Regarding the price of Panny Plasma's... - Blu-ray Forum

joegs300 · 01-20-2009, 03:27 PM

First and foremost I want to state how much of a newbie I am when it comes to Panny plasma's and any plasma's in general. I have my eye on a couple of Panny sets that seem to have caught my eye... and several other members' eye's here on the board. They are these two sets:

Panasonic Viera TH-46PZ85U 46-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV
vs.
Panasonic Viera TH-50PZ80U 50-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV

My question is this: pricing...

What is the market of these or any other Panny plasmas? I'm not **quite** in the market just yet (I just blew another huge load on blu's... stupid me) and I'm still a few hundred short of nearing my mark. Do prices of TVs generally go down over the months or do they stay at eye level until the next model comes out? Thanks for your help guys and any advice on the TVs above in general would certainly help. I have done my searches so anything above the ordinary would be nice!

Thanks again!

-(almost) New Panny Guy

Hammie · 01-20-2009, 06:40 PM

In talking with a Panny Direct sales rep, these TVs are becoming hard to come by. Basically they are slowing their production down on the current models and getting the factories ready to put out the 2009 models.

The reason this came up was because I recently bought my in-laws a 42PZ80u set. When it arrived with a broken screen, I called to schedule am exchange. Their first response was that they had no more in their warehouse and would refund me all of my money. After asking about the 85u as a replacement for the same cost, they said they would need to call me back after some research. The following day, I got a call and was told that they found a replacement 80u in their west coast distribution warehouse since the East Coast warehouse in Illinois was completely out of that model.

After chatting a bit, he said that this is normal for this time of year at Panasonic when they get ready for the new models. However, local and online stores may still be selling them since they usually buy a large quantity and maintain them in their own warehouses.

Just thought I'd share my story.

joegs300 · 01-20-2009, 08:11 PM

thanks for your story.. i think these tvs are still worth buying though, right? its not like they literally age..

surfdude12 · 01-20-2009, 08:14 PM

great tv's!!! i just got the 42px80u for my parents for christmas for $640 shipped! amazon sale.

its hard to tell where the price of TV's are going, but with the economy not doing so hot, you'd think TV manufacturers volumes are down (who has $$ to buy a $2000 TV, except loons like us?) so i'd imagine they'll have to lower prices to get their sales numbers up.

joegs300 · 01-21-2009, 01:49 AM

thats good to hear.. im excited to jump on a 46'' or a 50'' panny, cant decide!

Santeria · 01-21-2009, 02:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joegs300

thats good to hear.. im excited to jump on a 46'' or a 50'' panny, cant decide!

just get a 720P 50" 50px80u at costco for 899 +tax

joegs300 · 01-21-2009, 02:37 AM

wouldn't it be better to get the 50pz80u which is 1080p?

Santeria · 01-21-2009, 02:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joegs300

wouldn't it be better to get the 50pz80u which is 1080p?

thats 1199 but OOS in most costcos!

joegs300 · 01-21-2009, 03:53 AM

sorry whats OOS

Bigblue622 · 01-21-2009, 04:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joegs300

sorry whats OOS

Out of Stock I would assume

jpm35216 · 01-21-2009, 04:04 AM

Get the 50pz80u...you won't regret it. I love mine!

joegs300 · 01-21-2009, 06:12 AM

i ended up getting the panny 46pz80u because the 50 would be just too big for my bedroom. i am setting the tv up at the foot of my queen size bed so i think 50 inches would be overkill considering that is almost as wide as the bed itself...

victimsofadown · 01-21-2009, 02:06 PM

I guess as a follow up to this question, will next years models be similarly priced?

For example: I was looking at the 50" 800U for about $2000, is there going to be a 2009 model with the 24p, picture equal (if not better), and THX mode for around the same price?

If so, I certainly wouldn't mind waiting until April... my worry is that in April the 2009 TVs will be in, the 2008 TVs will be out, and the 2009 TVs will be 2500-3000 (which is outside of my price range).

On the other hand, if there is a similar (if not better) TV for 2000, then I'll feel silly for jumping the gun.

I'm probably going to have this TV for 5-10 years, so a few months isn't a big deal... but I don't really know how these things work.

joegs300 · 01-21-2009, 02:20 PM

im in the same boat. oh well. =[

charris0607 · 01-21-2009, 02:50 PM

So... first off. Good choice on choosing Panasonic. In my 8+ years of working in the Home A/V industry I have not found another brand of televisions, besides Pioneer, to be consistently great year after year. A great value for anybody.

Now, what you need to determine first, is size. That will be determinate on how far back you are sitting from the TV, on average; do not look at how big the room is. A lot of people look at how big the room is and make their decision off of that. The problem with that is that you might end up with a tv WAY too large for where you are sitting and it will overwhelm you. Once you have determined the size, then you can look at picture quality and features.

