Panasonic Plasma vs. Sony LCD

Panasonic hands down. Better picture, motion and the power thing is over-rated unless your amping the thing in vivid mode. Unless your in direct sun, don't worry about glare.

I have the same exact question but my LCD model is the the XBR 6..

Owning both a 52 inch Sharp LCD, and a Panny pz50 both of which were purchased in the past 15 months the panny plasma wins hands down!

I've viewed both, and they're both very good sets. It's probably best if you view both sets extensively for yourself and make up your own mind as to which you prefer.

LCD and plasma technologies offer different 'kinds' of pictures, and have very different strengths and weaknesses, so it's really a very individual choice as to which is better.

Just curious. You seem to have opinions about all the different products. Which do you own?

Really? That's odd, because I didn't so much express my opinion in the post, as I told him that it'd be best for him to make his mind up for himself.

If you're curious 'bout me, I have several friends who are HDTV enthusiasts, and I work in the video game industry (I've been a tester, assistant lead, and a trainer), so TVs are something that are kinda in my face 24-7. My home sets have tended to be Sonys (latest was a WEGA CRT), but I've put off having an HD set at home 'til now. Been doing many hours of in-store and at-friends-homes viewing on sets, not to mention the various sets I get to play with at work.

That help some?

Hmmm.

You post in the PLASMA forum and ask which is better, a Panasonic Plasma or a Sony LCD...

I'll give you 3 guesses what the most common answer will be and 2 of them start with a P...

In all seriousness though, is anyone else sick of hearing the old "LCD's are better for brighter rooms" routine? Do people not own window blinds anymore? Is this some new development I missed? People all over the world watching their tv's with every light in the house on? Are people modeling their living rooms after McDonalds? Good grief...

Yep. People seem to forget that CRT televisions also used glass.

I think the overall quality of both sets is quite similar. I'm familiar enough with both to say they both have very good picture quality for the money and are of course quality displays. I do not believe power use to be a priority discussion, so I will skip that.

For pure video use in a room with some degree of light control I still prefer the Panasonic for superior (imho) overall function as a TV. Black levels, motion, SD image quality, etc. - as a video display device it still wins unless...

if direct sunlight on the screen is just a fact of life, you have some PC use (HTPC or otherwise), or lots of static images are in your mix, then I'd go with the LCD.

I favor Plasma's, I have a 1080p 46" and a 720p 50" Panasonic right now. But I've also owned a 40" 1080p Sony LCD, and was quite fond if it. It was a very nice set.

Outside of picture debate I found the Sony also had an edge in details that may be very small or very large depending on your application. It had a better remote, better built-in speaker set (with a variable level output which maybe key for some), the menu and display GUI was very nice, and source selection was quick. It's also just my opinion but I preferred the styling of the unit as well. These are not items often discussed but can add up to make a real difference in satisfaction, especially if you intend to use the TV as a standalone set.

@ googleme7
Actually, there are people that simply prefer to view their television in bright conditions. I know at least 2 people that have to have daylight-like conditions to feel comfortable while watching TV. I generally prefer a dimly lit environment for watching TV. It's just personal preference and should be taken into consideration.

@justii

Before going further, I will state that, in my opinion, the Panasonic is the hands down winner of this comparison (surprise, surprise). As long as you know how to take care of a plasma TV.

Now, on to the points you listed:

Glare: This Panasonic model has pretty good glare reduction so as long as you can keep the light at reasonable levels, you shouldn't have a problem. The picture quality will be easily better than an LCD under most conditions.

Motion Blur: All LCDs have some motion blur, it bothers some but not everyone. If it bothers you then forget about LCDs. Plasma TVs have little to no motion blur with one exception. Some (not many) people are able to see a green/yellow trail behind fast moving bright objects on dark backgrounds. If you are one of them, then don't bother getting a plasma as all of them will have it, it is a problem with the current technology. Search for "plasma green fringe" for more information on this issue.

Power consumption:
According to CNET, the Panasonic TH-46PZ85U uses about 330 watts. CNET didn't review the KDL-46V4100 but they did review the Sony KDL-46W4100 and the Sony KDL-46Z4100. Their power consumption was 140 and 124 watts respectively. I wouldn't expect the V4100 to take up much more or less than that. These are all after calibration, not in vivid "torch" mode. So you are looking at approximately double the power consumption when using a plasma.

Value: LCDs and Plasmas have very comparable prices currently. Both Sony and Panasonic are excellent brands. This one is a toss up.

Other/General Information:

LCDs don't have to dither (image looks smoother up close), are very difficult to burn-in, and generally have sturdier/more flexible front panels. They just feel very care free. On the other hand, they suffer from motion blur (for some people), have poor viewing angles, and don't have as nice blacks/colors in general.

Plasmas have nicer colors, deeper blacks and can be viewed from any angle without loss of detail. The most important thing to watch out for is image retention and burn-in(much worse). No matter what anyone says, it can still be a problem (even with current models). Image retention is pretty common on any plasma and generally goes away quickly and harmlessly. Burn-in can happen under specific conditions and will NOT go away, however it can become much less noticeable over time.

I always cringe when posters on these forum state that burn-in is not a problem anymore. Many people here have become so used to taking care of their plasmas that it doesn't even register as effort to them. I know someone is going to see their post and think that they can keep channels on with bright logos or tickers for hours on end without any issues. Or better yet, play games with static HUDS using high brightness/contrast presets for long periods of time ..I learned this the hard way. So if you get the Panasonic, you should learn a few things about how to take care of it. Looking through these forums will tell you everything you need to know (and then some) and you're always welcome to ask.

Good luck on your purchase.

This really should have been posted in the flat panel general forum.