Pioneer Full HD KURO plasma or Samsung F96 LCD with LED smart lightning technology?

fico99

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Hi,

The following 2 brandnew Flat Panel TV's have catched my eyes :eek:

Pioneer PDP-LX508D
- 50" Full HD 8G Kuro panel
- Real contrast ratio of 20.000:1
- 1:1 pixelmapping
- accepts and displays 1080p24 @ 72 Hz
- 100 Hz Drive Mode

Samsung LE52F96
- 52" Full HD LCD panel with LED smart lightning technology
- Dynamic contrast of 500.000:1
- 1:1 pixelmapping
- accepts 1080p24
- 100 Hz Motion Plus

Which one would you prefer and why?
 
500,000:1 contrast ratio?

That sounds eye-meltingly bright... :D
 
500,000:1 contrast ratio?

That sounds eye-meltingly bright... :D

Yeah, I know :eek:
But that's "dynamic" contrast :(

Does someone know the real contrast the Samsung F96-series panel?
 
I think you find after a quick viewing that the Plamsa (especially the Pio) is the better buy. That said definitly have view but off the top of my head unless you playing games 100% of the time the Pio is the best beast by far.

Only downside is the price to be honest.
 
Do you think that the LCD with local-dimming LED matrix technology is not mature enough to beat the Pioneer Kuro?

According to hdtvtest.co.uk, the previous gen (F86-series) already had stunning blacks with an incredible black level detail.

I was just wondering if the F96-series would be a major breakthrough in LCD Flat Panel technology and if it could beat a first-class plasma like the Pioneer Kuro?
 
I'm a LCD/Plamsa convert, the colour and the blacks are one of the plamsa's highest points scorers. If Samsung can get nearer to the Pio they will have done somethnig very very special as the Poi (IMO) is the plamsa class leader at the mo. But on average most plasma do better for blakc and colours due tot he different tech. But the motion flow is a different story on a LCD, I would very much doubt it will compare against any Plasma 100 hz or not. This is reason I switched camp to Plamsa and am looking at the Pio's at the mo. All other fuctions aside I think the Pio is the all around top dog. I need to see a LX to be fair on SD to decide if the extra ÂŁ1000 is worth it. But some of the pict's and report on here are nothing short of fabulous.

With the test etc I have found they usually compare LCD to LCD. So having the title stunning blakc etc is usual tempered with comment like for a LCD. That said if the Samsung does come close to the Pio they will have cornered the market I think. Go and have a look at the two together if you can its the only way to decide.
 
I am in the same boat with regards to the above 2 TV's.

The Pio 8G Plasma's really are special, but I suffer from the dreaded 'Plainbow' effect with these as I do with DLP Technology.

Used to have a Sony 40X Series LCD so I am swinging towards another LCD, and the 96 Series Sammy really has caught my eye.

At a grand cheaper than the Pioneer alternative, it does seem like a no brainer. I just wish I did not see that blasted effect, it really is annoying and I am not so sure I would get used to it over time.

Sorry Fico if this does not help, I am in the same boat as you :clap:
 
Has ANYONE in here actually SEEN on of these new flat panels in person? Specs are nice, but who has actually seen one?
THAT'S the opinion that means anything
 
I'm a LCD/Plamsa convert, the colour and the blacks are one of the plamsa's highest points scorers. If Samsung can get nearer to the Pio they will have done somethnig very very special as the Poi (IMO) is the plamsa class leader at the mo. But on average most plasma do better for blakc and colours due tot he different tech. But the motion flow is a different story on a LCD, I would very much doubt it will compare against any Plasma 100 hz or not. This is reason I switched camp to Plamsa and am looking at the Pio's at the mo. All other fuctions aside I think the Pio is the all around top dog. I need to see a LX to be fair on SD to decide if the extra ÂŁ1000 is worth it. But some of the pict's and report on here are nothing short of fabulous.

With the test etc I have found they usually compare LCD to LCD. So having the title stunning blakc etc is usual tempered with comment like for a LCD. That said if the Samsung does come close to the Pio they will have cornered the market I think. Go and have a look at the two together if you can its the only way to decide.


