Help me pick a plasma tv

[hotsand5]

Ok, I really don't know too much about plasma's, and want to pick one up. I have decided between two based on personal preference. I have heard that there is a lot of component sharing between all brands of plasma's. I have always thought of brand names being better units, but when comparing both tv's the pictures look the same. I'm just asking if anybody here knows if Maxent has a quality product, even though it has just been out for a short time. The price is just about the same for the two, but the maxent is 50" vs the 42" hitachi. I don't care about features or imputs, just picture quality and quality. If I had the money to spend on a plasma, I'd get a Pioneer. Any input would help, thanks.

One is the Hitachi 42"
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1142293092238

The other is a Maxent 50"
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1118845474347

[Sedan_Clan]

I spend alot of time on www.avsforum.com ....You might want to start there. There are alot of differences/similarities between Plasma/LCD/DLP/etc. Pick the technology that best suits you. I had a Pioneer Plasma (..not all Pioneer plasmas are created equal), but I didn't like it. I now have a 42" Philips LCD HDTV. Awesome TV!

[vladinecko]

have you looked at samsung TVs? i hear a lot of good things about them and also the picture quality is excellent as well. did you actually go to the store and looked at them in person? that would be very helpful in your decision making.

[mrbelk]

I got a panasonic commercial panel from plasmaconcepts.com. Panasonic is one of the leading manufacturers of the actual plasma panels, and the commercial ones don't include speakers (although there are add-on speakers available) or any sort of tuner, but the look is superb; very clean. The panasonic commercial panels also allow you to be completely flexible in the connectors, since they are all removable blade type.

NEC panels also have a very good rep.

-MrB

[flush01]

go for dlp ... i got samsung 56" dlp and it's awsome... plasma's are over rated

[Asiann]

Not a big fan of plasma but take a look at the LCD by Sony. Plasma burn in may occur which is not good if you want to play games. More expensive than LCD. I have the 50 inch and the picture/quality is awesome! I believe Bestbuy has more info on Plasma vs LCD/projection. Hope this helps some.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by vladinecko

have you looked at samsung TVs? i hear a lot of good things about them and also the picture quality is excellent as well. did you actually go to the store and looked at them in person? that would be very helpful in your decision making.

I second the Samsung's, however, I chose Pioneer........and then Philips. It's very important that he views the televisions that interest him in various stores. Many stores are known to rig wiring in efforts to push certain units while degrading superior units.

Originally Posted by Asiann

Not a big fan of plasma but take a look at the LCD by Sony. Plasma burn in may occur which is not good if you want to play games. More expensive than LCD. I have the 50 inch and the picture/quality is awesome! I believe Bestbuy has more info on Plasma vs LCD/projection. Hope this helps some.

Actually, the comparable LCD is more expensive than a plasma unit.

[flush01]

with LCD's you gatta watch out for dead pixels, or pixel freeze...

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by flush01

with LCD's you gatta watch out for dead pixels, or pixel freeze...

As with plasma burn-in, pixel issues have been greatly reduced by technology.

[ADHD]

we just got this one from BEst buy a couple months ago and its awesome!
http://www.plasmadepot.com/panasonic.../th42pd60u.php

[Sedan_Clan]

I'd also seriously recommend that you consider Costco for your television purchase. BEST warranty in the business.........bar none!

[mrbelk]

Originally Posted by Asiann

Not a big fan of plasma but take a look at the LCD by Sony. Plasma burn in may occur which is not good if you want to play games. More expensive than LCD. I have the 50 inch and the picture/quality is awesome! I believe Bestbuy has more info on Plasma vs LCD/projection. Hope this helps some.

burn-in and half-life on modern plasma panels are moot points. The newest generations of panasonic panels are rated at 60000 hours "mean time to half luminance" (that's like watching TV for 8 hours a day, every day, for 15 years) and have similar burn-in characteristics to CRT TV's.

I am yet to see a DLP or LCD rear-projection or LCD flat panel that has am image that looks nearly as good as my panasonic plasma. LCD's that I've seen still have issues with the images "streaking" during periods of intense on-screen motion, and the rear-projection sets I've seen still have issues with color saturation and off-axis viewing that are much worse than the mfg's would have you believe. I watched the women's US Open in HD on a good Sony DLP set this past weekend and it couldn't hold a candle to my plasma.

-MrB

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by mrbelk

burn-in and half-life on modern plasma panels are moot points. The newest generations of panasonic panels are rated at 60000 hours "mean time to half luminance" (that's like watching TV for 8 hours a day, every day, for 15 years) and have similar burn-in characteristics to CRT TV's.

