Panasonic TV Owners & Discussion Thread

[llsTixll]

yep, it's arrived. i've been trying to sort out a few tweaks with connections to the receiver, and trying to use the receiver's remote to control the tv - and there's a few minor issues there.

can't believe you're thinking 50" is too small! i think it's monstrous!

i seriously couldn't see any difference between the panasonic and the pioneer in stores (maybe i need new glasses?!) - and in fact, in some places i thought the panasonic picture was better (when showing low quality tv - of which there's a lot of). as you say, it's $1000 cheaper!

the only downside is that our videos now look horrific - and i've got to fork out more $ on a pvr of some sort. i'm going to test out a vga cable from the laptop - and might buy a usb tv tuner for the laptop which will become the pvr. the usb tv tuners are around $150 for a hdtv twin tuner (digitalnow.com.au) and the laptop has a 100gb hard drive. so that's much much cheaper than $400 for a std def pvr, or $1000 for a hd pvr!

Yeah, I need to look at a PVR solution but I think I'll go with a HTPC. I work in IT so building one would be no worries. Just need to save the bucks now.

[achw]

Based on what I've seen there are some color adjustments you will want to make on the Panasonic.

i've just got mine set on normal, and it looks fine to me. blacks are black, peoples' faces look normal, sky looks blue etc etc. am i missing something?!

Yeah, I need to look at a PVR solution but I think I'll go with a HTPC. I work in IT so building one would be no worries. Just need to save the bucks now.

what exactly is a htpc? i have a vaio laptop with 100gb hard drive and some sort of video card, and the docking station has dvi output and optical audio output, and the laptop itself has vga plug and audio output - which i can connect to the receiver/tv. if i buy a tv tuner, it seems a cheap way to get myself a pvr?

[llsTixll]

i've just got mine set on normal, and it looks fine to me. blacks are black, peoples' faces look normal, sky looks blue etc etc. am i missing something?!

what exactly is a htpc? i have a vaio laptop with 100gb hard drive and some sort of video card, and the docking station has dvi output and optical audio output, and the laptop itself has vga plug and audio output - which i can connect to the receiver/tv. if i buy a tv tuner, it seems a cheap way to get myself a pvr?

HTPC = Home Theatre Personal Computer or Home Theatre PC

Your laptop is pretty much one when you hook it up to the TV. A HTPC is just a dedicated PC (usually in a nice case that blends well with other AV equipment) that runs XP or Vista Media Center and handles all of the media requirements such as watching/recording TV, playing DVDs, USB, CDs, burning DVDs, etc (much like your lappy would). The MCE (Media Center edition) of XP/Vista has a nice interface that allows easy navigating, recording, and playing through a remote. Without spending the bucks, your laptop would be fine but obviously it's not dedicated and doesn't blend well unless you shove it in a cupboard. Just be careful you don't get burn in on your plas.

Were you able to output your laptop in 1360x768? I have a HP nx9420 and I can't seem to output 1360x768 with the external VGA plug.

[achw]

HTPC = Home Theatre Personal Computer or Home Theatre PC

Your laptop is pretty much one when you hook it up to the TV. A HTPC is just a dedicated PC (usually in a nice case that blends well with other AV equipment) that runs XP or Vista Media Center and handles all of the media requirements such as watching/recording TV, playing DVDs, USB, CDs, burning DVDs, etc (much like your lappy would). The MCE (Media Center edition) of XP/Vista has a nice interface that allows easy navigating, recording, and playing through a remote. Without spending the bucks, your laptop would be fine but obviously it's not dedicated and doesn't blend well unless you shove it in a cupboard. Just be careful you don't get burn in on your plas.

Were you able to output your laptop in 1360x768? I have a HP nx9420 and I can't seem to output 1360x768 with the external VGA plug.

this is what i have:

http://vaio-online.sony.com/prod_info/vgn-...p/index.html?au

it's about 2 years old now - but has a remote control for media stuff - but i've never bothered with it. i do use it for watching movies sometimes - and just used basic connections with the old tv, but i tried it last night with the composite (yellow) connection and it looked terrible. so i'll be trying it again tonight with a vga cable.

the laptop's resolution is 1920x1200 - no idea what it'll look like on the plasma with the vga plug... will let you know.

[Polymer]

it's not that the colors aren't black or blue or green but how true they are will need to be tweaked a bit. The Panasonic doesn't have a huge number of things you can do to calibrate it but there are adjustments (based on my tinkering and reading) that can make it look "better".

As far as the Panasonic being better than the Pioneer. Up close I think it looks cleaner....I think from a normal viewing distance the Pioneer has better depth...All TV's look pretty good at home though.

