Plasma thoughts & suggestions for a noob.

[in2video2]

Had an open mind between Panasonic and Samsung Plasma HDTVs. Read all the notices and were convinced to buy a Panasonic 50" - but on the day we actually purchased the Samsung 50" ... never looked back, either. Each to their own. Whatever you choose, you will enjoy the upgrade to HDTV Plasma.

[elwaylite]

I agree, most wont even notice the higher black on the 51". I tried to show my wife floating blacks, and she could not even see them, where its easy for me.

[trombone dixie]

It's definitely down to the D7000 and the VT30. Leaning more towards that awesome deal on Amazon for the 59" D7000.

[My_Two_Cents]

Originally Posted by trombone dixie

It's definitely down to the D7000 and the VT30. Leaning more towards that awesome deal on Amazon for the 59" D7000.

You probably won't be wrong with either choice. I was definitely leaning toward the D7000 at one point, but after reading about a lot of nagging issues and how Samsung CS sucked, I changed my mind. Call it personal preference based on 8+ years of ownership, but Panasonic plasmas have never disappointed me. I went with the GT30 (my 4th Pany) and couldn't be happier.

Good luck on your decision.

[trombone dixie]

Originally Posted by Ricshoe

You probably won't be wrong with either choice. I was definitely leaning toward the D7000 at one point, but after reading about a lot of nagging issues and how Samsung CS sucked, I changed my mind. Call it personal preference based on 8+ years of ownership, but Panasonic plasmas have never disappointed me. I went with the GT30 (my 4th Pany) and couldn't be happier.

Good luck on your decision.

My parent's went out to buy an HD TV last night and were planning on buying a cruddy lower end 60" Sharp and I called them up and talked them into getting a 60" GT30.

[Gempulse]

Originally Posted by trombone dixie

My parent's went out to buy an HD TV last night and were planning on buying a cruddy lower end 60" Sharp and I called them up and talked them into getting a 60" GT30.

Good luck, I'm sure you'll be happy with either set!

[trombone dixie]

Thanks for the assistance everyone one the HD TV. Going to look at the D7000 and VT30 tmrw. Any suggestions on a good sound system that isn't crazy expensive? I'm planning on getting a really good system down the road. I just want to get something that will hold me over until that day comes.

[elwaylite]

Originally Posted by trombone dixie

Thanks for the assistance everyone one the HD TV. Going to look at the D7000 and VT30 tmrw. Any suggestions on a good sound system that isn't crazy expensive? I'm planning on getting a really good system down the road. I just want to get something that will hold me over until that day comes.

Well, HTiB Onkyo is good, because you get a real rcvr that you can add better speakers too. Im running a Denon rcvr and Def Tech speakers, love em.

[trombone dixie]

I've narrowed it down to three choices:

Samsung PND7000 - 51" or 59"

Panasonic VT30 - 55"

I'm buying this HD set for bedroom viewing. Down the road when I have my own apartment, I'd like to keep it in the main living space. Is there a picture quality difference and/or black level difference between the Sammy 51" and 59"? The price difference between the two would allow me to get a nicer sound system for it.

[elwaylite]

Actually, the VT has been found at 0.004, and the ST and GT are a tad higher. 0.006 IIRC. Still slightly darker than the samsung, which I recently measured at 0.008fL.

[Wingman1977]

I would honestly go with the VT30. You won't regret it.

[Gempulse]

Originally Posted by elwaylite

actually, the vt has been found at 0.004, and the st and gt are a tad higher. 0.006 iirc. Still slightly darker than the samsung, which i recently measured at 0.008fl.

+1

[whipit]

Originally Posted by elwaylite

Actually, the VT has been found at 0.004, and the ST and GT are a tad higher. 0.006 IIRC. Still slightly darker than the samsung, which I recently measured at 0.008fL.

Going off memory, I saw D-nice post that the 60 and 65 inch pannys all had the same mll, which was really surprising. Not trying to mislead

[goldie1970]

Sammy 59 inch 3d for 1399 at best buy....free 3d bluray player and two pair of glasses. Not a smart tv, but I don't use my tv for Internet anyway so why pay for it?

[Ruffryderr1989]

I Just bought the Samsung 51' PN51D7000, and i cant stop watching it. Nothing i dislike about it so far!

[susancts]

Originally Posted by trombone dixie

I've used my LCD monitor for blu-ray viewing for far too long and saved up enough for my first full set-up. I've decided to go plamsa because the top three 2011 models on cnet happen to be plasmas. After hours of research I've narrowed it down to three models:

Panasonic VT30 Series (55')

Samsung PND8000 Series (51' or 59')

Samsung PND7000 Series (51' or 59')

I honestly don't care for 3D as I will scarcely watch blu-rays in 3D. So if you know of any non-3D plasmas that compete with the picture and black level quality of these three models please let me know. I'd greatly appreciate your thoughts and opinions on which one I should get. According to cnet the pq wasn't much of a difference between the 7000 series and 8000 series. If that's true I wouldn't mind saving extra money. Thanks in advance for any suggestions and thoughts.

Ps. I'm also in the market for a sound system, etc. For my first set-up I was thinking of just going for a soundbar because this TV will be in my bedroom until I move into my own place. Any suggestions on audio would be awesome as well.

I think Samsung's range would be better but don't look too much into the series. Better still, invest in LED TV. Though LED TVs are expensive when compared to Plasmas but LEDs easily outweigh Plasma TVs almost in every respect. You can have a look at Samsung UN55C6500 LED TV.

