Should I buy a used 50" Pioneer KURO PDP-5020FD?

There is a used one of these listed on Craigslist nearby which is tempting me, since my 12 year old 37" Sharp Aquos is breaking up, showing lots of vertical lines. The asking price is $200 and includes the sound bar (which I don't need), manual, and remote control. This would fit with my current program sources, Netflix Blu-Ray disk by mail, OTA TV (including baseball), and occasional internet video, for the foreseeable future. 4k disks or streaming will be a long way off.

This plasma TV must be nearly 10 years old, so what are the pitfalls of buying a plasma that old? What should I inspect for that would tip me off that it would die soon?

If it did need repair, is that still possible at this age?

Another option that I have been considering is a new 49" TCL 49S517 for about $380. Has anyone had the opportunity to compare one of these with a similar plasma?

Jim
5.1 System:
TCL R613 55" 4K
Front: SRS-3.1TL
Center: CS400i
Surround: Monitor 10B
PSW10 subwoofer
Onkyo PR-SC886P Pre/Pro
NAD T955 5 channel power amplifier
Technics SL-1710 MK2 turntable
Audio-Technica AT14Sa cartridge
Parasound P3 pre-amp
Oppo BDP-103 Blu-Ray
2014 MacBook Pro 2.8 GHz

2.0 Office System:
Monitor 10A (Peerless)
Outlaw 1050 receiver
Parasound HCA-1000A power amp
MacPro

Comments

  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    Personally, I wouldn't...why? Power supply, they have a shelf life on those older plasmas and aren't cheap to replace. Your better off going with a 4k set in todays market. Even a used one, if money is tight.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 49,704
    No
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."


    President of Club Polk

  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,031
    Anytime you buy anything used your at the risk of it failing shortly afterwards. Used is used no matter how you look at it.
    But the sheer quality of the picture the Pioneer's reproduce is something to see on a daily basis to really understand why they where the best on the market.
    For $200 what do you really have to lose if it works now? It could work for a year or 5. That might be plenty of time for you to get ready to invest into 4k or even hold out for 8k.
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
  • Conradicles
    Conradicles Posts: 6,010
    I would buy it if works well.
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    There's a difference between a used 15 year old TV and a 2 year old one.

    If your 12 year old TV you have now is going south, why buy another the same age ?
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • jimbo1421
    jimbo1421 Posts: 772
    My thanks to all who answered. While I am very tempted, I decided I don't need any more problems in my life right now, even if she is gorgeous.

    Does anyone have any experience with the 49" TCL models?

    Jim
    5.1 System:
    TCL R613 55" 4K
    Front: SRS-3.1TL
    Center: CS400i
    Surround: Monitor 10B
    PSW10 subwoofer
    Onkyo PR-SC886P Pre/Pro
    NAD T955 5 channel power amplifier
    Technics SL-1710 MK2 turntable
    Audio-Technica AT14Sa cartridge
    Parasound P3 pre-amp
    Oppo BDP-103 Blu-Ray
    2014 MacBook Pro 2.8 GHz

    2.0 Office System:
    Monitor 10A (Peerless)
    Outlaw 1050 receiver
    Parasound HCA-1000A power amp
    MacPro
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    Nope, no experience with one. If you look at Bestbuys ads, you'll see you have plenty of choices in that price range.

    https://www.bestbuy.com/site/promo/tv-deals
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • rooftop59
    rooftop59 Posts: 7,952
    https://www.cnet.com/reviews/tcl-65r617-2018-roku-tv-review/

    My buddy has the 55 in version of this and it’s a great tv for the coin.
    Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es; Squeezebox Touch with Bolder Power Supply
    Game Room 5.1.4:
    Denon AVR-X4200w; Sony UBP-x700; Definitive Technology Power Monitor 900 mains, CLR-3000 center, StudioMonitor 350 surrounds, ProMonitor 800 atmos x4; Sub - Monoprice Monolith 15in THX Ultra

    Bedroom 2.1
    Cambridge Azur 551r; Polk RT25i; ACI Titan Subwoofer
  • jimbo1421
    jimbo1421 Posts: 772
    After reading this: https://boingboing.net/2019/01/11/telescreens-r-us.html, about the Orwellian capabilities of Smart TVs, the old Kuro is looking better. I went so far as to read the EULA from TCL where I found this bit of legal nuttiness:
    If you do not agree to this EULA, you do not have the right to use the Television or the Software.

    So, not only do we watch TV, the TV watches us. Next innovation, the "always on" feature with camera. But, unlike the telescreens on Airstrip One, ours have HDR and 2160 resolution. Yippee!

