MK5 Golf GTI
General => Random Chat => Topic started by: berg on June 27, 2013, 08:26:04 am
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Right, I want a Panasonic and 42".
After that I have no idea whether it should be Plasma or LCD/LED? 3D or just Smart?
I do watch a fair few films so is Plasma better? Also stream photo's through the Apple TV - plasma or LED?
Is the 3d technology worth it or is it the case that it is still developing and is not all that?
John Lewis seem to have a few good options not sure where else I should be looking on line other than Amazon?
ta
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Panasonic if your going plasma, don't really rate their lcds.
Plasmas are better for faster moving tv, but tbh I don't think the average consumer will notice.
Make sure it's 1080p resolution, 720p IMO is a wast of cash these days. If you keep an eye on your electricity bill, you will notice it rise with a plasma, it might even drop with a new gen LCD.
IMO I wouldn't pay extra for 3d, but if the set comes with it then thats ok.
Smart gives you Iplayer and such, no use to me because my tv is connected to a pc, but if you feel those features will be helpful make sure the tv has built in wifi.
If I was in the market for a tv again I'd be going Samsung plasma or LCD, purely based on value for money.
John Lewis is good as they offer 5years warranty on everything, they will also price match so shop around then get them to match it.
When you find a model number jump on avforums.co.uk and read the owners there'd of that tv, they will highlight issues and drawbacks, avforums may have reviewed the tv too.
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Panasonic 42GT50B ~600 quid
Job done.
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Panasonic 42GT50B ~600 quid
Job done.
is that one you have rich? or are you knowledgeable in the tv arena?
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As above, Panasonic for Plasma, Samsung for LED.
Smart features are good, I use iPlayer quite a lot. 3D ive only used 3 times since ive had the tv over a year now.
Personally I see that LED's with 100hz + are smoother then plasmas 600hz sub field motion.
If you do buy a Samsung, dont be fooled by their 800hz or 1000hz, they actually say their tvs are 1000hz CMR which means clear motion rate, its just a rating they give for the smoothness and the colours of the picture. They most likely are still 200hz.
Plasma will be bit more expensive and you could suffer from pixel burn after a few years.
Sound quality is not good on LED's but if you are connecting an external sound system, then that dont matter.
Hope that helps, Not putting plasma down, just think its an older technology and that there's better alternative options.
Thanks
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Panasonic 42GT50B ~600 quid
Job done.
is that one you have rich? or are you knowledgeable in the tv arena?
It's the one I bought after lots of research. :happy2:
You won't get a better picture for the money.
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I used to love panny CRTs however i began to find when they moved on to have slow, clunky menus and the LCDs quite poor in comparison to Samsung, Sony etc. the plasmas were very good, ala pioneer Kuro, which panny bought iirc.
I like Bravia as all my shiz can be controlled by one remote, and get the right model pic qual, up scaling are very good.
We're still using an old 40W5500 in the lounge, i did consider a 3d upgrade but not too fussed, and have it hooked up to a media centre in the garage for everything smart teles can do and much more. Distance from target is very important, look into this. Pointless having a 60inch if your sitting 6ft away :rolleye:
I think it's important to read the reviews both mag and user, and nail it down to an actual model rather than manufacturer, as they all make some crap teles. Don't pay too much if your not going to use the features. :happy2:
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simple formula i always for size of tv
Distance (inches) / 3 = size of tv you should get
for example if you are 10 foot away from your sofa to tv
10 foot is 120 inches
120 / 3 = 40" tv
The thing is, if you have too big of a tv, and you are watching non hd content, you wont like the quality of the picture, so you need to be either further back, or a smaller screen.
Ive been to relatives houses where they have such a huge screen in a small place that you have to move your head when watching the footy, rather then moving your eyes lol.
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Ive been to relatives houses where they have such a huge screen in a small place that you have to move your head when watching the footy, rather then moving your eyes lol.
:signLOL:
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simple formula i always for size of tv
Distance (inches) / 3 = size of tv you should get
for example if you are 10 foot away from your sofa to tv
10 foot is 120 inches
120 / 3 = 40" tv
The thing is, if you have too big of a tv, and you are watching non hd content, you wont like the quality of the picture, so you need to be either further back, or a smaller screen.
