Solved! TV noob with a couple questions.

[zakel2]

Hey I'm thinking of purchasing one of these uhh.. new technologically advanced televisions that have been out for... too long. Anyways, I'm upgrading from some 27" crt thing I've had for since I was a kid. So I'm sure anything I get will be phenominal.

Here's what I'm thinking of purchasing: VIZIO 42" LCD 60Hz for about $500

http/www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=13904834

The few questions I had where:
1. Is there a better deal out there? Probably but meh, reputable brand and decent specs
2. 60Hz, 120Hz, 240Hz - really a big difference? From what I've read there isn't but.. I haven't looked too much.
3. Looks like it has an 8ms response time, compared to those that are 5ms or even 2ms - is it something that will make a huge difference?

 

[anwaypasible]

the refresh rate of 60hz might be okay when the hardware is new.. but your chance of seeing a problem in the future is right on the line.
if the hardware was 120hz.. you have a whole 60hz to lose before seeing a problem.

refresh rate is the ability for the animation to stay solid when things are moving.
this doesnt mean you will see liquid movements.
no.. no..
its more like a dullness (or fuzzy picture) that stops when the video stops moving too fast.
you might not see it if a person is walking or jogging.. but if the person starts to sprint, you will have a better chance of seeing what i'm talking about.
some televisions are really bad, if the person jogs.. the image gets blurry.
almost every single one of these televisions can stay solid when a person is walking.
that is like an FCC rule so people will purchase the technology.
however, that can change years down the road.

a response time can be seen by the stubborn picture change.
if you have ever turned off a CRT television in the dark and seen the screen still lit up a little bit, you know stubborn.
if you have those new flourescent bulbs and shut them off and look, sometimes you can still see them glowing.
if you turn of a regular light bulb, you can see the light fade away as the filament goes from glowing hot to cool.
sure, the electricity is gone, but the filament is red hot and needs to cool.
its the cooling of the filament that is slow to change, not the speed of light.

sometimes CRT screens will flip from one commercial to the next.. and you can still see the last image of the old commercial on the screen for a brief moment.

what you are looking for with response time is the same stubbornness.
except its exactly opposite.
you wont see a burnt in picture from the old commercial.. basically because the screen doesnt work like a crt tube.
BUT..
you will still see a 'gel' movement.

and that is exactly what response time is.
the response time of the liquid inside the screen.
its like telling somebody to lift their feet so you can sweep/vacuum underneath them.
how long it takes for them to move their feet is the response time.
(yes i know, the person might acknowledge you in their head faster than they move their feet)

the difference can be so small that you are using a magnifying glass with your nose up to the screen looking for a difference.
other times you can be a few feet away and see it.

what gives the new technology its impact is a combination of things.
but the highest value perceived is the 'action' that comes from movement speed.
it has been known to make people sick when looking at the constant velocity.. which is one reason why they make televisions that are slower.
its a form of motion sickness that might make the person ill stomached or simply change their mental mood.

your response time can go down (or up) when you have a headache.
but i dont think i need to go on and on about the difference between water and gel.
one movement is like pure water (or even liquid mercury) at best .. at worst its like corn starch or glue.