Plasmas

Mayoegian

I'm thinking of returning a TV I got recently, due to the motion picture-it is so blurred. It's a 50hz Panasonic LCD TV. I'm really considering a plasma, but 3 major worries for me are:

1) The heat coming from it
2) Burn-in
3) Energy consumption

Are the newer models more resilient to this? What 42'' Plasma TV would ye recommend?

Many Thanks!:)

irishh_bob

Mayoegian wrote: »

I'm thinking of returning a TV I got recently, due to the motion picture-it is so blurred. It's a 50hz Panasonic LCD TV. I'm really considering a plasma, but 3 major worries for me are:

1) The heat coming from it
2) Burn-in
3) Energy consumption

Are the newer models more resilient to this? What 42'' Plasma TV would ye recommend?

Many Thanks!:)

hi there mayo , im in the same boat , i recently bought an LCD tv ( C20) and im extremley disapointed with whats refered to as MOTION BLUR , its not a problem while watching regular programmes but i got a headache watching soccer and especially hurling , never had such a problem with my old CRT tv which is extrordinary considering it was over 12 years old , sound is also quite poor although it doesnt come with surround sound so i guess i should have expected that

ive spoken to the retailer i bought the lcd off and he is prepared to allow me to replace it with another tv , i think i will definatley go for a plasma , have narrowed it down to either an S 20 or a G 20 , while the G 20 is superior , its 200 quid more expensive and the only major difference i see is the G20 has free sat , that said , im seriously considering dumping sky and the extra 200 quid on the G20 would pay for itself in less than a year

thier is a third option of the X20 42 inch plasma which is nearly half the price of the G20 and while not nearly as highly spec,d , it being a plasma alone should make it far superior to the lcd i have at the moment

prices are as follows ( from retailer i bought lcd off )

X20 37 inch = in or around 575
x20 42 inch = in or around 600

s20 42 inch = above 800 euro ( retailer to get back to me on that one )
G20 42 inch = 1050 euro

thier are LCD,s which are higher spec,d and should have faster response time ( less motion blur ) but thier as expensive as the plasmas so i reckon thier not very good value , was told by someone recentley that an entry level plasma should still be superior when it comes to motion blur than a top of the range LCD

Mayoegian

Thank you so much Bob!!:):D We're in near identical situations-our last TV was about 10 years old and the picture was actually better than the current TV we just got over a week ago. It's a Panasonic TXL42U2LL. We were mislead by the salesperson so we have grounds for a full refund I'm nearly sure. We watch so much sport on our TV and we just so so disappointed.

I have heard some conflicting reports over the Plasmas. We have 6 people in the family, and the TV is on from morning to night so I'm afraid that will increase the electricity bill or will become overheated which I really would be worried about.

I don't know what to do!!:o

bryaner

Very strange, I have a Samsung 37" lcd for over 2 years and never a problem
no matter what I'm watching.

irishh_bob

bryaner wrote: »

Very strange, I have a Samsung 37" lcd for over 2 years and never a problem
no matter what I'm watching.

from what i read ( since buying panasonc lcd ) , panasonic dont make a very good LCD , they specialise in plasmas , samsung on the other hand make an excellent LCD from what i hear , panasonic LCD,s are expensive considering the quality , were i looking to buy an LCD again , i would go past the panasonic and head for the samsung but seeing as i bought a panasonic and the retailer is taking it back , ive no choice but to go with panny ( not a samsung dealer ) panny and toshiba

irishh_bob

Mayoegian wrote: »

Thank you so much Bob!!:):D We're in near identical situations-our last TV was about 10 years old and the picture was actually better than the current TV we just got over a week ago. It's a Panasonic TXL42U2LL. We were mislead by the salesperson so we have grounds for a full refund I'm nearly sure. We watch so much sport on our TV and we just so so disappointed.

I have heard some conflicting reports over the Plasmas. We have 6 people in the family, and the TV is on from morning to night so I'm afraid that will increase the electricity bill or will become overheated which I really would be worried about.

I don't know what to do!!:o

never heard of that panasonic model , its not featured in the 2010 line up of LCD,s , thats for sure , something not right there i think , unless its an LED ???? , the largests LCD in the 2010 cattalogue is a 37 inch

as for how hard on power , plasmas are , reports range from twice as hard to 50% more demanding , was told by a retailer that they cost 10 cent per day to run as opposed to LCD,s costing 6 cent and LED,s costing 3 cent , if thats correct than i wouldnt be too bothered , baschically 36 euro per year

fergusb

I got myself a Pana 42" G20 a couple weeks ago. I have to say its a super TV, quality is great even on Standard Def content, only had SD for watching the world cup and the quality compared to my old LCD was amazing!

its also packed with features as well, currently don't have a freesat dish, but I really like the idea of a freesat tuner built-in in case get a dish in the future.

