New TV dilemma

[Jonesiani]

Hi all.

me and the mrs have been looking for a new tv. We're both agreed that a 50inch is perfect size for our living room, and it will also be wall mounted. We don't want anything bigger, or smaller.

we saw the Panasonic tx-l50dt65 in a store and it looked stunning, but is it really worth the £1900 price tag?

Ive also read good things about the new Panasonic gt60 plasma, and it can be purchased for a better price.

Are plasmas still worth it these days (I'm Pretty behind in my tv knowledge as I haven't owned one for over 10 years).

The samsung LEDs look lovely, but it's tough to find a 50inch one, and their 55s cost a fortune.

so, can anyone give me any advice please?

 

[GSB]

I advise friends and such that it all depends on your viewing prefrences,if you like a bright screen then a plasma is not for you,if you watch blu-ray films and want reference pictures(or as near as)then plasma is the way to go.

From user reviews on forums and from what i have seen you should get what you want for + - £1500.

 

[bigboss]

Check this review which says it all.

 

[Pindi]

Also consider this:

http://www.avforums.com/reviews/Panasonic-VT65-VT60-TX-P55VT65B-P50VT65B-P65VT65B-3D-Plasma-TV-Review_518/Review.html

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

If it must be a 50", then to me there are only 3 options, and all are plasma. Panasonic TX-P50VT65 (£1800) & TX-P50GT60 (£1300), or Samsung PS51F8500 (£1900).

The GT60 is the cheapest by some distance, and definitely is the value choice, but you may have to wait until some stores start stocking them.

The VT65 is definitely the best of the 3.

The Samsung would maybe give you the brightness of screen you may be looking for, but to me, it's the worst value of the 3.

 

[Son_of_SJ]

Hello Jonesiani,

If you go to the AVForums website and go to Hardware reviews, you should be able to read reviews of the TVs that BBB has just mentioned, or at least a different size in the same range.

I'm a plasma man, but if you would consider LEDs, then the outgoing range of Samsungs are very good. Unfortunately they are on either side of your ideal size, the UE46ES8000 is £1,200 and the UE55ES8000 is £1,700, both at Currys if you can't see them anywhere else. I've seen the previous series D8000 in 55", and I've seen this ES8000 in 65", both courtesy of my rich sister-in-law. I have to say that both her TVs are very good. You can also read reviews of them on the AVForums website. In the context of TVs that have been mentioned so far, I don't think that £1,700 for the 55" Samsung LED is a fortune ...?

 

[Jonesiani]

Thank you all for the helpful advice I'm currently knee deep in research on the 3 TVs that were mentioned.

Can anyone expand on why, if plasmas provide a better overall picture quality, LEDs are replacing them?

 

[Deleted member 2457]

Thank you all for the helpful advice I'm currently knee deep in research on the 3 TVs that were mentioned.

Can anyone expand on why, if plasmas provide a better overall picture quality, LEDs are replacing them?

On the current crop of TVs, plasma has a cleaner and clearer image, better black levels and greater dynamic range. The colours are also stronger on plasma and on LEDs they can look washed out.

 

[bigboss]

The answer is simple. LED lit LCD TVs turn out to be cheaper for manufacturers, as they can apply the same technology to different screens; from mobile phones to large televisions. R&D spent on a plasma panel goes to make just plasmas. They cannot make plasma TVs smaller than 42 inches (there were some 37-inch versions many years ago, which was the smallest). The top 3 markets of the world; China, India & Brazil, all have 32-inch TVs or smaller as best sellers.

Also, with tougher energy efficiency requirements, it's getting harder to make plasma TVs which comply to them.

 

[bigboss]

With the economic downturn, TV industry has been one of the hardest hit, while the mobile phone industry is booming. So manufacturers (plasma TV) with all eggs in 1 basket (TV industry) have either folded or are about to. Others who have invested in LED-lit LCDs are selling mobile phone screens as well and so are still in a healthy position.

 

[Deleted member 2457]

Thank you all for the helpful advice I'm currently knee deep in research on the 3 TVs that were mentioned.

Can anyone expand on why, if plasmas provide a better overall picture quality, LEDs are replacing them?

On the current crop of TVs, plasma has a cleaner and clearer image, better black levels and greater dynamic range. The colours are also stronger on plasma and on LEDs they can look washed out.

Oops! Read the question wrong.

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

Thank you all for the helpful advice I'm currently knee deep in research on the 3 TVs that were mentioned.

Can anyone expand on why, if plasmas provide a better overall picture quality, LEDs are replacing them?

Big Boss is correct, but I also feel that there have been myths generated about the quality of plasmas, that are widely believed by a large percentage of the general public, and are mostly untrue.

Plasmas do have certain problems, but so do LCDs/LEDs. I have owned, and still do own both Plasma and LCD TVs, and for overall picture quality, I would much rather have a Plasma, than a LCD.

LEDs are LCDs, just a different backlighting system, they still suffer from all the problems LCDs do, because they are LCDs.

If you have kids that are likely to press pause, and freeze bright still images on the tv for a long time, then I would probably stay away from Plasma, as Image Retention (IR) can be a problem. But, if you will want to watch a more natural picture, on sensible settings, then Plasma is the best option for you.

Hope this helps.

 

[GSB]

When i wanted a new tv i did some research as i knew naff 'al tbh,what i now understand is that once you get your £1000+ tv home(plasma or led)

to get the best out of that piece of tech it needs some sort of calibration,not at all scary and easy to do a basic cal yourself