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My meeting with a Panasonic Rep. and our silver bezel conversation.  

post #1 of 35
8/7/06 at 5:37pm
Thread Starter 
So Im in Best Buy a few days ago and this lady walks up to me and shes wearing a Panasonic badge, she asks if I have checked out the new Panasonic plasma's and what do I think of them,,,,,,,,,, Ohhh MA GOD,, have I just died and gone to heaven.
I start by asking about the choice of color for the bezel (silver) she starts to tell me that folks like the silver and that Panasonic thinks it makes the picture look better and some other stuff like that.
I then start talking about the whole black vs silver bezel thing thats always talked about on this forum and give her my thoughts on the silver bezel choice Panasonic made and tell her how myself and others on this forum have started looking at the Pio 6070 and other plasma's because they were un-happy with the silver.
Anyhow, it was a long conversation and she was very nice and I do think I made an impression with her.
She wrote down all the info I gave her about AVS and said she was very interested in checking out this forum, she did not know of AVS.
Since her job is to go to stores and get feedback from customers on the new plasma's to report back to the higher ups at Panasonic, AVS seemed to interest her very much, so hey, at least someone at Panasonic got the silver bezel speech and got directed to check out opinions posted on AVS, perhaps it might do some good.
Anyhow, like I said she was very nice and fun to talk with and I do hope she tells the higher up's about AVS.

Davyo

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post #2 of 35
8/7/06 at 7:11pm
I still think that once their panel output is comfortably able to keep up with demand for the bread & butter lines (60U/600U) the Onyx line (or something like it) will reappear. If they don't do something along those lines they're missing a great opportunity. If I ran the marketing dept I'd want something with a $500 MSRP premium over the 600U prices to make the step-up reasonable. The big problem with the original Onyx line was the sky-high price for what you got. Of course Panasonic probably looked at the poor sales and went "Gee, we guess nobody likes black TV's". ;)
post #3 of 35
8/7/06 at 7:17pm
Way to go, Davyo. It would be great if Panasonic saw some of the threads on AVS about the silver bezel. I'd bet sales for the 60u would be triple what they are if it had a black bezel.
post #4 of 35
8/7/06 at 11:39pm
Did you ask about native rate input with 24Hz, 50Hz and 60Hz via HDMI? :eek:
post #5 of 35
8/8/06 at 1:46am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by madshi
Did you ask about native rate input with 24Hz, 50Hz and 60Hz via HDMI? :eek:

Na, I did not talk with her about any tec stuff, the whole conversation was about AVS and the silver bezel.
I did also tell her to pull up the recent silver vs black bezel poll.
Funny thing, when I went back to B.B. a few days later and was drooling a drooly drool puddle over the Pio 6071 all the Best Buy sales people were standing there as well looking at the Pio (as we had just pulled it out of the box), anyhow, ALL the sales folks at B.B made comment on how ugly the new Panny's were compared to the new all black Pioneer's. It was very funny to hear them bring it up and start talking abou it and I had not said one thing about it, they just started up all on there own, slamming the big-ass silver bezel.
Same thing happened a few weeks ago over at C.C. as well.

What in the world is/was Panasonic thinking or not thinking when it came to bezel design.

Davyo
post #6 of 35
8/8/06 at 2:08am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by koan
Way to go, Davyo. It would be great if Panasonic saw some of the threads on AVS about the silver bezel. I'd bet sales for the 60u would be triple what they are if it had a black bezel.
Best Buy has the 58" 60U listed as discontinued as of a few days ago, both myself and the B.B. manager thought that was kinda odd.
We both wondered if the 58" 60U was just going to be phased out because of the 600U or if they have a redesign planned for the 60U series.

There is a thread on AVS were someone photo shopped a picture of a 60U series Panny and made it all black,,,,, in all black the 60U is a hot looking plasma.

Ohh,, another thing I asked the Panasonic rep, I asked her if she had ever wondered why the sales of the commercial plasma's were so high and being purchased for non-comercial application, she asked why and my three word response was,, thin, black, bezel.

I wish I knew why I get so pissed at Panasonic for making such a bad choice in there design, perhaps I have issues, I will just take a Valium and drink a few beers, smoke a fatty and wait for my all black Pio 6070/6071 to be delivered.

Someone email me and let me know when Panasonic stops making plasma's that look like the bezels were designed by "Toys-R-Us".

Davyo
post #7 of 35
8/8/06 at 8:02am
Given a choice between the 58PX60U and the Pioneer 6070HD, I would have gone with the Pioneer just based on the look of the bezel alone. I like the look of the 58PX600U but still would have preferred all black. My wife, however, thinks the silver trim around the 600 goes nicely with the handles on the media cabinet and says she prefers it to an all black tv. I wonder if other women like the silver and maybe that factored into Panny's thinking?
post #8 of 35
8/8/06 at 9:51am
I don't mind the silver near as much as I loathe the look of the bottom without the stand. Its Hollow plastic crapola. Plus instead of sloping the bezel evenly on all sides the slope on the bottom bezel is different. This just draws attention to the Hollow plastic crapola.

