dolphinboy

I've been spending hours and hours looking for a plasma for the bedroom.

We do not use the bedroom for a lot of tv viewing in the first place. So you can almost just say we're buying a tv, so why not a plasma, more than we're looking for the total home theater experience that we get in our living room.

Honestly, I'm almost certain we'll never add sound system in our bedroom and we might pick up another BD a year or so from now just to be able to watch our BD in the bedroom if we want to, knowing we won't be getting the HD sound and being totally ok with that.

To begin with, the tv will almost exclusively be used for HD from the cable company.

So this is what I've found to be the best deal with my limited knowledge based on my needs and what we'll be using it for.

Panasonic Viera TH42PX80U 42" 720p Plasma HDTV

$574.52 from 6th avenue electronics.

I can't imagine that I could do better for that kind of quality. Am I wrong? Should I keep waiting?

My only concern is that it's not 1080p. I've read, even with BD, that you pretty much can't tell the difference in this size tv. I guess just having the 1080p would be good because I think we'll keep this for over 10 years and, I guess, I worry that I might be sorry later. But right now, I can't find a blazin' great deal on one. I'd probably pay $700 or so. No more based on my needs.

Finally, the only other concern is the sound. People are all over the place about the sound quality, but a lot of people are buying this for a living room or den where they plan to add a sound system. That will never happen for us. So if we get really crappy sound listening to a movie in our room on HBO HD or even CNN...that would suck. Are the sound problems really THAT bad or are people giving those reviews based on the sound relative to a home theater?

Anyway, this is a big deal for us. We planned on doing more upgrading to the living room home theater next year, so we don't just want to blow money here. I've just heard really great things about this tv and that price is sick.

Can anyone and everyone who reads this give their own personal thumbs up or thumbs down on this deal or suggest something else that I've missed based on what I've explained the tv will be used for?

Thank you so much!

Officer Cartman

I just picked up this set last weekend for our bedroom.. Got it during the Boscov's deal, it was $599 - 15% (signed up for the Boscov's card) + tax.

So far I've been very happy with the TV, and you just can't beat the price!

aktick

The sound is fine on that model. If you are used to listening to nothing but a high end audio system, it might sound like crap in comparison, but I would imagine for a bedroom environment, it's going to be plenty good for you.

I got that set for my parents in September, they love it via DirecTV, and the few Blu-rays they watch look great. And the sound, again, is going to be more than adequate.

Sdallnct

Seems like a very good deal. Will you be able to find it better? Maybe. But I'd get it now and enjoy it.

No in that size size I would not pay extra for 1080p. Your simply not going to see the difference regardless of source. And you shouldn't be sorry latter. In this size set the limitation has to do with your eyes. So unless you think your going to get eagle's eyes or something in the next 10 years, your not "future proofing" by getting 1080p in this sized set. The only exception I can think of is if you want to hook up to a computer and use as a monitor.

Lastly, I understand this is "just a bedroom set". But remember your cable HD is in 5.1 surround sound. I would consider at least a basic, inexpensive surround system.

dolphinboy

We're never gonna put a surround system in the bedroom.

Remember, for us, this is basically just "time to buy a new tv time."

But were not gonna buy the old square tvs in this day and age, so that's why the cost means even more. We hardly watch tv in the bedroom. And while I'm sure it will go up a bit, now that we'll have the HD networks from cable, it's still not gonna go up a lot.

We're uptight about bedroom rules. We don't eat in there either.

Anyway, it looks like it doesn't matter. This 6th avenue electronics ad for black friday says free shipping and no tax. But when you go to order, it adds $120 for the lowest form of shipping.

That brings the price up more than I want if I'm ordering from a store in the NY area that I can't bring it back to.

I tried calling but gave up after 2 hours of waiting on hold.

I'm very disappointed. This would have been a great deal for us and really helped with the budgeting we need to do and still allow us to upgrade to a new tv. I was thrilled when I saw that price.

Too bad Amazon, BB, or CC won't come close to that price.

