# Panasonic TH-58PZ700



## Wayde (Jun 5, 2006)

Just wanted to scream from the top of the Shack and anywhere else... I just wheeled in my brand new Plasma last night. 

I had a very productive weekend. I sold my old Sony LCD RP and bought the Panasonic Plasma.

I am very happy about it. I went from a 50" 720P LCD-RPto a 58" 1080P plasma. I notice the new plasma is far less forgiving of quirks in the digital cable signal than my LCD RP - but that could be because of size. 

The picture didn't really blow me back into my seat until I hooked up Sony's Blu-ray player (and to be fair the Xbox360 HD DVD player did a fine job too).

But Sony's BD player - 1080P @24fps, and yes the PZ700 plasmas accept 24fps, blew away anything. In fact it might have been the finest picture quality I've ever seen. 

Xbox HD DVD player is good at 720P and probably 60Hz using my set's internal 2:3 pulldown... I tested some Transformers and I enjoyed it, very nice.

But when I popped in Spiderman 3 and watched the ariel battle between Parker (trying to save the ring Aunt May gave him) and Harry (Hobgoblin) Osborne, it was poetry in motion.

This leads me to a line of thinking about the virtues of LCD vs Plasma. I"ve always been an LCD guy until now.

I think Plasma offers some benefits. I believe it's technically accurate that even LCD panels use the same 'light' to produce its images. So, everything you see on an LCD has a certain _caste _to it. There is a common quality every color your display will produce. 

DOn't get me wrong, I loved my SOny LCD RP and I have a 24" LG widescreen PC monitor that makes a nice bedroom HDTV. But all images come from the same light source behind the LCD panel.

With the plasma each pixel is a separate light source. IMHO(subject to change) - plasma seems to offer some brilliant variations, hues, almost 3d-like quality to the motion and the blacks. I hesitate to say it's _better_ because I think it's a matter of opinion. 

The shadows embedded in wrinkles in clothing are pitch-inky black and contrast with spots on the same person's face where light saturates the skin tones. It's a brilliant effect on plasma that I don't believe I've seen to that degree on any LCD HDTV. 

I'd be interested in more opinions about the virtues of LCD vs Plasma. I'm not looking for arguments or any sort of war - I'm just curious what others might think of the topic. The bottom line is it's about what *you *like.


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## cynical2 (Jul 18, 2007)

Congrats, Wayde!

On the LCD vs Plasma discussion...I think plasmas (generally speaking) have deeper/richer colors, but I like the viewing angle of an LCD in a room with light control issues. The last time I took a serious look at plasmas, the screen was very glossy and stray light sources reflected badly. Not sure if that's any better now, as it's been a while since I've looked.

In a light-controlled environment, it'd be plasma for me.


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## Sonnie (Apr 11, 2006)

I don't know squat about either, but congrats on the purchase. I know there were (and still may be) a lot of good deals floating around on displays from the past weekend. Our friends purchased a 40" LCD and saved $750. Of what I've see I like the Plasmas better myself.


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## Wayde (Jun 5, 2006)

There are lots of great deals out there these days. I did an article on it on Audioholics recently quoting from a Consumer Reports study that claims an average 30% discount on displays over last years. For many display types (ie. < 50" especially RP) the savings are far more significant.

*Cynical:* You're right, glossy reflections are a problem with Plasma. I'm not sure why they have the glass screen encasing where LCD doesn't need it...??

Although there are models with anti-reflective coatings etc... I find the advantages to that stuff limited. The best way to avoid glare is just don't have light shining into your screen. Light control is certainly an issue. Although - I sometimes I have watched while my girlfriend reads with a lamp behind her and reflections were never a show stopper... you don't notice when you get into the programming.


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