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Details on new panasonic 600A plasma


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I contacted panasonic customer care today. The new panasonic 600A plasma will arrive in Australian stores sometime in April 2006. The RRP will be $4499 for 42 inch. It will have 2 HDMI inputs, and is lighter and thinner than current model.

What they can't tell me is whether the picture quality will be better than the current model.

Does anyone know?

I am wondering whether I should take advantage on getting a good deal with current model or wait till new one comes out.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thankyou!

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I contacted panasonic customer care today. The new panasonic 600A plasma will arrive in Australian stores sometime in April 2006. The RRP will be $4499 for 42 inch. It will have 2 HDMI inputs, and is lighter and thinner than current model.

What they can't tell me is whether the picture quality will be better than the current model.

Does anyone know?

I am wondering whether I should take advantage on getting a good deal with current model or wait till new one comes out.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thankyou!

Yeah its gonna be a fair amount better:

VIERA, 42inch/106cm Plasma TV, 1080p Digital Processing

Chipset, 1080p Digital Re-Mastering Processor, 9th Generation

Plasma Panel, Advanced Colour Management System, 3072

steps of Gradation, 28.9 billion viewable colors, Sub-Pixel

Coltroller, Max. 10,000:1 Contrast Ratio, Contrast

Management System, New Real Black Drive System with Deep

Black Filter, HD AVI, High Definition Panel, Resolution - 1024

x 768, 1080i/720p/576p Input, Multi Window - Picture And

Text, Analogue TV Tuner & Speakers, 2 x HDMI Inputs, PC

Input.

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Yeah its gonna be a fair amount better:

VIERA, 42inch/106cm Plasma TV, 1080p Digital Processing

Chipset, 1080p Digital Re-Mastering Processor, 9th Generation

Plasma Panel, Advanced Colour Management System, 3072

steps of Gradation, 28.9 billion viewable colors, Sub-Pixel

Coltroller, Max. 10,000:1 Contrast Ratio, Contrast

Management System, New Real Black Drive System with Deep

Black Filter, HD AVI, High Definition Panel, Resolution - 1024

x 768, 1080i/720p/576p Input, Multi Window - Picture And

Text, Analogue TV Tuner & Speakers, 2 x HDMI Inputs, PC

Input.

Lets be frank here...

Firstly these things should pop out around $3800 at a guess.

1080p digital processing chipset???? WTF... My guess its like putting aerofoils on a mini... marketing spin..

The current blacks on the 500A are superb... I dont think you will see a major improvement with the 600A.. could be another marketing ploy.

Analog tuner ??? You would have thought digital by now.

I dont like the full silver bezel.

Considering the current can be had for under $3000.. Im not sure the extra dollars are worth shelving out for.

Sometimes in life you notice that a particular model that has been a winner cant be replicated despite the manufacturer throwing a few add ons. I think the 500A is one of those models.

Time will tell I guess :blink:

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Lets be frank here...

Firstly these things should pop out around $3800 at a guess.

1080p digital processing chipset???? WTF... My guess its like putting aerofoils on a mini... marketing spin..

The current blacks on the 500A are superb... I dont think you will see a major improvement with the 600A.. could be another marketing ploy.

Analog tuner ??? You would have thought digital by now.

I dont like the full silver bezel.

Considering the current can be had for under $3000.. Im not sure the extra dollars are worth shelving out for.

Sometimes in life you notice that a particular model that has been a winner cant be replicated despite the manufacturer throwing a few add ons. I think the 500A is one of those models.

Time will tell I guess :blink:

New model is slightly cheaper than the current has been at a wholesale level.

1080p processing is not a function of gen8.

Yes gen8 was great, no-one is slagging them off so relax people. Gen9 is gonna be very nice.

We all agree not having dtv built in sux, but another hdmi input is also very welcome.

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New model is slightly cheaper than the current has been at a wholesale level.

1080p processing is not a function of gen8.

Yes gen8 was great, no-one is slagging them off so relax people. Gen9 is gonna be very nice.

We all agree not having dtv built in sux, but another hdmi input is also very welcome.

At 1024 x 768 the panel cant do native 720p so what chances is going to do 1080p ?

Its a marketing ploy...

An extra HDMI is useful to some admittedly but I have an extra one now on my 500A as im running HTPC :blink:

"New model is slightly cheaper than the current has been at a wholesale level"

So the 600A is going to be less than $3000 ?

They will be giving them away soon :P

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if we get the 600A in April, i will be suprised.....apparently they wont be avaliable in the US and UK until June

i thought there would be a inbuilt digital tuner with this model but i guess i was wrong....anyway, technology marches on but i'm happy with my 500A :blink:

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if we get the 600A in April, i will be suprised.....apparently they wont be avaliable in the US and UK until June

Check out the UK website http://shop.panasonic.co.uk/invt/th42px60ped

It appears available in the UK at the moment.

Thanks for all your help. I think I will wait until the new version comes out, even though I won't get as good a deal as the current model.

1080p, 2 x HDMI inputs I think is worth that bit extra.

Would you agree?

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thats the 60 Model....the 600 model is the premium model

pics

maybe youve confused the 600 with 60.....Panasonic might decide to release the 60 down here instead of the 600.....

Sorry jey16, I obviously had confused the 600 with the 60. Thanks for setting me straight.

I wonder what the differences are between the 2 and which one Panasonic will release in Australia. Does anyone know?

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Sorry jey16, I obviously had confused the 600 with the 60. Thanks for setting me straight.

