Plasma / LED - why do people put up with it?
Discussion
I just checked mine and it is a Panasonic TH-42PX600B
I don't actually remember where in the lineup this came. But I like it.
Trouble is, it's a bit small for the room its in (my lounge is pretty big) and it looks a little lost on the wall. But I just like the picture too much to change it.
I don't actually remember where in the lineup this came. But I like it.
Trouble is, it's a bit small for the room its in (my lounge is pretty big) and it looks a little lost on the wall. But I just like the picture too much to change it.
Funk said:
has anyone tried Samsung's Nano Crystal SUHD which I'm told is also very good?
I replaced my panny plasma with 9000 series Samsung at Christmas (also have a 9500 series version in the US). 4K, nano, HDR capable. Set up correctly (my backlight is set to 8 out of 20), 99% of the time it just makes plasmas look dull.
For general viewing it's on another level - bright, clean and super sharp. Much better in a lit room, much better colours. Yes, there is a tiny amount of backlight bleed, but this is only noticeable very occasionally, and only when watching dark movies in an unlit room.
And that's with SD and HD sources. Give it a HDR source and the picture is phenomenal.
Yes, OLED's can do better blacks for movies, but they can struggle with graduations just above absolute black (blocking/banding), and a good one is double the price.
LeoSayer said:
Panasonic VIERA TX-P42GT30 here owned for 5 years and no intention of changing.
A friend of mine works in tv show production and he always comments on the quality of the picture.
Panasonic VIERA TX-P42G20B here. I believe the 30 series included 3D? It cost me £600+ 6 years ago from Costco. Even with inflation, I don't think that I could buy an equivalent screen today without spending a LOT more. So much for progress.A friend of mine works in tv show production and he always comments on the quality of the picture.
I'm always curious about the Kuros (no pun intended) as they stopped making them, what, 7/8 years ago? Do they still represent a viable secondhand purchase? Obviously they are out of warranty and spare parts must be thin on the ground. Is it akin to buying a 9 year old V12 BMW/Merc - great in theory but huge potential bork/costs? I guess with the very last Panny's still available with 3/4 years warranty, they make a lot better sense as a pre-owned purchase?
I have a 60" Pioneer Kuro I'm my living room, the final model that they made before they decided to stop making the best TVs on earth 
In the computer room I have a Panasonic plasma that has odd backlight issues, (that I've managed to pretty much no longer notice) that I was looking to replace with a new 4K job but as everything is LED now I'm struggling to find a replacement as I still haven't seen an LED screen that looks up to the job, admitedly the 4K demo screens look good in a brightly lit shop but in actual use are they any good?
In the computer room I have a Panasonic plasma that has odd backlight issues, (that I've managed to pretty much no longer notice) that I was looking to replace with a new 4K job but as everything is LED now I'm struggling to find a replacement as I still haven't seen an LED screen that looks up to the job, admitedly the 4K demo screens look good in a brightly lit shop but in actual use are they any good?
Defcon5 said:
RobDickinson said:
I have a 10 year old pany 42" plasma, top of the line, 720p model lol. Looks and sounds great, hope it doesnt die before LCD/OLED manage to improve.
Is it a TH42PX80B by any chance? If so, me too!Defcon5 said:
RobDickinson said:
I have a 10 year old pany 42" plasma, top of the line, 720p model lol. Looks and sounds great, hope it doesnt die before LCD/OLED manage to improve.
Is it a TH42PX80B by any chance? If so, me too!Probably still better than anything utilising LCD though
hairyben said:
PX was the entry level model IIRC. "HD ready" instead of "full" 1080 HD that were PZ models.
Yes, I've only just today realised that. I thought mine was 1080p but it turns out to be 720p / 1080i. But that's fine as I mostly just watch Sky HD and upscaled DVD (I do have a few BD but find DVD is sufficient most of the time). Talking of old tech that is still serviceable, it makes me feel old when I see DVDs in charity shops and car boot sales.
The majority of people never experienced a really good Plasma (Either a Kuro or Panasonic) and thus a regular LCD display looks fine to them. Yes Sony and Samsung are doing all sorts of clever things to try and push the picture quality, but OLED is the true replacement for Plasma, it just needs time.
