Panasonic Plasma ST60: Ownership thread

[Dirac]

When we say "Long live plasmas" in the era where there are speculations/gossips/rumors about the end of plasma, I think it is the "small daddy" who is instilling some hope that plasma is there to continue for some more years to come. When every one was/is shutting down their plasma line, "small daddy" has jumped leaps and bounds this year to produce one of finest plasma TVs. It is not a big thing for "big daddy" to come out with the kuro killer as already they are the pioneers in plasma, but it is a very big thing for "small daddy" to keep producing and improving it's plasma line year over year and too in the time where the plasma market is bad. I am afraid to say that "big daddy" might have contemplated to shut their entire plasma line if "small daddy" hasn't pushed their plasma aggressively.

As plasma lovers, we must first say Big Thanks to "small daddy" and "small thanks" to big daddy

I agree that big daddy is taken aback by the meteoric rise of small daddy's f8500.
Thanks to small daddy ,that big daddy is forced to go for the ultimate kill with the vt60 and the legendry zt60.
Plasma has reached the deepest of blacks.
Big daddy has put the onus on small daddy to match its blacks.
Small daddy accepts the challenge to go very close to big daddy and also with a twist . It excels in brightness as well.

The day small daddy is credited with reference grade plasma by the entire world circumventing some of its picture issues , big daddy will only be in history books.

But I am afraid that before small daddy generates a reference plasma, oled daddy with the promised infinite blacks may sweep the world.

 

[manzb]

I really liked the way everyone is trying to prove the superiority of their respective brands and TVs. It is more like comparing BMWs and Audis. So all are winner who buys them, still their respective owners will kepp telling it is better than the other one.

Anyway, coming back, I was no plasma fan, in fact I started my search for the new TV with almost all LEDs (last years HX850, HX750 and only plasma I included due to review houses recommendation is ST50). But due to as time flew I got more inclined to Plasma, because of the PQ and of course affordability (specially for a poor guy like me with multiple loans, who can't spare lot of cash for this). But as of now the difference so far I have noticed between LCD/ LED and plasmas, which can be summarised as

1. LCD and LED can produce real bright pictures and many likes it (that's I think why they sells more)
2. The colour production is more in LCD/ LEDs
3. Colour accuracy is better in plasmas
4. The bleeding is more common (specially in black or dark scenes) in LCD/ LEDs
5. The black accuracy in LCD/ LEDs are most of the time not really great and uniform, but for a very few top of the line like Sony W950 or HX850.
6. The black level of plasmas makes any movie with lots of dark scenes a treat to watch
7. Last but not the least, plasmas are soothing to the eye, hence it is hardly straining to the eye. Eyes gets pained out after few hours of LCD/ LED viewing.
8. Plasmas are real cheap compared to equivalent size LCD/LED
9. Smart features are more for fancy for all TV (irrespective of LED or Plasma) and I really doubt the number of people who might be using it to the full potential, day-in and day-out.

And finally the bottom line.. my next TV in 4/5 years down the line is expected to be a 4K AMOLED as I am expecting that to be the mainstream by then.

 

[shanmune]

But I am afraid that before small daddy generates a reference plasma, oled daddy with the promised infinite blacks may sweep the world.

Oh Dirac, I hate you going away from the Plasma club to the OLED club or any other club in future . Very difficult to think of anyone who worships plasma better than you I will be the first person to come and fight against you if you change your club :lol:

 

[just4kix]

Hey guys, what about the mommy?

 

[sanjeevji]

Next TV in 4/5 years may not be OLED but Quantum dots with LCD (more advance than what is in Sony W950). Quantum dots can also emit light, judging by OELD production issues, it is more of a likely candidate.

 

[Dirac]

Oh Dirac, I hate you going away from the Plasma club to the OLED club or any other club in future . Very difficult to think of anyone who worships plasma better than you I will be the first person to come and fight against you if you change your club :lol:

Thanks for that. I may save money and import a vt60 or a ..zt60 (God be merciful on me).
I would never touch the oleds as I have my galaxy note 2 with amoled screen which is a disaster.
Hope small daddy will be around when my st50 ages and goes caput. Our only hope.

