Maxent 50" plasma MX-50X3 official thread - DO NOT POST PRICES!!!

jeremyhelling · 10-24-05, 11:16 PM

The last thread was closed because people posted prices.

DO NOT POST PRICES OR DIRECT LINKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Read the rules and let's keep this one from getting locked)

Okay, I did a search and found no other threads about this plasma specifically so hopefully it's the only one.

Doing some searching on plasmas and it sounds as though LOTs of people are having great luck with the Maxent MX-42X3 42" plasma. I'm in the market for a larger plasma (three actually) and was reading about the Maxent when I found some info about a new version of the MX-50X2 that was supposed to be along the same lines as the wildly popular 42" version but larger.

There was some mention to Best Buy being the first place that's gonna have it which is where I was shopping plasmas anyway so I went back in today to do some more research and here's what we were able to find:

1) Scheduled release date is Oct 23rd and he said they might have it a week or so prior to this but this was the official 'street date' that they planned to have it on display/available for sale.

2) Retail price is $2,999 which makes this one HECK of a sweet deal if it's comparable to it's little brother the 42x3 as it would rival the PQ of the Panasonic in this size which is $1k more (retail vs. retail).

3) The Best Buy internal product skew is: 7335485

4) Best Buy is not doing pre-orders for the Xbox 360

So, feel free to add any info or opinions to this thread that you have and hopefully within a couple weeks we'll have reviews to add to it. If it's anything like the 42x3 then I'll be taking home three.

Note: This is NOT the 50x2 that's been sold at CostCo for quite some time now but the all new 50x3 that will be a Best Buy exclusive (at least through the holiday season).

Edit 11/11: Dimensions:

The stand at the widest part (slight taper to it to the front and rear) is 31.75"

Width w/o speakers is 49.25" and width with speakers is 56.75"

The box is 15"x54"x38" and those are all rounded up as the measurements were slightly under full inches

Here's what the 50x3 looks like:

The older 50x2:

Update 11/7: I took this picture at Best Buy last week with my camera phone. Sorry for the terrible quality but better pictures will follow:

These pics are courtesey of TJ22

More on from TJ22 on post #'s 67, 69 & 70

jeremyhelling · 10-24-05, 11:21 PM

Here's the link to the official pic/info from Maxent. Looks like the contrast and brightness are both considerably better than the previous 50x2 and more on line with those stats on the 42x3 but unlike the 42x3 the speakers are detachable (yea!) from the monitor.
Click me.

Here's the .pdf file from Maxent with even more specs:
Click me.

Motegi · 10-24-05, 11:42 PM

I would strongly suggest that those waiting for the 50x3 exercise caution and study the 50x3's components prior to purchasing (especially at BB). As soon as one is available on display, follow the instructions I posted in the 42x3 thread and try to deterimine the origin of the plasma glass as well as electronics. It is very easy to do. Maxent seems to use a variety of suppliers for parts some quite obviously better than others (as can be seen in the wild variation between their 42x3 and 42xm11).

jeremyhelling · 10-24-05, 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Motegi

I would strongly suggest that those waiting for the 50x3 exercise caution and study the 50x3's components prior to purchasing (especially at BB). As soon as one is available on display, follow the instructions I posted in the 42x3 thread and try to deterimine the origin of the plasma glass as well as electronics. It is very easy to do. Maxent seems to use a variety of suppliers for parts some quite obviously better than others (as can be seen in the wild variation between their 42x3 and 42xm11).

Very good advice. Hopefully we can make this a group effort and figure this one out quicker than we did the 42x3.

TJ22 · 10-25-05, 01:16 PM

Just wanted to see if anyone has got a chance to check this out yet? Keep us updated.

goMO · 10-25-05, 01:53 PM

it is not on BB's website yet....

jeremyhelling · 10-26-05, 06:28 PM

...It is now.

I stopped by my local Best Buy today since I was having lunch in the neighborhood and figured I would just stop to check real quick. I walked in and right where the 50" Panasonic used to be was a brand spankin new Maxent 50x3 in it's place. Coincidence???

