TV Purchasing advice needed...

.50 Caliber Bob

Established Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2009
Messages
50
Reaction score
3
Points
41
Hi all,

I am new to this forum, and have done several searches and research from the threads here, and I have to say I am impressed with the amount of information and knowledge that is available.

My mission is to buy a new TV!

Basically at the moment I have a £85 old school tv that has lasted me in my first house for 3 years, but it needs upgrading now. Handily, I have been given £700 in vouchers from my employers (won a competition). The vouchers can be redeemed in PC World, Comet, Currys, Dixons, Argos, or Amazon, so I am limited to these retailers.

Total budged is probably about £800-900 (though I could push to £1000 if it made a really big difference)

My fiancee refuses to allow a 50" TV in the lounge unfortunately, but I have managed to talk her into letting us get a 46" one.

It's main uses will be for watching DVD's, ordinary viewing via Sky (not HD), but what I really want it for is for my PS3 and playing games! (Both online and offline).

At first I was leaning towards an LCD due to screen burning worries that I had heard about Plasma, but having spent several hours reading threads on this site screen burn is no longer something I am worried about, and am quite sold on the idea of Plasma as a better format for my particular needs.

People seem to be quite big fans of Panasonic Plasma sets, and I am torn between panasonic and samsung...

I would like it to be full HD 1080p, 100Hz, but dont know alot about other features. Built in freeview is not important as I have Sky TV.

The set which has so for caught my eye is this one...

Buy PANASONIC TH-46PZ8BA | Digital 46" 1080p hd ready plasma tv - Televisions | Comet

The Panasonic TH-46PZ8BA

I cant seem to find much information about this on these boards, as most refer to a slightly different model number, the TH-46PZ80B, and I dont know the difference.

So I guess my question is, is the TV posted in the link any good, what are the plus and minus points, or does anyone have any other recomendations?

Please be kind, I'm a little out of my depth here...

(Thanks for reading, I realise that this is quite a long post...)
 
Hi

Samsung is not a bad brand, so keep looking at Samsung models at your limited retailers you may find one of your choices.

nizam
 
hi

i would check out the recent threads on 46 inch pannys available through costco at around 800, if theres any left.

i would also consider new models coming out in a month or two.

yours

steve
 
hi

i would check out the recent threads on 46 inch pannys available through costco at around 800, if theres any left.


Thanks for the reply. I had seen the threads on those, but unfortunately, due to £700 of the budget being in vouchers, Costco isn't an option...
 
Samsung aren't bad but if you play a lot of games you may be moving towards IR land there, however, as long as there's no 8 or 9 hour gaming sessions you should be screen burn (the bad kind!) free. Panasonic make the best value for money sets in my opinion but Pioneer do make the best (if you can find one for under a grand that is). Panasonic though are relaticely resistant to IR and have a cracking picture though. I recently bought the 37PX80 and I've done everything you mentioned on it and I am very impressed by it, wouldn't trade it for anything (except maybe the 42PZ80). The 46PZ80 is very good, I found the 46PZ85, don't know what the difference is but t can only be better! (and it's roughly the same price) - Panasonic TH-46PZ85B - 46" Widescreen Viera 1080P Full: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics & Photo or you ay want to try the 42PZ80 (still big!) - Panasonic TH-42PZ80B - 42" Widescreen Viera 1080P Full: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics & Photo , well within budget and a top set. They get my votes!
 
— As an Amazon Associate, AVForums earns from qualifying purchases —
Thank you Monarch for your input.

The TH-46PZ85B does indeed look very appealing,

Do you know what the main differences are between it and the TH-46PZ8BA are though? Just wondering what extra you get for the £100ish difference...

Thanks
 
the BA is just slightly newer, it has some of the problems with the B supposedly fixed, they're aren't any real problems though (I have the 37PX80BA so I can't really comment on problems with the B though). Pay the extra if you want but you'll be happy with it even if there isnt a B or BA at the end of the name
 
the BA is just slightly newer, it has some of the problems with the B supposedly fixed, they're aren't any real problems though (I have the 37PX80BA so I can't really comment on problems with the B though). Pay the extra if you want but you'll be happy with it even if there isnt a B or BA at the end of the name

Sorry for being a doofus, but not sure that I follow...

...you state that BA is newer than B, but the B is the one which is more expensive...


TH-46PZ8BA From Comet for £799

TH-46PZ85B from Amazon £889

I am leaning towards your recommendation now of the bottom one from Amazon, just wanted to check if the extra £90 was worth it.

Again, thank you for your input, this is a big purchase for myself and I want to make sure I don't miss out!

Thanks again
 
haha, that is odd, I had the same thought though, it's just the way prices have come to be, the BA used to be more but there's a new Panny series coming soon so prices have been dropping (although they're set to rise again). Both are brilliant anyway
 
the BA is just slightly newer, it has some of the problems with the B supposedly fixed, they're aren't any real problems though (I have the 37PX80BA so I can't really comment on problems with the B though). Pay the extra if you want but you'll be happy with it even if there isnt a B or BA at the end of the name
The 46PZ8BA is a far inferior model to the 46PZ85B, including contrast ratio, number of HDMI slots amongst other, hence the price difference
 
The 46PZ8BA is a far inferior model to the 46PZ85B, including contrast ratio, number of HDMI slots amongst other, hence the price difference

Oh yea, the 8, I thought it was the 80, no the 85 is better, the 8 is a mix of last years technology and this years technology so it is worse, the 85 is worth the extra dosh
 
Bugger... just made up my mind and decided to get the
TH-46PZ85B from Amazon for the £889 that it was advertised literally 50 mins ago, and it is now gone....


