Panasonic Viera question...

[paydepst]

I posted this in a so called AV forum and got sod all in the way of replies. I'm sure I'll have better luck here.

Anyway...

I'm currently in the latest phase of research on the acquisition of my first HDTV. I am looking at the Panasonic Viera line and the 65" screen is the one to my liking. I am wondering how much of a real difference there is between the V10 and the S1. How much of the extra cost translates into something I can actually see and how much of it goes to pay for the THX licencing fee and the extra bells and whistles I may or may not use? I'm hoping that I can find someone with some real world experience here as I haven't even seen the V10s yet. Many thanks.

 

[Spacegeezer]

First off, Panasonic announced updates to their entire line that should be released before summer (Panasonic specifically said "Spring"). Additionally, the updates for some of the TVs are rather impressive - the V20 and V25 series support 3D, for one.

If you can't wait months and are happy with the S series, you may still want to wait for the S2 series, which has improved colour control and significantly reduced rated power use. It ought to be in stores in February.

However, now might be a good time to get a S1 if the prices are really slashed down; the 50" S2 is launching with an MSRP of $1299.99; personally I'd want to save a couple hundred off of that before I'd consider the S1.


As for whether to choose the V series over the S series, it depends on how picky you are about image quality. You are faced with diminishing returns, but if you want the best picture there are a number of reasons the V series is preferred, particularly the 2010 V series. In order to make the TV 3D capable, Panasonic was forced to improve the quality of the panel in just about every measurable way; we won't know for sure till the professional reviews come out, but it looks as though it will have significantly darker blacks, improved contrast, motion detail and increased brightness. On top of that, the panels use significantly less power.

Suffice to say, the V10 is genuinely significantly better than the S1, and the V25 will be significantly better than the S2. More or less, you have to look at your budget and decide whether your TV habits warrant the additional expense. If are willing to spend any amount to have the best, the V series is the way to go; otherwise the S series is something like two-thirds the price, and an extremely good TV in its own right.

Lastly: If you want a TV now, buy one and don't worry about what's coming out. As far as TVs are concerned, the next best thing is always about 10 months away

 

[TheScalpel]

the best advice is always to wait.. that being said, I have a G10 and it is a glorious TV, and relatively inexpensive, so I may upgrade again in a few.. why overpay now, shoot for the 'sweet spot' of upgrading!

 

[paydepst]

Thanks for the well informed responses! I knew I should have posted here in the first place.

So Spacegeezer do you have one of these tvs or are you just a well rounded videophile? That sounds like real world experience speaking to me is the reason I ask. I have seen the S1 and I thought it rather impressive. Curiosity compels me to ask how much better the V10 really is though. I am picky about image quality but I was wondering if I would actually be getting close to $2000.00 worth of visual difference between the sets. I wish I could see these sets side by side in order to make a real "apples to apples" comparison but I don't know if there are any dealers in my area that can oblige me.

 

[Spacegeezer]

Thanks for the well informed responses! I knew I should have posted here in the first place.

So Spacegeezer do you have one of these tvs or are you just a well rounded videophile? That sounds like real world experience speaking to me is the reason I ask. I have seen the S1 and I thought it rather impressive. Curiosity compels me to ask how much better the V10 really is though. I am picky about image quality but I was wondering if I would actually be getting close to $2000.00 worth of visual difference between the sets. I wish I could see these sets side by side in order to make a real "apples to apples" comparison but I don't know if there are any dealers in my area that can oblige me.

I was a home theatre salesperson for a few years, but even before that and continuing now I'm a hobbyist. I don't personally own a flat-panel yet. I'm still happy with my HD tube TV, although it seems smaller every year. I really like Panasonic and looked very closely at the V & G series last year and am looking even closer at the updated versions this year.

I agree that it's very difficult to get a fair comparison, head to head, of the sets, short of buying both and returning the one you are less impressed by - which is a lot of bother, and a big unexpected expense should you lose the receipt or get it back late!

I believe the differences are subtle, and that your type of use will have a large impact on whether it is noticeable to you or not. The benefits of the V series will primarily be noticed in a home cinema environment; lights out, lots of attention on the screen. One thing that I like is that they provide 24 fps playback of films without interpolation or pulldown, whereas the S series - and most TVs in general - morph frames together in order to sync up the recorded 24 fps action with the TV's 60 fps screen updates. This is a small detail and many people actually prefer the way that 2-3 pulldown from 24 to 60 fps looks as this is how they are used to seeing films at home. However, for a hardcore hobbyist things like this matter.

