Panasonic 50" ST50 (2012) or 50" GT30 (2011)?

[michaeljoo]

So, our current plasma (a Panasonic TH50PZ800UA, a 50" plasma, from 2008) recently started having problems. There is a 3" vertical black stripe going from top to bottom at about 1/4-1/3 of the way in from the right side. This makes watching the TV very frustrating.

We had a tech come out and take a look at it and unfortunately in order to fix it the "part" they need is an entire new panel, which costs more than what we paid for the entire TV over 3 years ago, not including the labor costs to actually repair the unit.

So, we are now in the process of replacing our TV.

Help me choose a new one!

Any advice and suggestions would be much appreciated.

Here are some considerations:
-TV will be in our family room.
-It will be our primary TV.
-We will be watching TV and BD's. No gaming, probably won't use any of the internet features on the TV either.
-7.1 sound through AVR, so TV speakers never used.
-Family room does not have good light control and is part of a very open floor plan (so getting really dark black levels is probably not a priority).
-We are currently in the process of building an HT in our basement (another month or two until finished?) which will become our primary movie/BD viewing venue, so this TV will become mostly used for watching TV (vs. movies) soon.
-This means that I'm not looking to get the absolute best or biggest TV since we will be doing most of our movie watching in our HT (JVC RS45 on a 126" screen).

-Probably looking for 50-55" size, plasma.

Options under consideration:
At this point, I've been looking into the Panasonics and are considering the following models.

(Prices are from Amazon, BB, or directly from Panasonic. Taxes were not included as I figured Amazon has no tax and the RZ points from BB from being Silver status and using a BB store card will almost cancel out the tax).

2011 Models:
50" GT30: $1199.98 ($1074.98)

55" ST30: $1199.99 ($1074.99)
55" GT30: $1399.98 ($1274.98)

2012 Models:
50" ST50" $1100.00*


I guess the 2-3 main issues/questions are:

1. Which is the better TV/trade off, a 2011 GT30 or a 2012 ST50?

It seems the cost of a 2011 55" GT30 would be about the same as a 2012 50" ST50. Aside from the size difference, which would be the better TV/buy?

The main differences of the 2012 ST50 series seem to be:
-new panel (NeoPlasma)
-12K shades of gradation (not the 24K for the GT50 and VT50, but still twice the 6K on the GT30 series)
-2500 Focused Field Drive panel drive

I'm not sure how much impact these features will actually have on the picture. I guess it also comes with upgraded speakers, but I won't be using them.

2. Which is the better trade off in size vs. model line (55" ST30 vs. 50" GT30)?

If I decide to stay with one of the 2011 models, the 50" GT and the 55" ST are about the same price. Which is the better set to get? I would probably lean towards more features (GT over ST) vs. the difference in size in this case (50" vs. 55").

3. Is the difference in the ST vs. GT lines worth the $ difference (about $200)?

Another option is to just stick with a 55" screen and consider moving out of the $1100 price range and paying the extra for the 55" GT30. For 55" the $ difference between the ST and GT models is $200. Is it worth it given my use and considerations above?

Ultimately, if I were really considering paying the extra for a 55" GT30, then I guess I would really then be asking is a 55" GT30 worth about $200 more than a 50" ST50 or 50" GT30?

At this point, I think I'm leaning towards the 50" ST50 direct from Panasonic for $1100, but would love to hear advice and suggestions from others here.

*Panasonic was pretty good and offered us a few options, even though our TV was way out of warranty. They essentially offered us the 50" ST50 for $1100 directly from them, or a $125 rebate if we purchased any other Panasonic TV from an authorized retailer (which is what the $ in () represent above).

Panasonic also offered to allow us to "hold" this deal for a while if we wanted to wait until other models came out or to wait for better pricing at retailers. However, I don't know if we would exercise that option as my wife wants a new TV ASAP because the black bar is really annoying!

Thanks!

