buy another plasma....or wait??

[bigboss]

just to get things back on track, the screen size has got to be a 42 due to space limitations. I agree that the vt series would be the natural choice for the peplacement of my kuro but thats just not possible. so back to the original question.. If I decide to wait for my six year old Plasma to "die" and Panasonic plasmas are no longer available, then would whats on offer instead of plasma ( LED,4K,OLED) be a bacward step in terms of PQ as regards to what I have now or indeed what I could have if I bought a Panny Plasma before they all no longer available

It's an individual perception. Oldboy is perfectly happy moving on from plasma to LED-lit LCD. With subsequent generation, LED-lit LCD TVs are getting better. I was very impressed with Samsung F8000 when I saw it at the shops last week. Why don't you demo some TVs and see what you think?

If you're happy with your TV & not bothered about 3D, stretch your Kuro for few more years. OLED may just become a viable and affordable alternative by then, or LED-lit LCDs would start impressing you.

 

[jacobmorrison]

just to get things back on track, the screen size has got to be a 42 due to space limitations. I agree that the vt series would be the natural choice for the peplacement of my kuro but thats just not possible. so back to the original question.. If I decide to wait for my six year old Plasma to "die" and Panasonic plasmas are no longer available, then would whats on offer instead of plasma ( LED,4K,OLED) be a bacward step in terms of PQ as regards to what I have now or indeed what I could have if I bought a Panny Plasma before they all no longer available

The Panasonic 42GT60 would be the one then. My Dad has the Pioneer 427xd and the performance on the Panasonic I think is better. I would get from somewhere like Richer Sounds. At 42 inches in the future you will be limited.

I suspect it's a Pioneer 4280 like mine as these are now six years old. It's true the GT60 would be the nearest equivalent but it's not a quantum leap over the 4280 which was a clear step above the older 427xd. If 3D and smart features are not essential then I'd agree with the suggestions to hold on to what you have. Besides, the new tech is going to be offered by the same manufacturers. Panasonic aren't going to revise their customer care standards just because they're selling OLED rather than a plasma. LG and Samsung offer the same level of service, the same warranty terms, regardless of whether it's a 32" LCD or a 60" 4K set. Buying a premium set from a mass market manufacturer doesn't get us some kind of platinum customer care card. John Lewis will always do what they can but once their warehouse is full of TVs that the manufacturer isn't accepting back because they're "within tolerance" then they may be forced to take a tougher line with their customers.

 

[TnA200]

Son_of_SJ

I did look briefly at the Samsung PS51F850 when I was considering TV's, but Panasonic was on a roll with good TV's and had more of a range than just the odd one from Samsung. I must admit, LG were not on my radar.

But looking forward 5-6 years, if and when I need/wish to replace my VT30, I also wonder who will be in the plasma TV market besides Samsung and LG, or will OLED/4K become cheap enough to be the natural choice. By then 4K movie players/streamers etc will have sorted out the delivery of the media, I hope!

 

[Deleted member 2457]

just to get things back on track, the screen size has got to be a 42 due to space limitations. I agree that the vt series would be the natural choice for the peplacement of my kuro but thats just not possible. so back to the original question.. If I decide to wait for my six year old Plasma to "die" and Panasonic plasmas are no longer available, then would whats on offer instead of plasma ( LED,4K,OLED) be a bacward step in terms of PQ as regards to what I have now or indeed what I could have if I bought a Panny Plasma before they all no longer available

The Panasonic 42GT60 would be the one then. My Dad has the Pioneer 427xd and the performance on the Panasonic I think is better. I would get from somewhere like Richer Sounds. At 42 inches in the future you will be limited.

