Help Me With This Flat Screen

hearingimpared

I know nothing of flat screen TVs. I saw a whole bunch at Best Buys while waiting for my new PC. I really liked the plasmas.

I'm buying a SurroundBar from Crutchfield and they have a another special going where if you buy a 32" or more flat screen you get another 10% off Polk speakers plus I get $600 off the cost of the TV.

I was looking at this Panasonic Plasma and was wondering if anyone could help me with an opinion or two. This is the list of TVs I am shopping from.

This is going in my living room and will most likely be mounted on the wall. I will have a SurroundBar and a woofer.

Thanks,
Joe

PhantomOG

Panny plasmas are very highly rated along with Pioneers.

Check out AVS forums under Plasma

Toxis

Get a Sony KV-34XBR960 flat screen tube. Quality first!



but if you want a flat PANEL, either get a Sony LCD or a Pioneer Plasma. Panasonics look like **** in comparison. Unless you like cartoony, crayon-like colors.

hearingimpared

Can anyone explain the difference between this 50" and this one., there is a $500 difference between the two.

PolkThug

maybe here

http://www.avforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=313028&highlight=px60

hearingimpared

PolkThug wrote:

maybe here

http://www.avforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=313028&highlight=px60

Thanks Bro:)

PhantomOG

higher end model, maybe better picture processing. Has cable card input and analog PC input. I would guess the extra inputs would be the main things.

steveinaz

Panasonic makes some great stuff. I just bought a Samsung 50" DLP, but the Panny 36" CRT it replaced is/was a nice set.

Holydoc

I own the 600U model of that exact Panasonic TV. Last year the Panasonic was voted the best picture in its price range and the overall best buy. This year was no different.

Here is a great review of the Panasonic:
http://www.plasmatvbuyingguide.com/plasmatvreviews/panasonic-th50px60u-review.html

Here is what people at the AVS forum has to say about it:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=652809
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=657575

The only draw back to this tv is that it is not a 1080P set. Now that all the 1080P sets are out, make sure that you will not have buyers regret by purchasing one that is not.

You are also welcome to contact me directly with any questions you may have.

Holydoc

Toxis wrote:

Panasonics look like **** in comparison. Unless you like cartoony, crayon-like colors.

Though I am usually pretty laid back about these things, this broad statement shows total lack of any research or personnel ownership of this product. Granted that Panasonic ships their TV in Vivid mode so that they will be displayed in B&M stores as very bright and color loaded. However if you calibrate the set it is rated the best production of blacks and one of the best plasma displays on the market at this price range.

It is best to just comment on equipment that either you own or have done extensive research on. Broad statements like this only tend to misguide people.

Rivrrat

I ended up buying a Philips last year at Costco after all the reasearch was done. Pannnys and Pioneers had a better pic, but not enough to justify the price and the warranty issues at the time. A Panny at the time was choice #2 (at a grand more)

One thing about Costco, even though you're looking at bonus deals. If you buy from Costco, they have an unlimited time, no questions asked return policy, negating the need for an extended warranty.

GaryZ06

I have a 50" Panasonic plasma now and love.I will be adding a Panasonic 58" 1080P plasma this summer when they are released.

tonyb

Rivrrat wrote:

I ended up buying a Philips last year at Costco after all the reasearch was done. Pannnys and Pioneers had a better pic, but not enough to justify the price and the warranty issues at the time. A Panny at the time was choice #2 (at a grand more)

One thing about Costco, even though you're looking at bonus deals. If you buy from Costco, they have an unlimited time, no questions asked return policy, negating the need for an extended warranty.

This is great folks.I have a friend who bought a projector there and everytime a bulb needs to be replaced,he just brings it back for a whole new projector.Flippin unbelievable.

Holydoc

tonyb wrote:

This is great folks.I have a friend who bought a projector there and everytime a bulb needs to be replaced,he just brings it back for a whole new projector.Flippin unbelievable.

I want a Costco! My GPS says that the closest one to me is 244.4 miles.

hearingimpared

tonyb wrote:

This is great folks.I have a friend who bought a projector there and everytime a bulb needs to be replaced,he just brings it back for a whole new projector.Flippin unbelievable.