Hanging one of these new Pio plasma's on the wall is like wearing white after labor day. Sheesh!
post #9 of 35
8/8/06 at 10:02am
Quote:
Originally Posted by davyo

There is a thread on AVS were someone photo shopped a picture of a 60U series Panny and made it all black,,,,, in all black the 60U is a hot looking plasma.
:)

http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/1693/px60bxs1dd.jpg

.
post #10 of 35
8/8/06 at 10:06am
By a strange coincidence there was a Panasonic rep at my local Best Buy this weekend in Lakewood, California. He was pretty clueless, though.

I asked him about the upcoming 65 inch plasmas and wanted to know if Best Buy would be carrying them. He said that they wouldn't be released until January of 2007. He suggested I get the 103 inch set in December. I asked him if Best Buy would be carrying that set and he said, "Yeah. I'm sure they are."

I asked about the 58 inch set and if Best Buy was carrying them. He said, "Yeah, they're over there somewhere. Look at the row where the big sets are." Of course, it wasn't there.

Then he went back to handing out his brochures and trying to get people interested in Panasonic plasmas...with very little knowledge about them. (I think he was just some guy they hired to wear a Panasonic badge due to his lack of any useful information.)
post #11 of 35
8/8/06 at 2:09pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Franchot
He suggested I get the 103 inch set in December. I asked him if Best Buy would be carrying that set and he said, "Yeah. I'm sure they are."
LOL! Wonder how many Reward Zone points would come with that... :p
post #12 of 35
8/11/06 at 3:37pm
Davyo -

While I can appreciate your desire for a choice of an all black Panny, personally I chose the Panny 600U over the Pioneer because I liked the balance of black and silver it provides (I agree that the 60U has a bit too much silver). In fact, I think that for my decor and system, the Panny 600U looks more sophisticated than just a plain black bezel would. Too each there own . . .

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...r/PDR_0622.jpg
post #13 of 35
8/11/06 at 3:58pm
Well, I do prefer all-black (Or dark gray ;) ) bezel but have nothing against black/silver.

My stand is silver. :D

http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/7...nystandao7.jpg
post #14 of 35
8/11/06 at 4:37pm
hmmm, the the black commercial plasma + silver stand wins by a mile.
post #15 of 35
8/11/06 at 7:20pm
but that is your opinion and as hifi says to each thier own....... as davyo is disgusted with the silver and voiced his opinion several times on the avs forums and told a panny rep that he voted with his wallet not to spend with panasonic.

where hifi voted with his wallet to spend with panasonic.
post #16 of 35
8/11/06 at 7:38pm
Well, its just my opinion (and to each his own), but that silver bezel looks cheezy, and the kind of style you would find in college dorm rooms back in the 90s.

Polk Audio has chosen a similar plastic-silver style as well:
http://akamaipix.crutchfield.com/pro...107CS2C-f.jpeg

On the other hand, piano black styling looks like something owned by an adult.

But again, that's my humble opinion. If you love your silver, hey man, more power to ya!
post #17 of 35
8/11/06 at 7:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Franchot
(I think he was just some guy they hired to wear a Panasonic badge due to his lack of any useful information.)
This was probably the case. Panasonic farms out alot of its rep work to a third party; this third party hires its "representatives" over the internet. My brother does some work with them as he's working through school.

He applied online, took a fifteen minute training module online, and received an email with instructions to show up at a Circuit City on a certain day/time. I love my brother, but fifteen minutes on this forum and you know more about plasmas than he does.
post #18 of 35
8/11/06 at 7:57pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by dssturbo1
but that is your opinion and as hifi says to each thier own....... as davyo is disgusted with the silver and voiced his opinion several times on the avs forums and told a panny rep that he voted with his wallet not to spend with panasonic.

