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11-30-2007, 08:36 PM
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Plasma TV Opinions
I'll send this to the tech forum in a bit...
Need some fast help... Unreal situation occurring...the GF's uncle is going to buy a 50" plasma as a housewarming present. No [censored]. I don't want to kill the guy...but he said he wants to get a good one. Talk to me techies...no clue about 720/1080 I/P          
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11-30-2007, 08:49 PM
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I bought mine last Spring and love it. The difference between 720 and 1080 is simply one of higher "potential" resolution. I use the word potential because currently high-def dvd or blue-ray are the only two media which will take advantage of 1080.
I bought a 50" Hewlett Packard (720) on clearance last March and love it. In fact, I'm using it as a gigantic computer monitor right now as I type this from my armchair and enjoy my Friday evening martini. A couple of other thoughts, the bigger you go, the better (and more cost effective) plasma is over lcd. However... Plasma is prone to burn in, so don't pause the dvd or xbox while you cook dinner. So far, I haven't found it to be a problem with some common sense and precautions. Infact, I've been using it as a giant monitor now for a couple of months with no burn in noticed. Plasma also shouldn't be placed where it's going to be in direct sunlight. For me, in a rehabbed greystone in Chicago, it's not a problem. Our media room has only one window that has the next building 18 inches away. If you're going to put the tv in a large airy, sun-drenched suburban den, I'd think about lcd. Two other suggestions. If you don't have one, you'll need to buy a good home theatre sound system to get the full use of the tv, and a logitech universal remote seems overpriced until you actually start using it. If you want a "good one" I believe that the Pioneer and the higher end Panasonics are some of the best plasmas. Hewlett Packard sells a "rebranded" Phillips that I'm very happy with--plus given the brand it's set up to easily hook a laptop into. Oh yeah, get one with multiple HDMI inputs. That is my one complaint about mine--only one HDMI input, which I use for the HD cable box. I'd like a second one for when I upgrade my dvd theatre. Oh well, I got a huge, huge bargain, so I can't complain.
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11-30-2007, 08:54 PM
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Money no object - Pioneer Kuro 50-inch 720p or equivalent - this would set anybody back at least $3,500
Typical model - Best Buy They also carry the Kuro / Cinema Pioneer true 1080p model a "steal" at $4,999 And that tells you all you need to know about true 1080p Plasmas - (typically carrying 1920 x 1080 resolution) they are at least 50% more than their 1080i / 720p equivalents. I always preach that you get what you pay for with Plasmas - particularly the video chip that handles most of the smoothing functions - without which watching non-HD can be a royal pain in the rear. Pioneer has that licked. OK - now if you want to be a softie with your deep pockets rich uncle, at the other end of the spectrum is Vizio - their 50-inch 720p model is $1,499 - though at Circuit City that will be discounted to $1,200. Not a bad set by any means. You may want to see just how it handles less than optimum signal input. Try to see if you can get the store to show a really dark background film - say on HBO HD. (Or the upconverted signal from a DVD like Lord of The Rings - bring along a copy of your movie and make them play it). If the contrast is not to your liking then you may want to look in the price tiers between Vizio and the top of the line Pioneer models. Don't fall for the store wowing you with an HD Sports event - believe it or not even you will be watching a lot of stuff other than sports. So, you want a set that will be good at showing a broad variety of media - at different resolutions. One other trick - have the input signal set to automatically switch resolution at set - so you can see how it handles switching from native 480i through 1080i (or 1080p if those pockets are really $5,000 deep). Then have it upconvert everything to see how that looks to your eyes. EDIT - Per ORD - yes, more HDMI (or added component in a pinch) inputs area must. Most sets come with at least 2 these days.
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11-30-2007, 09:21 PM
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The best picture I have ever seen was on a Mitsubishi 70" LCD - the colors were unbelievable. And this was at a specialty store that had $15,000 and higher projectors with 9 foot screens.
i know it's not plasma, but I think they make a 55" version too. The Mitsubishi PD5065 is a fantastic 50" plasma also.
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11-30-2007, 09:36 PM
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Agreed on the multiple HDMI inputs - more and more devices are adding these and HDMI cables give you the best signal. I've had a 42" Panasonic (easy to find, reasonably priced) for about 2 1/2 years and have never had a complaint except having only 1 HDMI input.
Pioneer is also (or was last time I looked) to have the best "true black" which gives HD programming more "pop" I also have a small LCD tv from LG which I bought because it had the best picture out of all the 19" tvs it was the best picture of the tv's it around at the store. Not sure if that helps. It was once thought that LCD was worse in large format, but I believe that, in general, they worked out the bugs in the bigger size. I think my pops has an Aquos - also a great pic. Seriously, if you don't already have HD, it's going to be faaaantastic no matter what you get, just be sure to call Direct TV (or whomever) quickly to get a new HD cable box.
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11-30-2007, 09:46 PM
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What brands should I avoid?
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11-30-2007, 09:58 PM
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Daewoo.
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11-30-2007, 10:00 PM
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Avoid everything not Pioneer or Panasonic (some may add Samsung).
To a few things... Burn in is such a minor issue, it really isn't much of one anymore. You will only get burn in if you let an image sit for 24 hours of more. The worst you will get is some ghosting of images that will clear up once you watch moving images again. Pioneer is the best, but you will pay a premium. I paid the premium for the better blacks/contrast and the 4 HDMI inputs. Panasonic is darn good though. As for resolution...the whole 1080p vs 720p (not really 720 for most tv's) is always a debate. There are few true 1080p sources, and even then if you have a 50" screen you more than likely cannot tell the difference from a normal viewing distance. Anything over 6-8 ft. from the screen is not discernible by the human eye on a 50" screen. The one plus of a 1080p tv is it will interlace 1080i content better. Yet even then the Pioneer 768 (what you will hear as 720p, but it's really 768...it's a computer resolution thing) passed the 1080i interlacing test. As for lighting, it has little to do with plasma (they are plenty bright). It is all about the glass used on the panel. The Pioneer's and Panny's have anti reflective/glare screens that really help, and they are plenty bright. LCD's are brighter though, so many consider them better in bright rooms. Yet they are terrible in low lighting. So it's up to you. BTW...do not go LCD yet. Even the best still have motion blur during sports, and the black levels are really poor (see my low lighting comment). Black levels really show up in low lighting, and I love a dark room for movies. Go to the AVS forums and you will learn a ton, but is can be confusing. Yet I think 80% plus would agree for plasma go Pioneer or Panny, or go home.
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11-30-2007, 10:01 PM
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11-30-2007, 10:07 PM
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I have been researching as well. If I go with plasma it'll be that 42" panasonic from circuit city, which is right around $1200 right now. Going up to 50" is about a grand difference. About 3 people I know have that TV and love it, the one guy has a 42" and a 50" one
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11-30-2007, 10:09 PM
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11-30-2007, 10:12 PM
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Grad, Best Buy is offering major savings for package deals ($300 off DirecTV, $100 off for buying speakers, $100 off for buying bluray player, $100 off for installation). Check your inbox for more information.
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11-30-2007, 10:16 PM
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11-30-2007, 10:16 PM
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Panasonic - 50" 720p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV - TH-50PX75U I consider Samsung 3rd, but in my eyes it's not a close 3rd. Yet they are pretty reliable, and most plasmas are these days (on average about 6-8 defects per 100 for the good ones, which Samsung is). I would bet your local Best Buy has both of them. Go there. Check them both out, and make the decision. Last edited by scott91575; 11-30-2007 at 10:22 PM.
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11-30-2007, 10:22 PM
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BTW...if you check my link the 50" is $1800 at BB. So $600 for 50".
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