Panasonic's 2009 Plasma Lineup

[Guest ferni]

Just picked up a TC-P42G10 for $1640 from JB-HiFi with total of 5 years warranty.

Hopefully that was a decent deal.

Colour reproduction is very good (including black levels)

Blu-Ray playback is good - 1080p output signal with TV picture scaling to 720p (only tested it out with Harry Potter 1 - will have to try newer movies)

Let you guys know more as I play around with it.

How long have they had them in stock? What was the sticker price? Did you have to bargin much? Did they have the 50"? Which JB was it?

[bR3yA]

Just picked up a TC-P42G10 for $1640 from JB-HiFi with total of 5 years warranty.

Hopefully that was a decent deal.

Colour reproduction is very good (including black levels)

Blu-Ray playback is good - 1080p output signal with TV picture scaling to 720p (only tested it out with Harry Potter 1 - will have to try newer movies)

Let you guys know more as I play around with it.

Haha, you know whats funny - the fact that I just posted the completly wrong model...ahh if only

Actually got a TH-P42X10A (as the box says)

Sorry to get your hopes up

I can tell you more if your still interested...

Edited April 19, 2009 by bR3yA

[Guest ferni]

Haha, you know whats funny - the fact that I just posted the completly wrong model...ahh if only

Actually got a TH-P42X10A (as the box says)

Sorry to get your hopes up

I can tell you more if your still interested...

Yes please? See Questions above.

[bR3yA]

Yes please? See Questions above.

How long have they had them in stock?

3 Days

What was the sticker price?

$1799 - 42" (Plasma)

$1299 - 32" (LCD)

Did you have to bargin much?

I haggeled quite a bit

Did they have the 50"?

Only the 32" and the 42"

Which JB was it?

Ringwood

There is apparently no 32" stock in any store - the display model was purchased infront of me, they wont get any in for at least 2 weeks

There are some 42" in stock so should be able to get one transfered from another store

[bertzz99]

Yes there are plenty of posts about the new Panasonics on AVS, however if you want to read some by a guy who has a clue read the posts by DNice, he is a pro calibrator and owns Kuros and a brand new G12 Panasonic, you will then get a better idea of the relative merits of the Panasonics compared to G8 and G9 Kuro’s.

The new Panasonics appear to offer comparable performance to the old G8 Kuro, well close enough that most people would not care, however the G9 Kuro is significantly better for black level and overall image quality.

If one display shows more shadow detail then another the display gamma is different, nothing more. There is a standard for gamma and too much shadow detail is as bad as too little, gamma is adjustable on the Kuro.

I dont prescribe to any particular type of review or site and like to get the perspective from many angles (calibrators like Chad and DNice as well as reviews like CNet, HDGuru and lastly the views of average users). All these angles are covered very well in the posts at AVS, here below is a very specific post about the blacks and shadow detail from the HDGuru review which I found interesting.

Quote: "Black levels on the G10, Z800 and the Pioneer’s 60” Pro-141 are below my test equipment’s accuracy. However, the Pioneer’s black is deepest, followed by the new G10 with the Z800 coming in last. The deeper blacks of the Pioneer come at a cost. The Pioneer obscures details in some dark scenes where the G10 revealed every nook and cranny using the same dark content.

An example, the interrogation scene in the Blu-ray disc, Quantum of Solace. At times, the basement’s stone walls details were buried into black when viewing the Pioneer, while the textures were always visible on the Panasonic G10.

A related area of dark detail concerns the anti-reflective (AR) filter. Pioneer’s monitor produces a purplish cast that tinges both reflections and dark detail, the Panasonic G10’s AR filter provided excellent attenuation of reflections while maintaining color neutrality. Score another plus for Panasonic."

I posted a question on Panasonic Australia's website thinking that it would not get answered or get the standard email response "No details available at this time" but I am glad to say that I was wrong. Just got a call from a guy by the name of Gavin who seemed quite well informed. He advised that Panasonic bring in as many shipments as often as they choose to and that the current shortage was due to them not anticipating the high demand through the two promo's (why not is beyond me) and the factories closing down production of the old models and moving over to the new models. He also said that they were bringing in the X1 (already here), X14, G10, G15, V10, Z1 in various sizes between 42" and 65" between May and October. He had no specifics as to which ranges would come in which sizes as they are working through that now. Nor could he give specific release dates for ranges but said I should watch the Pana website for details.

