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First purchase, help a noob out. :)

1525 Views 19 Replies 14 Participants Last post by eleison, Jan 21, 2008

visual253

Discussion Starter · Jan 18, 2008

I have like $1200 that I can spend on a HDTV. I started out a couple days ago from knowing zero about sets to feeling a little more comfortable now. For the space I have in my place I feel like a 42 inch TV is as big as I should go for now.

I have an xbox 360, so I will be gaming a little bit. When I game I will be sitting like 5 feet or so from the TV. I also have an HD-DvD player. I watch movies more than I watch standard TV shows, except for sports. I am always watching sports. My normal viewing distance will probably be 8-10 feet. I just wanted to add those facts for whatever they are worth.

Here's the TVs I have narrowed it down to.

1 - Pioneer Kuro 4280HD - I love this TV. It's just honestly a little out of my price range right now. BB had the 50' for only $2K and I would have loved to buy it if I could. The 42' was also $2K so I have hope that maybe it would go on sale. Online I think I have only found it for like $1600 at the cheapest. Anybody have any idea when and if these TVs will be dropping below $1500 ?

2 - Panasonic TH-42PZ77U - This TV is 1080p and I've found it for a lot cheaper then the Kuro. $1200 shipped brand new. I wouldn't have to wait to buy a TV any longer, I'd have a 1080p set even if it is only 42' , Panasonic make good plasmas, etc. Seems like a really good deal. The only thing that is holding me back is how nice the Kuro looks.

Somebody help me out here and tell I couldn't go wrong either way. Is the 720p Kuro worth the extra $500 more than the 1080p Panasonic ? Somebody tell me the Kuro will be on sale for like $1299 next week or something. lol I would love to wait for the new Panasonics to come out, but I probably couldn't afford them unless they were somehow magically this cheap right away.

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1 - 20 of 20 Posts

ChuckZ

· #2 · Jan 18, 2008

I'd avoid the 4280HD simply because it has a 1024x768 resolution, quite paltry. People might ***** about my advice but the fact is it cannot display a full 720p square pixel image.

That Panasonic model is pretty popular. You should also check out some LCDs. You can pick up some decent 46" Samsungs at that price range. That should alleviate any fears you have of IR from gaming. Look for models with good response time to minimize blurring artifacts.

Zinthar

· #3 · Jan 18, 2008

The Kuro is definitely the better display, but its 50" sibling, the 5080, isn't much more expensive, from forum sponsors or from a particular big box retailer through this Saturday.

I wouldn't really recommend the 42PX77U from your viewing distance... you could get a 50" Panasonic 50PX75U for just a tiny bit more, and you'd be thankful for having bought the 50" display instead of the 42" -- it's a HUGE difference.

So, if I were you, I'd either try to shop around for a good deal on a 50PX75U now, or wait a few months for close out prices on the Kuro 4280 or 5080.

creemail

· #4 · Jan 18, 2008

For your first display, Panasonic is a great choice. I like the 42PZ77U for your budget.

Chris

Zinthar

· #5 · Jan 18, 2008

Quote:
Originally Posted by ChuckZ /forum/post/12853551

I'd avoid the 4280HD simply because it has a 1024x768 resolution, quite paltry. People might ***** about my advice but the fact is it cannot display a full 720p square pixel image.

That Panasonic model is pretty popular. You should also check out some LCDs. You can pick up some decent 46" Samsungs at that price range. That should alleviate any fears you have of IR from gaming. Look for models with good response time to minimize blurring artifacts.

I completely disagree. And what exactly is a 720p square pixel image? If by that you mean that pixels of the 4280 are not squares, then you're correct. If you mean to imply that it will damage picture quality whatsoever from a viewing distance of more than 5 feet away, then you would be incorrect.

In other words, the 4280 still crushes its 42" 1080p competitors.

Advertised response times on LCD's are not representative of the true response time of the display -- it's marketing bull. IR isn't really a serious issue at all anymore when gaming on plasmas... not serious enough to switch to LCD.

lazyman6

· #6 · Jan 18, 2008

I think a 42" plamsa with 1080p should be good for you , with $1500 you can have a look at the Panasonic TH-42PZ77U 42 inch1080p Plasma (16:9,10,000:1,1920 x 1080)

ChuckZ

· #7 · Jan 18, 2008

Quote:
Originally Posted by Zinthar /forum/post/12853587

I completely disagree. And what exactly is a 720p square pixel image? If by that you mean that pixels of the 4280 are not squares, then you're correct. If you mean to imply that it will damage picture quality whatsoever from a viewing distance of more than 5 feet away, then you would be incorrect.

In other words, the 4280 still crushes its 42" 1080p competitors.

