KB (and others), If you can I suggest you hold on for 1 year. Next year you would see revolution in Plasma displays.
While the tech keeps improving year by year and that way you can wait forever, this time it's different, because this time the change is not an incremental improvement but a dramatic one.
So what's up in Plasma line of 2009? It's the
introduction of 5Lumen per watt technology for which panels are being built in new Matushi ta plant and will be shared by Panasonic, Pioneer and Hitachi. (Japanese APDC consortium)
Most current Plasmas are on 1.5-2 Lumen per watt tech. The advantages of moving to 5 Lm/W are:
More efficiency = Higher brightness with lower power consumption
Thinner and Light weight displays
Even better black levels
So what does all this mean for you
Pioneer 10th Generation*
Kuro will feature only
9mm thick panels with Zero ideal Luminance (
infinite contrast), expected launch around Sep/Oct’09
Panasonic 12th Generation* - branded as
NeoPDP panels feature
24.5mm thick, with Blacks better than Pio 9G, but not 0 min luminance.
A 65" Plasma Panel will consume only 150W Power and will weigh only 29 kgs. This will also feature IPTV, Vierra cast (internet Widgets) and may also have Wireless HD (no need to connect physical HDMI cables), Tru2way, etc. Expected launch around Sep 09
So besides a Picture Quality and panel life (100,000 hrs) which is even today way beyond LCDs, a plasma would going ahead also excel LCD in - Weight, Power consumption, Heat generation & Thickness, etc. (which are it's current negatives)
Now you know why I am waiting
Of course 10lm/W is scheduled for 2011 but then I do not see the impact to be so much. As with 5 lm tech has already reached complete Blacks, 9mm thickness, very light weight and stunning Picture Quality.
*Of course features will vary with models, and not all models will get launched in India.