[Vincenzo]

Thanks for the heads up, I definitely want the V10, hopefully I will have enough money to get one on Boxing Day sales.

[DaveH1]

Thanks for the heads up, I definitely want the V10, hopefully I will have enough money to get one on Boxing Day sales.

The G10 is on Digital Centre's website now, they've changed the X10 ads now to reflect they're not 1080p.

[Klawrence]

Called JB hifi Camberwell in Melbourne asked about the G10 availability and was told that they of course dont have them but are expecting the "1080p pana's in mid may". I was just wondering what prices people were anticipating for a G10 42" for example.

[laurie]

Funny how everyone talks about the Pioneer G9 when compared to the Pana at a retail outlet, the Pioneer out of the box to me looks fantastic so what is it going to look like when I get it ISF calibrated based on what on what I saw at the retailers I be watching a Panasonic right now!!

Pioneer -1st ISFccc PDP Manufacturer

cheers laurie

[Guest ferni]

I've been given prices for the G10 and S10.

42S10 ~2150

42G10 ~2350

50G10 ~3300

These aren't RRP, they are street prices....

[MatF]

Ouch ... I've got my eye on a 54" V10, but those prices are making me very uneasy

Edited April 21, 2009 by MatF

[Klawrence]

I've been given prices for the G10 and S10.

42S10 ~2150

42G10 ~2350

50G10 ~3300

These aren't RRP, they are street prices....

Thanks for that,

I guess i was expecting those sort of prices but hoped they were a bit cheaper. I dont know the context in which you got those prices, but i was wondering if you or anyone else out there thought that these price points were a result of the rudbux and new model effect? or basically, can anyone foresee those prices dropping a little?

[Vincenzo]

...

Edited April 22, 2009 by Vincenzo

[Vincenzo]

Ouch ... I've got my eye on a 54" V10, but those prices are making me very uneasy

Ditto

[bertzz99]

I've been given prices for the G10 and S10.

42S10 ~2150

42G10 ~2350

50G10 ~3300

These aren't RRP, they are street prices....

Based on a few factors I was estimating the 50G10 to have a street price of about $3000 and the 54G10 about $3600 at launch. These factors are - US street prices $1550 and about $2000 - in conjunction with the exchange rate (0.71) and the prices of last years models $2500 (50PZ800). If the above prices are in fact where they start, I would expect them to drop off quite quickly. Samsung are releasing a very competetive line of products in May as well and they are likely to be better priced 50B850 US$2000 and 58B560 US$2200 street prices. If Pana think they can come in at a $500 premium to the Sammy's then they better rethink their strategy! In addition, Pana cant expect people to pay $800 more for 2009 G10 compared to the PZ800, thats just not sound thinking. The manufacturing costs of these new panels are meant to be less than last year models as well. So this seems to be a bit of a rort if it eventuates.

[mooingchicken]

ok so after being told i wont be getting the tv that i have ordered the shop said they will supply us with the equivalent new model for the same price. the tv i ordered was the H46-PZ800 so i would assume the equivalent model would be the TC-P46G10?

Though i notice the G series dosnt have things like swivel base ect, whereas the V servies does. (but the V series dosnt come in 46")

[mackau]

My mother was going to Liverpool today, asked her to look into any electronic stores to see if they had any TH42PX80A available. They weren't but they did have the TH-P42X10A for $1580 from either Harvey Norman or (this is a quote from my mother) the "Asian Harvey Norman" whatever that is.

[purpleninja]

My mother was going to Liverpool today, asked her to look into any electronic stores to see if they had any TH42PX80A available. They weren't but they did have the TH-P42X10A for $1580 from either Harvey Norman or (this is a quote from my mother) the "Asian Harvey Norman" whatever that is.

Maybe she meant Bing Lee

[mackau]

Nah, I said Bing Lee and it wasn't that. Seemed to be one of those one-off non-chain stores.

[Klawrence]

I was searching the model number of the new samsung 2009 line up 42 inch plasmas (PS42B450B1D) in google and somehow i came across this section of the jb hi fi website called "jb hi fi commercial division" and i scrolled down and it appears to list all the models of the new gen panasonics X10, S10 and G10 series with their prices in AUD inc. GST. i'm not sure if this is anything new but i found it interesting none the less. Also the new samsung 2009 prices and models are there too but i dont know much about this range so ill leave the judging of the significance of this info to the educated.

link: http://www.jbcommercial.com.au/secure/inde...&catp_id=17

[fredofrog]

You had a FW update on the 7 series?

