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Need help and advice for buying new television

Old 03-14-12, 01:51 PM
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Need help and advice for buying new television

Looks like it's time to purchase a new television. My 9 year old Mitsubishi 65" RPTV died the other day and think it's time to upgrade instead of fixing it again. Since the television broke suddenly and unexpectedly I have not had much time to research what to buy. Looking for something at least 60" inches for the living room where the old set is located.
Old 03-14-12, 09:19 PM
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Re: Need help and advice for buying new television

Requirements?
Old 03-15-12, 12:28 AM
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Re: Need help and advice for buying new television

Well mainly looking for a television to play DVDs, blu-rays, and stream movies or video content. I have a separate surround system with speakers I can use for movies, so television audio quality isn't too important. I also have a rooftop antenna I will use for regular television programs. I'm not into games even though I have a PS3. 3D capabilities would be nice but is not a high priority for me since I find it mostly underwhelming from what I've seen. So far have very little interest in it.

I don't believe I need a television with a lot of extras since my needs are really simple for how I intend to use it. I just want a television with great video I can hook up with my components. I really only need a few hdmi connections, component, composite, and maybe usb.
Old 03-15-12, 08:41 AM
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Re: Need help and advice for buying new television

Either the 60" or 65" Panasonic ST plasma should fit your needs. I bought one about 9 months ago and have been very pleased. Both the 60 and 65 version have come down in price in recent weeks following the announcement of the 2012 line so you should be able to get a pretty good deal if you look around.

60ST30
65ST30
Old 03-15-12, 10:29 AM
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Re: Need help and advice for buying new television

I concur, since you said "great video". The GT or VT models would be pricier, but have even better video circuits. Or possibly the Sharp with true local LED dimming backlight. But that would be more expensive to be in the same pic quality range (some say better), can't even find them on Amazon. You didn't mention price requirements.

Wait, found the Sharp, it is joint with Pioneer, and they get to use the Elite name.
Old 03-15-12, 11:55 AM
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Re: Need help and advice for buying new television

Looks like you guys are leading me in the direction I was going. I went to Best Buy yesterday afternoon to see what they had and ended up looking mostly at the Panasonic plasmas while I was there. I was specifically looking at the 65" VT30 model they had on the floor. Was looking at Amazon and noticed there are three model classes but wasn't clear how they differed other than some extra connections.

I can afford the VT30 but didn't think I needed the extra features. Is the video a lot better than the ST or GT? It looks like there is over a $1000 difference in cost between the ST and VT, about $300 difference between the ST and GT. I think the ST has all the features I would need but would be willing to spend more for the better video quality if it is significant improvement. Maybe the 65" GT30 would be the better choice since it is only a few hundred more?

I also looked at a 70" Sharp Elite and must say I loved the set. I thought it by far had the best picture quality I saw but it is very pricey in comparison to the Panasonics. Best Buy wanted over $7,500 for it. I could pull it off but just don't feel like I want to spend that much on one. I heard rumors that there was going to be a new 80" model coming for around the same price in the future.
Old 03-15-12, 10:49 PM
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Re: Need help and advice for buying new television

If it was me, I'd think the GT is the best buy, based on features vs price. Comparing the VT and GT looks like very little difference. I think they have the same engine, but the VT has that higher pixel rate. (and I'm not even sure about that) But with plasma, I wonder about the efficacy.

There's always front projection, you know.
Old 03-16-12, 11:08 AM
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Re: Need help and advice for buying new television

The consensus on AVS is that the ST30 and GT30 are largely a wash picture-wise, but that the VT30 is a noticeable improvement over the other two. I couldn't be happier with my ST30 however as far as that goes.
Old 03-16-12, 03:43 PM
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Re: Need help and advice for buying new television

Originally Posted by Spiky
If it was me, I'd think the GT is the best buy, based on features vs price. Comparing the VT and GT looks like very little difference. I think they have the same engine, but the VT has that higher pixel rate. (and I'm not even sure about that) But with plasma, I wonder about the efficacy.

There's always front projection, you know.
I went to Best Buy again yesterday and looked at the 65" VT for the second time. It's definitely a gorgeous set. Unfortunately they don't have the other two models on the floor in a 65" version, so I probably have more of a bias toward the VT plasma at the moment. I'm still undecided but will most likely go with one of the three plasma models. At least I have it narrowed down to three choices.

They did have a smaller ST and GT model I was able to look at, but it's hard to get a fair judgement when looking at a smaller set for a fair comparison. I do think the VT is probably the more appealing cosmetically though.

I would love to have a projector, but in my current situation it's just not practical to think about it now. Maybe someday.