I had someone with me who could care less about staring at a TV for more than ten seconds so I couldn't stay too long. Next to it was a Zenith 50" plasma and I REALLY wish they would have put the Panasonic next to it as that would be ideal. But, they didn't and I didn't get a chance to see if I could talk to my manager buddy and have them put them side by side to compare. Initial impressions w/o touching settings were that it blew the Zenith next to it out of the water on the same HD feed. The colors were more realistic than the Zenith and the contrast was also noticeably better. The case looks good and the fact that the speakers are removable is awesome. It was priced a few hundred below MSRP and this makes it a VERY competitive price with screens considerably smaller in size and lower PQ. I plan to check it out when I have some more time.

I would highly advise anyone who is interested to go to your local Best Buy and see it for yourself. I would like to hear what those with a more picky eye than myself have to say about it.

jtntsfr · 10-26-05, 08:24 PM

Waiting for this one also, ok, so maybe the Vizio is out.
This could be the next one I would be interested in.
Of course if the 8UK was more available, I would probally go with that.

Need to make a decision within the next 2 weeks.

RickHouTX · 10-27-05, 10:07 AM

So, can any of you BB people take a peak into the guts of this set and tell whose brand is inside?

dynasty36d · 10-27-05, 11:18 AM

If one breaks im sure we could lol. My store just got this set in recently and the picture is great! i actually prefer it to the panasonic. For one its a sharper image (not exagerrated sharpness but actually sharper and clearer) and its also a lot more realistic on the colors) if the employee discount on this set was just a tiny bit more it would definitely be mine!

Ten Midgets · 10-27-05, 11:25 AM

I don't see it on Best Buy's site yet...is it only instore right now?

dynasty36d · 10-27-05, 11:28 AM

Yes it is. But in store i know we have it for less then MSRP

goMO · 10-27-05, 11:50 AM

maybe its just me, but although I think this is probably a great set, I'm hesitant to get it at BB for fear of future problems. The Maxent brand isn't exactly a household name brand, and the piece of mind of getting the 42x3 at Costco is very reassuring. A safety blanket, so to speak, if anything goes wrong in the future. I don't feel that comfort at BB, and I won't spend hundreds of dollars for a EW. At that point, I'd probably just go for the panny 8UK.

So, for me at least, I'll probably wait it out and see if it shows up at Costco in the next few months..

jeremyhelling · 10-27-05, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goMO

maybe its just me, but although I think this is probably a great set, I'm hesitant to get it at BB for fear of future problems. The Maxent brand isn't exactly a household name brand, and the piece of mind of getting the 42x3 at Costco is very reassuring. A safety blanket, so to speak, if anything goes wrong in the future. I don't feel that comfort at BB, and I won't spend hundreds of dollars for a EW. At that point, I'd probably just go for the panny 8UK.

So, for me at least, I'll probably wait it out and see if it shows up at Costco in the next few months..

As far as TVs go, 99% of the time if they fail it's right away. Chances are if it doesn't fail right away (and within the Best Buy exchange window) you're good for years unless you use it for a dart board.

Ten Midgets · 10-27-05, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goMO

maybe its just me, but although I think this is probably a great set, I'm hesitant to get it at BB for fear of future problems. The Maxent brand isn't exactly a household name brand, and the piece of mind of getting the 42x3 at Costco is very reassuring. A safety blanket, so to speak, if anything goes wrong in the future. I don't feel that comfort at BB, and I won't spend hundreds of dollars for a EW. At that point, I'd probably just go for the panny 8UK.

So, for me at least, I'll probably wait it out and see if it shows up at Costco in the next few months..

I fully agree Gomo - it'll be the 42x3 from Costco for me. Now I just have to get it this week before they totally sell out!

TJ22 · 10-27-05, 01:37 PM

What is Bestbuy's exchange window?

goMO · 10-27-05, 04:01 PM

Jeremy - are you just throwing around a 99% number, or is it a solid number? I know that is the general trend, that if things go wrong, they do it fairly quickly. But even considering that, the diff in price between the 42 and 50 is, right now, just not something I can justify.

