New Panasonic plasmas

[ToddL]

Panasonic will be releasing their new model line of plasma in the next month or two. These supposively have better picture quality than their last models. They mentioned something about HDTV 2. I am sure that this is not 1080p.Does anyone know what this is?
Also it will be arriving at around 10-15% less than their previous model, if you are in the market.

[AVMASTER]

the panasonic th42px60u is available at Best Buy and other national chains ( Sears ). I checked it out at a local BB. Sitting next to a Pioneer plasma my initial thoughts were less than thrilling; somewhere I've seen this plasma before? Oh yeah, last years' model!!!!
With the exception of some cosmetic changes and a lower price i;m not impressed ( maybe it was the way BB had it set-up), then again as the owner of a Hitachi Directors series plasma i'm a bit biased

[edtyct]

Avmaster,

I did a bit of a calibration on a new Hitachi plasma recently, and I was wildly impressed. All of the colors were nearly spot on, and I wouldn't be surprised if it measured close to D65, though I don't know for sure. It looked spectacular.

Ed

[AVMASTER]

Hello Ed;
that was one of several reasons for my Hitachi purchase; Have you seen the much hyped Panasonic? I've nothing bad to say about it and it does represent a very good value but it is by no means a videophile unit, at least not in my opinion. I'd love to be more technical about it ( like you-video god )but i go by what i sell and install and i've seen better

[edtyct]

To tell you the truth, I don't go around looking for or at them too much. My opinion of the Panasonics took shape when nothing else looked as good to even a mildly critical eye. They set a standard then, mainly in terms of greyscale and black level, that others have not approached until relatively recently. The big four plasmas at this point would have to be Pioneer, Hitachi, Panasonic, and perhaps Fujitsu, though the last has apparently lost some interest. But Panasonics certainly don't process signals as well as Pioneers, and Hitachis, from what I've seen of them, seem rock solid (some of that aplomb derives, I think, from a partnership with Panasonic). I hope to put a Hitachi through some DVE screens eventually to see how well it processes film and video, how well it holds black, and how sharp it is. I'm going to run the Spyder colorimeter on it as well when I get it back. As I said, the colors exhibit no push whatsover.

Panasonic doesn't seem as keen on making a plasma statement as Pioneer and Hitachi do; they like to keep the cost down. Can't complain about that, but the thriftiness has to show somewhere. Maybe that's why Panasonics did not accept 720p signals, even though 720 would seem a natural for them. The company probably reasoned that since most HD was 1080i, which would have to be downconverted, anyway, why waste money on 720p?

[ToddL]

the panasonic th42px60u is available at Best Buy and other national chains ( Sears ). I checked it out at a local BB. Sitting next to a Pioneer plasma my initial thoughts were less than thrilling; somewhere I've seen this plasma before? Oh yeah, last years' model!!!!
With the exception of some cosmetic changes and a lower price i;m not impressed ( maybe it was the way BB had it set-up), then again as the owner of a Hitachi Directors series plasma i'm a bit biased

I guess we get our sets late up here. This is all pretty disappointing other than the price.

How would you guys compare the top Philips model(42/50PF9830) to these other ones it looks like it holds its own, even though there was a recall on one of their other models which seems to be giving them a bad rep. I am happy that they had the grit to fix their mistakes and not deny them like a lot of companies out there. Any comparisons?

[AVMASTER]

i have sold these but we have never actually done a full installation job with one and so I have not seen one ISF calibrated; the 50" is fully loaded with a contrast ratio alot lower than what the manufacturer claims ( at least from what i've seen ) but overall a decent set. At its price point i might consider it over the Panasonic simply for design and build-quality

[Woochifer]

My understanding is that the Panasonic plasmas benefit tremendously from a professional ISF calibration, perhaps more so than the Pioneers, which seem to be closer to reference out of the box. Can't remember if the Hitachis were close to reference or not, but I thought that their plasmas were made on the same assembly line as the Fujitsus. Panasonic has definitely set the price points aggressively, and seem to deliver very strong performance for that price.

