[Viche]

So my in-laws want a 50" flat screen for their bedroom. They watch TV pretty much only at night, so glare is not an issue. They aren't tech savvy (mother-in-law watches SD shows on their Sony LCD because she is "used to those channel #'s vs the higher HD channel #'s

).


So I suggested a 720p plasma.


I know a lot more about LCDs and not too much about which Plasma sets are good. I'd like to stick with reputable brand-names like Panasonic and Samsung, if for nothing else, just to limit the options. I do not plan on agonizing over this decision.


Found these two at Amazon. Got good reviews:
Samsung PN50B450 50-Inch 720p Plasma HDTV $899

Panasonic VIERA X1 Series TC-P50X1 50-Inch 720p Plasma HDTV $845

Are these decent sets? Which one would you pick?

Do they have the newer, brighter, more energy efficient panels?

Any others you'd recommend over these?


Thanks so much for the help!

 

[GregLee]

I've had a Samsung PN50A450, the previous generation set, since last Christmas, and I'm extremely happy with it. This Samsung has superior user controls to the Panasonic sets I've had in the past, but I haven't compared the X1.

 

[localnet]

I would say either of the sets you are looking at would be just fine. If you are buying, you can come on over and hang one of them in my bedroom.

Mike

 

[coconutgroves]

This probably won't be a popular comment, but look at Vizio. I was impressed on how good the picture was for the cost. My in-laws are not tech savvy and this is what they chose. I tuned it with a Video Essentials disc and was very impressed with the results.


Panasonic has very good reputation for quality. Samsung does not. Some will argue this, but you can search high and low about returns and defect rates.


Looking at Costco, I don't see any Vizio plasmas. You might be able to find through other outlets.

 

[RandyWalters]

Vizio no longer makes plasmas which is a good thing because they sucked.


Stick with a Panasonic 50X1 - it's a solid reliable unit from a trusted company and is elderly-friendly

 

[localnet]



Quote:
Originally Posted by coconutgroves /forum/post/16881219


Panasonic has very good reputation for quality. Samsung does not.

I'm not a Samsung "fanboy", but own two of their sets, one 58B560 and a Luxia 40B6000 for differing reasons, and not the brand name. I also own 2008 model year LCDs from Sony and Toshiba. I have not had any issues with ANY of them.


To the op, buy the set that looks the best to your eyes. Personally, when shopping for a Panasonic plasma, I found the pq of the Samsung unit I walked out with to be superior to the Panasonic. And guess what, the set does not have any problems and actually turns on when I hit the "on" button, imagine that? If there are issues with ANY set you buy, return it, no one can tell me that there have not been problems with Panasonic or Pioneer plasma sets, or Vizio or LG for that matter.


Blanket statements like the above are of no real help to anyone. Do a search?

Mike

 

[speedking]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Viche /forum/post/16880874


So my in-laws want a 50" flat screen for their bedroom. They watch TV pretty much only at night, so glare is not an issue. They aren't tech savvy (mother-in-law watches SD shows on their Sony LCD because she is "used to those channel #'s vs the higher HD channel #'s

).


So I suggested a 720p plasma.


I know a lot more about LCDs and not too much about which Plasma sets are good. I'd like to stick with reputable brand-names like Panasonic and Samsung, if for nothing else, just to limit the options. I do not plan on agonizing over this decision.


Found these two at Amazon. Got good reviews:
Samsung PN50B450 50-Inch 720p Plasma HDTV $899

Panasonic VIERA X1 Series TC-P50X1 50-Inch 720p Plasma HDTV $845

Are these decent sets? Which one would you pick?

Do they have the newer, brighter, more energy efficient panels?

Any others you'd recommend over these?


Thanks so much for the help!

I would suggest the Panasonics...50X1...50S1..now the S1 is a 1080p set, but there are a lot of good deals now on these models...and the price difference isn't that much. At 6thave electronics right now they are having a "name your price sale"..you can submit a price and see if they accept it. Nothing to lose...you could do it on either of the Panasonics...

