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[longnosedgoblin]

Just got a Panasonic plasma, 42gt60, and it has pretty awesome picture quality compared to my old LCD. One strange thing though, when using my PC it displays garbage during boot up but is fine in windows. This makes getting in to the BIOS impossible.

The PC works fine on my LCD, the only difference I can see is that the HDMI ports on my new tv are version 1.4 and the old ones are 1.3. Anyone else seen this problem? The graphics card is a sapphire 7750.

 

[kakashi08]

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-33199_7-57610230-221/tv-shoppers-now-is-the-time-to-buy-a-panasonic-plasma/
End of Panasonic Plasmas :0

I really don't need a TV right now, I will need one in March/April because that's when I will get my own place. Should I just go ahead and buy a P. Plasma or wait and see what they have to offer next year around April?
If I wait, will I regret it later and say "I should've bought a Panasonic plasma in December"?

 

[JB1981]

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-33199_7-57610230-221/tv-shoppers-now-is-the-time-to-buy-a-panasonic-plasma/
End of Panasonic Plasmas :0

I really don't need a TV right now, I will need one in March/April because that's when I will get my own place. Should I just go ahead and buy a P. Plasma or wait and see what they have to offer next year around April?
If I wait, will I regret it later and say "I should've bought a Panasonic plasma in December"?

damn can't get the 42s60 anywhere

 

[FairXchange]

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-33199_7-57610230-221/tv-shoppers-now-is-the-time-to-buy-a-panasonic-plasma/
End of Panasonic Plasmas :0

I really don't need a TV right now, I will need one in March/April because that's when I will get my own place. Should I just go ahead and buy a P. Plasma or wait and see what they have to offer next year around April?
If I wait, will I regret it later and say "I should've bought a Panasonic plasma in December"?

Anyone serious about getting an amazing set for their new consoles need to consider a Panasonic plasma before it's too late. Getting the S60 has been the best tech decision I've made, the price/performance ratio is phenomenal on this set. Also, anyone with the budget for a VT60/ZT60, I envy you!

 

[kakashi08]

Anyone serious about getting an amazing set for their new consoles need to consider a Panasonic plasma before it's too late. Getting the S60 has been the best tech decision I've made, the price/performance ratio is phenomenal on this set. Also, anyone with the budget for a VT60/ZT60, I envy you!

I can't decide which one to get, I want a 60inch or bigger, it will be used for cable/movies ALOT. No gaming.
1. S60 65-inch ($1,499)
2. ST60 60-inch ($1,499)
3. VT60 60-inch ($1,795)

 

[LiK]

I can't decide which one to get, I want a 60inch or bigger, it will be used for cable/movies ALOT. No gaming.
1. S60 65-inch ($1,499)
2. ST60 60-inch ($1,499)
3. VT60 60-inch ($1,795)

Go for the best. Only a few bucks more.

 

[Jan]

I got 3 years ago mi 50vt20 and is the best purchase i've ever made. I'm pissed of of panasonic ending their plasmas series.

 

[Chitown B]

man, you VT buyers are lucky. My Pioneer cost me $3,000.

 

[ElNino]

I can't decide which one to get, I want a 60inch or bigger, it will be used for cable/movies ALOT. No gaming.
1. S60 65-inch ($1,499)
2. ST60 60-inch ($1,499)
3. VT60 60-inch ($1,795)

At those prices I would get the VT60. MSRP was much higher than that.

man, you VT buyers are lucky. My Pioneer cost me $3,000.

No kidding. When I bought my last Samsung plasma, the 50" 720p Pioneer was going for around $3500.

 

[lostinblue]

Jesus! those prices are pretty cheap!

Here there isn't a S60 and there's no 60" models other than 60ZT60 (the only ZT60 model we have in Europe), but 65ST60 is 2000 euros and a 65VT60 is 2700 euros.

