[redblue3008]

I am in the market for a 42" tv. I was looking at the panasonics, however there seems to be a very large ammount of people having their tvs fail.


I was going to post a link but i am not allowed, but there is a large thread in this forum about the panasonic issue.


Also, there seems to be an issue with video noise on the panasonics.


so in my hours of research it looks like I am going to go with the LG 42pg20. It seems like they have a better picture.


the price on the panasonics seem better, but i find the failures a deal breaker.


thoughts?

 

[RandyWalters]

Panasonic plasmas are regarded as the most reliable TV you can buy. The posts you found from owners who had a problem are a mere drop in the bucket compared to the millions of owners who have had no problems whatsoever and have not posted anything in the forums. You can't judge their reliability based on posts in forums. Consumer Reports deemed the Panasonic plasmas the most reliable brand. I've talked with 4 TV repairmen in the past few years or so who also said Panasonic is the more reliable brand.


I'm curious why you think an LG would be more reliable?

 

[joemama127]

lol.....going by posts on a message board is not a good way to judge the reliability of a certain brand...only the popularity.

You have to consider that Panasonic puts out more plasmas than any other maker and they are available in pretty much any retail channel major/minor, B&M/online. Guess which brand the majority of plasma owners have? If you place any value on the credibility of Consumer Reports..they rated Panasonic at the top for reliability of plasma makers.


Btw, I have a 42" LG as well as 2 Panasonics, so I'm not trying to steer you one way or the other..



edit- Randy beat me with the CR thing..

 

[Slabshaft]

I wouldn't base the decision off that. Stick with the TV you LIKE. They're all going to be reasonably reliable. The Panasonics are just very popular and thus, SEEM to have more issues. But statistically, most tvs fall within a failure margin of a couple percentage points of each other anyway as in 2,3,4%.


I do like the picture of the PG20 as well.

 

[redblue3008]

there are pages, and pages and pages of people with the problem. thats not legitimate? and thats just this site, if you search google, there are many others. i mean, if some of you think thats funny for me to base my decision on a large number of consistent complaints, thats fine, however there is no a massive LG failure thread on this site or on the internet.


somehow user reviews of people who own the product is not a reasonable way to gauge the quality of a product?




why do i think LG would be more reliable? Consumer websites rated in highly, and there is not a massive group of people complaining about failures.


even without that problem, the video noise issue has me leaning lg.


is that not a legit issue either? its being reported on internet forums as well.


most of the user reviews i read about the LG prefer the picture.

 

[sunil6784]

The thing about forums like this is that aside from the a select few people who are knowledgeable about tv's in general, most only post when there is a problem/question about their particular tv. There's a possibility that the reason you see so many "complaints" about Panasonics is because they sell more tv's than LG - therefore more people may have issues/questions about them. This doesn't mean that they aren't as reliable since the number of tv's each brand sells is different.

 

[joemama127]



Quote:
Originally Posted by redblue3008 /forum/post/15478700


there are pages, and pages and pages of people with the problem. thats not legitimate? and thats just this site, if you search google, there are many others. i mean, if some of you think thats funny for me to base my decision on a large number of consistent complaints, thats fine, however there is no a massive LG failure thread on this site or on the internet.


somehow user reviews of people who own the product is not a reasonable way to gauge the quality of a product?




why do i think LG would be more reliable? Consumer websites rated in highly, and there is not a massive group of people complaining about failures.


even without that problem, the video noise issue has me leaning lg.


is that not a legit issue either? its being reported on internet forums as well.


most of the user reviews i read about the LG prefer the picture.

I've been an electronics/computer enthusiast for as long as I can remember and one thing I've learned is to never gauge the reliability of something by the number of posts about it on message boards. Whenever I zero in on a specific model, I usually go on a research rampage which inevitably leads me to message boards where people are discussing that particular product. I almost got scared away from buying a Dell 2007WFP after visiting the Dell board....2+ years later the monitor is great and I haven't found anything better to replace it with. I could give you more examples but I think you get my point..


edit- use the "search this forum" feature for LG....it may scare you to another brand..and so on..and so on..

 

[Slabshaft]

In my experience, the only thing I've ever bought that put me into that group of angry people about a product was the Xbox 360 with the three red lights. The percentage of failure was epic, like 30%+. I wish I could send you the link to the stats I found on the TV failures from different brands. If I find the website, I'll post it. Ijust saw it a few days ago too . . .



But honestly . . . If you like the PG20 and you feel it may be more reliable, you will certainly be happy with the purchase regardless. It's a good deal for the quality if you ask me. When I saw it in the store, I also thought it looked a bit better than the Panasonic or the Samsung A450. Reviews seem to disagree, so shows how much my opinion is worth, lol! It just happens to be slightly more expensive.

