# Samsung ceasing production of Plasma TVs



## jimmie57 (Jun 26, 2010)

http://money.cnn.com/2014/07/03/technology/plasma-tvs/index.html?iid=HP_LN

First part of report / article.

The plasma TV business is fading to black.
Samsung confirmed Thursday that it was shutting down its plasma TV business "due to changes in market demands," choosing instead to focus on curved and ultra-high-definition models that use LED technology. The news was first reported by Reuters.


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

Yes, a sad day..... HOWEVER, as more people report how much better LEDs and LCDs are now than a few years ago, I am hopeful that those screens will soon rival plasmas for PQ. 

And I am liking the idea of 4k under $4k.


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## jimmie57 (Jun 26, 2010)

Laxguy said:


> Yes, a sad day..... HOWEVER, as more people report how much better LEDs and LCDs are now than a few years ago, I am hopeful that those screens will soon rival plasmas for PQ.
> 
> And I am liking the idea of 4k under $4k.


I think LCDs are going away also. Very few of them to choose from. In fact, they are no longer listed on the Samsung website that I linked below.
My Sharp LED, 32" is a better picture than the 46" Samsung LCD and the 52" Mitsubishi LCD that we have here.
I doubt if I will buy an LED until my LCD has a problem. Not enough difference in the pictures to pay for another TV.

Samsung has a 55" UHD for $1,999 and a 65" for $3,999.
http://www.samsung.com/us/video/tvs/all-products


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## Beerstalker (Feb 9, 2009)

LCDs aren't going anywhere for a while. That TV you are calling an LED is actually an LCD. The marketing departments are just creating a lot of confustion with the whole LED thing. The real difference is that some models use an LCD screen that has flourescent lights behind it to light it up so you can see the screen, other models use a bunch of LED lights behind the LCD screen to light it up.

So really if they want to call some TVs LEDs, they should be calling the other ones Flourescents.

There are also two different typed of LED backlighting for TVs. Edgelit TVs use strips of LEDs around the edge of the LCD screen, pretty much a direct replacement for the flourescent lights around the edge on the older designs. Backlit TVs actually have a bunch of LEDs spaced all over behind the LCD screen.


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## jimmie57 (Jun 26, 2010)

Beerstalker said:


> LCDs aren't going anywhere for a while. That TV you are calling an LED is actually an LCD. The marketing departments are just creating a lot of confustion with the whole LED thing. The real difference is that some models use an LCD screen that has flourescent lights behind it to light it up so you can see the screen, other models use a bunch of LED lights behind the LCD screen to light it up.
> 
> So really if they want to call some TVs LEDs, they should be calling the other ones Flourescents.
> 
> There are also two different typed of LED backlighting for TVs. Edgelit TVs use strips of LEDs around the edge of the LCD screen, pretty much a direct replacement for the flourescent lights around the edge on the older designs. Backlit TVs actually have a bunch of LEDs spaced all over behind the LCD screen.


If you click on the Samsung link in my post #3 you will see that they do not even list and LCD on the left to choose from.


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## gov (Jan 11, 2013)

My Samsung plasma, still works fine after several years, however, I have always had the backlight set at 3 (out of 10) and I still managed to lightly burn the phosphors with 4:3 material.

I've really lost my enthusiasm for plasma . . .


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## jimmie57 (Jun 26, 2010)

Beerstalker said:


> LCDs aren't going anywhere for a while. That TV you are calling an LED is actually an LCD. The marketing departments are just creating a lot of confustion with the whole LED thing. The real difference is that some models use an LCD screen that has flourescent lights behind it to light it up so you can see the screen, other models use a bunch of LED lights behind the LCD screen to light it up.
> 
> So really if they want to call some TVs LEDs, they should be calling the other ones Flourescents.
> 
> There are also two different typed of LED backlighting for TVs. Edgelit TVs use strips of LEDs around the edge of the LCD screen, pretty much a direct replacement for the flourescent lights around the edge on the older designs. Backlit TVs actually have a bunch of LEDs spaced all over behind the LCD screen.


Live chat with Samsung just now.

Your Issue ID for this chat is LTK1125601177459X
*Kevin: *Hi, thanks for reaching out to Samsung pre-sales support. We appreciate your interest in Samsung products. How may I assist you today?
*Visitor: *Do any of the LED TVs that you make use Fluorescent for backlighting ?
*Kevin: *I will be glad to assist you by providing the information about Samsung LED TVs.
*Kevin: *The LED TV uses LED lights to produce picture on the screen.
*Kevin: *The LED TV's are power efficient and has high contrast ratio which renders vivid colors thereby producing a clear picture quality.
*Kevin: *These TV's are apt for a bright environment as they have high contrast ratio.
*Visitor: *Thanks


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## Beerstalker (Feb 9, 2009)

You are not following what I am saying.

