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Samsung E8000 Series - Is There Alternative for Less $$

post #1 of 29
6/10/12 at 4:55pm
Thread Starter 
Today i had the chance to see a 51" plasma in the Samsung E8000 Series. We randomly got to check it out at a friends house. It got me thinking.

My first flat screen (Samsung UN55C7000) purchase was an LED in my living room, which has many windows that would be reflective. We are now finishing the basement and I was going to get an LED because we love ours but this plasma blew me away. I believe there will be much better control of light in my basement and I might be able to go plasma.

I always thought I'd be able to save some $ going plasma but the one that I saw today costs around $1600 - I think it was the PN51E8000GFXZA. Since I haven't shopped for plasma and have never owned one, I'm wondering if I have to send $1600 to get the same quality I saw today.

When I saw the plasma today I though - YES! Maybe I can get 55 or larger and save a few bucks! Is this possible?

Thanks in advance for your time!
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post #2 of 29
6/10/12 at 5:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Basements View Post

Today i had the chance to see a 51" plasma in the Samsung E8000 Series. We randomly got to check it out at a friends house. It got me thinking. My first flat screen (Samsung UN55C7000) purchase was an LED in my living room, which has many windows that would be reflective. We are now finishing the basement and I was going to get an LED because we love ours but this plasma blew me away. I believe there will be much better control of light in my basement and I might be able to go plasma.
The good mid-to-high end Panasonic Plasmas (ST50/GT50/VT50) and Samsung (E6500/E7000/E8000) Plasmas all have very good Anti-Reflective Filters that hold up very well in high ambient light. There's no need to hide them in a dark basement. Actually, most of the better LED LCD TVs do not have an AR Filter and are more reflective and more mirror-like than the Plasmas i've listed above, especially during dark scenes where the glossy reflective screen turns into a dark mirror. The AR Filters do a good job of rejecting light and softening reflections.

If you don't mind a glossy reflective LED-like screen and don't really want or need an AR Filter, look into the lower-end Panasonic UT50 series and Samsung E550 series as these do not have an AR Filter like the higher-end models, but still have better picture quality than the LED LCDs.



Quote:
I always thought I'd be able to save some $ going plasma but the one that I saw today costs around $1600 - I think it was the PN51E8000GFXZA. Since I haven't shopped for plasma and have never owned one, I'm wondering if I have to send $1600 to get the same quality I saw today. When I saw the plasma today I though - YES! Maybe I can get 55 or larger and save a few bucks! Is this possible?
You can find the 55" TC-P55ST50 for a few hundred $ less than what your friend paid for that smaller (but higher end) 51" E8000, and a 60 incher for a little more than $1,600. The overall picture quality on the ST50 series is somewhat comparable to the E8000 but the ST50 has substantially better black levels and contrast, and the screen can be adjusted brighter.
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post #3 of 29
6/10/12 at 5:59pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by RandyWalters View Post

The good mid-to-high end Panasonic Plasmas (ST50/GT50/VT50) and Samsung (E6500/E7000/E8000) Plasmas all have very good Anti-Reflective Filters that hold up very well in high ambient light. There's no need to hide them in a dark basement. Actually, most of the better LED LCD TVs do not have an AR Filter and are more reflective and more mirror-like than the Plasmas i've listed above, especially during dark scenes where the glossy reflective screen turns into a dark mirror. The AR Filters do a good job of rejecting light and softening reflections.
If you don't mind a glossy reflective LED-like screen and don't really want or need an AR Filter, look into the lower-end Panasonic UT50 series and Samsung E550 series as these do not have an AR Filter like the higher-end models, but still have better picture quality than the LED LCDs.
You can find the 55" TC-P55ST50 for a few hundred $ less than what your friend paid for that smaller (but higher end) 51" E8000, and a 60 incher for a little more than $1,600. The overall picture quality on the ST50 series is somewhat comparable to the E8000 but the ST50 has substantially better black levels and contrast, and the screen can be adjusted brighter.

