Panasonic VT50 Deals - Page 67

If possible don't mount a TV above a fireplace, it should be as close to eye level as you can get it for comfortable viewing.

Above fireplace may not be perfect, but with a tilt mount, appropriate distance, and comfortable seating it is a great option. I actually prefer my above fireplace mount. Also allows better viewing from other, more extreme parts of the room.

Distance helps reduce the angle you are looking up but the OP was using figures of 7'-8' away from the screen which sounds like a neck ache waiting to happen to me.

I am glad I bought it from BB. I got it for 2599 plus tax.
THe first TV was defective(probably power supply defect) and while the picture was excellent, the set turned off by itself randomly 3 times in the first week. So the Atlanta area BB sent another delivery and the guy helped me set up the TV real fast. Didnt realize the box top just came off without having to cut the tape on the top.
I bought the TV on 12/31/12. Does that mean, once they credit me, the silver elite goes into effect for the 2013 calendar year?

I was going to do the price match for 2499, but looks like from this thread, Paul's TV deal is off.
How do followup price matches work at BB? Do we go to the Magnolia Department again and ask for a second price match? If they used PAul's TV as the first price match, wll they stick with that same vendor only for the secondary price match to compare? If they hesitate , I might ask i they can compromise by giving me a gift card for the difference.

Took a gamble and directly called Pauls TV customer service and they went ahead and they gave me the $2,504.00 out-the-door, no (CA) tax w/white glove delivery. No coupons, just asked if they'd sell at their previous lowest price. As I live locally to their Irvine, CA corporate warehouse where they just got what I understand is likely their last shipment of VT50 65" Plasmas, I should have it in home in the next few days. I am really stoked I got this baby at the $2500 price range as I really thought I missed the window of opportunity.

Mantar

Hope the TV wasn't just shutting itself off thru the sleep function.

You can try the customer service counter for the price match, I have had good luck there, unless your on good terms with a particular salesman in the store, it will more than likely have to go thru a manager anyway for the price override.

And you can use anybody's add to price match doesn't matter what add you bought it with in the first place, doesn't even matter if you used a add in the first place for that matter.

.

Eric, at first I read your post and found myself disagreeing with you (cause I much prefer the higher, above the fireplace, tv tilted down angle and so do my kids and wife) and then I measured my viewing distance and realized that it is 14-15 feet!!! You are probably right about 8 ft being too close to mount above the fireplace I suppose.......

Do you even own ISF calibration software, and use it yourself, or did you just stay at a Holiday Inn express last week, and pretend a lot?
Do you know how each and every calibrator goes about doing his calibrations? Are you absolutely 100% sure that none of them ever goes into the service menu anymore? No, no you are NOT, you have absolutely way of knowing how each and every calibrator operates while doing a calibration! Although it's not as prevalent as it used to be, there are a few calibrators that will go beyond normal means when they calibrate a set.

Although I do not do it as a profession or a business, unlike you I have owned and used calibration software and hardware for quite a few years. I have even calibrated more than just a few CRT RPTV's back years ago when they were popular, plus Pioneer plasmas, including the Elite models and also enabling the ISF modes on those which would support it. Quite a few Panasonic plasmas, again enabling the ISF mode on many of their applicable models that support it. Over those years I used few different companies calibration software, and they are not all the same. Right now I'm very happy with the CalMan software.

Fact is, enabling ISF modes is similar to a service menu in certain ways, in that you can't just enter either from a simple user adjustment menu. And yes. Enabling ISF is safer to go into than a service menu is. You can mess up a TV real bad in a service menu, not so enabling a ISF calibration mode and saving a DAY/Night settings in there.
Edited by Johnla - 1/26/13 at 8:33pm

Seriously dude? Chill the F out. I'm talking about the VT50 and opening ISF modes with ControlCal. I know what I'm talking about and "similar" yes, but it does not require going into the service menu. I'm a nice guy and I believe I contribute to this forum. No need to get nasty.

Okay, I need some help and opinions:

I walked into Bestbuy on Monday, looking to purchase a 65VT50 at the Paul's TV price match (We have them local here in Denver), but they had a open box 65VT50 for offer. So after a few minutes, I was able to talk BB down to $1999! So I got the TV and had it delivered.

Now here's the issue... I have a DVD menu Image Retention (IR) or Burn in on the screen. Looking at the service menus once it was delivered the TV has 350 hours on it, but they assured me it was a customer return. I'm running the white bar wipe from the service menu, and the image is fading some, but it's been running for 2 days. Now for IR/Burn in, is there a point of no return, where I should just return/exchange the set? I can now see the image on White, Grey, and Green screens. It's not visible on Blue and Red screens. So I currently only notice it on white screens... it's visible watching a hockey game or that Red Bull Crashed Ice thing or the Winter X-Games from today. Watching Basketball with the wood floor it's not visible. We'll see how Football looks on the TV tomorrow. I have the full 30 day return policy, so I can let the white bar run for a good while longer before having to make the decision to purchase a protection plan to get the TV replaced, or just return it for a refund.

For those price matchers in this thread, I asked the clerk how much the open box TV was off the New TV price ($2699 vs $2899). She said about 10%. I then explained that I can purchase the TV new for $2499 (Paul's TV) with no Tax so BB would have to match about $2280 for the 65VT50, which BB would also price match, so what would that make the open box TV? They came back with $1999.99.

