Panasonic Plasma or Samsung Plasma, Opinions needed

[Cpt_Dylan_Hunt]

The sound in the 800u/850u Pannys of last year is fantastic, (4-speaker system, 2 of which are 'subwoofers'). They should NOT have changed that.

I use my HT setup for everything. I used my TV's speakers for like a week for SD cable, before I got the HD box, but I've never used them for movies ever. I probably have less than 10 hours of total use on my TV's speakers. All low volume.

Now you've got me wanting to test them out a little more. Maybe I'll watch a movie using my TV for the audio later.

Aferall, when I eventually upgrade this TV (probably in like 2012), this tv will then be in a room without a surround sound setup. So it's good to know it has such good sound.

[xneox]

Originally Posted by Cpt_Dylan_Hunt

I use my HT setup for everything. I used my TV's speakers for like a week for SD cable, before I got the HD box, but I've never used them for movies ever. I probably have less than 10 hours of total use on my TV's speakers. All low volume.

Now you've got me wanting to test them out a little more. Maybe I'll watch a movie using my TV for the audio later.

Aferall, when I eventually upgrade this TV (probably in like 2012), this tv will then be in a room without a surround sound setup. So it's good to know it has such good sound.

Trust me...it's no HT, but it consistently made me look at my wife with wide eyes and say something like 'did you HEAR that? a flat panel tv isn't supposed to sound that good / isn't supposed to hit that low.'

I did have it wall-mounted, so I can't say whether that played any role...but the V10 is in the same spot and sounds like shit.

[Systemlord]

Originally Posted by xneox

Trust me...it's no HT, but it consistently made me look at my wife with wide eyes and say something like 'did you HEAR that? a flat panel tv isn't supposed to sound that good / isn't supposed to hit that low.'

I did have it wall-mounted, so I can't say whether that played any role...but the V10 is in the same spot and sounds like shit.

It wouldn't bother me at all if manufacturers quit putting speakers in their flat panel displays, as they can be made thinner without the need for speakers and they could cut costs. I think sound bars should be more mainstream, then people that don't care much for 5.1 sound can have high quality sound from their displays.

[xneox]

Originally Posted by Systemlord

It wouldn't bother me at all if manufacturers quit putting speakers in their flat panel displays, as they can be made thinner without the need for speakers and they could cut costs. I think sound bars should be more mainstream, then people that don't care much for 5.1 sound can have high quality sound from their displays.

That would be fine for people like us, but the other 95% of the population just wants to plug it in and turn it on. If we want the overall tech to move forward, they have to be catered to, and that means plug and play.

[ryan4blu]

i guess it matters which samsung your talking about to compare to the panasonic. the samsung 58" 860 model is very highly rated and beat panny in color accuracy and is slightly below panny in black level. it is a strong challenge to the panny v10 series.

[Spanbauer]

Panasonic's are great if you live in a cave, but they stink in a room with any ambient lighting. The left side of the screen on this Panasonic S1 is supposed to be black, but the north-facing windows (read: not direct sunlight) to the far left of the screen completely kill it.

[Systemlord]

Originally Posted by Spanbauer

Panasonic's are great if you live in a cave, but they stink in a room with any ambient lighting. The left side of the screen on this Panasonic S1 is supposed to be black, but the north-facing windows (read: not direct sunlight) to the far left of the screen completely kill it.

It's a mans world, take control of the lighting and don't let it take control of your viewing environment!

[mugupo]

Samsung plasma is better value, only the v10 can top off samsung 6 series plasma or above but v10 price has not come down still close almost $2000 for 50" while you could get samsung 50b650 for near half price of Panny v10.

[Spanbauer]

Originally Posted by Systemlord

It's a mans world, take control of the lighting and don't let it take control of your viewing environment!

Or in other words...live in a cave.