Originally Posted by djbrown
The consensus on AVS is that the ST30 and GT30 are largely a wash picture-wise, but that the VT30 is a noticeable improvement over the other two. I couldn't be happier with my ST30 however as far as that goes.
I ran across that thread yesterday at AVS looking for information on the differences between the ST, GT, and VT models. I managed to get through reading it all last night.

Yeah I saw that several people mentioned the video was about equal between the ST and GT plasmas, especially if you had it professionally calibrated. However the only advantage the GT seemed to have was a more attractive bezel around the screen, and apparently a better screen to minimize glare. I guess the VT is supposed to have a better screen than the GT, but I saw a few posts in the AVS thread that thought neither of the three models seemed to really have any significant difference in video quality.

Even though I'm still up in the air on which one to get I would like to make up my mind soon. I also need to get a stand to put it on, and to place my center speaker since I won't be able to put it on top of my new set. The lower price of either the ST or GT would also help off set the cost of the television stand.

Also trying to decide whether to purchase it from either Amazon or Best Buy. At the moment both stores seem to have the same prices with free delivery, but at Amazon I can save on the sales tax. However Best Buy will take away my old Mitsubishi set for free. Since the old set is huge it's not very easy to move unless you have the proper equipment.
Old 03-16-12, 06:13 PM
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Re: Need help and advice for buying new television

Originally Posted by LASERMOVIES
Yeah I saw that several people mentioned the video was about equal between the ST and GT plasmas, especially if you had it professionally calibrated. However the only advantage the GT seemed to have was a more attractive bezel around the screen, and apparently a better screen to minimize glare. I guess the VT is supposed to have a better screen than the GT, but I saw a few posts in the AVS thread that thought neither of the three models seemed to really have any significant difference in video quality.

Even though I'm still up in the air on which one to get I would like to make up my mind soon. I also need to get a stand to put it on, and to place my center speaker since I won't be able to put it on top of my new set. The lower price of either the ST or GT would also help off set the cost of the television stand.

Also trying to decide whether to purchase it from either Amazon or Best Buy. At the moment both stores seem to have the same prices with free delivery, but at Amazon I can save on the sales tax. However Best Buy will take away my old Mitsubishi set for free. Since the old set is huge it's not very easy to move unless you have the proper equipment.
I just went through this about 2 months ago. Ended up getting the 60-inch ST30 from Amazon. I love it. Everyone keeps commenting about how much better the picture is compared to my old Hitachi 1080i RPTV.

I picked the ST over the GT because the general consensus seemed that the only difference was a slightly smaller bezel and THX mode. Most people agreed that the GT wasn't worth the upgrade.

I bought the Walker Edison Regal 4-in-1 TV Stand and the TV is mounted on the back bar. The 60-inch screen fits really well on this stand.

One drawback on the ST30 is the remote sensor on the very bottom. If you have a large center speaker, it could block the remote/3D sensor. The stand I'm using only gives me about 6.5 inches of clearance. I'm using a Polk CS-1 and I have to raise the remote up to turn off the TV. Luckily, more common remote controls like Volume and Inputs is handled by my receiver which is on the side. But I'm concerned about whether the speaker will block the 3D signal to the glasses. I haven't tested that out yet.

Keep an eye out for deals. I got Amazon to price-match a Costco sale and paid only $1250. That was about $300 less than Amazon's normal price and $500+tax less than Best Buy.

Last edited by TheBigDave; 03-16-12 at 06:19 PM.
Old 03-16-12, 06:49 PM
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Re: Need help and advice for buying new television

I have the Pany VT 65 inch since December and I have been in love ever since, I just cant wait to leave work everyday to go watch something on that TV, simply beautiful

PS: according to Panasonic's website the VT30 has "24p Cinematic Playback" (96Hz) which the other models don't. It also features THX mode which is hands down the best mode to watch anything on it.
Old 03-16-12, 07:31 PM
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Re: Need help and advice for buying new television

Originally Posted by TheBigDave
I just went through this about 2 months ago. Ended up getting the 60-inch ST30 from Amazon. I love it. Everyone keeps commenting about how much better the picture is compared to my old Hitachi 1080i RPTV.

I picked the ST over the GT because the general consensus seemed that the only difference was a slightly smaller bezel and THX mode. Most people agreed that the GT wasn't worth the upgrade.

I bought the Walker Edison Regal 4-in-1 TV Stand and the TV is mounted on the back bar. The 60-inch screen fits really well on this stand.

