TV Suggestions 4500-7k budget

[Beatmatcher247]

Looking for some suggestions for a display. I currently have a 50" Panasonic Viera plasma. One I found a great deal on back in 2010, for $700. Well, it is the weakest link in my listening/movie room. I sit between 8' and 10' away. 3D is not important to me, but I understand its a feature in most of the higher end TV's.

I really like the great plasmas blacks and image quality but at the same time the LEDS have come a long ways since they've come out. I use it for 20% movies, 15% regular 1080P tv programming, and 30% of the time for playing games on my PC, and 35% of the time running milkdrop visualizations on winamp while I listen to music.

I love my plasma for movies but I find it really hard to make out enemies on Battlefield 3. I could go either way LED vs. Plasma. I would be willing to spend more on something I'd be really happy with for a while. This needs to hold me over until I can afford my projector and screen 5 years.

 

[Crackerballer]

VT30. Trust me, unless you need bigger than 65", which at your distance you don't, then you can't go wrong with it.

 

[Beatmatcher247]

Am I going to see a big step-up from what I have with this unit? I want to be wowed every time I use it. lol. My value plasma is showing its, well, value

 

[its phillip]

the new Sharp Elites are very nice

 

[Crackerballer]

Am I going to see a big step-up from what I have with this unit? I want to be wowed every time I use it. lol. My value plasma is showing its, well, value

I have to be honest with you, I was impressed by the jacked up brightness LED LCDs in BestBuy while watching Avatar. I thought there wouldn't be a better picture. Then I got my VT30 home, hooked the PS3 up and threw in a slew of media.

Wow is not even the word. I'll geek out and say some of the scenery in Harry Potter might be the most amazing thing I have ever seen. I watch live sporting events in TWC's crappy 720p and am still blown away 8 months later.

I promise you if you buy the VT30, feed it a good source over HDMI, and tweek the settings to match your room, you will never wonder what it's like to own the Kuro, Sharp Elite, or any other TV previously released because you will know the picture CANNOT be any better.

The VT30 is the best purchase I have ever made aside from my wife's engagement ring.

 

[its phillip]

The VT30 and Samsung D8000/7000 are very good (as is the Sharp Elite).

Here are the results of Value Electronics' 2011 HDTV shootout:

http://www.valueelectronics.com/images/pdf/VE 2011 shoot-out results.pdf
Value Electronics HDTV Shootout page

The Sharp Elite took the win, but the VT30 and D8000 came close.

 

[Crackerballer]

The VT30 and Samsung D8000/7000 are very good

The Sharp Elite took the win, but the VT30 and D8000 came close.

Of course it did, but it's $1500 more (was $2000 more on release) for 5'' of less screen real estate. I've seen one in person, and the price difference of $1400 now still is not worth it in my opinion.

 

[BMXTRIX]

There are three TVs worth calling 'top shelf' and they are the Sharp Elite series, the Panasonic VT series and the Samsung D8000 series. The Panasonic GT series and Samsung D7000 are excellent higher end mid models.

I just can't go with LCD under the belief that it WILL do a better job than plasma for most viewing, so I stick with plasma as my top shelf primary display. The Samsung D8000 (64") or Panasonic 65" VT30 series is a great choice.

Since I just enjoy TV and the larger size, I will likely opt for the 80" Sharp at some point in the next year or two if my budget can handle it, as it is a good looking display, but for a great looking display, Panasonic and Samsung are where its at.

 

[Crackerballer]

I auditioned the D8000 Samsung at the same time as my VT30. Great TV, I feel the Panasonic is marginally better. Honestly, I'd get whichever one was cheaper, unless the difference was less than $200.

 

[Beatmatcher247]

Panasonic 65VT30 for 2738 from buyriteappliances.com

The reviews look good, but does that sound too good to be true?

 

[GlocksRock]

Get the new 80" sharp aquos, nice and big, and great picture.

 

[Crackerballer]

Panasonic 65VT30 for 2738 from buyriteappliances.com

The reviews look good, but does that sound too good to be true?

No sounds about right. I paid $4000 for mine and 2 months later it dropped $500. That sounds about right, it's like $3,000 on Amazon.

 

[Crackerballer]

Get the new 80" sharp aquos, nice and big, and great picture.

You don't need a TV that big sitting 8-10 feet away

 

[Beatmatcher247]

You've had no issues with black levels fading in quality? That's about the only qualm I have about it so far. Otherwise, I'm pretty well decided on it.

 

[jinjuku]

Can you do a projector? 108" screen?

JVC DLA-RS45U $3500 and a ~$700 108" screen.

 

[Crackerballer]

You've had no issues with black levels fading in quality? That's about the only qualm I have about it so far. Otherwise, I'm pretty well decided on it.

Nope, none that I have noticed. I really took the time the other night to look at that. The black levels are great and my TV is normally on 6 hours a day, 5 days a week and then more on weekends.

For the price, you will not find a better TV. Head into Best Buy and check the picture, it's amazing.

 

[Beatmatcher247]

I do have plans for a projector but not until I can afford to build a custom home and route wiring how I want to. That's part of my home theater end game.

 

[GlocksRock]

You don't need a TV that big sitting 8-10 feet away

Who said anything about need, besides the 70" is just as good and about half the price.

 

[Junior19]

I have had my Samsung 64" 8000 series plasma for 6 months now and love it, the VT30 is a great TV, I just got a better deal on the Samsung $2k at Bestbuy.

The Elites are nice, but overpriced in my opinion, stuck it next to a VT30 and 8000 Samsung and not much difference for 3 times the price.

The large Aquous Tv's are cool, big, with a not so great picture, their selling point is on the big screen size.

for the money you cant go wrong with a VT30 or Samsung 8000 Series Plasma, take the extra cash from your budget and spend it on something else.

Just my .02 from a Samsung 8000 Series owner

 

[BMXTRIX]

I suppose it is worth saying that I have a D7000 series Samsung and I have experienced zero issues with it in the past half year of ownership. I replaced a Pioneer 60" 6070 display that my kids destroyed. (RIP)

So, I think I have a fair basis for comparison of a solid display previously and I'm truly still very happy with the Samsung right now. Zero issues, zero headaches, it's probably on 6 hours or more a day with my family viewing mostly TV shows and doing perhaps 1-2 hours of gaming several days a week. No issues at all. Really worth consideration unless you want the few extra features the D8000 offers.