(doesn't mean I won't go to BB to check it out, though!!)

jeremyhelling · 10-27-05, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TJ22

What is Bestbuy's exchange window?

I believe it to be 30 days on something like this. Double check your local BB though to find out for sure. They have company policies but it can vary from store to store as far as what managers will stretch.

Quote:

Originally Posted by goMO

Jeremy - are you just throwing around a 99% number, or is it a solid number? I know that is the general trend, that if things go wrong, they do it fairly quickly. But even considering that, the diff in price between the 42 and 50 is, right now, just not something I can justify.

(doesn't mean I won't go to BB to check it out, though!!)

That number is straight out of my ass. I'm basing it on the many TVs I've purchased as well as the number of TVs my friends/family have purchased and the word of my buddies who manage or work at Best Buy's, Circuit City's and local electronic places as well.

For me being used to a 65" TV as our main viewing TV I think that 50" is about as far down as I'll be comfortable with and 42" (while only 8" smaller) is just too much of a downsize for us. If you're going from similar or smaller then I would probably suggest going with the 42x3 as well. I also prefer the look of the case on the 50x3 and the ability to detach the speakers as well.

jeremyhelling · 10-27-05, 04:46 PM

Day two: I went back down by myself so I could take some more time to look at it. To me it looks great but one thing I noticed is the whites don't seem as white as the Zenith next to it. They had more of a grey tint than the brilliant white of the Zenith next to it. Now, this could be on par with the unrealistic colors the Zenith produces in comparison and if that's the trade-off I'll take realistic colors and muted whites over blinding whites and fake looking colors any day of the week. I messed with the video settings slightly but couldn't seem to get them to brighten up any. I'm sure someone who knows what they're doing could do a better job and I plan to run DVE and Avia when I get it home. It might not even be noticeable once it's not next to another TV running the same signal for comparison. I guess this is part of the decision making process anyway by comparing them at the store so check it out yourself and post what you think. I would love to see what others have to say about this set.

goMO · 10-27-05, 08:29 PM

were you able to check inside the back panels and see if it is panny parts?

ps - "That number is straight out of my ass" - I like your honesty!!

jeremyhelling · 10-27-05, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goMO

were you able to check inside the back panels and see if it is panny parts?

Nope. There was nobody around to help me the whole time I was there and it was up against a wall on a shelf at an angle. The shelf wasn't far enough out that I could just rotate it so it's gonna take some doin and some store help to get it down. More than likely I'll have one in my house before I'm able to check part numbers at the store.

Quote:

Originally Posted by goMO

ps - "That number is straight out of my ass" - I like your honesty!!

That's how I roll man.

Motegi · 10-27-05, 09:35 PM

I went to my local BestBuy about 30 minutes ago and they didn't have it yet. They had plenty of the MX-42XM11 and the EDTV 42" plasmas. One of the MX-42XM11 was sitting on the ground as an "open box" item. I peeked around back at the top right corner and saw that the PDP inside is marked "LG electronics".

So Maxent seems to be choosing name brand plasma panels for their various models. Some are obviously better/worse than others. You must determine what components are inside the 50X3.

kingfrog · 10-28-05, 01:33 AM

What the deal with price posting? I posted a thread asking why prices could not be posted and it was apparantly deleted. What is the issue here with comparing prices. A forum is only as good as ALL the information allowed. Is this a vendor site?

jeremyhelling · 10-28-05, 01:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingfrog

What the deal with price posting? I posted a thread asking why prices could not be posted and it was apparantly deleted. What is the issue here with comparing prices. A forum is only as good as ALL the information allowed. Is this a vendor site?

Please read the forum rules. If you want to rock the boat after reading them please do not choose this thread to do it because I already had one 50x3 thread get locked. I wish we could post the best prices we found but all we're able to do is post retail and even then make sure you explain that it's retail pricing. No direct links to vendors either.

It's just the way of the beast and there's TONS of good info in this forum so just take the good w/the bad.

Jobronie · 10-28-05, 07:53 AM

Stopped at a NJ BB yesterday. Not only wasn't it on display, the sales dude couldn't even find it in their system, and he was looking for quite a while......