 

[jymothy]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Slabshaft /forum/post/15479281


In my experience, the only thing I've ever bought that put me into that group of angry people about a product was the Xbox 360 with the three red lights. The percentage of failure was epic, like 30%+. .

sorry ot

thats wat has happened to me


wat can i do about it ?

 

[dhewie]

Wow, that's interesting. I too got research overload looking at what TV to buy. One of the main reasons I picked a Panasonic was the lack of issues I saw compared to other brands. Sure, last year's models seemed to have some problems with a popping noise, but other than that I saw what looked to be a very solid brand.


I'm sure there could be a problem model within Panasonic like there are with every brand, but you cannot discount an entire brand based on that.

 

[RandyWalters]



Quote:
Originally Posted by redblue3008 /forum/post/15478700


there are pages, and pages and pages of people with the problem. thats not legitimate? and thats just this site, if you search google, there are many others. i mean, if some of you think thats funny for me to base my decision on a large number of consistent complaints, thats fine, however there is no a massive LG failure thread on this site or on the internet.

That's because not too many people buy LG Plasmas compared to Panasonics. And the reason the complaints are consistent is because there are only a few things that can go wrong with a Plasma so you see the same complaints over and over (power supply, video board, input board, not much else).

Quote:
somehow user reviews of people who own the product is not a reasonable way to gauge the quality of a product?

No, not unless you get feedback from everyone who owns a Panasonic, or at least a large enough cross-section of several thousand owners where you can get a more accurate ratio of defective sets vs perfect sets. If the industry data is correct, 98% of Panasonic owners have not had a failure which by today's standards is excellent in the world of modern electronics.


People don't come to message forums to create posts that say "Hey i just wanted to let you all know that my plasma is 100% reliable and has not failed!!". No. But people that do have problems will seek out forums and post about their problem either to or seek advice, or complain, or to vent their anger and bash the product and try to get everyone to not buy that brand. It's childish.


And you seem to be ignoring the technical posts from thousands of Panasonic owners here where they are not talking about defects, but are actually talking about settings and how great it looks compared to other brands which means they are not having any problems. Do posts from owners that are not having any failures carry any less weight than posts from owners that have had failures? I know a lot of people who bought Panasonic plasma TVs over the past 6 years, yet none of them have had failures that i know of - and i'm sure they'd call me and let me know if they did.

Quote:
why do i think LG would be more reliable? Consumer websites rated in highly, and there is not a massive group of people complaining about failures.

Did any of those consumer websites rate it more reliable than Panasonic? If so please post the links so we can have a look at the data. Have you actually talked to any authorized repair shops or to any television repairmen about how reliable the Panasonic is compared to other brands? How about the LG?

Quote:
even without that problem, the video noise issue has me leaning lg. is that not a legit issue either? its being reported on internet forums as well.

What video noise? I've never seen it on any Panasonic in the homes of my friends and relatives and customers and club members. But i've seen video noise randomly on every brand of plasma at stores and i always attribute it to the settings or the feed or the setup. And most of the people who say they see video noise on brand X or Y or Z saw it at a store, not in their own home.


So how about LG's famous red dot problem and red sparkle problem? There are lots of posts on various internet forums about it. I see the problem myself on two LG Plasmas at the Daily Grill restaurant right here in El Segundo, and sometimes on the new and horrid looking 42" LG LCD TV they had me install at at my workplace. I tried to tell them it was garbage and to please buy a better brand, but they insisted on getting the LG and now i have to listen to the customers constantly ask why is everybody's face so shiny?

Quote:
most of the user reviews i read about the LG prefer the picture.

Then by all means buy the LG, but i gotta say i've never been able to get an LG Plasma to look as good as a Panasonic. And you better hope your LG doesn't develop a defect because you'll probably have a heck of a time getting it repaired - LG's customer service is mostly poor and once you get a tech out to look at it, parts are often backordered for a month. Nonetheless, chances are good that it will be almost as reliable as a Panasonic since the top brands reliability levels are only within a few percent of the next one.

 

[redblue3008]



Quote:
Originally Posted by RandyWalters /forum/post/15480089


That's because not too many people buy LG Plasmas compared to Panasonics. And the reason the complaints are consistent is because there are only a few things that can go wrong with a Plasma so you see the same complaints over and over (power supply, video board, input board, not much else).




No, not unless you get feedback from everyone who owns a Panasonic, or at least a large enough cross-section of several thousand owners where you can get a more accurate ratio of defective sets vs perfect sets. If the industry data is correct, 98% of Panasonic owners have not had a failure which by today's standards is excellent in the world of modern electronics.


