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Anonymous | Hi there... I've been looking at buying a new TV and I've pretty much decided to go Plasma (after a lot of reviews, recommendations, myths demystified... I think it's the best) I wanna spend around $3000 (U.S.) max (of course the less the better!). I don't really care about HDTV. EDTV is more than fine at this stage. Any opinions, models/brands you'd recommend?? Right now I'm looking at Panasonic TH42PD25U, Samsung SP-P2451, Zenith P42W46X, Hitachi 42EDT41.. and even the Sony KE-42M1 or (going HDTV) the LG DU-42PX12X. Any recommendations among those brands models? Any of these plasmas I should cross off my list? Any others I should add? Thanks a lot!! |
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HiDefBeliever Unregistered guest | I purchased the Panasonic th42PD25U about three weeks ago based on the "best of class" rating on Cnet. The picture quality is outstanding when you get High Def. With the two RGB inputs, I have one coming from Digital Cable box and 1 from UHF antenna. I am able to get around a dozen channels here in Chicago that have high def programs with OA antenna. My only minor complaint with the Panasonic has been the remote control. I can't get it to program to control either the Motorala Cable Box or my Sony HT system. |
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New member Username: NatasalucardPost Number: 4 Registered: Feb-05 | I too have the Panasonic TH42PD25U, I also read the review at CNET and other places prior to purchasing and I am thrilled with it. Although it is ED and not HD, the ED picture is incredible and you will never notice the difference unless you had ED and HD side by side, then I doubt you will see where HD is worth the additional $2000.00. It has all the inputs you will need, displays excellent blacks , has great shading and light textures. Please adjust your picture levels, use only high quality cables for hook up (no cheap stuff) and you will enjoy one hell of a nice looking TV for under $3000.00 Please read the Internet reviews on this model you will be happy. |
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Unregistered guest | Here are 2 HD capable systems to consider. I compared them with a progressive scan DVD player and DirecTV with HD. I initially purchased the Vizio P42HD for $2k at Costco. I was impressed with the picture on good bright material once contrast, color and brightness was tweaked. One darker material and some of the shadings it was unacceptable to me with a lot of false contouring, noise etc... I ended up taking it back and got the Pioneer 4304 43in HD monitor for $3k with the HDMI interface and it is a real nice monitor. It appears much more substantial and better made than the Vizio, plus none of the false contours or graininess the Vizio had on dark scenes or dark areas of the picture. Very nice picture overall. Is it worth $1k over the Vizio? I don't know and I hear the Vizio P42HDe is much improved... I would check those both out since they are in your price range and are HD capable. |
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Perrey Z. Unregistered guest | If you have access to BrandsMart U.S.A. {Florida and Georgia} you can get several good deals from brand names., the 1st. one is the HD ready Hewlett-Packard PL4245N for $2,998.88 after $500.00 instant rebate., the 2nd is HP's EDTV model PE4240N for $2,198.88 {Speakers not included}., 3rd. LG DU-42PX12X for $2,798.88. and 4th is the Samsung SPP4231 EDTV with DVi and HDCP for $1,998.88. After reading the {good and few} reviews i could find online for the HP PL4245N i ended up buying it, it has deep blacks, good image from DVDs and other video sources., however, i've discover it doesn't perform closed captioning on ANY inputs only on TV mode. My set doesn't get any sound while on TV mode so either i get sound with no closed captioning {thru inputs} or closed captioning with no sound {RF coaxial}. I called HP and they will send a NIB replacement along with a technician to determine what's wrong with the original one. This might be an isolated problem, but who knows, quality problems are very common with plasmas made by PC/monitor makers {Gateway, Dell, ViewSonic} Another great deal is at http://www.walmart.com/ they have the new 2005 Hyundai models., amount them is the 42" HDTV ready for $1,998.00, but you'll need to purchase the table stand or wall bracket and side speakers, also sold at walmart.com Avoid any Vizio, 8-out of 10 are bad, i had two P42HD replacements, the first one had a white-washed picture on all settings, the second one didn't even start, only the fan was working. |