Thanks for the great information! Looks like the ST50 would be the winner. I'm still kid of torn as I can LED refurbishes for less. They make it too confusing..... Especially since the have 58" Samsung PN58C8000 Refurbs for $1299.

Somebody make up my mind for me please!
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post #4 of 29
6/10/12 at 6:24pm
Thread Starter 
The Samsung PN60E550****** 60" comes in at $1,399.99
The TC-P55ST50 comes in at $1,549.99

Will both be higher quality than my LED Samsung UN55C700?

How much is the quality difference between the 2? Will the ST50 have much less glare?

Thanks again!
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post #5 of 29
6/10/12 at 6:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Basements View Post

The Samsung PN60E550****** 60" comes in at $1,399.99, The TC-P55ST50 comes in at $1,549.99

Will both be higher quality than my LED Samsung UN55C700?
How much is the quality difference between the 2? Will the ST50 have much less glare?
Both should beat a UNC7000 as well as all of Samsung's current LED LCD TVs in pretty much all picture quality categories. Plasma just looks better, and for less money too. The ST50 has a lot less glare than the E550 since the E550 doesn't have an AR Filter so these shouldn't be grouped together.

The PNE550 would be more comparable to the UT50 (since neither has an AR Filter), but the UT50 looks better. A 55UT50 is about $1,250, and a 60 incher is about $1,600.

The E6500 or E7000 would be comparable to the ST50 series (all have nice AR Filters), but the ST50 looks better. The ST50 has a Pro Settings menu with more picture settings where the UT50 does not, so that along with the AR Filter would make me choose an ST50. The UT50 is a good TV, but those two features are a must for me so personally i'd go for the ST50. YMMV of course.
Edited by RandyWalters - 6/10/12 at 6:56pm
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post #6 of 29
6/10/12 at 7:21pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by RandyWalters View Post

Both should beat a UNC7000 as well as all of Samsung's current LED LCD TVs in pretty much all picture quality categories. Plasma just looks better, and for less money too. The ST50 has a lot less glare than the E550 since the E550 doesn't have an AR Filter so these shouldn't be grouped together.
The PNE550 would be more comparable to the UT50 (since neither has an AR Filter), but the UT50 looks better. A 55UT50 is about $1,250, and a 60 incher is about $1,600.
The E6500 or E7000 would be comparable to the ST50 series (all have nice AR Filters), but the ST50 looks better. The ST50 has a Pro Settings menu with more picture settings where the UT50 does not, so that along with the AR Filter would make me choose an ST50. The UT50 is a good TV, but those two features are a must for me so personally i'd go for the ST50. YMMV of course.

Right now it's UT vs ST...I'll go have a look at them this week. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
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post #7 of 29
6/10/12 at 7:22pm
This has helped me sort out the 2012 models:

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-33199_7-57368909-221/2012-tvs-every-new-hdtv-compared/
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post #8 of 29
6/10/12 at 7:34pm
^thanks for that kehakas. currently in the market as well.
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post #9 of 29
6/10/12 at 7:37pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Basements View Post

Right now it's UT vs ST...I'll go have a look at them this week....
Don't put too much stock in how they look in the store - Plasma's usually don't look very good in that environment and aren't set up or adjusted very well.

Also, the ST50 has 3 HDMI inputs vs 2 for the UT50 if that's important to you (as it is to me).
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post #10 of 29
6/12/12 at 12:09pm
Something else to keep in mind is the DSE on the ST50. I've seen numerous reports of vertical lines and DSE on ST,GT and even VT models. I have it on my ST50 and either it's getting worse or I'm just seeing it more. I have an exchange coming from Amazon to try and get one with less DSE, but if not I think I'll be moving back to Samsung. The 2012 Samsung sets have also proven very resistant to IR, as seen by CNET's "accidental" burn in test.
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post #11 of 29
6/12/12 at 2:53pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by deathrattlehead View Post

Something else to keep in mind is the DSE on the ST50. I've seen numerous reports of vertical lines and DSE on ST,GT and even VT models. I have it on my ST50 and either it's getting worse or I'm just seeing it more. I have an exchange coming from Amazon to try and get one with less DSE, but if not I think I'll be moving back to Samsung. The 2012 Samsung sets have also proven very resistant to IR, as seen by CNET's "accidental" burn in test.

