Panasonic 58" or Pioneer Elite 60"

[Blu Kreme]

Stuck between these two guys. Not sure the pioneer deserves the higher price tag. Something tells me that Panasonic gets more bang for the buck! Even considering the 65" from Panasonic as well.

Where is the best place to buy online for these guys? Locally is a joke. I will be paying out the arse. Thanks all for any info

[sokrman14]

Then get the Pioneer PDP6020, and not the elite. Virtually the same image, just a few less luxuries such as extra calibration options. Pioneer are much better TV's

[The Guardian]

Both companies have new models just in the process of filtering out to stores, make sure you consider this. Panasonic 65" (new model) is same price as Pioneer Elite 60" (new model), locally to me. Don't get here for a few weeks though.

[arush5268d]

Jeeez....tough one!

If it were me, money would be the deciding factor. Get a bigger Panny, or go with a smaller Kuro. Hmmm.

[The Guardian]

Well with them being the same price... Side by side you can tell the difference but once you get it home perhaps the Panny is good enough? On the other hand if you only need 60" and not 65" (smaller rooms, shorter viewing distances) go for the Elite....

[jpthomas27]

I just had the same decission to make and ultimately went with the Panasonic 58". I looked high and low on the interent and in the stores to compare features and picture quality. I finally determined that the Pioneer is indeed a little better, but definately not worth the extra money. I am a absolutely in love with it and don't regret the purchase one bit.

As far as a price... I looked forever tryign to find a great price. The probelm I found is brick and mortar stores are of course goign to charge tax, plus thier price is higher than the web on top of that, plus a delivery charge from your local electroncis store will tack on a few more dollars.

I finally went with Crutchfield.com. I got the TH-58PZ750U for $3500, no tax and free shipping. On top of that, they were offering a Panasonic 26" LCD HDTV for free with the purchase. MSRP on it is $800, most retailers had it for $600-$700. I sold it cheap for $500 and put that towards my purchase. So ultimately I got my new 58" Panasonic plasma for an even $3000 delivered. You can't beat that price anywhere, and the money I saved by going with the Panasonic instead of the Pioneer was huge!!! This was a while ago so if you can still find this model, it probably even cheaper at this point since new models are about to hit the market.

Not sure if Crutchfield has anythign like that going on now, but another place I was looking was Amazon.com. The third party sellers have pretty good prices sometimes and Amazon has buyer protection so you shouldn't have to worry about the sellers ripping you off or anything.

[werewuf]

The Pioneer has a better picture by a mile, gets the best reviews and are considered absolutely the best TV's on the planet right now. The Elite has a better warranty than the standard Pio and has better picture processing. Do you want the best or save money and always wonder that you missed out on something?

[TENSE]

Originally Posted by werewuf

The Pioneer has a better picture by a mile, gets the best reviews and are considered absolutely the best TV's on the planet right now. The Elite has a better warranty than the standard Pio and has better picture processing. Do you want the best or save money and always wonder that you missed out on something?

why dont pioneer elite tv's have 120hz feature?

[werewuf]

Originally Posted by TENSE

why dont pioneer elite tv's have 120hz feature?

120HZ is motion control for LCD TV's. LCD has an unusual disadvantage in that it takes longer to change from light to dark (or from dark to light) or from one color to another compared with the other kinds of displays. This is sometimes seen as additional motion blur.
Pioneer Plasma TV's uses what they call Advanced PureCinema with 3:3 Pulldown (72Hz) instead.

[mjbethancourt]

Originally Posted by The Guardian

Well with them being the same price... Side by side you can tell the difference but once you get it home perhaps the Panny is good enough? On the other hand if you only need 60" and not 65" (smaller rooms, shorter viewing distances) go for the Elite....

I have yet to hear of a single person anywhere ever regretting going with 65" rather than 60".

[werewuf]

Originally Posted by mjbethancourt

I have yet to hear of a single person anywhere ever regretting going with 65" rather than 60".