I wonder what the differences are between the 2 and which one Panasonic will release in Australia. Does anyone know?

the differences between the as far as i know depend on the country, for example in the US...the advantages the 600 model has include a PC Input, PIP and better speakers

the UK 60 model does not have the better speakers, PIP and additionally it misses out on the SD card slot although it does have a PC input

so i'm not sure what we will get here

if Panasonic want to release it in April, then it would have to be the 60 model because as i said, apprently the 600 is not due until June although for a couple of days a week or two ago, there were a few flash presentations on the Panasonic.com.au website about Plasma's and it had information on the new model, the pics in the presentation were of the 600 model and said that it would include a digital tuner....the presentations were taken down though so maybe they changed their mind

unless you could get a really good price on the current model....i'd wait for the new ones :blink:

Edited by jey16
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At 1024 x 768 the panel cant do native 720p so what chances is going to do 1080p ?

Its a marketing ploy...

Actually, it has the potential to be far more beneficial than it sounds. Current Panasonic plasmas only apply bob de-interlacing (like the majority of other plasmas on the market) to ALL 1080i sources. In other words they convert 1440x540 interlaced fields from a 1080i broadcast directly to 768p. This means you're missing out on 228 lines of vertical resolution, as well as getting a major softening of the picture, and the introduction of interpolation and scaling artifacts such as jaggies and shimmer. They still look good using this method, but there is definitely room for improvement.

With 1080p processing, the panel will properly de-interlace 1080i signals to 1080p, before down-scaling to the panel’s native 768p resolution. The result is you get the best possible resolution and a smoother picture with more detail and less artifacts.

Rumour has it they will also support 1080p input via HDMI, which means there will be no de-interlacing required from Blu-Ray players, and the panel will simply do a nice neat down-conversion from 1080p to 768p, also resulting in a much better picture.

You can read more about de-interlacing and scaling here.

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Actually, it has the potential to be far more beneficial than it sounds. Current Panasonic plasmas only apply bob de-interlacing (like the majority of other plasmas on the market) to ALL 1080i sources. In other words they convert 1440x540 interlaced fields from a 1080i broadcast directly to 768p. This means you're missing out on 228 lines of vertical resolution, as well as getting a major softening of the picture, and the introduction of interpolation and scaling artifacts such as jaggies and shimmer. They still look good using this method, but there is definitely room for improvement.

With 1080p processing, the panel will properly de-interlace 1080i signals to 1080p, before down-scaling to the panel’s native 768p resolution. The result is you get the best possible resolution and a smoother picture with more detail and less artifacts.

Rumour has it they will also support 1080p input via HDMI, which means there will be no de-interlacing required from Blu-Ray players, and the panel will simply do a nice neat down-conversion from 1080p to 768p, also resulting in a much better picture.

You can read more about de-interlacing and scaling here.

I'll make my judgement when I compare the two sets side-by-side.

Unfortunately on 1024 x 768 set there is scaling and a loss of resolution.

Will the extra processing be that noticeable on a 42 inch er?

We have folks out there who cant tell the difference between SD and HD sets lets alone upscaling and downscaling.

On top of all that we have broadcasters transmitting a different signals.

Its going to end up in tears for some :blink:

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I cant beleive there is a new model coming out already. I only just got my 500a a month ago and I wish it has 2 HDMI inputs :blink: Damn good tv though!

I agree, two hdmi inputs would of been real handy. But i will have to stick with the 500a cant justify spending more money on another tv when the one i have looks fantastic.

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I'll make my judgement when I compare the two sets side-by-side.

So will I. I was simply pointing out that 1080p processing can have some very good real world benefits and is much more than “marketing hype” as you described it.

You’ll find the move to 1080p processing on digital displays is a very common thing over the next 2 years. It’s a way overdue development, as up until this point many people haven’t been getting the most out of their HD displays (which is why external video processors are so popular with top end HT enthusiasts).

Unfortunately on 1024 x 768 set there is scaling and a loss of resolution.

Will the extra processing be that noticeable on a 42 inch er?

If done well (using weave for film, and motion adaptive de-interlacing for 1080i video) then yes, definitely. You’ll effectively be getting over 200 lines of extra resolution and a sharper picture with less visible motion artifacts. Seating distance will factor into this, but they should look significantly better with a SD and HD sources.

We have folks out there who cant tell the difference between SD and HD sets lets alone upscaling and downscaling.

That’s true, but they’re not the ones we are talking about. Using that argument we should all have stuck with 68cm 4x3 interlaced SD displays with composite input :blink:

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Orders are already places for the new panels to arrive in april. This includes the 42 SD & HD, as well as the 50". Likewise a completely new range of Viera LCD's, these also will not be including DTV tuners, unfortunately, although they do look alot nicer, better specs etc.

If you want inbuilt HDTV tuner with panny LCD, then they will still be running with the current model that is out there.

Unfort it is crap compared to the viera LCD's.

BTW, who is actually getting the 500 for under $3k?? Thats one hell of a price.

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Hello,

I'm just back from the UK & I used AVforums as my guide to all things HiFi & Home Cinema, I'm sure your all familar with it but if you don't know about it I suggest you should join. They have an entire section dedicated to the new 60 & 600 Pani's. I've ncluded the link below.

http://www.avforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=317667

I also contacted Panasonic Australia about these models & they reluctantly told me the following:

We will launch the Viera Plasma V60 TVs which presumably are the

equivalent of the PX60 in April and May. Our website should be updated soon on these new models.

It sounds like it's had mixed reviews but I supposed we will all have to wait until they appear so we can demo it next to the PV500 or the Fuji HHA51as (my 2 fav's).

Cheers

Matt

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a mate of mine works are retravision and i got him to ask the panasonic rep if they knew anymore infor and when these new models were to be released, he told him May 9th is the release date. now the tough decision is whether to wait or grab a bargain now on the current model

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