Samsung 2013 Plasma TV's

[just4kix]

Samsung Smart Evolution kit now available for INR 17k. Is it worth the money?

SEK-1000 - OVERVIEW | SAMSUNG India

I looked at it. Totally useless in my own opinion.

 

[Dirac]

Yes. It appears to be useless. Earlier when I read about evolution kit, it gave me the impression like,
Samsung has a new framework where pluggable hardware modules will be there. These are the ones that are not exacly software upgrades. Suppose a better picture processing elements come up in future , instead of changing the tv I would get a new pluggable hardware for that.
I did not expect it for smart features like new content etc which can very well come as firmware upgrades.

 

[zouresh]

hi everybody i am new to this forum.i am a die-hard fan of plasma.i have been using
panasonic plasmas for the past 5 years,first py80 then g10 and now v20 all 42 inches.i then decided to go for a bigger screen and wanted to go for a samsung plama.i went to the samsung showroom and took a demo of 51f5500 and to my surprise the picture of samsung was much better than any of my previous plasmas.the image is much more cleaner than panasonic.that means better clarity than panasonic.SD looks much better and HD even better.SD(DTH) on panasonic plasmas look very ordinary.samsung plasmas
have a digital look(more cleaner) and panasonic have an analogue look(less cleaner).i love the digital look and i have decided to purchase the f5500.

 

[BLASTO]

hi everybody i am new to this forum.i am a die-hard fan of plasma.i have been using
panasonic plasmas for the past 5 years,first py80 then g10 and now v20 all 42 inches.i then decided to go for a bigger screen and wanted to go for a samsung plama.i went to the samsung showroom and took a demo of 51f5500 and to my surprise the picture of samsung was much better than any of my previous plasmas.the image is much more cleaner than panasonic.that means better clarity than panasonic.SD looks much better and HD even better.SD(DTH) on panasonic plasmas look very ordinary.samsung plasmas
have a digital look(more cleaner) and panasonic have an analogue look(less cleaner).i love the digital look and i have decided to purchase the f5500.

I have a V20 and I can say 2013 Samsung plasmas triump it.
Motion is also better.
There is no anti glare filter to any acceptable level.
Wish they release the 8 series in the 51" size.

I think Samsung has reached a point where we can safely say it will beat the Panasonics starting next year.

With the pricing model in india, I would say Samsung already has beaten Panasonic in the plasma dept.

 

[Dirac]

I don't think vt20s are for sale anymore let alone vt30s.
2013 is the time of vt60s and st60s. Triumphing a vt20 adds no value to the statement that sammies beat convincingly the pannies.

 

[zouresh]

panasonic beats samsung only in one area-black levels but the rest(clarity,colours,motion handling etc)samsung is the winner

 

[Dirac]

panasonic beats samsung only in one area-black levels but the rest(clarity,colours,motion handling etc)samsung is the winner

It should be quite evident to everybody from the review houses of their choice that panasonic plasmas are way superior to samsungs w.r.t colors, motion, resolution clarity etc, when calibrated.
If one feels insulted to compare a st60 to f8500 then let them do it with the omnipotent vt60.
Vt60 has obtained reference grade for all the PQ elements like color, black level , motion , 3d etc.
It is a different matter that one may like a sammy picture or a sony picture.
But technically pana is the one to beat.
For that matter, if calibrated well, my st50 would give sleepless nights to the best of sammy plasmas.

 

[zouresh]

relax my friend please don't be biased towards panasonic plasmas just because
you are owning one ....even i was feeling the same thing like you..but i went and saw samsung plasmas with an open mind ...i liked it better than panasonic...definitely better clarity than panasonic (for me clarity is the most important thing than anything else))i have read several expert review websites stating that samsungs have better colours(plasmatvbuyingguide.com),better motion handling ,full hd 3d resolution and the best standard definition performance(hdtvtest.co.uk),deep black levels
but not as deep as panasonic...i have also read users(ex panasonic owners) stating that samsungs have better clarity than panasonic.please have an open mind and check out 64f8500 and 51f5500 ,compare it with panasonic and give me the feedback

 

[Dirac]

Its like the chicken and the egg problem. I don't know if Panny plasmas are great because I own them or I own them because they are great.
Ok. I understand that both plasmas could be having their own merits and demerits.
But till now I never made an unclear statement like "samsung plasmas have more clarity than panasonics."
May be what you meant was brightness.
Yes, samsungs are bright. But that does not mean they are superior to panasonics.
If brightness is clarity, why buy plasmas.
One should get beautiful leds like the sonys.
And again you did not talk about the superlative reviews of panasonic plasmas.
Or is it that all the review houses adjudge the panasonic as the best because they own them?
Anyways, your opinion is most respected and I would like you to consider my point too.
Thanks.

 

[Dirac]

BTW, the same hdtvtest.uk that you quoted has given a "reference level" tag to the lower end model panasonic gt60 let alone the higher end vt60 and zt60.
But it did not give the "reference level" status to the higher end flagship model f8500 giving it only the tag "highly recommended". It speaks volumes. Doesn't it?

