Panasonic ST Plasmas

SD can look ok even on large screens. Depends on the source really as well as the TV's own processing of the image. My ST50 handles SD stuff pretty well sitting from a distance of about 6.5-7ft.
 
I bought the 55" ST60 for our kitchen and I am very impressed by it.

When I can afford it I want to buy a 65" VT65. Hopefully they will come down to around £2k soon.
 
Dr House said:
I bought the 55" ST60 for our kitchen and I am very impressed by it.

When I can afford it I want to buy a 65" VT65. Hopefully they will come down to around £2k soon.
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VT65's seem to be quite popular. I think this is due to it being practically the same as a ZT65 but for half the price, that is a substantial saving in itself already.

With Panasonic stopping production sometime this month, if you really want a VT65 I would buy it sooner rather than later.

It's possible they could be all sold out in January, nobody knows but I wouldn't bank on stock lasting long.
 
I thought about the GT60 but aesthetically the VT is nicer and I genuinely had use for the better filter.

When I bought my VT the Sevenoaks S&V had none in stock and were only having one delivered the day I walked in to buy it - which then went to me - which I suppose gives you an idea of stock levels? There can't be TOO many left as they'll have finished producing them at the factory now (I read late Nov/early Dec) so what's in circulation is probably all there is.
 
Why are Panasonic stopping production of plasma screens?
In 2013, they have created arguably the best line of TVs ever produced by man-kind.
Pioneer did exactly the same thing.
Meanwhile lesser TV panels are still going to be produced by the million.

If it is a business/numbers decision, then surely, they could just increase the price and those who want the absolute best TV, will pay a premium, while the rest can buy an alternative screen.
 
(1) You can't keep a plasma factory running for the amount of demand there is. It takes constant R&D to churn out models for people to "upgrade"

(2) OLED is starting to hit the market - this completely nullfies plasma's great advantage which is black levels and motion processing, and adds saturation/brightness, thinner/lighter and energy efficiency of LED


If you reduced plasma production far enough to make it pay for just enthusiasts then plasmas would end up rivalling OLED prices and die anyway.
 
Samsung are caning them in TV sales, at least in LCD/LED which is what everyone (i.e. the 99% not the 1% of enthusiasts) buys, it's financially prudent for them to cauterise what's not selling and focus on improving what is, unfortunately.

Also everyone is pushing 4K and 4K plasma is not viable in any way at the screen sizes the average consumer wants. The tech hurdles are too great as well. OLED is the future as far as display tech goes and Panny are committed to the tech, although possibly as a panel manufacturer rather than the whole TV but it's all about 4K LCD right now and Panny are trying their best to get noticed there. The technologies will merge down the road which is when people like me will care about 4K more; having seen both in the flesh I'd rather have a 1080p OLED TV (not curved though, these are just to show off the tech in shop floors filled with TVs) but the last couple of years of Panasonic Plasma are close enough that it's not really an itch that needs scratching.
 
Plus look at the price of the ZT65 at the moment apparently they have been making a loss on plasmas for a few years as well due to the LED marketing brigade

The time to buy plasma is right now to set you up for the next 10 years before switching to 8k oled on the cheap
 
Well, Richer have the TXP42ST60B now at £100 off - so £590 including 5 year warranty and VIP voucher.

I had to buy at that price - imo a real bargain given I'm never going to use it for gaming.

Set it up using a THX DVD for now, will try to track down an ISF calibrator close to me in order to come and do a full job on it.
 
Just get at least 50 hours on it before pro calibration, maybe even 100 as the sets take a while to settle out of the box, so there's no point getting it done too quickly as parameters which they play with will shift about. Also be prepared to have a guy sitting about in your room for 4-6 hours as it's not a 2 minute job!
 
Agh I know. Just as I set myself to get the gt60, RS knock £100 off the st60 making it an even bigger leap up to the gt60. Anyone had any experience price matching at RS? I found the gt60 for £919. If they knock their tenner off of that (part of price beat), I also have a VIP £10 off voucher. So, I could get it for £899. Reckon they'd do that?

My local independent offered me £935 but I reckon he'd give me a free HDMI cable or something, and he'd drop it round too. Maybe I should support the local independent!
 
I'd rather get the GT, too.
I know its more money, but after you get the ST, you will be wondering just how much better the GT would've been.

If you get the GT, you will know that pretty much any TV released in the next few years will not be as good as your own TV. OLED is still a few years away (for decent pricing), so you are probably looking at around 5 years before a noticeably better TV is available, for the same sort of money.

At present, the GT60 is the only TV I'd consider buying (if image quality is very important to you).

FWIW, if you are coming from an LCD TV, the ST60 should be significant step up, due to the improved motion handling, black and contrast levels and the richer colours which this brings.

It's your money though, so you must decide.

GT60 review: http://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/news/pana...04052795.htm?page=Performance.......Reference Level
ST60 review: http://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/news/panasonic-tx-p42st60-201303312779.htm?page=Performance.......Highly Recommended.

A reference quality TV for less than £1k, would've been unheard of a few years ago.
 
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FWIW - I upgraded to the ST from a 5yr old Panasonic PX80 and it's leagues better than that - imo far better than any LED/LCD I've seen this side of £1600

I compared both GT and ST in the shop and honestly couldn't justify the extra money for the GT - they looked identical, though I know they were probably both in Shop mode and badly set up especially as the VT looked awful by comparison too... I think if I was gaming I'd have spent the extra though.
 
Haha, I'm coming from the wonderful world of SD CRTs - this is my first HDTV! Having said that, I work for a film/TV post production company so I'm see to seeing lovely Dolby's, OLEDs, 2k projectors etc. So in my head that's why I'm justifying the GT. I work in the color grading department so the extra controls on the GT also sound useful. Oh look, I'm justifying it again... :p
 
Got an ST60 55" coming next fri.

I dont console game anymore but would like to try wipeout HD on it, if its too laggy then so be it, got it fof home cinema use really.

Was too scared to wait till jan with this set at this size, already out of stock on lots of sites, even creeping up fifty notes on some.

Got it direct from a panny store, five yr warranty, free delivery and theyll put it on our stand for us (38kg tv!) for £1200

To me 55" was noticeably bigger than the 50" GT which is a great price too at £1100

Stepping up from a samsung c580 40" ccfl set:)

It will play with dali zensors in 5.1
 
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