Just as a sidenote, the Panasonic plasmas have included 720p at least since their current models came out. It always struck me as odd that the older models excluded the 720p resolution when that's what ABC and ESPN use. And for buyers who insisted on native 720p support, the industrial plasma models have always had that mode available.

[edtyct]

Wooch,

I woiuldn't be surprised about the assembly line, since at one time, Fujitsu had a hand in almost every plasma made. Hitachi and Panasonic are now collaborating on a range of activities, plasma R&D being one of them.

The Pioneer PRO Elite models actually have an enhanced parameter configuration explicitly intended for ISF calibration--ISF C3. It permits, among other things, separate settings for night and day. Panasonic's plasma don't venture into that territory, though ISF calibration is certainly possible and beneficial for them. Panasonic seems never to have courted a high-end sensibility, even though some of its products have won admiration in high-end circles. Panasonic made very good laser disk players that some people used as CD transports, and its DVD players are typically good performers, even at relatively low price points. What was it, the RP-61, that was so popular in its day? Panasonic kind of sneaks up on you.

Ed

[avnorm]

Ed,

Your insight is appreciated here. Your comment on separate ISF cal's for day & nite piqued my interest. I am looking for a summer-time purchase and plan to die with this set. (just replaced a 22 yr old 25" Mits console TV)

What would you recommend in the 50 - 65" display range for HD & SD cable and dvd use in a medium lit fam room by day (2 windows, 3 doorways, etc) and dark by night setting? I like top end PQ, a small footprint, and low maint. cost (no bulbs?), side viewing, sports/action, and to nicely complement the other high-end AV stuff . We sit 8 - 13' away. This is how I came to decide upon plasma.

I have been waiting for prices to come to me on the plasmas, and went for a Sony 34XBR960n for the time being. Great PQ! This will rotate to 2nd most oft used rm.

Meanwhile, I spent $12k last X-mas on quality 7.1 B & W spkrs, custom wiring, Denon 5910 DVD, Denon 4806 AVR, etc. I plan to ISF cal both sets this summer (3 hr round trip for the technician).

This is a huge $$$ investment that my wife hopes will last. We did it thinking the kids have 3 and 7 yrs to college, living at home.

Can you help us avoid regrets? I was looking at Panny plasma 50', and 65" if price drops. I read panny is best blacks and a value play, while Pio/Fuji/Hit are better at colr rendition. That was last fall, and am just re-evaluating.

Tx, Norman

Woops, you signed off. I'll read u later! Thanks again

[edtyct]

Yikes, the pressure. Seriously, sometimes, in my least democratic moments, I wish that choosing the right display could reduce to a simple alchemy. But the truth is that no one technology or company can be everything to everyone; the variables are too great: cost, aesthetics, features, support, the relative balance sheet of strengths and weaknesses in particular contexts, etc. Also, no one can predict which TV will last forever and which one will fall apart, even with the broad scores that publications like Consumer Reports provide. One other consideration is that technologies turn over faster in the digital age than they did during most of the time that your Mits console ruled the roost. The TV that you intended to last a lifetime could become an albatross four or five years down the road, or sooner.

Furthermore, though I'm a firm believer that waiting to buy until the prices come down, until such and such a format hits the market, until content providers and manufacturers wise up, et al., is a losing proposition. The old adage, "The more things change, the more they remain the same," is nowhere more evident than in consumer technology. Buy it now, and enjoy it until you can't any more.

That said, however, certain consumers might be on the horns of dilemma at this juncture. Current technology is capable of 1080p, but no 1080p sets currently available will actually accept 1080p video through their HDMI, DVI, or component inputs; they'll only scale to it. And this scaling by the TV, depending on the source, might be markedly inferior to the scaling/deinterlacing that an external processor could provide if the display could access it. Despite the fact that not everyone will care about or benefit from 1080p input (for reasons of viewing situation and sensibility), some zealous buyers in search of the latest and greatest may be disappointed in this limitation of their displays.