 

[fourtytwoinch]



Quote:
Originally Posted by localnet /forum/post/16881317


I'm not a Samsung "fanboy", but own two of their sets, one 58B560 and a Luxia 40B6000 for differing reasons, and not the brand name. I also own 2008 model year LCDs from Sony and Toshiba. I have not had any issues with ANY of them.


To the op, buy the set that looks the best to your eyes. Personally, when shopping for a Panasonic plasma, I found the pq of the Samsung unit I walked out with to be superior to the Panasonic. And guess what, the set does not have any problems and actually turns on when I hit the "on" button, imagine that? If there are issues with ANY set you buy, return it, no one can tell me that there have not been problems with Panasonic or Pioneer plasma sets, or Vizio or LG for that matter.


Blanket statements like the above are of no real help to anyone. Do a search?

Mike

You earn bad reputation, it should not be thrown out of the window because you don't like it. There are thousands of samsung owners with no problems with their sets. There are thousands of westinghouse owners with no problems with their sets. I would not have said that westinghouse has a 'very good reputation for quality' just because I owned a westinghouse for 2 years and it worked perfectly.


Yet you are bringing up the point of panasonic's not turning on, which is not been a problem with the X1 and Panasonic still has a great reputation for quality and costumer service.

 

[rahzel]

Samsung may not be as reliable, but they are a reliable brand nonetheless (IMO). My brother just got a PN50B450 and hes completely happy with it. I went over there a few times to see it, and after fiddling around with it a bit, it was a pretty damn good looking set for the price.

 

[localnet]



Quote:
Originally Posted by fourtytwoinch /forum/post/16881875


You earn bad reputation, it should not be thrown out of the window because you don't like it. There are thousands of samsung owners with no problems with their sets. There are thousands of westinghouse owners with no problems with their sets. I would not have said that westinghouse has a 'very good reputation for quality' just because I owned a westinghouse for 2 years and it worked perfectly.


Yet you are bringing up the point of panasonic's not turning on, which is not been a problem with the X1 and Panasonic still has a great reputation for quality and costumer service.

Ahwww, I did not know that was a problem with Panasonic sets, as I think that is what you said, learn something new every day... Imagine that? Is that a real problem? As I chose my Samsung plasma over the Panasonic for the pq, not because I read something on the internet.

Mike

 

[localnet]



Quote:
Originally Posted by rahzel /forum/post/16882091


Samsung... it was a pretty damn good looking set for the price.

BINGO! The reason I bought mine. And I could have bought a Kuro, but why spend the money when I am more than happy with 58 inches of glorious Samsung color and clarity? Hell, I bought the damn thing to watch football, as it is NOT the only tv in my house. The daily grunt work goes to a 2008 60hz Sony 46V3000 up in my living room, and I am very happy with it and see no need to replace.


Mike

 

[fourtytwoinch]



Quote:
Originally Posted by localnet /forum/post/16882108


Ahwww, I did not know that was a problem with Panasonic sets, as I think that is what you said, learn something new every day... Imagine that? Is that a real problem? As I chose my Samsung plasma over the Panasonic for the pq, not because I read something on the internet.

Mike

Some of us want more information than looking at tvs in the store. People argue here once and a while that looking at a TV in the store is all the information they need. It is not for a lot of people. It is not very much information at all.

 

[QuiGonJosh]

Sams has a 50 inch Panasonic plasma for $797. And with Sams, you get the lifetime return policy, so in 20 years when it breaks down, you can bring it back for a full refund.

 

[localnet]



Quote:
Originally Posted by fourtytwoinch /forum/post/16882344


Some of us want more information than looking at tvs in the store. People argue here once and a while that looking at a TV in the store is all the information they need. It is not for a lot of people. It is not very much information at all.

So? Where do you go to buy your tv's?

Went to multiple stores, played with the sets, blah blah blah. I liked the pq of the Sammy better. I bought locally, if there were issues, I could load it back up and try again. Hell, I went shopping for a Panasonic, I could have bought a Kuro if I wanted to! But, I did not want to spend that kind of money on a tv, I already did that, and within a year the set was bested at less than half the price! Why dump allot of coin for a tv in this economy and the fact that everyday something better is introduced.


