Buying a Flat Panel Display (LCD/Plasma/LED etc)

[VSG12777]

Originally Posted by kb100

Given the mechanics this should take until July to be available in India.

Hmm so I guess I shall get the current generation 42PV80 for now, then go for a 50 inch unit in the newer range once it becomes available around June-July 2008 in India. If the price is affordable, I will go in for a full HD 50 inch Panasonic in the new 2009 range. Let's see.

I shall take tips on calibration / text settings (to prevent those dancing letters etc) once I get the plasma

---Venkat

[appuchan]

Originally Posted by VSG12777

...

I have more or less decided to go in only for a HD-ready plasma. Either a 42 inch next month, or will wait till Feb-Mar and get a 50 inch Panasonic PV80 directly.

Originally Posted by VSG12777

...
That's a good idea. Hmm - well then maybe I will pick up a 42PV80 in Dec and then go for a 50PV80 in July 09 !! I can then move the 42 inch to the bedroom and put the 50PV80 in the hall

Warm regards,
Venkat

Originally Posted by VSG12777

...But in my case, if I get a 42 inch plasma now, I might go in for a 50 inch a bit later, and at that time I'd have to move my 42 inch plasma to the bedroom to accommodate the 50 inch unit in the hall.

...
Warm regards,
Venkat

Originally Posted by VSG12777

Hmm so I guess I shall get the current generation 42PV80 for now, then go for a 50 inch unit in the newer range once it becomes available around June-July 2008 in India. If the price is affordable, I will go in for a full HD 50 inch Panasonic in the new 2009 range. Let's see....

Venkat, I suggest you average these screen sizes and probably go for a 46" TV now.. so that you feel a bit better..

[VSG12777]

appuchan

Good idea but there is no 46 inch plasma available now. And 46 inch LCD TVs are quite expensive. Not worth paying around 30k more for just 4 inches. While a 42 inch Panasonic PV80 plasma can be bought for 56k from Devi International, Bangalore (cheapest and best for now), a 46 inch full HD Samsung LCD was on sale for 85k at E-Zone Chennai. That's a crazy 30k for 4 inches more.

And one more thing is that if I get a bigger unit for the hall later, the 46 inch unit would be too big for the bedroom. Whereas the 42 inch unit would be just fine for the bedroom as we would watch from around 8 to 9 feet distance.

Looking forward to getting a 42 inch PV80 1st then later on a 50 inch Panasonic in the 2009 Viera range. Let's see how things go

[shajufx]

Originally Posted by VSG12777

Shajufx
You've mentioned that the TV can't be stand mounted by yourself. Is it due to the weight of the unit ? I thought the plasma was only around 25-30 kg.

Yes the total weight is only around 25-30 kg. But its 40" frame left to right and 26.5" top to bottom. Do you want to take a chance lifting it up from the carton yourself and placing it on the 2 solid pillars of the stand ? Its easily said, but not really practical not because of the weight, but due to the size and the delicate front panel. One wrong move, your 50k plasma will become over 50 pieces !

Originally Posted by nemo

Please check CNBC and let us know. I felt Profit's scrolling text better. ST7677, Can you elaborate on the settings that you are talking about please? The scanning is set 100 hz

I have a PV8 and regularly watch NDTV profit and CNBC, never found the scrolling text disturbing. May be its to do with the settings and fine tuning.

My mini-project photos;
Panasonic installer guys came bit late on Thursday itself. I was at ease, atleast these chaps were not street side electricians as someone reported earlier. I had already marked the centre of the wall, electric pipes and the height I wanted (36" from the floor). So the whole process took less than 30 minutes. Here are the pictures;

BEFORE;


AFTER; Cabin is ending 4" above the floor (skirting level) and cabin total height is 24". Centre speaker area has 8" gap. Plasma bottom is at 36" from the floor, which is perfectly ok for my overall set up.


CLOSER; Its a fully connected Home Theatre Plasma set up. Switch board is built into the cabin itself and controled by just 1 switch from the right hand side board, everything concealed into the wall. Only cable visible is the left bottom Tatasky white cable and the rear speaker wires. I plan to run them through a small pipe attached to the wall, concealed or through best matching flat pipe.


Wall decoration is not yet complete. I have a red lantern which will come on the top right side of the plasma and 2 framed God pictures on top too. So that will give the complete look of what I wanted. Since this thread is about LCD/Plasma, I am posting just the installation stuff. Comments expected ! Please dont tell me, the door has to be removed, or crush the left side wall etc. as its beyond my power of action ! Now what I need is couple of latest movies in DTS print, some potato wafers and a carton of beer !! Will also get a dark brown bean bag to complete the decor of the room, which will fill the right hand side empty space of the 3 seater sofa. cheers:

Point to ponder:
My budget for a Plasma/LCD was 85k. Since I chose Pana 42 PV8 from Devi, I got it for 50k. So, that saving made me think about upgrading my 6 year old Sony HT. Philips new HT (posted on the HT thread) costed me 22k. Cabin custom made costed 11k. Chipping, cabling, plastering and theme painting (asian paints ragging) costed 4k. So thats a grand total of 87k. I got a Plasma and a total entertainment wall with new HT. My old TV and stand fetched me 8k, so the grand grand total of cost comes down to 79k.

[sammyboy]

Hey guys has anyone checked if Devi can give the pv80D on installments? I am more comfortable in taking the TV in 5-6 installments rather than at one shot. Even if the price is higher than the one he is offerring I am ok with it.
Please help.