I can attest to this! Many a night falling asleep with the stupid Netflix logo on my damn tv!!
With NO after affects... Even the wife was surprised! smile.gif
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post #12 of 29
6/12/12 at 2:59pm
I would choose between the E6500 and ST50... both are incredible values that offer performance close to their respective flagship models for a fraction of the price. Of course you lose out on some features/inputs and styling. Debating between these two models myself. The ST50 is brighter and has better black levels whereas the E6500 comes with glasses, seems to be a bit cheaper, and if the Cnet article is anything to go by, is less susceptible to image retention.
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post #13 of 29
6/12/12 at 6:03pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by rahzel View Post

I would choose between the E6500 and ST50... both are incredible values that offer performance close to their respective flagship models for a fraction of the price. Of course you lose out on some features/inputs and styling. Debating between these two models myself. The ST50 is brighter and has better black levels whereas the E6500 comes with glasses, seems to be a bit cheaper, and if the Cnet article is anything to go by, is less susceptible to image retention.

Any chance you can post a link to a E6500? I'm having trouble finding one and want to see the pricing.

Thanks!
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post #14 of 29
6/12/12 at 6:16pm
Here's a link to the 51" on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-PN51E6500-51-Inch-1080p-Plasma/dp/B0077ST68U/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1339550010&sr=8-3&keywords=e6500

Here is the Cnet review.

http://reviews.cnet.com/flat-panel-tvs/samsung-pn60e6500/4505-6482_7-35159642.html?tag=rvwBody;paginate
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post #15 of 29
6/12/12 at 6:43pm
Nm about being cheaper.... at least here in Canada the E6500 is a bit cheaper than the ST50.
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post #16 of 29
8/1/12 at 7:27am
I see this is a bit more than a month old, but I've been going through the same process. I've pretty much decided on a 55" ST50, but I was wondering how 3D compared between the Samsung and Panasonic? I was reading on LCD/Plasma TVBuyingguide.com when they did their review of the VT25 and C8000, I know those are a couple years old, but they gave their recommendation for the Samsung because it has less saturation, thus making it easier to calibrate. Would anyone recommend an E8000 over an ST50? My original plan was to get a 50" Panasonic, but I've heard good things about Samsung this year. The only reason I chose the 55" ST50 for the top of my list right now is because Best Buy carries that model in the store and would have to order a 50 inch.
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post #17 of 29
8/1/12 at 8:33am
Samsung was #1 on my shopping list for a long time but my local authorized repair center for multiple brands turned me off of them. He said that Samsung was far and away his #1 brand in need of repair but tempered that with the statement that their E series seems have fewer problems than the lower tier models. Take that for what it's worth.
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post #18 of 29
8/1/12 at 8:35am
Thanks, do/did you own a plasma? What did you choose?
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post #19 of 29
8/1/12 at 8:52am
Thanks for the great information! Looks like the ST50 would be the winner.i want to get it .how much ? 20.jpg
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post #20 of 29
8/1/12 at 8:59am
I went with a hit to black levels but in favor of reliability and picked up an LG. Although, the black levels (to me) are completely acceptable and I am still on break in so I haven't tweaked anything yet.

The service guy said that LG and Toshiba have the least amount of repair claims with him by a large margin but the sound on the new Toshiba units is extremely lacking. I don't suppose that is an issue if you have additional audio equipment, however.
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post #21 of 29
8/1/12 at 9:35am
Have E8000. Blacks not as deep as the ST/GT series in a dark room but colours and pop just as good. Would recommend plasma over LCD offerings from LG and Toshiba. The advantage of the E8000 over the ST50 is the extras. ie camera, voice command, etc. Don't think you can go wrong with either choice.
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post #22 of 29
8/1/12 at 11:41am
Quote:
Originally Posted by swillis55 View Post

Have E8000. Blacks not as deep as the ST/GT series in a dark room but colours and pop just as good. Would recommend plasma over LCD offerings from LG and Toshiba. The advantage of the E8000 over the ST50 is the extras. ie camera, voice command, etc. Don't think you can go wrong with either choice.