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Perrey Z. Unregistered guest | This is an update to my last comments {above} After my 1st HP plasma had audio problems i was told by a CRS technician by the name of "Steve" at HP that a new set was going to be sent along with a technician to check my original unit., well, that came and when by and nothing of that ever happened. What it did happen was, they did sent a replacement, but it wasn't NIB as promise, it was a remanufactured unit, and the so-called "technician"? turn out to be a regular guy with a briefcase {more on this later} that was only going to hook-up the cables of my audio and video sources to the input pack. In the brieftcase the guy had a contract that i had to sign "authorizing and accepting" the refurbished unit with a 90-day warranty, {instead of my original 1-year warranty.} At that moment i became sort of angry and call HP while the guy and the delivery men where at my house and explain to the HP CSR named "Anthony" the agreement HP reached based on my previous conversation with the technician named "Steve" well to my surprise according to "Anthony" there was no "Steve" with that extention number. I ended up refusing the set and the "nice" acceptance contract {of course!}., Mr. Briefcase {A.K.A. the technician} wasn't very happy about my decision so he too phoned HP and told them i was refusing the set. apparently the other person at HP told him to remove the ID labels {model number, product number, serial number, etc.} from my unit's box., i became suspicious when he asked to see the box, i'd asked him why did he needed to see the box and he told me HP demanded the ID label of the original unit everytime the customer refused the replacement in order to prevent fraud. At that moment i because even more furious and simply told him that i had made my self very clear, and i wasn't going to accept the refurbished unit, i wasn't going to sign any contract and by that i wasn't going to let him near my original unit much less any documentation or the box. Later on that same day i called HP to express my dissatisfaction with the whole ordeal, the lady at HP {named "Tina" with a heavily Indian accept, i might add} express how sorry she was and blah blah blah she then transfer me to an U.S. call center to speak with a supervisor by the named of "Alan" or "Allen" he explain to me that all replacement units are indeed refurbished and that he didn't know why "Steve" the CRS technician told me differently, {On my original call i asked Steve if the replacement unit was NIB, he said "yes"} and that all consumer had to sign the contract if they want HP to cover the remaining of the 1-year warranty. Don't you see?, more lies and contradicting information. If i accepted and signed the contract, HP was going to fulfill the 1-year warranty, but wait a sec. is a refurbished unit with only 90-days warranty it said so on the contract... I was speechless when he told me that, then i asked why Mr. briefcase guy wanted to ripped off the labels if i was refusing their replacement unit. He said, GET THIS! "That's HPs way to prevent the consumer from returning the defective unit to their POS {point of sale}., without thouse labels the reseller will refuse it leaving the consumer with only one option for replacement." Luckily BrandsMart U.S.A. {the reseller} exchange it for a new one a week after purchase., they came, picked up the defective unit and set up the replacement {a NIB} and i didn't had to pay for re-delivery. Today, April 23rd., 5-days away from the 1-month anniversary of the replacement unit i'm happy to said the unit it's still working perfectly, {don't know for how long, though} On the other hand, i was completely dissapointed in HP and their after sale lies and tricks., before i bought this set, i had high hopes and was setting HP apart from Dell and Gateway, i was looking forward to more purchases., but after this, i'm taking my business and money elsewhere. My advise to anyone insterested in any Hewlett-Packard product is think twice before making that purchase. Do your research not only for product quality, performance and/or features but for customer service, after sale warranty and replacement issues. |
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Perrey Z. Unregistered guest | This is an update to my last comments {above} After my 1st HP plasma had audio problems i was told by a CRS technician by the name of "Steve" at HP that a new set was going to be sent along with a technician to check my original unit., well, that came and when by and nothing of that ever happened. What it did happen was, they did sent a replacement, but it wasn't NIB as promise, it was a remanufactured unit, and the so-called "technician"? turn out to be a regular guy with a briefcase {more on this later} that was only going to hook-up the cables of my audio and video sources to the input pack. In the brieftcase the guy had a contract that i had to sign "authorizing and accepting" the refurbished unit with a 90-day warranty, {instead of my original 1-year warranty.} At that moment i became sort of angry and call HP while the guy and the delivery men where at my house and explain to the HP CSR named "Anthony" the agreement HP reached based on my previous conversation with the technician named "Steve" well to my surprise according to "Anthony" there was no "Steve" with that extention number. I ended up refusing the set and the "nice" acceptance contract {of course!}., Mr. Briefcase {A.K.A. the technician} wasn't very happy about my decision so he too phoned HP and told them i was refusing the set. apparently the other person at HP told him to remove the ID labels {model number, product number, serial number, etc.