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What does the Panasonic offer over the Samsung? Only ask as at £350 the Panasonic was a bit of a no brainer but of course now I see a 42" Samsung @ £399 with 5 year warranty vs. either a 37" Panasonic @ £410 or 42" TX-P42X20B for £450.
Sorry, I appreciate how irritating/indecisive this must all sound but it has to last so I have to get it right first time.
Sorry, I appreciate how irritating/indecisive this must all sound but it has to last so I have to get it right first time.
I thought I'd tracked down the X20 at £399 but it would seem not.
Then I noticed there is a new Panasonic TX-P42C3B but I'm not clear other than Freeview HD if it is better, worse, or just different to the X20. I suspect it's too early to tell and nowhere local seems to have it on display.
Then I noticed there is a new Panasonic TX-P42C3B but I'm not clear other than Freeview HD if it is better, worse, or just different to the X20. I suspect it's too early to tell and nowhere local seems to have it on display.
just read this thread and it made me chuckle a little. At the end of the day as soon as you buy a TV the next month a bigger and better model will always be available and you will kick yourself for not waiting.My advice, you have already narrowed down the choice between 2 samsung and Panasonic, Panasonic is a better TV and I would buy one with my money, the main reason being the user interface on the TV. This is something very simple and often gets over looked but its always smoother and faster to use then on any other TVs.
As far as all the 1080i and P goes for the size of TV that you are buying and the content you are watching I wouldn't worry about it to much it will look mostly the same.
I know you are just trying to get the best TV you can for the money and don't want to regret it but get the Panasonic and I think it will do everything you want excellently day in day out.
dave0010 said:
I know you are just trying to get the best TV you can for the money and don't want to regret it but get the Panasonic and I think it will do everything you want excellently day in day out.
Oh I have no doubts you're quite right, and I was talking about it with a colleague this morning - I'm sure there's a psychologists case study lurking somewhere in why we buy a house or car or something expensive on a whim yet spend days pouring over specifications and reviews on a £500 telly 
I think the problem is that at £399 the X20 would have been a bargain and I'd have had it, I actually called a place this morning who had stock but by the time I called it had gone, but once you jump up to £450-500 there's a little more choice where you start getting into "just another fifty quid" territory.
I am settled on a Panasonic plasma, it's just a question of the most bang for the buck that I can actually find in stock to buy anywhere.
This hasn't helped.. http://www.laskys.com/tv_and_dvd/plasma_tvs/37_to_...
S20 is last year's, and that being 21, means it's a Currys/Dixon one, which they have Panasonic make for them so price matching is virtually impossible.
Whether there's tweaks beyond a model name change no-one's quite sure - you'd need to have two side by side to see if menus are the same, and try and get a full spec to compare directly with Panasonic's published one.
Chances are it's just a name change, which will be printed on user manual, the TV itself, and packaging - so not much of a cost for Panasonic to absorb over the number DSG commit to purchase from them.
Tends to be on the lower end of the model range - the price range most people are going for, so your G/V/VTs all remain the same.
Whether there's tweaks beyond a model name change no-one's quite sure - you'd need to have two side by side to see if menus are the same, and try and get a full spec to compare directly with Panasonic's published one.
Chances are it's just a name change, which will be printed on user manual, the TV itself, and packaging - so not much of a cost for Panasonic to absorb over the number DSG commit to purchase from them.
Tends to be on the lower end of the model range - the price range most people are going for, so your G/V/VTs all remain the same.
Still hunting, still settled on a Panasonic plasma. Can't find anyone with the 37" X20 less than £400 (Best Buy) then it seems a bit of a lottery on who has what 42" models.
Some of the A/V stores are f
king clueless as to customer service. I've emailed quite a lot as there's just too many to call and when you say pretty much "What Panasonic plasma can you sell me for up to £600" you have to laugh when the reply you get is:
SORRY WE ARE SOLD OUT ON THIS MODEL
ALL OUR STOCK IS BRAND NEW
fkwits.
TXP42C3B @ £475 delivered is looking good - anyone know what the 600hz stuff on the Panasonic website means? I thought Plasma's were 50hz or 100hz?
Some of the A/V stores are f
king clueless as to customer service. I've emailed quite a lot as there's just too many to call and when you say pretty much "What Panasonic plasma can you sell me for up to £600" you have to laugh when the reply you get is:SORRY WE ARE SOLD OUT ON THIS MODEL
ALL OUR STOCK IS BRAND NEW
f
kwits.TXP42C3B @ £475 delivered is looking good - anyone know what the 600hz stuff on the Panasonic website means? I thought Plasma's were 50hz or 100hz?
Edited by paddyhasneeds on Tuesday 22 February 19:37
IMHO the '600Hz' is a bit of marketing BS. The TV can create extra frames to make the motion appear smoother, but it's not as many as 600Hz would imply (otherwise there'd be 11 'new' frames plus the original one to take the 50Hz broadcast to 600Hz). It can add smoothness to the picture, but I think it can spoil film based sources by making them look like 'video'. It doesn't matter as you can turn it on or off depending on what you find you prefer.
OldSkoolRS said:
IMHO the '600Hz' is a bit of marketing BS. The TV can create extra frames to make the motion appear smoother, but it's not as many as 600Hz would imply (otherwise there'd be 11 'new' frames plus the original one to take the 50Hz broadcast to 600Hz). It can add smoothness to the picture, but I think it can spoil film based sources by making them look like 'video'. It doesn't matter as you can turn it on or off depending on what you find you prefer.
I've just been doing a little (more) reading. Apparently the 600hz is indeed markering BS as it's actually taking 6 "segments" of panel, each of which is fed a 50hz signal (or so I believe) and then processes each to display it at 100hz, which x6 give this 600hz malarkey.I think I've narrowed it down to 2, the new TX-P42C3B which is £475 or the 42S21B.
I'm most tempted by the S21B I think.
It seems to be true HD, is NeoPDP so I believe their top end panel type?
£550 for the thing I spend most time in front of when I'm at home doesn't seem worth quibbling about vs. £475 for the lower model down albeit the new model (the TX-P42C3B).
Someone tell me to just f
king do it please Just fking do it then. 
That 42S21B includes Freeview HD (and Freesat HD) as well so you'll have an alternative from Sky for some HD channels. Of course giving you options doesn't seem to be your forte.
EDIT: I see the C3 includes this as well, so you're really just paying for the full HD resolution.
king do it then. That 42S21B includes Freeview HD (and Freesat HD) as well so you'll have an alternative from Sky for some HD channels. Of course giving you options doesn't seem to be your forte. EDIT: I see the C3 includes this as well, so you're really just paying for the full HD resolution.
Edited by OldSkoolRS on Tuesday 22 February 20:41
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