hey girish. you could post pics if you have? i haven't seen the st30 in the flesh but i saw a 50vt20 and it doesnt look dull, was quite bright! i think you should check out the tv in a friends or colleagues place.
sorry i dont have pics,, i feel u should not compare st30d with 50vt20...its unfair.....we all know vt20 is way above all the plasmas in the world....
i checked in many showrooms....it seems dull...now i am considering lg lw6500...but its passive 3d is an issue with only 580p resolution in 3d....i am confused....btw...panasonic gt30 is brighter than st30....(st30 has an anti reflective glass on it..which reduces the brightness...
Did you look at the set on any houses? I don't hear that it is dim from any owners. I own VT20 and never thought it is dim too compared samsung.
In my view, extra screen size adds enormously to viewing pleasure. I initially purchased a 42 LED Cinema 3D TV which I've since replaced with a 50" VT20. Perhaps in a couple of months, 50" might seem small too. My viewing distance, btw, is 8-9 feet.
At home, you'll not have another TV to do a side by side comparison, so subtle differences (noticeable in the showroom) will not matter as much. That said, reflective nature of the Samsung could be a deal breaker for some if you have a window opposite.
If lighting can be controlled, were I in your position, I'd buy the D550. It's best, however, to check with the feedback from actual owners.
sorry i dont have pics,, i feel u should not compare st30d with 50vt20...its unfair.....we all know vt20 is way above all the plasmas in the world....
i checked in many showrooms....it seems dull...now i am considering lg lw6500...but its passive 3d is an issue with only 580p resolution in 3d....i am confused....btw...panasonic gt30 is brighter than st30....(st30 has an anti reflective glass on it..which reduces the brightness...
btw...panasonic gt30 is brighter than st30....(st30 has an anti reflective glass on it..which is why i suppose it reduces the brightness...)
by the way doesn't the vt20,gt30,and st30 series come with the same AR filter,infinite black pro? only the vt30 has the pro 2 filter?
why is the tv dull?is it because of the changes made to correct the FBr issue?
GT30 and ST30 has the same filter. Nothing different. GT series is a better series than the ST. As far as I know, it is not released in India. If you have seen this and it is bright, why not go for it?
thanks, i saw GT in a showroom in mulund..at mumbai...
GT is superb....but only issue is that its too bulky....
the filter may be same...but they have put an anti reflectivve glass on ST...which i feel is the cause of decrease in brightness...(my personal assumption as i too see no reason why there is this difference)
i dont want to sound like i m cribbing over a small thing...but... i am owning sony 32 inch hd ready bravia with crap PQ.. for the last 3 years which is fat and bulky for my new house ....and in 2011...if i am spending 65+k ...i have the right to ask for a slimmer tv....(my parents will be shocked to see me buy bullky one..when .their neigboring aunties are buying those slim leds)
i can argue with them about geeky stuff related to panasonic...
i am in a situation where i have to reluctantly purchase LW6500....or if i suddenly 42st30 can brightenup a bit!
thanks, i saw GT in a showroom in mulund..at mumbai...
GT is superb....but only issue is that its too bulky....
the filter may be same...but they have put an anti reflectivve glass on ST...which i feel is the cause of decrease in brightness...(my personal assumption as i too see no reason why there is this difference)
i dont want to sound like i m cribbing over a small thing...but... i am owning sony 32 inch hd ready bravia with crap PQ.. for the last 3 years which is fat and bulky for my new house ....and in 2011...if i am spending 65+k ...i have the right to ask for a slimmer tv....(my parents will be shocked to see me buy bullky one..when .their neigboring aunties are buying those slim leds)
i can argue with them about geeky stuff related to panasonic...
i am in a situation where i have to reluctantly purchase LW6500....or if i suddenly 42st30 can brightenup a bit!
i feel you should buy a tv for its PQ,features... not for its looks,size! well if you have some space constraints then that a different matter.
dont worry abouts those fat aunties slim led tvs! just show them what a bulky plasma tv can do!!hyeah:hyeah:
ps: dont be offended if i call them fat!
i a deciding between 42st30d and lg lw6500 42 inch........pls help since u owned lg one.....is it worth ?
