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(More customer reviews)I've been looking to upgrade my old 42" plasma for over a year, and was tempted to get a current generation LCD because their images seem to "pop" in stores, whereas the latest plasmas appear dim by comparison. But after more than a year of research, viewing, and waiting, I decided to buy this set based on all the reviews I read online, especially on CNET and the AVS forums, which is where very knowledgeable audio-video consumers hang out. I could not be happier.
1. Before I get to my personal experience with this set, let me share a bit of my online and field research, which I hope is helpful. First of all, the general consensus on the AVS forums is that the the Panasonic V10 plasmas are among the top HDTVs--if not the top--in overall image quality and value of this generation, and that includes LCDs. Other online reviews, like that of CNET (for the 54V10) give them very high marks as well.
The alternatives I was seriously considering, including the latest and flashiest Samsung "LED" LCDs, were generating lots of complaints online about quality control and image problems. For much more money, the higher-end LCDs offer features like 240Hz processing and local backlighting or LED edge-lighting that try to catch up to the smooth motion and beautiful blacks of plasmas. But they can create other visual problems. 240Hz processing gives movies a "soap opera" look to them. I saw this in store on several expensive Samsung LCDs. Transformers did not look epic; it looked like it was filmed with a camcorder on a studio set. Local backlighting can lead to "clouding," where dark scenes are not evenly lit but have splotches of white (for the regions that are not locally dimmed in the scene). LED edge-lighting can led to a "flashlight" effect in dark scenes, where the sources of the edge lights appear from the corners of the the screen like flashlights. These lighting defects may not be visible in store lighting, but many purchasers have expressed dismay at seeing them in a darkened room at home.
So, for much less money, I got a plasma without any of these problems, and with beautiful colors and fluid motion that even the most expensive LCDs of this generation cannot match. The picture is gorgeous. Food Network HD looks so savory, and sports and gaming are amazing. Everything looks natural and pleasing, not plastic, too bright, or over saturated like many LCDs.
With blu-rays, the V10s can play movies at their native speed of 24 frames per second, which gives the same cinematic look that you see in theaters. As I mentioned, the higher-end LCDs, with their 240Hz rendering turned on, instead produce a "soap opera" look. In fact, many AVS forum posters recommend turning off this "premium" feature as a result. Watching Slumdog Millionaire on my 58V10 at times made me forget that I was at home rather than at the movies. Pixar films look amazing.
(Note: if you have a blu-ray player like a Playstation 3, be sure to allow it to output at 1080p/24Hz, and in the advanced picture menu on the V10 allow it to play at 96Hz (4x24Hz) and HD Size 2 to see blu-rays in true cinematic glory and 1080p resolution.)
2. A few words of advice about plasmas for first-time owners. First of all, don't be scared about burn-in or image retention. Burn-in is largely a thing of the past. However, on the safe side, you should turn down the contrast and brightness to 50 or below for the first 100 hours or so, when the phosphors are newer and more prone to image retention. The "standard" setting out of the box is fine for this, and looks quite nice, if a bit understated. You can find advice about how to "break-in" a plasma on the AVS forums. Basically, for the first 100 hours or so, dial down the settings, watch full screen HD, stretch standard definition (4:3) to fill the screen, vary your content, and avoid leaving on static images (e.g. CNN or ESPN logos, game stats, etc.) for too long.
Second, CNET has settings for the 50V10 that some swear by for bringing out the set's beautiful picture quality. You can start with those and adjust to your liking if you don't want to pay for calibration. For my part, after trying and tweaking the CNET settings, as well as some posted by other owners on the AVS forums, I returned to the standard settings and simply raised the contrast from 50 to 85. The result, in terms of color, contrast, and brightness, is very pleasing to my eyes.
Third, don't judge HDTVs based on what you see in stores. As noted, they crank up the settings like crazy to lure consumers, and LCDs cranked up have a lot more "pop" to them. But the lighting in your home is much different, and what may pop out at you in stores may burn your eyes over extended viewing at home. This is my second plasma, and I have a smaller Panasonic LCD at home as well. The plasmas look bright enough and plenty beautiful at home, and I prefer their natural colors and motions over the LCD. Think Venus de Milo versus Pamela Anderson. The latter certainly has more "pop," but the former has more staying power.
Fourth, read up on plasmas (and LCDs) on the AVS forums. It'll help you make a more informed decision, as well as point you to other reputable online retailers and deals.
Finally, don't worry about 58" being too large. My couch is 10.5 feet away, and it's just about the right size for that distance. The set is viewable (and indeed awesome) from 7-9 feet. 65" would have given me an even more impressive "home theater" feel from my couch. But then, it's much more expensive, and because it is bigger, has a lower "wife acceptability factor."
Of course, there are other good HDTVs out there, including the Samsung PN63B590 63-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV, which I seriously considered. To some AVS folks, the Samsung has slightly better colors, while the Panasonic has better blacks. The Samsung is bigger and the bezel is sleek like a picture frame. However, many report an audible buzzing from the Samsung during viewing (all plasmas buzz slightly, but the sound is usually audible only within a few feet in a quiet room). To me, that's typical of the difference between Samsung and Panasonic: the former is flashier, but the latter is better quality.
So, in the end, I bought this HDTV, and am enjoying it immensely. For the great price and quality, you can't go wrong with this set.
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