[Cevolution]

Originally Posted by susancts

I think Samsung's range would be better but don't look too much into the series. Better still, invest in LED TV. Though LED TVs are expensive when compared to Plasmas but LEDs easily outweigh Plasma TVs almost in every respect. You can have a look at Samsung UN55C6500 LED TV.

You should do your research before making such baseless comments. The 3 Plasma tv's that member trombone dixie quoted are amongst 3 of the 4 best performing tv's of the year. Top end plasma's have always been superior to lcd/led's in measured tests, in fact this year marks the 1st time ever that an led tv has been up there with the very best plasma models competing for the top spot, which is the Sharp elite series. It's fine for you to have the opinion that led tv's are better, but facts are another story and speak for themselves.

[susancts]

Originally Posted by Cevolution

You should do your research before making such baseless comments. The 3 Plasma tv's that member trombone dixie quoted are amongst 3 of the 4 best performing tv's of the year. Top end plasma's have always been superior to lcd/led's in measured tests, in fact this year marks the 1st time ever that an led tv has been up there with the very best plasma models competing for the top spot, which is the Sharp elite series. It's fine for you to have the opinion that led tv's are better, but facts are another story and speak for themselves.

Agreed that picture quality of Plasma displays is better than LEDs but it is not a "day and night" difference. Now, you are talking about top end Plasma TVs so have a look at the disadvantages it comes with.

1) Plasma TVs suffer from image burn out.
2) Enormous amount of power is consumed by a Plasma TV when compared to a similar sized LED TV.
3) Plasma TVs are pretty big and bulky as compared to a similar sized LED TV.
4) Life of Plasma TV is less compared to LEDs.
5) Yes, Plasmas are less expensive but if you are prepared to buy a top end Plasma, one time cost hardly matters.

[Cevolution]

Originally Posted by susancts

Agreed that picture quality of Plasma displays is better than LEDs but it is not a "day and night" difference. Now, you are talking about top end Plasma TVs so have a look at the disadvantages it comes with.

1) Plasma TVs suffer from image burn out.
2) Enormous amount of power is consumed by a Plasma TV when compared to a similar sized LED TV.
3) Plasma TVs are pretty big and bulky as compared to a similar sized LED TV.
4) Life of Plasma TV is less compared to LEDs.
5) Yes, Plasmas are less expensive but if you are prepared to buy a top end Plasma, one time cost hardly matters.

You just sound like another misinformed individual who has bought into all the propaganda about plasmas. Just about all your points are way off.

Yes plasma tv's can experience burn in, but so can lcd tv's quite easily as well. Permanent burn in on today's plasmas is rare, and shouldn't happen if you're smart about it. People needing to be greatly concerned about burn in with plasmas is a thing of the past. As for pixel and image burn out, lcd tv's can suffer from that to the same extent as plasmas. Back/edge lighting that lights up an lcd panel can fail, which is actually starting to happen to my Sony Bravia xbr4 40" lcd tv after only 4 years (granted it was set to vivid mode for the 1st 3 of the last 4 years, which is probably what has caused it to start happening so quickly), the back light just doesn't turn on and light up when you turn the tv on sometimes, so you can't see the picture.

Power consumption, I really don't know why this is such a big deal. Is it that much of a big drama that your electricity bill is going to be a whole $20-$30 more expensive every quarter (approximately $80-$120 a year), it's such a small amount of money so who cares. If you think by buying an led tv that you're doing your bit for the environment then you're kidding yourself. Every time you heat up your kettle, use your toaster, oven or stove top, hot water etc those products are using far more electricity than any plasma does, so why people care so much about how much energy their tv uses is ridiculous.

Plasma's are pretty big and bulky compared to similar sized led's? . Take a look at the attachments below, they show the measurement specs of Samsung's un55c8000 led model from last year and samsungs pn59d8000 plasma from this year (I used those 2 tv's as a comparison because they are almost identical in design)

http://www.samsung.com/levant/consum...=specification

http://www.samsung.com/au/consumer/t...=specification

If you consider an extra 1.3 cm's (13mm) in thickness (depth) to be bulky, then you've got me amused.

Plasmas and lcd tv's last the same amount of time when you take into account the differences in price. Plasma's should last a person over 10 years and an lcd tv should last about double that, but considering lcd/led's are double the price then so they should last twice as long. Realistically most average people buy a new tv about every 10 years anyway, not 20.

In my previous post I was comparing the performance of high end to high end, mid range to mid range and low quality to low quality, well that's at least what I meant anyway. 99.99% of the time if you compare high end plasma's to high end led's, plasma's come out in front. The same goes if you compare mid range plasma's to mid range led's, and so on, I'm sure you get the idea.

Imo the problems that most lcd/led's have are far worse than any with plasmas. You mentioned to member trombone dixie to check out Samsung's un55d8000 led model, well the problem with that model tv is it suffers from really bad screen uniformity issues, and it makes it hard to enjoy movies in the dark because of backlight bleed. Generally the thinner an led tv is the more of a problem screen uniformity becomes because manufactures use edge lighting instead of backlighting to achieve the thin look. Screen uniformity is just 1 of many issues that plague lcd's.

Btw why come into a plasma thread harping on about LED panels and the reasons you think they are better than plasma's? If you want to discuss lcd tv's then do it in the appropriate threads.

[elwaylite]

Lotta LCD love/Plasma hate FUD going on here...