The plasma class leader is the fujitsu 58 series for anyone who has seen a full test side by side
 
Just a comment from a Samsung F96 user here. :D

Firstly, I have seen the LX508 at Lakeside in Marlow before I bought my F96, it was VERY good, the colour and depth of black was truely stunning. This would have been my first choice if it met most of my criteria - price, power consumption and value for money.

At the time of choosing between these 2 screens (around January 2008), the F96 was going for ÂŁ2400 and the LX508 was ÂŁ3300, so that was 1 to the F96. LCD is always known to be better with power consumption, so F96 was the choice again and finally, the LX508 didn't come with speakers, so as you can guess I went for the F96.

Rather rambling on, the F96 is pretty amazing in itself. There are a lot of settings to do, and only recently I have tried to change a setting in the service menu which has given a new life to the TV (note, this suppose to void the warranty). This has given the blackest black you can really have (I watch movies in the dark and the top and bottom strips virtually blends into the flush panel). The contrast and sharpness from the pictures are nothing short of amazing. My friend who has a G7 Pioneer was totally gob smacked with the picture quality (this is a bit unfair as his TV is only HD Ready).

I've connected my Sky+ thru the Onkyo 875 which upscale the SD signals to 1080p, some of the channels - BBC, Sky News are upscale very well, while others are not so good (garbage in garbage out I suppose).

Any complaints? Yes, I find the remote response extremely slow on the F96, nothing slick like the Pioneer or Panasonics I have used before, but I have bought myself a Logitech Harmony 885 and that helps!! I've also found that some pictures look grainy, this maybe to do with the actual movie as I don't see the same problems with others.

Overall, I'm very please with the F96. If money was no objection, would I get the LX508 instead? Possibly, but I would have to REALLY justify the premium that the Pioneer holds. I'm quite savvy when I make big purchase, the ÂŁ1000 difference has bought me my new Onkyo 875 and the auto wall mount, so it made more sense to me.

Without having both sets side by side and calibrated properly, it's very hard to comment each, but I could firmly say that the F96 is close, if not equal to the LX508 on the black.
 
I'm sure the Samsung is a great TV in its class but comparing it with a Pioneer - Come on, it's like comparing Ford with a Mercedes!
 
I'm sure the Samsung is a great TV in its class but comparing it with a Pioneer - Come on, it's like comparing Ford with a Mercedes!

Hence the price premium :). Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't persuade people from the Pioneer if they can afford it. It is a premium product, and as you have stated, it's like comparing a Ford and a Mercedes (I do like the Fords :D), both will get you from A to B, but one would feels better quality and (hopefully) drives better.:thumbsup:
 
I think Sony have an LED backlit screen which according to CNET is better than the Samsung and better blacks and colour than the Pioneer.. ooh err

They may have cracked motion problems with 200hz as well...

but I'd still take the Pioneer
 
Just stick with the pioneer, the samsung has nothing over the pio except for maybe a slightly shinier name badge, probably a better manual........ and........ erm.......... it....... erm........uses a bit less juice.

That's most of it I think.

I think Sony have an LED backlit screen which according to CNET is better than the Samsung and better blacks and colour than the Pioneer.. ooh err

Another thing the americans can't do, review tvs, put that along with electing a GREAT president for 2 terms ;)
 
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Hi,

Whereas LED backlights solve numerous problems, such as screen brightness linearity, black levels and colour quality, etc. There is one problem that I'm wondering if it resolves.

When comparing a good quality Plasma with a good quality LCD, they can sometimes seem indifferent when you are just looking at the screen. However if you look very closely at fine details, hair line detail, the edge of a piece of white paper, the plasma screen resolves the details better, whereas the LCD displays it with a blurry quality. This sort of detail is not really noticeable from a normal viewing position, but just shows the technology with the best quality.

It's a difficult one as the example I've given above is a small part of the picture and will not take away the overall quality of the picture unlike things like black level, colour quality and motion artefacts. In these respects I would think that the latest top of the range LCD screens have succeeded.
 

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