Ive been to relatives houses where they have such a huge screen in a small place that you have to move your head when watching the footy, rather then moving your eyes lol.
all good advice their chaps. I have a 37" Panasonic 1080p at mo so maybe I should not go biger than 37" as the room is fairly small. will carry out the measurements from screen to sofa next :happy2:
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all good advice their chaps. I have a 37" Panasonic 1080p at mo so maybe I should not go biger than 37" as the room is fairly small. will carry out the measurements from screen to sofa next :happy2:
No problem buddy, Surprised I still remember all this from my previous job as a Trainer for Samsung. :evilgrin:
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I have a Panasonic LCD and plasma both in 42" size and I would say the former is much better for daily use. The plasma screen is glass and pretty reflective and the picture is much better in a dark room where you can set it up to look more natural. Mine is used purely for watching movies at night or with the curtains drawn and the LCD is for watching TV. Having wandered around Currys for a bit yesterday I'd say the new Sony models are the ones to beat at the moment, as the picture looked great.
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I dont believe that calculation above applies. Maybe for 720p or CRT lol where images are pretty poor. With 1080p the viewing distances can be closer.
Minimum distances in feet are below for 1080p.
32-inch 4'
37-inch 4.5'
40-inch 5'
42-inch 5.5'
46-inch 6'
50-inch 6.5'
55-inch 7.5'
65-inch 8.5'
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^ Your assuming that your getting a 720/1080p signal though... a lot of channels still aren't HD. Even with a decent upscaler the pic quality isn't as good/sharp as Full HD.
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Thats true, but im considering a 55" screen next, as the 42" still doesnt full my peripheral vision, and im nowhere near 10ft away. :grin:
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Thats true, but im considering a 55" screen next, as the 42" still doesnt full my peripheral vision, and im nowhere near 10ft away. :grin:
Neither will a 107" screen...
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Thats true, but im considering a 55" screen next, as the 42" still doesnt full my peripheral vision, and im nowhere near 10ft away. :grin:
Neither will a 107" screen...
Focusable peripheral vision. Hehe!!
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I'm 6foot from my 104" projector screen, perfect viewing IMO :happy2:
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As long as you've got the res. it's all good. I use 2x 24 inch monitors; 48inch at 3840px width and the pic is sharp at around 2FT. That said, your not really concentrating on a 48inch screen, rather a 24 inch one; ignoring the other. The dot pitch is slightly larger than the 27inch imac but I prefer it tbh.
I'm going to wait for the 4k TV's to come down before getting rid of the 40W5500... could be a bit of a wait though, lol.
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I dont believe that calculation above applies. Maybe for 720p or CRT lol where images are pretty poor. With 1080p the viewing distances can be closer.
Minimum distances in feet are below for 1080p.
32-inch 4'
37-inch 4.5'
40-inch 5'
42-inch 5.5'
46-inch 6'
50-inch 6.5'
55-inch 7.5'
65-inch 8.5'
im about 8 ft from the screen and cant go any further back so not sure whether 42 inch now bit big and stick with 37? :confused: going for a LCD one though i think
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At 8 feet, you could just manage a 42" plasma!
The Panasonic 42GT50 is last years model but is still very good. This years 42GT60 is quite a step forward though!
It's got freeview hd, freesat hd tuners and all the Smart features on board but its the picture that makes it special.
Plasma is much easier on the eyes and is technically superior to LED in every aspect except it does use a little extra electric.
The difference is small in actual pound notes, a tank of fuel can fluctuate in cost more in one month than the cost of running a TV for a whole year!
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I dont believe that calculation above applies. Maybe for 720p or CRT lol where images are pretty poor. With 1080p the viewing distances can be closer.
Minimum distances in feet are below for 1080p.
32-inch 4'
37-inch 4.5'
40-inch 5'
42-inch 5.5'
46-inch 6'
50-inch 6.5'
55-inch 7.5'
65-inch 8.5'
im about 8 ft from the screen and cant go any further back so not sure whether 42 inch now bit big and stick with 37? :confused: going for a LCD one though i think
37" is far too small for 8ft viewing distance imo. Take a tape measure to currys and see how it feels with some of the larger screens.
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I'm going to wait for the 4k TV's to come down before getting rid of the 40W5500... could be a bit of a wait though, lol.
Agreed, the Sony 55" 4K TV at £4000 is very tempting though.
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Can't see a lot of point without anything to watch on it.
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Can't see a lot of point without anything to watch on it.
Hardware upscaling.
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You'll need to sit closer to see all that extra resolution, too, which means your upscaler better be good at its job!
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Panasonic 42" plasma for me. I bought a Panasonic TX-P42G10B 3-4 years ago and it has been faultless with a cracking picture. :happy2:
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So Plasma is technically superior to LED but old technology? Seems to be at odds with itself that?
I think a lot more research is required as still confused as what might be best for me, but glad i started the thread as clearly a subject people are knowledgeable on :star:
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Old technology? Might be... but its still very current. If you want the best picture, then plasma is hard to beat.