Since cable here is junk..no HD....I'm just going to stick w/ Foxtel IQ for most things and FTA HD. Not too concerned w/ recording stuff that's FTA, I'll barely use it on Foxtel as it is...

I'll find out soon enough but the 70a has auto adjustments right? As in, it'll detect 4:3 vs. 16:9 and adjust itself automatically. I'm a bit surprised that the 75u/77u don't have that in the US as I've had other widescreen Panasonics that did that perfectly fine.

[diesel]

I'll find out soon enough but the 70a has auto adjustments right? As in, it'll detect 4:3 vs. 16:9 and adjust itself automatically. I'm a bit surprised that the 75u/77u don't have that in the US as I've had other widescreen Panasonics that did that perfectly fine.

With FTA everything is broadcast in 16:9 (I believe). If the original is in 4:3, the broadcaster adds the black bars (pillars) down each side to fill the screen.

As far as detecting it through an input, I don't think it does it automatically. You select which setting (along with zoom 1, 2, 3, 14:9 etc)

[Epyon]

With FTA everything is broadcast in 16:9 (I believe). If the original is in 4:3, the broadcaster adds the black bars (pillars) down each side to fill the screen.

As far as detecting it through an input, I don't think it does it automatically. You select which setting (along with zoom 1, 2, 3, 14:9 etc)

On the 50" 70a ( I would assume the 42" is the same) you can't change the aspect ratio or use the zoom function when watching FTA via the inbuilt STB. You can only change aspect ration and zoom on other inputs.

[vandemonslander]

Got this in an email from my local electrical retailer this morning

the 1080p premium seems huge

TH58PZ700A RRP $10999.00 AVAILABLE SEPTEMBER.

TH50PZ700A RRP$6599.00 AVAILABLE SEPTEMBER.

TH42PZ700A RRP$5499.00 AVAILABLE OCTOBER.

consider the 42pz700u retails between 1600 and 2400 in the states

[nickc1503559783]

Got this in an email from my local electrical retailer this morning

the 1080p premium seems huge

TH58PZ700A RRP $10999.00 AVAILABLE SEPTEMBER.

TH50PZ700A RRP$6599.00 AVAILABLE SEPTEMBER.

TH42PZ700A RRP$5499.00 AVAILABLE OCTOBER.

consider the 42pz700u retails between 1600 and 2400 in the states

I agree - that is virtually double the price of the 50" 1366 x 768!

[mrmaxwell1503559518]

TH58PZ700A RRP $10999.00 AVAILABLE SEPTEMBER.

TH50PZ700A RRP$6599.00 AVAILABLE SEPTEMBER.

TH42PZ700A RRP$5499.00 AVAILABLE OCTOBER.

Hahaha very funny. Panasonic can recommend those retail prices but they will street for MUCH lower....looks like a lot of margin built into those prices!

The 58" is more expensive than the street price of the 65" !!

[SBOB]

fyi from memory looking at last weeks price list, approx 1100 in the 58" and about 6-700 in the 42 and 50" prices for a 'floor cost' disregarding rebates etc pricing....

way to expensive for what they are.....

[BigBad64]

Would a receipt for $2780 assist your negotiations? PM me an email address if it would.

Regards

Allan

I went into the local JB here in Frankston Vic this afternoon and saw the TH50PX70A with sticker price of $3496. I pulled out Allan's $2780 receipt and said "how come someone bought that for $2780 over a month ago?". After looking at me like I was an alien just landed from another planet the salesman recovered enough to put on his glasses, looked at the receipt and made comments such as "that's an ex tax price, he hasn't paid tax on that", "that's lower than cost", and "there's always a story".

Basically I think the story is they are way too expensive.

Made the Pioneer 507 lined up next to it at $3996 seem not too bad, given what that includes.

[automan]

Just go hard and tell the sales droids that you want the 42" panel for $2200 with 5yrs warranty. Wave money around in front of them or whatever...always works a treat. Make sure when they say NO you turn and walk....

Not a good idea.

They will let you walk at that price.

Plasma's are in a world wide shortage, the stores can be picky about who and how much they sell them for at this point in time.

[diesel]

Plasma's are in a world wide shortage, the stores can be picky about who and how much they sell them for at this point in time.

Is that because they are too popular or because the price has fallen too far too fast and the manufacturers have slowed the flow a bit to artificially raise prices?

[diesel]

I agree - that is virtually double the price of the 50" 1366 x 768!

But you get twice as many pixels

The 58" is more expensive than the street price of the 65" !!

But what is the RRP of the 65"?

[automan]

Is that because they are too popular or because the price has fallen too far too fast and the manufacturers have slowed the flow a bit to artificially raise prices?