My only criticism is that sometimes when using games on PS3 during the day (Which have to admit is rare enough!) the contrast isn't as good as would like due to the plasma screen reflection. If you watch tv in a very light environment it may not display as black as could be. That said, the black levels at low light are superb.

Mayoegian

fergusb wrote: »

I got myself a Pana 42" G20 a couple weeks ago. I have to say its a super TV, quality is great even on Standard Def content, only had SD for watching the world cup and the quality compared to my old LCD was amazing!

its also packed with features as well, currently don't have a freesat dish, but I really like the idea of a freesat tuner built-in in case get a dish in the future.

My only criticism is that sometimes when using games on PS3 during the day (Which have to admit is rare enough!) the contrast isn't as good as would like due to the plasma screen reflection. If you watch tv in a very light environment it may not display as black as could be. That said, the black levels at low light are superb.

Thanks for responding:) Are the G20s available in Ireland? What store idd you get them in?

Would the S20 range be just as good?

Thanks!

irishh_bob

came across some interesting info in the past hour regarding HD etc

im planning on cancelling my sky sub so i had more or less made up my mind and decided i was going for the panasonic G20 plasma for the simple reason that it comes with freesat HD , baschically bbc and itv in HD , seeing that i currently recieve the irish channells through sky , this would mean i would need to get out an aerial man to put up a UHF aerial as the one i have delivers a piss poor reception on the irish channells

this evening i was given this link http://www.saortv.com/shop/Digital-TV-Receivers/Combo/Edision-Argus-mini-2-in-1-IP-Combo-HD-Satellite/DTT-Receiver/prod_72.html

its a link to a company in kildare who sell decoder boxes which deliver HD to your tv , the one ive linked above is 169 euro but the difference between it and what the panasonic G42 with its freesat delivers is THE IRISH CHANNELLS , were i to buy this box , not only would i not need to pay an aerial man to stick a UHF aerial on my roof , i could go for the less expensive ( 200 euro +) S20 panasonic and just rig up the edison decoder to it and hey presto , bbc and itv in HD plus the irish chanells in crystal clear digital

btw , for those who dont already have a dish , the company above sell dishes for less than 70 quid , i for one am sick of paying sky several hundred quid per year , im going to watch the premiership on the highlights shows from now on and my live soccer will consist of the champions league on itv HD or simply rte 2 , good to know you can be independant of the buggers at sky


p.s , thier is a cheaper decoder box available from that crowd for 99 euro , it delivers everything the more expensive one does with the exception of the irish channells , this may not matter to those who have the irish channells through an aerial and are happy with this

fergusb

I got mine through RichterSounds.ie, they have a boards forum and give discounts to boardies as well (http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=1105). They are belfast based, got it with 5 years warranty and home delivery for around 860 sterling.

The main advantage from what I read of the G series over the S series, is the G series is THX certification and NeoPDP.... THX certification means the colours are very true to life. From reading up on it many reviews say with the THX settings enabled you don't have to change anything to get a great picture. From what I understand neoPDP reduces power consumption a huge amount. But don't really know!

So apart from the freesat, the G series is definitely supposed to be a better set....

bryaner

irishh_bob wrote: »

from what i read ( since buying panasonc lcd ) , panasonic dont make a very good LCD , they specialise in plasmas , samsung on the other hand make an excellent LCD from what i hear , panasonic LCD,s are expensive considering the quality , were i looking to buy an LCD again , i would go past the panasonic and head for the samsung but seeing as i bought a panasonic and the retailer is taking it back , ive no choice but to go with panny ( not a samsung dealer ) panny and toshiba

Cheers that sounds about right so.

irishh_bob

fergusb wrote: »

I got mine through RichterSounds.ie, they have a boards forum and give discounts to boardies as well (http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=1105). They are belfast based, got it with 5 years warranty and home delivery for around 860 sterling.

The main advantage from what I read of the G series over the S series, is the G series is THX certification and NeoPDP.... THX certification means the colours are very true to life. From reading up on it many reviews say with the THX settings enabled you don't have to change anything to get a great picture. From what I understand neoPDP reduces power consumption a huge amount. But don't really know!

So apart from the freesat, the G series is definitely supposed to be a better set....

are you getting the irish channells through a sky sub , its just occured to me that the british model PANASONICS wont decode the irish channells through a digital signal AFAIk

Mayoegian

Are the G series actually available in Ireland?

fergusb

I get my channels through UPC, the only difference is that it won't be able to decode the Irish Digital when its properly launched. But if you use a dish you can pick up the british Freesat and get all the UK channels in HD.

