I'm searching for the best 50" plasma. Consumer Reports NOV 05 edition rates the Panasonic TH50PX50U as one of its recommended picks. I now see online Panasonic has another model TH50PX500U.
I sit approx 15 feet away; I'm looking at getting DIRECTV [will have to upgrade to HD receiver equipment for $200 and then spend an extra $10/month]; and I want to hook up a Home Theater system [DVD player, CDs, AM/FM radio, etc. - any recommendations on a system; nothing fancy?]
Thoughts/comments/recommendations on where to buy; store/online; install; self or let CircuitCity/DIRECTV types do it?
For the price rang Toshiba 50" > Panasonic 50".If money is not much of a factor get the Pioneer 50. Direct TV installs your satellite for 21 dollars up front and thats basically for delivery. Best Buy can install a 50 inch on wall,hide all video wiring going to tv,except power cord for TV for $599.99 that comes with a 1 year maintenance as well.
Compare the Pioneer elite Pro 1130HD with the Panasonic TH50px500U. The Panasonic has an awesome picture but so does the Pioneer. Has anyone reviewed or compared them?
Panasonic 500 is basically the same thing but with a card rader and something else simple. The Pioneer Elite has Gold terminals instead of Nickel like the regular Pioneers do.Additional panel to reduce glare,Also you can adjust each color contrast seperate.(I.E. red ,green,and blue.)
There's a huge price difference between the regular Pionerr 50" and the Elite. Sounds like its not worth it. There's an even bigger difference between the Panasonic 500 and the Pioneer Elite. Is there any noticable difference in the picture quality?
I JUST PURCHASED A PIONEER PRO-1130HD FROM DIGITALCRAZE.COM IN NJ LOCAL TO WHERE I LIVE AND I HAVE TO ADMIT, I AM NEVER LEAVING MY HOUSE AGAIN WHEN UNNECESSARY!!!
The Panny gives a better PQ in the dark due to a slightly better black level and contrast ration. In ambient light, I like the Pioneers, even though they will stop producing their own glass soon and close two plasma production lines.
If the room the set will be used in is well lit and my kids will be olaying hours of XBOX on it, would you choose the 50" Pioneer Elite, 50" Panasonic, or Sharp 45" LCD?
it was in the magnolia home theatre at best buy, very dark to the point where you had to walk up to the tv to read the logo. my friend was going to get the "consumer report" plasma until he saw the elite. now he owns the 50" elite.
These two have been extensively compared one to one and dicussed beyond nausea levels at avsforum.com. Panny wins out in the dark. However, Pio has that Wow factor on in store glance due to the brightness factor. They are both good choices. Consumer reports is a Johny come lately. remember a lot of the writers of a-v articales discuss and acquire info from avsforum interstingly enough.
I have been reading all these posts and established the impression that Panny and Pio are almost equal in PQ. Boy that was mis-leading! I went to more than one Best Buy/Magnolia recently and watched the two 50 inchers side by side. Whenever I walked up close, Panny gave much more blurred picture - the pixels look so big, making the color so patchy and picture blurr... while the Pio looks much smoother and clearer when standing 1 fee away. Yeah, maybe you can ALWAYS watch your plasma 10 feet away, but I don't think I will be able to. Pio for me, hands down.
The Panasonic and Pioneer are both great, and are both leaders in the 50" PDP category. However, the Elite 1130 is superior in almost every aspect, and under 1 grand more. Try to see them side by side with equal source material and settings. Your eyes may see something that the majority of pro reviewers didn't see, and you may like the Panny better, nothing wrong with that. I'd be thrilled with either one, but bought the 1130. after careful reviews of both. I've been thanking myself ever since. It is stunning. Also, the media receiver and connectivity on the Pio 1130 is an awesome design that is missing from teh Panny and should have been on all major plasmas, IMO.
No kidding.One correction to a statment above the Pioneer has double the contrast over the Panasonic. Pioneer=4,000:1 and Panny 2,000:1. Pioneer has 2HDMI hookups and on screen guide for cable card.
Interesting. Sorry If I ruffled your feathers a bit Bill. I have a friend who works at Tweeter and they are more difficult to work with on pricing and their "sticker" prcies so to speak or way too high in general.
But I certainly agree Pioneer makes a good display. I enjoyed talking with many of the pioneer engineers and marketing folks at CES in Vegas last week. Their new models have made some significant advances over last years in pixel structure that allow a lower power consumption and lets them put their color filter on the first screen layer which has other advantages. I only wish they would move thier consumer display technology to the industrial line faster than they do as far as their plasmas.
