Panasonic Plasmas
Posted by: Willie B on 27 December 2004
Panasonic's TH42PWD6B plasma screen is available for as little as £1300 in the sales but does anyone know what inputs it takes, and how many it has? The bloke in the shop said it would cost me £150 per RGB upgrade! Is the newer TH42PW7B worth paying extra for or should I be looking at the TH42PE30 plaSMA TV to get the best inputs?
If I do settle for the TH42PWD6B, which certainly hasn't got HDMI, is there any need to go for the Arcam DVD79 with HDMI or can I save £500 or so and go for the superceded DVD89
Hope somebody can make sense of this and advise a Hifi lad who wants to get into video without breaking the bank
Willie B
If I do settle for the TH42PWD6B, which certainly hasn't got HDMI, is there any need to go for the Arcam DVD79 with HDMI or can I save £500 or so and go for the superceded DVD89
Hope somebody can make sense of this and advise a Hifi lad who wants to get into video without breaking the bank
Willie B
Posted on: 27 December 2004 by Vaughn3D
Following is how I plan on going...I have an Arcam DV78 which does not have the hdmi output. I plan on buying the Panasonic 42PWD7UY which is the commercial version of their plasma without speakers. Personally I am going to buy the newest generation plasma to ensure maximum durability and reliability.
Posted on: 27 December 2004 by SimonJ
The series 6 and series 7 are very similar. The series 7 is slightly better, but not a revolution. It is meant to have more gradient levels so that it can display more shades and it is 10% brighter. I went to a Panasonic centre near me the other day and the guy working there, who is my mates friend, said yes it’s better, but it would not be worth changing a 6 for a 7. The series 7 has had many things mentioned about it supporting SDI & HDMI, but the series 6 supported HDMI via a DVI input board already anyway. If it were a choice between the two at the same price then get the newer one, but if you find a series 6 at a bargain then you will not be disappointed. I have a series 6 and am very happy. I have an RGB scart, component & a DVI board. Each board cost me around £100-£140.
Posted on: 27 December 2004 by Allan Probin
Willie,
As standard, the PW6 has a VGA input socket and three empty bays into which you can plug various types of input board of your choice.
How are you planning on receiving TV signals ? If you have Sky or Freeview I would suggest an RGB to Plasma VGA Converter and connect this to the VGA socket of the plasma. This is what I do and I've also compared this with the same companies RGB to Component converter input into a component board in the plasma but the VGA route is sharper.
For connecting the DVD player I'd recommend you get a Panasonic component terminal board and connect to that. There are currently no supplies of component terminal boards with phono connectors so you'll have to get one with BNC and use BNC-to-phono adapters or buy/make-up a set of component leads with BNC on one end, phono on the other. The Panasonic BNC Component terminal board is about £65
SCART terminal boards are available for about £135. I've heard though that the RGB quality through this board is poor so probably best to use VGA and component for TV and DVD as described above.
PW6 vs PW7 - I think the most tangible difference is that the PW6 is only available now with a charcoal frame so if you want silver it will have to be PW7. The HDMI terminal board is for the PW7 and will not fit PW6. Panasonic forgot to include 50Hz capability at high definition resolutions for this board and appear to have now withdrawn the board from the Uk/European market. So effictively no HDMI for 7 series either (at the moment).
Allan.
As standard, the PW6 has a VGA input socket and three empty bays into which you can plug various types of input board of your choice.
How are you planning on receiving TV signals ? If you have Sky or Freeview I would suggest an RGB to Plasma VGA Converter and connect this to the VGA socket of the plasma. This is what I do and I've also compared this with the same companies RGB to Component converter input into a component board in the plasma but the VGA route is sharper.
For connecting the DVD player I'd recommend you get a Panasonic component terminal board and connect to that. There are currently no supplies of component terminal boards with phono connectors so you'll have to get one with BNC and use BNC-to-phono adapters or buy/make-up a set of component leads with BNC on one end, phono on the other. The Panasonic BNC Component terminal board is about £65
SCART terminal boards are available for about £135. I've heard though that the RGB quality through this board is poor so probably best to use VGA and component for TV and DVD as described above.
PW6 vs PW7 - I think the most tangible difference is that the PW6 is only available now with a charcoal frame so if you want silver it will have to be PW7. The HDMI terminal board is for the PW7 and will not fit PW6. Panasonic forgot to include 50Hz capability at high definition resolutions for this board and appear to have now withdrawn the board from the Uk/European market. So effictively no HDMI for 7 series either (at the moment).
Allan.
Posted on: 27 December 2004 by Steve2701
Willie,
As Simon states above, you will not be disapointed with the '6 variant, especially at that price.
It should come with at the very least a single scart input board..?
Please also remember this is a panel ONLY, ie, you will need some form of RF or digital tuner, (a now 'old fashioned' vhs will do the job, or a HDD & Sky/Cable digibox) Please feed it with a digital signal.. they (Like all plasma displays)are not that keen on analogue, though it will pass muster at a push.