I think its only a UK model in that it decodes the Freesat (MPEG2) which is launched in UK and not the DTT (MPEG4) which is not yet launched in Ireland.

If you use a sky or UPC digital box it shouldn't impact what you receive....

fergusb

Mayoegian wrote: »

Are the G series actually available in Ireland?

Think they are only available in the UK due to the freesat compatibility. But can get easily in NI with delivery to the south. Pity the exchange rate isn't what it was a few months ago

big_moe

irishh_bob wrote: »

came across some interesting info in the past hour regarding HD etc

im planning on cancelling my sky sub so i had more or less made up my mind and decided i was going for the panasonic G20 plasma for the simple reason that it comes with freesat HD , baschically bbc and itv in HD , seeing that i currently recieve the irish channells through sky , this would mean i would need to get out an aerial man to put up a UHF aerial as the one i have delivers a piss poor reception on the irish channells

this evening i was given this link http://www.saortv.com/shop/Digital-TV-Receivers/Combo/Edision-Argus-mini-2-in-1-IP-Combo-HD-Satellite/DTT-Receiver/prod_72.html

its a link to a company in kildare who sell decoder boxes which deliver HD to your tv , the one ive linked above is 169 euro but the difference between it and what the panasonic G42 with its freesat delivers is THE IRISH CHANNELLS , were i to buy this box , not only would i not need to pay an aerial man to stick a UHF aerial on my roof , i could go for the less expensive ( 200 euro +) S20 panasonic and just rig up the edison decoder to it and hey presto , bbc and itv in HD plus the irish chanells in crystal clear digital

btw , for those who dont already have a dish , the company above sell dishes for less than 70 quid , i for one am sick of paying sky several hundred quid per year , im going to watch the premiership on the highlights shows from now on and my live soccer will consist of the champions league on itv HD or simply rte 2 , good to know you can be independant of the buggers at sky


p.s , thier is a cheaper decoder box available from that crowd for 99 euro , it delivers everything the more expensive one does with the exception of the irish channells , this may not matter to those who have the irish channells through an aerial and are happy with this

that box you linked to is a DVB-S2 (satellite) and DVB-T (Terrestrial) combo box. thats the exact same combo of tuners in the Panasonic G20 tv. the Irish channels are NOT available Free-To-Air on satellite. you would need your satellite dish for the UK Channels and a terrestrial aerial for your Irish channels.


On the TVs, i would whole-heartedly recommend Panasonic FROM THEIR MID-RANGE UPWARDS. the c2 and TXL42U2 (never heard of the U series either) are their budget range and as such will have budget range pictures. for something that will be getting a lot of use, i'd go the extra couple of quid and get the G20. even if you have no interest in the Freesat/Freeview HD tuners the G20 still offers a far superior picture to the S20 range - be it pictures from Sky, DVD, Bluray etc

Adam

irishh_bob

big_moe wrote: »

that box you linked to is a DVB-S2 (satellite) and DVB-T (Terrestrial) combo box. thats the exact same combo of tuners in the Panasonic G20 tv. the Irish channels are NOT available Free-To-Air on satellite. you would need your satellite dish for the UK Channels and a terrestrial aerial for your Irish channels.


On the TVs, i would whole-heartedly recommend Panasonic FROM THEIR MID-RANGE UPWARDS. the c2 and TXL42U2 (never heard of the U series either) are their budget range and as such will have budget range pictures. for something that will be getting a lot of use, i'd go the extra couple of quid and get the G20. even if you have no interest in the Freesat/Freeview HD tuners the G20 still offers a far superior picture to the S20 range - be it pictures from Sky, DVD, Bluray etc

Adam

thanks moe for that important info regarding the edison combo

btw , i notice the G20 is also available ( with freesat) as an LCD, i see almost no review for this tv on any of the sites , may i ask if you have any experience with it , its only around 150 euro cheaper than the panasonic plasma G20 and while thier is absolutley no doubt that the plasma G20 has more features , not everyone has ample room for a 42 inch ( i could fit it in with a struggle ) , from reading the panny catalogue , it appears the G20 LCD has 200blb ( whatever that is ) pro motion technology , while obviously not in the same league as the G20 plasma , would that put it above the likes of the S20 or X20 plasma

padi89

irishh_bob wrote: »

while the G 20 is superior , its 200 quid more expensive and the only major difference i see is the G20 has free sat , that said

If your an AV buff then the G20 has a lot more to offer than the S20 from what i have read
"G20 has THX mode, white balance/gamma user controls, Viera cast, High Contrast filter (2 sheets of glass, three on the S20, more reflective...), ISFccc calibration tools, USB, wifi ready... "
If you want all the bells and whistles then this is the set to go for. I was all ready to order this set but i spent more time doing research and in the end i realized i don't need all it has to offer so for me i would be wasting my money.