50X60 is 500 euros, 50ST60 is 1000 euros and the 50VT60 is 1500 euros. (and I'm talking street price, more or less)

Quite steep pricing differences.

man, you VT buyers are lucky. My Pioneer cost me $3,000.

In Europe a 65VT60 won't go lower than 3700 USD, if you're "lucky". (lucky=living in the poorest latin european countries, or greece)

In UK, France and Nordic countries the prices actually go a bit further.

 

[Chitown B]

Quite steep pricing differences.In Europe a 65VT60 won't go lower than 3700 USD, if you're "lucky". (lucky=living in the poorest latin european countries, or greece)

In UK, France and Nordic countries the prices actually go a bit further.

yeah but mine's a 50"

if I had to guess, it's because Europe has less space, more people per sq. foot/meter, and so less people buy really large televisions. Less sales = higher prices to make up the difference.

 

[lostinblue]

yeah but mine's a 50"

if I had to guess, it's because Europe has less space, more people per sq. foot/meter, and so less people buy really large televisions. Less sales = higher prices to make up the difference.

That, more taxes, warranty regulations (here brands are obliged to support and repair free of charge for to years) and the fact they always do $=€

For instance, consoles, if it's supposed to be $399.99 in US it's 399.99€ (so ~$550) for us.

And then we also have to do our bit of wondering why is it, the price difference.


Nonetheless, great prices you have there (the most impressing part being how not steep they are positioned apart); certainly makes it easier to take the plunge.

 

[jett]

I may be getting a 42W653...but I'm worried about getting screwed on the panel lottery. I'm always reading about clouding and banding issues with Sony TVs.

 

[kakashi08]

Is it worth paying $600 more for the 65inch for the VT or should the 60inch be good enough. Can't make up my mind...ahhh lol

 

[lostinblue]

Is it worth paying $600 more for the 65inch for the VT or should the 60inch be good enough. Can't make up my mind...ahhh lol

Perhaps viewing distances can help:

-> http://www.rtings.com/info/what-is-the-best-distance-to-watch-tv

"minimum distance" is actually often the recommended figure as it means at that distance the image shown will be "retina" (300 ppi) for people with full eyesight; "maximum distance" means at that point having a 720p or a 1080p (or whatever resolution is under the one you have selected) is mostly the same, the gain in pixel count has been lost due to the viewing distance.

 

[jett]

So, is clouding and banding something that affects all LED TVs? I'm looking at the Panasonic L42E6, seems it also suffers from that.

 

[Dead]

So, is clouding and banding something that affects all LED TVs? I'm looking at the Panasonic L42E6, seems it also suffers from that.

pretty much. Clouding is especially horrible with many Samsung models.

 

[Mookow]

Ordered a 65 inch ST60, but they shipped me a 65 S60. Now I gotta wait for that to get sorted out, I feel like a kid that wants his toy.

 

[Unknown Soldier]

So, is clouding and banding something that affects all LED TVs? I'm looking at the Panasonic L42E6, seems it also suffers from that.

Any LED side-lit LCD TV will probably have some degree of clouding, banding, uneven uniformity, and/or DSE. It's the nature of trying to uniformly light a large area with a light strapped to the side of the panel. It would be possible if people were paying $2,000+ for the basic model and $4,000+ for the expensive ones. No one will pay that much, so they make the TVs as cheaply as possible and this is the result. Naturally some TVs of the same model will have worse problems than others, so you can play TV roulette and keep returning them until you get one you can live with.

If these are problems for you, you have to hunt around for a backlit LCD and those are vanishingly rare unless you buy the lowest-end TVs. Otherwise you have plasma in your future and all the positives and negatives associated with that.

 

[jett]

pretty much. Clouding is especially horrible with many Samsung models.

Any LED side-lit LCD TV will probably have some degree of clouding, banding, uneven uniformity, and/or DSE. It's the nature of trying to uniformly light a large area with a light strapped to the side of the panel. It would be possible if people were paying $2,000+ for the basic model and $4,000+ for the expensive ones. No one will pay that much, so they make the TVs as cheaply as possible and this is the result. Naturally some TVs of the same model will have worse problems than others, so you can play TV roulette and keep returning them until you get one you can live with.