...The best price now is £910 and that is from "Amazon marketplace" which I cannot redeem my vouchers through as it is "Not Amazon"


Crap.

Having just been sworn off the TH-46PZ8BA model by both the helpful contributions here, and the folks at Panasonic (I rang them and they told me all the differences between the two). I now feel stuck, as I want the PZ85 but now have nowhere to buy it from!

Have just checked PC world and they are selling it at £1,099.99 there is no way I am paying £220 more than I could have got it for...

Bugger
 
Sorry for being a doofus, but not sure that I follow...

...you state that BA is newer than B, but the B is the one which is more expensive...


TH-46PZ8BA From Comet for £799

TH-46PZ85B from Amazon £889

I am leaning towards your recommendation now of the bottom one from Amazon, just wanted to check if the extra £90 was worth it.

Again, thank you for your input, this is a big purchase for myself and I want to make sure I don't miss out!

Thanks again

Been researching my potential plassy for a while (currently have a Sharp LCD 46LX2LE)

From what I've read the 85 is better technology and better picture than the 8 which is older tech. You also get Free-Sat, which means loads of free channels and Free-HD (I think). Remember 1080 isn't any use for anything other than HD channels and bluray anyway.

I'd also go with the Panasonic, unless you fancy risking the LG PG6000 (comes in 42 or 50 inches - maybe you could lie to your gf that the 50 is really only 46inches, women are used to men lyinh about length :rotfl:). The PQ is up there with the Panny but there is Image Retention probs.

So I'd probably shell out the extra £80
 
From what I've read the 85 is better technology and better picture than the 8 which is older tech. You also get Free-Sat, which means loads of free channels and Free-HD (I think). Remember 1080 isn't any use for anything other than HD channels and bluray anyway.
Freesat is only on the 81 range, not on 85
 
If you can't get the 85, the 8 will be an amazing set. You could ask Dixons/Comet if they will price match the best price you find. Or sell the vouchers on Ebay, usually you can get 95% of the value, but be warned loads of scammers on Ebay
 
Been researching my potential plassy for a while (currently have a Sharp LCD 46LX2LE)

From what I've read the 85 is better technology and better picture than the 8 which is older tech. You also get Free-Sat, which means loads of free channels and Free-HD (I think). Remember 1080 isn't any use for anything other than HD channels and bluray anyway.

I'd also go with the Panasonic, unless you fancy risking the LG PG6000 (comes in 42 or 50 inches - maybe you could lie to your gf that the 50 is really only 46inches, women are used to men lyinh about length :rotfl:). The PQ is up there with the Panny but there is Image Retention probs.

So I'd probably shell out the extra £80

1080p isn't used for HD channels, thats 1080i which is supported by all new 720p sets, blu-ray (and some video games) are the ony things which are made in 1080p (even some video games which claim to be 1080p are just upscaled.

On the PG6000's there is some IR problems but you should be fine unless you use it extensively for video games (and if you set it up correctly in its early days), it's worth a look, PQ is really good
 
Due to restrictions on retailers (damn vouchers) the one I like TH-46PZ85B is looking unfortunately out of my price range...

PANASONIC TH-42PZ82B £849

Buy PANASONIC TH-42PZ82B | Digital 42" 1080p hd ready plasma tv - Specification | Comet

Or back to the Original


PANASONIC TH-46PZ8BA £799

Buy PANASONIC TH-46PZ8BA | Digital 46" 1080p hd ready plasma tv - Televisions | Comet

Now the top one is obviously at 42" a smaller set, but is it a much improved over the larger one? As the 42" is the Z82B rather than the 46" Z8BA. Or would I be better off with the Z8BA just due to the larger screen size...
 
Due to restrictions on retailers (damn vouchers) the one I like TH-46PZ85B is looking unfortunately out of my price range...

PANASONIC TH-42PZ82B £849

1
Buy PANASONIC TH-42PZ82B | Digital 42" 1080p hd ready plasma tv - Specification | Comet

Or back to the Original


PANASONIC TH-46PZ8BA £799

1
Buy PANASONIC TH-46PZ8BA | Digital 46" 1080p hd ready plasma tv - Televisions | Comet

Now the top one is obviously at 42" a smaller set, but is it a much improved over the larger one? As the 42" is the Z82B rather than the 46" Z8BA. Or would I be better off with the Z8BA just due to the larger screen size...

As the screen gets bigger the image quality becomes more important, I'd go for the 42" (it's still big!) what kind of viewing distance will you be viewing at?
 
Roughly 3 meters...
 
42" is fine.

The thing is that as the size increases the faults in the picture quality become more obvious, if you're far enough away then these faults can't be seen, I'd say you need to be at least 10 feet from a 46" to make these faults unrecognizeable. 42" is fine at 3 metres, you may get a slightly grainy picture at 46", although you would be happy with it if you bought the 46" the 42" will have a better PQ. Plus the 42" one looks better, has deeper blacks, is even more resistant to IR and has better colours etc... I'd go for the 42PZ82
 

The latest video from AVForums

TV Buying Guide - Which TV Is Best For You?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom