Which brand of plasma?

[Ext User(Olfda Lertih)]

I think they are overpriced.

[Ext User(georgiarose)]

"Olfda Lertih" <cmwmjt@netspace.net.au> wrote in message
news:1130022625.849468.146910@g14g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
>I think they are overpriced.
>
Agreed. Not so much bang for the buck.

[Ext User(Olfda Lertih)]

I'd be very interested to see the new Panasonic 42" HD vs the 42"
Fujitsu.

We've got the 8th Gen Pana HD for $3999, can't remember the price of
the Fuji.

Love to see them side by side.

[scalpel]

The 50" fujitsu and Panasonic share the same glass, so the blacks are (not surprisingly) essentially the same. The 42" Fujitsu uses (Alis) hitachi glass, which explains why the blacks are not as good on the 42" compared to the 50". I prefer the 42" Panasonic over the 42" Fujitsu (because better blacks are more important to me than the AVM processing on the smaller screen). I prefer the 50" Fujitsu over the 50" Panasonic - because the AVM processing becomes important on the bigger screens where the blacks are similar.

The AVM II processor (ie the digital processing circuitry) in the Fujitsu is very very good. I have not found any other screen that can compare, especially for poor source material (Foxtel) and SD. When the image is HD, there is not much difference between the Panasonic and the Fujitsu

So - the Panasonic 50" is probably the better 'value for money', given you can get them for $5800-$6500 (ie about $1000 cheaper than the Fujitsu)

BUT, if you dont care about money (ie $1000), then the Fujitsu is a better screen - but not by a huge margin, and you would want to have a good HD setup / cables to do justice to the increased quality. I see it as comparing 'very very good' with just 'very good'.

Warranty is also a consideration - Fujitsu is 3yrs (1 on glass), Panasonic is 1 year. Factor in (any) extended warranty costs. The 5 year warranty on Pioneers is very attractive (but I have yet to see a 436 or 506 to have any opinion on them)


Obviously IMHO - BTW, if you are ever viewing a Fujitsu, turn off the ambient light sensor - the auto adjusting makes the contrast crappy. I have taken the time to view the screens using best calibration settings I can manage (See DBA forums for some suggested settings) using DVD / HD / SD material.

Other (hopefully) decent screens to come out soon are

The new NEC's (due out in the US in November)
The new Panasonic commercial panels should be here soon as well.
Ditto Hitachi

J.

LCD's - I agree with Olfda (why hitler, out of curiosity). Even the Sharp Aquos, which would have to be one of the best LCD's I've seen suffers from poor contrast, poor blacks and motion blurring in fast sports and when used as a PC display for fast games. Additionally, poor quality (SD, analogue, foxtel) material looks very crappy (all relative to a good plasma). Slow moving HD images are very crisp - but this will not be a large part of the average persons viewing diet. On top of that, it still costs as much or more as the Fujitsu despite being a smaller display. And you would have to be nuts to have a LCD where small children can poke them. Solarisation was also an issue, but I believe that this was a software fault now corrected by Sharp on the newer models.

[Ext User(Olfda Lertih)]

Panasonic uses panasonic glass. Fujitsu uses Hitachi glass.

I think the Panasonics video processing is excellent, Suprisingly good
picture could be ontained through composite off foxtel.

[scalpel]

Your information on the Fujitsu Glass is incorrect:


As I stated, the 42" Fujitsu uses the Hitachi Alis panel (1024*1024) but the 50" uses the Panasonic glass (1366*768) (this is the current 40 series, but see below for the 50 series)





You can follow the following google thread if you really want to check up.

http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&q=fujitsu+50+%22panasonic+glass%22+40+series&btnG=Search&meta=lr%3Dlang_en



And it seems that the new 50 series (integrated STB/Display) have replaced the 42" hitachi glass with Panasonic glass as well

http://www.avguide.com/cedia2005/cedia2005_hdtv.html

I think that the 63" Fujitsu uses Samsung glass, but I not really sure of that. I also recall that the SD (42") Fujitsu is also Panasonic glass, but again, could not claim that with 100% certainty.

J.

[Ext User(Olfda Lertih)]

Thanks for clearing that.

Very interesting, wonder why Fujitsu didn't use the Hitachi glas?

[scalpel]

We can only guess - but ...