RickHouTX · 10-28-05, 09:29 AM

It was not in a BB in Houston. It was not in their system either. So, just where are these units? We have to find one before we can see whose guts are inside.

Jobronie · 10-28-05, 11:27 AM

W. Nyack NY store had the shelf tag up with the same previously alluded to price, but the CSR had no idea when the TV will actually be on the sales floor.....

goMO · 10-28-05, 06:03 PM

when I went to the Springfield, NJ BB, they had room for it on the floor, but the space was still empty. The guy looked it up on the computer and told me the price. Said it was for delivery only at that point, and probably within a week would be in the store.

goMO · 10-28-05, 06:03 PM

and the Union, NJ Costco still has the 42x3 if you guys were still curious. i'm sure you could call them...

jeremyhelling · 10-28-05, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goMO

and the Union, NJ Costco still has the 42x3 if you guys were still curious. i'm sure you could call them...

Wrong post dude... this is the 50x3 thread.

10-24-05, 11:16 PM	#1 \| Link	<a href='http://rev.avsforum.com/phpAdsNew/adclick.php?n=a4ac4393' target='_blank'><img src='http://rev.avsforum.com/phpAdsNew/adview.php?what=zone:30&n=a4ac4393' border='0' alt=''></a>
jeremyhelling Don't taze me bro! Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Colorado, USA Posts: 792	Maxent 50" plasma MX-50X3 official thread - DO NOT POST PRICES!!! The last thread was closed because people posted prices. DO NOT POST PRICES OR DIRECT LINKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Read the rules and let's keep this one from getting locked) Okay, I did a search and found no other threads about this plasma specifically so hopefully it's the only one. Doing some searching on plasmas and it sounds as though LOTs of people are having great luck with the Maxent MX-42X3 42" plasma. I'm in the market for a larger plasma (three actually) and was reading about the Maxent when I found some info about a new version of the MX-50X2 that was supposed to be along the same lines as the wildly popular 42" version but larger. There was some mention to Best Buy being the first place that's gonna have it which is where I was shopping plasmas anyway so I went back in today to do some more research and here's what we were able to find: 1) Scheduled release date is Oct 23rd and he said they might have it a week or so prior to this but this was the official 'street date' that they planned to have it on display/available for sale. 2) Retail price is $2,999 which makes this one HECK of a sweet deal if it's comparable to it's little brother the 42x3 as it would rival the PQ of the Panasonic in this size which is $1k more (retail vs. retail). 3) The Best Buy internal product skew is: 7335485 4) Best Buy is not doing pre-orders for the Xbox 360 So, feel free to add any info or opinions to this thread that you have and hopefully within a couple weeks we'll have reviews to add to it. If it's anything like the 42x3 then I'll be taking home three. Note: This is NOT the 50x2 that's been sold at CostCo for quite some time now but the all new 50x3 that will be a Best Buy exclusive (at least through the holiday season). Edit 11/11: Dimensions: The stand at the widest part (slight taper to it to the front and rear) is 31.75" Width w/o speakers is 49.25" and width with speakers is 56.75" The box is 15"x54"x38" and those are all rounded up as the measurements were slightly under full inches Here's what the 50x3 looks like: The older 50x2: Update 11/7: I took this picture at Best Buy last week with my camera phone. Sorry for the terrible quality but better pictures will follow: These pics are courtesey of TJ22 More on from TJ22 on post #'s 67, 69 & 70 __________________ Jer 'Build a man a fire and he stays warm for one night. Set a man afire and he stays warm for the rest of his life.' Last edited by jeremyhelling; 11-11-05 at 11:15 AM..

10-24-05, 11:21 PM	#2 \| Link
jeremyhelling Don't taze me bro! Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Colorado, USA Posts: 792	Here's the link to the official pic/info from Maxent. Looks like the contrast and brightness are both considerably better than the previous 50x2 and more on line with those stats on the 42x3 but unlike the 42x3 the speakers are detachable (yea!) from the monitor. Click me. Here's the .pdf file from Maxent with even more specs: Click me. __________________ Jer 'Build a man a fire and he stays warm for one night. Set a man afire and he stays warm for the rest of his life.' Last edited by jeremyhelling; 10-24-05 at 11:52 PM..

