TV advice: 120 vs. 240 Hz?

[Noah930]

I'm looking for a new TV for the family. When we were moving a few months ago, the existing old one we've got was semi-dropped, and the color on the right edge of the screen is a bit off. Makes for psychedelic cartoons, but it's a bit irritating.

So we're looking for a new LCD TV. For watching things such as motorsports (i.e. F1, MotoGP, ALMS, etc) does is make much of a difference having 120 versus 240 Hertz? Last thing I want to do is buy a TV, and then find it's irritating blurry for the only one thing I care to actually watch.

[Super_Dave_D]

The way I understand it is....there it's noticable from 60 to 120 hrz but from 120 to 240 , not so much. I bought the new Samsung 55 led LCD and the salesman said the same thing. I have no problems viewing a fast motion on my 120.

[Wickd89]

Easy one. I had this decision in November when my Sony tabletop projection LCD had a top right color issue that was not worth fixing. The 240 is so smooth in sports and even changes old films. I watched old films, e.g. Coming to America, and it almost looks 3D. Same with Rocky, etc....

I have heard mixed review about 120 hz, but 240 is awesome.

YOU know the 240 is worth it. If you have the money, just drop it and enjoy...

I got a top of the line Sony XBR9 240 hz and love it! Samsung makes a similar one and is just as nice.

[Super_Dave_D]

Plenty of info online.

60Hz vs. 120Hz vs. 240Hz - LCD Response Rate

Recently, manufacturers have introduced a 240Hz specification on some LCD TVs - some of which use the LED backlight manipulation as a mechanism which will produce an "effective" 240Hz "appearance" and others which state a straight out true 240Hz refresh rate. Some manufacturers TV models may claim "240Hz performance" and others 240Hz refresh rate. From our recent experience, a higher Hz rate in the panel produces a picture with less motion artifacts during fast motion and side to side pannning. 120Hz has less motion artifacts, lag, and judder than 60Hz, and 240Hz has less of the same than 120Hz. It's a marginal, not revolutionary improvement. In the end, these new specifications in performance allow the LCD manufacturers to mark up the product more while providing a new feature which is there essentially to make up for a serious flaw with LCD technology. It's the newest and greatest feature to convince you to upgrade. But consider beforehand how much sports programming and gaming you view when considering whether the feature is worth extra - especially in light of the need to turn it off for a majority of viewed programming.

[Noah930]

Originally Posted by Wickd89

I got a top of the line Sony XBR9 240 hz and love it!

My parents have that set as well, Luis. I agree it looks great. Not sure if I need all those connectivity features or want to spend that much money, though.

I appreciate the link, Super Dave. Useful advice. At the same time, those things are written by people who have as much interest in motorsports as I do underwater basketweaving. So while for them blurring while watching the Indy 500 might not be a big deal, it would be extremely irritating for me. I figured a car junkie forum like PPOT might be more likely to share my perspective.

[island911]

What's important is not the freq, but rather the interpolation between frames.

Film is native at 24fps.
- If you have 240hz but no interpolation, the screen displays 10 frames of the same film frame.
- If you have 120hz but no interpolation, the screen displays 5 frames of the same film frame.
(what sucks is old school 60hz, as it chops the film at 2.5 frames)

Anyway, what is important, for motion, is how the processor figures out what the newly created (interpolated) display frames look like.

So far I'm liking Sony and Samsung.

Color depth is another big player for realistic image. The Sony XBR9 series for example has great backlighting spectrum.

[Steve Carlton]

Try checking here:
AVS Forum

[sammyg2]

220, 221, whatever it takes

[island911]

Originally Posted by Steve Carlton

Try checking here:
AVS Forum

...to be completely overwhelmed with information.

[911boost]

The AVS forum is nice, but man, like Steve said, prepare to spend some time reading and comprehending.

I was going to get a 50+ inch 240 hz led Samsung as well, but after looking, I ended up with Panasonic's top of the line plamsa (V1 series I think). Its awesome, and the little bit of extra power consumption and heat doesn't bother me, as it isn't on that much.

