abintra

It is looking more and more like I'll finally jump into HD, presuming I can get one of the $100 players, so will need to buy an HDTV shortly after.

As much as I would like something 60"+, I've never been too enthused with the way DLP's look, at least in store they don't appear to have uniform picture quality unless one sits directly in front of it, and plasma at that size is too expensive. I'm thinking a 50" 720P plasma might be my compromise as prices start around $1000 for them.

What are some tech specs I should focus on when researching models further (brightness/contrast)? Would something like the $1000 Walmart Sanyo 50" plasma but worthwhile or best to look for something a little better (and, if so, any specific model recommendations)?

I'm under the impression currently that one could find a quality 720P 50" Plasma under $1500, is that correct? Lastly, would it be best to look into any DLP/LCD options for right around that $1000-$1500 price point.

SoSpacey

On a budget, you need to get a Panasonic plasma. If your budget is less than that, save your money and wait until you have the money for it.

NEVER buy a cheap plasma.

DVD Josh

Spacey has the right idea on both accounts. Get Panny, be happy.

stevevt

From Fatwallet:

"I just picked up a local Sears circular and the price on this TV (TH-50PX75U) has dropped another $100. Org. $1999 - $500 instant savings = $1499. Take an additional $250 off with your Sears Card. Final price: $1249. This offer is good on Friday and Saturday (Nov. 2nd-3rd)."

fumanstan

I bought the Samsung HP-T5054 about a month ago and love it. I spent a lot of time reading threads on AVS Forum and it was between this and the Panasonic, and i just preferred this set.

Fry's has been having sales on these for around $1500. Costco has the Panasonic for about $1599 i think last I checked too.

Sdallnct

I'm finally going to break down and get a HD set in the living room for X-mas. The Panny 720p plasma is on my very short list. I just don't know if 50" is a touch to big. Not in picture size, but in taking over the room.

Mr. Salty

It's not as big as you'd think. I was planning on buying a 42-inch plasma, but ended up with a 50-inch rear projector that's obviously not as thin as a plasma, and I have no regrets. And this is in a small living room.

abintra

Thank you kindly for the feedback everyone. Think I will start watching the Panasonic prices over the next month or so and end up purchasing that one.

What would the price jump be to step up to the next level from that 50" Panasonic plasma? Just to a slightly higher quality similar 50" 720p plasma or would something slightly larger and/or 1080p be within a couple/few hundred more? Trying to gauge what the next price/performance level may be and how feasible that may be in comparison to the 50" Panasonic.

Sdallnct

Yea...I have done the measurements and my wife is just afraid it will "take over the living room". I think mounted on the wall it will be fine, but she is hesitent. I'm not going as small as 42", no way. 46" would probably be idea, just don't know if I want LCD.

The best pic I have ever seen off any display was a Panny 50" plasma....

Sdallnct

I don't think you are going to find a "small jump" in price right now if you want flat screen. The 1080p plasmas are probably a grand or so higher (and IMHO not worth it in a 50" size). And in fact the Panny 1080p plasmas are not getting the rave reviews the 720p models did/do. And 60" flat panels are expensive.

You might check out the Pioneer Elite 720p models. Some believe they are about the best there is, but again, I think you are looking at more then a few hundred more.

A few really like the Sony 46" LCD, but again probably closer to a grand more.

Now if you are will to go rear projector, then yea, I'd look at some of the Samsung 60" LED light engine models. Those should be closer to the panasonic in price.

Don't let the price of the Panny fool you. It is a good value, but it is an excellent set that shows and excellent picture REGARDLESS of price. Just 18 months ago these were a top seller at $3,000.

abintra

I'm open to pretty much anything (minus a front projector as it isn't feasible at this time). Price isn't a huge factor, mostly getting something at least 50" and then the best price/performance that will work for me.

The reason plasma has been my first choice is due to the picture quality appealing to me more so than a DLP/LCD but that is solely due to the arbitrary browsing I've done in store. If there is a comparable or better picture quality to be had in a DLP/LCD model for a decent prize and larger size, I'm more than open to suggestions.

The Samsung 60" LED, does that offer a pretty comparable quality picture compared to the 50" Panasonic 720p plasma?

