Is this a deal? Panasonic 42" Plasma Display (1600X1200, 3000:1 contrast ratio) for $4300?

[cklein]

http://www.jandr.com/JRProductPage....tion_Id=1418&pcount=&Product_Id=2576058&Sort=

I want to buy this, hope you guys give som advice.

Calvin

 

[PDS]

Not hot unless you can perhaps PM to a local dealer (ie Circuit City).

This is a great product however. Know that Panasonic has announced the next model due out in July, which includes a tuner, dvi, and more connections.

Try www.avsforum.com (plasma forum) for several good places to get this for $3200 - $3750 delivered.

PDS

 

[Jeepfun]

Nope -- this unit is the PANASONIC PT-42PD3P 42" which is the consumer version of the pwd5uz (I think that is right). You can get it for a much better price delivered from DMART Stores (I just bought one there actually. Dmart Stores

You can find the commercial version for a little cheaper but you are not eligibel for the free HDTV tuner then (that offer expires soon).

 

[DerProfi]

Not that I'm paranoid or anything....but I can't help noticing that both the original post and the 2nd response were from brand spanking new members. dmartstores doesn't seem to have any feedback on resellerratings, so all I can say is buyer beware.

 

[cklein]

Thank you so much, buddies.
I just realized I could get a better price somewhere else.

My concerning is the 1600X1200 resolution issue.

I checked specs, said its native resolution is 852X640 (480?) something.

I think this is enough to serve as a TV?

But is it OK if I use it as a computer monitor? My computer has a 1600X1200 resolution, and I want to use it as my programming platform. Sit on my Sofa, use wireless keyboard and mouse to CODE instead of sit infront of my desk.

Will this work?

Thanks.

 

[DerProfi]

As a computer monitor, you wouldn't want to use this at any resolution higher than the native one of 852x480. As a TV, it should work quite well for standard broadcast video and DVDs, although not so well for high-res HDTV goodness.

 

[EagleKeeper]

$3485 via Price Grabbger + shipping (est $200)

Looks like you are wasting $500-700.

 

[wumpuskiller]

As a TV, it should work quite well for standard broadcast video and DVDs, although not so well for high-res HDTV goodness.

You have obviously not seen this little gem in action with an HDTV signal source. While its resolution is only "EDTV" its handling of HDTV material is superior to many true HDTV plasma displays made by others.

wumpus....

 

[cklein]

Hm...., I think I will get this one. I basically don't watch TV. I only use it for DVDs.
I found one in www.Plasmahouse.com, $3249 without stand, $3519 with stand. How come the stand is sooo expensive?

Maybe hang around a little more days for a better deal?

Calvin

 

[TheDon]

If you can't wait, go for it, but I've heard from several sources that flat panel TVs are going to really come down in price later this year.

 

[huesmann]

Because the stand is a bigass thing to hold this sucka!

 

[DerProfi]

Originally posted by: wumpuskiller

As a TV, it should work quite well for standard broadcast video and DVDs, although not so well for high-res HDTV goodness.

You have obviously not seen this little gem in action with an HDTV signal source. While its resolution is only "EDTV" its handling of HDTV material is superior to many true HDTV plasma displays made by others.

wumpus....

While it may be a gem among the EDTV-resolution sets, there's no getting around the fact that the resolution is still only 852x480. All the signal handling in the world will never improve that. Don't get me wrong--there's no denying that it's got a nice picture. If someone absolutely, positively has to have a high-quality 42" EDTV plasma today or will watch primarily DVDs for the next couple of years, then this is a great choice. But if they want to also use it as a high-res PC display or watch high-res HDTV broadcasts without downconversion, waiting a few months for newer models might be worthwhile.

My frame of reference here is an XGA Sharp DLP projector used for watching DVDs (with TheaterTek), OTA HDTV from a Hughes box and gaming, so I'm used to something with higher resolution and I doubt I could drop back to 852x480 unless the price point is closer to $2000 than $4000. Of course, your mileage and preferences may and probably will vary.

 

[deeznuts]

DerProfi, your point is taken but to speak on this particular subject without actually seeing both in action, is just speculation. i have seen both, with HDTV signals. on dvd i actually preferred the ED version better. the picture just seemed more satisfying, and a bit more clear. so if viewing is heavily biased towards DVD, this is a great model. for HDTV, yes the HD model is slightly better, but ONLY WHEN SITTING CLOSE. right around 7-8 ft or so, the HD model loses any pixel advantage it has. frankly speaking, both put out a gorgeous HD picture. you have to understand the HD models don't even have that many more pixels. both are downconverting significantly.

 

[cklein]

Somebody told me that there's no way a Plasma can replace a PC monitor. There's not even one plasma in the world with resolution even close to 1600X1200.

So DVD is my only purpose to buy the plasma, I don't have time to watch TV.

Calvin

 

[Kcucumber]

4000 ??? Oh god. Some one please think of the children....

 

[Jeraden]

At 852x480 native res, this monitor is perfect for DVDs, as that is their widescreen resolution. A higher-resolution monitor won't really help to improve upon DVD images at all, in fact it could make them worse depending if the native res is a multiple of 852x480 or not. However, if you ever plan on watching HDTV on this thing, you are going to be disappointed as doesn't have enough pixels to even come close to displaying the signal in full detail. You may not plan on it now, but unless you only plan to have this monitor for a couple years, you'll inevitably want to do HDTV at some point. Personally, I think plasma monitors are a bit of a waste now for that reason. Not high enough resolution for the extreme price you are paying.

 

[cklein]

Keep this thing a couple of years?
Come on, man, it's a Plasma. 3 years later, it's gonna be a trash. Who knows what new technologies will come out. But I am expecting the REAL fancy HDTV will come out in next 3 years for $1000.

I bought my laptop in AUG 2001 for $1600, now it's only worth $500 in my point of view.

Don't expect to keep anything too long. You will get tired of it anyway, especially something like plasma, you are doomed to loose money to invest on this thing. But, life is short, you can't wait for 3 years after another 3 years. Buy it when you want to buy it.

Calvin

 

[Sarcophaguy]

Leaving out issues with scaling up from DVD (720x480) to an HDTV display, it really all depends on how far back you sit and how good your eyes are. If you are unable to see the pixel structure, then EDTV is effectively equal to HDTV to the human eye. If you have 20/20 vision, the theoretical minimum viewing distance before you could start to notice the pixel structure is 12' for a 42" EDTV plasma (852x480 square pixels). That distance is 10' for typical 42" HDTV plasmas, since they don't have square pixels (1024x768 pixels, 16:9 aspect ratio). At 7-8' you might begin to notice the pixel structure in the vertical direction. For reference, this distance is about 9' for a 50" plasma (1365x768 square pixels). The only other difference I can see that might be a concern is if you need to have more real estate when using the plasma as a computer display, but consider that standard text is pretty tiny by comparison on HDTV.

(happy owner of EDTV NEC 42MP3)

 

[wumpuskiller]

However, if you ever plan on watching HDTV on this thing, you are going to be disappointed as doesn't have enough pixels to even come close to displaying the signal in full detail.

Some of you guys should stop acting like computer-bound geeks who think that specs are always directly transferable to performance. Get off your butt, get down to a plasma retailer and check out this screen with HDTV material. Put it side-by-side with a "true" HDTV screen of identical size. Then come back and tell us that you are *disappointed* by this display.

If you have excellent vision and are viewing good HDTV material you *might* see some difference at six feet away. At 8-10' away, you will be a rare individual who can say that the Panasonic EDTV display 'doesn't even come close' to an HDTV image. Oh, you may detect some difference, but certainly nothing that will support your statement.

wumpus....