My guess is because they are so popular. The manufacturers are the ones who dropped the prices so I dont think they could underestimate how popular they would become.

It's amazing times.

[diesel]

What about the train of thought that Plasma sales are being trumped by LCD so the Plasma manufacturers are dropping prices for market share?

[automan]

What about the train of thought that Plasma sales are being trumped by LCD so the Plasma manufacturers are dropping prices for market share?

Makes sense, but would you expect the prices on LCD to drop then to get back equal market share with Plasma or do you think plasma's will go up in cost when the next phase of 1080p plasma's come out?

[diesel]

There'll have to be a cross over period just like SD -> ED plasmas

[Maz78]

But you get twice as many pixels

But you'll have to sit twice as close to see those extra pixels

Don't get me wrong, I'd love one of these plasma's, but it is big $$ considering you can get a great 768 panel for less than 1/2 the price..

[Polymer]

Yeah. 1080p is just too expensive right now...especially in Australia.

I love the look of 1080p...and to be honest, if DLP/LCOS, etc were still readily available, I'd probably get a 1080p set cause I don't care about it being a flat panel and the price would be right....

But in Plasma or LCD which is pretty much the only thing you can find in Australia nowadays, it's just ridiculously expensive and the benefit is so marginal it's not even worth it. Still looking at a couple of years before they become something that's not bleeding edge and carrying a hefty premium.

[Polymer]

Not a good idea.

They will let you walk at that price.

Plasma's are in a world wide shortage, the stores can be picky about who and how much they sell them for at this point in time.

This is completely false. Prices are dropping all the time and shortages are met with new supply. Right now, most places are out of the Panasonic but expecting shipments in soon...

I haven't seen any prices go up nor salespeople not willing to bargain. Just last month most people were happy to get their 50" 70a for 3100-3000. This month you should be looking in the 2800 range. There is nothing to suggest prices are going up..that's ridiculous..

1080ps will still be very expensive...if anything they should HOPEFULLY push the 720p sets down a bit which is what happened in the US.

[llsTixll]

1080p is a croc. Don't get sucked into the hype now. Wait until the prices drop and 1080p panels are the norm. You won't notice a difference at normal viewing distances anyway.

I told a mate of mine that I bought a 50" plasma and he asked if it was 1080p and I said no. He was pretty much bagging me for not getting a 1080p panel. He is such a noob cos he was saying if you look really close at a 1080p panel, you can hardly see any pixelation. Yeah great, but who watches TV from 5 cm away? Idiot.

Believe stick with a 768 panel if you are buying now. Get a 1080p panel in a year or two.

[bigkid1503559500]

I went into the local JB here in Frankston Vic this afternoon and saw the TH50PX70A with sticker price of $3496. I pulled out Allan's $2780 receipt and said "how come someone bought that for $2780 over a month ago?". After looking at me like I was an alien just landed from another planet the salesman recovered enough to put on his glasses, looked at the receipt and made comments such as "that's an ex tax price, he hasn't paid tax on that", "that's lower than cost", and "there's always a story".

Basically I think the story is they are way too expensive.

Made the Pioneer 507 lined up next to it at $3996 seem not too bad, given what that includes.

Hey BB64. Not sure what the sales guy is on. Is he suggesting that Clive Peeters aren't paying their GST? Following a lengthy negotiation that was the price we agreed on. As it doesn't appear itemised I expect the GST for the TV is a component of the $2780.

And Clive Peeters weren't the only ones doing these screens for around this price. I am sure I saw a couple of posts for less than mine. BB you might want to try CP in Melbourne.

Regards,

Allan

[Calvin Klein]

I went into the local JB here in Frankston Vic this afternoon and saw the TH50PX70A with sticker price of $3496. I pulled out Allan's $2780 receipt and said "how come someone bought that for $2780 over a month ago?". After looking at me like I was an alien just landed from another planet the salesman recovered enough to put on his glasses, looked at the receipt and made comments such as "that's an ex tax price, he hasn't paid tax on that", "that's lower than cost", and "there's always a story".

Basically I think the story is they are way too expensive.

Made the Pioneer 507 lined up next to it at $3996 seem not too bad, given what that includes.

I, too, got the "alien" treatment at JB a week or so back. I had already paid a deposit on a TH50PX70A at Clive Peeters who had agreed that if stock didnt arrive within a week I could get my deposit back if I chose to cancel. A week went by and JB had several of this model in stock and when I asked if they could match the price they said that was below their buy price and advised me to wait out the Clive Peeters delivery (3 weeks and it still hasnt arrived). My theory for the JB refusal ? They bought up heaps of stock at a high price well before 30th June and then got caught with a supplier price drop.