Dilemma - I think I want a PZ70 - but am I wasting my £££

darrynwarner

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Like many, I have pondered long and hard over my next TV purchase. I moved and left my old gea behind, a panny TH42PW5 and a Celestion Home Cinema setup. I also have forgone Sky+ (not HD) and have been making do with a 28" JVC Tele on BT Vision (Can bear it any more).

I was pretty much convinced to get a £999 or less PZ70 from JL, but is it really worth it.

MY viewing tastes
I play lots of normal DVD's (kids stuff and box sets series + films) and was planning to replace the Full £55 p/m Sky+ multiroom subscription with a Lovefilm membership or similar one - possibly one that rented HDDVD's so I could use my new 1080p panel should i wish to, but more so to get lots of good normal DVD's.

I play my xbox 360 frequently, which used to look great at 720p on the PW5 via VGA - I dont really want to have to upgrade to an elite to use the hdmi 1080p capability on th PZ70 and I am informed now with recent updates that the 360 will both play divx + there are 720p? HD films coming soon over the air.

I wanst going to get a new home cinema setup yet (I'll be viewing 10-12ft from where TV is) , nor was I going to get a dedicted HDDVD player or PS3 for movies - and with Warner pulling the plug on HDDVD I am inlcined to keep my powder dry for a bit?. There was a side question around what sort of upscaling normal DVD player i might use to use the new screen to the full that might prompt a purchase, but the 360 can do that cant it ?

So should I?
a. Buy the PZ70, effectivly future proofing myself (and probably trade in the xbox360 for an elite with hdmi and use it as the upscaling DVD player)
b. Buy a PX or Samsung Q97 (wife says its sexier), save the cash and congratulate myself that 720p or 1080i is fine for most things at that distance
c. Buy something else?

Advice welcomed please? :)
 
I'm not as knowledgeable as others here but i was in exactly the same position as you last weekend.

I bought the 42 PX70 and i went for the cheaper one because i keep reading people saying the full HD isn't really that noticeable on 42" at 12ft. I also do not have any full HD equipment and the PZ70 full HD is a wider TV which put the mrs off; that said all my viewing is mostly SD with the view of getting freesat when it is released in march.

So, i thought like you, i only really need a PX70. PZ70 does have full HD but realistically i when i get full HD kit in a few years time i will probably just buy a full HD TV then with the added bonus that things will have matured and improved.
 
If there is no difference at 42inch between 720 and 1080p then how is buying 1080p future proofing as you may as well get the PX which accepts a 1080p input, processes it and displays it anyway.

Only suggestion can be to look at both of them running SD/720/1080 and see which you prefer for your viewing today.

I went for the 42PZ70 simply because I looked at them both and preferred the picture and the styling - but that's just my personal opinion. I run the 360 at 720p through component and it looks fine, I watch SKY SD via RGB scart and it looks as good as any other 40/42 in the price I wanted to pay, I run my PC through D-SUB and it's clear and readable from a distance.

I didn't really dwell too much on future proofing as regardless of how much you spend today, in 3 years time you will still have a 3 year old piece of kit which has long since been superceeded.
 
I am in the same boat mate, I use my TV for playing Xbox360 (it is an elite edition and I do have a HDMI cable) I am upgrading to Virgin Media + and I watch Streaming films through my Xbox360 and standard DVD`s throught a DVD player (not HD) so should I get the PX70 or PZ70 when would I use the 1020p except when playing Xbox360 games but would I tell the difference anyway between the PX70 & PZ70 ?
 
tuff decision mate....
if u have the money and can put up with the width of it...go PZ70.....
It is more futureproof....
Myself i went for a 42PX...(tighter Budget) so i got a half decent surround sound too.

I think if you went for a 50" You would REALLY SEE the difference in HD on a PZ......
But 42"............ maybe not so much..........

Whichever way u go here u WONT be dissapointed.....

Also keep in mind....you will NEVER be able to get a CAB for the 42PZ.....with the 42PX...u will always have that CAB option .....(1 of the swaying points for my decision)
Also i think the PX looks better in SD than the PZ........

Good luck with your choice...let us know what u go for .....
 
It is more futureproof....

How is it more futureproof ?

Both panels accept a 1080p input.

Oh, and in your other posts the PZ looked 'slightly sharper' in SD didn't it. I thought the PX looked a little softer if you like in SD, but still very good with a good feed.

Sorry, forgot the dots ......... ;) lol
 
How is it more futureproof ?

Both panels accept a 1080p input.

Oh, and in your other posts the PZ looked 'slightly sharper' in SD didn't it. I thought the PX looked a little softer if you like in SD, but still very good with a good feed.