One drawback on the ST30 is the remote sensor on the very bottom. If you have a large center speaker, it could block the remote/3D sensor. The stand I'm using only gives me about 6.5 inches of clearance. I'm using a Polk CS-1 and I have to raise the remote up to turn off the TV. Luckily, more common remote controls like Volume and Inputs is handled by my receiver which is on the side. But I'm concerned about whether the speaker will block the 3D signal to the glasses. I haven't tested that out yet.

Keep an eye out for deals. I got Amazon to price-match a Costco sale and paid only $1250. That was about $300 less than Amazon's normal price and $500+tax less than Best Buy.
I was at Costco a few days ago and didn't see any Panasonics for sale, or out on display. I wonder if they sold out the older models already?

Doesn't look like Amazon is an option to order from since I also need someone to take my old television away. To do it myself would require the rental of a dolly and trailer to take it to my local trash company for proper disposal. Unfortunately after contacting someone in customer service at Amazon I found out they do not provide any disposal service for old televisions. I guess my options are going to be more limited to whom I can purchase from because I need to get rid of a huge heavy box.

That's a nice looking stand, but it might not be big enough for a larger 65" set. Also my center speaker is a little on the large and bulky side at 24W X 7H, which might present more problems.
Old 03-16-12, 10:16 PM
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Re: Need help and advice for buying new television

Unless they have it online, Costco seems to have dropped Panny around here. They held onto a 50" for awhile, not sure if it is still there. But that was it for I think the whole winter. Disappointing, I was kinda planning on a 40" this year.

You gotta get a friend-with-truck. Thought everyone had one of those.
Old 03-16-12, 11:41 PM
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Re: Need help and advice for buying new television

Originally Posted by Spiky
You gotta get a friend-with-truck. Thought everyone had one of those.
I own a pick up but it would take a mighty strong back to pick up over 360 lbs of television to get it in the back. I need a friend with this kind of truck with a liftgate.

Old 03-17-12, 08:04 AM
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Re: Need help and advice for buying new television

Don't we all.

Well, you are dumping it. No need to be gentle. It can be on its back or side, whatever. But that is pretty heavy. If you can get it out there, lean it against the truck. Then it's just sliding it up onto the bed, which a couple guys should be able to handle. (trying to keep the double entendres to a minimum )

But also, wouldn't the garbage company just pick it up for a price? They do around here.
Old 03-17-12, 11:56 AM
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Re: Need help and advice for buying new television

The problem with the television is that it's so big and awkward with nothing to grab onto to really even try to lift it safely. If you dropped it just hope you don't have a body part too close by when it hits the ground. A trip to the emergency room with a crushed hand or foot is not worth trying to save a few bucks. If I could even get it outside to my truck it would also require lifting it about 3 feet up to get it in the bed.

I also called my local trash company and they will not pick it up. I even pay for the trash service monthly and normally they will allow you to put out one large item for free every three months if you make arrangements ahead of time, but they will not take electronic items like a television. However if I could take it in myself they would dispose of it for free if I dropped it off at their facility.

It makes more sense to just order a new television from Best Buy and have them deliver and remove the old television since it wasn't going to cost anything extra. That way I'm not going to have to break my back trying to get rid of it.
Old 03-17-12, 12:58 PM
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Re: Need help and advice for buying new television

Well, I'd send some viking types over if it was a little closer than 2000 miles.

Here are some of the things I've moved all by myself...




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Old 03-17-12, 02:37 PM
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Re: Need help and advice for buying new television

A sub woofer and washer would be a lot easier to deal with in comparison. Maybe even the refrigerator. The television is roughly 5'X5'X2.5' box to try and manhandle. Looking back I'm glad I didn't get the 72" RPTV set Mitsubishi had at the time. Hard to believe replacing it with a large plasma of the same screen size feels like I'm downsizing.

It's not hard to move if you have the proper moving equipment. I had to have it repaired several times and the TV repair shop took the whole set back to their shop to do the work on it. They had a dolly with a strap, and a truck with a hydraulic liftgate. It only took them about 10 to 15 minutes to get it out of the house and load it.

I probably could handle it if I rented a dolly along with either a truck with a hydraulic liftgate, or a low profile trailer with a ramp to roll it into. Since it's the only thing to move it's not worth the time, money, and energy to attempt it.
Old 03-17-12, 06:35 PM
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Re: Need help and advice for buying new television

I narrowed down my choices to purchase either the ST or VT models since there seems to be little to no difference in video quality between the ST and GT. Now I just need to decide if I want to go with the cheaper ST set or spend the extra money for the VT. The one concern I have with the VT is I read several reviews at Amazon that mention the screen can get scratched easily if you're not careful. Anyone have a problem with the screens getting scratched on either plasma model?
Old 03-19-12, 12:36 PM
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Re: Need help and advice for buying new television

own the VT no scratches so far
Old 03-19-12, 04:26 PM
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Re: Need help and advice for buying new television

When our two year old Sony 52" Z series LCD got damaged I had to go out looking. I consider myself above average when it comes keeping up with anything HT. I had to cram about 2 weeks of research in about 5 days. I normally go to Best Buy top see what models, prices and look at some displays, mainly in something like the Magnolia Room due to the lighting.