If anyone sees this anywhere else for that low of a price that will do the free shipping and no tax or something very close to that good of a price, PLEASE post something here. Our two kids get the bulk of the holiday money spent on them, as well they should, but I was really hoping to surprise my wife with this and not only feel good about that, but that I was able to do it without spending more than I really should (which would thrill her to no end).

Very bummed right now.

Thanks for the feedback, though.

Sweet Baby James

^

Print out the 6th Avenue ad and try to price match at Sears. I've always found Sears to be the easiest store to do price matches. Good luck.

Superman07

That set is something like $699 tomorrow at BB. Also, that same set was selling easily for $1400 earlier this year. To say it's no longer a good deal is a stretch. Perhaps not as good of a deal is more accurate.

dolphinboy

Thanks for the suggestion, but it's just not worth it to fight the crowds for something extremely unlikely.

I always had hoped to find a deal that would allow me to order online anyway. Unless some of the bigger stores have a big drop on a really good tv, I'm probably out of luck for something in the kind of price range.

I believe Sears had it for 699.99 and Amazon is around $730 with the white glove delivery. Every dollar counts so much on this because it wasn't something I planned. I more or less hoped. And with a new tv, I'm looking at $200 for some kind of decent cabinet to keep it on, and another $100+ for a decent service plan (panny offers one year, but I don't know if they allow you to buy something extended from them once that gets close to expiring).

The black friday ad for 6th avenue doesn't even show the price as low as the one that I listed above. I'm guessing some other store that competes with them in that area is selling it under what they were planning to and so they cut the price again. I mean, that's just a great price. With free shipping, I've already ordered that tv and take the savings and use it towards whatever I'd buy to put the new tv on.

I'm hoping deals will continue through decemeber and somehow I'll be able to get that tv for close to that price. If not, there's always next year's holiday season.

Thanks everyone for the help and suggestions. Again, if you see anything, please consider taking the time to post to this thread or sending me a message.

Sdallnct

IMO, anything under $750 is a great deal on that set. That is an awesome set.

dolphinboy

I'm not sure where people are getting the idea that I don't think it's a great deal. I'm sure that it is.

However, as mentioned in another thread, a lot of money is being spent to upgrade the entire set-up in our living room. This wasn't something we needed, so much as it would have been a really cool luxury for a killer BF deal.

At present, the bedroom tv gets about 1 hour of use per day average.

So, I get it that this tv is awesome (I want it badly), but it was friggin' ridiculously awesome at nearly $550. THAT level of great deal, with free shipping would have been too good to pass up for that plasma.

I know another few hundred dollars more doesn't seem like much, but for us, it is based on the upgrading we are already planning.

So, unless someone sees it somewhere else or I see it somewhere else at that really, really insane price, it's just a budget line I don't want to cross.

I'm hoping to get lucky, but if it's for the bedroom...there's always next year when the entire home theater in our living room will have been "long" completed and paid for.

Again, many things for all the suggestions and help from everyone here.

aktick

$598 + shipping (which isn't a lot) from Fry's - http://shop1.frys.com/product/5521710

dolphinboy

Thanks, they not only get me for shipping, but also for taxes because they have stores in the Phoenix area. I'm in Tucson.

Fry's is pretty big too and I think I'd bite, if they had a store nearby where I could deal with returns and other problems.

I think I might see if BB or CC will match this because it's a not a small regional store like 6th avenue who I just know they won't. Usually they don't match Fry's in Tucson because they are not competition here, but in this economy I might get lucky.

Sure wish it was Amazon or Best Buy or anywhere with a store nearby.

It doesn't look like this is for one day only, so maybe it can be a fall back if no one will price match or none of the other stores locally or Amazon doesn't lower theirs to match this. I sure bet they are price-matching in Phoenix.

Thanks, this is the closest yet to hope that I might pull this off between $550-$625.

dolphinboy

The Frys deal is already dead, so no price-matching there.

Crap.

6th Avenue offered it to me for $650 with curbside delivery, but if I can't find another place selling it just under $600, than amazon has it for $699 with white glove delivery and I trust dealing with them far more than I do the place in NY.

