New TV....

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I've just placed an order for a Panasonic 42" Plasma 1080P 3D TV - (model no. TX-P42ST31B, which is exactly the same set as the TX-P42ST30B but Comet changed the model no. slightly to stop people from price-matching).

Comet are doing a very good deal at the moment... the TV + two pairs of the latest Panasonic 3D glasses which retail at £80-£120 each.... £499 for the whole package, delivered.
Usual price for this TV without the 3D glasses is from £600 to £800, or £1200 if bought directly from Panasonic!

I've seen the set operating in a store, but this doesn't give you a true feel for how good or bad a TV is.

Anyone got this model, or know anything about it?

It seems to get good reviews and is spec'd with the new NeoPlasma/Infinite Black panel.

Its also a "Smart TV"... which includes being able to play videos from YouTube and BBC iPlayer directly from the internet by connecting to your home WiFi.

Anyway, here is the TV -----> VIERA Flat Screen TV - 2011 Plasma TV - TX-P42ST30B - Specification - Panasonic UK & Ireland

And here is the Comet deal -----> Package: PANASONIC TX-P42ST31B


...any TV experts able to spot anything against getting this TV?? Any negatives??
 
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Link works now ?? Sites playing up I guess.
499 sounds a great deal for that
 
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The links work ok for me in fairness.

I can't help with the question, but the links are fine....
 
quattrojames said:
The links work ok for me in fairness.

I can't help with the question, but the links are fine....
Click to expand...

The links work fine for me too.

I guess it was a bit of a long shot hoping someone would know about the TV.

In fact, I should've really posted this thread in the Home Cinema and Tech section. Can it be moved pleased??
 
Ads said:
That's what made me think I'm overlooking something.

Done a lot more reading about the TV and can't really find anything but good reviews, so fingers crossed.
Click to expand...
The tv looks really good Ads. I think you should go for it. As long as it is 1080p your on to a winner. Go on Ads, treat yourself.
 
imo, and sorry ads, but 3D tv's are a big gimmick to me and will be a thing of the past soon.

LED tv's are just far better than any plasma or lcd. the colours and sharpness are unmatchable. best tv's for COD too imo.
 
If you need a new TV, then it makes sense to buy one with 3D in case the format sticks. The Panny is about the best of the current crop, and whilst plasma is not as vivid as LED, I still think the picture is more honest and less blocky when the image is fast moving.

As for 3D, my bro in law has bought one recently, and I had high hopes. It's a novel experience, but whereas the picture quality and colour reproduction of the 'active' 3D display type is far and away better than the passive (Cinema/ LG style) ones, I find the 3D on home tv units tends to sink into the screen rather than leaping out of it (things only seem to project from the screen towards you in very rare instances). Also, unlike cinemas, your lounge will have ambient light which seems to significantly impact the 3D experience because as soon as you are conscious of the TV's outer frame it somehow makes the image look less 3D. If you have blackout curtains and no light you will be able to get round this, but do you want to watch telly in pitch dark all the time?

We're holding off at present to see what becomes the defined standard and to see if they manage to improve the 3D format offering. As specify 4 eyes people wearing 2 pairs of glasses sucks!
 
superkarl said:
imo, and sorry ads, but 3D tv's are a big gimmick to me and will be a thing of the past soon.

LED tv's are just far better than any plasma or lcd. the colours and sharpness are unmatchable. best tv's for COD too imo.
Click to expand...

To be honest, my aim was to get a normal non-3D Plasma TV. The fact that this one was 3D with free glasses, all at no extra cost, was a bonus.
Since placing my order I've now got a bit more intersted in the 3D side of things and have viewed quite a few sets displaying 3D clips. Gotta say that I was very impressed with what I saw, but yeah the novelty will probably wear off after a short while.

I was torn between LED and plasma but after spending hours comparing the two the LEDs just seemed too sharp and unnatural for me.
If I was a gamer then I would've definitely gone for LED though, but gaming ain't my thing.

warren_cox said:
If you need a new TV, then it makes sense to buy one with 3D in case the format sticks. The Panny is about the best of the current crop, and whilst plasma is not as vivid as LED, I still think the picture is more honest and less blocky when the image is fast moving.
Click to expand...

As above, this is exactly what made me decide on a plasma over LED.

Seems panasonic have put the panel from their high-end models in this model too.

