[Richdog]

Hi chaps. Well, due to moving apartment and having nothing of my own I am now definately in the market for a new plasma, having loved my dads PZ81, but am undecided as to which will be the best model fo me, and so I turn to you guys for a bit of advice if you please!

I've been eyeing up the G10, G15 and V10 series avidly and absorbing myself in the specs and advantages and disadvantages of each, but am still a bit unsure which would best suit my needs. My budget isn't unlimited and while any of them are "possible", I really don't want to spend any more than i need to. Basically here's a run-down of what I will be using the TV with and for, and any relevant details:

• Sitting 6ft away from the TV (as far back as I can get i'm afraid without drastically changing my room layout to an inferior one)

This isn't very far away... so I take it anything over 42" will be pretty overkill and result in less than ideal viewing conditions?

• Hooked up to a Dreambox 800C HD, which will then be hooked up to a NAS

With the "do just about everything" nature of the Dreambox 800 and with it being connected directly to PC/NAS, am I right in thinking that it's pretty much absolutely uncecessary to have any of the advanced networking, image viewing, internet etc features of the G15

[Richdog]

Bueller... Bueller... anyone?

[rewerb]

6ft away really means a 42" max. and some of the SD channels will be ropey. HD will be great.

G10/G15 are the same PQ. G15 has Viera cast (which you dont need) is a lot thinner and extra HDMI.

V10 has the best PQ, has THX picture mode which is excellent "out of the box". Also thinner and has one sheet of glass design.

Detailed reviews of the G10 and V10 on this site. You wont be disappointed with either. G10 is £870+, V10 is £1250+. I'm not sure the V10 is 50% better.

[E9 Smooth]

Viera cast aint all about streaming things from your PC, the widgets are also useful. There is a noticable picture quality difference from the G10/G15 and V10 out the box (with V10 in THX present). The difference will be less and hard to notice if you get the G10/G15 calibrated, but a good calibration will cost good money .

[Richdog]

Thanks for the opinions guys... I do know about the THX setting and have read all the reviews, m concerns mainly related to features etc on the networking side, which would be avoided by haivng the Dreambox 800 HD.

With regards to PQ, it's also worth noting that any Panny I get will be the EU model which will mean it has the enhanced calibration options not present on the UK models, so i'm guessing that this will bring me close enough to the THX mode not to give too much of a rats ass about PQ (in comparison) and to importantly avoid paying an extra £350 that could be much better spent on a PS3 or similar.

Also the Eu spec G10 has 4x HDMI so that's a wee bonus digitec online shop

G10 it is then I think.

[E9 Smooth]

Originally Posted by Richdog

Thanks for the opinions guys... I do know about the THX setting and have read all the reviews, m concerns mainly related to features etc on the networking side, which would be avoided by haivng the Dreambox 800 HD.

With regards to PQ, it's also worth noting that any Panny I get will be the EU model which will mean it has the enhanced calibration options not present on the UK models, so i'm guessing that this will bring me close enough to the THX mode not to give too much of a rats ass about PQ (in comparison) and to importantly avoid paying an extra £350 that could be much better spent on a PS3 or similar.

Also the Eu spec G10 has 4x HDMI so that's a wee bonus digitec online shop

G10 it is then I think.

If you wanted to get it calibrated, its gonna cost you about £350. But still the EU version is missing a picture adjustment setting I think its gamma or something else. So whatever you do the picture wont be as good THX on the V10. But the G10 is still a good tv

[rewerb]

Originally Posted by Richdog

With regards to PQ, it's also worth noting that any Panny I get will be the EU model which will mean it has the enhanced calibration options not present on the UK models, so i'm guessing that this will bring me close enough to the THX mode not to give too much of a rats ass about PQ (in comparison) and to importantly avoid paying an extra £350 that could be much better spent on a PS3 or similar.

Also the Eu spec G10 has 4x HDMI so that's a wee bonus digitec online shop

G10 it is then I think.