True but on the upside the E8000 has no image retention issues
and does not need any baby sitting or break-in slides, etc.
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post #23 of 29
8/1/12 at 12:01pm
Does the E8000 have better 3D or are they equal? Although no IR is a good selling point. The Pansy is more efficient though.
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post #24 of 29
8/1/12 at 12:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Drahthaar View Post

Samsung was #1 on my shopping list for a long time but my local authorized repair center for multiple brands turned me off of them. He said that Samsung was far and away his #1 brand in need of repair but tempered that with the statement that their E series seems have fewer problems than the lower tier models. Take that for what it's worth.

This seems a bit silly to me.

I'd guess that Samsung is (by a fair margin) the most widely sold brand of TV on the market right now. Combining their LCD/LED and Plasma sales I can't imagine another brand comes ahead of them in the amount of HD sets in peoples homes nowadays.

Seems reasonable to me that this might account for your repair guy seeing more Samsungs than other brands. They've certainly had their issues - but so have most other manufacturers and mid to high end Samsung plasmas are some of the best TV's on the market right now.
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post #25 of 29
8/1/12 at 2:58pm
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Originally Posted by JMUdukes07 View Post

This seems a bit silly to me.
I'd guess that Samsung is (by a fair margin) the most widely sold brand of TV on the market right now. Combining their LCD/LED and Plasma sales I can't imagine another brand comes ahead of them in the amount of HD sets in peoples homes nowadays.
Seems reasonable to me that this might account for your repair guy seeing more Samsungs than other brands. They've certainly had their issues - but so have most other manufacturers and mid to high end Samsung plasmas are some of the best TV's on the market right now.

He said that the E series seemed to have fewer problems and I did consider the idea of a sales volume mismatch... but not the exponential mismatch that he stated. He gave me exact numbers from the last 3 years and it was extremely disproportionate. I can't remember what they were myself. He stated that he had gotten bored and curious just a week or two prior and compiled his records to see how the manufacturers rated. That's why he could spit out exact numbers.

I also have 2 friends who's Samsung sets had to be worked on before being 2 years old.

As I said, take it for what it's worth. It's just what I was told by someone that wasn't trying to sell me a television.
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post #26 of 29
8/1/12 at 3:07pm
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Originally Posted by anikun07 View Post

Does the E8000 have better 3D or are they equal? Although no IR is a good selling point. The Pansy is more efficient though.

I don't have an opinion as I don't watch 3D. Depending on the review you read, it may be better, it may be worse than the Panny. I guess equal would be fair, at the very least.
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post #27 of 29
8/1/12 at 5:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by anikun07 View Post

Does the E8000 have better 3D or are they equal? Although no IR is a good selling point. The Pansy is more efficient though.

3D is much better on the Samsung, plus the glasses are free.

CD
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post #28 of 29
8/2/12 at 4:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Drahthaar View Post

He said that the E series seemed to have fewer problems and I did consider the idea of a sales volume mismatch... but not the exponential mismatch that he stated. He gave me exact numbers from the last 3 years and it was extremely disproportionate. I can't remember what they were myself. He stated that he had gotten bored and curious just a week or two prior and compiled his records to see how the manufacturers rated. That's why he could spit out exact numbers.
I also have 2 friends who's Samsung sets had to be worked on before being 2 years old.
As I said, take it for what it's worth. It's just what I was told by someone that wasn't trying to sell me a television.

Samsung got some bad capacitors from a supplier and have had to fix a lot of certain LCD models that used them.

They are repairing all of them even though they are out of warranty.

Samsung has the best customer service of the majors. People complain about things inherant to the TV enough and Samsung eventually will take the set back.

Nobody else does this.
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post #29 of 29
11/12/12 at 7:25pm
How is the web browser on the Panasonics? I plan to do a lot of surfing (using a keyboard) and I'd like to hear which is better in this regard... Panasonic or Samsung?
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