Earlier this year Fujitsu sold off the bulk of their ownership of the manufacturing to Hitachi (prev joint partners) - So I guess they were no longer wedded to having to use their panels. They put out a press release saying that they had abandoned glass manufacturing - which means they can now concentrate on the development of the AVM soft/hard-ware (and it shows). There are certain advantages in using an Alis panel though. (http://www.smarthouse.com.au/Entertainment/TVs_And_Large_Display/?article=/Entertainment/TVs%20And%20Large%20Display/News/F7N2V8S3)

Hitachi doesn't make all sizes (hence the Sammy 63" glass).

The Panasonic glass was well recognised for having the deepest blacks (whether that is still the case, I dont know - especially with the new crop of panels). So I guess that it was very attractive. Fujitsu markets itself as a premium manufacturer, so I guess quality rules (Good endorsement for Panasonic though)

Overall though, I bet $$$ was a significant contributer to the decision making process.

J.

[Ext User(Olfda Lertih)]

Very interesting. Especially considering how all the brands share
glass. I see LG & Samsung's glass is probably the most commonly used.

I was probing around the back of a Sony HD plasma earlier this year,
and to my suprise an LG panel with crude white stickers put over the LG
logos.

[Ext User(astpc.net@gmail.com)]

I can get a HD Hitachi 42" plasma @ $3500. Is Hitachi any good?

[scalpel]

For another place to get some useful opinions on the quality and price of the Hitachi model, post the query (with the model no.) to here -> http://www.dtvforum.info/index.php?showforum=6

Plenty of Hitachi lovers on that forum.

You might also want to some reading on "Alis" panels - the hitachi use 1024*1024 resolution (rather than the 1024*768) for their 42" plasmas, which has some advantages. (http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&q=Alis+1024&meta=)

Just make sure that the model (whatever it is) has an HDMI or (HDCP enabled DVI) input on it.

J.

[Ext User(Olfda Lertih)]

They are cheap, but meh! Don't bother. Picture quality is alright, but
nothing special. If you are going to get one, get one that's had the
software updated, the first ones released had some software problems
which caused the pictures to be non-kosher. Also these Hitachi's are
made in China not Japan.

Get A 42TH500AA Panasonic for $3999 from a Harvey Norman store in a
certain victorian town. The Price will be valid till the end of this
month.

I'm not too keen on saying which one specifically or giving my name on
here, but it's in Victoria and its having a big October sale.

[scalpel]

Get A 42TH500AA Panasonic for $3999 from a Harvey Norman store in a certain victorian town. The Price will be valid till the end of this month.

What price do they sell the 50" Panasonic?

Best price in Sydney that I have come across is about $5750

J.

Ta in advance

[Ext User(Olfda Lertih)]

$6999.

But I'm certain it could easily be done for $5750.

[Ext User(jackson)]

scalpel wrote:
> Olfda Lertih Wrote:
>
>>Get A 42TH500AA Panasonic for $3999 from a Harvey Norman store in a
>>certain victorian town. The Price will be valid till the end of this
>>month.
>
>
> What price do they sell the 50" Panasonic?
>
> Best price in Sydney that I have come across is about $5750

picked mine up for $5500 ( MegaMart-Alexandria )
j.


> J.
>
> Ta in advance
>
>

[Ext User(jackson)]

Olfda Lertih wrote:
> $6999.

pfft.. anyone that pays retail is a born sucker

> But I'm certain it could easily be done for $5750.

even less...

[Ext User(Olfda Lertih)]

Doesn't suprise me, MegaMart is desperate for business :)

I can't even remember the cost price on the 50" but from memory $5500
is below cost, but i'll check that tomorrow.

[Ext User(jackson)]

Olfda Lertih wrote:
> Doesn't suprise me, MegaMart is desperate for business :)

yep, bought my laptop there as well for heaps less than
anywhere else could offer

> I can't even remember the cost price on the 50" but from memory $5500
> is below cost, but i'll check that tomorrow.

i dont see how they could sell under cost unless they are
trying to piss Myer off

[Ext User(Olfda Lertih)]

Megamart from what I know isn't in good shape, it's struggling to
exist. Coles-Myer is eventually looking at either closing down a few
stores or selling it all off. Do some google searches on it.

Selling below cost, well think of it as a tax write off for Coles-Myer.


I used to work at DSE Powerhouse, we sold a number of things below
cost, big items too , if it meant undercutting the competitors. The aim
though it to make up for those losses by selling add-ons and extended
warranties which recouped the lost GP.

However the joke was that Powerhouse was a Woolworths tax write off.

[Ext User(Olfda Lertih)]

Also the logic is, sell at a ridiculous price that undercuts your
competitors, get people in the shop and hopefully many of those people
will buy extras, add-ons, or other items too.