Another thing that benefits the V series (and G series) in a cinema environment is their superior panel design. It's a fine difference, but the darkest parts of the image will be a few hundredths of a candella darker than the S series. If you're watching a letterboxed 2.35:1 film with the lights out, this means that the black bars will be less visible, or invisible depending on how sensitive your eyes are.

Thirdly, the newest models of the V and (I believe) G series will be using anti-reflection tech that may make reflections less of an issue in a bright room. The downside is that some other TVs that have used similar AR designs produce an annoying buzzing sound audible if you sit directly in front of the TV when it is on. The S series, using Panasonic's previous AR design, should not have that problem.

In general, the S series is a very good TV at an extremely good price, the G series is a bit closer to videophile heaven, featuring the same panel as the V series but missing some options, and the V series, in particular the upcoming 2010 model is a no-holds barred attempt at being the best TV available.

For the difference in price, you may even find that getting two S series TVs leads to greater happiness in your home than a single V series would; or perhaps you can spend some of the difference on improving your sound system, or other hobbies. It all depends on how big a chunk of your disposable income you're talking about, and how much time you spend watching TV or movies, or playing video games, or scanning B&B on your big screen.

Personally, I expect to get a 42" screen when I do upgrade, and I will probably end up getting a G series TV. For one, the V series is only available in larger sizes, and I don't use my TV very often. If I were buying a larger TV it would be more difficult to decide, and it is likely I would choose to save money and get an S series.

 

[paydepst]

Well the wife and I don't watch a whole lot of network television but we do like to watch movies and that is the primary reason for the upgrade. We have a nice Blu-Ray player and some BR discs we would like to take full advantage of on the home screen.

Actually the V series is more cash than I was wanting to spend but if there were real differences that just leapt out at me in a side by side with the other models I would be willing to do it.

It is looking more and more like that side by side comparison will have to be arranged somewhere and somehow.

 

[Kenno]

if you don't need the 65inch get the 54inch neo plasma, the all silver one, TH-P54Z1A. it has a better picture and sound than the others. plus it looks great on or off. one of the best pictures out there, comparable to the great pioneers.

 

[Cuttingboard]

Personally, I would wait until the new models are released this spring. They are suppose to include Pioneer technology. I'm looking at the new 58" or 65" panel, which will be dropped in the fall. I love AVS Forum BTW, lots of knowledgable people.

 

[Lucius]

My understanding is that the THX certification will allow for more accurate color calibration. That is probably one of the biggest differences between the two.

If you're not a videophile it may not make much of a difference to you. And I'm assuming you're not a videophile otherwise you'd probably know the answer to your question and wouldn't even consider the S1. I'm potentially considering a G10 vs. S1 in the 42" model and haven't made my mind up. Don't know if I'm going with plasma or LCD yet, but if I go plasma it's one of those two.

 

[Spacegeezer]

My understanding is that the THX certification will allow for more accurate color calibration. That is probably one of the biggest differences between the two.

If you're not a videophile it may not make much of a difference to you. And I'm assuming you're not a videophile otherwise you'd probably know the answer to your question and wouldn't even consider the S1. I'm potentially considering a G10 vs. S1 in the 42" model and haven't made my mind up. Don't know if I'm going with plasma or LCD yet, but if I go plasma it's one of those two.

Everybody has to start somewhere

Kenno, I believe the only visual advantage the Z series has over the V series is the AR filter, which is now going to be used on the V and (a derivation of it on the) G series screens. It certainly looks more distinguished, but I have a hunch that it will be difficult to find; many places people are already having difficulty finding V series screens, per AVS forum. Here in Canada there were few enough retailers that stocked them to begin with. Fortunately there will be a Z2; unfortunately it will likely carry a very large price premium over and above the V series. link

 

[sombra]

Before buying, please be sure to check out this article on whether Panasonic plasmas TVs have an issue with losing their black levels. I have been considering a 54" V10 myself, but this definitely has given me some pause.

I am not a "videophile," but it would be a shame to spend this kind of cash and end up with a TV that loses its key selling point -- i.e., superb black levels -- after a short period of time.

 

[Spacegeezer]

I believe a fix is trickling out for that already, as of the 26th. Hopefully an official response will go out, although Panasonic doesn't usually make an announcement when they get the programming wrong. However, like the well-known THX bug, they do eventually fix it, once customers bring it to their attention. That's more than many companies bother with. The C-Net editor will hopefully update the same article once we get confirmation that the new update fixes the black level issue.