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Recommendation under $1,000? (need quick help for insurance claim)

post #1 of 7
12/4/12 at 9:35am
Thread Starter 
I have a Panasonic TCP50GT25 and I absolutely love it but one of the HDMI ports just broke. It's out of warranty so I thought I was screwed but it sounds like my home owner's policy will cover a replacement.

Can somebody give me a recommendation for $999.99 or less?

I -love- my TCP50GT25 so I'd want something at least of equal quality, but I do wish it had more HDMI ports and 24 Hz playback support. (and I still want 3D support in my replacement TV)

Can anybody give me any suggestions?
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post #2 of 7
12/4/12 at 10:02am
I was looking at camelcamelcamel for amazon's price and the 55UT50 is right there, that's the best bang for the buck. The 50" is 200 less. These have less features and no AR filter or built in wifi but have 3d. The ST50 has less hdmi ports than you are used to. So for one less hdmi you could get an ST or keep your current tv. The UT has one less hdmi than the ST. For another 140 bucks you could get the 50GT50 which would have similar features plus a few THX modes.
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post #3 of 7
12/4/12 at 10:18am
Thread Starter 
Where does the UT50 (and U50) fit with-in the heirarchy of Panasonic models?

It looks like: VT50 -> GT50 -> ST50 (in order of best to worst)
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post #4 of 7
12/4/12 at 12:19pm
The UT is just below the ST

ST>UT>U

The U series comes without 3D and possibly the faster phosphors to go with it.
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post #5 of 7
12/4/12 at 12:25pm
U50 is a non-3D lower cost model, so the panel doesn't have as fast response time.
UT50 is the lowest cost 1080p 3D model, but with only two HDMI ports and no wireless ethernet built-in, also no anti-glare screen filter and no custom pro settings.
ST50 is 3D and adds the anti-glare screen filter, custom pro settings, has three HDMi ports, wireless ethernet built-in.
GT50 adds a fourth HDMI port to the ST50, plus a dual-core CPU for faster internet apps, and a better styled cabinet.

The 50ST50 has gone on sale under $1000 at some stores at times, as low as $899, even the larger 55ST50 was on sale for $999 at Frys recently.
Have to keep checking for sales each week and at online dealers like amazon.

For more HDMI ports, just add a good electronic HDMI port switcher like from monoprice - I used a 4:1 HDMI switcher that also has an optical and coax digital audio output to connect to an older 5.1 receiver that doesn't have HDMI capability.
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post #6 of 7
12/4/12 at 4:41pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks for the information everybody.

I was mistaken about my home owner's policy endorsement and it doesn't cover TVs but it does cover computers, cellphones, and tablet computers.

Anyways, I won't be purchasing a new TV. I can either just get an HDMI switch and go that route or try to get Panasonic to pay for the out-of-warranty repair.

Thanks for the info though!
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post #7 of 7
12/5/12 at 5:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by sofakng View Post


Anyways, I won't be purchasing a new TV. I can either just get an HDMI switch and go that route or try to get Panasonic to pay for the out-of-warranty repair.

Since the warranty has long expired, Panasonic won't pay for the repair. No TV company would do that.

Monoprice has some inexpensive HDMI switches.
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