Plasma TV's - Rank 'em
Posted by: Obsessed1 on 07 April 2005
Is anyone out there in Naim land knowledgeable enough to rank the quality of current Plasma TV's from Panasonic, NEC, Pioneer and any other major name? (In other words, who makes the best plasma TV?)
Viewing would be 60% digital TV, 40% DVD.
I would appreciate everyone's views.
Viewing would be 60% digital TV, 40% DVD.
I would appreciate everyone's views.
Posted on: 07 April 2005 by John Sheridan
I had a demo recently of a panasonic pwd7 and a pioneer for comparison (not sure the model). The panasonic beat it hands down. Better colours, smoother motion, less blurring etc.
Posted on: 08 April 2005 by BLT
It will be worth waiting to see how good the new HDMI equipped Panasonic players will be. Hopefully they will be out late this month.
Posted on: 11 April 2005 by Neill Ferguson
Blt
I just had a look at the new Panasonic Plasmas and none come with an HDMI/DVI input. I do think for my eyes they are the best pic on the market, but the lack of these inputs would put me of some.
Neill
I just had a look at the new Panasonic Plasmas and none come with an HDMI/DVI input. I do think for my eyes they are the best pic on the market, but the lack of these inputs would put me of some.
Neill
Posted on: 11 April 2005 by SimonJ
Panasonic will have the new 500 range out soon. The new range has HDMI and is HDTV ready, unlike the new 50 range. If you can't wait the Pioneer's already are, but cost a bit more.
Posted on: 13 April 2005 by Neill Ferguson
Simon J
I have looked into this a bit over the last two days and your are correct. The 500 seris is due late May early june. I have also spoken with Sky the only likley way apart from a DVD player you are likley to get HDTV and there new box is due out late Jan 2006. Is via the sky service and that is expected to come with an extra charge around £12 a month on top of the sky+ looks like sky will rise to just over the £50 a month mark a little rich for me
Now a question for every one on the forum how do you have a DVD player and SKY + running into the one Plasma which only has one HDMI/DVI input ???
Neill
I have looked into this a bit over the last two days and your are correct. The 500 seris is due late May early june. I have also spoken with Sky the only likley way apart from a DVD player you are likley to get HDTV and there new box is due out late Jan 2006. Is via the sky service and that is expected to come with an extra charge around £12 a month on top of the sky+ looks like sky will rise to just over the £50 a month mark a little rich for me
Now a question for every one on the forum how do you have a DVD player and SKY + running into the one Plasma which only has one HDMI/DVI input ???
Neill
Posted on: 13 April 2005 by Stuart M
1. Unplug cable from Sky and plug into DVD 
2. By an AV amp that can switch HDMI they are out there.
3. Wait for the mythical Naim video switcher
2. By an AV amp that can switch HDMI they are out there.
3. Wait for the mythical Naim video switcher
Posted on: 13 April 2005 by Neill Ferguson
Stuart M
Point one, the HDMI/DVI socket from sky will plug into few DVD players, as very few have video inputs and if they do not many if any have a DVI/HDMI in and out put.
Point Two, only some rather over spec don't need half the features, denon, Pioneer rather large looking AV amps have input outputs and some won't accept the current standards, due to HDMI being able to carry audio.
Point three, still no date on its release, oh and I have a feeling we will see the scaler option with video switching before the video switching box. It would however be good if Naim would confirm if these products used HDMI/DVI inputs, outputs at all
Its seeming like a very expensive options when you start to take into effect the cost of SKY+ per month with the HDTV option.
The other idea could be to buy a plasma and add an upsampling video switching scaler box, they are out there ( I did not make that up honest)
Neill
Point one, the HDMI/DVI socket from sky will plug into few DVD players, as very few have video inputs and if they do not many if any have a DVI/HDMI in and out put.
Point Two, only some rather over spec don't need half the features, denon, Pioneer rather large looking AV amps have input outputs and some won't accept the current standards, due to HDMI being able to carry audio.
Point three, still no date on its release, oh and I have a feeling we will see the scaler option with video switching before the video switching box. It would however be good if Naim would confirm if these products used HDMI/DVI inputs, outputs at all
Its seeming like a very expensive options when you start to take into effect the cost of SKY+ per month with the HDTV option.
The other idea could be to buy a plasma and add an upsampling video switching scaler box, they are out there ( I did not make that up honest)
Neill
Posted on: 13 April 2005 by Stuart M
Neil,
I meant to manually unplug the HDMI cable from the SKY box HDMI out socket going to your plasma and plug it into the HDMI out on your DVD. This looks like the solution I will be using with my DVD/PC to my projector as (point two) I completely agree and (point three) agree again. But I also need to run component, S-Video and PC to projector and plasma for other sources - a cabling nightmare.
As for the up sampling switching scaler box it is an option but I mentioned the Naim switcher because it was mentioned years ago but things have gone very quiet. And since I have scalar in DVD, projector, plasma I don't want to pay for another scaler.
Apologies if my comments came over a bit sarcastic but was in a rush when I wrote it.
I meant to manually unplug the HDMI cable from the SKY box HDMI out socket going to your plasma and plug it into the HDMI out on your DVD. This looks like the solution I will be using with my DVD/PC to my projector as (point two) I completely agree and (point three) agree again. But I also need to run component, S-Video and PC to projector and plasma for other sources - a cabling nightmare.
