Best 50 inch Plasma?

[RapidFire]

Which 50" Plasma is the best out there right now for the money? My budget is up to $3,200. I want the tv to have PIP and a media slot for pictures and such :D . Does anyone have any ideas of good models that fit that description? I know retailers (Best buy, Curcuit city, ect.) will have the tvs at very high prices, but online they are really cheap! Thanks for helping :)

[RapidFire]

I was actually looking at this option:

PHILIPS - 50PF9630A/37 50-IN plasma flat HDTV Pixel Plus 2 HD

Price: $3,100 from bestbuyplasma.com

Here's a link to the description

[bangbang023 Veteran]

The Philips plasma is probably the only budget plasma on the market that has a picture beyond it's price. It's a good value, for sure. However, my love still lies with the Pioneer 50". I mention it over and over again, but for good reason.

Which 50" Plasma is the best out there right now for the money? My budget is up to $3,200. I want the tv to have PIP and a media slot for pictures and such :D . Does anyone have any ideas of good models that fit that description? I know retailers (Best buy, Curcuit city, ect.) will have the tvs at very high prices, but online they are really cheap! Thanks for helping :)

One thing to remember is returns and such. You don't get the luxury, often times, of returns from online stores.

[SonComet]

I vote for the 50" Panasonic. If you can give up some features you could get the Panasonic 50PHD8UK. It's buy far the best image you are going to get for the price.

Visual Apex Online Store

[dalyryder]

I am in the market for a 50" plasma as well. My budget does stray a bit higher to 5-6k. My only req is for a seperate "media box" for all the connections.

After hitting every brick and mortar I could think of here in Dallas, I am still very unsure of which to acquire. The salesperson at Best Buy suggested waiting for the new Panasonic 50" coming in January. I was impressed with Panasonics and the Pioneer Elites. I love Samsung for my PCs, but for some reason to my eye they didn't look as good as the Pana and Pioneer.

P.S. This is my first post here. I have been amazed with the knowledgeable community and helpful folks here in the Neowin forums. Thanks in advance for any help Rapidfire and I get...I look forward to surfing here for many moons!

[bangbang023 Veteran]

I vote for the 50" Panasonic. If you can give up some features you could get the Panasonic 50PHD8UK. It's buy far the best image you are going to get for the price.

Visual Apex Online Store

The panasonics are nice but they're black levels leave something to be desired.

I am in the market for a 50" plasma as well. My budget does stray a bit higher to 5-6k. My only req is for a seperate "media box" for all the connections.

After hitting every brick and mortar I could think of here in Dallas, I am still very unsure of which to acquire. The salesperson at Best Buy suggested waiting for the new Panasonic 50" coming in January. I was impressed with Panasonics and the Pioneer Elites. I love Samsung for my PCs, but for some reason to my eye they didn't look as good as the Pana and Pioneer.

P.S. This is my first post here. I have been amazed with the knowledgeable community and helpful folks here in the Neowin forums. Thanks in advance for any help Rapidfire and I get...I look forward to surfing here for many moons!

I would definitely side with the Pioneer line. The picture quality speaks for itself. Great coloring just like the Panasonics, but a much better black level.

[RapidFire]

Unfortunately, the Pioneer plasmas are way beyond my price range :( I was however impressed with the picture quality on the 50 " pioneer plasma when I went to Best buy. I was also thinking of the Panasonic 50" Plasma because of its great reviews, but it seems to me it does not have as many features that it could have for its price.

P.S. This is my first post here. I have been amazed with the knowledgeable community and helpful folks here in the Neowin forums. Thanks in advance for any help Rapidfire and I get...I look forward to surfing here for many moons!

I have actually been on Neowin for quite a while (1.5 years) and like dalyryder have been very impressed with everyone's knowledge. Thanks to all of you! :D

Edited December 15, 2005 by RapidFire

[pepo]

Quick hint, Sony or Pioneer.

[bangbang023 Veteran]

Unfortunately, the Pioneer plasmas are way beyond my price range :( I was however impressed with the picture quality on the 50 " pioneer plasma when I went to Best buy. I was also thinking of the Panasonic 50" Plasma because of its great reviews, but it seems to me it does not have as many features that it could have for its price.

The Panasonic has great colors on it, but I'm still appauled at it's poor black levels. The Philips mentioned above is definitely worth checking out. Just don't buy any set without first seeing it. What my eyes see may not be the same thing that your eyes see and vice versa.

[Purple Haze]

My grandpa just bought the Panasonic 50" and I thought the picture was awful.

[mufdvr3669]

I have an older Panasonic 42" and think the black levels are just fine and the picture is great also, it's only an EDTV too. I am in the market though for a bigger 50" or maybe a little bigger but does any manufacturer besides Pioneer have a separate connection box. I am going to mount it on my wall in the living room and don't want a mess of wires running into it. Was looking at the 50" Pioneer for around $4000 but would like to spend a little less if possible.

