# Problem: Sony 65" 950 or Samsung 64F8500



## JimShaw (Apr 30, 2012)

I would love your knowledge.

I am about ready to purchase a Samsung 64F8500 plasma from Robert. It will be my first plasma. Right now I own a Samsung 55B8000 and love the sharpness, almost 3D quality, of the set.

I did not buy a Samsung 65ES8000 last year because of all the banding problems with the set or the Sony 65” 920 because that set did not make the grade for the 2011 Shootout.

Today, I was at Best Buy where I saw a 65” Sony 950, the store demo, on sale for $2900.99 which as you know is a fantastic deal. The set is about 10 months old but Sony's warranty will still go with it.

To test the set for LED problems: banding, flash lighting, blooming, etc., I plugged in the Life of Pi for the expansive shy and ocean scenes so that I could see all the banding problems associated with a 65” panel.

Yes, I could see banding. It was very slight and only from viewing from the side of the set. When seated in front of the set, I did not see any banding. Maybe I could but I had to freeze the picture and look hard. To make sure it was a band, I had to get up, move to the sides of the set to actually see it. When I moved back to the center of the set, it was gone. Since my wife and I set directly in front of the set, I don't think any banding on the panel will ever be noticed. 

Is this typical of the banding on the 65” 950? Banding was bad on the 65ES8000.

I also tried to see any flash-lighting, blooming, light coming in from the edge. I could not see any like I can on my 55B8000. Is the lack of blooming, etc., etc also typical for the 65” 950?

I am trying to discover if I should stick with an LED, which I like, or go with my first plasma to eliminate all the problems of an LED? Since the store demo seems to be a fantastic price and there seems to be less of the problems with the Sony 65" 950 associated with LEDs, I am seriously considering the store demo.

Your thought please.


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## B- one (Jan 13, 2013)

I would try to get BB to through in the extended warranty as well, I have had some luck with it in the past. Good luck which ever you choose I'm currently looking between the 2 Samsung panels from the shootout.


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## JimShaw (Apr 30, 2012)

B- one said:


> I would try to get BB to through in the extended warranty as well, I have had some luck with it in the past. Good luck which ever you choose I'm currently looking between the 2 Samsung panels from the shootout.


2 panels? That is why I was at BB today trying to see if they had the 65F8000. They didn't


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## B- one (Jan 13, 2013)

Well I didn't watch all the shootout but the plasma f8500 and the led f8000 were listed to be in it. I plan on checking out more of the shootout if need be when it's on you tube watching that long on just an I phone gets old fast. I'm pretty sure they have the f8500 at one of our local BB pretty sure it was only 50-55 inch we don't have a magnolia where the might have the larger size. But maybe it was the f8000 I usually take a picture of there store tags to remember what's what but sometimes I forget as I also looked at some of the wall mounts.


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