If these are problems for you, you have to hunt around for a backlit LCD and those are vanishingly rare unless you buy the lowest-end TVs. Otherwise you have plasma in your future and all the positives and negatives associated with that.

TV hunting is such a pain in the ass, man. It always has been. I had my eyes set on the Sony 42W653, but then I find out about banding shit. I don't even know if my store will let me "play roulette" and exchange it if I find anything wrong with it, no matter how miniscule. It's really awful that we have to suffer this for stuff that costs over $500.

 

[Miguel81]

The LG 55LN5200 is on sale. Is it any good for gaming?

 

[ChoklitCow]

Jumped on the 50" S60. I'm so pumped. Couldn't find a feasible way to drive the 55" an hour and a half home, so I'm a little sad.

Time to start getting the slides and everything set up. Had to take a quick breather after taking the thing out of the box. Definitely got my workout for the day.

 

[Maastricht]

TV hunting is such a pain in the ass, man. It always has been. I had my eyes set on the Sony 42W653, but then I find out about banding shit. I don't even know if my store will let me "play roulette" and exchange it if I find anything wrong with it, no matter how miniscule. It's really awful that we have to suffer this for stuff that costs over $500.

This TV is great, I have the 656a. Don't worry too much! See the last post on previous page.

 

[mrklaw]

This TV is great, I have the 656a. Don't worry too much! See the last post on previous page.

Same - have the W685 and panel seems fine. Bear in mind people that have issues will post on forums, but if you don't have a problems you probably won't. So he Internet tends to amplify issues.


I don't know why manufacturers still do edge lit LED sets. Is it just for thinness, because frankly I don't care about an extra couple of centimetres (especially when the bottom of the set is usually thick anyway). Or is it more cost these days?

 

[JB1981]

Same - have the W685 and panel seems fine. Bear in mind people that have issues will post on forums, but if you don't have a problems you probably won't. So he Internet tends to amplify issues.


I don't know why manufacturers still do edge lit LED sets. Is it just for thinness, because frankly I don't care about an extra couple of centimetres (especially when the bottom of the set is usually thick anyway). Or is it more cost these days?

I guess this model is not available in the states ??

 

[AlanzTalon]

Same - have the W685 and panel seems fine. Bear in mind people that have issues will post on forums, but if you don't have a problems you probably won't. So he Internet tends to amplify issues.


I don't know why manufacturers still do edge lit LED sets. Is it just for thinness, because frankly I don't care about an extra couple of centimetres (especially when the bottom of the set is usually thick anyway). Or is it more cost these days?

Cost.

 

[Evo X]

Getting a VT60 was one of the best decisions I have ever made. The picture quality stuns me every time I watch a movie or play a game.

 

[Fried Food]

I wouldn't concern myself with what is best too much. Every tv has flaws

 

[clip]

Is there a site that lists optimal image settings for each display? I just bought a Samsung UN46F6400.

 

[demosthenes]

Getting a VT60 was one of the best decisions I have ever made. The picture quality stuns me every time I watch a movie or play a game.

I wish I could compare the picture to my 2009 V10 with risen blacks to see if I should buy a VT60? Ughhhhh.

 

[Unknown Soldier]

Getting a VT60 was one of the best decisions I have ever made. The picture quality stuns me every time I watch a movie or play a game.

The natural motion resolution of plasma is mind boggling if you came from an LCD which is even a few years old. I'm amazed that nobody has ever come up with a blur free Game Mode for LCD TVs until 2013 when Sony introduced Motionflow Impulse.

 

[H_Prestige]

My PZ85 from 2008 (!) still blows my mind with its picture. So much better than LCD.

 

[Evo X]

My PZ85 from 2008 (!) still blows my mind with its picture. So much better than LCD.