Indepth review here ---> Panasonic TX-P42ST30/ TX-P42ST30B (ST30) Review
 
Ads said:
I was torn between LED and plasma but after spending hours comparing the two the LEDs just seemed too sharp and unnatural for me.
Click to expand...

My parents have an LED TV and I find it a bit weird, I try explaining to people that when watching a movie it makes it "feel" like i'm watching a life like soap opera, like Eastenders for instance....hard to explain but I think its odd.

In any event, I think plasma is a good choice, people always comment on how good the picture is on mine and thats a 5 year old Pioneer plasma.
 
beanoir said:
My parents have an LED TV and I find it a bit weird, I try explaining to people that when watching a movie it makes it "feel" like i'm watching a life like soap opera, like Eastenders for instance....hard to explain but I think its odd.
Click to expand...

Agreed, the THX mode on the Panny's adds a dimension to the movies. If you look beyond a movie and at the filming you'll often see films are filmed with a colour cast for the full on movie effect. Somehow the colour correction on LED's makes it look too lifelike for my eyes which is fine on day to day programmes but less so on movies.

Horses for courses, but I haven't been convinced to move to LED just yet.
 
audi upgrades
beanoir said:
My parents have an LED TV and I find it a bit weird, I try explaining to people that when watching a movie it makes it "feel" like i'm watching a life like soap opera, like Eastenders for instance....hard to explain but I think its odd.
Click to expand...

I know EXACTLY what you mean.
Sometimes its almost like you are standing in the actual studio watching them do the scene. It looks too "live".
I find the same happens on LCD TVs with movie modes etc. I think its to do with the processing the TV does to try and improve motion handling.
 
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Ads said:
I know EXACTLY what you mean.
Sometimes its almost like you are standing in the actual studio watching them do the scene. It looks too "live".
I find the same happens on LCD TVs with movie modes etc. I think its to do with the processing the TV does to try and improve motion handling.
Click to expand...

You have to be the first person that has actually understood that, everybody looks at me like i'm on day release.

Away from the picture aspect of things, i've been concentrating on getting the sound sorted, I replaced my ageing amplifier with one that decodes Dolby HD and such like and the sound quality when watching bluray is amazing.
 
beanoir said:
You have to be the first person that has actually understood that, everybody looks at me like i'm on day release.
Click to expand...

We must have the same form of OCD. This effect does my head in and I can't concentrate on the film.

beanoir said:
Away from the picture aspect of things, i've been concentrating on getting the sound sorted, I replaced my ageing amplifier with one that decodes Dolby HD and such like and the sound quality when watching bluray is amazing.
Click to expand...

Yep, a good sound system makes you realise just how shocking the audio from the TV's speaker or aging audio equipment really is.
At the moment I've got two Creative PC speakers trying to pump out all sorts of frequencies through their £2 coin sized outputs! Its ridiculous.... whispers sound like gale force winds and explosions sound like the popping of bubble wrap.
 
tv's, phones, computers, laptops, there all things people will NEVER be up to date with no matter what, even if you work at panasonic, you'd never have the latest or best as they'l be developing 'better' things. technology annoys me. i tend to stick with what strikes me and really makes me think wow, they've come along way. rear projection to LCD, then seeing an LED i went to that. otherwise its like your competing with manufacturers just to keep up with what they claim to be better, even tho side by side you might not like what they sell as 'new' or 'improved'

i think LED's will become the norm and stick around, cheap to manufacture and huge energy savings.
i think that in the future TV's might become more customisable with settings etc. soon you will be able to create your ideal picture based on more understanding of frequencies, light, contrast, colour. with multiple settings to suit different styles of films and the way they were intended to look by the directors. maybe film companies and directors will work with TV maufacturers to help give the customer exactly what they intended to make the film look like.

its hard to think how things can get better too. often i think 'how the hell can they improve this, surely this is the pinnacle'

HD will become the standard picture, and superduperHD will be the one to have. they'l need more pixels as people are getting bigger and bigger TV's making HD pictures worse as you go up in size. hard to imagine what picture quality will be next.
 
superkarl said:
HD will become the standard picture, and superduperHD will be the one to have. they'l need more pixels as people are getting bigger and bigger TV's making HD pictures worse as you go up in size. hard to imagine what picture quality will be next.
Click to expand...

In a decade or so we'll all have massive aquarium type glass boxes in our living rooms and we'll have to book/order lookie-likie dwarfs that resemble the actors from the cinema release of the film you want to watch. They'll come to your house, climb into the aquarium and act out the film for you.

