Newb Looking for 60" HDTV Around $1000 (1 Viewer)

[Joeman37]

I have about $1000 to spend on an HDTV and want 60", may consider 55" if the picture quality is that much better but the 60" LOOK so much bigger than a 55". I am currently running a 27" Samsung SDTV that I bought in '97 and it has served me well. However I just bought a PS3 and it is not cutting it on the old girl. I have no need for a smart TV nor a 3D tv. Sound quality is not an issue as I have a HTiB. Plasma or LED/LCD? I have been reading that Plasma is the way to go for picture quality but how is plasma for video gaming? I will also be hooking up my gaming PC to it as well as the PS3 and a Wii. I have a Onkyo 7.1 HTiB that will be replacing my equally old JVC 5.1 HTiB that has always disappointed me. I have no need for a smart TV as my PC, PS3, or BluRay player offer all the internet bells and whistles I could ever desire. I have been eyeballing the Panasonic TC-P60U50 and the price is attractive at about $900. I haven't been able to find it cheaper than that. So bottom line I am looking for a dumb HDTV at 60" with no other caveats other than I have a 1000 dollar budget. Also I have no interest in 3D so that is not a requirement and from what I have been looking at out of my budget at this size anyway. Also sound quality is not an issue. What is the expected lifespan of a modern Plasma TV that gets say five hours of use per day? I remember when Plasmas came out they got tagged with a short lifespan. I've gotten 15 years out of my Samsung and been spoiled I guess. Thanks in advance for any responses, -Joe

 

[Michael TLV]

Greetings Although plasma is better for gaming ... speed/responsiveness wise ... gaming is not good for plasma on the image retention-burn in side. Get an LED/LCD set if you game a lot. Image quality becomes secondary here since most game makers don't care what their games look like on the tvs at home ... color wise. IF they don't care ... even if you did ... it wouldn't matter. Consider an LG one for gaming due to their IPS screens. regards

 

[Joeman37]

Thank you for the reply Michael, I consider myself a casual gamer so it won't be used for a ton of gaming, although I have been playing a lot of Skylanders with my son and we are doing an hour or so an evening with that. It comes and goes. I will play hard core when I have time and do as much as 15 hours in a week or I can go a month without playing anything. That is why I waited so long to get a PS3, I used to be an avid gamer and play 20 hours a week easily every week but real life took over and I find myself gaming less and less frequently. -Joe

 

[schan1269]

With "that much gaming" you are safe with a plasma...if...(and the big if) You let it have 200hrs-ish of normal TV to get broken in. Do that and your 1hr of gaming won't phase it. If you were gaming 3-4hrs a day...then yeah, get a LCD.

 

[Joeman37]

It might hit as much as 5-6 a day on a weekend day here or there, especially with it being winter time. Any suggestions on an LCD in my price range if I want to be safe? Thanks, -Joe

 

[schan1269]

5-6 hours, once in a while is fine. Just don't pause the game and leave it. When you take "pee-breaks"...put the TV on your cable/sat box while away...(you should do that on a LCD anyway...they aren't supposed to get static images either....but it takes days on a LCD for burn in...like 5-6 days...)

 

[Joeman37]

I've never suffered burn in on a tube TV or old school CRT monitor with 20 some years of gaming. I have always been careful about that. Thanks for the feedback. -Joe

 

[mechamacbeth]

The panasonic U50 is what I would go with. The picture quality is really great for a tv under $1000. It doesn't have 3d. It also doesn't have any smart functions, but your gaming system will make up for that. It is a plasma, but like the other poster said break it in bit with regular tv viewing. Saw the 60" at wal mart for $899.

 

[Joeman37]

I found a place with the Panasonic online for $900 with free shipping so I may go that route. I will be holding off to see if it goes on sale anywhere before the Superbowl. I've been reading a lot about modern plasma TVs and I think I will be ok if I break it in properly. Does anyone have a suggestion for leaving it on while I am at work? I've seen mention of a color DVD that just runs a full screen of color for a few seconds and then switches to another and repeats. Is there such a thing out there? From what I have been reading I do not think I will have an issue with the amount of gaming I do and it seems short term image retention is more common than burn in and only lasts a few minutes after you switch to TV or a movie. Thanks, -Joe

 

[Sam Posten]

Woah there. What place? There is a big difference between Amazon and "Big Jim's Discount House o' TVs" in Brooklyn NY. Who specifically are you getting this deal from? What does reseller ratings have to say about them?

 

[Joeman37]

B&H photo video and audio out of NY. 5 star rating on over 36k reviews on google shopping. 9.73/10 at reseller ratings 44k plus ratings there. This is for the Panasonic TC-P60U50. -Joe

 

[Sam Posten]

OK, carry on =)

 

[Joeman37]

The Panasonic looks to be the same TV as Sam's has: http://www.samsclub.com/sams/60-600hz-plasma-tv-1080p-2-hdmi/prod7950213.ip?navAction=push I maybe just get one there. I have several friends with a card for them. Interestingly enough Amazon has Panasonic TV's on sale but not this one BUT they no longer list the TC-P60U50 as being available from them only "select" sellers. I have been checking the set there daily and they never had it listed as "order soon X number left in stock" so I am hoping they have a promo on it soon and I will pull the trigger. -Joe

 

[schan1269]

Amazon doesn't stock Panasonic. They "third party drop ship" from their supplier, just like they do LG, Toshiba, Hitachi and Haier. So if it "went missing" it means their supplier ran out...which this time of year...is when NIB stock starts drying up.

 

[schan1269]

Oh yeah, the reason "online retailers" start running out is because B&M start buying up all the remaining stock so they can run their "come pick it up from us for the SuperBowl"....

 

[Joeman37]

Amazon doesn't stock Panasonic. They "third party drop ship" from their supplier, just like they do LG, Toshiba, Hitachi and Haier. So if it "went missing" it means their supplier ran out...which this time of year...is when NIB stock starts drying up.

Other Panasonic sets show "Ships from and sold by Amazon" I thought that meant they stocked it. I thought if it said shipped from "X" then it was a third party. -Joe

 

[schan1269]

Amazons sells stuff directly and "Joe's Television Store" can also sell on Amazon. I worked for the main wholesaler of Panny/LG/Yamaha/Pioneer and "bunch of others"... Even the majority of "Joe's Television Store" TVs came from us. Why? If you line in California and "Joe's Television Store" is in Brooklyn... Where is Joe going to send the TV from? Brooklyn? Or City of Industry, CA (where the CA warehouse is)? And the TV "shipped from City of Industry" is shipped with a label that says it came from Brooklyn. "Third party drop ship" has existed since before ships were wind powered.

 

[Joeman37]

OK That makes sense. If nothing else I will wait a little and see if I find a better price on a sale or something, if not then Sam's club. -Joe

 

[Joeman37]

$799 shipped from Fry's. Just ordered it. I have not seen it go on sale anywhere else recently. Hope it doesn't show up cheaper somewhere else or I will be kicking myself for not waiting. An eBay seller did have these last week for $800 shipped but I was a day late to that party. Thanks for the advice guys. This weekend I will be picking up some wood and building an entertainment center/stand for it! -Joe