Panny VT30 or wait
Author
Discussion

KENZ

Original Poster:

1,229 posts

216 months

Saturday 3rd September 2011
quotequote all
My folks are finally looking to change their main tv. So not to miss an opportunity I said I would give them my PZV700 50 inch plasma as I would like to trade up.

I love my panny so I'm thinking about buying the VT30 50 or 55inch. Thoughts? Do you think the prices will come down any lower in the next few months.

Amazon have the 50inch at 1698 quid and the 55 at 2400quid. I really would like the bigger model.

Thoughts? Already have the iPad controller app for it..lol

fizz47

3,167 posts

233 months

Saturday 3rd September 2011
quotequote all
So i just had my 50VT30 delivered from John Lewis about 2 hours ago. Got it for £1830 with a 5 year warranty.

Only taken it out of the box and have not even turned it on yet as had to go out.

Like you I have been umming and ahhhhing or ages but finally replaced a Samsung c7000.

First impressions- asthetically out of the box it looks very nice- my wife said it even looks better than the D8000 which was another potential telly we were looking. The new 1 sheet glass panel has made the set look very high end. And it's very very slim-

loads of stuff came out of the box...the 3D glasses look quite sturdy though have a feeling they may be a little small. Dont know if panasonic will allow me to get them changed to a larger size?

Once I plug it in tonight I'll update and give my thoughts. - fingers crossed I don't get any issues, e.g fluctuating brightness, spots etc.


Digger

16,134 posts

214 months

Saturday 3rd September 2011
quotequote all
Would be interested in your thoughts once you've had it running for a few hours Fizz? Don't forget to stick it in THX or a Pro mode and knock back the Contrast for the first 100-200 hours or so. Oh and do a Firmware upgrade, as the last few incremental firmwares are beginning to reduce the instances of fBR's. As every set has different tolerances its not a complete fix as yet (only dealers seem to think it is) but muchly improved. Don't think about shelling out for calibration until at least 300-400 hours. Chances are you'll be happy with your own settings.

Out of interest what is the viewing distance?

Oh, and enjoy. smile

fizz47

3,167 posts

233 months

Saturday 3rd September 2011
quotequote all
Thanks for the heads up...

My viewing distance is only about 6 -9 ft.



KENZ

Original Poster:

1,229 posts

216 months

Saturday 3rd September 2011
quotequote all
With almost 800 quid difference between the 50 & 55 is it really worth it?

Convince mesmile

Digger

16,134 posts

214 months

Saturday 3rd September 2011
quotequote all
You are on the Internet yet don't know how to use it. Where do you get £800 from? smile

fizz47

3,167 posts

233 months

Sunday 4th September 2011
quotequote all
Good news and bad news I'm afraid.....

Got the TV up and running last night and only had a little play around...


Put everything into THX mode.... Contrast down a couple of notches....

The good news.....

The picture is absolutely stunning... HD movies like Batman have never looked so good. Spanks the new Samsungs LEDs out of orbit... Forget going to the cinema - would rather watch a movie at home now.

I really like the menu system now as well.... surprisingly more than the samsung which both my wife and I rated...

3D is fantastic too.... Again better the Samsungs I have tried. I only tried 3D gaming though and was sitting in a really dark room which also helps...


The bad news


As soon as I turned the TV on and was doing the tuning I noticed green tinge patches ... Very noticeable on lighter backgrounds... And the patches are quite large.


Even though I knew this problem was afflicting sets of other people I was rather hoping it wouldn't happen to mine - it's rather annoyed me and pisses me off a little that a TV that is circa £2k gets shipped out like this especially as the VT30 is meant to be the daddy of all TVs. I know other sets have their own problems but I really don't think the VT30 should have such major issues.


On a good note I have not noticed any fluctuating brightness yet.....

In case anyone is wondering the firmware that the set came with is 1.520.


So basically this TV is going to go back and I'll replace it with the same hoping the tinges are not there....it's still the best picture I have personally seen on any set...


Any questions .. Feel free

KENZ

Original Poster:

1,229 posts

216 months

Sunday 4th September 2011
quotequote all
Digger said:
You are on the Internet yet don't know how to use it. Where do you get £800 from? smile
Do you know who's selling them cheaper? Amazon vouchers maybe?


Was in Costco yesterday. They didn't have the VT model but plenty of top model Samsung's D8000 which i didn't much care for.



T84

6,941 posts

217 months

Sunday 4th September 2011
quotequote all
Re.: the green tinge, try running it for a while, it might just be a bonding agent or something that's not fully dry...

s99ane

1,262 posts

257 months

Monday 5th September 2011
quotequote all
KENZ said:
Do you know who's selling them cheaper? Amazon vouchers maybe?


