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Can't decide on New 58" Plasma...HELP!!

post #1 of 18
2/18/09 at 5:54pm
Thread Starter 
Ok guys, I know there are a lot of threads on this but i wanted to start a new one to get some more open feedback, rather than just people leaning towards one brand or another.

I am looking to buy a new 58" plasma very soon. The price differences in these models isn't as big as you would think looking at retail since I do get a discount working at BB so price is not the only factor. With that said there still is a price difference and I am wondering if one set stands out as better.
Here are my choices:

Panasonic 58pz800u
Panasonic 58pz850u
Samsung 58a650
Samsung 58a760

Now I would LOVE to go with a 60" Pioneer Kuro or Kuro Elite, but even with discount those are still significantly more than the others, though well below retail. I have however though about going down the one of the more affordable Pioneer 50" just to have the better quality but is it really worth it. I sit about 10 ft back and I know 50" is plenty for that, but 58" or 60" would be awesome! I am also thinking about the future and if I am ever further back 50" might not be so nice.

Any and all advice would be very helpful and if anyone really thinks the quality is so much better on the pioneers that it justifies loosing the 8 inches.

Also, I am mainly concerned with picture quality, not so much with the interactive features as I have enough things hooked up to my system to negate that need.

THANKS!
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post #2 of 18
2/18/09 at 6:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by emelioestaves View Post

Ok guys, I know there are a lot of threads on this but i wanted to start a new one to get some more open feedback, rather than just people leaning towards one brand or another.

I am looking to buy a new 58" plasma very soon. The price differences in these models isn't as big as you would think looking at retail since I do get a discount working at BB so price is not the only factor. With that said there still is a price difference and I am wondering if one set stands out as better.
Here are my choices:

Panasonic 58pz800u
Panasonic 58pz850u
Samsung 58a650
Samsung 58a760

Now I would LOVE to go with a 60" Pioneer Kuro or Kuro Elite, but even with discount those are still significantly more than the others, though well below retail. I have however though about going down the one of the more affordable Pioneer 50" just to have the better quality but is it really worth it. I sit about 10 ft back and I know 50" is plenty for that, but 58" or 60" would be awesome! I am also thinking about the future and if I am ever further back 50" might not be so nice.

Any and all advice would be very helpful and if anyone really thinks the quality is so much better on the pioneers that it justifies loosing the 8 inches.

Also, I am mainly concerned with picture quality, not so much with the interactive features as I have enough things hooked up to my system to negate that need.

THANKS!

I don't think the PQ is that great between those sets. Most "unbiased" observers don't think the PQ difference is that great between the Pioneers and Panasonics.
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post #3 of 18
2/18/09 at 6:07pm
if you can afford stick with the 58" not a 50". either sammy or panny should be a decent plasma for you.
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post #4 of 18
2/18/09 at 6:20pm
If you get the 58" Panny, you will always wish you had the 50" Kuro's PQ. If you get the 50" Kuro, you will always wish it was 8" bigger. The best work-around is to get the 6020FD and be done with it. (If you can afford it) I got the 50" but wish I had the 6020 but didn't have the xtra $1800. I would not be happy with the Panny.
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post #5 of 18
2/18/09 at 6:22pm
When considering size don't forget that many movies are letterboxed so even with a 50" your actual picture size is far smaller than on a 58" or 60".
I sit 12.5' and 58" is just about perfect for us.
Sure if you can swing the Pioneer get one and don't look back they truly are the best.

BUT...

The new Samsung and Panasonic models are almost here so it might be worth it to check them out.

I have the Samsung 58A650 and it's a fine TV but it does have the pink hue issue. Samsung is sending me a new TV after already replacing the panel once.
The new panel is worse than the original.

Most folks don't have any problems and I still think the 650 is an excellent plasma.

The Panasonic 800u is also excellent you can't go wrong with either really. The numbers say the 800u has better black levels but after extensive watching both side by side the difference was truly minuscule to me.

Take the time to see for yourself and remember what you read here are just opinions even the posts from the experts.
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post #6 of 18
2/18/09 at 6:44pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Auditor55 View Post

I don't think the PQ is that great between those sets. Most "unbiased" observers don't think the PQ difference is that great between the Pioneers and Panasonics.

Maybe in a showroom...
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post #7 of 18
2/19/09 at 11:27am
Thread Starter 
I have read that the panasonic 800u has an overall better picture quality than the 850 mainly because of the more "accurate" colors. I have also read that while the 800U has technically more accurate colors, because the 850 has a wider range of colors that it has a bit more pop to it. IS this true? I think I would prefer more pop. Would anyone say that this is really the only thing that makes the 800u better and why CNET gives it the editors choice?

Also, I am really hearing that the panny's are a bit better than the samsungs and price isn't really a factor for me between the two. The real reason I am even considering the samsungs at all is because I really like the swivel stand, I have that now on my 42" and it is really convenient. Would I lose much going to a samsung vs the panny?

I have checked out the panny 850u and it is very good looking, but my nearest magnolia doesn't have the samsungs to see in that size and in the magnolia room with the dimmer lights, or the panny 800u to compare.