I suspect it's a Pioneer 4280 like mine as these are now six years old. It's true the GT60 would be the nearest equivalent but it's not a quantum leap over the 4280 which was a clear step above the older 427xd. If 3D and smart features are not essential then I'd agree with the suggestions to hold on to what you have. Besides, the new tech is going to be offered by the same manufacturers. Panasonic aren't going to revise their customer care standards just because they're selling OLED rather than a plasma. LG and Samsung offer the same level of service, the same warranty terms, regardless of whether it's a 32" LCD or a 60" 4K set. Buying a premium set from a mass market manufacturer doesn't get us some kind of platinum customer care card. John Lewis will always do what they can but once their warehouse is full of TVs that the manufacturer isn't accepting back because they're "within tolerance" then they may be forced to take a tougher line with their customers.

The GT60 range is ahead of the Pioneer 5090 but like you say not by much.

 

[Deleted member 2457]

Going back to the original question, buy another plasma or wait for what? Plasma at 42 inches is finish, 4K TVs are massive, so are OLED TVs, LEDs will never be better than the GT60. I think you will have a problem in the future.

 

[Son_of_SJ]

Murg, can you tell us exactly what model of Pioneer television you have?

Gel, good thinking in the post immediately above this. We can't tell trends three or four years into the future, but as current developments point towards larger television sizes, Murg's space limit of a 42" television will become more and more restrictive.

 

[murg]

Yes, Its the Pioneer 4280. I agree regarding the future screen sizes but we are not all blessed with football pitch size front rooms.! 42 it has to be unless I got rid of the sofa! I have tried with LED and i`m afraid it`s not for me. Although the advice is to hang on to what ive got I tend to feel that I should grab one of the remaining GT60`s while they are still here. That way I would have a plasma ( and a fabulous PQ IMO) for the next few years instead of waiting for the Kuro to die and then having no choice at all apart from a format that I simply dont like looking at

 

[Son_of_SJ]

Okay Murg, this is what you should do.

1. Buy your Panasonic 42GT60.

2. DO NOT sell your Pioneer 4280, but disconnect it and instal the Panasonic instead.

3. Run the Panasonic VERY, VERY gently for the first 200 hours - no TV channels with fixed logos, reduce contrast, etc.

4. After the Panasonic has done 200 hours get BOTH the Panasonic and the Pioneer calibrated, then decide which picture you prefer.

5. If you can put the second-choice television in another room, do so, and put the first-choice television in your living room. If there is no other room that can accommodate the second-choice television, pack it up in the loft or somewhere.

6. If the Panasonic is your first choice, and it runs for at least six months with no problems, then and only then can you consider selling the Pioneer.

I say all this because I have the Pioneer 428XD in my bedroom, and I think every night and every morning how good the picture is, now that it has been calibrated. It's not perfect, and here the Panasonic 42GT60 will be better, in that your Pioneer, like mine, is not full HD, it's only HD ready. So pictures on the Panasonic will be sharper than on your Pioneer, I expect.

But you have to wait six months with the Panasonic to ensure that it has no problems, before you think of selling the Pioneer.

 

[Deleted member 2457]

Okay Murg, this is what you should do.

1. Buy your Panasonic 42GT60.

2. DO NOT sell your Pioneer 4280, but disconnect it and instal the Panasonic instead.

3. Run the Panasonic VERY, VERY gently for the first 200 hours - no TV channels with fixed logos, reduce contrast, etc.

4. After the Panasonic has done 200 hours get BOTH the Panasonic and the Pioneer calibrated, then decide which picture you prefer.

5. If you can put the second-choice television in another room, do so, and put the first-choice television in your living room. If there is no other room that can accommodate the second-choice television, pack it up in the loft or somewhere.

6. If the Panasonic is your first choice, and it runs for at least six months with no problems, then and only then can you consider selling the Pioneer.

I say all this because I have the Pioneer 428XD in my bedroom, and I think every night and every morning how good the picture is, now that it has been calibrated. It's not perfect, and here the Panasonic 42GT60 will be better, in that your Pioneer, like mine, is not full HD, it's only HD ready. So pictures on the Panasonic will be sharper than on your Pioneer, I expect.

But you have to wait six months with the Panasonic to ensure that it has no problems, before you think of selling the Pioneer.

Good suggestions, that makes sense to me.

 

[jacobmorrison]

Okay Murg, this is what you should do.

