I'm looking for an inexpensive 42" plasma HDTV for outdoor area. Any suggestions? Which is the best of these three: Vizio, Maxent, or Akai?

forget that crap, spend 100-200 bux more and get a closeout 2006 panasonic or samsung model

forget that crap, spend 100-200 bux more and get a closeout 2006 panasonic or samsung model

Yup

Yup, Yup

Yup, Yup, Yup, Yeah what they said.

Yeah the closeout bargain prices are starting for the Panasonic 42PX60 now that the 2007 model just came out. Keep a watch on sale prices on that model over the coming weeks!

forget that crap, spend 100-200 bux more and get a closeout 2006 panasonic or samsung model
AGREED!

Don't buy crap.

Which is the best of these three: Vizio, Maxent, or Akai?None of the above. You might be better off buying a used Panasonic off Craigslist then one of these crappy brands, or just spend a few hundred more and get a better brand.

Dont know about the maxent or akia, but the Vizio should be fine. Although if you can find a sammie or pannie for about the same price, id say get that.

None of the above. You might be better off buying a used Panasonic off Craigslist then one of these crappy brands, or just spend a few hundred more and get a better brand.

And get a Panasonic that has burn-in or other problems the former owner had with it.

My Vizio is covered for 5 years in-home, still way cheaper. LG makes every part of a Vizio plasma expt. the Video board. Ya Vizio is such a crappy brand. That guy would be foolish to go with a "Crappy brand". Also the SD picture on a Vizio is very good since it has DCDi by Faroudja processing. I believe the #1 up-converting DVD player by Oppo also uses this.

my dad bought me a samsung hps4253 from circuit city for $1,100 a few weeks ago, it was really really cheap, the cheapest out of best buy, and compusa and other stores.

my dad bought me a samsung hps4253 from circuit city for $1,100 a few weeks ago, it was really really cheap, the cheapest out of best buy, and compusa and other stores.


A very, very good plasma!

You could have gotten the hps4273 from buy.com for under 900 a couple weeks ago. Got one and it's very nice.

This may be an off the wall suggestion, but you can get a refurbed Hewlett Packard PL4200n from HP Shopping for $999 shipped. It's the same as the Panasonic TH-42PX500U. It comes with the usual 90 day warranty, with the option of buying a longer term warranty.

My Vizio is covered for 5 years in-home, still way cheaper.

Just try and find someone to work on it and more importantly, even if you can find someone, they'll have problems with part delays. Trust me on this one, I work on Vizio's, my company is factory authorized and we have some pretty major issues with them. The guys at Vizio never spent a minute ever thinking through what happens when these things break and how to setup a service support system.

LG makes every part of a Vizio plasma expt. the Video board.

Who fed you this line of bull anyway? BTW, while the LG's have one of the nicest pictures of all brands that make Plasma's and are priced nice, they also have a higher failure rate than many of those other brands.

A week ago, I bought a Panasonic TH-42PH9UK at Vann's for $999, no sales tax and free shipping. Their customer service is top notch, took all of 10 minutes to order, had tracking information within a half hour, and set arrived 3 days later. Shipping company (My Yellow) was totally professional, not a scratch on the box. The looks and quality of these Panasonic's are unbelievable . . .

And get a Panasonic that has burn-in or other problems the former owner had with it.

My Vizio is covered for 5 years in-home, still way cheaper. LG makes every part of a Vizio plasma expt. the Video board. Ya Vizio is such a crappy brand. That guy would be foolish to go with a "Crappy brand". Also the SD picture on a Vizio is very good since it has DCDi by Faroudja processing. I believe the #1 up-converting DVD player by Oppo also uses this.Obviously anybody with half a brain would check the plasma for burn-in and other problems. And since it's a Panasonic, the chance that it had other problems would be almost non-existant.

And i'm sorry, but Vizio is a crappy brand with little support in the USA. SD looked crappy on an associate's 42" Costco Vizio but great on my Panny, and my Panny is 2 years old with heavy usage with no problems, and i know several people with Pannys of their own with no problems, but my friend's Vizio's picture started randomly getting scrambled and blocky and problematic after a few months. He got the runaround from their local repair shop and was told that parts were on backorder he just took it back to Costco for a full refund and washed his hands of the whole mess. No way would i ever recommend a Vizio or any other 3rd or 4th tier brand name to anybody.

Thought I'd read recently that Panasonic rolled out a 42" 1080p model for sale later(?) this year. Seems useful if you sit close enough to benefit from the 1920X1080--and physical screen elements aren't visible that close. -- John

Who fed you this line of bull anyway? BTW, while the LG's have one of the nicest pictures of all brands that make Plasma's and are priced nice, they also have a higher failure rate than many of those other brands


I guess you have never worked on one. Open one up. LG LG LG LG. You lost me at i work on them all the time. I call a ********er when i see one.

Panel LG, Power supply LG, Tuners LG/Phillips, Video board Vizio's own sub contracted part.......

How much more of the Vizio needs to be LG before its mostly made by LG. I forgot the Case is made By vizio. :confused:

Vizio is a crappy brand with little support in the USA

Vizio is one of the ONLY U.S. based flat panel companys, I'll give my support to a US company. Not only is its the Fastest growing brand.#4 in Flat panels sold in the US.

