Kicking The Tires On A New TV...Advice Needed

[pk500]

Saw this Panasonic plasma at Costco this evevning. Seems like a heck of a deal with some nice specs. Not interested in 3D or internet capability. Any thoughts? I've never owned a plasma but I was amazed at the picture quality.

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.as ... 4*&topnav=

The Panny plasma is the successor to the set I bought 2.5 years ago. I love my Panny plasma.

Word to the wise, though: Don't buy a plasma unless you have good light control in your room. Plasmas are no good in rooms that get a ton of direct sunlight because the screens are still glass, so direct sunlight turns them into a large mirror.

But you'll dig the Panny plasma if you primarily watch TV at night or in a room in which you can control light.

[bdunn13]

Please, if your friend's TV sucks, don't tell him!!!!

So, long story - who knows how far it will go. I will try to keep it short...

I had a football / poker party opening Wednesday night for the NFL... we were playing poker and watching the game and my friends complained my TV was green... I never really noticed much.. I have a Sony SXRD XBR2 60'' - I paid about 2400 for it 6 years ago... I got a really good deal at the time.


I talked to my wife and she said it has been green since I changed the bulb over a year ago while living in Bama....

Well, last Saturday I decided to add a second TV to my living room. I bought a VIZIO LED as a 4th choice as ever TV I wanted they didn't have. I really wanted the 42''(think that is the size) Panny Plasma for $399....

Well, I get home and decide to move my bedroom TV to the living room and use the full motion wall mount I bought... I never opened the VIZIO and I hate being rushed - I am a patient over research poor decision make when it comes to stuff....

So I hooked up my Samsung 40'' LED and used the OTA tuner to watch FSU / Clemson - the TV is beautiful. It REALLY made me notice how green 60'' Sony is.... So Sunday I did some research and found out there was a lawsuit that i missed out on in regards to my TV - Sony agreed to extend the warranty by 2 years but that expired in 2010 I think. However, they were offering some people deals on current Sonys.

Here is what they offered me.

KDL55HX750 for $1000.00 + local sales tax

I asked for an offer on the 929 and here is what they offered..

XBR55HX929 $1570 + local sales tax.

Both are good deals.. the 750 retails for about 1700 or so and the 929 for 2700.

But I can't just consider that - I have to look at what I can buy for that price on a different model TV. Just b/c you can get a good deal off of retails doesn't mean it is good or right for you. One, I will miss 60'' somewhat. A 55 inch TV is 20% less screen space than a 60'' - that is a lot.

I went looking at TVs yesterday and I loved the new plasmas - I have never been a plasma guy but they look fantastic. I know you can't rely on what you see in store since many places use a watered down analog connection...

The Panny plasma I liked was.. http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Panasonic+- ... Id=4841563


model : TC-P60UT50 - it is 1300

I really only want a Panny, LG, Sony or VIZIO for any smart tv I will get since I want amazon instant.. I am also not sure if I will ever use 3D...... I am also scared smart tvs will be super slow... as someone who uses computers all day has, I no patience for a slow piece of equipment...

I also haven't ruled out waiting until Black Friday and buying a deal then and just having no TV in the bedroom until them... or buying a new TV now. moving that to the bedroom.. then after football season moving the tv from the living room back to the bedroom and waiting to buy a wall secondary living room tv until next fall.. I would just use the green TV until Super Bowl....

Thoughts?

I hate making these decisions.

Thanks,
Brad


- not proof reading so blanket apology for any errors.

[bdunn13]

Well thanks to everyone's help here I purchased a new TV saturday...

http://www.hhgregg.com/samsung-60-class ... m/PN60E550

Loving the TV so far... picture is great... audio is awful.. I will have to use my audio system now (which I seldomly used before)....

The stand sucks - as it wobbles... I will eventually have to put in on the wall.....

BD

[DivotMaker]

Congrats and enjoy the TV!

[bdunn13]

Congrats and enjoy the TV!

Thanks - it is amazing how good Pixar stuff looks!

[pk500]

A plasma -- good man!

Glad you didn't let the myths spread by moronic sales people deter you from buying a plasma. It's still GREAT TV technology in the proper surroundings.

[Pete1210]

Saw this Panasonic plasma at Costco this evevning. Seems like a heck of a deal with some nice specs. Not interested in 3D or internet capability. Any thoughts? I've never owned a plasma but I was amazed at the picture quality.

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.as ... 4*&topnav=

I'm considering this plasma TV. Just fear the burn-in issue as the TV will be used primarily for gaming, a lot of gaming between me and the kids. I'm reading long gaming sessions on plasma are not recommended. Most I usually go is about 2 hours, but maybe could stretch ot 6 or 8. Should I go LCD?

