Plasma for football/sport

[typeo]

Hi,

I'm about to buy a plasma TV and have narrowed the choices down to the Pioneer 428XD and the Panasonic PZ85. Now for some background:

- It will be used primarily for sport viewing, football, bike racing and cricket (Sky Sports and Eurosport).
- At the moment I'm using a standard Sky+ box but will be getting a SkyHD box once I've bought the TV.
- The TV will be approximately 4m away from the seating position.

Any one have any comments as to which is better for this type of viewing?

I've tried to get a fair demo at dealers near me. The only shop that had both models on show seemed to have a slightly noisy signal going to the Pioneer making the demo useless. And the other dealer didn't have a Sky feed.

Thanks for replies.

 

[Lin3ar]

I think that from 4m away 42" will be too small.

I would go for 46" or ideally 50" from that distance (if funds allow)

 

[typeo]

Should have added:

4m is the maximum distance from the TV to seating position. Unfortunately its space that's at a premium rather than money to purchase it. I won't be able to mount the TV on a wall due to the quality plasterboard they use to build places with, and my neighbour isn't keen on bolt heads going through the wall!! I'm going to have to put the TV on a stand, on a Quadraspire table.

 

[car-man]

Hi typeo, I watch loads of football, cricket and rugby on TV, I'm also a season ticket holder at my local football club.

I have seen the Panasonic Plasma, but don't know a lot about it, it looks pretty good, but my experience is with the Pioneer 4280XD.

I have Sky HD, the picture quality is absolutely superb for watching the football and sports, now that I have more than 450 hours on it.
It took around 150 to 200 hours to get the best picture, but even now it seems to get better every time I watch.

I was disappointed when I first got the Pio as the picture was very poor for the football compared to my previous Toshiba LCD, which is a superb TV in it's own right, however, I experimented with all sorts of settings (so many to choose from) and with more use, has produced the superb picture that I now have.

For SD viewing, to get the best picture, I swap between Scart RGB, or HDMI.
Of course the Sky Sports HD picture quality is fantastic!

I sit about 8 to 9 feet away from my TV.

In my experience, watching SD is better the further away you are and the HD picture is best a little closer.

 

[YellowSphere]

I'd be one to go for Pioneer at any distance if 42" is the size that you're after, but you are indeed highly unlikely to be able to notice any extra detail over the Kuro on the PZ at that sort of distance. It's without a doubt a smashing television.

 

[typeo]

Thanks all for the replies. I'll be ordering a Pioneer this week.

 

[typeo]

I ordered the Pioneer last week from HiSpek and it turned up on Friday. They seemed helpful when I spoke to them, the warranty is policy by AXA:

HiSpek link

 

[sparkey123]

Hi car-man
I also have a Pio428xd and was wondering what your settings were for football as Iam a little disappointed with motion blur
I only have sky+ SD but I would appreciate your advice
Also I should say my set is only 5 weeks old
Thanks
Graham aka sparkey123

 

[vipergrm]

Hi car-man
I also have a Pio428xd and was wondering what your settings were for football as Iam a little disappointed with motion blur
I only have sky+ SD but I would appreciate your advice
Also I should say my set is only 5 weeks old
Thanks
Graham aka sparkey123

This is perhaps caused by the SD feed as blurring should be very minimal. It should look a lo better on an HD feed (I know it's irrelevant now but you have this to look forward to).

 

[hornydragon]

I won't be able to mount the TV on a wall due to the quality plasterboard they use to build places with,

As long as the wall meets building regs it will be fine to wall mont a 50" I do suggest you use a profesional and a pro spec bracket though.

 

[car-man]

Hi car-man
I also have a Pio428xd and was wondering what your settings were for football as Iam a little disappointed with motion blur
I only have sky+ SD but I would appreciate your advice
Also I should say my set is only 5 weeks old
Thanks
Graham aka sparkey123

Hi sparkey123,

These are my settings for football using RGB Scart (input 1)......

USER

Contrast 30
Brightness +1
Colour 0
Sharpness -8
DRE picture Low
Drive mode 2

Powersave Off.

Sky HD, HDMI.....

STANDARD

Contrast 32
Brightness +2
Colour +1
Sharpness -7
DRE picture Low
Powersave Off

Drivemode 2


All other settings are as per the settings kindly provided for us on Page one.

I hope this helps!

Good luck

 

[sparkey123]

Thanks car-man
Kitchen being done at mo will try your settings later
Will get back with results
Cheers
Graham aka sparkey

 

[RickM]

Hi Car-man,

Just like you, I've recently come from a Tosh (CRT not LCD) which had a superb picture to a Pio428xd.
The 428 is fantastic in all regards except when it come to the picture noise on distance shots of freeview footy/rugby etc. In fact, the picture quality is often better on analogue for these live events than through digital freeview.
I've got the settings as per recommended on the 8G owners forum, and the set is now just about run in (~200 hours use).
I don't know whether the noise is just a reflection on the poor signal quality that's coming in, and perhaps I should just upgrade to an HD supplier?

 

[car-man]

Hi Car-man,

Just like you, I've recently come from a Tosh (CRT not LCD) which had a superb picture to a Pio428xd.
The 428 is fantastic in all regards except when it come to the picture noise on distance shots of freeview footy/rugby etc. In fact, the picture quality is often better on analogue for these live events than through digital freeview.
I've got the settings as per recommended on the 8G owners forum, and the set is now just about run in (~200 hours use).
I don't know whether the noise is just a reflection on the poor signal quality that's coming in, and perhaps I should just upgrade to an HD supplier?

Hi blackdan,

You will love the picture quality that you get on your 428 using a HD source for the football, rugby, cricket etc.
I couldn't live without my Sky HD box for the footy. You have to see it to appreciate it.

As I said previously, I switch between RGB Scart and HDMI through my HD box when I'm watching the football on BBC or ITV to find the best picture, sometimes, freeview is best. I haven't used analogue.

The noise that you refer to is reduced watching from further away.

Of course ITV has always been a pretty awful source for the football, thankfully, the Champions League Final is on Sky HD tonight