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What's the best and best bang for buck 55-65" Flat Panel

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vi edit said:
I read some comments that Panny bought Pioneer plasma tech and rolled some of it into the "V" series. Not sure how much truth there is to that.
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Panasonic bought the tech when Pioneer vacated the biz a few years ago. I know that the tech hadn't really been used through the 2010 model year, though. My only guess is that production cost must be a determining factor. Those Pioneers are/were amazing, but there's not much of a market for a $3000-$5000 plasma tv, when 98% of the population could spend $800-$1200 for the same size Samsung or LG and not notice the difference or care.

My guess is when tech costs come down enough, Panasonic will probably introduce it into their premium line. If they were smart, they would have purchased the Kuro name,too. Then they could distinguish the premium class from the consumer grade stuff, i.e. Panasonic Kuro or Viera-Kuro series. I've only ever seen one Pioneer at a store once, but even I would pony up some extra cash just for the name on reputation alone if I believed it had the same DNA.
 
The 2011 Panny Plasma have my interest.

I paid almost $2000 for a TV in 1997...I then sold that for another I paid $750 for (a total price error that was honored...should have been $1500).

Still have that set...it's finally getting issues. Black shadow detail was unreal on this set along with everything else.

Last year I made the switch to LCD for computer work with a NEC 2490WUXi.
 
Anubis said:
no they aren't. i was 20 min away from getting a 151 for 2k off of AVS last week

even brand new (if they happen to still exist) you can get them for 3-3.5
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Even $2k off I am seeing that would be about $4000.

From what I have been reading (it may be rumor/folklore), Panasonic is using Pioneers Kuro technology in their plasmas now.

I am thinking about either the: Panasonic TC-P55VT30 (it's a $2800 set).

or going nutty with: Panasonic TC-P65VT30 (it's a $4200 set).

I am sitting 9-10' away in my room. THX says 73" would be best, but for all the other measurements 65 would be perfect and 55 still acceptable.

Both of these sets are on the really high end price range but according to CES are the ones to buy. I don't plan on buying another set for a long time. My Cinema Series Toshiba CRT I has since 1997. When I was ready to buy another set back around 2002 nad then around 2007-2008...I just wasn't happy with the PQ out there. Things are different now, but for the last two years I wanted to focus on paying off all debt and building savings which is now completing in July.

The way I have learned to look at things is in multiples of my old credit payments. That 65" would be about 2 months worth.

I want to see it in person though and at the same time when other sets are half those prices am I really gaining much?

Some of the recommendations above did seem good, but if its discontinued or not available from reputable merchants I don't want to bother.
 
alkemyst said:
Even $2k off I am seeing that would be about $4000.

From what I have been reading (it may be rumor/folklore), Panasonic is using Pioneers Kuro technology in their plasmas now.

I am thinking about either the: Panasonic TC-P55VT30 (it's a $2800 set).

or going nutty with: Panasonic TC-P65VT30 (it's a $4200 set).

I am sitting 9-10' away in my room. THX says 73" would be best, but for all the other measurements 65 would be perfect and 55 still acceptable.

Both of these sets are on the really high end price range but according to CES are the ones to buy. I don't plan on buying another set for a long time. My Cinema Series Toshiba CRT I has since 1997. When I was ready to buy another set back around 2002 nad then around 2007-2008...I just wasn't happy with the PQ out there. Things are different now, but for the last two years I wanted to focus on paying off all debt and building savings which is now completing in July.

The way I have learned to look at things is in multiples of my old credit payments. That 65" would be about 2 months worth.

I want to see it in person though and at the same time when other sets are half those prices am I really gaining much?

Some of the recommendations above did seem good, but if its discontinued or not available from reputable merchants I don't want to bother.
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Panasonic did buy Pioneer's tech, but haven't fully implemented it and most likely never will due to the high cost.

For what it's worth, if I were to buy a TV today, it would most likely be a Panasonic V series. 🙂
 
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Drako said:
Those who are concerned about the Panasonic Plasma floating black issues:

http://hdguru.com/panasonic-proclai...lacks-for-its-2011-plasma-tvs/4241/#more-4241
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If Panasonic DID completely eliminate the floating blacks and black level rise issues, they will truly have a winner on their hands. But if you don't mind, I'll wait until I get some real feedback from people that have actually USED it first hand for awhile.

Update: Bad news. Rumors have it (insider information) that Panasonic's black levels will still rise over time on their new TV. I freakin' knew it. Same 'ol Panasonic.
 
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vi edit said:
I've done a lot of reading on that and it's an incredibly touchy topic. It's like 1/3 truth, 1/3 myth, 1/3 something that other manfs are doing but not as hyped as Panny.

I guess it happens...but many people will never notice it. But A/V people (and computer nerds too) bitch about anything that happens to their precious equipment and blow it out of proportion.

<---- does not work for Panasonic nor own anything in his house other than a couple phones made by Panasonic.
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Well Said! I have a 2007 Panny Plasma and have never noticed anything. I also have a 2010 VT25 and haven't noticed anything yet either. Keeping my fingers crossed on that one.
 
FIRESTORM007 said:
Well Said! I have a 2007 Panny Plasma and have never noticed anything. I also have a 2010 VT25 and haven't noticed anything yet either. Keeping my fingers crossed on that one.
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Well in all defense, the average viewer will not recognize many of the problems others see.

