My dilemma: Panasonic ZT vs. Samsung F8500 (1 Viewer)

[Ronald Epstein]

Ron fair enough, but my advice still holds. We'll see a whole new batch of 1080p Plasma's refreshed in 2 weeks too.

My swap date is January 8th. So, if it is before that date there is a possibility.

If not -- no possibility. I will be 60 days behind on making the exchange by that date.

I don't see anything coming out that will put the Panasonic ZT60 or the Samsung F8500 to shame.

In fact, from what I hear, Samsung is releasing the same display with less bells and whistles for
a lower price.

 

[schan1269]

What I hope(haha) is that somebody has the guts to reattempt what Hitachi(essentially died) trying to do with their Director Series.

I just want a display with 1 HDMI and no tuner. Please...somebody.

 

[RickardL]

Rickard,

How does the 3D look on your F8500?

I hear all kinds of complaints about crosstalk and brightness pops in the 3D.

Are you seeing any of that? Are you completely satisfied with the 3D?

I am not big fan of 3D so I am still using an Oppo BDP-83 (no 3D) so can't comment on "real" 3D.
But I have tried the 2D->3D conversion a few times and I guess it looks ok.
No artefacts or strange visual oddities as far as I have seen but again, I am not your best 3D reference...

 

[Todd Erwin]

Ron, any thought of the Sony 65F850 4k? The passive 3D on that set was amazing.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Todd,

I can't even find a display with that model number using Google Search.

 

[schan1269]

Probably meant the X850...Still LCD.

 

[Todd Erwin]

Yes, it was 65X850.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Todd,

I could probably make an even trade between the two displays, but
I feel rather uncomfortable about buying one of the earliest 4K displays.

The reviews I have read on Amazon do indicate that any off-axis viewing
decreases picture quality dramatically. I do sit on a couch directly even
with the display so I am not too certain this will be a factor...

...but it almost feels as if I am going from a high-end plasma to a low-end
LCD display.

 

[FoxyMulder]

These early 4K sets do not meet Rec 2020 requirements, i would wait two, three or four years for software to be released and for OLED displays to come down in price to plasma levels.

 

[RickardL]

Ronald, maybe you should talk to someone more unbiased?
I think Kevin Miller wrote a solid review earlier this year: http://www.tweaktv.com/in-dspth-hdtv-reviews/preliminary-review-of-samsungs-new-pn60f8500-plasma.html
Also, note that the latest batch of firmware updates seems to have upped the PQ quite a bit if some posts are to believed.

If you have good dealer, I would suggest that you ask them to unpack a sample unit and have them check it out for potential issues.
After that, you could visit them and see it with your own eyes and then decide what to do.
If they want to keep you as a happy customer, I bet they will go the extra mile to make sure that you are satisfied with your purchase.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Rickard,

I would hate to have the retailer unpack the unit and then I am ultimately dissatisfied
and they now have an open box unit to sell rather than a new one.

I am very concerned about a lot of the reported issues with the F8500.

 

[RickardL]

Rickard,

I would hate to have the retailer unpack the unit and then I am ultimately dissatisfied
and they now have an open box unit to sell rather than a new one.

I am very concerned about a lot of the reported issues with the F8500.

Well, think of the alternative: they ship it to you and you end up dissatisfied and it has to go back again.
They still end up with an open box, right?
If they check it first for you, it would save them shipping it back and forth.
And if there were any issues deemed as defects, they would still need to ship it back to Samsung anyway.

Besides any undetected 3D issues, I don't have a single complaint with my TV. Except that I wish it was a 74" set instead of 64"...

 

[schan1269]

Wait...now the F8500 has issues?

A Samsung has issues?

(kidding...and serious at the same time...as I couldn't care less about Samsung, so whatever the issue is...I have no idea)

 

[Robert Crawford]

Ron,

If you allow them to do so, too many fans of certain brands can muddy your waters. So go with your gut and take your time to make the best decision for you because if you look hard enough, no display is perfect in every way.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Here is the big problem...

Once I swap out the ZT60 for the F8500 there is no going backwards.

If that F8500 has any problems or it doesn't look as good as the ZT60, I am basically screwed.

Of course, there's a chance it will be many times better than the ZT60.

It's not like I bought this display locally. I am going to be paying a fee to have the retailer swap out the displays (including setup).

There's quite a bit of chatter on the other forums about people having problems with the F8500. They include 3D crosstalk, 3D bright hot spots, panel buzzing and floating blacks. There's more similar complaints being posted daily. The only complaints I am reading about the ZT60 is that some of them arrived with cracked screens and some of them have fan noise.

Basically, my ZT60 is perfect. Not very happy with the overall light output of this display even in a totally darkened room. But, I am talking with a calibrator who has been known to be able to calibrate these sets brighter.

My gut still says that the F8500 has the sharper picture. However, many have also reported that the Samsung picture has more of a "soap opera" look to it wheras the ZT60 has a more softer, cinematic film-look to it. I prefer the cinema look.

Do I have time to hop on two trains to get to the retailer, unbox the Samsung at the store and go through it with a fine tooth-comb? Not really, but I may consider it. On the other hand, I may just say "F---it" and keep the ZT60 and get it calibrated brighter.

The grass is not always greener on the other side and I am not certain I want to cross that fence.

 

[Sam Posten]

Here's the ultimate issue here: you have read too many reviews and care more about what other people think than what you do.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Here's the ultimate issue here: you have read too many reviews and care more about what other people think than what you do.

True with the initial decision to buy the ZT60. Very true.

My gut told me that the F8500 looked better. But I listened to the advice of people I had thought knew plasmas better than I and they were telling me that nothing could beat the ZT60 and/or that I should not judge displays in a lit store environment.

But now, that statement does not exactly hold true. I am in a very dangerous position if I trade out this set and get a faulty Samsung. There are too many real-world complaints about the display at the moment for me to take the risk.

 

[Reed Grele]

Ron,

An old cliche' applies here... I feel your pain! But the grass is greener in DLP land.

You have already stated that you won't tread there. But trust me. I was as firmly entrenched as you in the plasma (and, also in my case, LCD) 3D camp for almost 3 years. I thought that nothing would improve upon what I already had, and that I'd just have to live with some 3D crosstalk. I was wrong.

I wish you the best of luck with whichever set you finally decide upon. Hopefully, you'll end up with good blacks, and brightness. But be prepared for a compromise concerning 3D crosstalk. I have yet to see, with my own eyes, a plasma or LCD set that will display 3D with absolute perfection all of the time.

To paraphrase Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls: Try DLP. You will thank me.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Ron,

An old cliche' applies here... I feel your pain! But the grass is greener in DLP land.

You have already stated that you won't tread there. But trust me. I was as firmly entrenched as you in the plasma (and, also in my case, LCD) 3D camp for almost 3 years. I thought that nothing would improve upon what I already had, and that I'd just have to live with some 3D crosstalk. I was wrong.

I wish you the best of luck with whichever set you finally decide upon. Hopefully, you'll end up with good blacks, and brightness. But be prepared for a compromise concerning 3D crosstalk. I have yet to see, with my own eyes, a plasma or LCD set that will display 3D with absolute perfection all of the time.

To paraphrase Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls: Try DLP. You will thank me.

Ron, had a DLP before getting the LG. He knows full well how good of a picture the DLP puts out.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Oh, I had a DLP several years ago as well.

I know how good the picture is.

Thing is, if you think Plasma is outdated....

What is being recommended in the 65" range for DLP?