What TV manufacturers call LCD TVs are LCD screens with flourescent backlights behind them.

What TV manufacturers call LED TVs are LCD screens with LED backlights behind them.

They are both really LCD TVs, the only difference between them is the backlight (and other features they might build in obviously).

You can't build an LED tv without an LCD screen. Therefore LCDs are not going anywhere for a while (the manufacturers will just continue to call them LED TVs).

To give you an example of this kind of logic. For makes the F150 with the regular 5.0L V8 and the Ecoboost V6 as an option. Say Ford's marketing department decides to start referring to the F150 with the V8 as the "F150", and the F150 with the Ecoboost as the "Ecoboost". They would still be the same basic truck, just with a different engine under the hood. You wouldn't be able to buy an "Ecoboost" if they didn't put it inside the F150 truck.

This is pretty much what the TV manufacturers are doing. They are referring to a product (LED TVs) by the name of the engine under the hood (LED lights) instead of referring to it as what it really is (an LCD TV with LED backlighting instead of flourescent).


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

jimmie57 said:


> Live chat with Samsung just now.
> 
> Your Issue ID for this chat is LTK1125601177459X
> *Kevin: *Hi, thanks for reaching out to Samsung pre-sales support. We appreciate your interest in Samsung products. How may I assist you today?
> ...


Boy, talk about a 'canned' response. I can't decide if the voice of _Kevin_ should be that of 'HAL', 'Watson' or 'Siri'. :scratch:


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

I've never regretted the purchase of my Panny Plasma. I'll have it paid off in a little less than a year, and by the time I'm ready to upgrade (maybe when there is real 4K content that isn't proprietary), the price will have gone down more and the quality up.


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## jimmie57 (Jun 26, 2010)

Nick said:


> Boy, talk about a 'canned' response. I can't decide if the voice of _Kevin_ should be that of 'HAL', 'Watson' or 'Siri'. :scratch:


LOL
I don't know enough about the way the TVs are made to argue about it. I just noticed in the last few weeks that the LCD disappeared from their web site.


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## satcrazy (Mar 16, 2011)

Beerstalker said:


> You are not following what I am saying.
> 
> What TV manufacturers call LCD TVs are LCD screens with flourescent backlights behind them.
> 
> ...


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## satcrazy (Mar 16, 2011)

Also is flash lighting still an issue?


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## MysteryMan (May 17, 2010)

gov said:


> My Samsung plasma, still works fine after several years, however, I have always had the backlight set at 3 (out of 10) and I still managed to lightly burn the phosphors with 4:3 material.
> 
> I've really lost my enthusiasm for plasma . . .


That's one of the reasons why I never invested in a Plasma. the other is reflective glare issues.


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

For the newbies that may see this thread, two generic things to keep in
mind when considering a new display -

- get the largest screen you can afford and/or for which you have room.

- unless you will have complete control over the lighting in your viewing
room, never buy a display of any type with a reflective (or glare) screen.


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## damondlt (Feb 27, 2006)

jimmie57 said:


> LOL
> I don't know enough about the way the TVs are made to argue about it. I just noticed in the last few weeks that the LCD disappeared from their web site.


You are both right, the LCD tv with florescent lighting is fading away . Reason is because like anything else as they get older they are not as bright anymore lol.

LCD with LED back lighting are the new models.

As I recall LCD tvs used to also be rear projection, before the went to the slim version of the LCD flat panel. But still lit with Florescent lighting. 
So in a sence, it makes sense that now they are lit with LEDs, a whole different lighting system, that naturally they will now be referred to as LED.


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

damondlt said:


> ....it makes sense that now they are lit with LEDs, a whole different lighting system, that naturally they will now be referred to as LED.


I strongly disagree. The RGB image you see is actually produced by
back-lit LCDs. Therefor, the technology is appropriately called LCD.


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## damondlt (Feb 27, 2006)

Nick said:


> I strongly disagree. The RGB image you see is actually produced by
> back-lit LCDs. Therefor, the technology is appropriately called LCD.


What's the LCDs back lit with?
And I clearly stated what you just mentioned. 
And I don't care what you think they should be called, the manufacturers do not refer to them as LCDs anymore.

