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 Location: WI2MN2NJ2IL
Registered: 11-01-2000
Posts: 1534
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Posted
Panasonic TH-42PX60U looks like the best price vs performance compromise to me so far based on my initial research. Does anyone have this TV? The competing Pioneers probably beat it slightly in image quality but are also more expensive.
Any general advice for buying HD-ready TV's or HDTV's? Anything specific to look for or avoid with plasma? And with regard to size, are people pretty happy with 42" in living rooms and family rooms, or is the extra size of the 50" a necessity for that application? Thanks! Brian |
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Location: WI2MN2NJ2IL
Registered: 11-01-2000
Posts: 1534
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Posted
Okay, here's an update...I went to a few appliance stores today to check these TV's out in person. Was very disappointed in the Panasonic plasma image quality so will probably take that off the list now. The Pioneer plasmas are incredible, but of course they're very expensive too. Was surprised to see that the Hitachi, Samsung, and Toshiba plasmas all looked pretty good and are in the middle range for price. Does anyone have any advice they can share on this topic?
More specifically, does anyone know anything about these specific models: Samsung HPS4253X/X Toshiba 50HP66 Hitachi 55HDS69 Thanks! Brian |
 Location: the Florida gulf
Registered: 09-07-2002
Posts: 3299
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Posted
The prices are coming down and rumor has it that they'll be falling big time as Christmas approaches. That said, we just bought a 50" Samsung Plasma at Sam's Club for about $2400. We're happy with it but we haven't set up all the HD bells and whistles yet. We also liked the Toshiba and the Panasonic plasmas as well as a Samsung DLP.
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 Location: Siberia
Registered: 01-10-2004
Posts: 10606
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Posted
The Vizio's are very affordable and look fantastic.
http://www.viziotv.com/ Not sure what was driving the Panasonic you were viewing but my friend has a 50" Panny Plasma and I've never seen a better picture on any set. Of course his components (AND CABLES) are top notch. Most stores have no clue how to display a high def set or they use cheap equipment and cables. It makes a difference. Good luck with your search! |
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Location: WI2MN2NJ2IL
Registered: 11-01-2000
Posts: 1534
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Posted
Thanks for the replies.
Yes, I have heard great things about Panasonic plasmas, which is why they were at the top of my list. But we saw this effect I was describing on two different TV's in two different stores (one was the 42" and one was the 50"). I suppose it's possible that both had poor connections or something, but many of the other TV's I saw looked better. Not saying that Panasonic isn't any good or anything, just that to my eye (which admittedly isn't that good, especially since I'm color blind) some of the other screens were better. And my wife saw the strange effect too. Anyway, thanks for the info on Vizio, I'll read up on them. |
 Location: 2000 Miles West of Green Bay
Registered: 02-05-2000
Posts: 2545
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Posted
I have been looking at Vizios myself. There have been what have looked like good deals on them at Costco. I am in the market for a new TV and might get one of those.
I already have a small flat screen and a camera from Vizio and I have been pretty happy with them so far, especially the camera. |
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Location: the Florida gulf
Registered: 09-07-2002
Posts: 3299
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Posted
We saw the Panasonic at Sam's Club when we looked at the Samsung. In terms of picture, we liked the 50" Panasonic and a 42" Toshiba at Sam's Club better. Unfortunately, we were looking strictly at 50" and the price difference between the Panasonic, a 50" Toshiba bought elsewhere, and the Samsung didn't justify the difference for us. Also, and FWIW, another shopper at Sam's Club saw us looking at the big screens and went out of her way to tell us (for nearly fifteen minutes until her husband dragged her away) about the terrible experience they had with a VIZIO. Just passing along. We didn't look at them only because we had targeted the ones I mentioned earlier. |
 Location: WI
Registered: 07-16-2002
Posts: 4862
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Posted
Great price on the Panasonic.
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=51...33593764860358370084 |
 Location: Carol Stream, IL
Registered: 04-12-2000
Posts: 4751
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Posted
I am also surprised at your comments on the 50" Panasonic. I have had my Panasonic for about 3 weeks and the picture is fantastic. I have the DirecTV HD package connected with HDMI cables. I got it for $2500 from Abt Electronics on a price match.
