[zozobar]

So we've got these two Pani screens, one nearly twice the money of the other. One has the higher screen res than the other. Now, if you're viewing material that was shot with HD cameras, it's going to look much better on the PHD6 right? Question #1 is: Twice the money better?

If you're viewing material that was bumped up to HD from film stock (for example) then do the differences between these two screens no longer matter? The global question is: Do I get an improvment worth the extra expense or is the TH-42PWD6UY just fine.

 

[BruZZi]

The global answer is:


That will depend on your viewing distance and how sensitive your eyes are about the pixels.

 

[mr pink]

twice the money? According to several forum sponsors the price difference is somewhere in the neighborhood of $1000 to $1500.


- pink

 

[snipeman]

I think the real question is what type of material will you mainly be viewing?


For SD, and DVD, the ED plasmas seem to be fine.


If the main amount of your viewing is going to be HD or PC desktop, you may want to spring for the HD plasma.


I went for the ED plasma, with the theory I'll use it for a while, then move it to a secondary viewing area and buy an HD plasma or LCD when the products mature.


Andy

 

[e143slime8]

Finally, a week after installation, I am able to sign on here and give my HO. I purchased the TH-42PHD6UY and am totally happy with it. After a few trial and errors (mostly errors on how I was doing the hookups) HD and DVD signals through the component feed present a stunning picture. I was a little unhappy viewing SD feed through the component hookup, was forced to use the stretch function to get the picture to go wide and the the colors got washed out. Found viewing SD pictures through a composite video connection works wonders. The "just" mode adjusts the picture to widescreen almost unnoticible, colors perfect (depending on the source feed).


As far as screendoor effect, there is virtually none at all unless you're less than a foot from the screen. I can really notice the difference between the enhanced def vs. the HD. For me, it is worth the extra money especially since HD choices will go up in a week from my local Cable company.

 

[goombawa]

Good to hear e143... I'm 99% sure now that I'm getting the 50phd6uy, so I'm glad you are liking it. Interesting that SD looks better on composite ... don't think I've heard that one before but since I'll likely be watching alot of SD that's good to know. Did you get a card with your panel as well? What inputs came standard with your purchase?

 

[Stealthfighter]

SPECTACULAR??


STUNNING??


Now we are getting somewhere.


No luck using S-Video for SD?


Your AVR may have a connection for converting composite to S-Video into the monitor. Not sure.


______________________


Bet David Wells (NNY Pitcher) looks even fatter in HD stretched.

 

[Stealthfighter]

A movie doesn't need to be filmed with a HD camera to look great at 1080i/720p.


A film transfered to HD will look very good only if the digital transfer was done right.


That new movie Once upon a time in Mexico (released this weekend) was filmed with a HD camera. Zelma Hyaek should look very good in HD.


Until HD DVD comes out in 2005-2006, all we have is HD cable/Sat or DVHS.

That picture quality will be the standard. There is talk that HD DVD may be 1080p (double the resolution of 1080i).


Don't pick up a HD plasma unless you have HD Cable/Sat.

Upgrade together.

 

[MikeSer]

Stealthfighter,


I recently saw Salma (that's who you meant, didn't you?) in a lowly NTCS format on David Letterman's show.

She looked great even w/o HD.


Mike

 

[Brucer]

Quote:

Originally posted by Stealthfighter .... all we have is HD cable/Sat or DVHS. .

Plus OTA !

 

[e143slime8]

Selme Hyak (sp?) looks good in my DREAMS!!!!!!!


I did not get an additional card with my set.


The only S-Video I have for choices were that coming out of my DVD/VHS player. Originally I had that plugged into the plasma input along with component from HD Cable box. (using Denon 2803 receiver). However, viewing SD source in Component would not fill the screen unless I physically stretched the picture, thus losing color saturation. Had to disconnect the s-video feed and go composite in order to get the VHS feed from player. Also had composite feeds to receiver coming from cable box. Using the final video composite feet from tuner to plasma solved all the problems. SD feed was now able to use the Auto/Full/Just/standard picture adjustments (the just mode stretches just the outside of the picture, leaving the center of the picture non-stretched, this makes the viewing seem like it was meant to be widescreen.


nuff info??

 

[zozobar]

Thanks to all for you for the replys. I live In NYC and have a full smattering of HD transmissions courtsey of Time Warner. So it's seems foolish for me to not get a TH-42PHD6UY. Can any of you tell me the lowest (fictional of course) price and is Dell still the place to go?

 

[Spinynorman]

I received my PHD6 yesterday morning. I am totally convinced that I made the right choice.


So far, I am viewing D* through S-video. I would say that this is quite good, certainly no worse than on my Proscan CRT. Larger screen size might make the crappy signal slightly more noticeable, but this would be true with any larger screen. I have been mostly using the "just" picture setting. The only time I really notice the stretched edges is when the camera pans and you get that warped picture look. I have not tried composite yet.


