Latest plasma TVs

[Covenant]

Has anyone bought a plasma recently and if so what do you think of it compared to LCD?
My Pioneer plasma is now about 6 years old and still going strong but it uses a lot of juice. The latest ones seem to only consume about 100 watts.

[Clive]

You might want to compare with LED, not necessarily LCD. We got a 32" Philips smart TV recently for £330. It knocks spots off our 5 year old Panasonic LCD. It's not even close....

[Covenant]

We have a cheap LED in the bedroom, it's ok, nothing special. The Sharp Elite is the one to go for I believe. Expensive though.

[Clive]

I've not done an extensive survey, we just compared sets in John Lewis, got a good deal and are really happy. In fact anyone who sees the TV picture is impressed and say there TV is nowhere near as good. I'm sure there's better but given the price it's very good indeed, so much better than was possible a few years ago. However the sound isn't great, bass is good but the mid is spitty. It seems most TVs need sound bars nowadays.

[realysm42]

I've not done an extensive survey, we just compared sets in John Lewis, got a good deal and are really happy. In fact anyone who sees the TV picture is impressed and say there TV is nowhere near as good. I'm sure there's better but given the price it's very good indeed, so much better than was possible a few years ago. However the sound isn't great, bass is good but the mid is spitty. It seems most TVs need sound bars nowadays.

Given most people care about aesthetics more than anything, the form follows function and thus, sound on TV is always pretty horrible. I've never heard someone say "the sound on my TV is great!".

[Covenant]

I have never used the built in speakers, always had it connected to an AV system. My subwoofer is 1250 watts!

[Clive]

I have never used the built in speakers, always had it connected to an AV system. My subwoofer is 1250 watts!
That explains why my room shakes here near Altrincham!

[slate]

Given most people care about aesthetics more than anything, the form follows function and thus, sound on TV is always pretty horrible. I've never heard someone say "the sound on my TV is great!".

You should go in to a Bang & Olufsen dealer to have a listen then

[Ammonite Audio]

You might want to compare with LED, not necessarily LCD. We got a 32" Philips smart TV recently for £330. It knocks spots off our 5 year old Panasonic LCD. It's not even close....

I've just been looking at these new Philips sets too - after much gazing at moving objects etc, it was clear that the £399 one is way better than Samsungs, LGs etc at the same price level.

Something in me is hoping for OLED sets of 32" or similar to be produced for sensible money, eg not massive 55" sets at Premiership Footballer prices. I'll probably be hoping for some time!

[slate]

100 W... is that on standby? ;-)

The new 2013 Panasonics have not been tested yet

Numbers from a test of the VT50 - factory versus calibrated

Standby 0.3 W 0.3 W
SD+HD 173 W 181 W
3D 232 W 225 W

http://flatpanelshd.com/review.php?subaction=showfull&id=1339052567

[Spectral Morn]

Just back from Curry's and PC world (buying a router) and had a look at some Plasmas, LCD and LEDs and frankly I am still going to be Victor Meldrew about this, movement artefacts are still an issue with all three types of technology. With Plasma against some back ground colours one gets a kind of rippling effect around people even on HDTV and Bluray. LCD its more an outline and blocky colours are still an issue. LED looks good most of the time but again weird outline drag effects seem to be there and SD material looks crap. In fact on none of the LED TVs I looked at were there any legacy connections, no scart, no SVHS not even component.

Frankly I think digital is to date a huge step backwards :(

I loved your Pioneer plasmas when I sold them right up to the g6 models (I missed the last version) but I would need one here now to be able to say how clean they were re movement but as I recall very clean - with no major issues but boy!!!!!! were they expensive.


Regards Neil

[Barry]

I agree Neil, I can't abide those out of focus background movement artifacts!

I'll stick with my thirty year old Mitsubishi 18" CRT telly thank you. It may not be as sharp as the new plasma/LCD/LED displays, but the colour rendition is more accurate.

[JimC]

Don't get rid of your Pioneer!

Unless power consumption is your only criteria for TV's of course but if Picture quality is of any importance then you will not find anything to beat it....even now.

6 years ago? 7th/8th generation? A very good display.

I have a 9th gen and yes, its power consumption means I have to decide on heating..........or watching TV but the Panel throws out quite some heat so I don't freeze!
And yes its internal Freeview isn't great (some earlier versions seem better) but give it an HD signal and there isn't anything to touch it.

I really do think you will regret it if you get something else.

Regards,

James.

P.S. I fix 'em for a living so get to play with them all, LCDs and Plasmas.

[Covenant]

Neil, I paid £2K for mine back in the days when I had money to waste on fripperies! James, the picture is outstanding but I find it hard to believe they haven't improved since then.

[roob]

Pound for pound a plasma will always be superior to lcd/led.
Panasonic GT series are superb, they recruited the best Pioneer engineers when they pulled out of the plasma market.
If your Pioneer is a Kuro series it will still take some beating.
We have the latest Sony kdl-853 series LED which is one of the best LED panels and it's very good esp on HD/BR but I reckon my mates Panny GT-50 just beats it.

[JimC]

The Pioneer Designers apparently did 'Jump Ship' but to me, thier input, although visible has not been a total success, I don't think even the top of the range Panasonics are as good as the 9th generation Pioneers got to.