10-25-05, 01:16 PM	#5 \| Link	<a href='http://rev.avsforum.com/phpAdsNew/adclick.php?n=a591f81a' target='_blank'><img src='http://rev.avsforum.com/phpAdsNew/adview.php?what=zone:36&n=a591f81a' border='0' alt=''></a>
TJ22 Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 101	Just wanted to see if anyone has got a chance to check this out yet? Keep us updated.

10-26-05, 06:28 PM	#7 \| Link
jeremyhelling Don't taze me bro! Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Colorado, USA Posts: 792	...It is now. I stopped by my local Best Buy today since I was having lunch in the neighborhood and figured I would just stop to check real quick. I walked in and right where the 50" Panasonic used to be was a brand spankin new Maxent 50x3 in it's place. Coincidence??? I had someone with me who could care less about staring at a TV for more than ten seconds so I couldn't stay too long. Next to it was a Zenith 50" plasma and I REALLY wish they would have put the Panasonic next to it as that would be ideal. But, they didn't and I didn't get a chance to see if I could talk to my manager buddy and have them put them side by side to compare. Initial impressions w/o touching settings were that it blew the Zenith next to it out of the water on the same HD feed. The colors were more realistic than the Zenith and the contrast was also noticeably better. The case looks good and the fact that the speakers are removable is awesome. It was priced a few hundred below MSRP and this makes it a VERY competitive price with screens considerably smaller in size and lower PQ. I plan to check it out when I have some more time. I would highly advise anyone who is interested to go to your local Best Buy and see it for yourself. I would like to hear what those with a more picky eye than myself have to say about it. __________________ Jer 'Build a man a fire and he stays warm for one night. Set a man afire and he stays warm for the rest of his life.'

10-27-05, 11:18 AM	#10 \| Link	<a href='http://rev.avsforum.com/phpAdsNew/adclick.php?n=a591f81a' target='_blank'><img src='http://rev.avsforum.com/phpAdsNew/adview.php?what=zone:36&n=a591f81a' border='0' alt=''></a>
dynasty36d Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 140	If one breaks im sure we could lol. My store just got this set in recently and the picture is great! i actually prefer it to the panasonic. For one its a sharper image (not exagerrated sharpness but actually sharper and clearer) and its also a lot more realistic on the colors) if the employee discount on this set was just a tiny bit more it would definitely be mine!

10-24-05, 11:42 PM	#3 \| Link
Motegi Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 221	I would strongly suggest that those waiting for the 50x3 exercise caution and study the 50x3's components prior to purchasing (especially at BB). As soon as one is available on display, follow the instructions I posted in the 42x3 thread and try to deterimine the origin of the plasma glass as well as electronics. It is very easy to do. Maxent seems to use a variety of suppliers for parts some quite obviously better than others (as can be seen in the wild variation between their 42x3 and 42xm11).

10-25-05, 01:53 PM	#6 \| Link
goMO Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 351	it is not on BB's website yet....

10-26-05, 08:24 PM	#8 \| Link
jtntsfr Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 162	Waiting for this one also, ok, so maybe the Vizio is out. This could be the next one I would be interested in. Of course if the 8UK was more available, I would probally go with that. Need to make a decision within the next 2 weeks.

10-27-05, 10:07 AM	#9 \| Link
RickHouTX Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 28	So, can any of you BB people take a peak into the guts of this set and tell whose brand is inside?

10-27-05, 11:25 AM	#11 \| Link
Ten Midgets Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Posts: 163	I don't see it on Best Buy's site yet...is it only instore right now?