As for the up sampling switching scaler box it is an option but I mentioned the Naim switcher because it was mentioned years ago but things have gone very quiet. And since I have scalar in DVD, projector, plasma I don't want to pay for another scaler.
Apologies if my comments came over a bit sarcastic but was in a rush when I wrote it.
Posted on: 13 April 2005 by DAVOhorn
For what you are wanting the best format is still front projection CRT.
Next would be the latest generation of front projection 3 chip DLP.
If domestic bliss is a requirement then a plasma has its attractions and they are all based on the WAF (wife acceptance factor).
I do not consider either Plasma or LCD offer a performance commensurate with price.
SO if you want a discreet tv then i would go for the latest HDTV HDMI Pioneer.
For a plasma the picture was excellent.
Trouble is is at this time only one HDTV decoder available and one channel on ASTRA broadcasts in HDTV.
There will be more than one HDTV format which means more than one decoder will be required in about 18 months when SKY launch RIP OFF SPORT PRICES FOR PAY PER VIEW.
So i have decided not to invest in a new TV yet still have a 26" 4x3 .
And will keep my Barco 600 for a while longer.
So will i go for an HDTV 36" crt tv, or will i upgrade to a Barco 808 or equivalent or go down the 3 chip DLP.
Unless plasma seriously improves both its refresh speed and its ghosting i will not go there.
Trouble is is that none of the above is cheap.
At the minimum £4k going up to £8k for a large new generation HDTV HDMI Pioneer.
I have looked at the Big new Pioneer attached to a £900.00 decoder receiving music video from the ASTRA satelite.
Fabulous quality but with Plasma limitations.
But a big improvement over previous generations of plasma and standard tv broadcasts.
Most UK Soaps are now recorded in HDTV for the world market but not for us Brits.
But as they use the system to record then when the UK catches up with Japan and the US then the programs are already recorded in the new format.
So go to your local friendly decent tv co and look at HDTV.
regards Davo
Next would be the latest generation of front projection 3 chip DLP.
If domestic bliss is a requirement then a plasma has its attractions and they are all based on the WAF (wife acceptance factor).
I do not consider either Plasma or LCD offer a performance commensurate with price.
SO if you want a discreet tv then i would go for the latest HDTV HDMI Pioneer.
For a plasma the picture was excellent.
Trouble is is at this time only one HDTV decoder available and one channel on ASTRA broadcasts in HDTV.
There will be more than one HDTV format which means more than one decoder will be required in about 18 months when SKY launch RIP OFF SPORT PRICES FOR PAY PER VIEW.
So i have decided not to invest in a new TV yet still have a 26" 4x3 .
And will keep my Barco 600 for a while longer.
So will i go for an HDTV 36" crt tv, or will i upgrade to a Barco 808 or equivalent or go down the 3 chip DLP.
Unless plasma seriously improves both its refresh speed and its ghosting i will not go there.
Trouble is is that none of the above is cheap.
At the minimum £4k going up to £8k for a large new generation HDTV HDMI Pioneer.
I have looked at the Big new Pioneer attached to a £900.00 decoder receiving music video from the ASTRA satelite.
Fabulous quality but with Plasma limitations.
But a big improvement over previous generations of plasma and standard tv broadcasts.
Most UK Soaps are now recorded in HDTV for the world market but not for us Brits.
But as they use the system to record then when the UK catches up with Japan and the US then the programs are already recorded in the new format.
So go to your local friendly decent tv co and look at HDTV.
regards Davo
Posted on: 13 April 2005 by Jay
Posted on: 14 April 2005 by John Sheridan
quote:Originally posted by Neill Ferguson:
Blt
I just had a look at the new Panasonic Plasmas and none come with an HDMI/DVI input. I do think for my eyes they are the best pic on the market, but the lack of these inputs would put me of some.
Neill
the recommendation I got was buy a tv without. HDMI tvs cost a lot more at the moment and you can't use them. By the time you can use them you'll be able to buy a newer generation tv with better everything including hdmi for less than the extra you'd pay now - unless you're desperate for sky of course.
Posted on: 14 April 2005 by Cletus Awreetus-Awrightus
quote:Originally posted by DAVOhorn:
Most UK Soaps are now recorded in HDTV for the world market but not for us Brits.
regards Davo
rofl - why for gods sake?
Personally, I think, like for like ( ie panasonic to panasonic and Loewe to loewe ) plasma pictures are now better than CRT. There is a sense of looking the window rather than into a bowl.
This market is moving at light speed, buy what you have seen and like and can afford.
Paul
Posted on: 14 April 2005 by Neill Ferguson
Stuart M and All
More info the day, The new sky box is in part a video switcher and is expected to have an HDMI/DVI input as well as output. It has been pointed out to sky that most plasma's, LCDs the market they want to gain sales from only have the one input.
All in all I still feel the expensive of this plus the extra monthly bill is somewhat step
Neill
More info the day, The new sky box is in part a video switcher and is expected to have an HDMI/DVI input as well as output. It has been pointed out to sky that most plasma's, LCDs the market they want to gain sales from only have the one input.
All in all I still feel the expensive of this plus the extra monthly bill is somewhat step
Neill