PANASONIC VS PIONEER KURO

[admin_exported]

I'm just entering the murky world of Plasma screens, with the intention of then expanding out my system to a fairly high end visual player/receiver/satellites/sub separates system once the HD/Blu-Ray war has been won.

The 50 inch plasmas I have initially shortlisted are the Panosonic TH-50PZ70B, the Pioneer Kuros PDP-LX508D, both 1080 pixels and the PDP-508XD, in 768 pixels. I am a perfectionist when it comes to sound and vision and will find the smallest faults in products, if they exist and would rather design over features. Quality of picture is key, not bothered about sound, since this will be taken care of at a later stage.

My question is thus; the Pioneer 1080 pixel screen currently retails around £3400, with the Panosonic around £1500 and the lower 780 pixel Pioneer around £2300. Is the Pioneer really worth £2k over the Panosonic and where does the lower pixel Pioneer fit in, better than the higher pixel panosonic?

I'd like to make the purchase as future proof as possible and that is what puts me off the lower pixel sets. Is my concern justified?

Finally; whichever set I choose will be wall mounted on an internal wall in a modern flat...will the 50kilo Panasonic be too heavy for this?

 

[Anonymous]

Re the internal wall. No it won't. But you can't attach it to plasterboard, you'll have to ensure that the screws holding the wall mounting plate to the wall, go into either brickwork or the wooden studwork within the wall if it's a stud wall. You need to find the vertical members. Trial and error is the only way I'm afraid. Good luck!

 

[Anonymous]

How bad is your current display?

If you really are as fussy as you say, I would probably wait until the "War" has been nearly won by either Blu-Ray or HD-DVD, and buy your screen then (probably less than a year away). If you will be holding out a while to get a top quality i1080p HD source , possibly 24Hz (HD-DVD, Blu-Ray), buying the screen at the same time will probably give you better choice, for less money.

If your current display is HD ready, live with it until you are ready for the step up in feed quality (and bank he interest in the mean time).

I was in a similar dilema - do I spend an extra 60% on top of my budget to half future proof myself? No - I had to buy a TV as mine broke and decided on a HD ready screen as I too am waiting to see which format wins (and becomes available for a sensible price). I'll get a full HD set in about 5 years, having enjoyed countless hours of good quality (if not the best) entertainment in the mean time!

It is only a telly after all