I think I did very early on (2008) because it's 2.04 now but was something else when I purchased it but cannot remember the exact code

[Basil1503559642]

I was searching the model number of the new samsung 2009 line up 42 inch plasmas (PS42B450B1D) in google and somehow i came across this section of the jb hi fi website called "jb hi fi commercial division" and i scrolled down and it appears to list all the models of the new gen panasonics X10, S10 and G10 series with their prices in AUD inc. GST. i'm not sure if this is anything new but i found it interesting none the less. Also the new samsung 2009 prices and models are there too but i dont know much about this range so ill leave the judging of the significance of this info to the educated.

link: http://www.jbcommercial.com.au/secure/inde...&catp_id=17

Good find,at least gives a 'ball park' figure for the new models.I haven't seen or heard of this site and my Nephew works part time for JB.!!

[Owen]

I dont prescribe to any particular type of review or site and like to get the perspective from many angles (calibrators like Chad and DNice as well as reviews like CNet, HDGuru and lastly the views of average users). All these angles are covered very well in the posts at AVS, here below is a very specific post about the blacks and shadow detail from the HDGuru review which I found interesting.

Quote: "Black levels on the G10, Z800 and the Pioneer’s 60” Pro-141 are below my test equipment’s accuracy. However, the Pioneer’s black is deepest, followed by the new G10 with the Z800 coming in last. The deeper blacks of the Pioneer come at a cost. The Pioneer obscures details in some dark scenes where the G10 revealed every nook and cranny using the same dark content.

What this does not mention is that there is quite a lot of difference between the Panasonic and Kuro G9 as far as black levels go, a factor of three or four times which is significant.

As I said before, shadow detail is controlled by gamma and it is adjustable on the Pioneers. There is a standard for gamma that should be adhered to if accuracy is valued; both too high and too low are not good. Displays that have the same gamma will have the same visible shadow detail, so if the Panasonic shows more shadow detail then a properly calibrated Pioneer gamma is incorrect on the Panasonic.

[teamjlf]

What this does not mention is that there is quite a lot of difference between the Panasonic and Kuro G9 as far as black levels go, a factor of three or four times which is significant.

As I said before, shadow detail is controlled by gamma and it is adjustable on the Pioneers. There is a standard for gamma that should be adhered to if accuracy is valued; both too high and too low are not good. Displays that have the same gamma will have the same visible shadow detail, so if the Panasonic shows more shadow detail then a properly calibrated Pioneer gamma is incorrect on the Panasonic.

But how does that affect the viewing experience ????............Is more black level more pleasing than greater detail ????........I think depending on the content / movie being watched........it can sometimes become quite irritating when details are masked by the DVD/BD player or by the TV itself. Its amazing how you can watch the same movie on 2 different settings and notice so many differences in the background with sundry details.

Personally , I'd love to see Michael Mann's "THE KEEP" on a good BD player on a properly calibrated Pana or Pioneer...........that's one "dark" movie......in both senses of the word.

[Owen]

If the display is calibrated properly for the ambient lighting (very important) and has “correct” gamma you will see everything you where intended to see in the image. Everything above video black should be visible at its correct level relative the bright parts of the image.

Having the shadows bumped up artificially is not good and can lead to visible compression artifacts as compression systems devote less bits to dark shadows because they are not supposed to contain much visible content. Another side effect is less perceived image depth and a more 2D look.

Black is the foundation of the image and if you like to view in a dim or dark environment you need to lowest black level you can get because even a slight glow will be very noticeable and distracting. Unless you have experienced a display with true blacks its hard to conceptualize the difference it makes. The G9 Kuro is the closest any digital display has come to achieving the goal and is three to four times darker then the Panasonic, but its still not black in a dark room.

If you do most of your viewing with the lights on or in daylight black level performance is not a significant concern as the ambient lighting is always a lot brighter then the black level of the display, therefore you won’t notice the displays limitations.

Viewing dark movies in a dim to dark environment is where the Kuro has a significant advantage over the Panasonics.