    5.1 System:
    TCL R613 55" 4K
    Front: SRS-3.1TL
    Center: CS400i
    Surround: Monitor 10B
    PSW10 subwoofer
    Onkyo PR-SC886P Pre/Pro
    NAD T955 5 channel power amplifier
    Technics SL-1710 MK2 turntable
    Audio-Technica AT14Sa cartridge
    Parasound P3 pre-amp
    Oppo BDP-103 Blu-Ray
    2014 MacBook Pro 2.8 GHz

    2.0 Office System:
    Monitor 10A (Peerless)
    Outlaw 1050 receiver
    Parasound HCA-1000A power amp
    MacPro
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    edited January 2019
    jimbo1421 wrote: »
    After reading this: https://boingboing.net/2019/01/11/telescreens-r-us.html, about the Orwellian capabilities of Smart TVs, the old Kuro is looking better. I went so far as to read the EULA from TCL where I found this bit of legal nuttiness:
    If you do not agree to this EULA, you do not have the right to use the Television or the Software.

    So, not only do we watch TV, the TV watches us. Next innovation, the "always on" feature with camera. But, unlike the telescreens on Airstrip One, ours have HDR and 2160 resolution. Yippee!

    I think the key there is to avoid the TV's with the built in camera. Your not going to avoid data collection even on a dumb tv, your cable box is still collecting it. Your smart phone is probably collecting most of any device. You could go back to using the old rotary phones.....nahh. Though I must admit, always wanted that rotary phone in the shoe from that show "Get Smart".

    Any device connected by wifi or hardwired to the internet is collecting data. Your music servers, phones, appliances, thermostats, smart meters, cars, credit cards, I-PASS, Alexa type devices, PC's, tablets, game consoles, security systems. Even when you use a service, that data is sold on you. When your out in public, your being watched and listened to. Schools are sharing data on your kids, Doctors/Hospitals.

    Trick is, to limit the data your willing to share. Unless you want to live in a cave, off the grid, it's impossible to completely avoid it these days. So when it comes to TV's, simply get the ones without the mic and camera.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    https://www.theblaze.com/news/2018/11/25/google-wants-sensors-and-cameras-in-every-room-of-your-home-to-watch-analyze-you-patents-show

    Interesting article on Google patents. One of which may include imaging tech that can recognize and identify others in the room. I'm sure it will come with a required "software upgrade" for your device. :)
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • EndersShadow
    EndersShadow Posts: 17,517
    edited January 2019
    If you never setup the "Smart" part, or connect it to your wireless, then its not really collecting much data from you. I have a Panasonic TV with all kinds of programs..... never used them as they are duplicative of what I have already on my Xbox One, Cable box, etc.

    Also I'd like to congratulation you on reading the EULA. Most people dont.

    And as @tonyb mentions, your data is already being collected by at least one thing (if not multiple) in your house/on your person. Cable box, cell phone, netflix, hulu, google chrome, IE, facebook, etc.....
    "....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963)
  • krazypolk
    krazypolk Posts: 745
    edited January 2019
    No more doing coke in front of the tv for me from now on. :#
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    Not completely true Dan. Case in point....FB. You can disable locating services on your phone, but it's still tracking you. Think they are being put under investigation for that.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    krazypolk wrote: »
    No more doing coke in front of the tv for me from now on. :#

    No more spankin' the monkey either...LOL
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,474
    tonyb wrote: »
    Not completely true Dan. Case in point....FB. You can disable locating services on your phone, but it's still tracking you. Think they are being put under investigation for that.

    yes you can disable locating services but the phone still must ping towers which is also a locating type system just not nearly as down to the GPS foot by foot measurement in the locating services.

    My new smart TV will never be hooked up to the internet. All the features I need will be by HDMI, Optical or coax ports.
  • jimbo1421
    jimbo1421 Posts: 772
    I limited my internet connectivity to my computers and iPhone, and just turned off the Oppo BDP. I don't think I will miss anything there besides automatic notices of firmware updates and the cover art from Gracenote. But I can check the firmware occasionally myself, and stare at the CD cover for as long as I like. At my age it is probably a good thing that my iPhone knows where I am, so I left that location minder on.

    One commenters on that boingboing article noted that, when their internet connection is turned off, their TV constantly nags them to turn it on. Another says
    …it was constantly trying to second-guess the resolution and aspect ratio of incoming video from their cable connection, changing when a commercial plays, and then not switching back afterwards, resulting in everything else being stretched and/or cut off.

