BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW said:
If JL do grant me an exchange, do you think it's worth exchanging for the VT65 and paying the extra?
Hi BBB,
Sorry to hear things haven't improved.
It's a much better TV, but it's not perfect. I have no issues with DSE/banding on the VT65. Straight out of the box there was one subtle right hand band, but this has now vanished completely.
The fan noise is a bit annoying; and my VT65 has very a minor screen uniformity issue, namely a subtle cyan tint toward the left edge. This is rarely visible. I can only see it on menu screens and in less than one percent of actual viewing. Compared with the banding on the GT50, this is a small issue.
Panasonic has developed a "foam fix" for the fan noise. A series of foam strips are installed around the fans, though there are mixed reports as to how effective this is. I haven't had the fix installed and I'm wondering whether it'll be worth it.
All that said, the VT65 produces a better picture than the GT50. You'll certainly notice the improvement, in depth and detail especially. I'm still blown away by how good the picture is, particularly after professional calibration.
In short, I'd say yes, it's worth the extra; and I'm far happier with the VT65 than the GT50, even if there are minor caveats to that statement. And if you get Gel on the case, I'm sure you'll find the best possible price match!
You might look at the F8500, too. Alternatively, you could cut your losses and ask JL for a refund, even if this means losing a bit of money. You could then consider the GT60, which has no fans.
Hope that's some help.