[VSG12777]

Hi Shajufx

Congrats buddy !! The setup looks very elegant and simple. The only thing I feel is that the front speakers are a bit too close to each other. Otherwise the setup looks nice. And yes - the bean bag would definitely be a nice addition to that space next to the sofa.

Next, you have to tell us how the system sounds !!

Also, please do post some better high resolution photos of the setup from different angles.

Warm regards,
Venkat

[VSG12777]

Originally Posted by sammyboy

Hey guys has anyone checked if Devi can give the pv80D on installments? I am more comfortable in taking the TV in 5-6 installments rather than at one shot. Even if the price is higher than the one he is offerring I am ok with it.
Please help.

Sammyboy

That should be possible with Devi. Either you can go for a interest free or low interest EMI purchase plan with one of the popular financial institutions, or you can buy it using your credit card and get it converted to EMIs if the facility is available on your card.

Just give Devi a call and check it out - the guy to contact is Niranjan, on 99003 41973.

Warm regards,
Venkat

[sammyboy]

Originally Posted by VSG12777

Sammyboy

That should be possible with Devi. Either you can go for a interest free or low interest EMI purchase plan with one of the popular financial institutions, or you can buy it using your credit card and get it converted to EMIs if the facility is available on your card.

Just give Devi a call and check it out - the guy to contact is Niranjan, on 99003 41973.

Warm regards,
Venkat

Thanks Venkat. I checked with my Manhattan and they dont have this facility. I dont use CC's and have just one that too with my wife for any online shopping.

I will call Niranjan and check. Its not that I dont have the cash right now but chances are I might need some of it in the near future so wanna play a lil safe .

[deepakhon]

Originally Posted by sammyboy

Hey guys has anyone checked if Devi can give the pv80D on installments? I am more comfortable in taking the TV in 5-6 installments rather than at one shot. Even if the price is higher than the one he is offerring I am ok with it.
Please help.

Pretty much possible. My Samsung LCD is on installments. And what more, at the end of my installments, I am paying just Rs. 300 more than the cost of the TV. I say, go for it.

[sammyboy]

Thanks deepak. Spoke to niranjan .will go to the shop on sunday and check the deal . Lets see how it goes .

[shajufx]

Sammyboy, EMI options are available for almost everything everywhere. Even for a low cost 29" TV of around 12k, I was offered EMI from the shop 3 years back. So, its taken for granted that a plasma of 50k or above will defenitely come with an EMI option. Niranjan called me for some clarification (I had given 3 potential buyers), so I asked him about it, he said you already called him and you are asked to visit the showroom on saturday right ? Your bill amount could be in a very narrow difference with the 12 months EMI. Go for it.

[sammyboy]

Originally Posted by shajufx

Sammyboy, EMI options are available for almost everything everywhere. Even for a low cost 29" TV of around 12k, I was offered EMI from the shop 3 years back. So, its taken for granted that a plasma of 50k or above will defenitely come with an EMI option. Niranjan called me for some clarification (I had given 3 potential buyers), so I asked him about it, he said you already called him and you are asked to visit the showroom on saturday right ? Your bill amount could be in a very narrow difference with the 12 months EMI. Go for it.

Thanks a zillion bro Yeah he has asked me to come on sunday. He said he will be on leave on sat so sunday would be better. If the difference is not too much over 12 emi's I will get it immediately.
Will also check if he takes my 2003 , 21 inch Sony Trinitron as an exchange. Whatever the amount is it should cover the diff.
Though just dont want to part with my Sony, its one of the early tv's extremely heavy and the pic quality is miles ahead of the Sony CRT's available in India.

[jassi]

Originally Posted by VSG12777

Hey Jassi

(1) Is viewing text really that bad on plasmas compared to LCDs ? I know LCDs are recommended if there's gonna be a lot of computer usage while plasmas are best for movies and normal TV programmes. But the point that Nemo has brought up regarding the scrolling text on the news channels has got me thinking a bit.

Hey Venkat - nopes its quite good actually and I use it for a lot if computer usage too. I connect my laptop sometimes to stream movies as well use it as display for my linux PS3 for browsing stuff

[VSG12777]

Great Jassi. Another doubt cleared by a PV80 owner !! Thanks !!

I have one more question. We all know DVDs are limited in resolution to 720x576 (PAL) and 720x480 (NTSC) as per the DVD specifications. Similarly Blu-ray disc can display full HD, ie 1920x1080p (progressive).

Now, let us say we have a 50 inch PV80 (HD-ready) and a 50 inch PY850 (full HD) plasma set up right next to each other. If we connect a blu ray disc player to both of these plasmas and play a blu ray title, which of these displays would look better ? Is it the PY850 by default, since it is a full HD panel ?

Yes/No being the answer, why would it be so ?


Warm regards,
Venkat

[sj_koova]

Originally Posted by VSG12777

Great Jassi. Another doubt cleared by a PV80 owner !! Thanks !!

I have one more question. We all know DVDs are limited in resolution to 720x576 (PAL) and 720x480 (NTSC) as per the DVD specifications. Similarly Blu-ray disc can display full HD, ie 1920x1080p (progressive).

Now, let us say we have a 50 inch PV80 (HD-ready) and a 50 inch PY850 (full HD) plasma set up right next to each other. If we connect a blu ray disc player to both of these plasmas and play a blu ray title, which of these displays would look better ? Is it the PY850 by default, since it is a full HD panel ?

Yes/No being the answer, why would it be so ?


Warm regards,
Venkat

PY850 will certainly look better, but not because of the FullHD factor. There are much more in the PY850. Better contract ratio, V-REAL III PRO, better color gradient and many more.