Author Topic: The HDTV hunt is on. Some observations and complaints when compairing (Read 522 times)

lazs2 · « **Reply #15 on:** June 26, 2007, 08:55:53 AM »

Got mine at best buy the 50" is now down to a reasonable price..

lazs

flakbait · « **Reply #16 on:** June 26, 2007, 11:32:57 AM »

As someone who used to paint and build Panasonic LCD HD sets, I can tell you a few things about 'em. The picture of the older models isn't that great. The '06 models don't have true black color, they have 'darn-near-black' and 'something like black.' I've seen movies played on both 52" and 56" screens, and neither impressed me. The sole reason I bring up last year's model is some of them are still available to be had.

The newer models for 2007 aren't immune from hiccups either. The bulb maker is having some QC issues and until those get solved (it'll be a month or more from what I hear) don't buy one. You see, this was supposed to be the first year Panasonic started using 5-year bulbs. And it would seem that a lot of those bulbs are suffering from a high instance of crib death. However, the 'pseudo-black' problem was, for the most part, fixed. Alien3 was playing on one of the test units my last day there, on an '07 56" HD DLP set, and looked for all the world like a miniature movie screen. Black was, for once BLACK. Colors and contrast weren't razor sharp, but darn close to it. I'd say it was just a tick off in color and sharpness from the 19" Polaroid I saw a few weeks ago at Worst Buy. An immense improvement over the 2006 series, all told.

If you really want a Panasonic LCD, wait until late July so the bad bulb problem is flushed from the supply line. The 07 line didn't start punching out to stores until a few weeks ago, so it isn't like they're going away soon. I'd suggest a plasma, but those are made in Mexico and are known to have loose QC tolerances. I'd say more but....

The difference between '06 and '07 LCD models is pretty obvious. Look at the surround or down at the face plate. All '07 face plates have several glossy black panels along the bottom; only the DLP sets from '06 have those. The biggest dead give-away is the surround. You'll see a raised bezel surrounding the screen on 2007 sets. Usually matte black, though some I spotted remained glossy. It sticks up about an inch from the surround itself. '06's have only a painted surround with a "trench" running around the screen. Typically this "trench" is painted black, with silver for the outer portion.

Oh, and before I go and forget: Panasonic will start making 64" LCD Hi-Def sets for 2007, though exactly when I don't know.

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Flakbait [Delta6]

SIK1 · « **Reply #17 on:** June 26, 2007, 12:28:49 PM »

Check out http://www.avsforum.com you will find a lot of information there.

Don't trust what a tv looks like in the showroom. Most of the times they are not set up properly or they are receiving are poor quality signal. When you purchase a new tv make sure that the store allows you to return it with in a specified time (usually 30 days) without penalty. That way you can check it out in your home and adjust it to your taste.

There are advantages and disadvantages to all types of tv's available at this time. For example the knock against plasma right now is high energy consumption, most plasmas are 720p, not 1080p. They do have a beautiful picture though. LCD's have banding, poor black levels, there are some with backlight issues. They aren't affected by glare like other technologies. Both plasma and lcd can be hung flat from the wall. Projection tv's are probably the best bang for the buck but there are problems with this technology that only seems to effect certain people, seeing rainbows across the screen as well as screen door effect

lazs2 · « **Reply #18 on:** June 26, 2007, 02:33:51 PM »

flack.. I thought we were talking about plasma tv?

My panasonic plasma has the best black and contrast I have seen so far.

lazs

LePaul · « **Reply #19 on:** June 26, 2007, 04:36:49 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by SIK1

There are advantages and disadvantages to all types of tv's available at this time. For example the knock against plasma right now is high energy consumption, most plasmas are 720p, not 1080p. They do have a beautiful picture though. LCD's have banding, poor black levels, there are some with backlight issues. They aren't affected by glare like other technologies. Both plasma and lcd can be hung flat from the wall. Projection tv's are probably the best bang for the buck but there are problems with this technology that only seems to effect certain people, seeing rainbows across the screen as well as screen door effect

Umm, you havent listed many advantages asides how to hang em and glare

kotrenin · « **Reply #20 on:** June 26, 2007, 04:58:40 PM »

I've had the Panasonic th-42px60u for over a year. I love it!!! great buy for the money ( now much cheaper than when I bought it.) It is a good size TV if you are sitting 10-12 feet from the screen. Only regret is not up-grading to the model that has PC inputs, other wise it has a beautiful picture. Matter of fact 3 of my friends now own Panasonic plasmas of varying sizes and they also love the TV's.

If you are sitting <10 feet go with 37", 10-12 feet 42", and 12- 16 feet the 50".
It was suggested to me to mount the TV with the bottom edge of the screen 4" below my shoulder height when I'm sitting in my favorite seat to reduce neck strain during extended viewing, after a year I have to agree.

Also remember that glare can be a problem with the plasmas if the room it is in has allot of ambient light.

If you are having a problem with comparing them still, go to a high-end store where they have more dedicated sales persons. They will be more willing to bend over backwards to help you make an informed decision (they are on commission of course.) You don't have to buy from them if you want to save money, I did any way because the salesman put up with my crap for three weeks while I shuffled my feet making a decision ( I made him adjust and readjust the pictures then show me how each remote works and all the different extras that the manufactures add-on.)

Eagler · « **Reply #21 on:** June 26, 2007, 06:24:58 PM »

AH looks/plays well on my Samsung LN-S4695D 46" 1080p LCD HDTV

flakbait · « **Reply #22 on:** June 26, 2007, 09:03:35 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by lazs2
flack.. I thought we were talking about plasma tv?

