What tv up to £2500

[s99ane]

I would appreciate some help on this matter.

I'm currently shopping for a new set which I wan to wall mount in the lounge.
I've been looking at the samsung ue55d7000 but a lot of people are suggesting the panasonic.

I would like something like 55" and above but picture quality is a must.

I'm confused help

[Gurbinder]

I saw the 55 inch LED Samsung in Comet yesterday that looked great not seen a picture like it in fact it blew my wife & me away.

[Donatello]

We have the 46" version of the one in the link below and the picture quality is fantastic. I was looking at this one but decided the smaller tv and the sony tv stand was a good choice as it is 2.1 surround on its own and creates a fantastic sound and picture experience.

The stand works incredibly with games too! 3D picture quality is excellent and the glasses just topped the deal off for me

The 55" version is here - http://www.geraldgiles.co.uk/Product/Sony/Televisi...

[Naga]

Look at the UE55d8000 - Can be had for around 2k - I personally think Samsung are superb and the picture (once set-up properly) is unrivalled

[oola]

This is the only TV I would consider at 55" with your budget in mind.

Panasonic TX-P55VT30B

[derestrictor]

The 55VT30 is so much better than anything else it is, indeed, a no brainer.

Take a Blu-ray disc like Top Gun - about as undynamic and grainy as it gets - spend several minutes with the basic variables within the advanced settings and the transformation is complete.

An effect last witnessed only on things referred to as Kuro.

If it helps, call it the PDP-55VT11.

[Naga]

oola said:

This is the only TV I would consider at 55" with your budget in mind.

Panasonic TX-P55VT30B

From the review on this link "Excellent build quality, not as sharp as the Samsung D8000, by a long way"

Having seen the 2 side-by-side I would certainly agree (and the salesman was trying to push the Pana!).

[fizz47]

I'm in exactly the same boat and am actually going tonight to John lewis to buy a Tv...

Since the announcement of the VT30 I've been waiting to get it.

However everyone I know is having one issue or another... So the question is do I buy the samsung uE55 or the Vt50?

For that much money i would expect a perfect TV... And the samsung seems to have less issues...

I really want the VT but something tells me I'll be returning it in within a month.

[derestrictor]

Viral marketing has a lot to answer for...

[caduceus]

Not that I'm in the market just yet, but when I am I'll be plumping for the Samsung LED.

Ive seen a demo of the 40 and it was stunning. I also prefer the LED route because they are slimmer/sleeker, lighter and cooler. That said, I havn't seen a VT perform... But have made up my mind already on the LED route.

[derestrictor]

There's nothing wrong with a bronze medal, I suppose.

Edited by derestrictor on Thursday 25th August 17:14

[Gurbinder]

Naga said:

Look at the UE55d8000 - Can be had for around 2k - I personally think Samsung are superb and the picture (once set-up properly) is unrivalled

This is the model we saw and I agree 100%

[tdm34ds]

Side by side in a brightly lit showroom the the Samsung is going to look better, but when you flip the experiment
and compare them in normal room light levels, the result is reversed.

Plasma technology have several distinct advantages,

1, Better and more consistent black levels, with no light bleed in the corners
2, Better handling of fast motion
3, Vastly superior 3D performance
4, In the case of the Panasonic, better build quality
5, and at the moment Panasonic are giving a full five Year Warranty, with a full swap out if irrepairable,


LED sets will give better "apparent" brightness in high ambient light
and use less power, even though a lot of people are surprised just how
small the differences in running costs actually are.

Also it is considered that Plasmas have at least 100% longer panel life.

I strongly urge anyone considering throwing £2500 at any TV, treat it as you would a car and try and get a demo in conditions
that you're actually going to use it in.

More reading for potential owners

Samsung http://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/news/samsung-ue55d8000-u...

Panasonic (the 50" version but it's relevant) http://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/news/panasonic-tx-p50vt3...

Edited by tdm34ds on Thursday 25th August 21:28

[fizz47]

So purchased the Panasonic VT30 earlier this evening. I got the 50 inch for £1829 from John Lewis. Thei own price is actually £2199 but they agreed to price match Sevenoaks.


I hope it's as goo as it's cracked out to be..

I'm leaving behind a samsung C7000 for it...

So what should I do to 'break' in the set. I've heard I should initially only run it on THX mode and put the contrast a notch or two down. Shall I bother with break in slides?

[tdm34ds]

fizz47 said:

So purchased the Panasonic VT30 earlier this evening. I got the 50 inch for £1829 from John Lewis. Thei own price is actually £2199 but they agreed to price match Sevenoaks.


I hope it's as goo as it's cracked out to be..

I'm leaving behind a samsung C7000 for it...

So what should I do to 'break' in the set. I've heard I should initially only run it on THX mode and put the contrast a notch or two down. Shall I bother with break in slides?

That should suffice, just give it an easy time for 2-3 weeks.

[derestrictor]

What's even more bizarre is that Sony's new 800 and previous/current 900 series edge/backlit models outperform anything in the format but are curiously unacknowledged; even the latest 723 chassis is exceptional, for the breed.

[s99ane]

Hi Derestrictor do you have any info on the Sonys? Links?

Oh and Fizz what made you go for the Panny over the Sammy 9in the end?

[derestrictor]

KDL-40HX or NX723; KDL-46/55HX823; KDL-52HX903; KDL-55HX923 {by far and away the best non-plasma 55.}

[fizz47]

s99ane said:

Hi Derestrictor do you have any info on the Sonys? Links?

Oh and Fizz what made you go for the Panny over the Sammy 9in the end?

Umm various...

We have had an older panasonic plasma in our family house and it's still going strong.

I watch a lot of hi def movies and everything I read says the VT 30 is best for this.- admittedly in store the Samsung looked better to me but in the house people say the VT will look much better.

Yes I am going on stuff mostly based on others opinions but at the end of the day if I myself dont actually like the TV I'll return it - one of the benefits of buying from John Lewis is their returns policy.

And also i was swayed by professional reviews. Every single review i have read says the samsung is a very good TV but the same reviewers say that the VT is still better.

Yes I am dreading have potential faults with the TV but one mainly hears about the bad stuff. The good things fail to get reported. -as mentioned if it is faulty I will just return.- a slight inconvienience but something I'm will to undertake to get the best TV possible.

[Beardy10]

I'd definitely agree with buying from JL because of their returns policy and customer service....though I think qulaity control issues get overblown personally.

I am yet to find a retailer that can let you demo a TV with the full range of sources in a realistic environment so doing a "home trial" is the only way to go!