where hifi voted with his wallet to spend with panasonic.
Exactly my point here. There is no winner among opinions. But I will say this, a midnight blue Porsche kicks the crap out of a red Porsche any day! In my opinion, Porsche shouldn't even make red cars because I don't want one! Red Porsches look cheesy like some college student's used Toyota Corolla! :eek: :D :eek:
post #19 of 35
8/11/06 at 8:09pm
i agree Red should be reserved for Ferrarri hehe
post #20 of 35
8/11/06 at 9:49pm
I agree with hifisponge that the silver & black looks sophisticated on the 600U (but the 60U has too much silver). Then again, what the heck do I know, I used to own a red Porsche 911.
post #21 of 35
8/11/06 at 10:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike1117
I agree with hifisponge that the silver & black looks sophisticated on the 600U (but the 60U has too much silver). Then again, what the heck do I know, I used to own a red Porsche 911.
The black on the Pioneer would be nice if just wasn't a glossy mirror black. I like the 600U series style well enough but I must say, the Onyx was one of the most studly sets I ever saw, stand included. :cool:
post #22 of 35
8/11/06 at 10:52pm
I never thought much about it. I wanted a Panasonic, I knew that. It came in silver. I was fine with that. I certainly prefer the black frame the 50PX60U has around the screen to the all silver look of the 42PD60U I had for a couple weeks. I'm actually a lot more uptight about the remote than I am the silver of the TV. The remote sucks. I mean it really is pure fromage. The labels of each button look like they are just clear stickers smacked on the remote. And its silver. Which means over time the silver paint will wear off. Remotes should always be black. Maybe the sets should too.
post #23 of 35
8/11/06 at 11:04pm
Good job davyo!!

If only you had gotten her office address so we can help persuade her to find out who are these guys at Panasonic who are so divorced from reality that they think silver bezels are more popular than black bezels: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=696802

Please vote in that that thread. Only 5% think silver bezel is better as of today.
post #24 of 35
8/12/06 at 1:12am
I love the silver and spoke with a Panny rep last month about how geat I thought it looked. Seriously. He seemed delighted. Apparently many folks share my opinion.
post #25 of 35
8/12/06 at 4:02am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by c627627
Good job davyo!!

If only you had gotten her office address so we can help persuade her to find out who are these guys at Panasonic who are so divorced from reality that they think silver bezels are more popular than black bezels: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=696802

Please vote in that that thread. Only 5% think silver bezel is better as of today.
Yes and yes and yes, Panasonic so does not get it.

Being in Las Vegas I get to go to CES every year, this year will be the year I will verbaly bitch slap "ALL" the Panny reps for making the worst looking bezel ever made, the 58"60U.
The 600U is at least not such an eyesore.


Davyo
post #26 of 35
8/12/06 at 4:25am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Star56
I love the silver and spoke with a Panny rep last month about how geat I thought it looked. Seriously. He seemed delighted. Apparently many folks share my opinion.

The Panny rep was delighted that you liked the silver because you were the only person he had ever met in his entire life that felt that way.

Apparently many folks share your opinion you say, perhaps you might want to check out the silver vs black Panny bezel poll on this forum.

Perhaps you should listen to ALL the sales people at ALL the stores talk about how ugly the new 60U's are.

Apparently many folks prefure the silver,,, let me guess,, was that perhaps the Panasonic rep that told you that B.S.,,,,,, me thinks Panasonic is starting to realize they might have screwed up and they are trying to justifie their stupidity and lack of taste and lack of caring or knowing what the consumer wants.

Davyo
post #27 of 35
8/12/06 at 5:29am
They simply asked Martha Stewart which bezel looks best. She replied silver with some silver accents of course! So the Panny Rep that reports to the higher ups took her advice.

Now you know the whole story.

Martha now claims after seeing the AVS survey she wasn't asked about the Black Gloss. :)
post #28 of 35
8/12/06 at 7:12am
Quote:
Originally Posted by kaosv1
They simply asked Martha Stewart which bezel looks best. She replied silver with some silver accents of course! So the Panny Rep that reports to the higher ups took her advice.

Now you know the whole story.

Martha now claims after seeing the AVS survey she wasn't asked about the Black Gloss. :)
Perhaps Martha was feeling just a little nostalgic for the time she spent behind grey bars!. :)
post #29 of 35
8/12/06 at 7:51am
Quote:
Originally Posted by greenland
Perhaps Martha was feeling just a little nostalgic for the time she spent behind grey bars!. :)
Watching her pd60u :D

http://mysite.verizon.net/vzequg9f/pd60u.JPG
post #30 of 35
8/12/06 at 8:04am
Quote:
Originally Posted by davyo
Being in Las Vegas I get to go to CES every year, this year will be the year I will verbaly bitch slap "ALL" the Panny reps for making the worst looking bezel ever made, the 58"60U.
That's it, Davyo. Facts are on your side!

There are obviously isolated individuals at Panasonic responsible for this. What we need is to get to their supervisors and try to get them to understand what a huge blunder silver bezels were and that vast majority of consumers would not buy silver bezels if Panasonic gave them a choice.

Quote:
Originally Posted by davyo
...anyhow, ALL the sales folks at B.B made comment on how ugly the new Panny's were ....

It was very funny to hear them bring it up and start talking abou it and I had not said one thing about it, they just started up all on there own, slamming the big-ass silver bezel.

Same thing happened a few weeks ago over at C.C. as well.

What in the world is/was Panasonic thinking or not thinking when it came to bezel design.

Davyo
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