SD Material overall - Tie
- I was pleasantly surprised when I first saw SD on the LG. I was expecting it be pretty bad considering how it's setup in showrooms. With Tata Sky, at a viewing distance of 8 feet, it's just abt watchable. The Panasonic being a 50" screen is slightly worse from the same distance, though not by much.
Motion - VT20 wins
- Like most motion interpolation algorithms, the one in LW5700 works well sometimes and stutters some other times. I spent a lot of time trying different de-Blur and de-Judder adjustments but it was never perfect. What would work one day would not work the next and so forth. In the end, I resigned to it being a limitation of the technology. I can see some judder occasionally on the VT20, but overall it's much better. Details in scenes showing motion are much better preserved in the VT20.
Colors - LW5700 wins
- If you are a fan of oversaturated colors, Lw5700 will be a better fit. The VT20 has slightly muted (though perhaps more realistic colors with some dialing down of Blue and Green).
I've owned the LG 5700 and am currently owning the VT20. Here's my take on their relative performance (Caveat: I didn't have them sitting side by side in the same room, it's a case of using one after the other):
SD Material overall - Tie
- I was pleasantly surprised when I first saw SD on the LG. I was expecting it be pretty bad considering how it's setup in showrooms. With Tata Sky, at a viewing distance of 8 feet, it's just abt watchable. The Panasonic being a 50" screen is slightly worse from the same distance, though not by much.
HD Material overall (from Tata Sky HD) - VT20 wins
- The HD channels are much more immersive and fluid on the VT20. I also believe there's more detail visible on the VT20 especially during motion.
Motion - VT20 wins
- Like most motion interpolation algorithms, the one in LW5700 works well sometimes and stutters some other times. I spent a lot of time trying different de-Blur and de-Judder adjustments but it was never perfect. What would work one day would not work the next and so forth. In the end, I resigned to it being a limitation of the technology. I can see some judder occasionally on the VT20, but overall it's much better. Details in scenes showing motion are much better preserved in the VT20.
Blacks - VT20 wins
- LW5700, having an IPS panel, doesn't have the best native blacks. However, in daytime viewing (or with lights on) with local dimming on, the blacks are good. There are times when the local dimming shows errors but on the whole, it makes the picture better. The VT20 has far better blacks, though to be honest I was hoping it to be even better than it is, given the rave reviews.
Input Lag - VT20 wins
- The input lag on the LW5700 has improved with the latest firmware but if you are into serious online multiplayer gaming, this TV like many LCD/LEDs is not recommended. I didn't, however, face any obvious issues with single player gaming with my ps3. The VT20 appears to have lesser lag though I haven't done extensive gaming on it yet.
Colors - LW5700 wins
- If you are a fan of oversaturated colors, Lw5700 will be a better fit. The VT20 has slightly muted (though perhaps more realistic colors with some dialing down of Blue and Green).
3D - LW5700 wins
- If 3D is your primary reason for buying a TV, the 3D on the LG is fantastic due to the comfort and ease of passive technology. It's bright, less strainful for the eyes with no crosstalk. Glasses are cheap, light and don't need any battery. I never felt any details missing on the LG even though it's supposedly half resolution. You can see horizontal lines if you look for it from up close, but it never distracted me. The 3D on the VT20 is good, brightness is enough for me, though lower than the LG. If you have more than 2 users and if 3D is going to be a large part of your viewing, I'd recommend the LG over the Panasonic given the advantages of passive 3D.
Backlight uniformity and Viewing angle - VT20 wins
- VT20 is perfect in this regard. The backlight on the LG (like most sidelit LEDs) is not uniform with some leakage, especially on the corners if you look at a blank screen in darkness. It does not, however, distract much during usual daytime viewing.
Hope this helps.
There is no anti reflective glass in the ST30. Nothing extra from GT30. And GT30 is not released in India.
My best guess is you have seen the GT20 instead of GT30. It is a last year model with a lighter anti-reflective screen and is bulky and it is sold at 48-50k in bangalore with 2*3D glasses. It is a superior model to ST20 last year. It is pure gold at that rates.
Check out the Samsung D6000 and Sony Ex720 too. BTW, what is your current TV model with crap PQ? That will help judge better.