Hopefully, I can save you some time. I spent about a year researching and continually trying to justify why my 50" Mitsu projection tv was still worthy. Last week, I finally pulled the trigger and this tv absolutely rocks. It is beyond amazing. I was watching a movie (X-MEN Final Stand)the other night (THX mode) and paused it twice and said to my wife, can you believe this tv is in our house?
I had my family over this weekend. Within 15 minutes my brother asked me how I knew this was the best tv to buy. I told him about the research I did, that combined with the picture he was looking at convinced him to order one for himself. He bought it yesterday.
The NBA playoffs, baseball, hockey, hey I even watched auto racing...Just unreal. I had no idea what I was missing until this tv arrived. I strongly considered the new LED LCD SAMSUNG'S. The 1.2" depth and picture are very good, but it came down to a few simple things. Overall value, absolute amazing picture, best refresh rate and viewing angles. All that and the brightness of LCD's helped me go with plasma and the right decision for me was the G10...This is the one.
We added the Bose 321 GS sound. We have a small room and did not want lots of wires, etc. Sound rocks. My wife's big deal was she wanted to be able to hear people talking in a movie and still hear the action all around. This system, though expensive delivers.
I hope this info helps. I appreciated all the feedback left by other's and wanted to share my thoughts too.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Panasonic TC-P50G10 Pretty darn impressive
I've owned the G10 50" for almost a month now. I bought it based on the CNET reviews and then after reading the reviews here. I did have some reservations based on the reviews (color and sound, specifically) so those are the items I'll address.
I'll start with the bad.
The delivery service was horrible. The delivery guy called me and asked, "Do you have a pickup truck?" My response, "Yes, why?" He said, "Can you meet me in such and such a town to pick it up? In this economy we're trying to save as much $ as we can!" I called the manager at the delivery office and relayed the conversation to her. She seemed a bit upset, to say the least, and my TV arrived 45 minutes later. That wasn't a great start.
Setting up the TV, however, was easy with a 2nd person. It was very easy. The TV stand is great, and makes the TV very sturdy.
Once turned on the TV had a funny hue to it, just like the reviews had said. It has that greenish hue like it was 'sick' or something. We changed all the settings as recommended by CNET and tried the THX as suggested by some reviewers. The picture was rather dim on THX, and the pictures on the settings recommended by CNET was pretty good. We then started looking at the other pre-set picture modes offered by the G10 and found "Game" mode to be incredible. The colors looked fantastic and the screen was bright. We've had it on this setting since then and the picture is wonderful.
We've found the sound on this TV to be acceptable. We have a 7.1 Mirage surround sound system powered by a big Onkyo receiver so we do LOVE sound. Unless we are watching a movie, we just used the sound from this TV. This is something that we couldn't do with our last TV, so that's been a nice surprise. If you are hoping for movie theater sound from this TV, its not it. If you're looking for sound that is great for a TV set, then you won't be disappointed.
Lastly, I was afraid of the infamous plasma "glare" that I kept reading about. I found the glare to not be an issue. We have a 14 foot wall of windows directly opposite the TV. The sun never shines directly into the window, and with the light colored curtains drawn, it just fine. There is no noticeable glare. I think this was our biggest relief. It was my wife's biggest relief too because she was able to keep her light tan curtains. I was ready to install black theater curtains if I had to.
In conclusion: The initial picture quality is strange unless you choose a different setting or create your own (which you can, easily), the TV design is very nice, there is little to no glare, and the sound is fine. The price on Amazon is great. All in all, this TV is a total winner.
Don't be afraid. I'm a pretty particular person and I don't tolerate poor quality. I'm very happy with this purchase.
I'll start with the bad.
The delivery service was horrible. The delivery guy called me and asked, "Do you have a pickup truck?" My response, "Yes, why?" He said, "Can you meet me in such and such a town to pick it up? In this economy we're trying to save as much $ as we can!" I called the manager at the delivery office and relayed the conversation to her. She seemed a bit upset, to say the least, and my TV arrived 45 minutes later. That wasn't a great start.
Setting up the TV, however, was easy with a 2nd person. It was very easy. The TV stand is great, and makes the TV very sturdy.