I narrowed it down to the S or X series and i spent a good bit of time with each set. On paper the S series looks more impressive but in the real world for me this wasn't the case at all. After looking at LCD screens the first thing i wanted to see was how well the Plasmas handed motion and which of the two were better. I spent a good hour with the sales assistant (very helpfull fella) going through various fast scenes of movies and sports. Both of us could not pick out the difference between the S 600hz subfield and the X 100hz double scan, although the S is meant to be "much smoother". If i remember correctly there was a Panasonic demo disk playing initially when i went in and one scene was showing this superior 600hz technology but in regular viewing on various sources we couldn't tell the difference

The next issue for me was color rendition as i said before LCDs do grab you instantly but when you compare them with Plasma they are very unatural. Once again i looked at the S v X series and there was nothing in it. I have an interest in photography so i was very interested to see how well skin tones were handled. Both produced the same accurate image to my eyes and were just way ahead of the LCDs.

Lastly was resolution, i was pretty convinced that 1080p was definitely the way to go and this was going to swing it for me. I had already noticed during the motion tests that i couldn't tell the difference to the 720p set but i dismissed this because i wasn't looking for it at the time. So we put on a couple of Blue-rays and sat back and much to my surprise once again i couldn't tell the difference and believe me i was looking. The sales assistant was a bit stumped but i was thinking nice one a few bob saved . I tried different sitting distances but the result was still the same, it was only when i literally stuck my mose up at the screen you could see the pixels more obvious but in real viewing terms both of us couldn't see it.
I still couldn't get my head around it so i looked into it and from what i gather to really see the differences and the visual impact you would be talking projector size screens.

So X series it is for me then and believe me i am a happy camper. I would strongly advise people to not read into specs on paper and just go look at what you are interested in. So i have saved myself a few hundred now that i may spend on a couple of HD sources

Interestingly enough i came across this thread on AV forums and it's pretty interesting reading. Make what you want of it but its a guy who had both a G and X series at the same time to compare in his home.

http://www.avforums.com/forums/plasma-tvs/1134608-anyone-want-me-do-some-comparison-tests-between-g10-x10.html

fergusb

padi89 wrote: »

Interestingly enough i came across this thread on AV forums and it's pretty interesting reading. Make what you want of it but its a guy who had both a G and X series at the same time to compare in his home.

http://www.avforums.com/forums/plasma-tvs/1134608-anyone-want-me-do-some-comparison-tests-between-g10-x10.html

Interesting comments by that guy, although one thing to point out is the G20 is supposed to be a good improvement over the G10 which the article is written about.

I agree that a lot is down to personal preference. While some people will pick up on motion blur, others do not. And similarly some people will pick up on 1080p others won't. And if it doesn't make a difference then why spend extra!

I did go into my local shop before I got my G20 and got the assistant to put on a SD source so could compare all the TV's on a realistic feed (UPC haven't upgraded my area to HD yet). Almost every tv looks great on a Demo HD disk.... but on a SD source is where it matters for me. The other thing to note is that in shops they usually configure the TV to be very unnatural colours to grab your eye and counteract the brightness of the display area. So comparing TV's in store isn't always too reliable.... That said I doubt any shops will allow you to take a few TV's hope to compare before you buy so not much can do about that!

Mayoegian

padi89 wrote: »

If your an AV buff then the G20 has a lot more to offer than the S20 from what i have read
"G20 has THX mode, white balance/gamma user controls, Viera cast, High Contrast filter (2 sheets of glass, three on the S20, more reflective...), ISFccc calibration tools, USB, wifi ready... "
If you want all the bells and whistles then this is the set to go for. I was all ready to order this set but i spent more time doing research and in the end i realized i don't need all it has to offer so for me i would be wasting my money.

I narrowed it down to the S or X series and i spent a good bit of time with each set. On paper the S series looks more impressive but in the real world for me this wasn't the case at all. After looking at LCD screens the first thing i wanted to see was how well the Plasmas handed motion and which of the two were better. I spent a good hour with the sales assistant (very helpfull fella) going through various fast scenes of movies and sports. Both of us could not pick out the difference between the S 600hz subfield and the X 100hz double scan, although the S is meant to be "much smoother". If i remember correctly there was a Panasonic demo disk playing initially when i went in and one scene was showing this superior 600hz technology but in regular viewing on various sources we couldn't tell the difference

The next issue for me was color rendition as i said before LCDs do grab you instantly but when you compare them with Plasma they are very unatural. Once again i looked at the S v X series and there was nothing in it. I have an interest in photography so i was very interested to see how well skin tones were handled. Both produced the same accurate image to my eyes and were just way ahead of the LCDs.