I have a projector for the high end HT / 2 ch media room. I have a three year three bulb warranty. . .those friggin bulbs are $350 a pop and only last 2 to 3000 hours that means MOVIES ONLY to be watched on the projector.

hearingimpared

Holydoc wrote:

I want a Costco! My GPS says that the closest one to me is 244.4 miles.

Jeeeeezzzz is Costco good???? I have one 15 minutes from my front door.

hearingimpared

Rivrrat wrote:

I ended up buying a Philips last year at Costco after all the reasearch was done. Pannnys and Pioneers had a better pic, but not enough to justify the price and the warranty issues at the time. A Panny at the time was choice #2 (at a grand more)

One thing about Costco, even though you're looking at bonus deals. If you buy from Costco, they have an unlimited time, no questions asked return policy, negating the need for an extended warranty.

That policy far outweighs any bonus bargain I would get on the SurroundBar. . . let's see $60 off the SurrounBar = $540 vs. unlimited return policy . . . no comparison, I'm going with Costco, too bad they don't sell Polk. I'm going to check their website for the Panasonic TH-50PX60U.

Demiurge

I love my Hitachi LCD. They've got fabulous PQ, but there are other great TVs out there as well. I will probably go with a big screen Panny for my main TV during Christmas this year, but other things may come out before then....

hearingimpared

hearingimpared wrote:

That policy far outweighs any bonus bargain I would get on the SurroundBar. . . let's see $60 off the SurrounBar = $540 vs. unlimited return policy . . . no comparison, I'm going with Costco, too bad they don't sell Polk. I'm going to check their website for the Panasonic TH-50PX60U.

It is the same price at Costco as it is at Crutchfield. . . with one exception. . . if I buy it at Costco I pay no shipping nor sales tax. Oh yeah that is where I'm going.

hearingimpared

Thanks all for your help!!!

billbillw

I'll give another vote for Panasonic Plasma. I'd get the 60U in either 50" or 42", whatever size suites you best. Cable Card is a waste. None of the cable companies support it fully. Picture in Picture is not really all that usefull these days since most people will use a converter box for cable or satellite service.

hearingimpared

billbillw wrote:

I'll give another vote for Panasonic Plasma. I'd get the 60U in either 50" or 42", whatever size suites you best. Cable Card is a waste. None of the cable companies support it fully. Picture in Picture is not really all that usefull these days since most people will use a converter box for cable or satellite service.

How far should one sit from a 50' TV?

Holydoc

With a plasma, you can sit as close as 5 feet. Getting any closer will cause you to start experiencing a pixelation called the Screen door effect.

hearingimpared

Holydoc wrote:

With a plasma, you can sit as close as 5 feet. Getting any closer will cause you to start experiencing a pixelation called the Screen door effect.

Thank you again!

billbillw

hearingimpared wrote:

How far should one sit from a 50' TV?

Well, if you want to get technical:

http://www.myhometheater.homestead.com/viewingdistancecalculator.html

It will give you a range max/min, etc.

I have a 50" (not plasma) and we sit about 11 feet away. It seems just about right.

Toxis

Holydoc wrote:

Though I am usually pretty laid back about these things, this broad statement shows total lack of any research or personnel ownership of this product. Granted that Panasonic ships their TV in Vivid mode so that they will be displayed in B&M stores as very bright and color loaded. However if you calibrate the set it is rated the best production of blacks and one of the best plasma displays on the market at this price range.

It is best to just comment on equipment that either you own or have done extensive research on. Broad statements like this only tend to misguide people.

Very good point. Guess I should've added that I've sold A/V for the past 8 years and specifically Panasonic for the past 4 years. I now work for the install department and make it out to a few houses from time to time (I'm an in house tech support guy, not an actual installer) and have seen these TV's in homes in which we've tried to tweak. I wouldn't pay anything more than $200 for a Panasonic ANYTHING. So maybe you should do better research than reading a Consumer Report in which Panasonic paid a TON of money to get the ratings they did. Thank you drive through.