Now, between the PZ80 and PZ85 series Panasonics, you will not notice a difference in picture at all. They have the same exact processor in both series. The processor does not change until the PZ800 and PZ850 series. The only difference between the PZ80 and PZ85 series is the PC input. That really only helps if you are going to be using it as a computer monitor.

If you are really concerned about movie watching, then you need to go with the PZ800 or PZ850.

As far as size goes, if you are going to be about 5 1/2 - 8 feet back from the set, then go for the 46". Any farther back and you would want to go for the 50".

As far as pricing is concerned, I noticed somebody earlier mentioned that it is incredibly difficult to get one of these. This is absolutely TRUE. Panasonics new models are actually coming out a tad bit earlier this year than in previous years. If you have no qualms with it, then purchase a display model. A lot of times you can get one of the higher end sets for a smokin' deal.

Let me know if you have any more questions.

joegs300 · 01-21-2009, 02:55 PM

charris-- my tv deal fell through. best buy negged on the deal and basically i am a$$ed out. jump here please-- https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=82540

Santeria · 01-21-2009, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joegs300

charris-- my tv deal fell through. best buy negged on the deal and basically i am a$$ed out. jump here please-- https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=82540

u can try to price match best buy's website to one of ur local stores, try sears or where ever u live.

joegs300 · 01-21-2009, 03:21 PM

furashu- the best buy in my area doesnt have any of the tvs in stock anymore so sears wouldnt PM for me.. =\

victimsofadown · 01-22-2009, 03:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by charris0607

Let me know if you have any more questions.

Do you know or have any input on whether or not it would be cheaper to wait for the 2009 series?

I have around 2000, and I could go up to 2200 or maybe even 2300 for a 2009 model that was comparable (sp?) to the 800u. My worry is that even if it is comparable (sp?) it will be waaay more expensive because it is a 2009 model, and brand new!

(main concerns being THX mode, 24frames cinema thing, and picture quality)

surfdude12 · 01-22-2009, 05:47 AM

i agree on the previous post that unless your sitting <7 feet away, the 720p v. 1080p won't matter. i got my dad a 42" panny 720p and IMO it KILLS my 1080p DLP...and i sit within 1080p distance!!

01-20-2009, 03:27 PM	#1
joegs300 Special Member Member since:Dec 2008 Location:West Los Angeles, CA Home Theater Gallery:19 Trading Score:45	Regarding the price of Panny Plasma's... First and foremost I want to state how much of a newbie I am when it comes to Panny plasma's and any plasma's in general. I have my eye on a couple of Panny sets that seem to have caught my eye... and several other members' eye's here on the board. They are these two sets: Panasonic Viera TH-46PZ85U 46-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV vs. Panasonic Viera TH-50PZ80U 50-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV My question is this: pricing... What is the market of these or any other Panny plasmas? I'm not quite in the market just yet (I just blew another huge load on blu's... stupid me) and I'm still a few hundred short of nearing my mark. Do prices of TVs generally go down over the months or do they stay at eye level until the next model comes out? Thanks for your help guys and any advice on the TVs above in general would certainly help. I have done my searches so anything above the ordinary would be nice! Thanks again! -(almost) New Panny Guy

01-21-2009, 02:50 PM	#15
charris0607 New Member Member since:Jan 2009	your Panasonic dilemma So... first off. Good choice on choosing Panasonic. In my 8+ years of working in the Home A/V industry I have not found another brand of televisions, besides Pioneer, to be consistently great year after year. A great value for anybody. Now, what you need to determine first, is size. That will be determinate on how far back you are sitting from the TV, on average; do not look at how big the room is. A lot of people look at how big the room is and make their decision off of that. The problem with that is that you might end up with a tv WAY too large for where you are sitting and it will overwhelm you. Once you have determined the size, then you can look at picture quality and features. Now, between the PZ80 and PZ85 series Panasonics, you will not notice a difference in picture at all. They have the same exact processor in both series. The processor does not change until the PZ800 and PZ850 series. The only difference between the PZ80 and PZ85 series is the PC input. That really only helps if you are going to be using it as a computer monitor. If you are really concerned about movie watching, then you need to go with the PZ800 or PZ850. As far as size goes, if you are going to be about 5 1/2 - 8 feet back from the set, then go for the 46". Any farther back and you would want to go for the 50". As far as pricing is concerned, I noticed somebody earlier mentioned that it is incredibly difficult to get one of these. This is absolutely TRUE. Panasonics new models are actually coming out a tad bit earlier this year than in previous years. If you have no qualms with it, then purchase a display model. A lot of times you can get one of the higher end sets for a smokin' deal. Let me know if you have any more questions.