Once turned on the TV had a funny hue to it, just like the reviews had said. It has that greenish hue like it was 'sick' or something. We changed all the settings as recommended by CNET and tried the THX as suggested by some reviewers. The picture was rather dim on THX, and the pictures on the settings recommended by CNET was pretty good. We then started looking at the other pre-set picture modes offered by the G10 and found "Game" mode to be incredible. The colors looked fantastic and the screen was bright. We've had it on this setting since then and the picture is wonderful.
We've found the sound on this TV to be acceptable. We have a 7.1 Mirage surround sound system powered by a big Onkyo receiver so we do LOVE sound. Unless we are watching a movie, we just used the sound from this TV. This is something that we couldn't do with our last TV, so that's been a nice surprise. If you are hoping for movie theater sound from this TV, its not it. If you're looking for sound that is great for a TV set, then you won't be disappointed.
Lastly, I was afraid of the infamous plasma "glare" that I kept reading about. I found the glare to not be an issue. We have a 14 foot wall of windows directly opposite the TV. The sun never shines directly into the window, and with the light colored curtains drawn, it just fine. There is no noticeable glare. I think this was our biggest relief. It was my wife's biggest relief too because she was able to keep her light tan curtains. I was ready to install black theater curtains if I had to.
In conclusion: The initial picture quality is strange unless you choose a different setting or create your own (which you can, easily), the TV design is very nice, there is little to no glare, and the sound is fine. The price on Amazon is great. All in all, this TV is a total winner.
Don't be afraid. I'm a pretty particular person and I don't tolerate poor quality. I'm very happy with this purchase.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Panasonic TC-P50G10 By far the best TV for the money
Beyond awesome picture. Blacks are so black and the colors are perfect. There is no reason to buy any other set. LCD's with LED backlight are the only ones even close and they cost several thousand more. The Vieracast works so easy. Just plug in a cat5 from your network and your all set. One touch of the remote and you have weather, Stocks, Youtube and more. If you buy anything else just remember you bought the wrong TV. THIS IS THE ONE YOU WANT.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Panasonic TC-P50G10 outstanding value, Amazon VOD is worth the price difference w/ the S1
Everyone reviews the picture; we all know it looks almost as good as last year's Pioneer Elite. We all know it uses less power, produces exceptionally accurate color, and looks great in a bright room.
What very few people have touched on is the newly-added Amazon VOD feature. All it took was a quick firmware update from Viera Cast.
The video quality for HD videos is generally outstanding. I'd put it somewhere in between Comcast's compression and OTA HD. It seems to require somewhere in the neighborhood of 3-5mbit (inconsistent) downstream to maintain the blue-coded "HD" connection, so those with puny internet connections obviously need not apply.
That being said the videos buffer FAST, the prices are generally cheaper than cable on demand services by a dollar or two, and the selection is really pretty broad.
I've owned several HDTVs over the past 7 or so years, starting with the most basic 32" widescreen 1080i CRT ever made (a Samsung). The G10 is in a completely different league. The only thing that comes close are the 9G Kuro Elites, and good luck buying one of the few hundred of those that are left out in the world. With Pioneer exiting the game the torch has been officially passed.
My only regret is that I got anxious and pulled the trigger on a 50" before the 54" was released. I find myself lusting for that extra 4" every once in a while.
What very few people have touched on is the newly-added Amazon VOD feature. All it took was a quick firmware update from Viera Cast.
The video quality for HD videos is generally outstanding. I'd put it somewhere in between Comcast's compression and OTA HD. It seems to require somewhere in the neighborhood of 3-5mbit (inconsistent) downstream to maintain the blue-coded "HD" connection, so those with puny internet connections obviously need not apply.
That being said the videos buffer FAST, the prices are generally cheaper than cable on demand services by a dollar or two, and the selection is really pretty broad.
I've owned several HDTVs over the past 7 or so years, starting with the most basic 32" widescreen 1080i CRT ever made (a Samsung). The G10 is in a completely different league. The only thing that comes close are the 9G Kuro Elites, and good luck buying one of the few hundred of those that are left out in the world. With Pioneer exiting the game the torch has been officially passed.
My only regret is that I got anxious and pulled the trigger on a 50" before the 54" was released. I find myself lusting for that extra 4" every once in a while.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Panasonic TC-P50G10 Simply gorgeous!
This is my first HD set, although I have watched a lot of HDTV at friends' homes over the years.
