UN55B8500 No longer top dog

You have only been beaten for a undetermined amount of time. Once the black level rises on the panasonic plasma (which it will because thats how the set is designed) most other sets will will be better than it for image quality. black level of .024 when its done rising will give the set the worst black level on the market. Worse than an insignia piece of crap.

So if i were you I wouldnt worry. Though acccording to CNET the xbr8 is better than the 8500 and is better than a kro if you dont need wide view angle. So I guess your still number 2

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I doubt the set will rise 10x the original black level.

They rise three times and the black level of that set is .006. .006x3 is .024. Model year 08 and 09 rose from .008 to between .024 and .030

I haven't seen a plasma that can beat my A950, regardless of what the reviewers say

Why don't you post this in the plasma forum, more specifically the Panasonic forum.

You dont have to see that happen and there isnt anyone here that has put enough hrs on one to have it happen.

It is by design for longevity from panasonic. If you call them theey will tell you this is normal. It has been in design since 06 thru the 2010 sets.

Its not if you it is when. CNET is pouring hrs on the g25 they reviewed to see when it happens.

Yeah right.... You create more threads on the 8500 when there's a dedicated owners' thread already. But hey you've already bought one sold bought another one so I defer to your expertise.

Most people don't care about input lag. If I had agreed with CNET I would have purchased a Kuro. They don't care about a dim picture and yellow-whites but I do

I wish there was a VT20 without 3d capability for a few hundred cheaper

Nope. Black level rise effects all panasonic pllasmas 06 up to and including 2010 sets.

09 sets just suffered the fastest with rise within 300-1000 hrs due to aggresive voltage adjustments.

the voltage adjustments happen on all 06-2010 panny plasmas and do increase the black level just at smaller increments taking longer. There are several 06 and -7 pannys that people posted black level in the .02 to .026 area.

There is no getting around it. It is panasonics patented way of extending life on the set that does this. It is going to happen. Panasonic says so. there is no denying it.

There is more to life than playing video games.

Back in 05 a panny plasma was rated at 60000 hrs. In 06 thru now with thier voltage increasing technology the sets are rated at 100000 hrs.

Thats how the lifespan is increased. Problem is you lose black level by a large margin to acheive this.

The last I read from D-Nice about the rising blacks in 2010 is if you get a set manufactured after April(which includes all the VTs I believe) the voltage adjustment is even less drastic than the early g20s and s2s. His sentiment was that by the time the rising blacks actually bother you, you'll have trashed the set for the latest and greatest.

It's kind of an apples to oranges comparison. The Kuro, as well as other plasmas, are still frequently rated better than the B8500 in terms of black levels/PQ. A more accurate statement would be to say that the B8500 is the best LCD. A lot of people are set on LCDs for the brighter picture, lack of IR concerns, and input lag. All of these still hold true.


Seriously! How many times has he done this now? All of these questions would be much better suited for the owners thread.


There are about 65,000 posts in the plasma forum on this. You spend enough time here, it should not be hard for you to do your own research.

Don't think that's what I was saying at all.

Im considering returning my Samsung UN55C8000 for this, but let me tell you the 3D glasses are horrid. They hurt and fall off your face. I'm mostly worried about 2D though.

The samsung is great for the most part, but has some flashlighting and if you are not straight on to the TV the colors/blacks wash out massively.

Oh what to do...

So which is it?



So which is it?


...and yet you feel the need to start a thread and discuss it further?


Whatever...I guess

why don't we all just show our respects to the current HDTV King... it doesn't matter if it's lcd or plasma, as long as its good... besides all of you who want the lcd/led back on top, CNEt has yet to review the UNC9000...

There is no way that the C9000 will be on top. It's an insanely overpriced, shiny, flimsy edge-lit set. It was clearly not marketed to the crowd concerned with best PQ. It's intended to entice people who are impressed with how thick and shiny the TV is.

It doesn't hold a candle to TVs like the B8500, XBR8, LH90, HX900, or LX9500.

The best bet for dethroning the B8500 in the near term is the HX900 or LX9500 (although I doubt it). A few months later the LG LEX series or Toshiba Cell would have decent chances. Nothing that Samsung has announced for this year will even be in the same ballpark though.