At under two grand for a 58" tv, now that was cool in my book with awesome pq to boot. And I could care less who makes it, mine is trouble free, no buzz, no pink hue, no color push, no on/off problems, no flicker, no power supply problems, no.... And I bought a 5 year Mack warranty for $179 so I am covered for the next 6 years. And I sold my 2007 $4000 XBR for $600 to family, so the 58B560 Sammy cost me a whopping $1646.00 cash with a 6 year warranty to boot.

So who is on first?


Mike

 

[DocuMaker]



Quote:
Originally Posted by RandyWalters /forum/post/16881284


Vizio no longer makes plasmas which is a good thing because they sucked.

They sure sucked all right...their 1080p model sucked well north of 400 watts! They sucked a lot of juice. They were also quite thick and heavy. I can't speak to the PQ yea or nay. But something that sucked that much juice would surely put out a lot of heat. The OP did not say how big the room is, how far away they will be from the TV, and what the climate is like. If they will only be watching from bed, straight on, they could probably get by with a cool-running LCD that is angled toward them. Problem is, they don't make a cheap 50 inch LCD. You have to pay up and get a 52 inch or settle for the smaller 46/47 inch.

Quote:
Stick with a Panasonic 50X1 - it's a solid reliable unit from a trusted company and is elderly-friendly

Yes, I'm sure it's a solid plasma. But it does have a strange diamond diagonal criss-cross pattern on the screen. I suppose elderly people would not even notice nor care. I prefer the sharper picture on the B450, and since they are elderly folks I'm sure they won't hear any buzz at all...ha ha ha!


The B450 has a nicer remote than that cheap toy that Panasonic provides. Not that the B450 remote is anything special, but anything is special compared to a Panasonic remote! The Samsung is considerably thinner than the Panny as well, but the OP did not state whether this would be wall mounted or sitting on a stand.

 

[kagolu]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Viche /forum/post/16880874


So my in-laws want a 50" flat screen for their bedroom. They watch TV pretty much only at night, so glare is not an issue. They aren't tech savvy (mother-in-law watches SD shows on their Sony LCD because she is "used to those channel #'s vs the higher HD channel #'s

).


So I suggested a 720p plasma.


I know a lot more about LCDs and not too much about which Plasma sets are good. I'd like to stick with reputable brand-names like Panasonic and Samsung, if for nothing else, just to limit the options. I do not plan on agonizing over this decision.


Found these two at Amazon. Got good reviews:
Samsung PN50B450 50-Inch 720p Plasma HDTV $899

Panasonic VIERA X1 Series TC-P50X1 50-Inch 720p Plasma HDTV $845

Are these decent sets? Which one would you pick?

Do they have the newer, brighter, more energy efficient panels?

Any others you'd recommend over these?


Thanks so much for the help!

With these two it would be hard to go wrong. I think they both are good. Some will favor Panny and some will favor Sammy but in this case, between these two, I would buy solely on price.

 

[Idiotcanuck]



Quote:
Originally Posted by kagolu /forum/post/16882897


With these two it would be hard to go wrong. I think they both are good. Some will favor Panny and some will favor Sammy but in this case, between these two, I would buy solely on price.

+1

I think that you should at least compare the LG 50PQ30/20 (costco) to the

B450 and X1. Now that prices on all three have converged, it's not really as much of a clearcut bang for the buck choice as it was when it was the only sub $800 mainstream 50" plasma, but it still looks the best of the three to me, and has a number of useful features. IMO it also has the best SD signal performance of the three, which may be important to the inlaws from your description.

 

[marerrila]

ou,the blacks on my B560 could be blacker but they are black enough to me. nothing to be upset about. i wasn't willing to spend my whole saving account on a pro Kuro so i knew what i was getting into.
http://thebighits.com/?id=weitingman

 

[Viche]

Thanks so much for the back and forth discussion. I'm going with the Samsung. I'm sure either would be good enough for them, but gotta pick one.

 

[leftyguitar1963]

Don't forget about the LG50PQ30, I paid a Benjamin less than the vendors u posted for the sammy/panny. We tried those two and we thought the LG had more pop. It also has (2) iSF 1/day & 2/night calibration pre-sets & the ability to set the energy efficiency to your liking, which the other 2 don't have.