1. Buy your Panasonic 42GT60.

2. DO NOT sell your Pioneer 4280, but disconnect it and instal the Panasonic instead.

3. Run the Panasonic VERY, VERY gently for the first 200 hours - no TV channels with fixed logos, reduce contrast, etc.

4. After the Panasonic has done 200 hours get BOTH the Panasonic and the Pioneer calibrated, then decide which picture you prefer.

5. If you can put the second-choice television in another room, do so, and put the first-choice television in your living room. If there is no other room that can accommodate the second-choice television, pack it up in the loft or somewhere.

6. If the Panasonic is your first choice, and it runs for at least six months with no problems, then and only then can you consider selling the Pioneer.

I say all this because I have the Pioneer 428XD in my bedroom, and I think every night and every morning how good the picture is, now that it has been calibrated. It's not perfect, and here the Panasonic 42GT60 will be better, in that your Pioneer, like mine, is not full HD, it's only HD ready. So pictures on the Panasonic will be sharper than on your Pioneer, I expect.

But you have to wait six months with the Panasonic to ensure that it has no problems, before you think of selling the Pioneer.

Good advice. Take precautions and don't commit until you're happy. Yes there will be more resolution with the panasonic, but when 720p 42" HD-ready sets were common the advice from various publications including this one was that the advantages of full HD at the typical viewing distances for a 42" were arguable. Only when the screen was larger than 42" did the extra resolution really come into play. Now of course full HD is standard everywhere but the original arguments haven't been invalidated. The black levels for the Panasonic will be slightly deeper too but it's not a world of difference.

The pioneer would arguably look better with standard def programming and skyHD due to the Kuro's excellent scaling and lower native resolution of the panel. Plus there's no reason why it won't continue to perform. Mine is 6 years old and the viewing hours count makes it a teenager in man years rather than a pensioner.

 

[murg]

Son of sj,

you are a wise man indeed!! very good advice and much appreciated.

Thanks to everyone else who has responded to my question. you have helped me to come to a decision

 

[MrW]

Son of sj,

you are a wise man indeed!! very good advice and much appreciated.

Thanks to everyone else who has responded to my question. you have helped me to come to a decision

which is...?!

 

[murg]

42gt60 going for an "audition" this morning! they have one left and the panasonic rep has told my local stockist there are no more available as from now

 

[greysunday]

I have a similar problem. Was going to buy Sony w900a but I find the limited viewing angles and odd contrast when I auditioned in store a put off. I'm prepared to shell out over £3000 for the Sony X9005a 4K but the price I feel cannot be justified as reviews are going these sets less than excellent reports on non 4k content which is blu ray upscaled at present. If these 4k sets were excellent at up scaling full 1080p content then I'd buy but I trust this mag and cannot justify this price on only 4 stars. So what about the Panasonic TX-P50GT60B now for 2 years until these 4k sets hit the 5 star £2000 mark? Everything over the last 15 years I've bought on careful research via what hifi and I haven't been let down. Yes I'm a Sony fan boy put I'm prepared to jump ship for a couple of years. Really need at least 46" set very soon so any advice would be appreciated

 

[Deleted member 2457]

I have a similar problem. Was going to buy Sony w900a but I find the limited viewing angles and odd contrast when I auditioned in store a put off. I'm prepared to shell out over £3000 for the Sony X9005a 4K but the price I feel cannot be justified as reviews are going these sets less than excellent reports on non 4k content which is blu ray upscaled at present. If these 4k sets were excellent at up scaling full 1080p content then I'd buy but I trust this mag and cannot justify this price on only 4 stars. So what about the Panasonic TX-P50GT60B now for 2 years until these 4k sets hit the 5 star £2000 mark? Everything over the last 15 years I've bought on careful research via what hifi and I haven't been let down. Yes I'm a Sony fan boy put I'm prepared to jump ship for a couple of years. Really need at least 46" set very soon so any advice would be appreciated

I recommend buying either the GT60 or the VT65.