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You dont need to put the heating on in the lounge too. Win win!!
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True... :laugh:
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That's because folks have them in the sitting room and watch them during the day. You have to have the brightness and contrast cranked up on a plasma during the day to combat screen reflections, which works them harder. Also creates noise, as the cooling fans will kick in more often.
Going back to 4K, I found a viewing distance chart that is applicable. It reckons that to get full benefit from a 55" 4K screen you need to be sitting around 3 feet away!
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3ft... thats totally impractical.
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Here's the chart: http://carltonbale.com/does-4k-resolution-matter/
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LED is nothing more than an LCD but with an LED backlight system instead of small strip lights (like the ones that you find in a kitchen or garage). Therefore LED (read LCD) is actually older tech than Plasma. Reflections can be a problem but with the latest generations it's not so bad, combine that with a little common sense (don't place it opposite a window for example) and you will be fine.
The future is actually 4K OLED which is drop dead gorgeous with a mind blowing picture but......... It's at least 12 months away. So many things have to change to make 4K viable.
Better compression systems are in development (a lot have been confirmed but will need to be put into practice), with these it will make terrestrial TV possible (Japan are trailing this now and Sony/BBC are experimenting at Wimbledon as I write). I also read yesterday that a new WiFi platform has just been agreed to make 4K streaming around the home a possibility) (great, that means I have to buy another router).
Then the real problems will need to be tackled, Broadband speed will probably be the most important thing that will need to change as the amount of data needed for a movie is huge (around 500gb using traditional compression for a 2.5hour movie). If we believe that our movie and TV viewing future is via the internet that is.
Clearly, 500gb does not fit on BD disc, even if it was capable of 4K (it's not, as it was never in the original agreement/specification) and also HDMI is technically capable of carrying the data needed but it is not ratified to carry native 4K content (yes it can do upscaled) and this will be solved by the introduction of HDMI 2.0. However this will not happen until next year so that lovely 4K Sony TV thats at the front of a lot of Curry's stores at the mo, is almost useless already, or the 4K LG in Richer Sounds.
Anyway, rant over.......Get yourself a 42" GT50(if you can find one) or GT60 ( if you can afford it ) You will not regret it. As far as size is concerned the general rule of thumb is that for 2D you should sit 3 times the size of your TV away and for 3D it should be 1.5 times the away, i.e. if you buy a 42" you should sit 10ft away for 2D and 5ft for 3D so at 8ft away you should have a very happy compromise! :happy2:
Also, if you go to a panasonic store I believe you can get a 5 yr G'tee.
TA
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Was a 6 year warranty last time I went in...
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The best plasmas were made in 2008, long live Kuro. Not sure whether some of that is in the new pannys...
It's all about resolution, retina display ipad 4, 2048px more than full HD on a 10 inch device... Can you notice the difference over ipad2 at 1FT... absolutely.
Is it really required on a TV only device, probably not... I use mine for surfing too and 1080p on 40inch at around 7Ft is ideal. At 20FT i cant see text, lol. 4k would need to be around 70 inch to have the same effect, that's fine with me, bring it on... It's all about progression, but not yet for me, let the dust and prices settle... A lot.
Is the PS4 going to support 4k res? Most probably, my old GPU lays it out everyday with ease.
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You dont need to put the heating on in the lounge too. Win win!!
:grin:
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Was a 6 year warranty last time I went in...
When was the last time you went in? :P
quick Google revealed this......
http://www.panasonicstore-leicester.co.uk/products/
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Quick google reveals: http://www.panasonic.co.uk/html/en_GB/12540459/index.html
:rolleye:
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Quick google reveals: http://www.panasonic.co.uk/html/en_GB/12540459/index.html
:rolleye:
Not applicable to the GT60 series though :booty:
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The best plasmas were made in 2008, long live Kuro. Not sure whether some of that is in the new pannys...
It's all about resolution, retina display ipad 4, 2048px more than full HD on a 10 inch device... Can you notice the difference over ipad2 at 1FT... absolutely.
Is it really required on a TV only device, probably not... I use mine for surfing too and 1080p on 40inch at around 7Ft is ideal. At 20FT i cant see text, lol. 4k would need to be around 70 inch to have the same effect, that's fine with me, bring it on... It's all about progression, but not yet for me, let the dust and prices settle... A lot.
Is the PS4 going to support 4k res? Most probably, my old GPU lays it out everyday with ease.
:drinking:
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Closest you get to a Kruo is a Panny GT or VT display
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Im a firm beliver the Panny ZT60 is a kuro, lol. But also probably the last top plasma panny will make, time will tell.
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Panasonic have halted plasma development. All you'll get for the next couple of years are the same screens as this year in new chassis and some gloss on the software.