Anymore thoughts? Pioneer is just about out of the running unless I decide to go with a 50", I just can't justify the higher price for the pioneer. Not sure if I can talk price difference here but the pioneer 6020 is about $1000 more no matter which other 58" tv i compare it with.
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post #8 of 18
2/19/09 at 11:36am
if it were my money, I would get the 800u
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post #9 of 18
2/19/09 at 11:44am
I was in the same boat. I really wanted a 6020 but just couldn't bring myself to spend that much on a TV. I already own a 5020 and a 50pz700u so I am very fimiliar with the performance of the two. I wanted to get the Sammy just for a change of scenery since I already own 3 panasonic plasmas and like the bezel of the Sammy more. But after reading all the reviews I decide that black levels and contrast is most important to me and the panny is slightly better there. Panasonic also seems to have slightly better reliability too based on Consumer Reports data. So for me based on these two factors I got the 800u. I should get it in a couple of days.
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post #10 of 18
2/19/09 at 4:45pm
I can't say about the 58" 800U Panny just yet, I should have mine on Saturday. I currently have the 58" Samsung 650 and while I will whole-heartedly admit it has a very nice picture with a lot of pop to it, the banding issue that a lot of Sammy owners are experiencing is causing me to switch this set out and give the Panasonic a whirl.

I first noticed it on the DTV grid guide and I was fine with that, I mean who really cares if you have a few lines on the grid? When it started invading my normal viewing and even shows when you have the Sammy menu on screen that was enough for me to say I need to try the Panny. If I find the Panasonic provides an inferior picture to the Sammy I won't hesitate to switch back and live with the banding but I want to see them both for myself in my home and not in the store under blazing mode.
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post #11 of 18
2/19/09 at 5:08pm
I had a 50 sammy here to try, I got rid of it. Banding as stated above and I had pink blotches on the whites. Both common problems with the sammy's. I have a 58" 800U on the way..............
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post #12 of 18
2/19/09 at 10:14pm
I have a 58PZ850U, 1500 hours and a full calibration later and the PQ is stunning.

Go with the 850, far more tweakable, and yes the colors do pop as compared to my friends 800.
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post #13 of 18
2/19/09 at 10:56pm
I've had the 58PZ800U since Saturday and am very pleased with the picture quality. Looks great from my primary seating position about 9.5 feet back. Good information on the users thread for tweaking user menu and service menu settings (check out daMaster's helpful posts).

I, too, was on the 50" Kuro vs. 58" 800U/850U fence before deciding in favor of the additional screen size.

I went with the 800U because the price premium for the 850U seemed to be all about Viera Cast, web-enabled features that 1) interested me not at all and 2) seemed to duplicate a better feature set offered by Blu-Ray players from Samsung, LG and more to come.

Seriously, streaming video and all that is a cool idea, but with what seems to be a format war waiting to happen (AppleTV, Roku, Amazon on Demand, Netflix) I don't see any point on paying to web-enable a $2000-plus display that's going to last 10 years when there are so many cheaper options for getting in on this fast-moving technology.
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post #14 of 18
2/19/09 at 11:22pm
I was just in a store today and I'm getting a Samsung. I wanted the 58" but budget allowed a 50". The Panasonic looked good but to my eye the Samsung was better. Of course I would have liked a Pioneer but I do have bills to pay.

Not to steal the thread but what is this banding people mentioned? I did a search but all I could find talked about DLP TVs and banding.
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post #15 of 18
2/20/09 at 8:39am
Quote:
Originally Posted by sbrown712 View Post

I was just in a store today and I'm getting a Samsung. I wanted the 58" but budget allowed a 50". The Panasonic looked good but to my eye the Samsung was better. Of course I would have liked a Pioneer but I do have bills to pay.

Not to steal the thread but what is this banding people mentioned? I did a search but all I could find talked about DLP TVs and banding.

Good choice, you will NOT be disappointed with the sammy. [IMG]http://************************************/img/2464/i09b0128lrvx/smile.gif[/IMG]
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post #16 of 18
2/20/09 at 11:57am
Quote:
Originally Posted by emelioestaves View Post

Ok guys, I know there are a lot of threads on this but i wanted to start a new one to get some more open feedback, rather than just people leaning towards one brand or another.

I am looking to buy a new 58" plasma very soon. The price differences in these models isn't as big as you would think looking at retail since I do get a discount working at BB so price is not the only factor. With that said there still is a price difference and I am wondering if one set stands out as better.
Here are my choices:

Panasonic 58pz800u
Panasonic 58pz850u
Samsung 58a650
Samsung 58a760

Now I would LOVE to go with a 60" Pioneer Kuro or Kuro Elite, but even with discount those are still significantly more than the others, though well below retail. I have however though about going down the one of the more affordable Pioneer 50" just to have the better quality but is it really worth it. I sit about 10 ft back and I know 50" is plenty for that, but 58" or 60" would be awesome! I am also thinking about the future and if I am ever further back 50" might not be so nice.

Any and all advice would be very helpful and if anyone really thinks the quality is so much better on the pioneers that it justifies loosing the 8 inches.

Also, I am mainly concerned with picture quality, not so much with the interactive features as I have enough things hooked up to my system to negate that need.

THANKS!

I'd go with either Panny. From conversations, it appears the 850 does have a slight color advantage, but the 800U is a fine display. Right now both of these are heavily discounted online. I've had a Sammy and wasn't happy with it. My friend is a manager at Magnolia and he said the Sammy has the highest return rate and reliability is a big problem. I've never had any problems with my Panny Plasma and it's 2 years old now. I'm looking to get an 09 model Panny.

Even if you get a discount, you should look at some online deals. My local Costco has a 800U and it's very cheap.
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post #17 of 18
2/26/09 at 3:55pm
I have this same dilemma with a slight variation of a VERY bright room. I currently have a 46in. Sony LCD, but it is just too small for the large room. I can't afford a 55" plus LCD, so I'm down to the Samsung 650 vs. the Panasonic 800u. Anyone have any comments in terms of glare/reflection between the two sets.
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post #18 of 18
2/26/09 at 4:02pm
Panasonic 800u ^^
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