Panasonic ZT60 (now ZT65)

[Deleted member 2457]

Another review. Makes some good points, I think he talks a lot of waffle too.

http://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/news/panasonic-txp60zt65b-201305062961.htm?page=Performance

Hi Gel. Hmmm, it's quite detailed I suppose, but I'm not sure which bits you regard as waffle?

Looks like any differences over the VT range are only marginal, which I suspect will cause many to question the price differential and go for the 65" VT if they have the space.

I don't doubt that the ZT is slightly better still, but for me, bigger is better, and I won't be going down from a 64" Samsung to a 60" ZT65 no matter how good the ZT65 is. Particularly as I'm sure that the 65VT65 will itself be fantastic when AVForums review it, as they said they soon would. I do have the space. And no wife!

Hi

I have read it twice now and to be honest don't want to read it again! I find the comparisons they make against the other TVs they mention redundant and pointless. Then they end up comparing the ST50 against the ZT65! I don't like the reviews on that website, I would definitely trust the WHF and AV ones more. I thought he made some interesting points but most of it seemed unnecessary.

 

[BenLaw]

Another review. Makes some good points, I think he talks a lot of waffle too.

http://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/news/panasonic-txp60zt65b-201305062961.htm?page=Performance

Hi Gel. Hmmm, it's quite detailed I suppose, but I'm not sure which bits you regard as waffle?

Looks like any differences over the VT range are only marginal, which I suspect will cause many to question the price differential and go for the 65" VT if they have the space.

I don't doubt that the ZT is slightly better still, but for me, bigger is better, and I won't be going down from a 64" Samsung to a 60" ZT65 no matter how good the ZT65 is. Particularly as I'm sure that the 65VT65 will itself be fantastic when AVForums review it, as they said they soon would. I do have the space. And no wife!

Hi SoSJ, given that you like BIG TVs and you're pretty much reaching the UK limit at 65", plus we've seen your main (?) setup with a large number of seats / viewers, how come you don't go for a PJ?

 

[Son_of_SJ]

Hi SoSJ, given that you like BIG TVs and you're pretty much reaching the UK limit at 65", plus we've seen your main (?) setup with a large number of seats / viewers, how come you don't go for a PJ?

Hi there BenLaw! My biggest room is not really that big, I live in a block of tenement flats and my parlour is only 18' 2" by 14' 3" so a 64" or 65" television looks just about okay from the back row of seats, which are 16' from the television. But, relevant to the projector consideration, the room is 10' 10" high. Ideally a projector would be suspended from the ceiling, but that in itself would need checking that the ceiling could take the weight (sometimes up to 15kg) of the projector. The alternative is to mount the projector along the back wall, but that might slightly interfere with the middle two seats in the back (third) row of seats. Plus, I'm not quite sure how you get actual television programmes through a projector? And we also have to consider the cost of a suitable projector screen.

I blame Panasonic for not making either the VT65 or ZT65 plasmas in a 70" screen size!

 

[BenLaw]

I see what you mean about the mounting problems, you wouldn't want to cause problems to any of the seating. I think you would watch TV through sky or a pvr device.

Anyway, how about a 70" sharp tv?

http://www.whathifi.com/news/sharp-confirms-giant-le857k-70in-and-80in-tvs

Link sorted - mods.

 

[pioneer7]

I thought HDTV Review was very good informative and pretty in depth, I find in amusing when people say that other reviews are not worthy or what ever, I certainly dont think one mag or online reviewer is better than another, the more reviews the better, gives a more compelling over view of a product, and comparing one Tv with another has got to be a good thing, this gives the buyer a choice of spending more on a top end model-ZT or saving money on the lower end-ST, especially if there is not night and day in performance. So to moan about to much information/waffle is...Waffle 8)

 

[GSB]

I 'reckon there is only one real review,then it is passed round and copied(but in their own words) :shifty:

 

[mr malarky]

How come no WHF review yet? I'm sure an earlier post stated their review would feature in the June edition.

 

[Deleted member 2457]

I thought HDTV Review was very good informative and pretty in depth, I find in amusing when people say that other reviews are not worthy or what ever, I certainly dont think one mag or online reviewer is better than another, the more reviews the better, gives a more compelling over view of a product, and comparing one Tv with another has got to be a good thing, this gives the buyer a choice of spending more on a top end model-ZT or saving money on the lower end-ST, especially if there is not night and day in performance. So to moan about to much information/waffle is...Waffle 8)

I have read their reviews for a number of years now and just think they are the worse ones on the Internet. Just personal taste. I agree it is good to read a lot of reviews, and would recommend reading the other ones, I just take what they say with a pinch of salt.

 

[Deleted member 2457]

And the review itself jumped all over the place! One minute it was comparing one TV, next minute another! I can't recall them saying how they were comparing the first few. They did say they had the ST50 at hand to compare, so I guess they were comparing the other ones from readings, which is not a great thing in my opinion.

When I read the AV Forum one at least I know Steve Withers has the Pioneer 5090 to compare against.

 

[pioneer7]

To be honest the kuro comparison is wearing thin now, thats long gone..yes it was a great set, but with the new sets out now, I think its fair to say that they have moved on some what, we all have our favourate reviews but that does not mean they are the best, and because one mag/forum gets a model in first means squat, you can not think anything less of a mag/forum for getting a review in first.as far as I am concerned most reviews have there fiobles, your damned if you do and damned if you dont, as for the ZT I would want to dem this in any event, and If the ST was not a million miles away I know which one I would buy. So if there is a comparison with a lower end model but still gives value and quality for money, makes sense does,nt it to tell you. 8)

 

[Son_of_SJ]

Today I saw a Panasonic 65VT65. Or rather, I got up close and personal with its sealed box, which is huge. I know it's a big TV, but I reckon that the box must be six inches wider that the actual TV, on both sides. (A bit like my 64" Samsung, whose box is also unnecessarily large.) Alas, I'm not allowed to say where I saw it! I will let you know what I think of the actual television when, in about a week or so, it emerges from its box.

