What can we expect from 2013 Panasonic Plasmas? - Page 2

Let's hope the resolve some of the IR issues form 2012 models.

All 2013 TV's will have cheaper material, poorer build quality, lower sales volume, and probably a higher price. The economy dictates this. Get your 2012 TV now.

Agreed. Public knowledge of the benefits of plasma is pitiful.

Michael

Hi,

My guess is that The 2013 Plasmas will be just minor tweaked versions of the current 2012 range (marketing BS aside) but that they will offer a greater & more diverse range of LCD's to counteract the Koreans. They may drop the 42" Plasmas & offer a couple of bigger high end models.

Bazzy!

A tweaked version of 2013 wouldn't be bad considering they are pretty near perfection. The VT50 is lagging slightly behind the 9Gs in black and that is all. If it equals it in 2013 and with better sizes, that seems like a win. Black level is probably the last frontier for these panels.

Not disagreeing with you, Bazzy, just stating that they are so close it's getting toward splitting hairs.

I know this is a little off-topic but how often do people here replace their primary TVs? How many years?

I ask because it seems some here get a new TV every year or two, which I find hard to believe since most TV buyers (not on AVS) stick with their purchases for at least 5 years (on average) and you don't get much money for selling a used TV (even if it's only used for a year or two).

I Bought a Plasma in 2005, 2009, 2012. I think the 2009 purchase was premature.

Man that Kuro Tech, that technology is from the future :P I am just amazed that it hasn't been beat yet. This is something that might not happen for a long long time again, the techniology was ahead of it's time when it came out and it's still on top today.

im a Kuro owner 5010fd and would like to get a 60 inch tv now but not much to choose there from that will blow my 8G kuro calibrated other then a Ellite . price of a 60 Elite is still little high but if it drops under 4K mark i would interested. Any ideas on waht out there that will be a step up upgrade fro my 8G kuro ?

the VT50 is the best plasma you can get this year (and it won the value electronics shootout and got great reviews from CNET)

Hi,

No, you got my point pretty spot on - they probably feel there is really no need to invest a huge amount in R&D (especially considering the dire state of many CE financials) for the 2013 models considering how good the current range is this year & all that is really needed is to just tweak any minor issues that may exist from feedback they have received so far. I do think they will drop the 42" plasmas though & offer LCD in that sort of size instead. Also, I expect them to offer fully passive 3D LCDs instead of active to keep costs down & compete with others.

Bazzy!

Why a 9G Kuro of course! Grab a used 500m or 101, you won't regret it. Mine is a joy to watch.

I was at Best Buy Magnolia the other day and the only thing that comes close is the Sharp Elite. Not the Panny VT, and definitely not the Samsung. The Sharp has a great picture but I saw glowing around the text during the green movie preview screens. The size is impressive of course but the pq is just not there. It's very good, just different than and slightly inferior to the plasma Elites.

The guy said they'd be getting oleds within a few months. I put my money on that tech being the real Kuro killer.

I currently own a Pioneer 500m and Panasonic 65VT50. I have to say, a calibrated VT50 comes extremely close to the 9G Kuro. The only thing it lacks is the same black level but to be honest, it is practically impossible to tell the difference without them being side by side. I can tell the difference between my 500m (9.5G tech) and 65VT50 without them being side by side (I have always compared them side by side.. see VT50 thread) but the difference is not significant.

Without nitpicking little issues (lets just look at the big categories)... In a nut shell, the VT50 is really only behind in terms of black level, while the Sharp Elite lags behind in color and motion. The difference between the Kuro and VT50 black level is not as large as the difference in the Sharp Elite's color/motion compared to the Kuro

If you own a 50" kuro and want bigger, I'd go for the 65VT50. You won't be disappointed. As for the Sharp Elite.. it is in the same class as the Kuro and VT50. Kuro is still king, but Vt50 is a very close second and the Sharp Elite hardly trails the VT50 (you could argue it doesn't trail at all).

Going to BB Magnolia is NOT a fair way to compare the VT50 to a Sharp Elite.

I know it is hard to compare something at Best Buy, but am surprised that you feel the Sharp Elite comes close to the Kuro. The Sharp is a nice set to be sure, but I've seen some concerning of issues with them, perhaps the worst being off-axis viewing.

Michael

In the main categories (contrast, color, motion, etc.), the Sharp Elite definitely competes. Off-axis viewing is a limitation of the lcd/led technology just like plasma IR. Don't get me wrong, if the 70" Sharp Elite was the same price as the 65VT50, I would still choose the 65VT50

The only area the Sharp Elite competes with the 9/9.5G Kuro Elite is MLL, and that's because of the full-array local dimming. It has some minor blooming, color issues and not so good viewing angles. The VT50 matches the Kuro Elite closer than the Sharp Elite overall. The VT50 has reference color accuracy and a very high ANSI contrast ratio (higher than the Sharp Elite). Basically all the VT50 needs to match the Kuro is black levels, specifically MLL or low APL black levels.