The picture of this TV is simply amazing. The color in THX mode is truely mesmerizing (to borrow a perfectly apt description from a previous reviewer). It is so good that I try to use it most of the time unless the room is very bright (I have large windows on two walls in the room, so if it's sunny outside and the curtains are up, it gets too bright for THX mode). Yes, THX mode is dark, but if it's trying to reproduce the authentic colors of a movie, which you'd watch in a really dark movie theater, I don't have a problem with it not being suitable for a very brightly-lit room.
Speaking of the bright room, I have had no problems with glare. This is so much so that I don't know what people are talking about when complaining about plasma and glare. The anti-reflective coating on this screen seems to be very effective.
The first day I set up this TV, a friend and I watched parts of Live Free or Die Hard and Casino off of Dish Network in HD (1080i). We were both simply in awe of the picture quality and colors, and he is someone who is on his third plasma TV and has been riding the wave from the beginning. He thought this is the best picture quality (for non-blu-ray) and color he has seen on an HD set, period.
Upconverted DVDs look good, but Dish Network's HD 1080i movies look better. I can't wait to receive my Blu-ray player and try a real 1080p source. I will update my review then.
The delivery took place on the promised day. The guy unpacked the TV, installed it on its pedestal (with my help, since it requires two people) and we placed it on the table. Pretty impressive for free delivery. This "white glove" service costs $200 on top of delivery charges on other sites.
All in all, I am very impressed with this set and with Amazon's delivery. I would certainly recommend it and encourage buying it from Amazon.
The picture of this TV is simply amazing. The color in THX mode is truely mesmerizing (to borrow a perfectly apt description from a previous reviewer). It is so good that I try to use it most of the time unless the room is very bright (I have large windows on two walls in the room, so if it's sunny outside and the curtains are up, it gets too bright for THX mode). Yes, THX mode is dark, but if it's trying to reproduce the authentic colors of a movie, which you'd watch in a really dark movie theater, I don't have a problem with it not being suitable for a very brightly-lit room.
Speaking of the bright room, I have had no problems with glare. This is so much so that I don't know what people are talking about when complaining about plasma and glare. The anti-reflective coating on this screen seems to be very effective.
The first day I set up this TV, a friend and I watched parts of Live Free or Die Hard and Casino off of Dish Network in HD (1080i). We were both simply in awe of the picture quality and colors, and he is someone who is on his third plasma TV and has been riding the wave from the beginning. He thought this is the best picture quality (for non-blu-ray) and color he has seen on an HD set, period.
Upconverted DVDs look good, but Dish Network's HD 1080i movies look better. I can't wait to receive my Blu-ray player and try a real 1080p source. I will update my review then.
The delivery took place on the promised day. The guy unpacked the TV, installed it on its pedestal (with my help, since it requires two people) and we placed it on the table. Pretty impressive for free delivery. This "white glove" service costs $200 on top of delivery charges on other sites.
All in all, I am very impressed with this set and with Amazon's delivery. I would certainly recommend it and encourage buying it from Amazon.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Panasonic TC-P50G10 Mesmerized
I received the 50 inch G10 about a weak ago. Setup was a simple procedure and I have been able to view the tv in a variety of lighting situations and video source formats. The set is in a brightly lit room (ambient) and I have utilized the THX setting as well as the custom settings outlined in CNET. I do get some glare but it is from a bay window directly opposite the tv and is resolved by shutting the curtains. The picture is bright enough (I use the custom setting during the day) and the noise complaints I have read on other posts is non-existent. In fact, the Comcast cable box is far louder. Heat build up is not an issue either. Speakers? I have been pleasantly surprised. There have been a couple of times where I had to look and see if the surround system was on (amp was off). Picture in HD, blue-ray is jaw dropping. My wife and I both comment on the quality of both the detail and color. This TV replaced a 7 year old Sony HD set (34" XBR) that failed and I am stunned how much the quality has improved and the costs have dropped in the intervening years [...].
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Panasonic TC-P50G10 Great picture, amazing value
After searching for a suitable 1080p replacement for my older 720p Philips plasma, I first tried the massive Samsung PN-58B550 because it seemed like a great value, but--and since this isn't a review of that TV I won't go more into other than to say that for all I could do the colors were either flat or the blacks were grey and there was a constant buzz that is common with some plasmas that I just couldn't stomach for such an expensive and supposedly great device--given its shortcomings, I decided to have a second stab at a replacement. I selected the P50G10 for this and I must say that I am immensely pleased with that decision.