GaryZ06

Toxis wrote:

I wouldn't pay anything more than $200 for a Panasonic ANYTHING. So maybe you should do better research than reading a Consumer Report in which Panasonic paid a TON of money to get the ratings they did. Thank you drive through.

Hey Toxis could you please elaborate on this a little more.....I am confused cause I have a Panny plasma for over 3 years and it is 100% reliable and the picture kicks ****....so much this summer when released the 58" 1080P model will be in my house.There are a lot of well respected guys on the AVS forum and they only say great things about Panasonic plasma's....Thanks

Holydoc

Toxis wrote:

So maybe you should do better research than reading a Consumer Report in which Panasonic paid a TON of money to get the ratings they did. Thank you drive through.

Toxis,

I don't read consumer reports. Did they also give Panasonic a great rating like everyone else? Cool.

Anyway could you please point to the sites that rated Panasonic lowly? Or any sites that talk about its poor picture quality? Maybe a few sites that depicts their track record for having to be repaired? How about getting a few panasonic owners together so that they can give me their first hand experiences with this sucky tv? Matter of fact there are plenty of members on this forum that own that exact same TV. That would be a good start to start your sample set. Start polling this unsatisfied customers and let them support your argument.

Toxis, just because you sell something does not mean you know anything about it. Just ask any walmart salesman about anything stereo. Just because you deliver TV's does not make you an expert on them. Heck the guys that delivered mine only knew that there was a 6 pack and a $20 bill for them when they finished setting it up. I doubt if they could even spell Plasma much less give me any advice.

Toxis, if you want I can give you a link to AV Forums, Home Theatre Forums, Home Theatre Spot Forums, Sound and Vision Magazine, Home Theatre HIFI, AVGuide, Ultimate AV Guide, and Widescreen Review Magazine. All of them supporting the fact that the Panasonic is a great TV for the Price. I can also give you a link to Plasma TV Buying Guide and AVS for tweaking guides to help you do it a bit better on your next trip out.

Please send me the link to Consumer Reports Review of this TV so that I will have one more data point.

***********************************

Sorry about Hijacking the thread HearingImpaired. Instead of sitting back and letting everyone wonder if I am a fool, I opened my mouth and removed all doubt.

Holydoc

GaryZ06 wrote:

Hey Toxis could you please elaborate on this a little more.....I am confused cause I have a Panny plasma for over 3 years and it is 100% reliable and the picture kicks ****....so much this summer when released the 58" 1080P model will be in my house.There are a lot of well respected guys on the AVS forum and they only say great things about Panasonic plasma's....Thanks

Dang it Gary! Corvette and now a 58". I have always considered myself straight but if you keep this up, I am going to have to propose!

:eek:

Toxis

First off, good luck finding someone who's a technology geek and has been selling ON COMMISSION A/V equipment for 8 years who doesn't know anything about it. Why would I give you a link to a bunch of guys who in a lot of cases are no better knowledge-wise than the guy at WalMart? I know a ton of the guys at some of these forums know what they're talking about but from my personal experience (I know you chose to skip through my previous post) of selling and installing and seeing Panasonics IN PEOPLE'S HOMES, I would not own one. The only plasma made right now that I'd consider owning would be the Pioneer 60 series (because the media box DOES make a difference!). I am an anal person who knit picks everything to death until he finds the best picture. Hence why I still own a Tube and won't own flat panel for quite some time. So if you need to find a herd of sheep who all love the Panny's, the net is full of them. As for me, I judge things off my own experiences because if it's my money, my eyes, my equipment I'm using; why listen to someone else?

hearingimpared

Toxis wrote:

I still own a Tube and won't own flat panel for quite some time.

Sorry didn't mean to start a war however interesting the reading is. . .but Toxis could you please elaborate a little more on the statement above. I've been looking at tube (rear projectors) and flat panels a lot lately and the plasmas seem to have the best pictures. I also read in the Perfect Vision about the LCD vs Plasma and the article I read said they are six of one, half dozen of the other relative to each other but are much better than tube.\

I would love your experience on this.

BTW HolyDoc thanks for the information you sent me.