From Home Theater Magazine on the Pioneer Pro-150FD:

Let’s face it: Even for 60 diagonal inches, $7,500 is a lot of money for a flat-panel HDTV in today’s market. If you pay that kind of coin—assuming you can—you’d better get something very special.

How does the best one-piece digital display we’ve ever tested, flat panel or otherwise, sound? It’s a display with an image so compelling that you might even consider it in preference to a comparably priced projector and screen, despite the bigger, more theater-like, immersive experience a projector can provide.

Pioneer worked feverishly to improve the black levels on its already impressive plasma displays. Project KURO—Pioneer’s name for its own development program—has produced truly jaw-dropping results.

If I bought something else and read that I just might regret it....

[mjbethancourt]

Originally Posted by werewuf

From Home Theater Magazine on the Pioneer Pro-150FD:

Let’s face it: Even for 60 diagonal inches, $7,500 is a lot of money for a flat-panel HDTV in today’s market. If you pay that kind of coin—assuming you can—you’d better get something very special.

How does the best one-piece digital display we’ve ever tested, flat panel or otherwise, sound? It’s a display with an image so compelling that you might even consider it in preference to a comparably priced projector and screen, despite the bigger, more theater-like, immersive experience a projector can provide.

Pioneer worked feverishly to improve the black levels on its already impressive plasma displays. Project KURO—Pioneer’s name for its own development program—has produced truly jaw-dropping results.

If I bought some thing else and read that I just might regret it....

Brand versus brand, I will always recommend Pioneer over Panasonic. I'm actually kinda befuddled by the whole Panasonic plasma fad. I've been skeptical of Panasonic as a brand for anything for well over a decade.

[werewuf]

Originally Posted by mjbethancourt

Brand versus brand, I will always recommend Pioneer over Panasonic.

[jpthomas27]

Originally Posted by mjbethancourt

Brand versus brand, I will always recommend Pioneer over Panasonic. I'm actually kinda befuddled by the whole Panasonic plasma fad. I've been skeptical of Panasonic as a brand for anything for well over a decade.

It's easy to recommend the most expensive set on the market when it's not your money.

Brand versus Brand I would always recommend Ferrari, yet I drive a Chevy...go figure.

The question wasn't simply, "what is the best Plasma I can buy?". If he is considering not buying a Pioneer, he is clearly not independantly wealthy and has to make a good econimic choice.

[mjbethancourt]

Originally Posted by jpthomas27

It's easy to recommend the most expensive set on the market when it's not your money.

Brand versus Brand I would always recommend Ferrari, yet I drive a Chevy...go figure.

The question wasn't simply, "what is the best Plasma I can buy?". If he is considering not buying a Pioneer, he is clearly not independantly wealthy and has to make a good econimic choice.

Buyer's remorse is expensive in its own way.

Here's how I feel:
I'd rather have a top-notch LCD than a Panasonic plasma, I'd rather have a Pioneer plasma than anything else. The Pioneer plasma is the only thing I've ever seen that made me doubt my Sony LCD.

[Blu Kreme]

Originally Posted by jpthomas27

It's easy to recommend the most expensive set on the market when it's not your money.

Brand versus Brand I would always recommend Ferrari, yet I drive a Chevy...go figure.

The question wasn't simply, "what is the best Plasma I can buy?". If he is considering not buying a Pioneer, he is clearly not independantly wealthy and has to make a good econimic choice.

Your comments are the ones that stand out. Honest opinion - what I like.

Not that I don't appreciate everyones comments, I do. However it seems like everyone is saying Pioneer period, the end.

I have read, compared and read some more until I am blue in the face. I know the Pioneer is the best. We all already know that.

The thing is - is the best really worth it considering the following -

Cost vs Size ratio
Cost vs Features
Cost vs Actual Image quality
Cost vs When you are going to replace it

I have Panasonic LCD and Plasmas. They look superb. I think the Pioneer thing is a trend - "fad" at this point. Yes, they might be the best, but do they really garner an extra grand or two or three? Not sure it does.


