St50 vs gt50 vs. vt50

Just wondering what is the best 42" among these that would actually be released in the US?

If you live in the US, the VT50 is not available under 55". The ST50 is really a great deal, i don't think i'd pay the extra for the gt50.


None of these will be available in 42". The only 42" 1080p Plasma TV i know of, and is already discontinued/difficult to find, is the UT50. Amazon may have some left.

I've seen the 42ut50 in more places than just Amazon. J&R, B&H photo, Beach Camera. Seems I've seen it a few other places. All above say in stock. For some reason I seem to find it when searching for Samsung plasmas. Samsung also had a 43e550 listed (TBD) but seem to find little info on it. I'm guessing that Samsung may back out of the 43e550 if Panasonic has discontinued the 42ut50.

I know its still early, but I believe all three models have been reviewed (St50, Gt50, Vt50). Is there any consensus regarding PQ both 3D and 2D? In other words, is there any significant difference PQ wise to justify buying the higher end models GT50, VT50 over the ST50?

Thanks

I didn't know that there was a gt50 review. Point me in the right direction please.

I recently purchased a the 50" UT50 and love it! So what it doesn't have the Infinite Pro Black Panel, I can control the lighting in my home. PQ is amazing with all the deep blacks, fantastic colors and features I need (Netflix, Amazon Instant Video & DLNA). For under a grand at Best Buy, perfect!

Check Best Buy (if you have one in your area). The one by me had the 42" ST30.

Where is the gt50 review?

Uk site and model:

http://www.avforums.com/reviews/Pana...87/Review.html

They've been throwing in a free Bluray player with that $999 50" purchase this week, so that UT50 may be a nice choice as well if you can control glare. But the ST50 adds the black filter if needed, so may be the best overall bang for the buck this year, especially if it goes down to $899-$999 like the 50ST30 did last year.

Having viewed it at BB, I don't see why anyone who can afford an ST50 would buy the UT50.

Your eyes are better than mine. In a store environment under vivid the ST50 looks about the same as the UT50-- and it in turn looks the same as just about every other scorch mode plasma from LG and samsung under bright warehouse lighting-- which is too say: terrible.

Overhead fluorescent lighting combined with store setting displays running infinite loop schlock makes for an environment impossible to discern quality. Loud and bright rules the roost in a warehouse store. Example: Salesman at my local BB was showing a customer a Bose HT and the salesman's presentation was to turn it up REALLY loud. My point is that until someone tests these things are puts them in their own home NEXT to one another than we'll never really know how far the UT apple falls from the ST branch.

My guess is it's a lot less than many would like to hear.

I agree Sage.

Maybe I saw it differently because it was mounted high up on the wall.

I was able to get the remote and I took the UT50 out of torch mode and couldn't get it to look very much better. Sure there was a little improvement but overall not enough. It just lacks the oomph that the ST50 has.

It's not a bad plasma, but if I can afford the ST50, then the UT just isn't in the ball park.

ST50 vs GT50 vs VT50:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showp...90&postcount=2

I posted this in other topic but the following is the only difference between GT50 and VT50 when it comes to features -

GT50
=============
Infinite Black Pro
24p Cinematic Playback 48 Hz

VT50
=============
Infinite Black Ultra
24p Cinematic Playback 96 Hz/48 Hz
ISFccc (Advanced Calibration)

How much different is the picture on then two units trying to pick one myself

Thank you. I added your info to my post.

I just saw a side by side comparison of the 55" GT50 and VT50 and there was a big difference in the black levels on the VT50, details that were visible on the VT50 were somewhat crushed on the GT50. Having seen both side by side I'm buying the VT50 when the price difference is $500 for the best picture.

Thats definitely false. In a low lit environment they all have very close picture quality,i've seen them all side by side in hifi buys dark show room and the oomph you speak of well the UT50 is the only one that has it. So the statement of them being equal in a dark environment is also false as the UT is brighter. If you can control lighting and don't watch television in a bright room the UT is brighter than the rest but just barely. Also a quote from Mark Hodgkinson avforums hardware reviewer speaking of the UT "Yes, it's a little bit brighter than the 50ST, 50GT and 50VT in its most accurate mode". I do agree though,if you can afford it and your display is going in a bright room i'd go for the ST. I believe dnice even said there is no real benefit getting a GT over an ST. Even the UT has the same 2pt wb control in the service menu as the ST. What really amazes me is the UK model UT has the wb control in the user menu aswell as a 3-axis 3D CMS.

CNET and every site I have come across recommends the ST50 over everything else. They say it beats last years vt30 and is slightly worse than the vt50.

You can delete your post by clicking the little Red X at the lower left.

Do the US ST50 or GT50 versions have 10 point gamma/WB and/or a full CMS as I believe the VT50 does?

Looks like only the GT and VT have 1,080p Pure Direct so I guess if you hook a PC up to it you get 4:2:2 chroma sub-sampling color blurring of reds and blues unless you get at least the GT model then.

Well, looking at the manuals for each online it looks like the ST/GT are stuck with 2 pt only and no CMS system, at least in the User Menu.

Does anyone know if the Service Menu lets you access the 10pt and/or CMS?
I keep reading about people calibrating even the GT, through the service menu then??

No, default 2pt WB in the Service Menu only, in the VT also.
Probably there should be default 10pt WB calibrations, but only accessible with factory external PC/calibration module/program.
So only the expensive VT models have the more advance user (ISF) menu with10pt WB adjustments,CMS etc.

Download the Service Manuals yourself at:
http://elektrotanya.com/panasonic_tc-p55vt30_chassis_gpf14du_sm.pdf/download.html
http://elektrotanya.com
Edited by iBrad - 11/18/12 at 11:55pm