    I dropped cable 20 years ago, have no desire for streaming services, and avoid social media, and think that the Internet of Things is mostly idiotic. I don't want to talk to my devices. In other words, I am a curmudgeon. A dumb (or brain damaged) TV for me.
    5.1 System:
    TCL R613 55" 4K
    Front: SRS-3.1TL
    Center: CS400i
    Surround: Monitor 10B
    PSW10 subwoofer
    Onkyo PR-SC886P Pre/Pro
    NAD T955 5 channel power amplifier
    Technics SL-1710 MK2 turntable
    Audio-Technica AT14Sa cartridge
    Parasound P3 pre-amp
    Oppo BDP-103 Blu-Ray
    2014 MacBook Pro 2.8 GHz

    2.0 Office System:
    Monitor 10A (Peerless)
    Outlaw 1050 receiver
    Parasound HCA-1000A power amp
    MacPro
  • jimbo1421
    jimbo1421 Posts: 772
    Does anyone else have a TV that nags or behaves badly when the internet is turned off?
    5.1 System:
    TCL R613 55" 4K
    Front: SRS-3.1TL
    Center: CS400i
    Surround: Monitor 10B
    PSW10 subwoofer
    Onkyo PR-SC886P Pre/Pro
    NAD T955 5 channel power amplifier
    Technics SL-1710 MK2 turntable
    Audio-Technica AT14Sa cartridge
    Parasound P3 pre-amp
    Oppo BDP-103 Blu-Ray
    2014 MacBook Pro 2.8 GHz

    2.0 Office System:
    Monitor 10A (Peerless)
    Outlaw 1050 receiver
    Parasound HCA-1000A power amp
    MacPro
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    jimbo1421 wrote: »
    Does anyone else have a TV that nags or behaves badly when the internet is turned off?

    Don't know really, never actually tried it that way. I leave mine connected for the youtube and Netflix for the wife. Other than that, it's used for mostly cable tv viewing.

    Different strokes and all that.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • Derm
    Derm Posts: 95
    jimbo1421 wrote: »
    I dropped cable 20 years ago, have no desire for streaming services, and avoid social media, and think that the Internet of Things is mostly idiotic. I don't want to talk to my devices. In other words, I am a curmudgeon. A dumb (or brain damaged) TV for me.
    Jimbo, you are not alone my friend.
    I consider myself to be on top of tech but just because something new comes along doesn't mean it is good or useful. Alexa and Siri for example. Valid arguments on both sides for sure. Social media?....better to not go there.lol
    tonyb wrote: »
    I think the key there is to avoid the TV's with the built in camera.
    Trick is, to limit the data your willing to share. Unless you want to live in a cave, off the grid, it's impossible to completely avoid it these days. So when it comes to TV's, simply get the ones without the mic and camera.
    Good advice.
    You can also cover the camera eye and mic port on a smart TV as you can on your computer.

    I do not buy TV's with cameras.
    I even am rocking a 10 year old LG plasma and the picture is awesome to this day.

    Speakers
    Front - LsiM707, Front presence - LsiM703, Future ATMOS - VS 700LS
    Center - LsiM706c, Rear surrounds - 80 F/X LS, VS 900LS. Sub - (pair) Klipsch R-12SW
    AVR - Yamaha RX-A3010
    AMP - NAD C275BEE
    Main HT - LG 4K 75”, Sony UBXP800M2
    Bedroom HT - LG 55" 4K, Philips BDP7501 4K UHD player , Yamaha SRT-1500 sound projector, Spare room HT LG 50” plasma, Yamaha BD-671
    Office - Pioneer X-CM56, Bose iPod dock
    In Storage - 4 - RTiA9, RtiA3, CSiA6, FXiA4, Blackstone TL1

    The only source of knowledge is experience. Albert Einstein
  • kevhed72
    kevhed72 Posts: 4,949
    Every TV and projector I have owned has had limited capabilities handling darker scenes and blacks....for that reason, I would roll the dice on th Kuro to experience the fabled black handling capabilities. On a side note...our primary non PJ TV is a TCL P series which we like for the money we paid. But, it does have limited blacks IMO. Some day I have to break out the calibration disc and blu ray player to actually calibrate it. Game of Thrones has some pretty challenging dark scenes which are hard to see at times.
  • jimbo1421
    jimbo1421 Posts: 772
    A number of unforeseen expenses have popped up, so the new TV purchase is on hold. Bummer.
    5.1 System:
    TCL R613 55" 4K
    Front: SRS-3.1TL
    Center: CS400i
    Surround: Monitor 10B
    PSW10 subwoofer
    Onkyo PR-SC886P Pre/Pro
    NAD T955 5 channel power amplifier
    Technics SL-1710 MK2 turntable
    Audio-Technica AT14Sa cartridge
    Parasound P3 pre-amp
    Oppo BDP-103 Blu-Ray
    2014 MacBook Pro 2.8 GHz

    2.0 Office System:
    Monitor 10A (Peerless)
    Outlaw 1050 receiver
    Parasound HCA-1000A power amp
    MacPro