Sorry, forgot the dots ......... ;) lol


I think his point was the PX will downscale while the PZ will show the full 1080p res which will obviously give better detail with a full 1080p source.
 
But if the concensus of opinion is that at the viewers distance of 10-12ft on a 42" panel 720p and 1080p is indistinguishable then it will still be the same in the future.

I just didn't want the original poster to be under the impression that the cheaper PX would not be able to cope with a 1080p signal.
 
As many people say you'll only see a noticeable PQ difference of full HD on a 50" or bigger screen
 
Thanks for all that good advice. Is the PX vastly superior to the Samsung then please? Do they both take 720p xbox360 vga feeds?

Thx
 
Have a look at this graph. It shows the viewing distance for different resolutions and viewing distances.
 

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Wait for the new Panasonics, they look pretty good. Other than that, I prefer the picture on the Samsung to the current Panasonic Vieras.
 
Personally I couldn't see much difference between the Samsung and the PX when I saw them in the shop - but I must admit they were both showing HD promo material so I wouldn't really expect to. There seem to be more issues reported with the Samsung. Have a flick through the samsung thread on here. I'm sure it's a pretty decent TV though.

This thread may help to confuse you further ;)
http://www.avforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=513142

The PZ certainly takes a 720p feed from 360 on VGA or Component. One thing that disappointed me slightly was that the PZ70 didn't so 1080p over component - only 720p or 1080i. I see no difference between these with the 360 and just run 720. I'm sure someone will confirm that the PX also takes 720p over VGA/Component.
 
One thing that disappointed me slightly was that the PZ70 didn't so 1080p over component - only 720p or 1080i.

Is that a limit of the set or of the 360? I remember someone not allowing 1080p via component as there was no HDCP.
 
MMM - thanks for the info.

Still none the wiser really - may bite the bulllet and get the pz70

Any other thoughts ?
 
I just had my 50PZ70 delivered a couple of hours ago. Not even all set up yet but already over the moon and will continue to be barring any faults.

Once everything is done I will be avoiding this section of the forums like the plague to fend of buyers remorse once we know more about the 2008 models! Saying that I really couldn't wait anymore though!
 
The easy way to decide is can you afford the PZ70? If yes get one, if your budget doesnt stretch that far get the PX70. Simple really, i always find its best to get the best my budget can buy so i have no regrets later after saving a few hundred.
 
I just had my 50PZ70 delivered a couple of hours ago. Not even all set up yet but already over the moon and will continue to be barring any faults.

Once everything is done I will be avoiding this section of the forums like the plague to fend of buyers remorse once we know more about the 2008 models! Saying that I really couldn't wait anymore though!

Lol, im in the same boat as the OP. But see some of my comments in the 42 PZ70 thread. I compared the PX and PZ plasmas in a panasonic store this weekend, and to be honest it was night and day difference. This was with 'star wars' dvd playing through both at 576i, and the PZ tv looked almost high-def compared to the PX tv.

Now i need to find out why JL watford have risen their price to £999 as I cannot afford that, need to find someone else to pricematch.

Good luck.
 
Just wanted to say.....Star wars looks amazing on the PZ, for a non HD dvd which has been remastered from something filmed in the 70's :thumbsup:

Had to buy episode 1-3 the other day as hmv are doing them for £5.99 each :)
 
One of the reasons I got the PZ was I didn't want to be sat down one day wishing I'd just spent a little more...

I'm glad I did now. Especially as I got a post-sale pm to £899.

My only complaint (so far) is the sound is shockingly bad compared to the 32" Loewe Mimo CRT it replaces.
 
Lol, im in the same boat as the OP. But see some of my comments in the 42 PZ70 thread. I compared the PX and PZ plasmas in a panasonic store this weekend, and to be honest it was night and day difference. This was with 'star wars' dvd playing through both at 576i, and the PZ tv looked almost high-def compared to the PX tv.

Good luck.
Yes but how far were you viewing from? Were you 12' away like the OP?
 
One of the reasons I got the PZ was I didn't want to be sat down one day wishing I'd just spent a little more...
On the other hand I can sit there watching Sky HD and thinking the HD box (that the money saved can buy) made far more difference to the picture than getting a full HD ever could. Especially since with my viewing a 50" at 11' a full HD makes no difference whatsoever!

For some people at the right distance getting full HD will be a good move, for many (I suspect most based upon friends TVs) they might as well burn their money.

You can always get better and in my case I decided a 50" was worth the extra money compared to a 42" as I got a real benefit, that wouldn't have been the case going for full HD.
 

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