 

[zouresh]

forget about the reviews...just go and have a demo of the samsung plasmas
and give me your feedback....btw clarity is not brightness....samsungs have a cleaner image than panasonic...that adds to the overall clarity of their plasmas...one more thing leds do not produce realistic images and realistic colours as plasmas....they are just very bright...take a demo of 51f5500 and 64f8500 and give me your honest feedback....

 

[Dirac]

Yes. I am eager to see this gem and test it with my reference bluray scenes.

 

[shaiju_o_thomas]

I can speak for the 64F8500 as I own one. To say that it is only bright may not be correct. It is as accurate, at most times, more accurate than the 50GT50 I had prior. It has headroom for going bright over and above the advised settings. So in a well to dim lit room this tv will really amaze.

It is also much much much sharper than the high end Panasonic and Samsung from last year. Is it actual or perceived due to extra light output does not matter. Pictures are sharp. I looked closely at the TataSky + BD menus soon after the tv was installed and recollect having a big grin. Couldn't be happier to get close to LED sharpness even at 0 setting.

It can go deeper in black than GT50. I crave blacks and not even once felt the need for F8500 to go any more black.

The dithering that many speak of is a non issue. It is consistent and only in areas near dark. Anything above and fully dark are devoid of dither.

I haven't seen Panasonic 60 series plasmas but read they are very good. Don't go by review sites alone. 2013 VE shootout itself is proof that what reviewers pick many not be the audience choice. Top reviewers calibrate, we adjust. There is a difference. They award points on reference material and mostly BD. Our viewing habits and environments are not the same as their test rooms.

There is no point in judging one display over the other by what someone else wrote or preferred. Use it only as guidance.

 

[Dirac]

Yes. Very true.
The review houses give too much importance to technicalities. That may not be valid for real watching scenario.
The reviews are only for guidance.

But for a first time plasma buyer there is no way of deep diving into the set, calibrating, and factoring out dither etc, may not be practical.
It is a common tendency to pick the best especially when one is investing close to 2 lakhs, that too when almost all the review houses are concurring on something.

 

[zouresh]

refer to the link below for picture settings of the samsung 64f8500 in a dimly lit room.just use it as a reference and then adjust the settings according to your preference....
Samsung PS51F8500 Reviewer's Recommended Best Settings | AVForums.com - UK Online

 

[genie007]

Cnet review of 51f5500 plasma

Rated 3.5/5

Link- http://reviews.cnet.com/flat-panel-tvs/samsung-pn51f5500/4505-6482_7-35757117.html

 

[zouresh]

avforums review of the samsung ps51f5500....

Samsung F5500 (PS51F5500) 3D Plasma TV Review | AVForums.com - UK Online

Samsung PS51F5500 Test Results | AVForums.com - UK Online

 

[evoque]

Hi All,

Though discussed earlier, it was only in brief, arising the need to ask again. What do you think of 43F4100? Generally in comparison to the other Samsung plasma's and specifically in comparision with 43F4900.

I already have a Sony LED but really want to go for Samsung for its video format support and subtitle support. And I am considering the 43F4100 because it sounds like Value For Money.

 

[zouresh]

the samsung 43f4100 only supports 852*480 resolution which is only dvd resolution...it is suitable only for SD and not HD....so it is better to step up to 43f4900 which supports HD though not full HD....

 

[manzb]

I can speak for the 64F8500 as I own one. To say that it is only bright may not be correct. It is as accurate, at most times, more accurate than the 50GT50 I had prior. It has headroom for going bright over and above the advised settings. So in a well to dim lit room this tv will really amaze.

It is also much much much sharper than the high end Panasonic and Samsung from last year. Is it actual or perceived due to extra light output does not matter. Pictures are sharp. I looked closely at the TataSky + BD menus soon after the tv was installed and recollect having a big grin. Couldn't be happier to get close to LED sharpness even at 0 setting.

It can go deeper in black than GT50. I crave blacks and not even once felt the need for F8500 to go any more black.

The dithering that many speak of is a non issue. It is consistent and only in areas near dark. Anything above and fully dark are devoid of dither.

I haven't seen Panasonic 60 series plasmas but read they are very good. Don't go by review sites alone. 2013 VE shootout itself is proof that what reviewers pick many not be the audience choice. Top reviewers calibrate, we adjust. There is a difference. They award points on reference material and mostly BD. Our viewing habits and environments are not the same as their test rooms.

There is no point in judging one display over the other by what someone else wrote or preferred. Use it only as guidance.

I agree with Shaiju.. though have not seen the Pana 60 series (except 50S60), I think 8500 is the best I have ever seen. It is sufficiently bright and the best part is that it's black level is too good to be true. I think for me as of now, it is the best TV money can buy (specially in India) as we don't expect Pana to launch all those fancy VT60, GT60 and the reference grade ZT60 series in India. Even if they launches any, the prices are going to be close to double the US price, thus making it unaffordable & irrelevant for most people. So practically there is no competition to Samy 8500 in India for this year atleast, whether the PQ, whether the price. Samy has a clear cut winner this year in India (specially at 60" plus size) in 8500.