Lastly was resolution, i was pretty convinced that 1080p was definitely the way to go and this was going to swing it for me. I had already noticed during the motion tests that i couldn't tell the difference to the 720p set but i dismissed this because i wasn't looking for it at the time. So we put on a couple of Blue-rays and sat back and much to my surprise once again i couldn't tell the difference and believe me i was looking. The sales assistant was a bit stumped but i was thinking nice one a few bob saved . I tried different sitting distances but the result was still the same, it was only when i literally stuck my mose up at the screen you could see the pixels more obvious but in real viewing terms both of us couldn't see it.
I still couldn't get my head around it so i looked into it and from what i gather to really see the differences and the visual impact you would be talking projector size screens.

So X series it is for me then and believe me i am a happy camper. I would strongly advise people to not read into specs on paper and just go look at what you are interested in. So i have saved myself a few hundred now that i may spend on a couple of HD sources

Interestingly enough i came across this thread on AV forums and it's pretty interesting reading. Make what you want of it but its a guy who had both a G and X series at the same time to compare in his home.

http://www.avforums.com/forums/plasma-tvs/1134608-anyone-want-me-do-some-comparison-tests-between-g10-x10.html

Great post!:D

I'm thinking of getting the S20 as we want a full HD tv. We primarily watch sports in SD on our TV, so would the S20 show any blur at all with these sports-football, hurling etc. That's a big worry for me-motion blur, even with just watching normal programmes on SD. How did the S20 look in SD?

Thanks:)

irishh_bob

big_moe wrote: »

that box you linked to is a DVB-S2 (satellite) and DVB-T (Terrestrial) combo box. thats the exact same combo of tuners in the Panasonic G20 tv. the Irish channels are NOT available Free-To-Air on satellite. you would need your satellite dish for the UK Channels and a terrestrial aerial for your Irish channels.


On the TVs, i would whole-heartedly recommend Panasonic FROM THEIR MID-RANGE UPWARDS. the c2 and TXL42U2 (never heard of the U series either) are their budget range and as such will have budget range pictures. for something that will be getting a lot of use, i'd go the extra couple of quid and get the G20. even if you have no interest in the Freesat/Freeview HD tuners the G20 still offers a far superior picture to the S20 range - be it pictures from Sky, DVD, Bluray etc

Adam

just to be clear , the DVB-S2 tuner inside the G-20 ( plasma or LCD ) can decode RTE channells via an analogue aerial , no need for edison combo ??

big_moe

irishh_bob wrote: »

just to be clear , the DVB-S2 tuner inside the G-20 ( plasma or LCD ) can decode RTE channells via an analogue aerial , no need for edison combo ??

no, the dvb-s2 tuner is for satellite.

the dvb-t tuner in the g20 can decode the current RTE DTT MPEG4 no probs

so no need for that combo box if you're going for a g20

irishh_bob

big_moe wrote: »

no, the dvb-s2 tuner is for satellite.

the dvb-t tuner in the g20 can decode the current RTE DTT MPEG4 no probs

so no need for that combo box if you're going for a g20

thanks again moe , regarding post 17 about the G20 LCD , while obviously inferior to the G20 plasma , would it IYO be on a par with the cheaper S20 or X20 plasmas in terms of motion blur etc , pro motion tech is meant to sort that LCD issue out ???

OrangeDagger

I purchased the S20 for the World Cup.

I read a lot of reviews before I got it and the only real negative I could find is to do with a supposed contrast issue that happens after a certain amount of usage.

I have only used it with UPC HD box so far. I think the standard channels look fine but the footy on the BBC HD was different class. I think the difference between HD and SD is really emphasised by sports as I only really see the difference if I really think to look on non-sports programs. British Open looked cracking the other day too.

I got it for €791 online on powercity.ie. Seeing as it comes with a 5 year warranty, I thought it made sense even though it was pricier than some TVs that probably would have been fine for my purpose.

Just waiting on SKY HD to come over to UPC for the premiership.

Rob2D

Wow, its great to see this thread on the front page as its exactly what I came here to learn about. You guys seem very knowledgeable and helpful!

My old LCD that I bought cheap in xtravision ( http://www.mirai.eu/Europe/ProductDetails&product_id=53&cat_id=32 ) recently kicked the bucket. Now it did give me 2+ years of heavy duty use so I'm not too upset. But this time, I'm thinking of making a more solid investment. I was leaning towards plasma and after reading this thread it seems to be the way to go.