 

[BenLaw]

Did you see it in your house?

What do you think of that 70" Sharp?

 

[Son_of_SJ]

Alas no, definitely not in my house, but as soon as I come into some decent money .....!

I saw the one version of the 70" Sharp (there were two 70" models) only once, and by happenstance in the same place as the Panasonice 65VT65. Decent enough, but probably not a videophile item. I do think that bigger is better, hence my wish for a Panasonic 65VT65 rather than a 60ZT65, but it has to be very good as well as big. The 70" Sharp that I saw didn't seem to be particularly good to me, though in fairness I didn't have the chance to see how it performed on Blu-Ray.

 

[strapped for cash]

Interesting! They're the only people talking about "single scan 3D". I never knew you could have different resolutions on the same picture!! Is this even possible?

I think this reflects general disinterest in 3D, as HDTV Test remains the only website that attempts 3D calibration and publishes measurements and charts.

There's a reasonable argument that 3D calibration offers greater returns than 2D calibration, because out of the box 3D greyscale tracking and delta errors are significantly worse. Very few people have viewed accurate 3D images. Those not bothering might be surprised by the results.

I'd like to view "single scan" and genuine 1080p 3D content side by side (so Panasonic and Samsung 3D plasmas, really). I wonder how much resolution loss is perceptible, especially on, say, a 50" screen. Any demo would need to be in a light controlled environment, as 3D viewing under bright store lighting is a horrible experience.

 

[Anonymous]

Indeed, panasonic's greatest TV the ZT60/65. For the amount of money though...it is a waste as OLED and 4k TV is the new kit in Town. Despite Panasonic's pretentions the future is OLED/Super Amoled and Quantum dot technology of edge lit LED for affordability.

Again, I wish people stop drooling about the deep blacks the Pana TV can produce....I know it is measured as 0.003 cdm/2...it's supremacy is undoubted and unchallenged but I like to see a world of colours on my TV and that means OLED is it with its wide colour gamut. Even the Sony W905a will beat the ZT models on the colour fedelity and I kid you not. Trust in science not miracles.

And please let's move on with the new.

1080p TV including the ZT models is only 2mb of an image;my Canon Eos mid market SRL can do 18mb images! Just go to show how behind the TV industry in the West is.

 

[Pindi]

Plasma technology has matured and is coming to the end of its life cycle, it'll take a good few years for OLED TVs to be affordable and as close to perfection as we are seeing with the likes of the ZT65, VT65 and even the Samsung F8500.

 

[Pindi]

And 4k TVs sound great, but where's all the content?

 

[BenLaw]

Indeed, panasonic's greatest TV the ZT60/65. For the amount of money though...it is a waste as OLED and 4k TV is the new kit in Town. Despite Panasonic's pretentions the future is OLED/Super Amoled and Quantum dot technology of edge lit LED for affordability.

Again, I wish people stop drooling about the deep blacks the Pana TV can produce....I know it is measured as 0.003 cdm/2...it's supremacy is undoubted and unchallenged but I like to see a world of colours on my TV and that means OLED is it with its wide colour gamut. Even the Sony W905a will beat the ZT models on the colour fedelity and I kid you not. Trust in science not miracles.

And please let's move on with the new.

1080p TV including the ZT models is only 2mb of an image;my Canon Eos mid market SRL can do 18mb images! Just go to show how behind the TV industry in the West is.

You seem to be a big fan of Sony. Anyway, I think you mean megapixels.

 

[Son_of_SJ]

Indeed, panasonic's greatest TV the ZT60/65. For the amount of money though...it is a waste as OLED and 4k TV is the new kit in Town. Despite Panasonic's pretentions the future is OLED/Super Amoled and Quantum dot technology of edge lit LED for affordability.

You'll have to tell us where (in the West) all these affordable OLEDs and 4K TVs are.

Again, I wish people stop drooling about the deep blacks the Pana TV can produce....I know it is measured as 0.003 cdm/2...it's supremacy is undoubted and unchallenged but I like to see a world of colours on my TV and that means OLED is it with its wide colour gamut.

So are you saying that current, or even fairly recent, TVs cannot produce a wide range of colours? You'll forgive me if I disagree.

 

[bigboss]

Even the Sony W905a will beat the ZT models on the colour fedelity and I kid you not. Trust in science not miracles.

Of course, the Sony has its own set of problems like poor viewing angles.

 

[mr malarky]

And 4k TVs sound great, but where's all the content?

Ditto. It will be years before there's any widely available, genuine 4k content (as opposed to upscaled 1080p content).

Unless you count the 'exciting' new range of 'mastered in 4k' blurays...

 

[Deleted member 2457]

Your TV looks amazing Strapped:

http://www.avforums.com/forums/plasma-tvs/1770516-panasonic-vt65-owners-thread-part-2-a-27.html

Have you managed to compare it against the GT60?

 

[strapped for cash]

Thanks Gel. It is extremely good!

Anyone been keeping an eye on this year's HDTV Shootout, which started yesterday?

 

[strapped for cash]

Have you managed to compare it against the GT60?

I haven't I'm afraid.

I went for the VT65 as I thought the extra worth paying for (I wanted the better filter, styling, dual tuner, and improved sound).

I'm sure the GT60 will run the VT65 very close in terms of general picture performance.

 

[Deleted member 2457]

Thanks Gel. It is extremely good!

Anyone been keeping an eye on this year's HDTV Shootout, which started yesterday?

Have you got a link? I tried to find it but couldn't! Cheers.