[lojack1976]

Originally Posted by Cpt_Dylan_Hunt

Yeah about the Elites, but Well the people I saw comparing the 5020 to the v10 were not saying the v10 had better blacks. They said the 5020 had better blacks, but not by that much, and some said the v10 was ahead in enough other ways, to put it ahead overall. I also beleive the v10 has a higher rating on CNET. Pioneer will always be more prestigious, even when Panny surpasses their last gen, which eventually it will ...

It doesn't make any difference to me though, I have a z800 which is definately behind the 5020, so yeah. I would trade it in for a 5020 anyday if I didn't have to pay nothin! I can't wait to see the 2010 Pannys!

I wouldn't necessarily go by what TV is ranked higher on Cnet. Cnet has a tendency to downgrade an older set when a newer set comes out which I find to be silly. It shouldn't all of a sudden not be as good this year since there's something new on the market especially when that new item is equal at best. I've viewed the V10 a number of times as well as the 5020FD and I'd personally take the 5020FD. The blacks are still noticeably better and I prefer the colors over the V10's.

Technically the V10 is probably a little more accurate in some areas, but the one thing that bothers me with all of this year's Panny's is the yellowish-green tinge. Its not as bad on the V10 as it is on the G10, but its still very noticeable. The 5020FD doesn't have perfect color accuracy, but the flaws are few and are not as readily apparent as they are with the V10. If there is anything that I like better with the V10 its the styling. They did a wonderful job on slimming down the set and making it look very attractive.

After the way things went in the 2009 HDTV Shootout I'm sure Panasonic will tighten up the color issues for next year. They came in fourth overall which was disappointing considering how much the black level has been improved not to mention how previous Panny's were more color accurate. The 800U and the 850U had much better accuracy and it surprised many including myself that they took a step back in this regard with this year's sets.

Overall the V10 is still one of the best sets on the market and I'd still take it over all LCD's currently available since I refuse to deal with off-axis viewing issues. If I couldn't get a Pioneer it certainly would be my choice since I wouldn't be happy with the Samsung B860's black levels even though I like the color accuracy of that set.

[Systemlord]

Originally Posted by Spanbauer

Or in other words...live in a cave.

No, but if you want to live in a cave that's fine. They have the things for windows that blockout the sun light, but I can't remember what that are called!

[mikryan29]

i say samsung / i have had two samsung plasmas both with great blacks / if you look up reviews online by technical people who actually do legit tests you will find that samsung model b650 rates higher than any panny's overall / panny only beats the samsung in 1 section and that's blacks and it barely beats the samsung in that section / get the samsung PN50B650 / you won't regret it / you can snag this set for around $1200 bucks now / the testing i saw was 6 months ago / of course tv's get better and are improved over time but the samsung is best bang for your buck / remember you will be sacrificing color with the panny / all the techy's know this - samsung has better color and panny has better blacks

[mugupo]

panasonic tv you has to do some calibration in order to achieve accurate picture, only the v10 has pretty accurate out of the box color, all samsung plasma has good out of box accurate picture but g15 and below panny plasma don't and you also has less option for calibration when compare to v10. If you don't believe me compare a g10 or g15 to most samsung plasma, and there's a different in term of more vivid picture produce by samsung. Pioneer of course offer the deepest black but they screen is not glossy, mattel deep black just isn't the same.

[Spanbauer]

Originally Posted by Systemlord

No, but if you want to live in a cave that's fine. They have the things for windows that blockout the sun light, but I can't remember what that are called!

Wouldn't keeping the shades pulled all of the time be the equivalent of living in a cave?

[Systemlord]

Originally Posted by Spanbauer

Wouldn't keeping the shades pulled all of the time be the equivalent of living in a cave?

No a cave is damp and cold with lots of rocks, I would not keep the blinds pulled all the time because I'm not a couch potato! I would only pull the blinds shut for as long as I watched TV, then after watching TV I would open the blinds and let some light in and maybe read a book. From your post above I can tell you don't get out much.