Advertised response times on LCD's are not representative of the true response time of the display -- it's marketing bull. IR isn't really a serious issue at all anymore when gaming on plasmas... not serious enough to switch to LCD.

I don't deny the fact that the 4280HD has much better picture quality. I just think it's a poor value for his budget and needs. As you and I said, the Panasonic would be a better choice. If you want to spend the money to get a Pioneer, opt for the 5080HD if they're roughly the same price. Bigger panel + higher resolution = win (relative to the 4280HD).

And yes, I meant that the 4280HD displays rectangular pixels. It'll have resolution loss when you feed it either a 720p or 1080i/p signal. It'd at least shoot for a 1365x768 panel.

By square pixel image, I meant that ATSC standards call for square pixel encoding at HD resolutions. At SD, you can have 704x480 resolution with non-square samples or 640x480 with.

Zinthar

· #8 · Jan 18, 2008

Quote:
Originally Posted by lazyman6 /forum/post/12853641

I think a 42" plamsa with 1080p should be good for you , with $1500 you can have a look at the URL DELETED

lol.

1) He already mentioned that he was considering the 42PZ77U if you actually read the original post.

2) I'm 99% sure you can't post that link on these forums -- there's not supposed to be any price talk aside from vague generalizations and such... as in "What's the best plasma under $2k?" etc.

3) I would still urge the OP to consider the 50PX75U before the 42PZ77U considering their similar price.

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Zinthar

· #9 · Jan 18, 2008

Quote:
Originally Posted by ChuckZ /forum/post/12853650

I don't deny the fact that the 4280HD has much better picture quality. I just think it's a poor value for his budget and needs. As you and I said, the Panasonic would be a better choice. If you want to spend the money to get a Pioneer, opt for the 5080HD if they're roughly the same price. Bigger panel + higher resolution = win (relative to the 4280HD).

And yes, I meant that the 4280HD displays rectangular pixels. It'll have resolution loss when you feed it either a 720p or 1080i/p signal. It'd at least shoot for a 1365x768 panel.

It'll have a resolution loss, but with a 42" display from over 7 feet, he's not sitting close enough to resolve the 1024x768 resolution of the 4280 as is. That said, I completely agree that the 4280 is a terrible choice when the 5080 is only slightly more expensive.

I also think he'd get more value out of a 50" 768p display than the PZ77U... either the 50PX75U or 50PX77U, if the 5080 is out of reach.

RaiderRodney

· #10 · Jan 18, 2008

2

I'd suggest the 42PZ77U as well. It's a great panel at a great price with a great picture. Either way Panny or Pioneer and I think you will be happy

Good luck with your choice

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Roostalee

· #11 · Jan 18, 2008

Wow, this is odd, because I'm looking at the two Panny's myself. The smaller set has 1080p, but the 50PX75U is larger and my viewing distance will be about 9 feet. I'm also in the same budget range, and right now I'm leaning toward the 50PX75U because I doubt I'll be able to tell 1080 from 720 at that distance.

p59teitel

· #12 · Jan 18, 2008

Something else to factor in when choosing size is whether you will be using a wall mount. If so, choosing an "articulating" wall mount that extends the display out toward you can have a pretty significant impact.

Case in point: I have a 50" Pioneer 5080 and a Sanus articulating wall mount that extends the display 26" further out from the wall than a flat wall mount would. My viewing areas from the couch range between 6.5' and 11.5' with the mount fully extended, which would be around 8.7' and 13.7' with a flat wall mount.

Per this distance calculator , the near and far measurements that define the range of my viewing distances distance show viewing angles from 23.7 degrees to 15.1 degrees without the 26" extension. When the mount at full extension is used, this results in viewing angle increases to 31.2 degrees and 17.9 degrees, respectively.

You can figure out the percentage of viewing angle gained by a) dividing the viewing angles obtained by extending the mount by the viewing angles without extension. You can then multiply the diagonal measurement of your display by the percentage gained to determine how much "larger" your display becomes when using the mount to bring it closer to you.

In my case, my 50" display effectively becomes a 66" display at the closest viewing distance, and a 58.5" display at the furthest distance...simply by extending the display out 26"! Pretty good stuff, when you consider that upgrading a 50" display to 60" is typically a four-figure expense - as opposed to a couple of hundred more for an articulating mount versus a flat one.

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texas_nightowl

· #13 · Jan 18, 2008

Quote:
Originally Posted by Roostalee /forum/post/12855093

Wow, this is odd, because I'm looking at the two Panny's myself. The smaller set has 1080p, but the 50PX75U is larger and my viewing distance will be about 9 feet. I'm also in the same budget range, and right now I'm leaning toward the 50PX75U because I doubt I'll be able to tell 1080 from 720 at that distance.