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01-20-2009, 06:40 PM	#2
Hammie Blu-ray Champion Top ranked HT gallery Top contributor Member since:May 2008 Location:Washington, DC Metro Home Theater Gallery:53 Blu-ray collection:545 DVD collection:12 Trading Score:12	In talking with a Panny Direct sales rep, these TVs are becoming hard to come by. Basically they are slowing their production down on the current models and getting the factories ready to put out the 2009 models. The reason this came up was because I recently bought my in-laws a 42PZ80u set. When it arrived with a broken screen, I called to schedule am exchange. Their first response was that they had no more in their warehouse and would refund me all of my money. After asking about the 85u as a replacement for the same cost, they said they would need to call me back after some research. The following day, I got a call and was told that they found a replacement 80u in their west coast distribution warehouse since the East Coast warehouse in Illinois was completely out of that model. After chatting a bit, he said that this is normal for this time of year at Panasonic when they get ready for the new models. However, local and online stores may still be selling them since they usually buy a large quantity and maintain them in their own warehouses. Just thought I'd share my story.

01-20-2009, 08:11 PM	#3
joegs300 Special Member Member since:Dec 2008 Location:West Los Angeles, CA Home Theater Gallery:19 Trading Score:45	thanks for your story.. i think these tvs are still worth buying though, right? its not like they literally age..

01-20-2009, 08:14 PM	#4
surfdude12 Blu-ray Knight Member since:Jul 2007 Location:Club Loop Blu-ray collection:343 Blu-ray reviews:112 Trading Score:1	great tv's!!! i just got the 42px80u for my parents for christmas for $640 shipped! amazon sale. its hard to tell where the price of TV's are going, but with the economy not doing so hot, you'd think TV manufacturers volumes are down (who has $$ to buy a $2000 TV, except loons like us?) so i'd imagine they'll have to lower prices to get their sales numbers up.

01-21-2009, 01:49 AM	#5
joegs300 Special Member Member since:Dec 2008 Location:West Los Angeles, CA Home Theater Gallery:19 Trading Score:45	thats good to hear.. im excited to jump on a 46'' or a 50'' panny, cant decide!

01-21-2009, 02:37 AM	#7
joegs300 Special Member Member since:Dec 2008 Location:West Los Angeles, CA Home Theater Gallery:19 Trading Score:45	wouldn't it be better to get the 50pz80u which is 1080p?

01-21-2009, 03:53 AM	#9
joegs300 Special Member Member since:Dec 2008 Location:West Los Angeles, CA Home Theater Gallery:19 Trading Score:45	sorry whats OOS

01-21-2009, 04:04 AM	#11
jpm35216 Member Member since:Nov 2008 Location:Birmingham, AL Home Theater Gallery:28 Blu-ray collection:121	Get the 50pz80u...you won't regret it. I love mine!

01-21-2009, 06:12 AM	#12
joegs300 Special Member Member since:Dec 2008 Location:West Los Angeles, CA Home Theater Gallery:19 Trading Score:45	i ended up getting the panny 46pz80u because the 50 would be just too big for my bedroom. i am setting the tv up at the foot of my queen size bed so i think 50 inches would be overkill considering that is almost as wide as the bed itself...

01-21-2009, 02:06 PM	#13
victimsofadown Active Member Member since:Oct 2008 Location:Space 4K collection:75 Blu-ray collection:198 DVD collection:58	I guess as a follow up to this question, will next years models be similarly priced? For example: I was looking at the 50" 800U for about $2000, is there going to be a 2009 model with the 24p, picture equal (if not better), and THX mode for around the same price? If so, I certainly wouldn't mind waiting until April... my worry is that in April the 2009 TVs will be in, the 2008 TVs will be out, and the 2009 TVs will be 2500-3000 (which is outside of my price range). On the other hand, if there is a similar (if not better) TV for 2000, then I'll feel silly for jumping the gun. I'm probably going to have this TV for 5-10 years, so a few months isn't a big deal... but I don't really know how these things work.

01-21-2009, 02:20 PM	#14
joegs300 Special Member Member since:Dec 2008 Location:West Los Angeles, CA Home Theater Gallery:19 Trading Score:45	im in the same boat. oh well. =[

01-21-2009, 02:55 PM	#16
joegs300 Special Member Member since:Dec 2008 Location:West Los Angeles, CA Home Theater Gallery:19 Trading Score:45	charris-- my tv deal fell through. best buy negged on the deal and basically i am a$$ed out. jump here please-- https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=82540

01-21-2009, 03:21 PM	#18
joegs300 Special Member Member since:Dec 2008 Location:West Los Angeles, CA Home Theater Gallery:19 Trading Score:45	furashu- the best buy in my area doesnt have any of the tvs in stock anymore so sears wouldnt PM for me.. =\

01-22-2009, 05:47 AM	#20
surfdude12 Blu-ray Knight Member since:Jul 2007 Location:Club Loop Blu-ray collection:343 Blu-ray reviews:112 Trading Score:1	i agree on the previous post that unless your sitting <7 feet away, the 720p v. 1080p won't matter. i got my dad a 42" panny 720p and IMO it KILLS my 1080p DLP...and i sit within 1080p distance!!

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