''............I find it hard to believe they haven't improved since then...........''

Yes Jerry, this is a shame and shouldn't be the case but IMHO is.

Cheers,

JC

[Spectral Morn]

I inherited a Panasonic P42G20B plasma and passed my 37in CRT TV Panasonic on and I regret it. The CRT TV was fabulous. On things like Avatar on Blu Ray the plasma is very good but on other HD material not so good with movement artefacts being very annoying and while the inbuilt Freeview and FreeSat are good and better than the external boxes into the CRT TV were, but the moment movement starts its very annoying.

I wish I had soldiered on re the CRT TV :steam:

I would love an opportunity to try a 8th gen Kuro panel but the trick was in the set up. Pioneer plasmas really needed proper set up but once optimised they were the best you could buy - at the time. I find it sad to read JimC say the new stuff is worse.


Regards Neil

[Spectral Morn]

Neil, I paid £2K for mine back in the days when I had money to waste on fripperies! James, the picture is outstanding but I find it hard to believe they haven't improved since then.

As I recall a 42 inch was about £2500 ish where I was selling them and they were had to get quickly for customers, they were always in short supply.


Regards Neil

[Ali Tait]

What 9th gen Pioneer models would one look for secondhand then?

[DSJR]

Freeview in standard form is pants and I find the pixellation and crushed luminance dynamics (bad greys and almost whites) noticeable in our now antique 28" Panny widescreen (28-PL1). No idea if freeview HD is any better - it should be - but I suppose the source to judge these sets on is probably Blu-Ray?

I've also read praise of the new Philips sets over Pannys and other well known brands.

[Ammonite Audio]

Freeview in standard form is pants and I find the pixellation and crushed luminance dynamics (bad greys and almost whites) noticeable in our now antique 28" Panny widescreen (28-PL1). No idea if freeview HD is any better - it should be - but I suppose the source to judge these sets on is probably Blu-Ray?

I've also read praise of the new Philips sets over Pannys and other well known brands.

I have to disagree - Freeview is more than acceptable for me, via a Humax YouView Freeview HD box, into a Philips 32" LCD which is about 5 years old. HDMI makes a difference over analogue connections. Freeview HD is better still and I will always watch HD programming where there is a choice. Modern LCD TVs do seem to be optimised for 1080p content, and some are pretty dreadful at 'normal' definition TV. I bought the Philips in preference to the (then) widely recommended Panasonic 32", on the recommendation of Richer Sounds (who sold both TVs), because it was better at the ordinary stuff.

[seoirse2002]

Don't get rid of your Pioneer!

Unless power consumption is your only criteria for TV's of course but if Picture quality is of any importance then you will not find anything to beat it....even now.

6 years ago? 7th/8th generation? A very good display.

I have a 9th gen and yes, its power consumption means I have to decide on heating..........or watching TV but the Panel throws out quite some heat so I don't freeze!
And yes its internal Freeview isn't great (some earlier versions seem better) but give it an HD signal and there isn't anything to touch it.

I really do think you will regret it if you get something else.

Regards,

James.

P.S. I fix 'em for a living so get to play with them all, LCDs and Plasmas.

+++1 Totally agree!! Keep the Pioneer! my Kuro plasma was expensive to start with,but I haven't found anything as good,the blacks are black!
but for sharpness,I find my old Loewe CRT superb

[DSJR]

I have to disagree - Freeview is more than acceptable for me, via a Humax YouView Freeview HD box, into a Philips 32" LCD which is about 5 years old. HDMI makes a difference over analogue connections. Freeview HD is better still and I will always watch HD programming where there is a choice. Modern LCD TVs do seem to be optimised for 1080p content, and some are pretty dreadful at 'normal' definition TV. I bought the Philips in preference to the (then) widely recommended Panasonic 32", on the recommendation of Richer Sounds (who sold both TVs), because it was better at the ordinary stuff.

Interesting comments there Hugo. My freeview boxes are mid 90's Humax Fox-2T (on the main TV) and generic cheapies on the others... I have seen this artifact on various TV's in stores I've visited (we have a Hughes shop here - a big white and brown goods supplier in East Anglia) and Tesco's in Martlesham has a big TV wall - ghastly picture on every screen there.... Ipswich has a new John Lewis store and I really ought to visit there. Despite never being undersold, the prices they quote seem very high though :scratch:

It's actually the reliability of the now old main set and the not-so-nice freeview quality that's prevented me from pushing for a new TV and in any case, it wouldn't be a huge one - a 33" would be huge enough here in this room.

[JimC]

What 9th gen Pioneer models would one look for secondhand then?

The PDP-LX5090

http://www.pioneer.eu/uk/products/archive/PDP-LX5090/page.html

The PDP-LX6090

http://www.pioneer.eu/uk/products/archive/PDP-LX6090/page.html

The KRP-500

http://www.pioneer.eu/uk/products/archive/KRP-500M/page.html

and the KRP-600

http://www.pioneer.eu/uk/products/archive/KRP-600M/page.html

There are some on ebay but obviously do be carefull. You'll probably be buying without warranty so go and look at it before parting with your cash.
I think some dealers still may have some (don't quote me on this, you may have to do some research), they were so well respected they kept some back.

JC