The thing that has stood out in my memory when looking at some of the DLPs/LcoS, etc. is that the picture doesn't really seem uniform unless one is really sitting in a very limited sweet spot. Even then, I recall them looking brighter and the picture looking best towards the middle of the screen compared to the edges. For all I know though, that could just be the way they look in store due to poor calibration or something else so I haven't disqualified them from consideration if my impressions are inaccurate.

mrhan

After awhile you will get used to the size and probably will feel it is "smaller" than it actually is. For that reason I went for the 58" Panny. It doesn't feel so big now. Sometimes I think I should have went for the 65".

Sdallnct

I agree with you. See my link, I have a 94" fp in a dedicated media room. So this living room set is will not be my main set up. In all likelyhood I will end up with the 50" but will be a tough call. It is not so much as the room is not big, it is, but the wall where it will go is not that big.

Sdallnct

Every technology has it's pro's and con's. But all of them are in their 2nd, 3rd, 4th...generation. Meaning their weaknesses have improved. The Samsungs can throw and excellent image. Really sweet. And if you went as big as 60" and are not sitting to far away, then the 1080p becomes something I would consider.

abintra

I would be about 10 feet away so 1080p would be a must if I were to consider going to something beyond the 50" plasma.

I stopped and browsed Best Buy for a few minutes to look at that Samsung HL-T6187S. I'm not sure if it is just my ignorance, the way they look in store or what but I can't say I'm at all impressed with the picture quality. Unless one is sitting directly in front of it and the eye level is in the middle of the TV, the picture quality immediately appears to suffer beyond that sight line. Are my impressions completely inaccurate?

Re: the Panasonic plasma. Best to try and get the model with the anti-glare screen? If so, does it negatively affect the picture quality at all?

Patman

Off-axis viewing of RP sets (LCOS/DLP) will always look less-than-optimal, and it was a major reason why I decided against RP sets when I was looking for a new display earlier this year. The other reason is because I am more sensitive to the silk-screen effect (SSE) where I see hot spots of sparklies on the screen, and it makes it harder to focus on the image being projected onto the screen, thus killing the illusion of what is being displayed for me. But the reason RP sets continues to sell is because they offer a big sized display for less money than their flatscreen counterparts (size being equal, RP sets will be cheaper), and people will opt for the size if they can accept the image quality compromises.

I discounted LCDs because their backlight produces images that are a little too hot for continuous viewing for my tastes (more than 20 minutes of viewing fatigued me at the stores), and the black levels were not as good for the models/size under consideration in my $2000 budget at the time.

If you have windows in the room, anti-reflective coating will help make the reflections less problematic, and it's doubtful image quality will suffer all that much. But you should compare a plasma with and without the anti-reflective coating and make up your own mind. If I were to buy a plasma today, I would opt for one with the anti-reflective coating. For me, plasma's contrast ratio and black levels won me over as it produces the more pleasing-to-MY-eye image quality for long term viewing.

Sdallnct

Well we certainly debate it from time to time around here, but I wouldn't spend the money on 1080p until you get to 60" size. But your call. Most of the time if you don't mind spending the money, your not going to do worse but going 1080p. Just don't get some crappy, off brand set to get 1080p for the sake of it.

I enjoy the DLP's. I'm on my 2nd DLP projector and also have an LCD flat panel in my bar. I really like DLP and think the Samsungs are great and awesome value. My experience is that the Samsungs have a much improved viewing area. Tho to be fair, my viewing area is pretty set, so I have not done actual measurements. I would "think" that if your sitting area is only 10' away, then your cone of viewing is faily small.

Patman

I have a 720p (768x1366) 50" Panasonic plasma, and sit 9'-10' away, and it is fine for such resolution. Your eyes can't really resolve that extra detail (with the 1080x1920 sets) from that far away to dramatically increase your viewing enjoyment. But, some people would rather just have all the latest bells-n-whistles/buzzwords loaded on their purchase so they don't feel any form of buyer's remorse. My co-worker is one of those who wants 1080p, but doesn't want to pay 1080p prices (flatscreen), and I keep imploring him to go stores and stare at the different model (720p and 1080p) from his normal viewing distance in his room. He may see a little improvement, but not $900-$1000 more improvement. He's also all caught up in the 1080i vs. 1080p buzz word marketing, and I have to try and explain to him the concept of interlaced material and its de-interlacing by the TV set and how it's not really going to be huge step down if he settles for a 720p/1080i model (while saving a ton of money) because the video image on the screen is going to be comparable to what he sees on a 1080p display (he may see a slight improvement on fast-motion scenes on HD DVDs or Blu-rays, but he won't from broadcast/cable/satellite HD feeds because it's still 720p and 1080i).

