Best 60" HDTV

[DeepSeaDan]

Seasonal Greetings!

Thought I wanted a SMART TV, but concluded I didn't. Now looking for a skookum 60" HDTV, to be combined with my Denon AVR400 & Sony BDP-S5100 Blu Ray player.

I'd appreciate your opinions...

Regards,
DSD

 

[afterlife2]

Hi DSD! What is your budget?

 

[zhimbo]

The 60" Panasonic ST60 Plasma would be what I would get right now, before Panasonic Plasma is no more. (It's also CNET.com's "strongest TV recommendation ever.") That's in the $1400-ish range. If money is no object, the VT or ZT line. If $1400 is out of your range...the answer isn't as clear.

 

[afterlife2]

Not 60, but...Depending on your budget. This looks like a great deal and what you may be looking for. No 3D and no Smart TV: Samsung 51" Class 5034" Diag. Plasma 1080p 600Hz HDTV PN51F5300AFXZA - Best Buy

 

[DeepSeaDan]

Hi DSD! What is your budget?

Up to $2500.00...I have a 50" Panny plasma in the basement; I need a new TV for my main-floor family room, which receives considerable light for the 1st half of the day ( the windows face East, though the TV has most of it's back to the light... ), thus I figured an LED would be more suitable.

DSD

 

[afterlife2]

I'd say save some money and get this. They have rave reviews for the M series: VIZIO MSeries 50" Class 4912" Diag. LED 1080p 240Hz Smart 3D HDTV M501d-A2R - Best Buy
or
Amazon.com: VIZIO M601d-A3R 60-Inch 1080p 240Hz 3D Smart LED HDTV: Electronics

 

[ratm]

At that price range, I'd opt for a 60 inch Samsung F8500 (but only because you said you have some daytime light issues). However, if you can swing a 65 incher, I'd get the VT65 for even less.

Amazon.com: Panasonic TC-P65VT60 65-Inch 1080p 600Hz 3D Smart Plasma HDTV (Includes 2 Pairs of 3D Active Glasses and Built-in Camera): Electronics

Amazon.com: Samsung PN60F8500 60-Inch 1080p 600Hz 3D Smart Plasma HDTV: Electronics

 

[loboblast]

The 60" Panasonic ST60 Plasma would be what I would get right now, before Panasonic Plasma is no more. (It's also CNET.com's "strongest TV recommendation ever.") That's in the $1400-ish range. If money is no object, the VT or ZT line. If $1400 is out of your range...the answer isn't as clear.

I've been reading several forums regarding this topic and that's pretty much what everyone suggests in terms of getting the best plasma for that size and price. However, I'm wondering if you're really getting that much better a TV compared to this offer.

Microcenter is offering the LG 60PN5300 60" 1080p Plasma TV for $599+tax. I know the Panny is better than LG but the question I have is.

Is it really $900 better?? I don't mind paying $200 or $300 more for the ST60. But damn near $1000 more?? That's a pretty big gap.

 

[Pyrrho]

I've been reading several forums regarding this topic and that's pretty much what everyone suggests in terms of getting the best plasma for that size and price. However, I'm wondering if you're really getting that much better a TV compared to this offer.

Microcenter is offering the LG 60PN5300 60" 1080p Plasma TV for $599+tax. I know the Panny is better than LG but the question I have is.

Is it really $900 better?? I don't mind paying $200 or $300 more for the ST60. But damn near $1000 more?? That's a pretty big gap.

Panasonic is not only going to give you a better picture, it will also be more reliable. How much is that worth to you, to have a TV that will likely be trouble-free, versus one that will be more likely to fail or cause problems? I would rather have a bottom of the line Panasonic TV than a top of the line LG TV.

 

[zhimbo]

That's...really cheap! Good question. It's a big TV for about $600,and sometimes big is enough. I can find only 1 professional review (PCMag). It sounds like a mediocre performer with few features and limited connectivity. No big surprise for the price. If I wanted to save some bucks, something like the $900-ish Vizio or Sharp LED-LCDs sound like a step up, really, for still a lot less than the ST series. Also, Pyrrho makes a good point. LG is not renowned for reliability.

 

[BMXTRIX]

Is it really $900 better?? I don't mind paying $200 or $300 more for the ST60. But damn near $1000 more?? That's a pretty big gap.

Yes, it is easily that much better. In fact, it's $10,000 better or more.

LG consistently leads the way in making some of the lowest quality displays on the market. While they often LOOK good, they have, by far, the highest failure rate of any major manufacturer I have ever encountered. So, while a Panasonic may very well last you 10-15+ years, I have personally seen half a dozen or more LG displays owned by friends fail within just a few years of ownership, outside the LG warranty period. Power supply failures is one of the biggest issues I've seen, but it's included the boards going bad creating dead pixel lines on screen.

I would not get LG, I would not recommend LG, and the LG brand sits in line with cheap store brands, well below the value brand Vizio, and so far behind Samsung and Panasonic it's ridiculous.

No, I would not get the LG or recommend it.