[dbdynsty25]

I'm considering this plasma TV. Just fear the burn-in issue as the TV will be used primarily for gaming, a lot of gaming between me and the kids. I'm reading long gaming sessions on plasma are not recommended. Most I usually go is about 2 hours, but maybe could stretch ot 6 or 8. Should I go LCD?

Plasma is fine as long as you're not pausing the game and just letting it sit on a particular screen for too long. The good thing is all of the console dim the screen after inactivity anyway, so it really isn't an issue anymore. Plasma tech has improved since their inception and burn-in, while still an issue more so than lcd, isn't that big of a deal anymore.

Buying at Costco is a great choice btw. Use your american express if you've got one and you've got a 3 year warranty without buying an extended anything. MFR is a year, Costco tacks on a year cuz they are awesome, and Amex tacks on the 3rd. It's genius really. So even if you do decide to go LCD (I still love Vizios price/performance), get it at Costco.

[Brando70]

Saw this Panasonic plasma at Costco this evevning. Seems like a heck of a deal with some nice specs. Not interested in 3D or internet capability. Any thoughts? I've never owned a plasma but I was amazed at the picture quality.

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.as ... 4*&topnav=

I'm considering this plasma TV. Just fear the burn-in issue as the TV will be used primarily for gaming, a lot of gaming between me and the kids. I'm reading long gaming sessions on plasma are not recommended. Most I usually go is about 2 hours, but maybe could stretch ot 6 or 8. Should I go LCD?

It should be fine, but you will want to break the set in. It is highly unlikely you will permanently burn an image into a plasma TV, but they do suffer temporary image retention, especially early in the life of the set. It's likely you won't even notice it while watching TV, but if you play something with a HUD like Madden, you may notice some ghosting if you have the TV on with no signal.

You should probably avoid much if any gaming for the first 100 hours -- that's when plasmas are most vulnerable. After that, game away, but if you play anything that has a HUD or other static image that stays on for a long time (Madden score bar is a good example), you may see temporary image retention. I recommend putting on something else for 30-60 minutes after your done gaming, like a movie or Discovery.

After about the 400-500 hour mark, it's pretty much about the same as LCD. You may see some temporary image retention, but it will get fainter and fade away more quickly over time. I have two plasmas, one since 2005, and neither ever had more than some temporary image retention. Well worth it for the picture quality IMHO.

[Pete1210]

Thanks for the feedback.

I bought the TV (50" Panny plasma) at Costco and hooked it up yesterday. I love it. Picture blows away the old DLP that its replacing.

[sportdan30]

Thanks for the feedback.

I bought the TV (50" Panny plasma) at Costco and hooked it up yesterday. I love it. Picture blows away the old DLP that its replacing.

Really liked the picture when I saw it at Costco, but was questioning the dimness that I notice in a lot of plasmas. Any issues with the picture being too dim?

[Brando70]

Thanks for the feedback.

I bought the TV (50" Panny plasma) at Costco and hooked it up yesterday. I love it. Picture blows away the old DLP that its replacing.

Really liked the picture when I saw it at Costco, but was questioning the dimness that I notice in a lot of plasmas. Any issues with the picture being too dim?

One man's too dim is another man's too bright on LCDs.

I think a good rule of thumb for preference is this:

You want your screen too look like a movie in a theater -- plasma

You want your screen to look like HD video -- LCD/LED

Both have their positives and negatives, and both are really equal in my mind. It just comes down to personal preference.

[Pete1210]

Thanks for the feedback.

I bought the TV (50" Panny plasma) at Costco and hooked it up yesterday. I love it. Picture blows away the old DLP that its replacing.

Really liked the picture when I saw it at Costco, but was questioning the dimness that I notice in a lot of plasmas. Any issues with the picture being too dim?

Not at all. In a well lit room (artificial light) I have it set on under 50 in brightness and contrast (for break in purposes) and it looks bright as my LCD, just a smoother picture. There is some reflection on dark backgrounds. I would only hesitate on plasma if the TV room has lots of windows.

BTW, its on sale for $100 off until 10/27.

[pk500]

Yep, light control is VITAL for a plasma. You wouldn't want to put one in a sun room without blinds or a room with a sky light, for example.

[rhymes450]

Thinking of pulling the trigger on this:

http://www.digitaldirect.co.uk/panasonic/22860

or this (I won't be buying at these sites):

http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/samsung-ps ... 6-pdt.html

The third option is a basic 42" LG 1080p LED. I fancy the big screen size of the plasmas but I'm a bit worried about what seems like a comparatively low resolution (1024 x 768) apart from the usual glare and burn-in stuff, which seem to be less of an issue these days.

Low-budget stuff I know (c'est la vie ) but opinions appreciated. I guess my main worry is ending up with a crap plasma (prices seem to be too good to be true) and regretting not going down what seems like the safer LED route.

