panasonic v20 vs g30

[markyd]

Has anyone seen these side by side?

Is the Neo-PDP G14 panel any better than last years one?

I need to buy a few for work.

Haven't seen an official review of the g30 yet, but I'm very happy with my v20.

Cheers

 

[strapped for cash]

I've seen these two sets side-by-side on a couple of occasions now, and I thought the V20 shaded it in terms of pic quality: better colour balance, deeper blacks, less reflective screen. That said, motion looked slightly better on the G30, which of course was one of the gripes V20 owners reported. Overall, however, there's very little in it.

I won't bleat on about buzzing from the V20, though I really couldn't tell if the G30 was any better in this respect, as the shop was noisy, with flourescent lights that hummed louder than any of the TVs.

Also bear in mind that the G30 doesn't have an integrated Freesat tuner, which may or may not concern you.

 

[Anonymous]

The previous comment appears to be incorrect, the Panasonic web site states that the G30 has both Freeview HD & Freesat HD tuners

 

[strapped for cash]

The previous comment appears to be incorrect, the Panasonic web site states that the G30 has both Freeview HD & Freesat HD tuners

Can you provide a link to this? I'm certain only the 3D models (GT30 & VT30) have integrated Freesat tuners. The G30 has a Freeview HD tuner, but no Freesat tuner.

 

[Anonymous]

The previous comment appears to be incorrect, the Panasonic web site states that the G30 has both Freeview HD & Freesat HD tuners

Can you provide a link to this? I'm certain only the 3D models (GT30 & VT30) have integrated Freesat tuners. The G30 has a Freeview HD tuner, but no Freesat tuner.

Apologies, your completely right, the G30 doesn't have Freesat, the GT models do though as you say

 

[Anonymous]

From another review I've just read on the GT30 it's clear that Panasonic have still not fixed the 50hertz problem that was present on all last years plasma tv's.

 

[strapped for cash]

As I understand it, the so-called "50Hz" bug is caused by an algorithm designed to mask posterisation. If so, and problems with posterisation are inherent to the panels Pana use, I don't see this being fixed in the near future.

That said, I still think Pana plasmas handle motion better than most. Motion is the least of my worries with my V20. In fact, I'm not particularly concerned about the way my TV handles motion at all.

 

[Anonymous]

Is the “50Hz” problem unique to Panasonic? Do Samsung, or LG Plasma’s suffer the same problem? If not, what have they done to prevent this? And if they can do it why is Panasonic making such a dogs dinner of this issue?

Thanks.

 

[Anonymous]

Does not surprise me one bit that your parents prefer CRT. I am still watching on a CRT 32 Panasonic and a CRT Sony 14 in the bedroom. The picture quality is fantastic with no motion blur , and great deep blacks. I was in Comet yesterday, and they had all their TVs showing a football match. Now I know they never set their TV’s up properly, and the feed is poor, but even so, I would not have given you 50p to buy any of their sets over my CRT.

I keep looking because one day my tv’s will pack up, and I will have to buy one of these sets. I can’t stand the motion blur on LCD, and so it has to be plasma, but they don’t seem to be improving.

Seems to me a giant con on the British public.

 

[strapped for cash]

The 50Hz bug has been discussed specifically with regard to Panasonic plasma TVs. I think it's overstating things to describe the issue as "a dog's dinner." According to another tech website, posterisation is unavoidable with the panels Panasonic use, and the algorithm implemented to mask this delivers a level of performance preferable to the alternative.

I don't think LG or Samsung plasmas have the same problem, but to date they haven't been able to match the black depth (or in the case of LG's plasmas, colour accuracy) of Panasonic sets. The caveat to that statement, however, is that 11th, 12th and 13th gen Panasonic plasmas suffered rising black levels, to a greater or lesser extent. That said, the measured elevated black level on 2010 Panasonic plasmas is still blacker than LG or Samsung plasmas can produce.

Obviously there are advantages and disadvantages with sets from each manufacturer. You'd hope high end models could deliver performance without obvious glitches, though, which is what's ultimately disappointing.

My parents bought a mid-range Samsung LED TV recently and moved their CRT to another room. They now prefer watching the CRT that was displaced from their living room. I think that speaks volumes...

 

[strapped for cash]

well, you could never buy a CRT TV that was comparable in screen size to large flatscreen televisions, while being relatively small means CRTs don't expose flaws with SD material to the same extent. It's horses for courses, but I can understand the reluctance of some to jump on the flatscreen bandwagon. Obviously when their CRT TVs expire they'll have no choice.

I still think a decent HD source on a flatscreen trounces SD performance on a CRT set, but I think the numbers game with motion processing tech is misleading. 100Hz double scanning is perfectly adequate. 200Hz motion processing looks plain weird. Samsung claim some of their 2011 range use 800Hz motion processing. However high the number, the motion problems inherent to LCD tech cannot be convincingly disguised. Plasmas are better, but still have their own problems with motion.