[Bryceo]

I bort a 60" Samsung plasma for $1199
Grate picture sits in a verey dark room grate tv it's 2012 model

[soundwave628]

I just got the 60" ST30 for $1250 tax free and shipped. and to be honest I dont think the picture can get that much better, I'm sure you could measure it but it's gotta be fairly imperceptible, especially without a side by side. Also when I go friends houses with 50" panasonic plasmas I thought were big (used to have a 46" samsung DLP) I can't believe how small they look!

[michaeljoo]

Originally Posted by Bryceo

I bort a 60" Samsung plasma for $1199
Grate picture sits in a verey dark room grate tv it's 2012 model

Thanks for the input, Bryceo.

I'm not opposed to considering other brands, but since Panasonic has offered us a deal where they will give us some money back if we purchase another Panasonic, we are leaning strongly towards going with another Panny to take advantage of their offer to get a bit of a better deal.

Plus, other than this black stripe happening, we had been very pleased with our current Panny and I have to say, their support is pretty good.

Yes, it's true that it isn't stinks to have the unit fail in such a short time span (we had planned to keep the TV for a lot longer than that) and pretty much completely (not just a minor repair) since to fix it you need to purchase a new panel, which costs more than we paid for the TV itself.

However, our TV is over 3 years old, and though not too old, is way out of warranty, and Panasonic really has no obligation to offer any hlep or concession this far out of warranty. So I'm glad they are giving us something (plus they are giving us some kind of warranty of which I'm not sure of the details yet).

[michaeljoo]

Originally Posted by soundwave628

I just got the 60" ST30 for $1250 tax free and shipped. and to be honest I dont think the picture can get that much better, I'm sure you could measure it but it's gotta be fairly imperceptible, especially without a side by side. Also when I go friends houses with 50" panasonic plasmas I thought were big (used to have a 46" samsung DLP) I can't believe how small they look!

Thanks for the info, soundwave628.

Wow, that's a great price.

May I ask where you purchased and how recently? Is the deal still available?

Even if I don't go with the 60" size, I'm wondering if there is a proportionally good price on the 50-55" units?

I'm a bit wary about going up to 60-65" because:
-we went from 42" to our 50" Panny, and that was nice, but we never really felt we wished the TV was even bigger
-I would be concerned about mounting a TV of that weight since the TV in our family room is mounted above our fireplace. Our current 50" Panny was pretty hefty and was a challenge to mount, especially because the raised and rounded hearth that we have in front of fireplace make it difficult to access the wall mount plate. It's one thing to mount the TV on a regular wall at regular height (my brother has the same unit and I helped him mount that at regular height and it was no sweat). But when you are having to lift that thing above your head while also leaning over at the same time while partly on a ladder while trying to get the arm brackets onto the wall mount plate, it's not easy. So I would be hesitant to get a TV that was even heavier.
-I'm also concerned that the TV would start to look too big for the space above the fireplace. We don't have 2 story ceilings, so our current TV fits pretty well between the top of the fireplace and the ceiling.
-As I mentioned in my OP, since we are currently building an HT in the basement that will have a 126" screen, I'm OK that this TV is not the biggest that I can squeeze onto my wall, which I would be more inclined to do if we were not making the HT.

If the pricing is still valid where you got your 60" unit, I would definitely like to look into that.

Also, thanks for the input on the picture quality of the ST series.

For some things, like the deeper blacks on the new NeoPlasma panel, I'm not sure if I would even notice the benefit as much as this will be in an open family room and not in a dedicated HT, meaning there really is very little light control (lots of windows and open to most of the first floor) and I'm not painting the walls or ceilings black or even any kind of darker color. In the HT, yes, I'll do all of that, but in the family room, no.

I guess then the question would be bigger 55" ST30 or smaller 50" ST50 for about the same price.

[dLo]

If you live by a CostCo you should check their store to see if they still have the Panny 60" ST30 on sale for $1200. For the same price why not go bigger!

[michaeljoo]

Originally Posted by dLo

If you live by a CostCo you should check their store to see if they still have the Panny 60" ST30 on sale for $1200. For the same price why not go bigger!

Thanks for the info, dLo.

I wonder if that is where soundwave628 got his Panny 60" ST30 mentioned earlier? Although he mentioned getting it tax free and shipped.