Haha, yep! This is the TV I upgraded from.

My uncle recently got some 70" Sony LCD, and the picture quality of my PZ85 was definitely better.

 

[televator]

Okay, I'm in the process of breaking in the ST60.......................

You know those times where you have some reasonable expectation of something, and then that something completely blows the roof off of your silly mortal expectations? I-I...can't even believe this is my TV now. Sweet jumping beard of Zeus! This picture.... this picture, GAF..... and all I've done is turn off all the extra shit [enhanced color, motion smoothing, etc...]

I owned a PZ800U which was nothing to take lightly. Even today that TV thrashes most TVs on the market. Yet the ST60 completely makes it its bitch. Blacks are straight out of the darkest abyss you can imagine. I'm baffled by these inky blacks. Yet no detail is spared in dark scenes. Black crush? Ha! No such fucking thing. Then there's the colors and response/motion resolution that is just on a whole other level compared to anything I've ever seen on a flat panel. And let me clarify again: I HAVEN'T EVEN CALIBRATED THIS YET!

I can't believe that Panasonic still has one more tier above this godly TV in the VT/ZT.

The one and only thing I can pick at right now is posterization, but scenes in movies where this is an issues are pretty far between. I understand that this is much improved in the VT.

Overall I feel like I actually got away with theft. I paid 1k for something that should cost 3k.

 

[Evo X]

Blacks are straight out of the darkest abyss you can imagine. I'm baffled by these inky blacks. Yet no detail is spared in dark scenes.

Yeah, the black levels on these things are crazy dark! It's honestly hard to tell whether the TV is on or off when a black screen comes up.

 

[Haint]

I wish I could compare the picture to my 2009 V10 with risen blacks to see if I should buy a VT60? Ughhhhh.

A fully risen '09 is basically a low quality LCD in terms of black levels and CR (~0.024fL, ~1700:1 @ 40fL). They also had virtually nonexistent AR filters. Televator above was in a virtually identical situation with his '08 PZ800, and see his reaction to the ST60 upgrade. VT60 is a night and day improvement in every respect save for peak light output and lag. The '09's would go bright as fuck (>90fL windowed white peak @ 50", >60fL @ 65"). VT60 couldn't even hit 40fL calibrated at the shootout, but I'm not sure if they used low or mid panel brightness. It also likely adds an additional frame of input lag compared to the V10.

 

[ChoklitCow]

Okay, I'm in the process of breaking in the ST60.......................

You know those times where you have some reasonable expectation of something, and then that something completely blows the roof off of your silly mortal expectations? I-I...can't even believe this is my TV now. Sweet jumping beard of Zeus! This picture.... this picture, GAF..... and all I've done is turn off all the extra shit [enhanced color, motion smoothing, etc...]

I owned a PZ800U which was nothing to take lightly. Even today that TV thrashes most TVs on the market. Yet the ST60 completely makes it its bitch. Blacks are straight out of the darkest abyss you can imagine. I'm baffled by these inky blacks. Yet no detail is spared in dark scenes. Black crush? Ha! No such fucking thing. Then there's the colors and response/motion resolution that is just on a whole other level compared to anything I've ever seen on a flat panel. And let me clarify again: I HAVEN'T EVEN CALIBRATED THIS YET!

I can't believe that Panasonic still has one more tier above this godly TV in the VT/ZT.

The one and only thing I can pick at right now is posterization, but scenes in movies where this is an issues are pretty far between. I understand that this is much improved in the VT.

Overall I feel like I actually got away with theft. I paid 1k for something that should cost 3k.

As I sit here watching slide after slide, not even 24-hours into my S60, I'm jealous. I've never been a patient person, and this is killing me.

 

[Unknown Soldier]

As I sit here watching slide after slide, not even 24-hours into my S60, I'm jealous. I've never been a patient person, and this is killing me.

If you don't give a fuck like I didn't, you'll just start using the TV how you like. The pixel jogger cures all sins in the early days of plasma ownership.