Was in Costco yesterday. They didn't have the VT model but plenty of top model Samsung's D8000 which i didn't much care for.
You don't recall how much the d8000 was at Costco do you?

Thanks

KENZ

Original Poster:

1,229 posts

216 months

Monday 5th September 2011
quotequote all
They had a deal with the D8000. Here it is

KENZ

Original Poster:

1,229 posts

216 months

Monday 5th September 2011
quotequote all
And another..


KENZ

Original Poster:

1,229 posts

216 months

Monday 5th September 2011
quotequote all
fizz47 said:
Good news and bad news I'm afraid.....

Got the TV up and running last night and only had a little play around...


Put everything into THX mode.... Contrast down a couple of notches....

The good news.....

The picture is absolutely stunning... HD movies like Batman have never looked so good. Spanks the new Samsungs LEDs out of orbit... Forget going to the cinema - would rather watch a movie at home now.

I really like the menu system now as well.... surprisingly more than the samsung which both my wife and I rated...

3D is fantastic too.... Again better the Samsungs I have tried. I only tried 3D gaming though and was sitting in a really dark room which also helps...


The bad news


As soon as I turned the TV on and was doing the tuning I noticed green tinge patches ... Very noticeable on lighter backgrounds... And the patches are quite large.


Even though I knew this problem was afflicting sets of other people I was rather hoping it wouldn't happen to mine - it's rather annoyed me and pisses me off a little that a TV that is circa £2k gets shipped out like this especially as the VT30 is meant to be the daddy of all TVs. I know other sets have their own problems but I really don't think the VT30 should have such major issues.


On a good note I have not noticed any fluctuating brightness yet.....

In case anyone is wondering the firmware that the set came with is 1.520.


So basically this TV is going to go back and I'll replace it with the same hoping the tinges are not there....it's still the best picture I have personally seen on any set...
Any questions .. Feel free
Can you take a pic of the green tinge issues and post it..


Edited by KENZ on Monday 5th September 14:27

matc

4,735 posts

230 months

Monday 5th September 2011
quotequote all
KENZ said:
And another..
That's a great looking set, a couple of my mates have just bought them and I'm very tempted. However the Panny praise on here is holding me back at the moment!

KENZ

Original Poster:

1,229 posts

216 months

Monday 5th September 2011
quotequote all
I tell you what I did notice. They didnt have the VT model, think it may have been the GT but when you look down at it from a steep angle you could hardly see the picture, picture got very dark, where as the Samsung made no difference. So obviously it has better viewing angles than the Panny..

KENZ

Original Poster:

1,229 posts

216 months

Monday 5th September 2011
quotequote all
KENZ said:
I tell you what I did notice. They didnt have the VT model, think it may have been the GT but when you look down at it from a steep angle you could hardly see the picture, picture got very dark, where as the Samsung made no difference. So obviously it has better viewing angles than the Panny..
Hmmm..maybe the Samsung is the one to go for.

fizz47

3,167 posts

233 months

Monday 5th September 2011
quotequote all
KENZ said:
I tell you what I did notice. They didnt have the VT model, think it may have been the GT but when you look down at it from a steep angle you could hardly see the picture, picture got very dark, where as the Samsung made no difference. So obviously it has better viewing angles than the Panny..
Can't comment on your particular experience but the Plasma has way better viewing angles..


I'll try and get some pics up of the green patches when I can...

mathmos

759 posts

197 months

Monday 5th September 2011
quotequote all
This is the same dilemma that I am suffering from! My OH has finally given the go-ahead for a new TV and I really can’t make up my mind between a plasma panny and a Samsung D7000.

I LOVE the styling of the Samsung, but at 55” I haven’t read great things about the uniformity of the lighting from the edge-lit screen, so the Panny sounds like it may win out on picture quality.

I haven't really spent to much time looking at the panny in the flesh yet, the attraction for the Samsung was the tiny bezals...what are they like on the Panny?

T84

6,941 posts

217 months

Monday 5th September 2011
quotequote all
Do people seriously worry over the aesthetics of a TV over the performance?! Who gives a st what it looks like if it doesn't perform as well as it's rival!

s99ane

1,262 posts

257 months

Monday 5th September 2011
quotequote all
I got JL to price match the 55D8000 at £2098 including some remote etc.

Good deal I thought might pull the trigger on this.

Had a look at the VT but I keep going back to the Samsung.
I'm not expert and my eyes don't see the £300-400 difference in the two.