To stay in the spirit of your question, if I were in the market for a TV today, I'd probably spring for a Sony SXRD, a Brillian LCoS, or a new JVC DiLA. Such is one man's opinion. In all honesty, I could be happy with any number of options if dropped in my lap, but those are my active choices. Viewing angles don't concern me inordinately; nor does wall hanging. I like sharp pictures with good, not flashy, color rendition and black levels that can do justice to high-contrast film material. I don't expect any fixed-pixel display to achieve the black or color accuracy of your Sony XBR CRT, but I do want it to be in the ballpark, while also being bigger, slimmer, lighter, and brighter.

By the way, I believe that the plasmas at the core of this thread are top-quality displays. I'd be happy with any one of them if they met my situation, though Pioneer and Hitachi may beat Panasonic on style points and glamour. All of them continue to give plasma a good name at a time when the technology has opened up to a lot of johnny-come-latelys.

Ed

[AVMASTER]

will the display be wall mounted?
will it be used with a game console, i.e. x-box, playstation, etc...
will it be used as a computer monitor?
budget for display

[avnorm]

Thanks, Ed.

AVMaster,

Wall mount, not now. Perhaps.

Limited gaming, kids now use CRT in basement, and soon will use Sony XBR CRT, once newest TV purchaesd. Then new TV used for gaming when the older kid doesn't share; again, limited.

Computer console, not primarily, but sharing internet would be nice on occassion. We now hover oveer this 12" laptop.

I was fantasizing over the 65" Panny plasma, hoping it would fall to the $6500-7000 range. My wife is my conscious, she had approved the $4000 50" Panny.

Thanks
Norm

[AVMASTER]

within your requirements, the 50" Panasonic PX600u
a grand more, Hitachi 55" HDX62, a truly reference plasma

[Woochifer]

Wooch,

I woiuldn't be surprised about the assembly line, since at one time, Fujitsu had a hand in almost every plasma made. Hitachi and Panasonic are now collaborating on a range of activities, plasma R&D being one of them.

The Pioneer PRO Elite models actually have an enhanced parameter configuration explicitly intended for ISF calibration--ISF C3. It permits, among other things, separate settings for night and day. Panasonic's plasma don't venture into that territory, though ISF calibration is certainly possible and beneficial for them. Panasonic seems never to have courted a high-end sensibility, even though some of its products have won admiration in high-end circles. Panasonic made very good laser disk players that some people used as CD transports, and its DVD players are typically good performers, even at relatively low price points. What was it, the RP-61, that was so popular in its day? Panasonic kind of sneaks up on you.

That ISF calibration mode on the Pioneer Elite models is one reason I'm leaning towards those sets right now. I've compared the user-adjustable controls on the Elite models with what's typically available on other sets, and the Elites have a much bigger range of adjustments available. When I'm more ready to buy, I plan to bring my DVE disc with me, and see which sets can get closer to the reference levels without having to go into the service menus.

Even though the Panasonic brand does not in itself scream high-end, they apparently supply DVD transports and have done contract manufacturing for brands with a more upmarket niche such as Denon and Yamaha. Their RP-82 DVD player was one of the best benchmark performers on the market four years ago, delivering high end video performance at an entry level price point. Successor models apparently did not fare quite as well, but their most recent DVD players have gotten back to that performance level.

Ironically, Panasonic created the Technics subsidiary as a more upscale brand, but could never develop that brand into higher end markets, so they've gone back to the Panasonic brand in the AV market. Some of their stuff is indeed very entry level, but they've also developed some products whose price points are not at all indicative of the actual product quality.

Panasonic's parent company is known for making some of the best products in their given market, and is very often the market leader. For things as far flung as cordless phones, electric pencil sharpeners, and rice cookers, Panasonic is among the best in those categories, and in Asia, their National brand has a stellar reputation in the appliance market. They don't have the panache that Sony has, but they're also a larger company and seem to have fared better with maintaining their product quality from year to year despite typically occupying a lower price point.