So was this deal too good to be true? Or can I restore this screen to it's original glory and be sitting on an amazing deal?

My salesman at Paul's rocks. He held the price for me and I got it at $2,504 including tax and white glove delivery.

Dear Best Buy - Go *#*#)@) yourself !

Dear AVS Forums: I love you !


Peace -CC

Got my 65VT delivered this morning from BB, delivery window was 7-9am, they were at my door at 0645 Coming from a ES7100 60",,,,the sharpness is not there but the colors are wayyy accurate and faces look non-animated, almost as reflective as ES7100, and I have 2 walls made outa windows, one covered with white curtains.
Planning to mix content up...from my reading running slides is not necessary if I can mix things up, right?
Overall, happy so far with delivery service and 2449 price

BB online has the 55VT for 1,600 today.

ravneet,

I am in the going to pull the trigger on a 55VT50 today but am still a little torn about the es7100 and the 55GT50. When you say the sharpness is not there do you think that is what causes the animated look? Any other regrets. Plus, if you don't mind me asking, why the VT and not the GT?

Thanks,
Tom

Tom,
Sharpness is not there when I go to the "guide" on Dish, I can see the text is not crisp, but thats a big positive in actually watching the tv with faces that used to look animated with ES7100. The picture doesnt pop out that much as it does in E7100, but is more realistic. The ES7100 seemed to over-process things while VT is more theatrical. Animated pictures looked better on ES7100 but everything else looks better on VT. The VT picture is less tiring to eyes as its less bright atleast in the THX Cinema mode. THX bright mode is brighter but I wont run it before breakin.

Also, major difference in blacks,,,,ES seemed to completely black out teh blacks, while in VT I can actually see the Gradients and different levels of black. That's another plus.

Why GT? I wanted a 65", and GT right now is priced at 22-2300, VT is 100-200 more, and I have a fairly bright room with 2 walla made of windows from floor to ceiling, VT has a better ambient light filter as per the specs, so I went with VT. If u have a darker room I wud suggest going with ST which is way cheaper than GT and VT, pic quality is as good as GT, only thing missing are the THX modes, which u can custom set using AVS settings. Hope this helps.

ravneet,

Your response is a great help. My living room has two south facing windows and one west and is well lit by sunlight in the day, but not overly or direct on the screen. I have a 10 yo and a 7 yo so I wanted a glass front for minor screen protection which was another reason I wanted to go with Plasma. The only other option was the Sony kdl55hx850, but that set hovers around 2k. BTW will be getting mt VT from Amazon for 1600,

Sorry to everyone else for getting off subject.

Thanks again for your response,
Tom

Good choice...since the 850 55" is sold out everywhere that is authorized to sell

Hmmm...I did not knew that glass cud offer extra protection, thats another reason now I am glad I bought this coz I have a 5 mo growing out of control
Thanks for the info!

Whelp. Not only did it take a few calls back and forth with Paul's TV to get them to honor their online price, they totally lied to me about white glove delivery. When it came in, all the guys there said they had approval for was a drop off delivery. Now, I'm fine pulling stuff out of boxes and assembling it on my own. But I'm not fine with it whenever white glove was promised to me as part of the deal.

So just be aware of this if you order from Paul's TV. Get everything emailed or faxed or otherwise in writing before you pull the trigger.
Edited by plik - 1/27/13 at 3:19pm

I just got Best Buy to price match the Adorama flier price of $2399 with no problem.

Just picked up a 65vt50 from Paul's for $2,499. I asked if they'd honor the price in the online chat, the salesmen Omar said "sure", gave me a call, and the whole thing was done in five minutes. Very nice guy. He did the normal upsale list offering everything from Surge Protectors to HDMI cables, but immediately moved on without pushing when I declined each item. (He was just doing his job, so I can't complain for a second. Some guys REALLY push this stuff to make up for the small margins in TVs.) I'm happy with this price given that I never had to leave my couch. (Literally) I live in NYC, so I think this was cheaper than the Adorama deal would have been with tax. I guess it's time to go buy some glasses. I'm not sure if this thread saved me $800, or cost me $2,500. I have to think about that one for awhile. Thanks, guys.

Looks like I missed out on the Amazon deal, so Ill be trolling for the next low price on the 55vt50. Thanks to all for posting the deals and info.

Tom

I got bb to match the $2399 price from btt. I got the 65inch upgraded from 52inch Sony LCD. Anyone think 65 is too big for 13x13 bedroom, wall mounted? It where I primarily watch tv and game.

Here's a photo. Any thoughts?

From the picture it looks like you have enough distance, assuming you are going to be watching it mostly sitting in bed with your back against the headboard or wall. I think you'll be fine.

can never be too big, enjoy

on another note, jealous of you guys that got BB to match the 2399. I may try again tomorrow for kicks on the way back from work, but not optimistic

Best Buy now has $1599.

Omar is the same guy who got me that price on the 65VT50 yesterday over the phone.

One bb only came down to $2650. They said btt is not a legit site. I purchased and went to another bb with my receipt and they gave me back $270. They matched the $2399 price. All depends on the manager.

Thanks for the info I am trying to find a link so I can get Amazon to PM. First timer with the PM stuff.