They are now referred to as LED sets.
No one is denying they are LCD tvs, but what Jimmie was saying is the old florescent back-lit models are almost dead. 
People know these tvs as LCD.
People know of the new models as LED sets.
Most tvs have always been know by their lighting or system of operation. But when you have the same type of tv, you have to refer to them somehow.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

Well, if you want consistency, It should have been florescent LCD and LED LCD. End of story, because the main driver of the picture is LCD technology.

But marketing always wins, led is the buzz word and since it uses less power and can be so much thinner.....


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## damondlt (Feb 27, 2006)

inkahauts said:


> It should have been florescent LCD and LED LCD.
> 
> But marketing always wins, led is the buzz word and since it uses less power and can be so much thinner.....


Should have , but wasn't. 
LCD rolls off the tongue better , as does LED now.


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## damondlt (Feb 27, 2006)

Here is a nice informative article. 
http://www.cnet.com/news/led-tvs-10-things-you-need-to-know/

This is a newer version with all 3 types.
http://www.cnet.com/news/led-lcd-vs-plasma-vs-lcd/


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## jimmie57 (Jun 26, 2010)

damondlt said:


> Here is a nice informative article.
> http://www.cnet.com/news/led-tvs-10-things-you-need-to-know/
> 
> This is a newer version with all 3 types.
> http://www.cnet.com/news/led-lcd-vs-plasma-vs-lcd/


Those are good. Thanks


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## damondlt (Feb 27, 2006)

There are some clickable links In bedded in these too that have some good info.


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## bobukcat (Dec 20, 2005)

This is just sad - poorly informed consumers bought into a inferior technology and the better performing one is now just about gone. Even Consumer Reports is lamenting this:



> The best plasmas deliver everything a videophile could want in a TV: great, deep black levels, accurate colors, and unlimited viewing angles. Think that plasmas only appeal to video snobs? We recently brought a bunch of new employees into our TV labs and asked them to pick their favorite two TVs. Out of the 15 TVs playing the same program, every single person picked the only two plasma sets in the room


I just hope my 3 plasma sets hold out for a long time until there is actually something comparable to replace them with.


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## B. Shoe (Apr 3, 2008)

I just purchased my Samsung 60" plasma (PN60FN5300) this weekend. I'm far from a videophile and I know this isn't considered a "high end" plasma, but I am absolutely loving this television. Found it in the clearance section all by its lonesome, away from the flash and flare of its LED-LCD friends, for hundreds less than a LED or LCD 60" counterpart. I've been scouting and searching for a few weeks before making a purchase and felt comfortable enough to jump at this one when I saw it on the shelves. Found some settings online to help maximize its potential and have been nothing but happy over the past 96 hours!


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## Steve (Aug 22, 2006)

I'm so happy I grabbed a Panasonic 65" ZT60 before Panny discontinued its plasma business. It has the best PQ among the displays I've owned, including a couple of Fujitsus. Even better, I got it at dealer cost!


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

B. Shoe said:


> I just purchased my Samsung 60" plasma (PN60FN5300) this weekend. I'm far from a videophile and I know this isn't considered a "high end" plasma, but I am absolutely loving this television. Found it in the clearance section all by its lonesome, away from the flash and flare of its LED-LCD friends, for hundreds less than a LED or LCD 60" counterpart. I've been scouting and searching for a few weeks before making a purchase and felt comfortable enough to jump at this one when I saw it on the shelves. Found some settings online to help maximize its potential and have been nothing but happy over the past 96 hours!


I've had mine for over two years, and couldn't be happier with the set- you made a great purchase! It's not particularly "smart", but then neither am I. I like watching HD anyway, and my bandwidth isn't big enough to allow any smart content to go HD.


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## B. Shoe (Apr 3, 2008)

I've got a Google Chromecast stick to handle Netflix/YouTube/etc. I've been toying back and forth between component vs HDMI (which is another discussion for another thread) to watch satellite content to keep an HDMI port available strictly for Blu-Ray. I haven't noticed much difference so far, but it's still breaking itself in, I guess. So maybe in a couple of weeks things will change.


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## Cholly (Mar 22, 2004)

B. Shoe said:


> I've got a Google Chromecast stick to handle Netflix/YouTube/etc. I've been toying back and forth between component vs HDMI (which is another discussion for another thread) to watch satellite content to keep an HDMI port available strictly for Blu-Ray. I haven't noticed much difference so far, but it's still breaking itself in, I guess. So maybe in a couple of weeks things will change.


There are any number of HDMI switches available on the market. I have an IOGear automatic switch that works very well. I also have a Monoprice switch with remote that also works quite well.


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