People don't come to message forums to create posts that say "Hey i just wanted to let you all know that my plasma is 100% reliable and has not failed!!". No. But people that do have problems will seek out forums and post about their problem either to or seek advice, or complain, or to vent their anger and bash the product and try to get everyone to not buy that brand. It's childish.


And you seem to be ignoring the technical posts from thousands of Panasonic owners here where they are not talking about defects, but are actually talking about settings and how great it looks compared to other brands which means they are not having any problems. Do posts from owners that are not having any failures carry any less weight than posts from owners that have had failures? I know a lot of people who bought Panasonic plasma TVs over the past 6 years, yet none of them have had failures that i know of - and i'm sure they'd call me and let me know if they did.




Did any of those consumer websites rate it more reliable than Panasonic? If so please post the links so we can have a look at the data. Have you actually talked to any authorized repair shops or to any television repairmen about how reliable the Panasonic is compared to other brands? How about the LG?




What video noise? I've never seen it on any Panasonic in the homes of my friends and relatives and customers and club members. But i've seen video noise randomly on every brand of plasma at stores and i always attribute it to the settings or the feed or the setup. And most of the people who say they see video noise on brand X or Y or Z saw it at a store, not in their own home.


So how about LG's famous red dot problem and red sparkle problem? There are lots of posts on various internet forums about it. I see the problem myself on two LG Plasmas at the Daily Grill restaurant right here in El Segundo, and sometimes on the new and horrid looking 42" LG LCD TV they had me install at at my workplace. I tried to tell them it was garbage and to please buy a better brand, but they insisted on getting the LG and now i have to listen to the customers constantly ask why is everybody's face so shiny?



Then by all means buy the LG, but i gotta say i've never been able to get an LG Plasma to look as good as a Panasonic. And you better hope your LG doesn't develop a defect because you'll probably have a heck of a time getting it repaired - LG's customer service is mostly poor and once you get a tech out to look at it, parts are often backordered for a month. Nonetheless, chances are good that it will be almost as reliable as a Panasonic since the top brands reliability levels are only within a few percent of the next one.

thanks for taking the time to write a lengthy post. i was not aware that LG has poor customer service. while there are some posts complaining about LG's, there arent as many as the panasonics. however, given that as you have stated panasonic sell more, then its reasonable to conclude that is the reason there are more panasonic posts about failures.


i dont really dispute much of your post, i was just posting what i have found so far and to get other viewpoints and opinions.


a couple things remain. first, in regards to video noise, im glad to hear its possibly a settings issue. the cnet reviews seemed to think it was an issue. i would love to be able to see for myself but any time i am in the store all the tvs are all on different settings so its almost impossible to get a read.


i just discovered mack in home warranties. until that point i only saw expensive extended warranties for like $300-$400. so the panasonic based on that and what you posted above.


hows the sound on the panasonic? from what i read the LG has some special invisible speaker nonsense. i mean, it might not be nonsense, but is it that much better?


that at least i think i can test in the store. anyway, thanks for the help.

 

[StinDaWg]

lolz at this whole thread. Panasonic is the best bang for the buck plasma you will ever find. They are the Honda of televisions.

 

[buylongterm]



Quote:
Originally Posted by StinDaWg /forum/post/15488694


lolz at this whole thread. Panasonic is the best bang for the buck plasma you will ever find. They are the Honda of televisions.

Agree 1000%

 

[Vythiel]

I have an LG 50PG60 as well as a Panasonic 50PX80U. I like the LG's image quality (colors) better however the build quality of the Panasonic feels a little more solid. I haven't had any problems from either one so far.


I disagree that Panasonic is the best bang for the buck as after considerable research, my 50PG60 was the best deal i could find for an excellent quality television. To get a Panasonic with equivalent specs and features as my LG, I would have had to pay $1300 extra. I purchased the 50PG60 for $1700 and the 50PZ800 was and still is $3000. These prices are in CDN dollars from Future Shop.


I cannot comment on LG's or Panasonic's support as I have never called them and I prefer to only speak from personal experience.


The point of this post is that both brands are reliable to an extent but will have the occasional lemon. Decide what features you want and shop for a TV that accomidates your needs. Best advice I can give you is to go to a store that has them on display, is showing HD content, and allows you to play with the settings. Set both TVs to the "Standard (or equivelent)" video setting and see which you like better. That should give you a good idea of what you're paying for.


Good Luck

 

[creemail]

NeoPDP will make you change your opinion about Panasonic very quickly!


