Panasonic 42PZ77U or 50PX75U?

[gus6464]

Sears is letting us return the tosh and pick out another tv so I was thinking about the 42PZ77U which is 1080p. But if we pay 80 bucks more we can get the 720p 50PX75U. Our couch is about 10-11ft away from the tv, should I just get the 50in 720p as I won't notice the difference?

What do you guys think I should do?

 

[zildjian]

I think you're on the right track. I'd go with the 50" even if it's 720p if you're 11' away. The extra screen size I think would make a much larger impact on your viewing experience than the increased resolution at that distance.

 

[AVRat]

Ditto that.

 

[Adam]

Everything else being equal except for the resolution, I'd also suggest the 50". I would recommend going to see those TVs in person, though, because the 42PZ77U is this year's model and has the anti-glare filter. I don't think that the 50PX75U has that (although it might have some anti-reflective coating).

BTW, I'm no expert on these things and haven't seen them in person, yet. I have been doing some research on them, though, and just wanted to mention that.

 

[gus6464]

Thanks for the help guys, we ended up getting the 50PX75U. We checked it out at the store and compared it to the 42PZ77U (1080p) and from 10ft distance we really couldn't tell a difference. We were lucky that they had the 50PZ700U right next to it so we did a side by side compare between 720p and 1080p and it was the same.

The one thing that we really liked was the SD PQ of the set. The sales guy put on an analog 480i feed and it looked very good. The LCD's around it had horrible PQ on the same feed, just horrid.

The only thing is that it only has 2 hdmi inputs and our old one had 3 which were all used. I shouldn't see a decrease in PQ if I connect our SA 8300HDC box with component right? We need the 2 hdmi's for our PS3 and our upconverting DVD player which we use to watch 720p divx.

Sears will be delivering it on saturday so I will have some pics by then.

 

[zildjian]

I shouldn't see a decrease in PQ if I connect our SA 8300HDC box with component right?

Shouldn't be a change in video quality at all between HDMI and component pending the source is the same.

 

[annunaki]

Sears is letting us return the tosh and pick out another tv so I was thinking about the 42PZ77U which is 1080p. But if we pay 80 bucks more we can get the 720p 50PX75U. Our couch is about 10-11ft away from the tv, should I just get the 50in 720p as I won't notice the difference?

What do you guys think I should do?

In a recent review by "Home Theater Magazine" they suggested that if looking at the 42" Panasonic displays the 720p version was a better performing unit than the 1080p version. They said save your money as the 720p set they tested previously outperformed the 1080p set where it counted (black level color accuracy, gray scale etc.). All the 1080p set did was give you 1080p capability but at a sacrafice. ( I will have to dig out the article.) Not to mention it (1080p) is essentially useless at an 8ft. viewing distance in a set of that size (42"). As for the 50" it might not hurt to get the 1080p version as its effects can be seen. However if you do not have any 1080p viewing sources, or do not plan on having any, save the money any use 720p or 1080i with the 50PX75U. In any case it will be a really nice picture.

Edit: I have found that my distributor has made an error listing the 42PX77U as a 720P set when in fact it IS a 1080p set. Sorry.

 

[gus6464]

In a recent review by "Home Theater Magazine" they suggested that if looking at the 42" Panasonic displays the 720p version was a better performing unit than the 1080p version. They said save your money as the 720p set they tested previously outperformed the 1080p set where it counted (black level color accuracy, gray scale etc.). All the 1080p set did was give you 1080p capability but at a sacrafice. ( I will have to dig out the article.) Not to mention it (1080p) is essentially useless at an 8ft. viewing distance in a set of that size (42"). As for the 50" it might not hurt to get the 1080p version as its effects can be seen. However if you do not have any 1080p viewing sources, or do not plan on having any, save the money any use 720p or 1080i with the 50PX75U. In any case it will be a really nice picture.

Edit: I have found that my distributor has made an error listing the 42PX77U as a 720P set when in fact it IS a 1080p set. Sorry.

Well we do have a PS3 and I am trying to get an Xbox360 for xmas if my wife lets me so later on I might just get the hd-dvd addon for it. Since we got the 720p 50" do you think I will notice the difference at 10ft? Also should I feed a 720p signal from the PS3 or do 1080p and let the tv just downconvert to 720p?

 

[annunaki]

To be honest I would try it both ways and see which way looks best. Perhaps there may be a difference?

Congrats on your purchase! I do not think you have much to be worried about. I also do not think you have much to be concerned about at that viewing distance either.