DVD Polizei

Also, given that many movies are 2.35:1 anyway, who really sees the entire 1920x1280 pixel resolution of a 1080p HDTV in the first place. I would think only with a 1.78/1.85:1 movie, would you be using the entire resolution.

abintra

All of you have been so helpful and it is most appreciated. Made this process much easier for me to hear specific feedback and recommendations so I would like to thank everyone kindly for being willing to share their knowledge.

At this point, I'm thinking I will pick up that 50" Panasonic plasma within the next month or so at the latest and put in a call to DirecTV to see if their free HD receiver upgrade will work for current customers also or just new ones. I'm sure I'll itch for a 60" 1080p plasma immediately after so hopefully the prices of those will reach reasonable levels, for me, by this time next year.

Edit: thought of one additional thing. Other than the additional movies included, is it worth the extra $100 for the HD DVD A3 in order to get the HDMI 1.3?

Patman

HDMI 1.3 - that depends on if you will be upgrading to a receiver that also can handle HDMI 1.3 anytime soon. If you are going to be using an older receiver that can decode the Dolby Digital or dts audio tracks via optical/Toslink output from the HD DVD player, going with the A3 isn't going to get you much in the sound department. I could be wrong, but I think the A2 will send out a downmixed dts 1.5MBs audio stream though its optical audio output, while the A3 will send out a downmixed Dolby Digital 640kbs audio stream through its optical audio output. Either will sound pretty good, but some people have their preference of dts or DD (from the DVD generation).

You won't get Lossless audio from the HDMI output unless your receiver/prepro can handle HDMI (and if you're going to invest in a receiver, might as well get one up to HDMI 1.3). From either the A2 or A3, the player will be the one that extracts the Lossless audio tracks from the HD DVDs and sends them down through the HDMI interface.

abintra

Some of the HDMI 1.3 stuff went over my head. Is the following correct?

Unless one has an HDMI 1.3 display, and that Panasonic plasma wouldn't be, there is no benefit from the 1.3 spec (ie. increased refresh rates/deep color) and the HDMI 1.3 audio benefit is largely mute between the A2 and A3 as both can decode Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD loseless streams over the current HDMI anyway?

Hope nobody minds some more thinking aloud type of questions. I'm nearly positive that I hope to get a 60"+ plasma display as soon as affordable so I'm curious whether or not it is wiser to try and find a budget for one immediately rather than a 50" now and then a 60"+ replacement within a year or two.

Checking a couple of retail sites, it seems like the least expensive ~60" 1080p plasma starts at $3500 and climbs quickly from there. Would the $3500 range mean a quality price/performance display at that size or just the cheapest (meaning that one would need to expect to spend at least $4000+ for a quality 60" 1080p plasma currently)?

The following are some of the models/prices I stumbled upon thusfar.

Panasonic 58" 1080p TH-58PZ700U $3500
Samsung 58" 1080p FP-T5884 ~$4000
LG 60" 1080p 60PY3D $4500
Panasonic 58" 1080p TH-58PZ750U $4500
Samsung 58" 1080p FP-T5894W $4800

Superman07

Few things:

1) I believe while the Toshiba A3 supports HDMI 1.3, it does NOT support 1080p.

2) I think the going rate for the Panasonic 50" 1080p set is about $2k right now. The 42" is something like $1600. Crazy prices if you ask me.

Patman

I typically see the Panny 1080p 50" plasma on sale for around $2400, and their 720p models for $1500 (maybe a little more if you get the anti-glare models).

Going from a 50" to a 58", it's about a 30% increase in viewing area, so the math never works in the buyer's favor (i.e. hard to find the 58" 1080p models for under $3200).

It's true that the A2 and A3 spit out 1080i and 720p, not 1080p, but if the TV does the de-interlacing correctly, you'll rarely notice a difference between 1080i and 1080p.

Sdallnct

Spend a couple hundred more and get the Panny.