Chris

 

[E-A-G-L-E-S]



Quote:
Originally Posted by redblue3008 /forum/post/15478700


there are pages, and pages and pages of people with the problem. thats not legitimate? and thats just this site, if you search google, there are many others. i mean, if some of you think thats funny for me to base my decision on a large number of consistent complaints, thats fine, however there is no a massive LG failure thread on this site or on the internet.


somehow user reviews of people who own the product is not a reasonable way to gauge the quality of a product?




why do i think LG would be more reliable? Consumer websites rated in highly, and there is not a massive group of people complaining about failures.


even without that problem, the video noise issue has me leaning lg.


is that not a legit issue either? its being reported on internet forums as well.


most of the user reviews i read about the LG prefer the picture.

As people have already told you Panasonic is very reliable.

~2% failure rate.

2% of the total number of panels sold is a large enough number that it can fool you if you don't know any better since they are the only owners posting and the ~98% happy owners are just enjoying their set.

 

[E-A-G-L-E-S]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Vythiel /forum/post/15490714


I have an LG 50PG60 as well as a Panasonic 50PX80U. I like the LG's image quality (colors) better however the build quality of the Panasonic feels a little more solid. I haven't had any problems from either one so far.


I disagree that Panasonic is the best bang for the buck as after considerable research, my 50PG60 was the best deal i could find for an excellent quality television. To get a Panasonic with equivalent specs and features as my LG, I would have had to pay $1300 extra. I purchased the 50PG60 for $1700 and the 50PZ800 was and still is $3000. These prices are in CDN dollars from Future Shop.


I cannot comment on LG's or Panasonic's support as I have never called them and I prefer to only speak from personal experience.


The point of this post is that both brands are reliable to an extent but will have the occasional lemon. Decide what features you want and shop for a TV that accomidates your needs. Best advice I can give you is to go to a store that has them on display, is showing HD content, and allows you to play with the settings. Set both TVs to the "Standard (or equivelent)" video setting and see which you like better. That should give you a good idea of what you're paying for.


Good Luck

I think you may not know what the 'real' differences are between Panny models this year.

 

[Vythiel]



Quote:
Originally Posted by E-A-G-L-E-S /forum/post/15496225


I think you may not know what the 'real' differences are between Panny models this year.

You're going to have to be a little more specific with your comment.


I was referring to the following information:


The PZ85 only has a fewer color calibration adjustments, is not THX certified, has less accurate primary colors, and no glass panel cover. Even with this it was still $300 more than the PG60.


The PZ800 Has more color calibration adjustments, is THX certified, and has highly accurate primary colors. It also has the glass panel cover. It's 1080/24p mode causes flicker.


The PZ850 does not have the THX certification but has some other color modes that I never researched as I never even considered buying it.


The 50PG60 is THX certified, has highly accurate primary colors, a 10 point color calibration (which is as extensive as it gets), and has the glass panel cover. It does not have any problem with the 1080/24p mode. Its only downside is slightly higher black levels than the Panasonics'.


After viewing the 50PG60 and the 46PZ85 side by side and playing with the settings, the difference in blacks was not too noticeable and was certainly not worth the price difference. The LG panel's whites and colors appeared more vibrant.


If there are other notable differences, then please let me know so that I and other potential buyers have something to watch out for in our future purchases.

 

[lazi0ne]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Vythiel /forum/post/15497424


You're going to have to be a little more specific with your comment.


I was referring to the following information:


The PZ85 only has a fewer color calibration adjustments, is not THX certified, has less accurate primary colors, and no glass panel cover. Even with this it was still $300 more than the PG60.


The PZ800 Has more color calibration adjustments, is THX certified, and has highly accurate primary colors. It also has the glass panel cover. It's 1080/24p mode causes flicker.


The PZ850 does not have the THX certification but has some other color modes that I never researched as I never even considered buying it.


The 50PG60 is THX certified, has highly accurate primary colors, a 10 point color calibration (which is as extensive as it gets), and has the glass panel cover. It does not have any problem with the 1080/24p mode. Its only downside is slightly higher black levels than the Panasonics'.


After viewing the 50PG60 and the 46PZ85 side by side and playing with the settings, the difference in blacks was not too noticeable and was certainly not worth the price difference. The LG panel's whites and colors appeared more vibrant.


If there are other notable differences, then please let me know so that I and other potential buyers have something to watch out for in our future purchases.

I own the 58PZ850. My buddy owns the 50PZ800. And I have recently viewed the PG60 in a light controlled environment.


My opinion - Panasonic has a more appealing picture. I prefer my studio ref mode and my buddy's 800 THX mode over the LG's 800 mode. Like the 800, you can not change too much on LG's THX mode but it seemed a bit washed out to me. Yes, there could be a few factors that led me to thinking this - other settings, me justifying my purchase (KIDDING!), blah blah.. But just thought I would add my 2 cents. Others may feel different.