I did spend a lot of time looking for deals and noticed this tv has been in this price range for several months. I don't want to get back into whether it is or isn't a great deal but I thought it was strange that it's list is $999 and 30% mark down from list to sale price isn't that unusual is it?

TylerDurden_73

Panasonic has an extended service warranty that basically extends the life of the manufacturer's warranty. I believe there should be a postcard in the box you have to fill out. They send you a letter letting you know the cost of a one year plan and a three year plan. I don't know what the cost is for their TV's but for their blu-ray players it's $44.95 for one year, 109.95 for three year plan.

Sdallnct

Sounds like you have made up your mind regarding all the issues....enjoy your set.

aktick

Fry's I think has pretty big discounts on popular TVs like this one pretty often. So keep checking there, it may pop up at that price again.

And as far as price-matching the Fry's price at BB or CC - I'm in WI, without a Fry's closer than 3 hours away in Chicago (I think there's one there), and a BB here matched a TV price for me from Fry's a few months back. So I'd imagine you'll have no problems in that department.

Geofferson

Amazon lowered their prices on this set today (42PX80U): $650 w/ free white glove delivery. Not a bad deal...

I was tired of waiting around for a better price on this set, so I pulled the trigger.

Still waiting out the 50PZ800U model though...

Duh Vuh Duh

Congrats on the set, was going to PM ya, but I was very close to the 800U when amazon dropped it to 1779.

beebs

This TV for anything south of $699 is a deal. Great set.

-beebs

MichaelMeyers

Just picked up the Costco equivalent of this set for $630 + taxes and I'm really liking it so far (its a replacement for my Toshiba DLP TV that died after 3 years). Plus when buying at Costco you can't beat the 2 year warranty it comes with.

shelland

We bought the same TV for out bedroom last spring - and paid $1100.

ANDREMIKE

That size TV is to small to really notice 1080P. Plus, unless you are going to use BluRay you can't watch anything in 1080P.

dolphinboy

Even if you do plan to hook up blu-ray to it?

Sixth Ave Electronics is selling the next model up, the only change being the 1080p, for 888.92 plus free shipping.

For some reason, Amazon is selling the 720p at full price anyway along with my blu-ray concern.

I always fuss about money, but the closer it gets to X-mas, the more I start just wanting to buy something.

I would have already pulled the trigger on the 1080p model if it were being sold by Amazon, but they don't carry that one. That conerns me more, because the white gloves is obviously great.

Locally, the 720p model is going for around $799 and I haven't been seeing the south of $700 deals anywhere anymore. Possibly the Christmas deal won't match the BF deals like a lot of people thought they would.

I'm only gonna wait a little bit longer.

Right now my preference in order would be the 1080p if it was sold by Amazon or the 720p, which is sold by Amazon, if they reduced the price back closer to $700, where it was even before BF. Now it's $999. WTF?!?!

Again, the most likely scenario is Amazon drops the crazy price on the 720p back closer to $699...ANY concerns with blu-ray on a 42? As far as seating distance goes, you know, I don't sit on top of it, but sometimes I'm on the floor close and sometimes in bed.

If it helps, I cannot tell the difference between 1080i and 1080p. My eyes just aren't that good. So is 720p better than 1080i, equal, ?

Thanks.

Sdallnct

You won't be able to see the 1080p in that size set unless you are sitting way to close to it. And it doesn't make a difference what the source it.

The reason the 720p is dropping in price so much is most people are buying into the 1080p "full HD" hype. And yes...it is hype in this size set.

If you could get the 1080p for the same price, I say get it. But no way I would every pay even a $1.00 more for 1080p in this sized set. Having said that there may be other features you might want on the 1080p set. And since money seems to be an issue, to me the choice is obvious.

X

I recently bought a 1080p 42" LCD. I compared the picture of it with 720p versions of various sets about 6 feet back and saw a real difference in the stairstep effect of any printed characters on the screen. They were very jagged with the 720p and very smooth with the 1080p.

I'm happy that I got the 1080p. I can get really close to it and the picture still looks very detailed and not artificially scaled. 42" is pretty small and lends itself to sitting close.