 

[H_Prestige]

A fully risen '09 is basically a low quality LCD in terms of black levels and CR (~0.024fL, ~1700:1 @ 40fL). They also had virtually nonexistent AR filters. VT60 is a night and day improvement in every respect save for peak light output and lag. The '09's would go bright as fuck (>90fL windowed white peak @ 50", >60fL @ 65"). VT60 couldn't even hit 40fL calibrated at the shootout, but I'm not sure if they used low or mid panel brightness. It also likely adds an additional frame of input lag compared to the V10.

This is true. I still think the plasma picture looks better. It's just smooth and the colors are so rich, like looking at a painting. Measurements don't tell the whole story here.

 

[televator]

As I sit here watching slide after slide, not even 24-hours into my S60, I'm jealous. I've never been a patient person, and this is killing me.

I've never been much for ritual when it comes to TVs. My method of break in is to just feed it as much non-static HD content for the first 200+ hrs.

 

[LiK]

I've never been much for ritual when it comes to TVs. My method of break in is to just feed it as much non-static HD content for the first 200+ hrs.

100 hours is good enough. 200 is overkill, IMO.

 

[dmr87]

Okay, I'm in the process of breaking in the ST60.......................

Glad you like it, loving my VT as well.

As I sit here watching slide after slide, not even 24-hours into my S60, I'm jealous. I've never been a patient person, and this is killing me.

Just use it with some common sense. You run slides to age it evenly and as fast as possible, if you aren't planning to have it professionally calibrated asap just start using the TV.

 

[Amneisac]

I'm halfway through Lawrence of Arabia restored edition bluray on my broken in and calibrated s60 and it's absolutely glorious. Thanks for all the help in this thread.

 

[anddo0]

PS3 conntected to 55W900A on an Ollo TRC-64 with a Sony HT-CT660. Shorter HDMI cables, etc. are on the way from Monoprice, so I'll connect everything nicer tomorrow in anticipation of Friday. There's still quite a bit to play around with and I haven't had much time with the TV yet.

Hey.I purchased this TV during black Friday.
Does the horizontal banding bother you?

It's viable in the second GoW pic, just below the top of the screen. My TV has a similar issue. I thinking about returning it, but don't want to test my luck and get something even worse in return.

 

[ChoklitCow]

So you all talked me into trying it out for the first time. Threw in BF4 for a match. Never thought input lag effected me until I played on this panel. I also love the blacks. Running into dark cover no longer means you can't see anything. The distance I can see with clarity is ridiculous as well. Even though my AR was silenced, I was able to pick people off well into the distance. My scores are going to skyrocket.

Then I threw in Dark Knight Rises to watch the opening Imax sequence. The fact I could see Tom Hardy's hair follicles made my mouth drop.

Thank all of you for the panny recommendation.

 

[malfcn]

Can figure out if it is my TV or the Xbox or my internet.

But things like Hulu and Amazon are all stuttering while watching.

 

[Otakumegane]

42in S60s don't exist anymore? Damn it.

 

[GTI Guy]

Taking delivery of my VT60 on 01/04...it's gonna be a happy new year!

 

[ReyVGM]

42in S60s don't exist anymore? Damn it.

Last time I saw them was last year when Sears and Amazon were selling them for 400 dollars.

 

[demosthenes]

A fully risen '09 is basically a low quality LCD in terms of black levels and CR (~0.024fL, ~1700:1 @ 40fL). They also had virtually nonexistent AR filters. Televator above was in a virtually identical situation with his '08 PZ800, and see his reaction to the ST60 upgrade. VT60 is a night and day improvement in every respect save for peak light output and lag. The '09's would go bright as fuck (>90fL windowed white peak @ 50", >60fL @ 65"). VT60 couldn't even hit 40fL calibrated at the shootout, but I'm not sure if they used low or mid panel brightness. It also likely adds an additional frame of input lag compared to the V10.

I hate you, makes me want to upgrade even more