[m21sniper]

Originally Posted by Wickd89

Easy one. I had this decision in November when my Sony tabletop projection LCD had a top right color issue that was not worth fixing. The 240 is so smooth in sports and even changes old films. I watched old films, e.g. Coming to America, and it almost looks 3D. Same with Rocky, etc....

I have heard mixed review about 120 hz, but 240 is awesome.

YOU know the 240 is worth it. If you have the money, just drop it and enjoy...

I got a top of the line Sony XBR9 240 hz and love it! Samsung makes a similar one and is just as nice.

I can't even tell the difference between 120 and 240.

To me, it would be a total waste of money.

Buying a TV with the name "Sony" on it guarantees that you'll spend about 30% more than needed to get a TV with equal picture and features.

[m21sniper]

Originally Posted by sammyg2

220, 221, whatever it takes

Thirty eight, thirty nine.

Whatever it takes.

[Tug68]

Look into the newer LED`s as the LCD`s are going to be replaced by them, like LCD replaced plasma. I was talking to a friend who work`s selling tv`s and he said the new thing is now they have wireless HDMI so there are no wire`s running to the tv just the powercord. Your cable box or dish would hook up to the box and that would transmit to the tv. Good luck....

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by m21sniper

Thirty eight, thirty nine.

Whatever it takes.

Great movie
Terry Garr used to give me a woodie. Haven't seen her lately, prolly really old like the rest of us.


Jack Butler: You wanna beer?
Ron Richardson: It's 7 o'clock in the morning.
Jack Butler: Scotch?

Ron Richardson: Yeah? Are you gonna make it all 220?
Jack Butler: Yeah. 220... 221, whatever it takes.

Jack Butler: Honey if you call and I'm not home I'll be at the gym or the gun club.

[sammyg2]

AAAGGGHHH!

[jyl]

So, on LCD TVs: how much of an improvement is the LED backlight, compared with the CCFL? Whose LED backlit TV would you favor? Are there any TVs using arrays of LEDs behind the screen, or are they all edge lit LED, and does it make a difference?

[island911]

Samsung has some great LED (region) backlighting, with a slight issue for off-angle colors.

Sony has a at least one edgelit LED, and the newer versions will have the region LED back lighting (for big bucks). Sony also has the first OLED screen (tiny, expensive, and terrible jutter - but great color)

I'm in the market and can't decide between the Sony XBR9 - with full color gamut CCFL and 240hz, or Sony's edge-lit LED super thin (>1cm) ZX @ 120hz . . . . Or just wait for newer tech. :-/

[island911]

Originally Posted by sammyg2

AAAGGGHHH!

AAAGGGHHH! is right!

RUNNNN . .. It's going to eat your banana-man!

[fxeditor]

Originally Posted by jyl

So, on LCD TVs: how much of an improvement is the LED backlight, compared with the CCFL? Whose LED backlit TV would you favor? Are there any TVs using arrays of LEDs behind the screen, or are they all edge lit LED, and does it make a difference?

The big advantage to an LED backlight is, oddly enough, in the black levels. When you use a CCFL (basically a set of florescent tubes) the backlight is on all the time across the entire area of the screen. With LED backlighting, the LEDs light up only the pixels that are to be illuminated and at the exact luminance needed thus providing a much better contrast ratio. the blacks are almost as good as an old CRT TV.

Hope this helps,
Michael (who BTW has an energy hog 52" Panasonic Plasma)

[old man neri]

Whatever you do just buy the damned thing this weekend and start enjoying it, don't research it any more or look into it any more once you buy it. Just enjoy your TV. Life is simpler that way and there will always be a newer nicer TV out there. That's what I did, I looked into it for a short but and then I bought one and now instead of wondering what the differences are between 120 and 240 and I sitting on my ass enjoying my new TV. God bless boxing day sales.