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to the OP:
I think what you need to do is go into a store such as John Lewis / Currys and look at the comparison wall. It will physically show you what the difference in picture quality is like. All 3 technologies (Plasma, LCD , LED) have their advantages and disadvantages. See what suits you, read up on it and make a decision.
If i were you and wanted a plasma, Id definitely get Panasonic, if Pioneer were still in the market, it will be a pioneer.
I myself have a Samsung LED and an LG LED, cant tell a lot of difference in terms of picture quality, samsung maybe has a bit more vibrant colours, and the LG has slightly better motion. I use the Samsung in my bedroom more though because it plays most major formats of my movies from my server.
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oh forgot to mention, Also have a LG plasma in my dads room. Dont like it :sick:
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LED is nothing more than an LCD but with an LED backlight system instead of small strip lights (like the ones that you find in a kitchen or garage). Therefore LED (read LCD) is actually older tech than Plasma. Reflections can be a problem but with the latest generations it's not so bad, combine that with a little common sense (don't place it opposite a window for example) and you will be fine.
The future is actually 4K OLED which is drop dead gorgeous with a mind blowing picture but......... It's at least 12 months away. So many things have to change to make 4K viable.
Better compression systems are in development (a lot have been confirmed but will need to be put into practice), with these it will make terrestrial TV possible (Japan are trailing this now and Sony/BBC are experimenting at Wimbledon as I write). I also read yesterday that a new WiFi platform has just been agreed to make 4K streaming around the home a possibility) (great, that means I have to buy another router).
Then the real problems will need to be tackled, Broadband speed will probably be the most important thing that will need to change as the amount of data needed for a movie is huge (around 500gb using traditional compression for a 2.5hour movie). If we believe that our movie and TV viewing future is via the internet that is.
Clearly, 500gb does not fit on BD disc, even if it was capable of 4K (it's not, as it was never in the original agreement/specification) and also HDMI is technically capable of carrying the data needed but it is not ratified to carry native 4K content (yes it can do upscaled) and this will be solved by the introduction of HDMI 2.0. However this will not happen until next year so that lovely 4K Sony TV thats at the front of a lot of Curry's stores at the mo, is almost useless already, or the 4K LG in Richer Sounds.
Anyway, rant over.......Get yourself a 42" GT50(if you can find one) or GT60 ( if you can afford it ) You will not regret it. As far as size is concerned the general rule of thumb is that for 2D you should sit 3 times the size of your TV away and for 3D it should be 1.5 times the away, i.e. if you buy a 42" you should sit 10ft away for 2D and 5ft for 3D so at 8ft away you should have a very happy compromise! :happy2:
Also, if you go to a panasonic store I believe you can get a 5 yr G'tee.
TA
thanks for input. yes think will go to John Lewis Raz and have a look at them :happy2:
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Panasonic have halted plasma development. All you'll get for the next couple of years are the same screens as this year in new chassis and some gloss on the software.
You're quite right, Panasonic have stopped further development. But please remember they are a few years in front of the consumer market so hopefully we will still get some nice improvements going forward.
Plus the reason for stopping is because its coming to the end of its natural life cycle/development path. As the next couple of years go by, as more strict legislation comes into power, Plasma would be unsellable in places like California due to its power consumption.
That said, the new Technology like 4K OLED is not here to replace Plasma........it's here to replace Plasma,LED and LCD, it has the potential to be a much better technology than all of 'em!
Personally, I'm really looking forward to it and watching it's evolution.
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Don't know why the OLED screens have to be 4K, though, as it has already been established that you need a 160" screen to fully appreciate 4K from a distance of 10 feet. Surely the current failure rate during production of these screens would be reduced if they didn't insist on the higher resolution?
Anyway, I'm not holding my breath!
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No, they don't need to be 4K but this would not reduce the failure rate during manufacture either.
4K is coming, there is a benefit on "smaller" screens like 50" but its less obvious than it is on much larger screens. Obvious I guess.
The reason for such a high failure rate during the methods practised by the likes of Samsung and LG are because they are being made in a heated vacuum, which as an environment is quite hard to maintain while making tv's.
Other manufacturers have been working together to improve this situation with different manufacturing processes and once they do, the prices will come down and availability will go up.
The real problem facing TV manufacturers who want to make OLED TV's is achieving a decent lifespan. Plasma's are good for 100,000 hours and LED's 65,000 hours. If you divide that by 5 hours a day, they supposedly last along time. Now, if you consider the OLED that Sony launched 4 or 5 years ago was rumoured to have a lifespan 5-7000 hours...= very poor value for money I.M.O!