Got me a new TV

specd_out

I went all out (for me at least) and got a Samsung PN64F8500 Plasma. Some of you know I work for Geek Squad and install and calibrate tv for clients. So I see pretty much every tv inside a home. The latest bunch of tvs just plain suck. Everyone is so focused on making a tv a PC that PQ has gone out the window. I had it narrowed down to 3 tvs. Sony XBR850 4k, LG 9500 4k, and the Samsung F8500

The Sony had a clear and realistic looking picture but had very little calibration adjustment and a fair amount of flashlighting.
The LG had great calibration adjustment, vivid colors but IMO the worst flashlighting of any modern TV, and horrible blacks.
The Samsung was a Plasma and I tend not to like plasmas much because I can see the strobing that they do, and it bugs the heck out of me. Dithering bugs me as well.
The good things are that it has just massive light output so it can work well in a bright room, Samsung added some films to the tv to reduce wash out of blacks from ceiling lighting. Samsung also has great Calibration adjustment. But even more than that it had better picture quality then any current tv I have seen, including 4k. I am not just talking about contrast and color, but just the clarity that it displays an image.

After a lot of research and debating I got the Samsung, and I am glad I did. After a quick dynamic range calibration and lowering the backlight, and sharpness to the proper level. I got rid of almost all of the strobing and the dithering is only viewable from about 8" away. Tv looks fantastic, and fills my wall better than my old 52".

I am a plasma convert, sadly just as they are going away. This tv will keep me happy for the next few years. Hopefully by then oled 4k will be a bit more reasonable

Best Buy is selling through the 64" 8500's so when they are gone they are gone. The 60" is still an available item for the foreseeable future. If you are in the market for a tv I highly recommend giving this a look. Put aside the plasma stereotypes, they do have alot to offer

tophatjohnny

Congrats, great TV!

WLDock

That's a nice set, enjoy it! I enjoyed the 50" Plasma I used to have. It would be so cool to pick up one of those 64" for everyday and have a pull-down screen for movies. That would do it for me!

Conradicles

I just got a 60" Sammy plasma and love it. Seriously considering your model as I still have time to return it. I also brought home a highly regarded Sony LED for the bedroom, and the picture is no where near the bottom of the line plasma. Plasma rules. Glad my Pioneer Kuro is still kicking as well.

Upstatemax

So, are the new 4K TV's not really worth it?

I'm not in the market yet, but a good friend is looking...

Jhayman

I own 3 Panasonic Plasmas 42" 50" and 60" love them all..
Congrats on being a convert..

Farkenhostile

I love my Panasonic 60" plasma.

tophatjohnny

Upstatemax wrote: »

So, are the new 4K TV's not really worth it?

I'm not in the market yet, but a good friend is looking...

Depends on your $ituation!! If you can $wing it, YES it's worth it. I too love good Plasma, but my 4K Samsung is just a lot better to watch the newer shows on. We A-B'd our Plasma and our 4K with the Gotham series and no question that watching it on the 4K set is in another league, and while some will say people that say this are only defending their investment (which takes place all the time on AV forums) but I only came out of pocket $300.00 (got a big check from the warranty company on one of our TV's that went bad) so when getting my 4K set that extra 300 bucks was easy to swallow, and no need for defending that!!. So tell your friend that if he has the cabbage and wants the best, get the best.

specd_out

4k will be great, but its still in its infancy. theres no real 4k material, so in reality your just marginally improving PQ. But its still on a led edge lit panel (a few models are the exception to that) so black levels are not good, and flashlighting is a big issue. OLED will fix those issues, and when they get a 4k standard that all brands adhere to then 4k led will be a fantastic tv. Thats why I got the plasma. I will wait until oled and 4k are perfected and cheaper.

But in the long run, you dont have a bunch of tvs in your home to compare it to so as long as it pleases you thats all that matters.

specd_out

Conradicles wrote: »

I just got a 60" Sammy plasma and love it. Seriously considering your model as I still have time to return it. I also brought home a highly regarded Sony LED for the bedroom, and the picture is no where near the bottom of the line plasma. Plasma rules. Glad my Pioneer Kuro is still kicking as well.

If you can swing the extra dough and you like your Kuro then I would say go for it. This tv has such a fantastic picture its nuts. It also runs cool and quiet. Even my mother-in-law who knows nothing of TVs commented on the PQ

Mikey081057

Congrats... great choice

scottyboy76

2 panny plasmas in tha house.

Watching gone with the wind dvd right now on a pioneer dv09, picture is as stunning and 3d in a pleasant way as any display from any format i have seen.

Just demonstrates the across the board quality plasma produces.

CNET does review the new panny leds above the zt panny, their reference tv.

But time will tell if it is as versatile as the plasmas

Thanks for the advice and opinion from someone who calibrates top quality tvs