I do have a Costco about 20' away, but I don't have a membership anymore (my brother may still have one though).

Regarding going bigger for the same price, part of it is concern about the size/weight and having to mount such a heavy TV in a tricky location above a fireplace (see my last post above).

The other part of it is the size vs. features trade off.

Which would give the best value/return for the $?

A larger screen with the 55" or 60" (if I went with that size) 2011 ST30, or the newer features in a smaller 50" 2012 ST50?

I'm not completely decided yet, but was leaning towards smaller, but newer model. I guess it's one of those questions that ultimately comes down to preference and which is more important to you, but I'm open to and wanting to hear others' thoughts on the matter, which is why I posted here.

[soundwave628]

I just purchased it like 2 weeks ago from amazon. It was fluctuating in price because I saw it for $1250 a week earlier and I held off til I could see one in person(bestbuy didn't have one on the floor anyways),when I got home price was back to $1400+ though. Just keep checking amazon a few times a day everyday and I'm sure it will drop again.

[Gond13]

If you're considering the 55ST30, i just saw it on the Tiger Direct website for $999.

I purchased the 50ST30 about a month ago. If you can afford it i would say go with the GT30. I do think the ST30 is a good television but in my honest opinion i have been somewhat underwhelmed.

[soundwave628]

underwhelmed how? you really think the GT is like $600-$700 better? have you calibrated it at all? I see no motion blur or weird artifacts when panning across skylines or whatever(which one review said it was horrible at)my blacks are BLACK I can barely differentiate them from the TV itself. and colors can be vibrant or very natural depending on the movie etc. also gaming is just awesome, having a blast with uncharted 3 right now. The only issure I'm having with with my whites while trying to calibrate with the spears and munsil disc, I had the same problem with my 32" panasonic LCD aswell though. I don't think I'd know there was a "problem" if the I didn't have the disc, still playing with settings to get itas close to perfect as I can though. Oh and as I said if you jump to 60 I think you'll get a lot more wow than you think.

[Wingman1977]

The GT & ST series are identical except that that the GT has the THX picture mode (at least with the 30 series because I haven't seen the specs of the 50 series yet).

[michaeljoo]

Originally Posted by soundwave628

I just purchased it like 2 weeks ago from amazon. It was fluctuating in price because I saw it for $1250 a week earlier and I held off til I could see one in person(bestbuy didn't have one on the floor anyways),when I got home price was back to $1400+ though. Just keep checking amazon a few times a day everyday and I'm sure it will drop again.

soundwave628, thanks for the info.

I'm glad that there seems to be the potential for that price on Amazon because (a) I don't have a Costco membership anymore and (b) it's easier having the TV shipped to me for free (I purchased my last Panny from Amazon and they brought it inside and unpacked it and everything!).

Also, since both Costco and Amazon have had similar pricing recently, that price point is not just an outlier.

However, I wonder if that means that the smaller sizes (50-55") would be respectively less expensive by the usual price differences between the sizes, or if this is anomalous and the price drop on the 60" is more than the corresponding price drop on the other sized units.

I did notice this for one of the sizes when I was starting a price analysis last night. Come to think of it, it may have been this 60" ST30, at BB. The larger size was similar in price or maybe even a little less expensive than the smaller size in the same line.

In anycase, I'll definitely start setting up some price trackers on CCC.

[michaeljoo]

Originally Posted by Wingman1977

The GT & ST series are identical except that that the GT has the THX picture mode (at least with the 30 series because I haven't seen the specs of the 50 series yet).

Thanks for the info, Wingman1977.

I've only just started reading and researching last night.

I do remember reading about the THX picture mode but it was late at night and features/specs were starting to run together in my head, so I don't recall what that is.

Is it just a preset for a bunch of settings?

Or more of a mode where you can tweak things in a way you can't in the ST series?

[michaeljoo]

Originally Posted by Gond13

If you're considering the 55ST30, i just saw it on the Tiger Direct website for $999.