I am working on a bit of a budget so I'm currently looking at the Panosonic TX-P42U20E I found at a good price. I do watch a lot of movies (DVD & Blu-Ray) but it would mainly be used for gaming. A LOT of gaming:)

I think someone mentioned it above so I wondering if anyone has any feedback for this particular model, or if you could point me in the direction of a good reviews site.

Thanks!

padi89

Mayoegian wrote: »

Great post!:D

I'm thinking of getting the S20 as we want a full HD tv. We primarily watch sports in SD on our TV, so would the S20 show any blur at all with these sports-football, hurling etc. That's a big worry for me-motion blur, even with just watching normal programmes on SD. How did the S20 look in SD?

Thanks:)

We went through a few sports testing out the set unfortunately i didn't get to see any hurling which is what i love but i saw other ball sports. The All Blacks game against the Springboks was on the were no issues on either the S or X series with motion or panning. The British Open was on too not exactly a fast sport but the ball movement showed up the LCDs V Plasma where the ball on the LCD just wasn't sharp once again no difference between either Plasmas. He had a sky diving video i think it was from a Philips Demo disk, on all LCDs including the top of the range LCDs there was horrible judder at the point where the skydiver went past the camera at full speed and also upon the parachute opening, it was very bad. Played the same material on Plasma and there was no trouble showing the scene.
For me the X20 looked better in SD, i don't know if that's down to the difference in resolution but i preferred it.

As fergusb pointed out its all down to your own taste. Shops may not be the best to fully test out a TV but they are the closest you are going to get to being able to narrow them down. You should ring around a few shops or take a trip to a retailer to see the sets. Expert Electrical do Plasmas from Panasonic, you may have one near.

irishh_bob

padi89 wrote: »

We went through a few sports testing out the set unfortunately i didn't get to see any hurling which is what i love but i saw other ball sports. The All Blacks game against the Springboks was on the were no issues on either the S or X series with motion or panning. The British Open was on too not exactly a fast sport but the ball movement showed up the LCDs V Plasma where the ball on the LCD just wasn't sharp once again no difference between either Plasmas. He had a sky diving video i think it was from a Philips Demo disk, on all LCDs including the top of the range LCDs there was horrible judder at the point where the skydiver went past the camera at full speed and also upon the parachute opening, it was very bad. Played the same material on Plasma and there was no trouble showing the scene.
For me the X20 looked better in SD, i don't know if that's down to the difference in resolution but i preferred it.

As fergusb pointed out its all down to your own taste. Shops may not be the best to fully test out a TV but they are the closest you are going to get to being able to narrow them down. You should ring around a few shops or take a trip to a retailer to see the sets. Expert Electrical do Plasmas from Panasonic, you may have one near.

are you saying the cheapest plasma was superior to the most expensive LCD in terms of motion blur

padi89

irishh_bob wrote: »

are you saying the cheapest plasma was superior to the most expensive LCD in terms of motion blur

Yes i am and in fact the gentleman that was serving me told me that he had pointed it out to the Philips Rep and
he agreed that the Plasma was better for sports.

bryaner

That may be true with regards to philips, but your well of the mark to tar
all lcd's to be inferior to plasmas.

padi89

bryaner wrote: »

That may be true with regards to philips, but your well of the mark to tar
all lcd's to be inferior to plasmas.

Hey look its my opinion you may not agree and your intitled to do so but to say my own opinion is way off the mark makes no sence. Should i return to the shops and go through a couple days viewing again? I went to DID, Currys, PC World and two Expert Electrical stores where i spent the most time. I saw sets both LCD and LED from Samsung, Sony, LG, Toshiba, Panasonic and Philips from cheap to expensive. Not one of them could match the plasmas for motion on sports which is why they are not for me. There were a hell of a lot more LCDs on display than Plasmas and i still didn't see one that coped well. I saw one Panasonic that looked great but it was on their own demo disk, when i put on sky sports the same issues arose again. There is a posibility that maybe it bothers me more than others but its not a fault nor is it wrong its just my opinion on what i see.

irishh_bob

bryaner wrote: »

That may be true with regards to philips, but your well of the mark to tar
all lcd's to be inferior to plasmas.

due to limited space and my refusal to knock half the walls in my living room so as to hide cables leading to a wall hung plasma , i have only the choice of one plasma , the X series panasonic 37 inch plasma ( 37 unavailable in S or G series ) but i also have my eye on the top of the range G series 32 inch LCD , i cant find a single decent review of this tv ( must be too new or something ) so im dithering as to go for it or the entry level panny plasma , if the top of the range panasonic LCD was as good for handling motion , id go for it as even the 37 inch plasma doesnt fit that well in my cabinet , G series LCD has 100 hz and 200 BLB motion flo controller ( whatever that is ) so id like to think it would be on a par with a bog standard plasma ????

