My Plasma is dead...time for a new TV (1 Viewer)

[Robert Crawford]

My 2012 50 inch Panny plasma (3D model) died the day after Christmas. Coincidence? I wonder. 5 years is way too short of a lifespan for a TV. Since I had recently bought a 3D projector, it was no great loss and the plasma was suffering from station logo burn-in. I replaced it with a very cheap 4K TV even though I have no 4K setup.

Are there new 50" displays that aren't 4K displays? If so they I would think they're low in numbers.

 

[DaveF]

Honestly, I replaced my Plasma with a 75" FALD and while I have some regrets, it's time to get over thinking Plasma beats OLED blacks. NO WAY IN HELL. OLED blacks destroy plasma if for no other reason than that you get HDR along for the ride for free.

My understanding is that good OLED has been a worthy and practical Plasma replacement for two years now.

I’m just waiting to do 4K all at once. I don’t want to piecemeal the house — particularly I don’t want a UHD living room tv and an HD projector. That will cause me emotional problems, require expensive counseling, that will only postpone getting a 4K projector.

 

[Tony Bensley]

My 2012 50 inch Panny plasma (3D model) died the day after Christmas. Coincidence? I wonder. 5 years is way too short of a lifespan for a TV. Since I had recently bought a 3D projector, it was no great loss and the plasma was suffering from station logo burn-in. I replaced it with a very cheap 4K TV even though I have no 4K setup.

I agree that 5 years is way too short a shelf life for a TV. While we technically got our first HD TV in 2008, I don't consider the Bedroom relegated 19 Inch 720p Sharp Model an auspicious debut, even by my (purely out of financial necessity) low standards. For around the same $350 price tag as the Sharp TV, we purchased our 32 Inch 720p Toshiba in the first week of November 2012, which in our living room, replaced the slightly dented (It had fallen out of our slightly too thin Entertainment Center Shelving setup!) silver-ish 20 Inch Toshiba CRT Model, which promptly went to the recycler.

As of January 2018, both LCD Models are still operational.

CHEERS!

 

[Sky King]

I've had my Panasonic ST30 plasma since 2013 and it still continues to perform beautifully, with both 2D and 3D movies. When the time comes, which I hope is many years from now, I'll look for a 3D projector since I'm not going to give up on 3D just because the TV manufacturers did.

 

[Bob Bielski]

oh well didn't post quick enough. I hate Vizios. I have a 2010 Samsung plasma 3D display, I had it calibrated by Jim Dolittle who lives near me he did my CRT a couple yrs earlier. His colorimeter costs 13000$ and he is a friend of Joe Kane. Was around in the beggining of ISF upstart. After his calibration I thought everything was pretty fine except the contrast. He stated that a 58 inch plasma should put out a certain amounts of nits. I believe a measurement of white level. I got a teriffic test disc by Spears and Munsil 1st edition and it contained a test pattern that I think is paramount for displays. It is a test for clipping. Tells you when you are driving the power supply too hard and clipping the waveform. When you clip, you not only kill the power supply, shorten it's life but are cutting off part of the video information as well. My set is still running fine and I would highly suggest you guys get these discs and use the clipping pattern to run your display in a linear power mode.

 

[atfree]

Watching Longmire on Netflix in 4K on the new Vizio. Color me impressed.

 

[Jim*Tod]

I have had my ST30 50" for a little over six years and I still find it impressive. I set up calibration based on settings recommended online. I continue to be impressed by the quality of this display... just watched the blu ray of BARRY LYNDON. I have only recently started watching 3-D on this set and have found it equally excellent. I hope it will last a while.... and that once the time comes OLED will be available at an affordable price.

 

[atfree]

Since buying the Vizio, I ended up going full 4k. Just purchased a Nakamichi Shockwafe Pro DTS:X soundbar (received a surprise stock bonus at work), and found a 4k UHD LG UP875 player for $99 at Best Buy. Here's the new line-up:

View media item 4806View media item 4805View media item 4807

 

[questrider]

I have a Panasonic TC-P50G25 plasma from 2010 that is still kicking. I love it. However, I too experienced the shutting off with a loud pop in early 2014. (It sounded like an old flash bulb from the 30s-40s popping.) I had a board replaced at an authorized Panasonic service center and it's been purring beautifully ever since. Would do the same thing if it ever happens again but I'm not sure if these OEM boards are even being produced by Panasonic in 2018 anymore or if everything is refurbished. When push comes to shove, I am going to have to upgrade to an OLED eventually. If it was tomorrow I'd get an LG OLED65C7P.

I'm now going to go outside and chant and dance in the waxing crescent moonglow while I knock on wood for the life of my dear Panny plasma.

Pictures at eleven.

 

[Bryan^H]

This morning my 2012 era Panny 46 inch ST30 series plasma made a loud popping noise and went off. Won't come back on, although the red power light is lit. Figure it's time for a new TV.

Have spent the morning surfing the net, looking for a replacement, subject to the following:

1- Can't be over 50 inches as we have a heirloom oak TV armoire that houses our TV in the living room. My wife will NOT give this up (it is gorgeous and we get more compliments on the armoire than we ever will on a TV).
2- 4k with HDR so I'm future proof as can be.
3- $1000 budget, less if possible. While I'd love to go OLED, my kids college tuition is a little more important right now.

After my research, I've narrowed my list to:

1- Sony X900E, 49 inch, $949 at Best Buy
2- Vizio M-Series, 50 inch, $579 at Costco and Best Buy
3- Samsung XU7000, 49 inch, $599 at Best Buy
4- Samung XU8000, 49 inch, $999 at Best Buy

My first impulse is the Sony, but in looking at them side by side at Best Buy today and comparing specs, I'm just not sure if its $400 better than the Vizio. We mainly watch TV content (Directv), blu-rays (I'm not upgrading to UHD discs), and streaming (Netflix, Amazon). I'd say about 80% TV, 15% discs, 5% streaming.

My biggest heartburn is that I'm just going to miss my plasma.

It really makes me smile when I think that I have been "replacing" my television sets on average most lasting 5-8 years for the last twenty years. That is crazy. I think back to my family console CRT sets growing up that used to last forever...15 years minimum. With my parents changing the Zenith because it looked outdated, not because it conked out.

Of course the video quality of TV's nowadays is slightly better than in the 70's, and 80's

 

[Worth]

It really makes me smile when I think that I have been "replacing" my television sets on average most lasting 5-8 years for the last twenty years. That is crazy. I think back to my family console CRT sets growing up that used to last forever...15 years minimum. With my parents changing the Zenith because it looked outdated, not because it conked out.

Of course the video quality of TV's nowadays is slightly better than in the 70's, and 80's

They're also a lot cheaper now, adjusted for inflation. In the early 80s, a 20" colour set was about $400, which is about $1000 today.