Smart

Thanks guys , most informative !
The basic plasma with Roku or something else does sound like the best move for this situation . I have seen a Roku that is about the size of a screw driver handle .
I do want to stick with plasma over led for the picture quality . Everything that I have read supports that claim and I don't have a problem with my older Samsung plasma .

Thank you

+1 Prpixel. Working with flatscreen monitors in Broadcast TV, have never had a Plasma develop burn-in. Many of the LEDs however, have ghost images burned-in.

A little off topic, but I've noticed that the asking price of used plasmas have risen in 2014.

Regarding wi-fi enabled TVs, you should actually try out the internet apps. It makes a big difference in usability. I have a smart TV and a smart Blu-Ray. They work equally well, but you could also attach a spare computer to the TV for internet connectivity.

The samsung 8500 series plasmas are smart. Incredible reviews. Looking into one myself. If you want to do smart with an add on like Apple TV or Roku you can buy the 5300 series for about a third of the price of the 8500 but you may have screen reflection issues in a bright room.

Don't worry about the "smart" features, you can simply buy a Google ChromeCast for $35 and get the "smart" stuff. I just bought my mom a Samsung 43" plasma and it has an exceptionally good picture. The cost was only $312 at BestBuy. Soooo, add the ChromeCast and you're at about $350 for the whole shebang...

-RW-

The "burn-in" problem was fixed years ago. Today's plasma TVs use phosphors that are faster in action and decay and more efficient, so the technology has evolved to a point where permanent burn-in is harder to achieve. They also use a technology called "pixel Orbiter" that "rotates" static pictures. I'm not saying that "burn in" won't happen, just that it's a lot harder to achieve. Early LED TV's also suffered from burn in problems. And yes, you can still "burn in" a modern LED tv also.

Some of the last Panasonic Plasma's were "smart". I have a 50" I picked up last year that is Smart. The problem with putting the "smart" in a TV is that when the manufacturer stops supporting it in a few years, you're screwed. I would recommend buying a something like a Roku or AppleTV. That way when the manufacturer stops supporting it, or they come out with something way cooler, you can toss it and your only out like a $100. These set-top-boxes are so small, they can be Velcro-ed to the back of the TV. Some of the "stick" versions draw power from USB of HDMI so no power cord needed. Another alternative is a "smart" Blu-ray player.

Also, if you're using "Smart" in a TV and have it hooked up to an AV receiver, you might want to check if they support ARC (audio return channel). This allows the audio from the Apps to run over the HDMI cable back to the Receiver which means one less cable to worry about.

I have a friend that travels a lot. He uses a Google Chromecast for Netflix and Amazon Prime; so small it slips in a shirt pocket.

Hope this helps,

Plasma's get burn-in, don't they?
If you are surfing on a tv, you may have issues down the road. Also, they are not energy efficient compared to LED's...

Samsung
Alan

'Tis true that plasma is a dying technology....better snap them up quickly before we are all force fed LED.
It's like watching vinyl disappear all over again.

Probably because plasma is a defunct technology soon destined to extinction. All manufacturers are ceasing or have ceased production of plasma televisions.