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Panasonic IR vs. Samsung IR

post #1 of 11
2/18/13 at 4:43pm
Thread Starter 
I recently bought a Samsung Plasma (PN51E550) and it's been great. It's really starting to break in and eve on the default movie mode, I'm getting an amazing looking picture. IR has been negligible to this point.

The reason why I'm wondering how the Panasonic performs is because since I only bought the TV around 16 days ago, I can still exchange it for what seems to be a better (and larger set). I have the opportunity to get the 55ST50 for around the same price, but I am concerned on how Panasonic's seem to be more susceptible to IR that their Samsung counterparts.

Has anyone had any experience with both brands for the 2012 model year TVs?
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post #2 of 11
2/19/13 at 7:57am
I'd recommend reading the ST50 image retention thread first, to get a good feel of what some of us are experiencing with IR on this model. My 60ST50 actually seems to be getting worse about IR as it ages instead of better. I'm having to constantly be worried about what I view on it for any lenght of time, which is taking away enjoyment of the set. Maybe it will get better after the 400-500+ hour mark as I've seen mentioned, only time will tell.

If you are totally happy with the Samsung, and it's not a loud buzzer or has any other irritating things, my opinion is to keep it even though it's 4" less size. Maybe you will get lucky and get a ST50 that's fine with no issues, hard to say, but it's a roll of the dice from what I've experienced and have been reading lately.
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post #3 of 11
2/19/13 at 8:41am
DEFINITELY get the ST50, doubly so if youre going bigger. The 60ST50 destroys the 60E6500, and the 60" apparently has better blacks than the lower 50" models.

I've had both, and the Samsung buzzed so loud, the PQ was noticeably not as good and both had IR. Yes the Panasonic gets it faster, and lasts a bit longer...but its manageable. Cant realy do anything about the Samsung buzz and poorer black levels
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post #4 of 11
2/19/13 at 8:58am
Decisions Decisions : I think bigger is better! Samsung does seem to handle IR better than the Pannys. Is going bigger with the Sammy an option? Good Luck with whatever you chose!
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post #5 of 11
2/19/13 at 9:09am
Quote:
Originally Posted by jerrolds View Post

DEFINITELY get the ST50, doubly so if youre going bigger. The 60ST50 destroys the 60E6500, and the 60" apparently has better blacks than the lower 50" models.

I've had both, and the Samsung buzzed so loud, the PQ was noticeably not as good and both had IR. Yes the Panasonic gets it faster, and lasts a bit longer...but its manageable. Cant realy do anything about the Samsung buzz and poorer black levels

No offence, but.. Opinions are just that, opinions. I owned both and kept the PN60E6500. The 60ST50 had horrible IR, and a few other quirks. I love my Sammy, so whatever fits your needs I guess. Also, no buzzing unless I'm leaning my head on the tv.
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post #6 of 11
2/19/13 at 11:42am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ilovetightbass View Post

Decisions Decisions : I think bigger is better! Samsung does seem to handle IR better than the Pannys. Is going bigger with the Sammy an option? Good Luck with whatever you chose!

55" is the ideal size for me, but for the type of TV I wanted, it was out of my price range. The 55ST50 seems perfect, but I don't like what I'm hearing in regards to image retention. The E550 is handling it great. I do watch a lot of ESPN and it never retains an image of the bottom scroll bar. I will sometimes get image retention from NFL Netword but it goes away in literally seconds. I've never gotten any image retention from any videogames in game mode.

I really wish Samsung offerend a 55" version of this TV because aside from the just average black levels, the picture is excellent.

On a side note, I know CNET is pretty much the standard review source, but I've been looking around for other reputable sites and came across reviewed.com and hometheater.com. Both sites reviewed both TVs (reviewed.com even published their graph results) and seemed to favor the Samsung. It seems like the only things the Samsung gives up to the Panasonic are black levels and the ST's light filter. Color and overall performance seems to be weighted towards the Samsung.

I've always been under the impression that the Panasonic plasmas were decidedly better than the Samsung plasmas. It seems like its closer and more subjective than it seems.
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post #7 of 11
2/19/13 at 11:58am
In my experience, there really is no comparison when it comes to picture quality. The Panasonic wins pretty easily - sure there are some quiks including IR - but the buzz from Samsungs which is think is more common than not and the black levels.

I returned my 60ST50 becuz of IR, almost my sole reason and was in the same situation as you - i thought the pq would be identical to the naked eye esp when not side by side..but noticed it as soon as i got home and fired it up. The Samsung was noticably dimmer as well. But the clincher was the buzz....even with the E6500 being about $500 cheaper and giving it 2 weeks - i had to unmount it, lug it down 3 flights of stairs and grab yet another ST50.

Havent regretted the decision.

Make no mistake - the Samsung also suffered from IR and its scrolling bar did not clear it like an etch-a-sketch shake would - it also takes quite a bit of time

Ultimately up to you but if you can grab both smile.gif and return one
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post #8 of 11
2/19/13 at 1:40pm
Thread Starter 
I'm exchanging them. The ST is an open item with a negligible scuff on the screen. 55ST50 for 50 less than a51E550 is too good for me to pass up.
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post #9 of 11
2/19/13 at 2:37pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by rich7sena View Post

I'm exchanging them. The ST is an open item with a negligible scuff on the screen. 55ST50 for 50 less than a51E550 is too good for me to pass up.

No brainer really now if we were talking e7000 or e8000 it becomes a closer race, the ST50 is a much better set than the e550 imo plus 4 extra inches of screen size. The Samsung's produce a nice picture but I am skeptical of the build quality, too many dead pixel, buzzing, firmware issues accounts for my taste.
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post #10 of 11
2/19/13 at 2:40pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by rich7sena View Post

55" is the ideal size for me, but for the type of TV I wanted, it was out of my price range. The 55ST50 seems perfect, but I don't like what I'm hearing in regards to image retention. The E550 is handling it great. I do watch a lot of ESPN and it never retains an image of the bottom scroll bar. I will sometimes get image retention from NFL Netword but it goes away in literally seconds. I've never gotten any image retention from any videogames in game mode.

I really wish Samsung offerend a 55" version of this TV because aside from the just average black levels, the picture is excellent.

On a side note, I know CNET is pretty much the standard review source, but I've been looking around for other reputable sites and came across reviewed.com and hometheater.com. Both sites reviewed both TVs (reviewed.com even published their graph results) and seemed to favor the Samsung. It seems like the only things the Samsung gives up to the Panasonic are black levels and the ST's light filter. Color and overall performance seems to be weighted towards the Samsung.

I've always been under the impression that the Panasonic plasmas were decidedly better than the Samsung plasmas. It seems like its closer and more subjective than it seems.

Be careful on some of the review sites some of them are nothing more than fronts for Samsung and other companies.
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post #11 of 11
2/19/13 at 3:15pm
Thread Starter 
My impressions:

So far so good. Black levels are definitely better than the Samsung, but overall picture quality is pretty much on par. I also appreciate the lack of reflections on the ST50, it really stands apart from the Samsung in this respect. Colors are a tiny a tiny bit more saturated, but other than that, both are outstanding looking sets. What's really winning me over is the size, 55" is right where I need to be.

Also, someone commented on the Samsung being dim, I disagree, if anything, it (Samsung) might be just a tad brighter (both using their respective cinema/movie modes).
Edited by rich7sena - 2/19/13 at 3:22pm
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