The panasonic plasmas still give a more realistic natural looking picture and tend to peform better in darker environments in my opnion. A simple way to judge is to hold your hand up and look at comparative skin tones between displays. Its a matter of preference. Bright and shiny isn't what I look for personally. Panny contrast ratios aremostly at 4,000 and above, but it doesnt matter as far as the above post- there is not a standard formula that brands use so you cant compare between brands as far as the ratios. Black levels can actually be measured directly and have been. You'll find results at avsforum.com in some posts a few months old at this point.
I do certainly agree that the latest Pioneer plasmas are a real step up for them and really excellent! ( The truely better Pioneer TVs are just now being released BTW)
Hal B
Unregistered guest
Posted on
Why is Smasung never discussed, the Samsung HPR5052 is $3,200 and has 10,000:1. I just bought this tv and can not find any reviews of it in the internet.
Phuong
Unregistered guest
Posted on
Panasonic th50px500u is no longer available. I'm looking at the LG 50PX5D but can't find any reviews. Any thoughts?
Samsung does not have 10,000:1 contrast.Samsung always goes on Dynamic contrast which is the most color it can do.You would neeed laser surgery for your eyes if it was that bright with normal watching.
Hal B
Unregistered guest
Posted on
Then why do they say they do and if it is not true then what is the real ratio? This stupid DNIe technology they have is what is giving them that 10000:1 ratio but it also seems to give the picture oversaturated colors and give skin tones a wet clay look with SD signals. But in the stoors side by side with Phillips and Sharp it produced the nicest all around picture.
If you look at everyone elses its nowhere near the same.Also look at there LCD,s saying 3,000:1.Everyone rates theres how they want to cause there is no tool when they rated the contrast.Sharp on their site shows there normal contrast and dynamic.Sharp has a 4,000:1 dynamic contrast.They achieve it like Samsung does and just crank the contrast to get that number.
Samsung does have a product which they rate at a 10,000 contrast ratio. It can be viewed at visualapex.com. Although the math for calculating contrast ratios varies from brand to brand, they are consistent within their own brand.
LCDs have poor black levels relative to other technologies which is why when viewing in dark rooms in particular you lose sahdow detail in movie scenes quite easily. This makes sense based on their technology ( light bulbs essentially don't reproduce black very well.)
Anonymous
Posted on
If money was a concern, but not a huge concern would most of you suggest the Pioneer or the Samsung? I have seen both and they both look good to me. I plan on using my new TV a lot and for at least the next 7 years, so based on that what would you guys suggest? I would rather pay for a good TV now rather than find out I have to replace it in 5 years.
Pioneer hands down if you wanna spend a lil more because its well worth it.If you want to get the next best thing go with the Toshiba 50HL95.Toshiba would rank second for me as best plamsa but first when it comes to the best plasma for the price in 42inch or 50inch. Pioneer > Toshiba > all others.
renmyers
Unregistered guest
Posted on
We just bought the 1130 at Tweeter for $4600! We have it mounted on a wishbone cantalever in the corner for the floating affect. We are thrilled with it. My question is that the installer suggested not putting it on 1080i. Thoughts?
It may not be able to deinterlace 1080i very easy causeing PQ loss.720p is a better match.
skiguy
Unregistered guest
Posted on
hey! how did you do that?? I spent an hour in my local tweeter (seekonk, ma) Monday looking at pioneer plasmas and they had the elite 1130 50"deal listed as sticker $5,995 and sale at $5,500. There was a 42" elite on sale for $4,600 but WAY smaller than the 50". what's the secret for negotiating with these tweeter guys????
On a 5000 product the rock bottom price on that display at Tweeter is around 4000. Do a ratio with any products retail price and calculate your target. Bring in a computer print out page of the same product cheaper and tell them youd like to buy local and understand that it costs a little more and asles tax etc.
I was so envious of a friend of mine. He had gotten one of those 50in panasonic's in which i had heard so many raves about. But everywhere i looked i couldnt find it. Salesman talked me into getting a toshiba 50in. I am praising him soo much now. I love my tv. I actually like it better than the panasonic. Toshiba has the black trim around it. Picture is insane especially on the HD's. I would highly recommend the toshiba for the price of a 50in. But thats just my opinion
xnutt i agree with you.Im really aching to see the new Toshiba plasmas the 42HP66 and 50HP66.Panasonic last year especially IMO is way overrated.I think there 50U from last year is better than the 60U from this year.