bryaner

irishh_bob wrote: »

due to limited space and my refusal to knock half the walls in my living room so as to hide cables leading to a wall hung plasma , i have only the choice of one plasma , the X series panasonic 37 inch plasma ( 37 unavailable in S or G series ) but i also have my eye on the top of the range G series 32 inch LCD , i cant find a single decent review of this tv ( must be too new or something ) so im dithering as to go for it or the entry level panny plasma , if the top of the range panasonic LCD was as good for handling motion , id go for it as even the 37 inch plasma doesnt fit that well in my cabinet , G series LCD has 100 hz and 200 BLB motion flo controller ( whatever that is ) so id like to think it would be on a par with a bog standard plasma ????

It is and probably above par.

irishh_bob

bryaner wrote: »

It is and probably above par.

you seem pretty sure of that , are you familiar with that model

padi89

irishh_bob wrote: »

you seem pretty sure of that , are you familiar with that model

His lack of reply says it all irishh_bob.

bryaner

irishh_bob wrote: »

you seem pretty sure of that , are you familiar with that model

Am indeed my mate has one.

Mayoegian

bryaner wrote: »

Am indeed my mate has one.

This is the point where you should supply a bit of info and experience of picture quality etc.

The Ritz

padi89 wrote: »

Yes i am and in fact the gentleman that was serving me told me that he had pointed it out to the Philips Rep and
he agreed that the Plasma was better for sports.

bryaner wrote: »

That may be true with regards to philips, but your well of the mark to tar
all lcd's to be inferior to plasmas.

irishh_bob wrote: »

due to limited space and my refusal to knock half the walls in my living room so as to hide cables leading to a wall hung plasma , i have only the choice of one plasma , the X series panasonic 37 inch plasma ( 37 unavailable in S or G series ) but i also have my eye on the top of the range G series 32 inch LCD , i cant find a single decent review of this tv ( must be too new or something ) so im dithering as to go for it or the entry level panny plasma , if the top of the range panasonic LCD was as good for handling motion , id go for it as even the 37 inch plasma doesnt fit that well in my cabinet , G series LCD has 100 hz and 200 BLB motion flo controller ( whatever that is ) so id like to think it would be on a par with a bog standard plasma ????

Mod Comment:

@bryaner,

I don't see anyone making an assertion that all LCDs are inferior to plasmas. If one is conerned about fast moving action such as sports, then a plasma screen will always have less screen lag than an LCD - its inherent in the technology. TVs are not always bought with this sole concern in mind, some be more interested in Freesat tuners, the internet capability of the TV etc. but please note that argumentative one-line responses are not welcome.

@irishh_bob,

I appreciate that it can be mind boggling trying to choose a TV these days, there seems to be so many options that it can be impossible to make a choice without considering that you are missing some feature particular to a competing model. Whatever about picture processing capability etc, insofar as the ability to handle fast action, plasma has a virtually instantaneous response time.

Its understandable to seek opinions and guidance, but you should be conscious that at the end of the day its your money you are spending and you should try to see the TVs in question playing the type of material you're concerned with before making your choice.

Ritz.

bryaner

Mayoegian wrote: »

This is the point where you should supply a bit of info and experience of picture quality etc.

Ehh like it's really good, lag free no tails watching sports etc.

The Ritz

People might find some useful information about LCD vs. Plasma motion handling etc - http://www.practical-home-theater-guide.com/lcd-response-time.html

This deserves to be read in full if you're interested in the topic, no selective quoting for the sake of arguments.....;)


Cheers,


Ritz.

irishh_bob

padi89 wrote: »

His lack of reply says it all irishh_bob.

i got a 37 inch X20 panasonic plasma today , you must keep your tv in a room with no windows paidi , i was quite shocked when i set up the tv and turned it on , like looking in a mirror when your in certain viewing possitions , i wouldnt have considered my room terribley well lit but their is no doubt im going to have to invest in a pair of curtains , 1st impressions of the X20 in this regard are not good , im aware that the S20 and G20 have a double sheet which prevents glare , id have went for either of those had they been available in 37 inch , i may even change this plasma set for a G20 LCD or a S20 LCD

bryaner

Thats put to bed so.

padi89

irishh_bob wrote: »

i got a 37 inch X20 panasonic plasma today , you must keep your tv in a room with no windows paidi , i was quite shocked when i set up the tv and turned it on , like looking in a mirror when your in certain viewing possitions , i wouldnt have considered my room terribley well lit but their is no doubt im going to have to invest in a pair of curtains , 1st impressions of the X20 in this regard are not good , im aware that the S20 and G20 have a double sheet which prevents glare , id have went for either of those had they been available in 37 inch , i may even change this plasma set for a G20 LCD or a S20 LCD

My room is north facing, it doesn't get direct sunlight but has massive windows and i have no issues with reflection. The curtains always get pulled when im watching the TV and it was the same with my CRT. It is well known fact that Plasma's do not suit a room with a lot of light but for my room and needs its perfect and this is something i looked into before buying. Had i a brighter room with light i couldn't control then i wouldn't have looked at Plasma.