10-27-05, 11:28 AM	#12 \| Link
dynasty36d Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 140	Yes it is. But in store i know we have it for less then MSRP

10-27-05, 11:50 AM	#13 \| Link
goMO Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 351	maybe its just me, but although I think this is probably a great set, I'm hesitant to get it at BB for fear of future problems. The Maxent brand isn't exactly a household name brand, and the piece of mind of getting the 42x3 at Costco is very reassuring. A safety blanket, so to speak, if anything goes wrong in the future. I don't feel that comfort at BB, and I won't spend hundreds of dollars for a EW. At that point, I'd probably just go for the panny 8UK. So, for me at least, I'll probably wait it out and see if it shows up at Costco in the next few months..

10-27-05, 01:37 PM	#16 \| Link
TJ22 Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 101	What is Bestbuy's exchange window?

10-27-05, 04:01 PM	#17 \| Link
goMO Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 351	Jeremy - are you just throwing around a 99% number, or is it a solid number? I know that is the general trend, that if things go wrong, they do it fairly quickly. But even considering that, the diff in price between the 42 and 50 is, right now, just not something I can justify. (doesn't mean I won't go to BB to check it out, though!!)

10-27-05, 04:46 PM	#19 \| Link
jeremyhelling Don't taze me bro! Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Colorado, USA Posts: 792	Day two: I went back down by myself so I could take some more time to look at it. To me it looks great but one thing I noticed is the whites don't seem as white as the Zenith next to it. They had more of a grey tint than the brilliant white of the Zenith next to it. Now, this could be on par with the unrealistic colors the Zenith produces in comparison and if that's the trade-off I'll take realistic colors and muted whites over blinding whites and fake looking colors any day of the week. I messed with the video settings slightly but couldn't seem to get them to brighten up any. I'm sure someone who knows what they're doing could do a better job and I plan to run DVE and Avia when I get it home. It might not even be noticeable once it's not next to another TV running the same signal for comparison. I guess this is part of the decision making process anyway by comparing them at the store so check it out yourself and post what you think. I would love to see what others have to say about this set. __________________ Jer 'Build a man a fire and he stays warm for one night. Set a man afire and he stays warm for the rest of his life.'

10-27-05, 08:29 PM	#20 \| Link
goMO Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 351	were you able to check inside the back panels and see if it is panny parts? ps - "That number is straight out of my ass" - I like your honesty!!

10-27-05, 09:35 PM	#22 \| Link
Motegi Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 221	I went to my local BestBuy about 30 minutes ago and they didn't have it yet. They had plenty of the MX-42XM11 and the EDTV 42" plasmas. One of the MX-42XM11 was sitting on the ground as an "open box" item. I peeked around back at the top right corner and saw that the PDP inside is marked "LG electronics". So Maxent seems to be choosing name brand plasma panels for their various models. Some are obviously better/worse than others. You must determine what components are inside the 50X3.

10-28-05, 01:33 AM	#23 \| Link
kingfrog Average Joe Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Myrtle Beach SC Posts: 959	What the deal with price posting? I posted a thread asking why prices could not be posted and it was apparantly deleted. What is the issue here with comparing prices. A forum is only as good as ALL the information allowed. Is this a vendor site? __________________ Average Joe For those few who actually watch the content rather then the TV. Question Everything....Assume nothing.

10-28-05, 07:53 AM	#25 \| Link
Jobronie Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 104	Stopped at a NJ BB yesterday. Not only wasn't it on display, the sales dude couldn't even find it in their system, and he was looking for quite a while......

10-28-05, 09:29 AM	#26 \| Link
RickHouTX Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 28	It was not in a BB in Houston. It was not in their system either. So, just where are these units? We have to find one before we can see whose guts are inside.

10-28-05, 11:27 AM	#27 \| Link
Jobronie Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 104	W. Nyack NY store had the shelf tag up with the same previously alluded to price, but the CSR had no idea when the TV will actually be on the sales floor.....

10-28-05, 06:03 PM	#28 \| Link
goMO Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 351	when I went to the Springfield, NJ BB, they had room for it on the floor, but the space was still empty. The guy looked it up on the computer and told me the price. Said it was for delivery only at that point, and probably within a week would be in the store.

10-28-05, 06:03 PM	#29 \| Link
goMO Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 351	and the Union, NJ Costco still has the 42x3 if you guys were still curious. i'm sure you could call them...