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 Location: Watching the Pack in HD!
Registered: 01-03-2001
Posts: 4933
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Posted
Excellent price - but it's out of stock. |
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Location: WI
Registered: 07-16-2002
Posts: 4862
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Posted
They sold them out, didn't take long. I believe Sears does a price match plus 10%. Just take the advertised price and go to it. Great price. |
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Location: the Florida gulf
Registered: 09-07-2002
Posts: 3299
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Posted
Did you work any deal with DirecTV on the HD package? |
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Location: WI2MN2NJ2IL
Registered: 11-01-2000
Posts: 1534
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Posted
WOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would have jumped all over that...hope they get them back into stock soon or that some other places come down to that price too! Best Buy and others will have to try to compete to some degree I would imagine. Thanks for posting. |
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Location: WI2MN2NJ2IL
Registered: 11-01-2000
Posts: 1534
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Posted
Thanks for replying. Yes, I keep hearing that from every single person who has a Panasonic plasma. I can't find one person to say one bad thing about them. So I'll certainly go back and revisit them. Because, as much as I'd like to have Pioneer, it's just so much more expensive. And I have heard of stability problems with the Toshiba and reliability problems with Samsung. My understanding after doing more research is that most HDTV's need to be calibrated (by and Avia-type product, or by a professional) and that the "clayface" phenomenon that I observed was most likely the result of some settings on the TV being off. So I'm going to look more into all this. |
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Location: WI2MN2NJ2IL
Registered: 11-01-2000
Posts: 1534
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Posted
We've got our DirecTV service on hold. Not aware of any deals...you have any surefire ways to get their prices down? |
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Location: the Florida gulf
Registered: 09-07-2002
Posts: 3299
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Posted
On some of the HD forums the speculation is that the HD's are going to drop dramatically starting Black Friday. Rumor that you'll find Panasonic and Sony 42" plasma's for under $1000. That's their speculation but we're already seeing the prices start to fall. |
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Location: the Florida gulf
Registered: 09-07-2002
Posts: 3299
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Posted
Check some of the forums like DBSTalk. It appears that DirecTV reps are given a good deal of leeway in terms of the deals they can make. I made an initial call last weekend and got the $299 HD DVR (the new one, can't recall model) for $199, plus 4 months HD package free, plus 4 months HBO and Showtime. I turned it down. She said that she would note I'd been offered that. I'll be calling them back in a couple days. My dilemma...I'm happy with DirecTV but my cable company is offering a decent package for TV, Internet and Phone. They have considerably more HD channels than DirecTV at this time and the equipment is free. I'll have to mention that when I call DirecTV the next time. |
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Location: the Florida gulf
Registered: 09-07-2002
Posts: 3299
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Posted
Just a general note - those calibration DVD disks can be rented at places like Netflix. |
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Location: WI2MN2NJ2IL
Registered: 11-01-2000
Posts: 1534
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Posted
Were you on the waiting list for the HD DVR? My understanding is that they are *way* backordered with no estimated arrival date. |
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Location: Carol Stream, IL
Registered: 04-12-2000
Posts: 4751
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Posted
Yes. I asked to speak to customer retention and got everything installed for free. Also had them give me the Super Fan Package for free. |
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Location: WI
Registered: 07-16-2002
Posts: 4862
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Posted
I have confirmation that Circuit City is honoring a price match on this TV with the Walmart price. You just have to take the ad in with you and they will match. |
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Location: WI2MN2NJ2IL
Registered: 11-01-2000
Posts: 1534
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Posted
Sweet! Any idea if it has to be a newspaper ad, or can it be a printout from the internet? Guess all I can do is try. By the way, do you know if the TH-42PX6U is the old version of the Panasonic 42" plasma? I see that the TH-42PX60U is $1398 at Wal-Mart...so there must be something different between the two. |
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Location: WI
Registered: 07-16-2002
Posts: 4862
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Posted
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