Definitely the European G10 with white balance and gamma controls

[Richdog]

Originally Posted by E9 Smooth

If you wanted to get it calibrated, its gonna cost you about £350. But still the EU version is missing a picture adjustment setting I think its gamma or something else. So whatever you do the picture wont be as good THX on the V10. But the G10 is still a good tv

Originally Posted by rewerb

Definitely the European G10 with white balance and gamma controls

Hmm so does the EU G10 have gamma control or not? If not I guess it's not a biggie considering how happy people are with the G10 anyway.

[E9 Smooth]

Originally Posted by Richdog

Hmm so does the EU G10 have gamma control or not? If not I guess it's not a biggie considering how happy people are with the G10 anyway.

Here it says the EU model doesnt have they don't have any colour controls i.e. 3D colour management for RGBCYM
Review: Panasonic's G10 and V10 Plasmas

[BYF]

I'm tempted by either the EU or Irish G10 as the UK one has the cut down settings. Being able to adjust the gamma to 2.2 and being able to adjust the white balance in the user menu's is very appealing.

I've considered the UK V10, but I wouldn't use the extra features, except the THX mode but then again it cannot be properly adjusted for future use.

The hdtvtest review of the V10 touches on this

"However, because the greyscale on plasma televisions tends to drift over time as a result of phosphor ageing, we wish Panasonic had included user-accessible white balance controls for owners – if they are so inclined – to bring greyscale into spec every now and then. As things stand, there is no way to adjust white balance in [THX mode] on the Panasonic TX-P42V10… not even (as far as we can tell) in the service menu."

The fact is the UK customer has to shell out quite a bit extra for the V10 to get 2.2 gamma and that's only in THX mode, as the UK G10's are unable to get there.

[Jim Di Griz]

Richdog I dont know if this helps you but Ive got a 50" UK G10 at 6-7feet range and its great!

Freeview can be a bit ropey (especially Setanta lol) but looks fine most of the time.

Blu-rays look unbelievable of course!

Ive got a similar viewing range to you and I was a bit worried when I ordered the 50" but after the inital first-day shock Ive got completely used to it now. If you check that viewing distance calculator thing (sorry ive lost the link) you will find that the SMPTE viewing distance for a 50" is something like 6.5ft....which is precisely the range Im at! I think the ideal THX range was 6.7ft...

So if you can live with SD looking a bit average sometimes (I can because theres not a lot on TV im interested in!) get a 50"!

[Richdog]

Originally Posted by Jim Di Griz

Richdog I dont know if this helps you but Ive got a 50" UK G10 at 6-7feet range and its great!

Freeview can be a bit ropey (especially Setanta lol) but looks fine most of the time.

Blu-rays look unbelievable of course!

Ive got a similar viewing range to you and I was a bit worried when I ordered the 50" but after the inital first-day shock Ive got completely used to it now. If you check that viewing distance calculator thing (sorry ive lost the link) you will find that the SMPTE viewing distance for a 50" is something like 6.5ft....which is precisely the range Im at! I think the ideal THX range was 6.7ft...

So if you can live with SD looking a bit average sometimes (I can because theres not a lot on TV im interested in!) get a 50"!

Hehe thats good to know mate, but i think a 50 may be a tad too big to be honest... and i do watch sd mainly! I could possibly squeeze e 46 incher in (ooh missus) but its quite a price hike i think, and as ive jusr emigrated if anything goed tits up with the move ill be left with a rather expensive paperweight that id have to shift for peanuts!

I have to admit though im still considering waiting an extra couple of weeks and paying 80 quid extra for the g15... if only for the 2x thinner bezel! Im hoping the eu version of the G15 has the extra calibration features too mind!

[Richdog]

Guys i've now got the opportunity to get the Panasonic TX-50G10E as opposed to the TX-50GW10 and it's exactly the same except lacking in 1x extra HDMI port and it's also £300 cheaper (no idea why).

Panasonic TX-50G10E https://www.microspot.ch/microspot/_...126/detail.jsf - £1240

PANASONIC 127cm Neo PDP TX-P50G10E/ FHD 600Hz

PANASONIC

127cm Neo PDP TX-P50G10E/ FHD 600Hz

* Kontrast:2'000'000:1 (Dynamisch)
* 1920x1080p Full-HD 600Hz mit 0,001 ms
* DVB-T+C/HD (H.264)/EPG TextView/24p
* SD-Karte AVCHD-DivX/HD JPEG/x.v. color
* Dolby Digital Plus/20W/Game Mode
* B:122 H:81 T:11 cm / 35 kg /280W/0.4W
* 3xHDMI/2xScart/CI/SD card/PC/YUV/A/V
* Eco Mode/Energiesparmodus
* Reaktionszeit: 0,001 ms
* SD HD-Wiedergabe/SD-Diashow-JPEG
* Hotel Modus/3D Color Management
* Q+Vierra Link/Kindersicherung/Timer
* 3D Digitaler Kammfilter/V-Real Pro 4
* Digital Optimizer/Bildmode/Standbild

Panasonic TX-50GW10 - digitec online shop -£1550

Particularities: The series presents GW10 Panasonic flat screen TV, for all your needs are. The multi-tuner with DVB-S (HD), DVB-T and analog cable tuner enables reception everywhere.
Display size: 50 inches (127cm)
Picture Format: 16:9
Panel Technology: G12 HD panel
Resolution: 1920 x 1080
Contrast: Dynamic contrast 2.000.000:1 / 232 billion colors / grayscales 6144
Reaction time: 0.001 ms
TV Tuner: Hyper band tuner NTSC / PAL / SECAM, DVB-T, DVB-C, DVB-S
Connections: 4x HDMI, VGA, 2x SCART, 1x component, 1x RCA output, S-video (Hosiden), video (RCA), audio (RCA), Headphones, Common Interface (CI), SD Card Input
Features: Neo PDP, 600Hz Intelligent Frame Creation Pro, V-Real Pro 4, Viera image viewer for AVCHD and HD-JPEG, Eco Fashion, Eco-Link, unleaded panel and durable, Viera Link, Game Mode
Speaker: 20W, V-Audio Surround Sound
Package Contents: including table foot

They are the same barring the extra HDMI right, despite the price gulf?

So as much as I loved the picture of the Samsung in this thread here http://www.avforums.com/forums/plasm...-ps50b650.html, the IR issues, the buzzing, and other niggly things that I know would gut me if I bought one and experienced them make me think that just getting a Panny G10 would be a sensible idea overall given the fantastic user feedback and professional reviews on the interweb which all say how good it is. Plus IR is apparently not an issue and they are great for gaming... as well as the good blacks.

So guys whaddya think... go for the G10E and call it a day?

[Richdog]

Oh god, my friend has just drawn my attention to a Pioneer PDP-LX5090H with 6 years (bring-in, not at-home) warranty for £2500... and it's do-able by paying half up front and then spreding the rest of the cost over 24 or 36 months with only £125 or £200 interest added on for each length respectively.

This is seriously do-able for me and I CAN afford it, but the question is... should I do it? It's 2x the price of the Panasonic and i'm worried i'm going to be struggling to justify it to myself for a while to come...

*rocks slowly back and forth*

[Richdog]

Well guys im sorry for the quadruple post but I guess this thread can now die a peaceful death.

I just got home with my new 50" Panny G10E and I am stoked... it looks HUGE! Can't wait to get it fired up in the next couple of days and after some more standing in the shop and really having a tweak i've decided that all things considered it's the panel for me.

Alls well that ends well.

[David Mackenzie]

Richdog, are you in the UK - did you import your G10E?
I might be considering doing something similar in the future so would like to hear about your experiences, if that's what happened.

[bluegolf]

Where did you get the euro spec G10 mate?

[Richdog]

As of 8 months ago I now live in Switzerland.