Panasonic - Model: TH-58PZ850U - $3,999.98

Pioneer - Model: PRO-141FD - $6,999.99

Panasonic - Model: TH-65PZ850U $6,999.98

It seems that when you hit the 60" and above mark - the price jumps a whopping $3,000.00 dollars. That's a big increase for only 2" extra from a 58". Or 7" to a 65". If the 65" drops substantially before Christmas, I MAY consider it. However, I don't think it will.

At this point - the Panasonic 58" is looking like the winner. Best price/feature ratio. I don't think I can justify spending another 3 grand on a TV that shows negligible improvement compared to it's competitors.

This is coming from someone that does A LOT of movie watching too. You also have to remember, how often does a person actually keep a TV these days? 2, 3, 5 years? before it's changed out/upgraded to something newer and better?

If prices fall in the next few months - my choice may change.

[mjbethancourt]

Originally Posted by Blu Kreme

Your comments are the ones that stand out. Honest opinion - what I like.

Not that I don't appreciate everyones comments, I do. However it seems like everyone is saying Pioneer period, the end.

I have read, compared and read some more until I am blue in the face. I know the Pioneer is the best. We all already know that.

The thing is - is the best really worth it considering the following -

Cost vs Size ratio
Cost vs Features
Cost vs Actual Image quality
Cost vs When you are going to replace it

I have Panasonic LCD and Plasmas. They look superb. I think the Pioneer thing is a trend - "fad" at this point. Yes, they might be the best, but do they really garner an extra grand or two or three? Not sure it does.


Panasonic - Model: TH-58PZ850U - $3,999.98

Pioneer - Model: PRO-141FD - $6,999.99

Panasonic - Model: TH-65PZ850U $6,999.98

It seems that when you hit the 60" and above mark - the price jumps a whopping $3,000.00 dollars. That's a big increase for only 2" extra from a 58". Or 7" to a 65". If the 65" drops substantially before Christmas, I MAY consider it. However, I don't think it will.

At this point - the Panasonic 58" is looking like the winner. Best price/feature ratio. I don't think I can justify spending another 3 grand on a TV that shows negligible improvement compared to it's competitors.

This is coming from someone that does A LOT of movie watching too. You also have to remember, how often does a person actually keep a TV these days? 2, 3, 5 years? before it's changed out/upgraded to something newer and better?

If prices fall in the next few months - my choice may change.

I watched my brother upgrade from a 58" to a 70" two years ago... he still hasn't stopped jabbering about how happy he is. You don't think about it until you have it, but some extra size really will make you happy (unless you go broke over it).

[uniquetreatone]

I had to make the same choice as you.Do I go with size or picture quality? I would sit in Best Buy for over a week and watch both sets and try to make a decision.It all boiled down to whether I was going to get the set ISF calibrated or not.Plus I planned on keeping it for a couple of years because my wife was tired of me upgrading every year.So I went with the Pro 151 because the forum sponsers at avsforum had some unbeatable prices($5100-$5400).So if you plan on getting your set calibrated go with the Pioneer for the best picture if not get a Panasonic.Either way you can't go wrong.

[mjbethancourt]

Originally Posted by uniquetreatone

I had to make the same choice as you.Do I go with size or picture quality? I would sit in Best Buy for over a week and watch both sets and try to make a decision.It all boiled down to whether I was going to get the set ISF calibrated or not.Plus I planned on keeping it for a couple of years because my wife was tired of me upgrading every year.So I went with the Pro 151 because the forum sponsers at avsforum had some unbeatable prices($5100-$5400).So if you plan on getting your set calibrated go with the Pioneer for the best picture if not get a Panasonic.Either way you can't go wrong.

I don't think that anybody who owns the Pioneer is unhappy with their purchase. Dude, if you can buy the biggest Pioneer without getting clobbered by your wife, do it.

[TooBlu]

i love my 800U