I do not have an HD STB yet, so I can't say anything about that. Was all set to go with the Zenith HDSAT-520, but after hearing about some of the problems I think I may wait for the next gen Sony/LG. (Can't wait to see Salma Hayek in HD!) I did get the DVI card in anticipation of using it for the new STB.


DVD via component feed is truly spectacular. It's hard to imagine that the ED version could have any better picture, as some here have claimed for the previous generation Pannys. I think that the brightness is greatly improved in the PHD6. This was one area noticeably lacking in the PHD5 (at least relative to the PWD5).


Absolutely no screendoor effect at my viewing distance. I can start to see it only at about 3 feet. I could definitely see it on the ED model at 7-8 feet, which bugged me a little. For myself, I was buying this monitor with a time frame of ten years. Hopefully, most, if not all, broadcast signals will be HD before then. The price difference between the PHD6 and PWD6 is significant (about 50%), but to me, it was worth it. Of course, everyone's financial situation is different, so it is a personal choice.


P.S. I got mine from Visual Apex. They are a forum sponsor with an excellent reputation. Check their website (link at the top of this page) for price.

 

[jrock65]

 http://www.*******************.com/p...esolution.html


Take the review for what it's worth.

 

[TomM]

Quote:

Originally posted by e143slime8 I can really notice the difference between the enhanced def vs. the HD.

Just curious, do you mean SD vs HD on the HD plasma, or have you done a comparison of similar material on the HD and SD Pannys? If it's the first one, that's true for the SD plasma as well. SD on the 42PWD6UY is nowhere near as stunning as HD material on the same set.


I think one thing to keep in mind when asking if a higher pixel count justifies a comparably higher price tag is that resolution only accounts for a portion of the PQ (10%-15% according to the above article, and I thought I read somewhere that resolution accounted for ~40% of the total PQ) and with myself and my friends sitting at 8' or so away from my 42PWD6UY watching the Pats in HD last night, the most noticeable difference brought by the HD camera was the stunning color and depth, which should be about equal on either set. Everyone was agreed that, with our eyes anyway,, any higher resolution would be insignificant at 8'. Screen door effect at

I would suggest the HD set for anyone using a HTPC setup, just because it accepts a more reasonable native resolution and I find the hassle of getting proper resolutions working annoying, but once it's running right, it's just a TV, so I don't deal with it on a regular basis.


Otherwise, I personally wouldn't feel the need to go HD unless I also went larger. Or if I wanted a had a setup where I had a chair pulled right up for the "optimal THX viewing experience" and at a viewing angle of 36 degrees, and with a 42" display, that works out to 4.8 ft.

 

[technofan]

I have the 42"PHD5UY for 5 months and is still wowed by it excellent picture in HDTV and good DVD movies. I go to B&M stores a lot and have look at many other HDTV out there since in search of a second HDTV for my finished attic. I have not seen any ED plasma or RPTV that has the picture quality and versatility of my plasma . I can walk up to my plasma to change the DVD underneath it and still see a pleasant picture up close. ED plasma has a bad screen door effect within 6 feet. The DLP , LCD projection HDTV is dim & hazy in comparison and also bad vertical viewing angles. You can save money by getting the ED but you will have to live with some limitation. When you see something beautiful in display like a piece of fine crystal or jewelry your natural tendency is to get as close as you can and press you face on the glass. Imagine someone tells you to go back 6 feet or more every time you get close!

 

[Spinynorman]

Quote:

Originally posted by jrock65 http://www.*******************.com/p...esolution.html Take the review for what it's worth.

This review is for the 5-Series Pannys, not the 6-Series. I believe there were some significant changes made for the new displays.

 

[salvador_dali]

Spinynorman


I think the point being made is that for most people color resolution is not very perceptible. That is to say the ED versus the HD, irrespective of what series of Panny PDP [the 6 series feature 10bit color and higher light output but same contrast ratio], end up to the "typical" eye generating the same visual content. Many times color resolution is overlooked and instead a B&W line resolution is used to describe our displays but this tends to be less effective describing our current Hi Def technology.


However FWIW, I have the 5UYHD panel and enjoy the finer details on my display and was glad to pay the premium for this quality.

 

[Stealthfighter]

Spinynorman,


Jump on the HD STB....you will expand your vocabulary beyond

"the PQ is Spectacular."


I even hear the Browns and Bengals play better in HD.


The Sony DirectTV HD tuner is being updated soon.

I think the HD200 is being replaced by a new model.

So you can get the HD200 cheaper or go with the new one.


You can use DVI from the Sony DTV HD tuner to the plasma....

Will give new meaning to the word "Spectacular."


I hope you are going component from the DVD player.


Look for Avia or DVE disk to tweak the picture.


Enjoy.

 

[Stealthfighter]

One last thing.


Is there a buzz coming from the Panny HD 6UY? Any Fan noise?

Some folks are complaining. Sending the panel back.


One luck bast#$% returned the Panny 42" SD and got the HD model as a replacement by mistake!!! Why doesn't that ever happend to me?