It's the same how most people would not pick the calibrated set out of ones 'tweaked' at a big box.
 
Wow, it's a good thing most ATOTers don't come in here. Still, I'm surprised no one has trolled alkemyst yet, since if anyone made a similar thread in OT, he'd be on the spot to tell them if they're not getting the best\most expensive model "it must suck to be so poor."

Example.
 
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Nebor said:
Wow, it's a good thing most ATOTers don't come in here. Still, I'm surprised no one has trolled alkemyst yet, since if anyone made a similar thread in OT, he'd be on the spot to tell them if they're not getting the best\most expensive model "it must suck to be so poor."
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I gave up years ago when he didnt understand when he was being trolled 🙁
 
Nebor said:
Wow, it's a good thing most ATOTers don't come in here. Still, I'm surprised no one has trolled alkemyst yet, since if anyone made a similar thread in OT, he'd be on the spot to tell them if they're not getting the best\most expensive model "it must suck to be so poor."

Example.
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Hmm there is no Trolling in AVHT idiot, which is why I should not be trolled.
 
alkemyst said:
The D7000 is one of the ones I have also looking at.
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The Samsung D7000 & D8000 are the better values, however the VT is the better overall set. Samsung wins by a mile in the style department though.

Both sets have their own issues. It's just a matter of which issues you can live with.
 
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You have to be careful about some plasmas - they can be as reflective as mirrors. My LG PK550, though otherwise superb, suffers from extreme reflectivity and I need to watch it in the dark only.
 
Howard said:
You have to be careful about some plasmas - they can be as reflective as mirrors. My LG PK550, though otherwise superb, suffers from extreme reflectivity and I need to watch it in the dark only.
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Very good point. The VT and D series do a pretty good job with reflection though. The VT model in particular has a very good AR filter to combat reflections.
 
Hopefully by July they confirm whether or not that rising black crap has been solved in the VT30.

The D7000/8000 are my second choices so far.

I am still debating LCD just due to glare potential...I rarely watch TV during the day but my wife likes bright and open rooms. My current one story home has about 20 windows each averaging 42" across. So far I have yet to see an LCD that black did not look gray to me.

One of the biggest reasons I switched out my Mitsubishi CRT for the Toshiba was shadow detail. I took like a $400-500 hit to resell the unopened TV I paid $2000 for in 1997 to buy a $750 one (should have been $1500, but best buy screwed up and actually honored their pricing mistake).
 
Howard said:
You have to be careful about some plasmas - they can be as reflective as mirrors. My LG PK550, though otherwise superb, suffers from extreme reflectivity and I need to watch it in the dark only.
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The higher end plasmas handle that better. Even lower end LCD's suffer glare.
 
alkemyst said:
The higher end plasmas handle that better. Even lower end LCD's suffer glare.
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The LG PK550 is actually a really nice plasma in terms of picture quality. Its big down side is that it is extremely reflective.

Another plasma to take into consideration is the Runco series. Great plasmas (using Panasonic glass) that use an interesting way of combating reflections. They actually apply the anti-reflective coating on the inside of the glass. This helps with cleaning the panel. With standard coating (applied to the exterior part of the panel), you have to be careful with the types of cleaning solvent you use. With the Runcos, you can use whatever you'd like. Another benefit to Runco is that they come with an awesome video processor for standard definition sources to provide the best possible output for the not so perfect content. Downside to Runco plasmas though, much more expensive than Panasonic and Sumsung offerings. Worth checking out if it is in your price range.
 
I wasn't implying it was a bad looking PQ set...I was saying only that higher end sets handle that with coatings. I added that even LCDs can have glare.

Runco is great, you do know that at the 65" level their set is around $20k last I checked though. I have been in quite a few homes with a Runco set. They are big in those that pay some guy to come and make it all happen.

I am questioning a $4000 set as worth it, I don't think I'd want to buy a set that's a trade in away from my wife's next car.
 
alkemyst said:
I wasn't implying it was a bad looking PQ set...I was saying only that higher end sets handle that with coatings. I added that even LCDs can have glare.

Runco is great, you do know that at the 65" level their set is around $20k last I checked though. I have been in quite a few homes with a Runco set. They are big in those that pay some guy to come and make it all happen.

I am questioning a $4000 set as worth it, I don't think I'd want to buy a set that's a trade in away from my wife's next car.
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It's actually about $15K. Just throwing it out there though.
 
1.) Be aware on the Samsung's that the 50" models don't have as deep as blacks as the larger sizes in the same model. It sounds like you're going for the largest or next largest size down, so this shouldn't impact you.

2.) OLED will be with us in the 2015-2016 timeframe in sizes people want in the affordable/"affordable" priceranges. That sounds far away, but isn't really. If you're holding onto this for 10 years as your primary set, might want to think about trying to get a discounted 2010 63" or 58" C8000, or a 2011 64" or 59" D7000 (instead of paying extra for the D8000). Go cheap now, bank money for an OLED in a few short years.

Last I'd read, the Panasonic's will still have the rising black issue, and they are still having some kind of other issue that isn't the floating black issue. And an early report is that the 2011 Samsung's might have some type of floating black issue as well.

No matter what you buy, make sure wherever you buy has a very good return policy. It seems like 2011 there still isn't a manufacturer that's delivered a line of sets that don't have issues.

Chuck
 
my intention would not to keep a TV set again for 10 years. I wish I bought the KURO when I was looking last.
 
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