When you view the VT50 and Sharp Elite in a bright store, that's not a fair comparison at all because that's by no means a typical home viewing environment. If your home viewing environment resembles a bright store floor, then an LCD is probably better for you. At the HDTV shootout, both sets were viewed in a dark room and both were calibrated to similar brightness levels so they were on a far more level playing field, and the VT50 won the shootout, plus the pros picked the VT50 as the winner as well.
Edited by rahzel - 8/27/12 at 12:28am

It's become such an AVS cliche to talk about Best Buy "bright showrooms". All the stores I've been in over the course of the last few years have transitioned to dimmed lighting in their flat panel display areas. Perhaps some could still stand to be even dimmer, but certainly the "bright showroom" bit is an issue of the distant past as far as BB is concerned.

I think everyone misunderstood me. I said BB is not a fair way to compare the Elite to the VT50 because the OP believes the Elite is better.. I do not think that is the case and I agree with everything you just stated

As a german user I expect them to get rid of the 50hz bug!

Also improvements for the 10point isf adjustment software, improvements regarding FCE and posterization and PLEASE the same MLL in the Professional modes compared to the THX Cinema mode, cause here in Europe, Panasonic don't let us enjoy the best possible black level with the best calibrateable screen modes! We get 0.020 cd/m2 out of the box in the Professional modes and 0.009 cd/m2 in the THX Cinemamode, wchich hasn't the additional grey shades and only 2point calibration controls.

Not at the Best Buy close to where I live... it was recently remodeled and not only did they put all the high end models (Sharp Elite, VT50, Samsungs, Runco) under the bright showroom lights, but wall mounted all of them under bright track lights (all the TVs were cranked up in brightness, obviously). The dark rooms are reserved for home theater projectors there.

As a customer from Europe I expect them to enable panel brightness option in professional modes, just like it is there in the NA models. Its a SHAME that we pay the same (or maybe 20% higher) price and we lack this very important feature. Premium TV with pro options but limited to 80cd/m2 light output - well done Panny

Wow, weird. The several around me have long ago transitioned to much more subdued lighting. I didn't think BB allowed for such divergence in store design.

We have the bright lights at our Houston locations with the exception of the Magnolias which are closer to room conditions.

I've had 3 since 2010 (2 Samsungs 64' 3D & current 65VT50).

It would be nice to have a larger screen. Like someone already said a 65" is lacking to folks like me. I'd be satisfied with nothing less than a 75" PDP. As for what do we expect to see in 2013. Perhaps they could make the 3D picture even brighter and for those who get their picture OTA (like me) a sorley needed update to the on screen channel information display which is as bare bones as you can get. It lacks any pertinent information on the bare basics of the content you are watching. It's the worse by far I've ever seen. My 49.00 digital box coughs up more information. For a flag ship set their OTA on screen information is embarrasing. In comparison, the Samsungs sets I've had are miles ahead. I did make this complaint known to Panasonic.

Do you still have the 2 Samsungs? If you did sell them, what's a good place to get a fair price when selling TVs that are only 1-2 years old? (I guess I'm trying to figure out how some upgrade their main TVs more frequently without losing a lot of money buying and selling.)

Having spent a lot of time with my friend's 50" and 60" 9G Kuros and comparing familiar programming on their TVs and on my 50GT50, i find that my GT50 is very very close to Kuro's overall picture quality so the VT50 would be even closer still. Even D-Nice said that if his Kuros died, the VT50 would be the only acceptable replacement which is high praise for the VT50 and speaks volumes of it's performance.

You are exactly correct. I have a 500m and VT50 which are both calibrated. I have put them side by side and the difference is minimal.

Was the 9G Kuro the last generation? if not, which was and what kind of contrast ratio was the latest/best Kuro putting out? black level?

65" VT50 is 16,500:1 (on/off CR), 10,219:1 (ANSI CR), and black level of 0.002 fL (according to value electronics shootout)

Technically no. The 500m was the last generation (9.5G) as it supposedly has 10G tech in it. The 500m has the best black level of all kuros and the lowest measurements I remember seeing are 0.0004-0.0005 fl. I don't know the contrast ratio but I know d-nice posted it somewhere on this board.

The black level difference between the 500m and VT50 is enough for me to be able to tell the difference without comparing them side-by-side.

So, side-by-side you can hardly tell a difference but you can more easily tell them apart when they are not side-by-side. lolwut.