Unless you NEED something you Plasma doesn't have, or like me it dies, don't upgrade unless you can afford a new LG OLED, the longer you can wait the better they will be.
Unless you NEED something you Plasma doesn't have, or like me it dies, don't upgrade unless you can afford a new LG OLED, the longer you can wait the better they will be.
Cupramax said:
ClockworkCupcake said:
Yes, I've only just today realised that. I thought mine was 1080p but it turns out to be 720p / 1080i.
Your tv is 720p, not 1080i, thats the maximum Sky can output.Anyway, point is that I thought my panel had a higher res than it does, but it has never actually affected me or been an issue.
TEKNOPUG said:
Panasonic VIERA TX-P42G20B here. I believe the 30 series included 3D? It cost me £600+ 6 years ago from Costco.
Yes the VIERA TX-P42GT30 has with the special glasses that take a second or two to synch with the tv.The 3D, apps and inbuilt speakers are all pretty poor and never get used
LeoSayer said:
Panasonic VIERA TX-P42GT30 here owned for 5 years and no intention of changing.
A friend of mine works in tv show production and he always comments on the quality of the picture.
I've got the same TV and I dread something happening to it as nothing on the market seems anywhere near as good.A friend of mine works in tv show production and he always comments on the quality of the picture.
Resolution is great, but I would take a screen that can do proper blacks and whites at the same time and looks clean with decent motion and can do colours and greyscale properly over resolution.
My favourite screens over the years have been, in order....
Panny PF11
Pioneer 508 (1080)
Pioneer 500M
Panny PHD8
Sony W905
My favourite screens over the years have been, in order....
Panny PF11
Pioneer 508 (1080)
Pioneer 500M
Panny PHD8
Sony W905
ThunderSpook said:
No-one seems to have mentioned LG plasma screens, any reason for that?
I love my 50" LG plasma, looks fantastic
Purely because if you wanted the best, you bought a Pioneer or a Panasonic, and the people who actually care enough to dislike the look of an LCD also cared enough to spend the extra for the best.I love my 50" LG plasma, looks fantastic
My Panny plasma (forget model) is hanging in there but every now and again, it displays red sparklies in dark areas of the screen. This can vary from just noticeable to a full on red mess all over the screen. It's been okay of late but I've had a look at what is available. Most of the 4K stuff isn't worth bothering with unless you spend min £1400 for an HDR set. There are some 2015 950 OLEDs around for around the same price as a mid-level LCD from Sony (9305) or Samsung (KS8000). I don't think I can justify the prices for the 2016 OLED sets so I will have to wait for a significant price drop. LCD can look good under certain conditions but plasma seems to give a near perfect picture 100% of the time and as mentioned, they're a great secondary heating system in the winter.
TEKNOPUG said:
Panasonic VIERA TX-P42G20B here. I believe the 30 series included 3D? It cost me £600+ 6 years ago from Costco. Even with inflation, I don't think that I could buy an equivalent screen today without spending a LOT more. So much for progress.
I'm always curious about the Kuros (no pun intended) as they stopped making them, what, 7/8 years ago? Do they still represent a viable secondhand purchase? Obviously they are out of warranty and spare parts must be thin on the ground. Is it akin to buying a 9 year old V12 BMW/Merc - great in theory but huge potential bork/costs? I guess with the very last Panny's still available with 3/4 years warranty, they make a lot better sense as a pre-owned purchase?
I have a 60" Kuro in the living room, Panasonic VT55" in the kitchen. The Panasonic is very, very good.... but it's no Kuro. I dread the day my Kuro gives up, it's long out of its 5 year warranty, must be getting on for 8 years old now but still going strong.I'm always curious about the Kuros (no pun intended) as they stopped making them, what, 7/8 years ago? Do they still represent a viable secondhand purchase? Obviously they are out of warranty and spare parts must be thin on the ground. Is it akin to buying a 9 year old V12 BMW/Merc - great in theory but huge potential bork/costs? I guess with the very last Panny's still available with 3/4 years warranty, they make a lot better sense as a pre-owned purchase?
Until something else comes along at a sensible price that doesn't melt my retina, I'll stick with plan A and hold on to both as long as I possibly can. Even when they go I'll probably go with another monitor and not a telly which means I can go for a commercial plasma...
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