I first saw the P50G10 as a display at a local big blue electronics retailer and was instantly drawn to its look, even when powered off (and this is an important thing to me since most of the time that's how the TV is). I powered it on and was impressed at the dark blacks, vivid colors and smooth motion. As I compared it to one of the newest 1080p 240Hz LCDs hanging near it I realized that it was--even as mucked up as the controls had been--hands and feet above the other TV in terms of raw performance.
One feature I was certain I wanted in my next TV was network connectivity, whether for DLNA or straight internet feeds. The VieraCAST built into this TV is a little lacking in raw ability, but having YouTube, Picasa and weather close at hand is pretty handy; I'm hoping that the extra slot on the main screen that reads "coming soon" is filled with Netflix bringing Panasonic's offerings up to the LG & Vizio playing field. Fortunately, the TV is able to use this network connection to apply its updates without having to fiddle with USB drives and finding/downloading the right files... a huge time saver.
Many reviewers of this TV comment that the THX mode just makes the screen darker, and that is certainly one of the things it does, but in so doing the contrast is also popped to the max and a few other settings really make the colors more lifelike and vivid. I watched Wall-E as the first test of the new TV and I was amazed at how crisp and bright the colors were on THX mode; they looked great on standard and custom modes, but I felt that the specialized mode was the closest reproduction to when I saw the movie in DLP on the silver screen.
The only two complaints I have with the television are both relatively minor; first, it uses a non-standard power plug which was a bit of a pain for me as I like all of my cables neatly concealed on my TV stand and I've got enough cables running around that it's hard to add/remove them. Second--because my TV stand actually hangs the TV, I had to be very careful about the positioning of the brackets so I didn't block any of the necessary ports. Panasonic's having chose the 400mm mounting holes as a place to align video and audio connections proved a bit of a challenge and I ultimately had to mount the TV a little lower than I really wanted to be able to make the connections I needed.
Overall, I am incredibly impressed with this TV. While it would be great if it were a few inches larger, I have found that for all of its rich features (internet, THX, great color production, near-silent operation) this is the best TV I have found, and I'm sure I'll be happy with it for years to come.
I first saw the P50G10 as a display at a local big blue electronics retailer and was instantly drawn to its look, even when powered off (and this is an important thing to me since most of the time that's how the TV is). I powered it on and was impressed at the dark blacks, vivid colors and smooth motion. As I compared it to one of the newest 1080p 240Hz LCDs hanging near it I realized that it was--even as mucked up as the controls had been--hands and feet above the other TV in terms of raw performance.
One feature I was certain I wanted in my next TV was network connectivity, whether for DLNA or straight internet feeds. The VieraCAST built into this TV is a little lacking in raw ability, but having YouTube, Picasa and weather close at hand is pretty handy; I'm hoping that the extra slot on the main screen that reads "coming soon" is filled with Netflix bringing Panasonic's offerings up to the LG & Vizio playing field. Fortunately, the TV is able to use this network connection to apply its updates without having to fiddle with USB drives and finding/downloading the right files... a huge time saver.
Many reviewers of this TV comment that the THX mode just makes the screen darker, and that is certainly one of the things it does, but in so doing the contrast is also popped to the max and a few other settings really make the colors more lifelike and vivid. I watched Wall-E as the first test of the new TV and I was amazed at how crisp and bright the colors were on THX mode; they looked great on standard and custom modes, but I felt that the specialized mode was the closest reproduction to when I saw the movie in DLP on the silver screen.
The only two complaints I have with the television are both relatively minor; first, it uses a non-standard power plug which was a bit of a pain for me as I like all of my cables neatly concealed on my TV stand and I've got enough cables running around that it's hard to add/remove them. Second--because my TV stand actually hangs the TV, I had to be very careful about the positioning of the brackets so I didn't block any of the necessary ports. Panasonic's having chose the 400mm mounting holes as a place to align video and audio connections proved a bit of a challenge and I ultimately had to mount the TV a little lower than I really wanted to be able to make the connections I needed.
Overall, I am incredibly impressed with this TV. While it would be great if it were a few inches larger, I have found that for all of its rich features (internet, THX, great color production, near-silent operation) this is the best TV I have found, and I'm sure I'll be happy with it for years to come.
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