I'm completely torn on the 42PX75U vs. the 50PX75U at my distance of 9-10ft also. I'm leaning towards the 42 only because I plan in 2 yrs to move the 42 to either the bedroom or office and get a larger set for the living room. I hope to buy a house at which point I'll go larger. I'm thinking I'll stick to 42 while in my apartment. At least, that is what I am thinking this particular hour.

slbosse

· #14 · Jan 18, 2008

Quote:
Originally Posted by texas_nightowl /forum/post/12855937

I'm completely torn on the 42PX75U vs. the 50PX75U at my distance of 9-10ft also. I'm leaning towards the 42 only because I plan in 2 yrs to move the 42 to either the bedroom or office and get a larger set for the living room. I hope to buy a house at which point I'll go larger. I'm thinking I'll stick to 42 while in my apartment. At least, that is what I am thinking this particular hour.

I think I'm about to make the same decision: just buy a 42" now, and then in a couple years move that to the bedroom and buy something bigger and really nice for the living room that I'll be happy with for a good 8-10 years. The technology will only get better and the prices will - hopefully! - come down. I like both the 42PX75U and the 4280HD, too.

lodolfan

· #15 · Jan 18, 2008

Quote:
Originally Posted by p59teitel /forum/post/12855768

Case in point: I have a 50" Pioneer 5080 and a Sanus articulating wall mount that extends the display 26" further out from the wall than a flat wall mount would.

What model is your Sanus wall mount? I'm currently shopping for a wall mount for my 5080 but I am shocked at how expensive the prices for these things are. Any suggestions?

batpig

· #16 · Jan 18, 2008

Quote:
Originally Posted by slbosse /forum/post/12856213

(1)I'll be happy with for a good 8-10 years.

(2)The technology will only get better and the prices will - hopefully! - come down.

WARNING: Statement (2) will most likely negate the truth value of Statement (1)*

* Reading AVSforum daily will only increase the likelihood

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bemenaker

· #17 · Jan 18, 2008

Zintahr, why are you recommend the 768 set over the newer 1080p set? I don't understand that. The z77u's are the newer and higher resolution version of the x line. They look better too. I compared them directly before buying my 42z77u, and it z77u's are definitely better looking. They have the same AG screen.

Xbox 360 looks incredible on it.

texas_nightowl

· #18 · Jan 18, 2008

Well, I have just bought the 42pX75U...it will be delivered Monday (I need the weekend to re-arrange furniture!). I did pay a bit more than if I had ordered via Frys but I'm ok with that on this purchase.

bemenaker: I went with the PX75U because a) at the distances I sit 1080p will not be readily apparent according to most people, b) price, c) I did not like the AG screen on the 77's. I visited multiple stores multiple times to look at differences and the 77 to me looked flat and unappealing. When visiting stores and standing roughly the same distance away as I normally sit at home I could see very little to no difference in the PX75 vx. the PZ700. And in fact several times I preferred the PX75. So I bought the 75U. In future, maybe 2 yrs, I will no doubt buy a larger TV which will be 1080 and move this one to the office or bedroom but for now the 75U should meet all my needs and the price can't be beat at the moment!

p59teitel

· #19 · Jan 19, 2008

Quote:
Originally Posted by lodolfan /forum/post/12857089

What model is your Sanus wall mount? I'm currently shopping for a wall mount for my 5080 but I am shocked at how expensive the prices for these things are. Any suggestions?

The VMAA26B. Love the thing - easy to install, good solid construction, and excellent range of motion. I can turn it 90 degrees either direction, which is great if I leave the couch to cook something in the kitchen.

Got it from the Big River. No one is exactly giving the things away, but it made sense for me.

eleison

· #20 · Jan 21, 2008

Quote:
Originally Posted by batpig /forum/post/12857847

WARNING: Statement (2) will most likely negate the truth value of Statement (1)*

* Reading AVSforum daily will only increase the likelihood

Not necessary. After a while Plasma tv prices will stabilize - they will become commodities. Take for example computers -- they have gone down (if not remained flat).

Right now, I really want a tv, but I've decided to get a 720 panasonic 42" (leaving to buy it after writting this). My parents bought this same tv for $2000 last year. Now getting it for ~700 (w/tax). This set should tide me over till next year when the 1080 50' are cheaper.

The money I save by waiting next year, after doing my calculations, will pay for the 42" set.

Since I'm poor, its really hard to justify spending so much money for a 1080 set, when the prices are rapidly decreasing. I think 50" 1080p tvs should stabilize arround the $1300 mark -- or at least the rate of decreasing should be a lot minimal then now

In any case, this is the reason I justify getting the 720 set.. plus, need to save money on the trip to Las vegas for march madness.. don't think the gf will like it if we have to stay in a hotel 6 there ;-P

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