That'll be the ultimate in HD and 3D.
4D if there's a toilet scene in the film.

You heard it here first.
 
Lol, ads only you would come up with such a funny reply. Proper funny.
 
Of course you were Ads. Thats whats so good about it.
 
Ads/Beanoir - I know what you mean, my cousin has an LED TV and we were recently watching Childs Play on it in HD and when you say its life like or too live, I get where you are coming from, they thought I was high or something, as I was saying its as if you could walk up to the screen and pick the people out of it!!

Does that make sense??

It does look too real, I remember a couple of years ago, I was watching a football match in HD on a 21 inch HDTV and it was like Subbuteo, I felt like juts putting my hand to the screen and flicking one of the players...lol!!!
 
Nilz said:
Ads/Beanoir - I know what you mean, my cousin has an LED TV and we were recently watching Childs Play on it in HD and when you say its life like or too live, I get where you are coming from, they thought I was high or something, as I was saying its as if you could walk up to the screen and pick the people out of it!!

Does that make sense??

It does look too real, I remember a couple of years ago, I was watching a football match in HD on a 21 inch HDTV and it was like Subbuteo, I felt like juts putting my hand to the screen and flicking one of the players...lol!!!
Click to expand...

Welcome to our OCD club. :friends:
 
Plasma for the win!

I have an 42S20, ie last years version of the one you've baught, and its pretty sweet. The only bugbear i have is i didnt hold out for the G20 model. The G model is more or less identical, but has a much improved filter on the screen which cuts down on reflections and improves the contrast levels in high ambient light levels. I find that in some lighting conditions theres a lot of reflections on the screen and it can sometimes look a bit grey rather than black.

The "vividness" of LCD/LED sets also looks wrong to me, Its caused by the gamma curve being completely wrong. Its one of those things they do to sell the TV's believe it or not, in the store they'll set the TV's they want to push to vivid, as it draws the eye, and in the bright store lighting the TV's which are setup correctly will look dull and a bit crap next to the VIVID set. Most sets, even LED ones, do have a few color modes that will calm down this OTT effect, and the really high end ones will typically have functionality for a full on calibration to be done to get the gamma curve spot on.

LCD tellys do seem to suffer from blocking and motion blur a lot more than plasmas too.
 
No 3D tv will always "throw" out the 3D image your watching!

Its nothing to do with the TV at all, but how Sky have recorded the actual image. They dont want all aspects of action films etc with bits flying out towards the viewer as in the case of lets say mrs Smith, who is 64 and never experienced anything like that, would probably have a heart attack.

Instead, they have cameras set up at a set angle for the recording or editing, that then gives a depth to what you are looking at, with a bit of projection every so often.

In the case of live football, anybody that has viewed it can see its like looking at a shelf image, and you can take in the depth of the stadium behind the action etc.

Its like looking into a modern flat fronted fire place, flat front glass with all the internals reaching into the wall another 6 inch or so.
 
So I took delivery of the TV yesterday... plugged it in.... watched a 2 minute clip of Avatar 3D loaded on to a USB stick, and................................................. :hubbahubba:

Moved on to Rio 3D... and then a short Looney Tunes cartoon. The clarity is excellent and the 3D is no different to the cinema imo. Just a lot smaller, obviously. I'm really impressed by it.

The 2D to 3D conversion mode is a waste of time though. Makes everyone look like cardboard cut outs.

Seriously, if anyone feels like buying a new TV and has a spare £500 in their pocket... buy yourself an early xmas present and get one of these.
It's 42 inches of pure pleasure! :ninja:
 
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Ads said:
So I took delivery of the TV yesterday... plugged it in.... watched a 2 minute clip of Avatar 3D loaded on to a USB stick, and................................................. :hubbahubba:

Moved on to Rio 3D... and then a short Looney Tunes cartoon. The clarity is excellent and the 3D is no different to the cinema imo. Just a lot smaller, obviously. I'm really impressed by it.

The 2D to 3D conversion mode is a waste of time though. Makes everyone look like cardboard cut outs.

Seriously, if anyone feels like buying a new TV and has a spare £500 in their pocket... buy yourself an early xmas present and get one of these.
It's 42 inches of pure pleasure! :ninja:
Click to expand...

Glad you like it Ads. Avatar is certainly a good film to watch in 3D. Hope you have many happy hours of viewing pleaure.
 
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