 

[Dirac]

Hey guys, what about the mommy?

Who is mommy?

 

[just4kix]

Who is mommy?

You tell me. You fixed the daddy.

 

[shanmune]

Thanks for that. I may save money and import a vt60 or a ..zt60 (God be merciful on me).
I would never touch the oleds as I have my galaxy note 2 with amoled screen which is a disaster.
Hope small daddy will be around when my st50 ages and goes caput. Our only hope.

Dirac, I see your quest and resolve to get the best PQ. Seriously speaking, I cannot imagine going beyond my ST50. Anyway, I wish you good luck in getting your own ZT60. By the way, did you have a chance to speak with the Panasonic management on the possibility of placing an order for ZT60/VT60 ? If I am not wrong, I remember you enquiring in the fourum on getting ZT60/VT60. If not, why don't you ask if there is a way to place an order ?

 

[Dirac]

I tried all shopping sites of malasia and uk including amazon.uk.
Nobody is shipping the tv.
Panasonic india? Forget it. They would instead suggest me to buy their new leds.
Maybe if somebody is travelling from uk I should persuade him to bring it. If it is vt60 then a used one is also ok for me.
And am also looking out for gt60 which is also christened a reference plasma status.
The more we yearn for something the more chance we may eventually get it.

 

[zouresh]

no matter what technology comes i will always be a plasma fan.....if panasonic shuts down its plasma division i will always buy a samsung plasma....

 

[zouresh]

samsung plasma fans here is good news....robert wiley,senior editor of plasmatvbuyingguide.com feels that the picture rendition of the samsung ps51f5500 is better than the st60...here check out the review...

Samsung PN51F5500 Review (PN51F5500AF, PN51F5500AFXZA) - 51 Inch 1080p Plasma TV Active 3D Smart TV

 

[vakharia]

Since we are talking about SD here, I can say, not all SD channels are the same in terms of quality.

SAB TV is perfectly watchable, but Sahara One sucks. Both are SD.

HD is a pleasure to watch.

(Note: I am on Dish TV)


Recently used Youtube on our tablet to redirect the video/ audio to the TV. Works quite well, but there is perhaps some loss of quality.
Video looks much better on the tablet since the resolution is much lower.
Will experiment with this more often now on, since I have a 1 Mbps unlimited connection.

 

[just4kix]

Looks like the 3-year warranty from Panasonic is gone.

 

[manzb]

Looks like the 3-year warranty from Panasonic is gone.

Oh that surely is not a good news.

SAB TV is perfectly watchable, but Sahara One sucks. Both are SD.

I also have a similar experience. The only Indian teleshow I watch is the Tarak Mehta on SAB TV.. which is perfectly watchable.. but many other channels are not upto the mark.

 

[akasmarty2003]

it seems Panasonic has given its website a new look TV - Panasonic

 

[vakharia]

Looks like the 3-year warranty from Panasonic is gone.

What makes you say that?

it seems Panasonic has given its website a new look TV - Panasonic

Yes. New interface looks much better.

 

[just4kix]

What makes you say that?




Yes. New interface looks much better.

Because the warranty card says 1-year for new (plasma) TVs sold in 2013. What does your warranty card state? Does it mention 1 year standard warranty + 2 year extended warranty?

 

[debangshu]

Yes.. the interface is nice indeed, but with the plasma filter it is not showing up the ST series. Even the 2012 models are not displaying. ST60 is displayed without any filter or you filter by 3D... If the 2012 models are not avialable then it's left with very few plasma models...

 

[vakharia]

Because the warranty card says 1-year for new (plasma) TVs sold in 2013. What does your warranty card state? Does it mention 1 year standard warranty + 2 year extended warranty?

Well, I don't remember what the warranty card states, since like others, I just sent an email with the copy of the bill and serial number to Panasonic helpline. I got the warranty registration confirmation email after a week with 3 year warranty.


The warranty card was not in the box, probably removed at the warehouse. So I got that after a month along with the bill after several calls to the dealer.