I'm not saying the Vizio is a better Panel, but its pretty darn close. For the average consumer or person looking to get in the Flat panel game Vizio is at the right price and features to make people buy them. They are showing that more every year.

Look at the title of this thread.... :rolleyes:

Nobody would ever recomend a Vizio

http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,126398-page,1/article.html

You lost me with "I'll give my support to a US company". Yeah, the company HQ is in SoCal, but that's primarily management, sales, marketing, etc. They are a brand, not a manufacturer - an importer and marketing company. I agree they are run by some smart guys and have a pretty good product that seems to be getting better every year. But IMHO Honda Accords & Toyota Camrys are more US products than any of the Vizio displays...

Nobody would ever recomend a Vizio

http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,126398-page,1/article.html


As I said when someone else posted this link awhile back...the list has ZERO credibility! Pioneer and Panasonic couldn't make the list but AOC (whoever the hell they are) made the list???? That should tell you all you need to know about the genius that put that list together!


John from Boston

Panasonic 42PX60U "ON SALE NOW" (inexpensive) due to new models being released. Check forum sponsors.

Thought I'd read recently that Panasonic rolled out a 42" 1080p model
I believe Panasonic only has a 50" and larger 1920x1080 plasma coming out, the new 42" models however are still at the 1024x768 resolution, they haven't progressed that far yet at that size. Maybe a year or two in the future?

You lost me with "I'll give my support to a US company". Yeah, the company HQ is in SoCal, but that's primarily management, sales, marketing, etc. They are a brand, not a manufacturer - an importer and marketing company. I agree they are run by some smart guys and have a pretty good product that seems to be getting better every year. But IMHO Honda Accords & Toyota Camrys are more US products than any of the Vizio displays...

I never said Vizio is made in the USA, i said i would rather support a company based out of the US.

If there never was a company called Vizio your Panny 42" would still cost you $2000 plus. In 4 years the company has come along way.

And get a Panasonic that has burn-in or other problems the former owner had with it.

My Vizio is covered for 5 years in-home, still way cheaper. LG makes every part of a Vizio plasma expt. the Video board. Ya Vizio is such a crappy brand. That guy would be foolish to go with a "Crappy brand". Also the SD picture on a Vizio is very good since it has DCDi by Faroudja processing. I believe the #1 up-converting DVD player by Oppo also uses this.

Please cite any documentation which states that the 42" Vizio plasma has Faroudja processing. AFAIK that is limited to the 50" and above in Vizio's lineup, not the 42" (which is what this thread is about)

Sorry, you have no idea what you're talking about.

and an idiot to boot if you're pushing anyone into a Vizio. :D

Wow calling names like a school kid.

For your information i have taken apart a P50HDM, removed the fans and put new painted black speaker grills. The POWER board was LG, the PANEL was LG. The major comp. are LG get over that fact. But then what base would you have for calling Vizio crap.

Panisonic is a great brand, so are many others.

Continue with your name calling.
Done....................................................

A week ago, I bought a Panasonic TH-42PH9UK at Vann's for $999, no sales tax and free shipping. Their customer service is top notch, took all of 10 minutes to order, had tracking information within a half hour, and set arrived 3 days later. Shipping company (My Yellow) was totally professional, not a scratch on the box. The looks and quality of these Panasonic's are unbelievable . . .
I got the same deal from Vann's. Ordered on Friday morning, received on Monday afternoon. Yellow brought it in pristine condition. Picture is phenomenal and it's covered by Panasonic's 5 year in-home warranty if you buy before the end of the month (unless they extend the warranty offer yet again...). I highly recommend this Vann's/42PH9UK combination.

I believe Panasonic only has a 50" and larger 1920x1080 plasma coming out, the new 42" models however are still at the 1024x768 resolution, they haven't progressed that far yet at that size. Maybe a year or two in the future?
Panasonic's new TH42PZ700 is 1080P(due in June) See Engadget HD March 29,2007

Obviously anybody with half a brain would check the plasma for burn-in and other problems. And since it's a Panasonic, the chance that it had other problems would be almost non-existant.

.

If you are buying on craiglist you would check for burn in how.....?

And to say that because its a panny, the chance that it would have other problems is almost non-existant is a line. ANY plasma can have problems. Be it a "top tier" brand like pioneer, panny, or samsung, or a "budget" brand.

I believe Panasonic only has a 50" and larger 1920x1080 plasma coming out, the new 42" models however are still at the 1024x768 resolution, they haven't progressed that far yet at that size. Maybe a year or two in the future?
Here's one of sites (http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/home-entertainment/panasonics-42+inch-plasma-is-1080p-can-you-tell-the-difference-248218.php) outlining the upcoming Pany 42" 1080p (1920X1080). Suspect, though, it won't be 'inexpensive' per the OP title, but IMO the boosted resolution from some displays, also present in some HD images, is worthwhile. -- John

Thanks for the new info on Panasonic's plans for a 1080p 42" plasma. I searched and found some articles - looks like they revised their plan only a few weeks ago! Looks like the planned June 2007 release will have a $2499 MSRP, not bad. I hope in a year the prices will be closer to the current 720p panel prices. :)