Which 42 inPlasma Should I buy?-Help Please!!

[hifileslie]

I need a new 42in plasma (biggest size I can fit in my room) and have up to £850ish avail. I use a Toshiba XE1 feeding an Arcam350 and view from about 8-9 feet away. I do not play games and only use it for TV (sky and now HD Freesat) and DVDs. I am looking at the PanasonicTH42PX80.TH42PZ80 and, as a wildcard which would save a lot of money and allow me to buy more DVDs, a Samsung PS42Q97HDX. Which should I go for please? Any other recommendations gratefully received!!!

 

[CH_Peter]

The Panasonics get excellent reviews. The PZ80 would only be worth it over the PX80 if you were going to feed it some nice 1080p material, IMO.

 

[snoffy]

I'd Go for the PX80 and save about 300 squidllies AFAIK at 42" The difference between a HD ready and a Full HD set is negligable or non existant depending on your eyes

 

[audiphile76]

The Panasonics get excellent reviews. The PZ80 would only be worth it over the PX80 if you were going to feed it some nice 1080p material, IMO.

I think feed is one thing, other thing is viewing distance. If you sit at 10 feet and want to get 1080p experience, you should end up with a 50 inch fullHd screen. I went for a 42PX80 as i watch more SD than anything else.

I'd Go for the PX80 and save about 300 squidllies AFAIK at 42" The difference between a HD ready and a Full HD set is negligable or non existant depending on your eyes

You are partially right regarding sensitivity of each individual's eyes but the difference is not negligible. Its definitely noticeable. Question of noticeability depends on viewing distance. Lesser the viewing distance, more noticeable 1080p feed becomes.

 

[CH_Peter]

Agreed.

My point, though, was that the PX80 is only HD Ready. The PZ80 is Full HD. So, unless you've got (or plan on getting) some lovely 1080p sources, there are far fewer compelling reasons to get the PZ80.

 

[hifileslie]

My Toshiba XE1 is a pretty good 1080p source!! So which 42 in plasma should I go for?

 

[hifileslie]

Bump

 

[Lin3ar]

If it was my money I would go for the Pioneer 4280.

It is not FullHD but from your viewing distance you would not see any difference anyway.

It is the best 42" plasma that I have seen, HDReady or FullHD.

Edit....I see you have £850 to spend.

IF you have to stay within that budget, then in my opinion the PX80 (£669 John Lewis price matched with Bolton Sound & Vision) is the one to go for.

 

[CH_Peter]

My Toshiba XE1 is a pretty good 1080p source!! So which 42 in plasma should I go for?

I'd say the PZ80, then.

 

[CH_Peter]

If it was my money I would go for the Pioneer 4280.

It is not FullHD but from your viewing distance you would not see any difference anyway.

It is the best 42" plasma that I have seen, HDReady or FullHD.

A Kuro would blow the budget.

 

[Lin3ar]

A Kuro would blow the budget.

Yeh, I realised that after my post

Hense the hasty edit.

 

[hifileslie]

No recommendations for the Samsung so its between the Panasonics! Do I get the th42PX80 or the TH42PZ80-basically its down to whether the PZ80's performance warrants the additional £200 ish given that I watch both SD and HD (Freesat and 1080p from my HD DVD Toshiba XE1) and my viewing distance is 8-9ft. Recommendations please!

 

[CH_Peter]

No recommendations for the Samsung so its between the Panasonics! Do I get the th42PX80 or the TH42PZ80-basically its down to whether the PZ80's performance warrants the additional £200 ish given that I watch both SD and HD (Freesat and 1080p from my HD DVD Toshiba XE1) and my viewing distance is 8-9ft. Recommendations please!

I had much the same choice to make. Having compared, I decided it was worth it. Not just about the Full HD. The PZ80 has other advantages, too.

See this comparison:

http://www.panasonic.co.uk/html/en_.../displayResult.html?p=TH-42PX80B&p=TH-42PZ80B

Note double the contract ratio.

 

[audiphile76]

I had much the same choice to make. Having compared, I decided it was worth it. Not just about the Full HD. The PZ80 has other advantages, too.

See this comparison:

http://www.panasonic.co.uk/html/en_.../displayResult.html?p=TH-42PX80B&p=TH-42PZ80B

Note double the contract ratio.

Ofcourse PZ80 has more shades of gradation, HDMI one in the front panel, x.v.color due to HDMI 1.3, better speakers and the fact that PZ80 is a 1080p panel.

On the hind side, 1080p panel will show poorer PQ for SD broadcast compared to 720p PX80, consumes more electricity than PX80 and weighs a little more too.

I disagree that doubling the contrast ratio is of any great benefits for PZ80 over PX80 when talking about visible effects in quality.

 

[CH_Peter]

Ofcourse PZ80 has more shades of gradation, HDMI one in the front panel, x.v.color due to HDMI 1.3, better speakers and the fact that PZ80 is a 1080p panel.

On the hind side, 1080p panel will show poorer PQ for SD broadcast compared to 720p PX80, consumes more electricity than PX80 and weighs a little more too.

I disagree that doubling the contrast ratio is of any great benefits for PZ80 over PX80 when talking about visible effects in quality.

Contrast ratio is important. And let's not even open up the debate about SD at 720p or 1080p again.

Can't argue about the weight and power, of course, but the more features you have, the bigger the panel, the higher the resolution, these are a given.

 

[hifileslie]

bump

 

[CH_Peter]

bump

Ultimately, you have to make your own mind up. Personally, I would (and did) buy the PZ80. So, I'm a bit biased.