42PX80 / 42PZ80 Advice appreciated

[tredsaw]

Ok, I currently have a 42PX80 in a bedroom setup, fantastic TV, the main room is still running a CRT and I am looking to go plasma.

The feeds to the TV will be SD cable, HD-DVD via EP30 and Blu-ray via Sony BDPS350, with SD DVD's upscaled through either. Hooking them together all being well will be a Sony STR-DG820 with undecided speaker setup!

I'm very tempted to go with the 42PX80 as my current TV is great, just wondering if the price difference is worth going full HD? Without measuring a rough guestimate for distance to TV would be in the region of 7-8 foot.

Also I am struggling to find stock for either at present, maybe I am just being too... cheap? Richer sounds had the PX80 at £550 delivered and PZ80 £730 delivered, however neither are in stock in the Middlesbrough store. Pixmania seems to have resonable prices for both but some reviews on these forums suggest they wouldn't be a wise choice. Any reccommended retailers with stock?

Any advice appreciated.

 

[mwardy]

I'm very tempted to go with the 42PX80 as my current TV is great, just wondering if the price difference is worth going full HD? Without measuring a rough guestimate for distance to TV would be in the region of 7-8 foot.

Any advice appreciated.

While I have it on the clipboard

http://www.avforums.com/forums/plasma-televisions/749347-panasonic-px80-pz80-comparison-thread.html

 

[tredsaw]

I do have a good idea of the differences between the sets, just was hoping for a few opinions on the matter, i.e. at what price difference would getting the full HD set become more beneficial for my circumstances.

At present I've found
House of Fraser doing the 42PX80 for £599
Dabs the 42PZ80 at £777 delivered
Comet the 42PZ85 at £799 for collection
Crampton & Moore 42PZ80 with Cabinet and 5 year warranty £833 delivered

 

[FRS2462]

I just ordered the 42PZ80 for £699 instore at Glasgow John Lewis Branch. Actual store price, not price match.
They had 96 in stock at 17:00 this evening. The website has the set advertised for £999.
You could get your local John Lewis to price match this I presume.

 

[gregster10217]

WOW!!! I ordered this set from them on the internet at £792 before they put the price up to £999. Just phoned my local store, Bluewater in Kent, and they are still selling for £999 and were amazed when I told them what Glasgow were selling it for. It was due to be delivered yesterday, but they let me down (very unlike JL), but if I can get this price matched at Bluewater, I'll cancel the internet order and go in and buy it from the store. Unfortunately Glasgow is closed now and won't be able to do anything until tomorrow when they'll probably have realised the mistake and put the price back up!
Thanks for the info though.

 

[NatD]

Just sent an email to my local JL asking if they will price match Glasgow.

I doubt it, but will wait for them to come back to me later today hopefully!!!!

Fingers crossed and all that!!!!!

 

[audiphile76]

tredsaw: I feel that at 7-8 feet, 42" 1080p panel might be on the edge but 46" 1080p set might be more beneficial to appreciate bluray and other 1080p content. What i meant is at 7-8 feet, non 1080p will look almost same as a 1080p on a 42". There wont be considerable improvement in PQ. So if you cannot go for a 46" due to budgetary constraints or living room dimension constraints, maybe then at 42" you dont need to consider a PZ at all. Just my opinion

 

[mwardy]

Plus there are plenty of people in the thread I quoted, though not all, who think the px80 is better with SD at that distance. Having recently set up a 42px80, I'm one of them.

 

[Madger]

Hi everyone, I'm the new boy

Just to let everyone know, who thinks they can get the pz80 from JL glasgow for £699, you can't

Rang my local JL for a pricematch and was later informed by a nice lady that they do not and never have sold this set for £699

She said it was £849 undersales

I felt a bit of a plonker

 

[FRS2462]

Well the information they have given you is absolute hogwash.
I have an order confirmation letter which i had printed for me by a sales assistant called Stevie from John Lewis Glasgow store for a Panasonic TH-42PZ80B for £699 including VAT and delivery.
This was printed at 17:15 last night in store!!
I would suggest you phone the Glasgow store yourself.

 

[BlueWorldOrder]

Hi everyone, I'm the new boy

Just to let everyone know, who thinks they can get the pz80 from JL glasgow for £699, you can't

Rang my local JL for a pricematch and was later informed by a nice lady that they do not and never have sold this set for £699

She said it was £849 undersales

I felt a bit of a plonker

I just bought one about 30 mins ago on the phone from them!

 

[FRS2462]

I just bought one about 30 mins ago on the phone from them!

What was the price mate? Which store did you phone?

 

[BlueWorldOrder]

What was the price mate? Which store did you phone?

£699, I phoned Glasgow. They are delivering to me in Edinburgh.

Sorry - misread the post, I didn't get a PM, I just bought direct from them.

 

[FRS2462]

Thanks for confirming that. I suggest the poster above who dealt with "the nice lady" gets back on the phone to them in order to find out why they are giving you the wrong information.

 

[NatD]

Guys - just to contradict the above poster.

Just had an email back from JL Customer Service (Trafford and Cheadle Branch) and she confirmed Glasgow did match that price, and if I order today, they will sell it to me for £699 with free delivery and 5 year warranty!

Popped into Richer Sounds today, and they will not be restocking this PZ80!

TBH for this price, I just went for it anyway!!!!!!!!

Get's delivered next week Whoop Whoop!!!!!

 

[Madger]

Hmm

Wander why they fobbed me off then

Never dealt with JL before. Could someone please tell me how far will JL deliver? Could I for an example buy from the glasgow branch and get it delivered in devon?

Thanks

 

[Jaycee Dove]

The Crampton and Moore deal is excellent given that it includes the matching stand and a five year warranty.

We got this before Christmas (see the separate thread which discusses the merits of PX v PZ in December and helped me decide).

Very happy with the TV and the SD pictures via Sky HD box are excellent. At least equal to and I suspect better than our 37 PX 60.

 

[Madger]

All sorted

Just rang up JL glasgow and ordered one from them. free delivery and 5 year gaurantee. £699

Not impressed with my my local JL at all. Bad show

 

[tredsaw]

Thanks for all the help people, I decided to go with the Crampton & Moore offer to get the stand alongside the TV. I did however receive an email back off the John Lewis Newcastle store stating "John Lewis Newcastle are selling this tv today for £783.00, I can match the Glasgow Store and sell you the Television for £699.00. However I do not know how long the Glasgow Store will be matching their local competitor." So they can pricematch for the time being if you want the 42PZ80.

 

[FRS2462]

Glad you got a good deal! It seems that all the John Lewis stores are selling at different prices from the advertised web price of £999.

 

[gregster10217]

I got Bluewater to price match Glasgow at £699 - cancelled my JL internet order and just need to wait to get in there to pay and arrange delivery. Reserved for me until 31st January.

Result - saved just under £100.