My panasonic plasma has the best black and contrast I have seen so far.

lazs

I was throwing out info for the LCD sets just in case somebody found it useful. After all, LCD sets are still cheaper than most plasmas. A 50" Panasonic plasma will set you back between 2-3 thou. Same size LCD? About $1,250 depending on the exact model (DLP or not, this year's or last). I'll readily agree with you on contrast; plasma usually beats LCD for that and some of the Panasonic models are amazing. I've always preferred LCD over plasma simply because they're lighter and don't reflect ambient light the way a plasma can.

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Flakbait [Delta6]

Vulcan · « **Reply #23 on:** June 26, 2007, 09:08:07 PM »

is HDCP gonna be an issue in the US? I know both our digital channels are planning to use it for HD content (two guys in our office recently got LG Plasma's that they later found weren't HDCP).

DREDIOCK · « **Reply #24 on:** June 27, 2007, 12:49:54 AM »

Well the verdict is in.
I picked up the VIZIO 50" Plasma from Sams Club.

I made my decision based on bang for buck. and what my wallet could reasonably take.

there are ALOT of very nice sets out there. I just cant justify hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars for that kind of impovement. Not to mention I didnt have hundreds or thousands more to spend.

Did my usual of many runs of the stores on the way home from work looking at different sets.Stopped by Sears to take a look at a panasonic and noticed a Vizio that looked pretty damn good.
so Im looking and looking And I take a ride over to a different Sams again and low and behold I see another Vizio set up so that it again. looks pretty damn good. and for abaout $500 less then the Panasonic.

Now did the Panasonic look better? Yes
Just not $500 worth of better IMO

Next to it was a phillips that also looked pretty damn good for $100 more
But not a whole lot better then the Vizio.
Again the question arose.
Was it $100 worth of better?

So I decide to get one of the two. It was just a matter of which.
So I head home to clear out enough room in the back of my work Van to pick one of the two up And to grab my son to help me load it.

Just as we're gettign ready to leave my wife and daughter pull up
They get out and I ask my wife "Well. you comming or staying?"
She asks where, and when I tell her she after looking at the amount of stuff I unloaded she quizzed "Just how big is this thing?"

I said, "Spred yoru arms as wide as you can" and she did.
I said "Yea, about that big."

"Your nuts" she said...hehe what else is new.

so we go in and I have everyone look at the two. and everyone agreed the Phillips was slightly better. Again put the question.
"Is it $100 worth of better?"

The general concensus was no. Though my wife thought I was nuts for spending over 1K on a TV to begin with.

Got it home and set it up.
Gonna have to get the HD cable box from Comcast. But even regular TV looks pretty damn good.
Popped a DVD in and rewatched "Master and Commander"

Wow
Was like watching it for the first time all over again.

Very nice picture. Saw no black issues to speak of.
In fact I liked their blacks better then some of the higher end sets that for black tend to use the same color pitch black for everything.
the "black on black" thing was not an issue. you could see the subtle shades of black that I dont see on the very high end sets.

Example. High end set someone with a black outfit walks in front of a black car. the person becomes indistinguishable from the car.

In any event after one night Im so far very pleased. and I thats with out of the box stock settings.
I havent even calibrated it yet

Ton of features. And not a half bad bag for buck ratio.
Even Cnet scored it at something like 7.5 out of a possile 10
but I agree. I find CNets reviews to be annoying at best.
Anal to the point of absurdity
As one person put it. they need to get off their high horse

If you have the extra money to blow. And dont mind blowing it.
By all means Go Samsung, or sony. which had two of the best pictures I've seen.
Hatachi wasnt bad either.

What I really would have liked to have gotten was an LG.

Eveywhere I see them reguardless of in store or in homs and reguardless of lighting conditions. I found their pictures to be supurb.
Unfortunately they were just out of reach

MrRiplEy[H] · « **Reply #25 on:** June 27, 2007, 01:22:19 AM »

Samsungs rock, Philips is cheap and it unfortunately shows both in new and used quality. Philipses tend to fade out and die prematurely.

I know, I've been stupid enough to buy many Philips products. Now I prefer to pay 10% more to get a proper one.

NOT · « **Reply #26 on:** June 27, 2007, 02:18:55 AM »

recently got a Hitachi 42" plasma, not one single complaint with it. had it about 4-5 months. was going to get a panasonic, but Best Buy made me a deal on the hitachi. love it.

NOT

Obie303 · « **Reply #27 on:** June 27, 2007, 02:51:48 AM »

Just purchased a 42" Panasonic Plasa. Its HDMI and I couldn't be happier. Not that it mattered when I was comparing them but Consumer Report rated the Panasonic a "best buy" in Plasma. Sony in the LCD models.

Hope that helps.

Obie

lazs2 · « **Reply #28 on:** June 27, 2007, 08:52:34 AM »

yep.. love my panasonic plasma. you need to get an "upconverting" dvd player that is hdmi... it really does make dvd's look enough better to go to the expense and hassle. I bought an hdmi dvd recorder on sale for $100 bought two of em in fact since it was such a good price.

I got the HD cable box and all the stations... HD is amazing... it makes the regular picture (in most cases) that I thought was great before... look "not so great"

movies that people record for me with their computers for some reason look even better than ones I record off the tv tho.

As for the price... in retrospect.. I am happy with my panasonic..it does have pc inputs and cable card and a bunch of stuff I might not use but.. the picture is better... sometimes much better than some of the cheaper sets... It also has an upgraded sound system (30 watts instead of the older model 20 watts)...

I may have paid 3-500 bucks more for it but I figure that I will have it 10 years so that is only $50 or less a year for the picture quality that is noticeable.

Now.. in retrospect... I might have done it differntly... I might have bought a cheaper set for the bedroom and then got a larger panasonic for the living room.

lazs