# TV Shopping - Pulling my hair out



## Moutee (Nov 4, 2009)

Hey there Shacksters,

I'm helping my parents shop for a new 55"-58" television, but their patience is low, and they want a new set within the next week or so. Their budget is $1900 and below. We're stuck on plasma sets; the picture quality seems impossible to beat, and we love the inky blacks compared to LCD and RP sets. Our only concerns are the issues with respect to rising blacks, floating blacks, etc. If we're going to be stuck with this set for the next 4+ years, we would like them to be trouble free.

Also, are the next-gen Panasonic Plasmas worth waiting for? If so, does anyone know when they're expected to arrive in stores?

Thank you everyone, and I look forward to your responses and recommendations. 


Edit: I should add that I'm also a member of AVS Forums and Audioholics. Likewise, I have cross-referenced the three forums and have not been able to get a straight answer - hence the new thread.


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## mechman (Feb 8, 2007)

It's a matter of personal preference. As for the rising black issue, I think manufacturers learned their lesson with the whole Panasonic problems.

Welcome to HTS by the way. :wave:


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## Moutee (Nov 4, 2009)

Thank you for the welcome; I've been a long time lurker. We're teetering on the P54G25 and the P54VT25. With some deliberation, the latter will find its way into our home.


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## steiny93 (Jan 8, 2009)

How about a samsung PN58C550?

They are very well liked from a picture perspective, have some issues with plasma buzz. But, since they are available at BestBuy you have a very generous return policy.

Even better they are at $1300 http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Samsung...HDTV/9790779.p?id=1218175546200&skuId=9790779

I'm stearing the in-laws in that direction right now; for the money and the low risk of trying one out I can't seem to find a negative.


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## DeBo (Feb 14, 2010)

Those two Panasonic's are quality sets and a much more accurate picture in THX mode.


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## IrishStout (Nov 12, 2010)

I have been looking at the following sets myself.. I would recommend the VT25 series as it is just below their top end V series. The other compariable series to look at is from Samsung and the compariable is the C8000's. Both come in a 54 and 58". I do not know much about LCD's but my firend has an Aquos and they seem to like it?


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## steiny93 (Jan 8, 2009)

Isn't the samsung c8000 series plague'd with buzz issues? Co-worker who is a nut about researching purchases just landed on the samsung 550 series in large part due to the noise concern.

His 550 has the directional buzz; but at a very low level (think listen to own heartbeat level) so he's satisfied with it.


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## IrishStout (Nov 12, 2010)

As per my understandng, a buzz can be heard amongst most if not all Plasma TV's. O have read reviews where people have mentioned buzz with the VT25, VT 20 GT 25's and many different modles of Samsung. I was just mentioning that when it comes to picture, without going to the extreme high end.. the VT25 and C8000 is about the best you can get. I do not think the buzz is extremly loud in any of these models?
Not only that, you usually only hear from those with the buzz or humm which is still very few and far inbetween when you realy think of the many thousands who have purchased them?


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## Moutee (Nov 4, 2009)

IrishStout said:


> I would recommend the VT25 series as it is just below their top end V series.


Does that explain why the PxxV10s still sell for top dollar?


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## steiny93 (Jan 8, 2009)

personally i have physically heard 2 samsung's and 1 panasonic with a unacceptable buzz (the manufacturers agreed and replaced the sets)

totally agree that all plasma's have some level of buzz; but there are a few bad apples which have unacceptable levels of buzz

my opinion;
purchase your set from a place that doesn't charge you to replace a defective unit


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## Moutee (Nov 4, 2009)

You're scaring me, Steiny. Thanks for the heads up, though.  I had a 42" Dell plasma years ago that buzzed incessantly.


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## steiny93 (Jan 8, 2009)

hehehe,
definatley not trying to scare or spread fud (fear / uncertainty / doubt)
just the notion that all plasma's have some level of buzz and a couple manufacturers seem to have more bad apples then others

besides that,
i'm totally sold on plasma's; just have a strategy in place to ensure you can land on one with an acceptable amount of buzz without the risk of hihg cash outlay to make it happen


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## donnymac (Nov 6, 2009)

I have a Panasonic V10 and have never heard any buzz from it. Myy gf dad just bought a Panasonic 46g25 yesterday and there is 0 buzz. Some people put their ears up to the back of the tv and cry that they have a buzzer. Others can hear buzzing over the normal volume of whatever programming they are running on their tv. That is not normal and is also not something that occurs in a large amount of sets either. Anytime you buy a tv you take the chance of having a large array of problems right out of the box. Cracked screen, dead pixels, black streaks, loud buzzing, glare, IR etc are some of the problems. Every brand/model have their own problems that are well documented on various websites such as this one. There is no perfect tv out there so do your homework and check your set out really good when you initially set it up.


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