I went in with considering a mid-level LED from either Samsung or Sony. Two days later I placed a order on Amazon for a Panasonic Plasma...55" GT30. As it stands now I am a 100% Plasma follower. Not enough space here to go thru the details but I suggest you "Wiki" Plasma to get a better understanding of the technology which has made great leaps in the last 2-5 years.

As far as PQ, it is better than the two year old Sony we had even though the "Z-series" at that time was one step below the XBR line. I'm using calibrated settings posted over at the AVS Forums by a professional calibrater and the picture is simply stunning. Are plasma's perfect...no but I feel their pros outweigh their cons by a long shot.
Old 03-19-12, 09:25 PM
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Re: Need help and advice for buying new television

Originally Posted by nando820
own the VT no scratches so far
That's good to know. Since I only saw two reviews mention the problem I didn't think it was a major issue. There were numerous replies wondering how the screens got scratched, and many thought the owners were probably at fault since it wasn't clear how it happened.

Anyway I decided to take the plunge and ordered the Panasonic VT30 last night from Best Buy. They will deliver it tomorrow and take away the old Mitsubishi RPTV set like I wanted. In the end it wasn't much more than Amazon with the sales tax. Should also earn a bunch of reward zone points, and points on my Amazon Visa. Can't wait until it arrives!

Originally Posted by K&AJones
When our two year old Sony 52" Z series LCD got damaged I had to go out looking. I consider myself above average when it comes keeping up with anything HT. I had to cram about 2 weeks of research in about 5 days. I normally go to Best Buy top see what models, prices and look at some displays, mainly in something like the Magnolia Room due to the lighting.

I went in with considering a mid-level LED from either Samsung or Sony. Two days later I placed a order on Amazon for a Panasonic Plasma...55" GT30. As it stands now I am a 100% Plasma follower. Not enough space here to go thru the details but I suggest you "Wiki" Plasma to get a better understanding of the technology which has made great leaps in the last 2-5 years.

As far as PQ, it is better than the two year old Sony we had even though the "Z-series" at that time was one step below the XBR line. I'm using calibrated settings posted over at the AVS Forums by a professional calibrater and the picture is simply stunning. Are plasma's perfect...no but I feel their pros outweigh their cons by a long shot.
This will actually be my second plasma. I purchased a 42" Panasonic 4 years ago and still love it, but really have not kept up with the current models since purchasing it. I was amazed at how good that plasma looked, especially with a blu-ray hooked up through a hdmi cable.

I know what you mean by having to cram a bunch of information in a short period of time. I was starting to get headaches from all the reading and searching.
Old 03-20-12, 01:48 PM
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Re: Need help and advice for buying new television

I hear ya on getting rid of the old RPTV. Had a 65" Hitachi myself, and was fortunate enough that a friend of my wife wanted it. For $400 no less. They came and picked ii up and everything
Old 03-21-12, 11:35 AM
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Re: Need help and advice for buying new television

^
It would have been nice if I could have got a few bucks for mine, but since it was broke it made it worthless. It probably would cost at least $500 to fix it to even get it working again. Oh well at least they hauled it off and it's no longer my problem.

So far loving the new set even though how have not had a chance to watch any movies yet. Spent most of last night trying to learn how everything works.
Old 03-27-12, 08:21 PM
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Re: Need help and advice for buying new television

I didn't know if I should start a new thread or bump this one about a 3D question. Thought I would bump this since the plasma television is still relatively new.

Anyway I was wondering how I can actually get my plasma to display 3D. I have only one 3D movie (the Lion King) and the 3D glasses that came with the new set, but when I tried to play the movie I wasn't seeing anything in 3D. When I first set up my PS3 for hdmi it detected the new television was 3D capable, and required setting the screen size during the set up for it. When I played the movie I also made sure the television was set for 3D, but it didn't seem to make a difference. Also tried moving various distances from the screen, which didn't seem to help. Is there anything else I need to know, or is there something broken? I don't see myself watching a lot of 3D content in the near future, but would at least like to know it is working properly.

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