} from my unit's box., i became suspicious when he asked to see the box, i'd asked him why did he needed to see the box and he told me HP demanded the ID label of the original unit everytime the customer refused the replacement in order to prevent fraud. At that moment i because even more furious and simply told him that i had made my self very clear, and i wasn't going to accept the refurbished unit, i wasn't going to sign any contract and by that i wasn't going to let him near my original unit much less any documentation or the box. Later on that same day i called HP to express my dissatisfaction with the whole ordeal, the lady at HP {named "Tina" with a heavily Indian accept, i might add} express how sorry she was and blah blah blah she then transfer me to an U.S. call center to speak with a supervisor by the named of "Alan" or "Allen" he explain to me that all replacement units are indeed refurbished and that he didn't know why "Steve" the CRS technician told me differently, {On my original call i asked Steve if the replacement unit was NIB, he said "yes"} and that all consumer had to sign the contract if they want HP to cover the remaining of the 1-year warranty. Don't you see?, more lies and contradicting information. If i accepted and signed the contract, HP was going to fulfill the 1-year warranty, but wait a sec. is a refurbished unit with only 90-days warranty it said so on the contract... I was speechless when he told me that, then i asked why Mr. briefcase guy wanted to ripped off the labels if i was refusing their replacement unit. He said, GET THIS! "That's HPs way to prevent the consumer from returning the defective unit to their POS {point of sale}., without thouse labels the reseller will refuse it leaving the consumer with only one option for replacement." Luckily BrandsMart U.S.A. {the reseller} exchange it for a new one a week after purchase., they came, picked up the defective unit and set up the replacement {a NIB} and i didn't had to pay for re-delivery. Today, April 23rd., 5-days away from the 1-month anniversary of the replacement unit i'm happy to said the unit it's still working perfectly, {don't know for how long, though} On the other hand, i was completely dissapointed in HP and their after sale lies and tricks., before i bought this set, i had high hopes and was setting HP apart from Dell and Gateway, i was looking forward to more purchases., but after this, i'm taking my business and money elsewhere. My advise to anyone insterested in any Hewlett-Packard product is think twice before making that purchase. Do your research not only for product quality, performance and/or features but for customer service, after sale warranty and replacement issues. |
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Perrey Z. Unregistered guest | My appologies for the double posting., not to mention the long of it's content. |
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Bronze Member Username: GuygadoisPost Number: 14 Registered: Apr-05 | I had the same experience with a brand new printer I purchased from HP last year. The printer was not compatible with my Dell XP so they asked me to ship it to them and they would send me a newly refurbished printer that was compatible. The printer was 4 hours old. I told them to get lost and returned it to costco. I will always avoid HP for this reason at all costs. |
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qwertshadow Unregistered guest | I have had the LG DU-42PX12X since last Christmas (2004), and I can highly recommend it. The 60000 hour lifespan is a huge incentive to buy it, but the picture continues to wow me even after all this time. Do buy the Monster surge protector box, as it really cleans up the cable image (ask for a store demo)and you won't buy any other box. The LG has a sharper picture than most if not all of the plasmas out there, and has the XD Engine (look it up on the net). |
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Perrey Z. Unregistered guest | I was going to get the DU-42PX12X, but after the salesman offered me the more advance DU-42PY10X model for $2,698.88 i couldn't said no, so i when for it. There's a few advances over the PX12X, for instance, the PY10X have HDMi input instead of a DVi., a 1394 firewire input., an optical digital output., GemStar TV Guide., a slot for the cableCARD., four screen orbiting methods for burn-in prevention., the white screen feature just in case you don't want to activate the orbiter and your screen gets "burn", and a few other good things. One thing i notice was it's very silent and doesn't produce much heat,. The only bad thing is the speakers are built-in. I'll post my experiences with it once it arrives {store delivery} and i set it up. |
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Anonymous | Panasonic industrial no question. For 3200 you can get a 50" HD online 50phd7uy the 42"hd is about 2200 online 42phd7uy and the 42" ed is 1300 online 42pwd7uy, and the Panasonic is constantly mentioned as one of the top plasma brands available. |
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New member Username: PlasmatvmanPost Number: 9 Registered: Aug-05 | yeah I agree, the panasonic TH42PWD8UK is a great choice for EDTV. the new TH42PHD8UK is my favorite, hdtv plasma display |