I purchased the 50ST30 about a month ago. If you can afford it i would say go with the GT30. I do think the ST30 is a good television but in my honest opinion i have been somewhat underwhelmed.

Originally Posted by soundwave628

underwhelmed how? you really think the GT is like $600-$700 better?

Gond13, thanks for the tip! I'll check out Tiger Direct (are they an authorized Panny dealer?).

Regarding the ST vs. GT, I take it that you are referring to the actual quality of the pic vs. the size.

Could you elaborate more on what you were not satisfied with on the ST series or what you wish was better?

And I guess to frame that question with a reference point as soundwave628 did (since I'm sure we could all find things that we wish were better on any TV), would you consider the difference going from the ST to the GT series to be worth the increase in cost?

I don't have my numbers in front of me now (they're at home), but IIRC I think there may have been only a $300 price difference between the ST and GT lines for the 55" ST30 vs. GT30.

However, the price difference between the two lines may be greater for the 60" size as soundwave628 pointed out.

[michaeljoo]

Originally Posted by soundwave628

have you calibrated it at all? I see no motion blur or weird artifacts when panning across skylines or whatever(which one review said it was horrible at)my blacks are BLACK I can barely differentiate them from the TV itself. and colors can be vibrant or very natural depending on the movie etc. also gaming is just awesome, having a blast with uncharted 3 right now. The only issure I'm having with with my whites while trying to calibrate with the spears and munsil disc, I had the same problem with my 32" panasonic LCD aswell though. I don't think I'd know there was a "problem" if the I didn't have the disc, still playing with settings to get itas close to perfect as I can though. Oh and as I said if you jump to 60 I think you'll get a lot more wow than you think.

Thanks for the detailed input, soundwave628.

Yes, after you've calibrated with something like the S&M, WoW, or other calibration discs and gotten the settings close to "perfect" or where you want them, sometimes it seems it can be hard to pick out things unless you are doing a side by side with a point of reference right there.

I guess a videophile might be able to pick out really subtle things more easily without a point of reference to directly compare to, but I'm not sure if I can.

The other thing I want to point out again is that this TV will not be in a controlled or optimpal viewing environment.

It's in an open family room. In that context, how much will I appreciate, for example, the difference in dark levels or shades of gradation between the 2011 panel and the 2012 NeoPlasma panel when I am watching TV in the daytime (lots of windows) or with the lights on, in a room with white ceilings and light colored walls?

However, if I understand it correctly, I think there are supposed to be other benefits between the 2011 and 2012 models, like smoother motion. I guess something like that could be noticed even when lighting conditions are not ideal if the improvement was significant enough.

[kris achar]

Originally Posted by dLo

If you live by a CostCo you should check their store to see if they still have the Panny 60" ST30 on sale for $1200. For the same price why not go bigger!

Even i think that bigger is always better ! And only after a week of usage you will feel for a need for bigger tv.Our eyes gets used to the present size.
So many here say the tv shrinks very fast as you use.
Go to the local panny brand shop and see the size difference and then make your choice.
I settled for 50inches purely for budget reason,while my heart is still fixed with vt 65inches.

[dobyblue]

I would wait a couple more weeks, should be some in depth looks at the ST50 soon.

Either choice though would be good IMO, but it can't be much longer until some people start testing the new sets.

[Robert Zohn]

We just put up some photos of the ST50s on our Facebook page and we've been breaking-in a few since early this week. I should have our review posted this evening on my Facebook page.

Enjoy!

-Robert

[Wingman1977]

Originally Posted by Robert Zohn

We just put up some photos of the ST50s on our Facebook page and we've been breaking-in a few since early this week. I should have our review posted this evening on my Facebook page.

Enjoy!

-Robert

I can't wait until you work on the V50 (when you get them in).

[michaeljoo]

Originally Posted by Robert Zohn

We just put up some photos of the ST50s on our Facebook page and we've been breaking-in a few since early this week. I should have our review posted this evening on my Facebook page.

Enjoy!

-Robert

Great, Robert, I look forward to your review.

I'm sort of leaning towards the 50" ST50 over the 50-55" ST30 or GT30 models.