[bangbang023 Veteran]

I have an older Panasonic 42" and think the black levels are just fine and the picture is great also, it's only an EDTV too. I am in the market though for a bigger 50" or maybe a little bigger but does any manufacturer besides Pioneer have a separate connection box. I am going to mount it on my wall in the living room and don't want a mess of wires running into it. Was looking at the 50" Pioneer for around $4000 but would like to spend a little less if possible.

You can't judge one set based off the quality of another.

[neufuse Veteran]

philips all the way, good clear picture, good color, good black to white contrast, great prices

[bangbang023 Veteran]

philips all the way, good clear picture, good color, good black to white contrast, great prices

Yeah, after the Pioneers, I would look at them for plasmas.

[mufdvr3669]

You can't judge one set based off the quality of another.

Yeah, but you could probably assume that if they didn't have problems in the past with black levels and picture quality that they aren't going to veer too far from what was working. When I bought my tv around a year ago I looked at many different model and thought that Panasonic's had picture quality just as good as any other manufacturer's for much cheaper. From online reviews that I've read lately the reviewers usually give stellar reviews to the Panasonic's. If Panasonic made a tv with a separate connections box I would spring for that in a moment.

[RapidFire]

Do you guys know when new models of the 50" plasmas will start coming out? I don't want to buy a plasma, and then the next month a newer model comes out! I want to have at least 3months of knowing I have the best thing in plasma technology :cool:

[bangbang023 Veteran]

Yeah, but you could probably assume that if they didn't have problems in the past with black levels and picture quality that they aren't going to veer too far from what was working. When I bought my tv around a year ago I looked at many different model and thought that Panasonic's had picture quality just as good as any other manufacturer's for much cheaper. From online reviews that I've read lately the reviewers usually give stellar reviews to the Panasonic's. If Panasonic made a tv with a separate connections box I would spring for that in a moment.

And yet it has happened. Assuming only does one thing......

Do you guys know when new models of the 50" plasmas will start coming out? I don't want to buy a plasma, and then the next month a newer model comes out! I want to have at least 3months of knowing I have the best thing in plasma technology :cool:

Most newer sets don't fully hit the market until may, or so.

[mufdvr3669]

And yet it has happened. Assuming only does one thing......

http://reviews.cnet.com/Panasonic_TH_50PHD...08.html?tag=pop

The good: Relatively inexpensive; excellent black-level performance ; accurate color decoding; solid video processing with 2:3 pull-down; independent memory per input; versatile PIP function; extensive picture adjustments; customizable inputs.

The bad: Does not include a stand, a tuner, or speakers; sparse input selection; doesn't include a digital input; cannot change aspect ratios with HDTV sources; floats blacks.

The bottom line: Although it's missing a couple of inputs, the Panasonic TH-50PHD8UK surpasses any 50-inch plasma we've reviewed in terms of image quality and overall value.

I'm not the only one who thinks they still look good.

Edited December 15, 2005 by mufdvr3669

[SonComet]

The panasonics still have better blacks than the pioneers. The 6th gen pioneers are really close though. Bangbang023, I'm not sure how poorly the sets you've seen must've been set up, but a properly set up panasonic still tops the pioneers in black levels.

[gunnerhkjp]

Really?

I've always thought that pioneers black levels have way better blacks than other brands.

I'm going to have to go down to the electronics store to check that out.

Although I'm sure the clerks there are fed up of me staring at the screen at close range with no intention (or resources) to buy anything. :laugh:

[ctebah]

I'd stick with samsung myself.

[Goldrusher]

Be sure to get a 1280x720 screen.

[RapidFire]

Be sure to get a 1280x720 screen

Actually I think now 50" plasmas have 1366x768 resolution. The only one that seems to have a lower resolution is the Pioneer 50" plasmas. The Pioneer PDP-5060HD only has a resolution of 1280 x 768. Many other 50" plasmas (Phillips, Panasonic, ect.) have the higher resolution.

Really?

I've always thought that pioneers black levels have way better blacks than other brands.

I'm going to have to go down to the electronics store to check that out.

Although I'm sure the clerks there are fed up of me staring at the screen at close range with no intention (or resources) to buy anything.

:yes: I actually do that too! I went to my electronic store and was looking at all the plasmas for at least 1 hour! The clerks periodically checked in with me to see if I needed any assistance. :p

[bangbang023 Veteran]

The panasonics still have better blacks than the pioneers. The 6th gen pioneers are really close though. Bangbang023, I'm not sure how poorly the sets you've seen must've been set up, but a properly set up panasonic still tops the pioneers in black levels.

Dude, I'm looking at them with my own eyes on the same exact feed. Hell, shut the sets off. The Pioneer has a blacker screen which adds to the effect of black levels. I had a customer, a few days ago, who knew almost nothoing even comment how the Panasonic black looked a little grayer than other sets.

[RapidFire]

I don't know if anyone would know this but do plasma screen tv prices decrease as the months go by after it is introduced to the market? Or does it stay at relatively the same price? I am almost certain that I will get the philips 50" plasma I stated in my second post :). I know the Phillips one is already a great price, but just want to get the deals :)