You can also get the seperate 'tuner box' for the panel, & it's matching input board (this will set you back app £500) Note, using this input board uses ALL of the input slots on the panel.
The website here shows the stuff mentioned, but I find it amazing that it lacks so much needed tech stuff!!
The tuner box 'A600B' states most of the inputs, but misses out the most important one of all... component!! It does have it (YUV only) but this takes away one of the RGB enabled scart sockets.... Depends on what you want to feed the display with I guess??
Please remember, (something I managed to forget) if you use the component input you do not get sound.. you need to connect a seperate pair of phono leads for this... (& I had already hidden all mine under the floor.. oops)
One final thing.. the panel does NOT come with any speakers OR stand of any sort.. these need to be added into the cost as well.. stand aint cheap, & is very heavy....
Hope this is usefull..
PS.. I was obviously typing this as Alan was posting, so some info is duplicated. I like his idea ref VGA input... I never tried that as I (& the rest of the family) had simply to many things to feed the panel with, so needed more inputs, but the tuner box ended up with not enough RGB inputs in any case, and ended up with a scart swith unit..
[This message was edited by Steve2701 on Mon 27 December 2004 at 22:21.]
As Simon states above, you will not be disapointed with the '6 variant, especially at that price.
It should come with at the very least a single scart input board..?
Please also remember this is a panel ONLY, ie, you will need some form of RF or digital tuner, (a now 'old fashioned' vhs will do the job, or a HDD & Sky/Cable digibox) Please feed it with a digital signal.. they (Like all plasma displays)are not that keen on analogue, though it will pass muster at a push.
You can also get the seperate 'tuner box' for the panel, & it's matching input board (this will set you back app £500) Note, using this input board uses ALL of the input slots on the panel.
The website here shows the stuff mentioned, but I find it amazing that it lacks so much needed tech stuff!!
The tuner box 'A600B' states most of the inputs, but misses out the most important one of all... component!! It does have it (YUV only) but this takes away one of the RGB enabled scart sockets.... Depends on what you want to feed the display with I guess??
Please remember, (something I managed to forget) if you use the component input you do not get sound.. you need to connect a seperate pair of phono leads for this... (& I had already hidden all mine under the floor.. oops)
One final thing.. the panel does NOT come with any speakers OR stand of any sort.. these need to be added into the cost as well.. stand aint cheap, & is very heavy....
Hope this is usefull..
PS.. I was obviously typing this as Alan was posting, so some info is duplicated. I like his idea ref VGA input... I never tried that as I (& the rest of the family) had simply to many things to feed the panel with, so needed more inputs, but the tuner box ended up with not enough RGB inputs in any case, and ended up with a scart swith unit..
[This message was edited by Steve2701 on Mon 27 December 2004 at 22:21.]
Posted on: 27 December 2004 by J.N.
Blimey! - and some people think that Hi-Fi is complicated.
The trade guys at the CES in Vegas this year were giving the impression that Plasma screens are moribund, if not completely dead.
Hence the 'deals' around now? These industry guys reckoned that the future will exclusively be LCD, as the screens are lighter, generate less heat, are more reliable and have a longer service life.
Mind you; if you're always waiting for next year's technology; you'd never buy anything.
John.
The trade guys at the CES in Vegas this year were giving the impression that Plasma screens are moribund, if not completely dead.
Hence the 'deals' around now? These industry guys reckoned that the future will exclusively be LCD, as the screens are lighter, generate less heat, are more reliable and have a longer service life.
Mind you; if you're always waiting for next year's technology; you'd never buy anything.
John.
Posted on: 27 December 2004 by Allan Probin
Plasma sales will continue to rise and are predicted to peak in about 2007 when it will be overtaken by LCD. Main drivers for LCD are cheaper production costs and lighter screens, not image quality.
Allan
Allan
Posted on: 28 December 2004 by Willie B
Thanks for all the help guys - so much useful information although, as John says, it makes Hifi seem simple!
Currently cannot receive freeview and probably cannot justify the expense of Sky for the limited TV I watch so will make do with VCR or DVD recorder tuners until Freeview comes to rural Shropshire.
Simon -I note you are from Worcester - is the Panasonic Centre in Worcester? If so I might goa nd have a look over the holidays as we are only 30 minutes away
Currently cannot receive freeview and probably cannot justify the expense of Sky for the limited TV I watch so will make do with VCR or DVD recorder tuners until Freeview comes to rural Shropshire.
Simon -I note you are from Worcester - is the Panasonic Centre in Worcester? If so I might goa nd have a look over the holidays as we are only 30 minutes away
Posted on: 29 December 2004 by SimonJ
No it was the one in Cheltenham.
Posted on: 29 December 2004 by Martin C
Hi Willie B,
Where can you get it for £1300? Is it Black or Silver finish?
cheers
Mart
Where can you get it for £1300? Is it Black or Silver finish?
cheers
Mart
Posted on: 01 January 2005 by Willie B
Martin - I've sent details to your postbox as I don't think we are meant to advertise on the open forum. If you buy one let me know how you get on
Willie
Willie