Considering a 55"+ Plasma TV -- but which one to get?

In terms of sheer value, I'm EXTREMELY happy with my PN59D7000. You can find very good deals on it, and get the Samsung 3D starter kit. Def a good starting point.

The Panasonic V30 and Samsung D8000 are considered the best (post Kuro). Many here prefer the Panny, and many others prefer the Sammy. According to CNET, they are close, with the slight edge for PQ going to Panny (but at a higher price). There are dedicated threads on both to read up on.

After spending a full year researching HDTVs, I decided on a Panasonic plasma. I have had my Panny TC-P58VT25 for over a year now. I've never seen anything else that can touch it. I get raves from everyone who sees it, whether in 2D or 3D. IMHO, you absolutely cannot find a better HDTV than Panasonic.

Well, you didn't state a budget. In that case, the Panny ST30.

The ST30 is a much better bargain if you don't need the extra features of the GT30, or if those extra features aren't personally worth the extra cost to you. The ST30's picture quality is virtually identical to the GT30, but a few calibrators have stated that the GT30 has slightly better black levels.



How many HDMI sources do you have? I have four but my TV only has three HDMI inputs so i had to run two of those sources through my AVR then on to the 3rd port on my TV, but the problem is that now those two sources have to share the same picture settings on that one input. Having four separate HDMI inputs would benefit me greatly. Some people have 5 or more HDMI sources, and some only have one or two. How many do you have? How many do you plan to have in the future?



It's more than just two things.....

THX mode
4 HDMI inputs
A PC input
3 USB inputs
Thinner Cabinet
Narrower, more attractive bezel
Reportedly slightly better black levels

Blu-ray player and game systems mostly, possibly a HTPC if you get a TV without a PC input. I have a ST30 and could have used the 4 HDMI with the PC input of the GT30 since my receiver does not support 3D but other than that the ST30 is a great bang for the buck.

i purchased the samsung 59D6500 (in your $1600-$1700 range) and absolutely love it. the colors are gorgeous and the extra 4 inches is very noticeable. blacks are starting to settle down (after break-in) and it's reaffirming my choice as this is a spectacular set.

One vote to Panasonic st30. Really cheap on Amazon right now.

I vote for the Samsung PN59D6500.

I have 4: BluRay player, HD-DVD player, upscaling universal DVD player, and cable box.

hey u guys

in terms of 'bang for buck' (well maybe not bang for buck, but like, the better buy?), could someone do a quick rundown comparison between the GT30, ST30, and D6500? not looking for 'favorites' either..
whatabout the VT25? where would that come in?

main usage would be HTPC setup (so movies n gaming). i do appreciate color accuracy and black levels, as well as reliability/durability.

no price discussion, but the ST30 is on a great deal right now at Bestbuy..which is the reason for my question =]

60ST30 can be had for under $1500 right now. that's 5 inches more of screen and same picture quality (just thicker bezel).

Hi guys,

I am researching 55" TVs (as that's the biggest that will fit between my two book shelves) and started off in LED LCD land with Samsungs, then based on my requirements, have moved to Plasmas.

My basic requirement is that I game a lot; I will have a 360, PS3, Wii, and PS2 hooked up to this via my Onkyo receiver. We watch Netflix and Blu-Rays a lot, so having to switch Game mode on/off is a chore and I'd love to avoid it. This means input lag is my top concern followed by PQ and it seems the ST30 delivers an awesome lag-free experience even without Game mode on.

The GT30 looks enticing also, but the price point on Amazon currently for the ST30 is much more appealing.

I currently own a REGZA 42" 42RV530U and I like it a lot (for what I got it, $1k 3 years ago). I don't notice any input lag when playing Halo (I don't enable Game Mode), so even if my new TV had a comparable input lag, I'd probably still be happy. The picture, to my untrained eyes, seems very good but I've started noticing some flashlighting in the top right corner. Overall, I'm still happy with the set.

Are there any other TVs (LED, Plasma, LCD) that I should still consider besides the ST30 or GT30 at a sub-$1600 price point? I feel like I've almost reached the end of my search unless there are some hidden gems I've missed.

just ordered the panasonic 55gt30 from amazon at a ridiculous low price. fullfilled by them too!

Panny 110 (wired), 210 (WiFi), or 310 (dual HDMI outs), depending on the features you need (they have the exact same PQ).

anyone else see it jump 200$ in 1 hr.

I got my 59D7000 for 1720 off amazon a little over a week ago...

I am looking for a 50" - 55" and will be using it connected to my HTPC for movies and TV. I am willing to spend no more than $2000 - 2200 for the set and am looking for the best quality set I can get. I am willing to pay the high range of my budget if it is substantially better quality than a much cheaper model.

Even though I will be using this in the dark 85% of the time I would prefer something that will minimize glare/reflections for the times there is light. In another thread I was recommended the PN59D7000. I think 59 is too big so perhaps the PN51D7000 if it performs the same? I heard the smaller models don't have the same blacks for the Samsung. How does that compare to the ST/GT30? Also, how is the buzzing on all these sets? I am trying to minimize that if possible.

I ended up going to Sears to check out the ST30. I liked what I saw and they price matched to Best Buy at $1,187. So all I paid for was the tax, so $1,228. They tried to sell me the $400 3-yr protection agreement but I didn't buy it. Another member on AVS gave some good reasons why it probably isn't the best idea (i.e. most TVs fail within the first year, so should be covered by warranty, when they do eventually fail, you may as well buy a better TV for the money you paid for the agreement, etc.).

It definitely needs some configuration. There are a few things I've noticed which probably are plasma-specific:

• I was using my Xbox accidentally on 1080i, there was a lot of horizontal interlacing bleeding in high-motion scenes or even using the 360 menu. After I changed it to 1080p, it went away.
• I think this is common to plasmas, but if you are close you can notice "noise" when images are moving. I believe if you're the standard distance away from a 55" you shouldn't notice it but for now my apartment is small and I do notice it. I'm not knocking it for that, though, as I'm not the standard distance away I should be.
• There is ghosting on the 360 menu which is noticeable with the dark icons on the white background of the tiles. I'm not very happy about that!

I am in the same boat. I am leaning towards a 55" Plasma for my bedroom, but also thinking the 55" may be slightly too large and I should go with a 50".

The big issue for me is viewing distance since I have several spots I watch from and it ranges from 6-12 feet away. I watch from my desk which is 6-7 feet from where the TV will be. I also watch from my bed which is about 12 feet and also sometimes from the foot of the bed which is around 6-7 feet. I have a high bed so the TV will probably sit on a media chest or piece of furniture that is around 40"+ high.

I am just afraid with a 55-58" on a high platform it will be uncomfortable to watch due to the size and height.

I just got a 51" for my bedroom @ 9.5 feet and I think it is JUST the right size.

st30 is the best bang for the buck the pq is awesome