 1080p/24 source and subsequently switch to a 1080i source, for example, the Film mode will automatically switch to Auto1—and back, again automatically, as needed."

Click here to read the complete review at the Home Theater website

[HDTV1080P]

CNET review on the Samsung 650 series plasma

(A 1080p/24 Cinema Smooth glitch that causes the picture settings to change is mentioned in the CNET review that hopfully will clear up with a future Samsung firmware update)

This CNET review mentions a 1080p/24 glitch on the Samsung 650 series. Possible the glitch might only effect the 650 series Samsungs. No reviews yet on the Samsung 590 and 560 series plasmas that offer the Cinema Smooth feature. The September 2009 review in the Home Theater magazine for the top of the line Samsung 860 series plasma screens did not mention this problem when going over the Cinema Smooth feature in detail. Most likely the problem has been corrected with the release of the Samsung 860 series.

Nice new feature on the new Samsungs allows firmware to be downloaded over the built in Ethernet connection on the TV with a push of a few buttons on the remote control

The following are select Quotes from CNET review on the Samsung 650 series

"The Samsung PNB650 series delivers excellent overall picture quality, surpassing the color accuracy of the superb Panasonic V10 series and also delivering an arguably better picture in a bright room. The Panasonic delivers deeper black levels, however, and a video processing glitch we encountered with the Samsung's 1080p/24 mode also gave us pause."

"Samsung and Panasonic share a lot of features in their plasma TVs, including "600Hz" panels that are said to improve motion resolution to reduce blur. The best thing we can say about this feature is to ignore it; the number was created in response to the 120Hz and 240Hz refresh rates of LCDs. Plasma technology is inherently less subject to blurring than LCD, and in any case it's really hard to see any difference with real material. Like Panasonic, Samsung also includes a mode to properly deal with 1080p/24 sources, although engaging it did cause a strange glitch."

"We did encounter one significant black level snafu, however. When we engaged the "Cinema Smooth" mode in the Film Mode menu, which is designed to help preserve the correct frame rate of film with 1080p/24 sources, black levels rose significantly. It was as if the TV had switched to another, uncalibrated picture mode. Switching Film Mode back to Off didn't return the black levels to their correct, calibrated state; to do so we had to stop playback entirely, which sent a normal 1080p/60 source to the TV and disengaged Cinema Smooth. Needless to say this is unusual behavior, and we'll update this review when Samsung has an explanation (and hopefully a fix). In the meantime, we recommend not using Cinema Smooth with our picture settings."

"Video processing: Aside from the black level issues we described above, the PNB650 handled 1080p/24 sources properly when we engaged the Cinema Smooth setting in its Film menu. We tested this option by watching the flyover of the deck of the Intrepid from "I Am Legend," and the planes and indeed the entire frame preserved the correct cadence of film, without the hitching motion characteristic of 2:3 pull-down. When we switched the Cinema Smooth setting off, the hitching returned. We wish this mode automatically engaged the Samsung received a 1080p/24 source, especially since it seems to turn off every time the TV receives a normal 1080p/60 source."

"We're also big fans of the new-for-2009 capability, unique among HDTVs, to get firmware updates via an online download, rather than making you go to the Web site, as was the case before."

"It's worth noting that on our review sample, we did notice more image retention than we saw on the Panasonic and Pioneer plasmas, although as usual it was quite temporary and disappeared quickly during normal viewing."

"The Samsung didn't quite match the motion resolution of the Panasonic plasmas or the 240Hz LCDs in our comparisons, delivering between 800 and 900 lines, according to our test."



"Color accuracy: Here's where the Samsung outdid the Panasonics and nearly matched the Pioneer. Primary and secondary color accuracy was nearly perfect on the PNB650, and while the grayscale varied a bit more than we'd like to see, it was still solid. Accurate color decoding resulted in excellent saturation, for colors that looked a bit more lifelike overall than on the Panasonic V10."

http://reviews.cnet.com/flat-panel-tvs/samsung-pn50b650/4505-6482_7-33573755.html#perf