60 + displays

Bullett, there are several threads on this forum about plasmas of 60" and larger. Some are relatively inexpensive. Others much more so. I would do a search to get some information using the search features.


However, here is a short summary:


Zenith/LG 60's: newer generation has better picture quality, pricing is good. Older generation was something to avoid -- great deals on them but not worth the $$.


NEC 61" -- well regarded, can be had online for good prices, includes several variants by other OEMs. Anything that is 61" has glass by NEC. NEC itself doesn't really target the consumer market so the NEC-branded ones can be hard to find and see. Pioneer, Sony and Fujitsu also sell their own 61's based on NEC glass with different electronics. Marantz does as well, as do a couple others. The electronics can make a visible difference, so they are all worth checking out.


Samsung 63" Also well regarded, probably a slight notch below NEC but just ever so slightly with respect to picture quality. Also available online and reasonably priced.


All of the above can generally be found in the 10-14k price range.


Panasonic 65" - should be available in November. MSRP is expected at 20k.


All of the above panels have 768p resolution.


LG and Samsung have demo'd panels of 70-80" and the LGs are expected to ship in small quantities and at EXTREMELY high prices in a few months, at least the 71" version. These panels are 1080p panels, a big step forward technologically speaking.


No one currently ships any flat panel LCD over 46". Some larger panels have been demonstrated, and may ship within the year.


And that's the short scoop. For pricing, click on the links to the advertisers to this forum that sell plasmas and you will get a better feel for it.


This is just a short summary, it's not all-inclusive by any means of panels or information, just a quick overview to get you started. The search function will be your best friend here.


Cheers and good luck.

Bullett,

Find a high end dealer -- the only ones likely to actually put such expensive puppies on display -- who has a clue how to properly calibrate a display and who carries either the Fujitsu or the Pioneer Elite line of plasmas. Go take a look at the 63 inch Fujitsu plasma and the new Pioneer Elite 61" which has just started shipping. These should be your gold standard for evaluating such devices. Both have a well deserved reputation, and each focuses on slightly different characteristics of image perfection. The older Pioneer Elite plasmas are particularly highly regarded by folks who are forced to do their viewing in well lit rooms -- and the early reviews on the new unit seem to indicate its quality at high light output settings is just as good.


If you can find either of these properly set up you'll have a good chance to learn just how good a big plasma can look and whether this size will work for you. I'd point out that many people like an 8 to 10 foot seating distance for a smaller 50 inch plasma. Using such a seating arrangement for a 60 inch is not wacky, but you should try it and see for yourself whether you can start seeing the technology instead of the program (visible pixels for instance). For either size, if you sit that close while watching standard definition television you will most definitely see all the defects in the SDTV content, and the compression artifacts that get added to it by the satellite or cable TV services.


You won't find an LCD flat panel display this big yet.


Given what you learn by viewing these sets, and what you can learn from the forum threads here, you'll be much better positioned to evaluate other models that might be less expensive.

--Bob

Joel:


Thanks much, this helps a lot. I really wanted to hear from someone who has seen these, or has experienced them. Your response helps a lot, but it also presents a common dilema...Do I wait on the Panasonis unit?


Anyway, a good problem to deal with. It really sounds as if I should go find one of the NECs and view it first hand.


Great breakdown of the NEC vs the Samsung..


Thanks.......

The Tweeter chain also carries the Pioneer Elite line and if you are lucky you'll find one that set aside the bucks to put up one of these big dogs as a store display. This new plasma is supposed to be in stores any day now. Call around as not every store is going to want to tie up that sort of cash for store demos. Also be prepared that they might not have it calibrated properly, if for no other reason than that it just arrived. When it comes to making final decisions, you might want to hook up your own DVD player and make your own calibration adjustments before watching your favorite films.


There is a Fujitsu dealer in Raleigh which the area Fujitsu rep thinks quite highly of and which has been known to keep a 63" on display except when someone comes in and plunks down the necessary spare change to walk off with it. I don't recall the name off hand, but there's just the one there so it should be easy to identify on the Fujitsu web site.


Both the Pioneer and Fujitsu web sites have dealer locators. For Pioneer, be sure you are asking the locator about Pioneer "Elite" products or it will point you at dealers for their regular line instead.


Some "dealers" are really just new-construction integrators who don't have any of this stuff actually on display to see. So do call and check.

--Bob