I am yet to see a DLP or LCD rear-projection or LCD flat panel that has am image that looks nearly as good as my panasonic plasma. LCD's that I've seen still have issues with the images "streaking" during periods of intense on-screen motion, and the rear-projection sets I've seen still have issues with color saturation and off-axis viewing that are much worse than the mfg's would have you believe. I watched the women's US Open in HD on a good Sony DLP set this past weekend and it couldn't hold a candle to my plasma.

-MrB

While I agree with your first paragraph 100% (...despite the irritating image retention of my previous Pioneer unit), I'm going to have to disagree somewhat with regards to the info in your second paragraph. My 42" Philips has exhibited no streaking whatsoever (..tested using various recommendations on AVS Forum), excellent black levels, etc. My television has been calibrated as well.

[Squawks]

Take note that you *should not* buy an LCD TV from Sony because LCD technology, especially LCD RPTV, is being phased out in favor of the far more superior SXRD technology (also coined by Sony). Instead of using LCD chips, it uses a similar concept that utilizes silicon crystals. The result gives you unbelievable contrast ratios (as good as CRTs) with pixel borders abolished at an incredible distance of fractions of microns - thus eliminating the dreaded "screen door effect".

You SHOULD care about inputs because if it doesn't have good inputs, how are you going to have HD DVDs, video gaming, and other sources such as HD camcorders and DVRs?

I agree with Sedan Clan - nothing beats www.avsforum.com - a truly informative forum minus all the horniness and brashness displayed by many (guys) here on this forum.

[Squawks]

Mr. B - go see Sony's SXRD and you have to make sure it's properly calibrated before doing so. And that a true HD source is being fed into it.

The SXRD by far destroys all of its competition. Hands down. No questions asked.

[mrbelk]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

While I agree with your first paragraph 100% (...despite the irritating image retention of my previous Pioneer unit), I'm going to have to disagree somewhat with regards to the info in your second paragraph. My 42" Philips has exhibited no streaking whatsoever (..tested using various recommendations on AVS Forum), excellent black levels, etc. My television has been calibrated as well.

Just going on my own personal experience. Since I'm not in the market for a flat panel anymore (got the "panny" last January), I don't pay as close attention as I used to. My buddy got some Sharp Aquos 20" LCD's for his house and their image quality couldn't touch my plasma.

-MrB

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by mrbelk

Just going on my own personal experience. Since I'm not in the market for a flat panel anymore (got the "panny" last January), I don't pay as close attention as I used to. My buddy got some Sharp Aquos 20" LCD's for his house and their image quality couldn't touch my plasma.

-MrB

Understood!! Admittedly, once I purchased my TV in Nov.2005, I haven't been as fervent in my A/V information gathering. Nevertheless, I agree w/ you about the Sharp. I heard great things about it, but once I saw it in person in various stores (...Best Buy, CC, Sears, small A/V shops), I wasn't impressed at all.

[mrbelk]

Originally Posted by Squawks

Mr. B - go see Sony's SXRD and you have to make sure it's properly calibrated before doing so. And that a true HD source is being fed into it.

The SXRD by far destroys all of its competition. Hands down. No questions asked.

I'll have to swing by Hi-Fi Buys or Magnolia sometime and check it out. I have heard that the Sony "Qualia" sets were excellent, but I have not yet seen the SXRD. You have to admit that there are some inherent issues with rear-projection that are very hard to overcome, namely the color saturation and off-axis response. I am generally much more drawn in by direct view sets than projection ones.

-MrB

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by mrbelk

I am generally much more drawn in by direct view sets than projection ones.

-MrB

Same here. Projection sets never quite tickled my fancy. What the hell is a fancy anyways? Kidding!

[bimmer4me]

Plasmas are great for rooms with significant ambient light and shallow rooms. I have a 42" Pioneer Elite and it is a great fit for my living room and boy is it beautiful.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by bimmer4me

Plasmas are great for rooms with significant ambient light and shallow rooms. I have a 42" Pioneer Elite and it is a great fit for my living room and boy is it beautiful.

I didn't have the extra cash for an Elite when I purchased my first Pioneer plasma. I wish I did at the time though.

[txusa03]

Originally Posted by mrbelk

I got a panasonic commercial panel from plasmaconcepts.com. Panasonic is one of the leading manufacturers of the actual plasma panels, and the commercial ones don't include speakers (although there are add-on speakers available) or any sort of tuner, but the look is superb; very clean. The panasonic commercial panels also allow you to be completely flexible in the connectors, since they are all removable blade type.

NEC panels also have a very good rep.

-MrB

I too have been looking and comparing. I am leaning toward the panasonic (now that they are out with their 8th generation plasma panel). I have been to best buy and see panasonic 42 in HDTV against other and the color and clarity is just uncomparable. It is not the cheapest 42 in and not the most expansive 42 inch. It seems like you like your panasonic commercial set, how long have you had it?