[Spooky]

Thinking of pulling the trigger on this:

http://www.digitaldirect.co.uk/panasonic/22860

or this (I won't be buying at these sites):

http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/samsung-ps ... 6-pdt.html

The third option is a basic 42" LG 1080p LED. I fancy the big screen size of the plasmas but I'm a bit worried about what seems like a comparatively low resolution (1024 x 768) apart from the usual glare and burn-in stuff, which seem to be less of an issue these days.

Low-budget stuff I know (c'est la vie ) but opinions appreciated. I guess my main worry is ending up with a crap plasma (prices seem to be too good to be true) and regretting not going down what seems like the safer LED route.

I'm not sure about either of these exact models but I would definitely go with Panasonic for plasma over Samsung. Samsung is better at LED/LCD displays.

[Pete1210]

Thinking of pulling the trigger on this:

http://www.digitaldirect.co.uk/panasonic/22860

or this (I won't be buying at these sites):

http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/samsung-ps ... 6-pdt.html

The third option is a basic 42" LG 1080p LED. I fancy the big screen size of the plasmas but I'm a bit worried about what seems like a comparatively low resolution (1024 x 768) apart from the usual glare and burn-in stuff, which seem to be less of an issue these days.

Low-budget stuff I know (c'est la vie ) but opinions appreciated. I guess my main worry is ending up with a crap plasma (prices seem to be too good to be true) and regretting not going down what seems like the safer LED route.

I bought what looks like a similar Panisonic Plasma (Model TC-50PU54) for around the same price. Absolutely awesome picture. I love it. Reviews confirmed that the quality of this TV is ridiculously good compared to the price. I think you'd more regret not having the bigger plasma

[rhymes450]

Thanks for the input guys. According to this review, the Samsung I mentioned beats the Panasonic at the absolute low end of the market (where I find myself):

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-33199_7-57 ... lasma-tvs/

but as soon as you step up a few bucks, the Panasonic starts to come into its own.

Mike, I think the Panasonic you bought is better than the one I linked to (1080p as opposed to 720p) and it seems you've got yourself an excellent TV without breaking the bank. I was originally attracted by a 400 euro deal on a 42" LED and now I'm looking at the Samsung plasma for about 500. For about 100 more, I could probably have the TV you bought so I'll just have to think about whether I want to step up from my original budget to that figure. I've decided to sit on that decision over Christmas because I'll be away for about 3 weeks and I don't fancy leaving the break-in period to others. Always the same with this type of purchase...for a few dollars/pounds/euro more, you can have X,Y and Z bells and whistles and suddenly you're handing over the 3 grand and thinking how ridiculous the family looks in those 3D glasses

[RobVarak]

An informative article about "Game Modes" on today's TVs with some other great tidbits about picking a good TV for gaming.

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-33199_7-57 ... game-mode/

I thought this was particularly interesting.

One of the most common offenders of bad input lag is high frame rate LCDs (120 and 240Hz). The processing needed to fill these higher frame rates is intensive, and one of the first things to go in Game mode. However, ditching these higher frame rates means motion blur is greatly increased, so everything that moves, or if your avatar looks around, the image blurs. This can be almost as bad as the input lag in as much as it prevents you from accurately seeing your enemies.

[Diablo25]

Looks like that new Tv might be coming soon. I'm heading into the finals in both of my fantasy leagues . I'll know next week and then I'll hit up this thread for some advice.

[sportdan30]

Finally decided on a TV for the basement. Picked up the 50" Panasonic Plasma on sale at BB. Waited too long to get it at Costco unfortunately. Still, absolutely impressed with the picture quality. Really happy with my purchase and I can't wait to watch sports, movies, and play games on it!

[pk500]

Finally decided on a TV for the basement. Picked up the 50" Panasonic Plasma on sale at BB. Waited too long to get it at Costco unfortunately. Still, absolutely impressed with the picture quality. Really happy with my purchase and I can't wait to watch sports, movies, and play games on it!

Fine choice. Congrats! Great set. You'll dig it.

[sportdan30]

Love it Pk. Thanks for pushing me towards Plasma.

I've already noticed a couple real strong positives besides the gorgeous picture. Number one, my directv receiver is a heck of a lot more responsive and faster. The remote pulls up the guide in an instant and it pages down incredibly quickly.

Also, I've never gamed on a plasma before and immediately I recognized the instantaneous responsiveness when playing NBA 2K13 and NHL 13. Especially in NBA 2K13, I don't feel as though I'm fighting with the controls. It's really really nice. Played a quick inning of MLB 12 The Show. Before on my old LCD, there would be this halo around the ball when throwing the ball to first as an example. Not the case on the plasma.

Very strong first impressions.

[pk500]

Had no idea about the better response with satellite TV, as I have cable.

SOLID!

[sportdan30]

Do I need to worry about my son and his friend having a five hour gaming session on my new plasma? They'd be playing WWE 13 with a couple static images on the screen. My fear is burn in as I have less than 15 hours viewing on the television.