[genkifd]

this washed out effect of current digital tv is not uncommon - many plasmas that i have noticed look washed out in a bright room. while LCD look washed out in a dark room.... the better tvs are generally pretty good in most environments.

to counter these washed out effects - plasmas as people have already commented - need to reduce the amount of light in the room, while LCD require a introduction of a bias light at the back of the tv....

[Cpt_Dylan_Hunt]

Originally Posted by lojack1976

I wouldn't necessarily go by what TV is ranked higher on Cnet. Cnet has a tendency to downgrade an older set when a newer set comes out which I find to be silly. It shouldn't all of a sudden not be as good this year since there's something new on the market especially when that new item is equal at best. I've viewed the V10 a number of times as well as the 5020FD and I'd personally take the 5020FD. The blacks are still noticeably better and I prefer the colors over the V10's.

Technically the V10 is probably a little more accurate in some areas, but the one thing that bothers me with all of this year's Panny's is the yellowish-green tinge. Its not as bad on the V10 as it is on the G10, but its still very noticeable. The 5020FD doesn't have perfect color accuracy, but the flaws are few and are not as readily apparent as they are with the V10. If there is anything that I like better with the V10 its the styling. They did a wonderful job on slimming down the set and making it look very attractive.

After the way things went in the 2009 HDTV Shootout I'm sure Panasonic will tighten up the color issues for next year. They came in fourth overall which was disappointing considering how much the black level has been improved not to mention how previous Panny's were more color accurate. The 800U and the 850U had much better accuracy and it surprised many including myself that they took a step back in this regard with this year's sets.

Overall the V10 is still one of the best sets on the market and I'd still take it over all LCD's currently available since I refuse to deal with off-axis viewing issues. If I couldn't get a Pioneer it certainly would be my choice since I wouldn't be happy with the Samsung B860's black levels even though I like the color accuracy of that set.

Wow, nice post dude. Thanks.

Speaking of how the 09 panny's "back stepped" in certain areas, I've been reading complaints that the THX mode on the 09s is dimmer than last years (as well as less accurate in colour).

I know on my z800u the THX mode doesn't seem dim at all. (It's more of an issue on the 58s I think). I raised the contrast up a bit from it's defualt setting, and it's perfect, even when my room isn't completely dimmed. I use it for everything other than gaming. I don't know what the actual FTL numbers are, but I know I wouldn't want it any brighter than it is on my set. The THX mode on the 08s was generally well received ( witht the exception of some who felt it was too dim, but I don't know what's up with that, perhaps the dimmness differs from set to set?) But on the 09s people seem to prefer a custom setting for most things. Sad, because the THX mode was a great thing for people who don't have the cash for a pro calibration.

[SamC]

Originally Posted by Systemlord

No a cave is damp and cold with lots of rocks, I would not keep the blinds pulled all the time because I'm not a couch potato! I would only pull the blinds shut for as long as I watched TV, then after watching TV I would open the blinds and let some light in and maybe read a book. From your post above I can tell you don't get out much.

I consider living in a cave as getting out enough (don't forget to position your TV well with regard to the cave openings!)

[centauro74]

PC Richard has it for $1139, and they also has a 3 years extended warranty for $150. Pretty good deal, if something is wrong they exchange the tv or give you a full refound, then you can buy a new tv down the road with better blacks and colors, the V10 is nice but I think the B650 has more style and more pop in the picture, for half the price.
that's my 2 cents.

[DavePS3]

I prefer the Samsung 8500 over the ZT even IF the pricing was the same. Reason being that i love the incredible fine detail, the higher contrast on the 8500 and the blacks. The Pana' in my opinion is much softer. Now, there are just as many people I sell to that prefer a softer image as to those who want the detail so it's all preferance really. The other things like smart features are icing on the cake but it's the PQ on movies that I'm primarily looking for. Each to his own and whether you kike a softer or sharper image, your eyes tell you what you like. Go with that rather than what the guy down the street thinks. It's your money, you're living with it!