Mayoegian

Would the S20 be more resistant to light? I have a brightly-lit room and am planning on getting this.

irishh_bob

padi89 wrote: »

My room is north facing, it doesn't get direct sunlight but has massive windows and i have no issues with reflection. The curtains always get pulled when im watching the TV and it was the same with my CRT. It is well known fact that Plasma's do not suit a room with a lot of light but for my room and needs its perfect and this is something i looked into before buying. Had i a brighter room with light i couldn't control then i wouldn't have looked at Plasma.

im keeping the X20 as cutting out motion blur was my number one priority , besides , i would only change for an LCD if my retailer dealt in samsung , sharp or sony and he doesnt , panasonic are too expensive in LCD considering its the poor relation in thier family , as for the issue with ligt , thier are two windows in my living room and neither are especially large , one is facing south , the other west , from what i can see though , the X series doesnt tollerate any light at all

its a well priced tv , of that thier is no doubt and im liking it more today after the initial disapointment of seeing my reflection but had i not been limited for space , i would most certainly have went for the S or G series

Rob2D

One thing I've noticed, not having Plasma before, is the grainy look. Up close its like the pixels are 'crawling' all over the screen. I sit about 10ft away from the tv and most of the time I don't see it. But now and again it does become noticeable. Is this the gas that I'm seeing moving around?


Edit: Never mind, I found out its called 'dithering'.

chris_ie

Hi guys,
Been reading up on the latest Plasma's recently. Thinking on buying a new TV towards the end of this year / start of next year. We're thinking maybe 50" which led me to check out Plasmas. I havent one before and the whole IR thing seems a bit of hassle. Fair enough they say its not as bad nowadays with the newer models but guidelines I seen, like dont watch too many blu rays with the black bars, dont watch too much 4:3 with sidebars etc.. for the first 100-1000 hours, seem like a bit much. Now, not sure if these guidelines still stand or if they were the older tvs where IR was more likely?

Been looking at the Panasonic V25. Seems to have got decent reviews.

On the other hand if we go for LCD I'm a bit tempted by the Philips 9705, LED with full array and local dimming, out this month. But the price is quite steep! Love my 32" Philips I got for the bedroom though.

Or.......... if anyone has any recommendations shout!

Rob2D

IR shouldn't be a problem anymore. You're right, buy a Panny if you want to go Plasma. And don't buy an LED, that scam has taken enough people's money already.

chris_ie

Rob2D wrote: »

IR shouldn't be a problem anymore. You're right, buy a Panny if you want to go Plasma. And don't buy an LED, that scam has taken enough people's money already.

Cheers Rob. Do the plasmas need much breaking in these days? Or can you watch whatever and not worry about the IR. Obviously I know to avoid things like pause screens etc. By the sound of it things have changed quite a buy since I last looked at plasma years ago. Would like to change, movies might look better

cnocbui

For normal usage, image retention and run-in are things of the past. IR these days with Panasonics would only be a problem for static images where the period was many tens of hours or even days.

Do you see many threads on forums these days with people bemoaning IR and going on about run-in?

I just hooked up our 50" Panny and got stuck straight into watching. LCDs are struggling in the effort to match plasma performance and they are using the consumers wallet to fund the effort.

Rob2D

cnocbui wrote: »

LCDs are struggling in the effort to match plasma performance and they are using the consumers wallet to fund the effort.

This. And its not really their fault, most consumers are just horribly misinformed about the tech. The shops are to blame.

chris_ie

Rob2D wrote: »

This. And its not really their fault, most consumers are just horribly misinformed about the tech. The shops are to blame.

Yeah I know what you mean. The only thing that put me off the Plasma's was the IR. But I'm happy to get one if things have improved that much.

Dont get the big deal with the ultra thin tvs. Yeah they're nice but its not really going to be of much benefit. Then theres the different types of LED, bit of a scam!

So Pany seems the way to go..

Thoughts on this one?

Whats the deal with the VT20 and VT25? Just the finish?