As many of you know, few months ago my 55' HDTV died; it was a great direct LED backlight LCD; today, it's almost impossible to find one with the same technology - not under around 3000€... and, used one are disappeared from the market... I searched a lot, here and there, and nothing... the few ones I found were all sold!
OK, so I tought about plasma - quite the same situation; no new ones under the same price, and good used ones are quite pricey...
So, I felt the "urge" to buy a non-direct LED TV - an edge LED backlight LCD - because, at the same size, prices starts from 600€; few days ago a whopping 25% discount, just for a day, convinced me to go to the store and I said myself: "it's time to come back with a new TV"... but, when I was there, all the cheap models were really ugly, with all the problems one could spot on an LCD TV... only the top models were good, and still not as good as a direct LED - I must admit I was too used to my TV, so I found all sort of problems... I repeated myself: "you have to live with these problems, if you want an HDTV that big AND spend not too much..."
But, again, spending 600€ - 450€ with the discount - for an entry level 55' edge LED was not a great deal, in my opinion... and I couldn't afford much more than this... I also thought to go for a smaller size, that, at the same price, could be better; they were indeed better, but always... don't know... not good enough... I know, I am a sorta "permanent discontent" for this kind of things... also, almost all have that "stupid" tiny stand that will SURELY not be enough to fight with my cats, plus the SDTV (yes, we watch it, too) is really ugly...
Then, I started to read an audio-video Italian forum, on the HDTV section, and (re)discovered that Panasonic made the only 42' plasma HDTV... so, I thought: "well, we (me and my brain) could like with it for a while, until we (me, as my brain never pay anything) could afford a bigger/better/(put your superlative here)"
Searching for an used one (because new were not available since months ago) and all of them were around 300/400€, many hundred kms away, while the HDready (1366x768, or, worst, 1024x768) were available for not less than 150€, when... hey, this *seems* an HDTV model... but it CAN'T be, at 125€... let's phone the guy, to know more about it...
-Hello, I'm interested in your TV, what model is it?
-Dunno, I'm away home, I'll let you know in few hours...
-Can you say something more about it?
-Well, I bought brand new in 2009 for 2000€ $) I used for few hours a day and it's in a very good condition...
-Does it have the DVB, right?
-Well, no... or, better, dunno...
(mmh, bad sign, or simply he doesn't know?)
-OK, let me know the model...
Few hours later, I was aware of the model, but strangely really few info were available on the net... it *seemed* a rebadged version of another HDTV good model, but it *can* also be another lower HDready one... so, after (literally) have spent all the last night searching for info, I said myself: "what the heck, it cost a fraction of the original price, and I could afford the risk..."
Took the car, made a long trip (300km back and forth, still half the way of the ones which cost three times) and finally was at the guy's home... it was huge (not really, "just a tiny" 42', but after few months forced to watch first 28' CRT and then for the last few weeks a small 14' CRT, it seemed really huge)... in very good condition, no burn-in, no retention, no dead pixels... I took the remote, and press some "magic keys" (that what's the guy said) and ta-dah! the lifespan of the TV comes out: 9400 (and something) hours, around 4hrs a day, so the guy was right... not bad, because those plasma TVs go down to 50% brightness in 100,000 hours, so now it's a bit more 95%... take a look in the rear, and the smart cam slot was here, so DVB was indeed present... time to pay "120€, is it OK?" - "OK... do you want the TV furniture as well?"
So, after have it "rest" for some hours - it was laid down on the back during the trip - I have switched it on, and with just low bitrate SDTV broadcast, it-is-won-der-ful!!! I can't wait to spend some hours with BD, DVD, PS3, PC etc.
The model is TH-D42PT84E, a rebadged TH-42PZ80E; it is the same, apart it has the lower front silver, instead black, and SRS tru-surround XT - indeed, audio is waaay better than any thin edge LED!
If you are curious, spend few minutes to read the review here: http://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/news/panasonic...514109.htm
It's a perfect TV? Of course not; but for the price of few brand new movies on BD, I have a great HDTV, with better features than a lot of edge LED modern TVs... a smart move, I think... and, of course, I'm still looking for direct LED TV - if/when I'll find a suitable one, this Panasonic will remain with us, I think it's a great option to watch laserdiscs in a "vintage" way!
(if someone has read everything until here, could understand how much I'm excited about this... OK, it's not a life-changing event, but finally I'm able again to watch HD material, really important to check my own projects, too!)
OK, so I tought about plasma - quite the same situation; no new ones under the same price, and good used ones are quite pricey...
So, I felt the "urge" to buy a non-direct LED TV - an edge LED backlight LCD - because, at the same size, prices starts from 600€; few days ago a whopping 25% discount, just for a day, convinced me to go to the store and I said myself: "it's time to come back with a new TV"... but, when I was there, all the cheap models were really ugly, with all the problems one could spot on an LCD TV... only the top models were good, and still not as good as a direct LED - I must admit I was too used to my TV, so I found all sort of problems... I repeated myself: "you have to live with these problems, if you want an HDTV that big AND spend not too much..."
But, again, spending 600€ - 450€ with the discount - for an entry level 55' edge LED was not a great deal, in my opinion... and I couldn't afford much more than this... I also thought to go for a smaller size, that, at the same price, could be better; they were indeed better, but always... don't know... not good enough... I know, I am a sorta "permanent discontent" for this kind of things... also, almost all have that "stupid" tiny stand that will SURELY not be enough to fight with my cats, plus the SDTV (yes, we watch it, too) is really ugly...
Then, I started to read an audio-video Italian forum, on the HDTV section, and (re)discovered that Panasonic made the only 42' plasma HDTV... so, I thought: "well, we (me and my brain) could like with it for a while, until we (me, as my brain never pay anything) could afford a bigger/better/(put your superlative here)"
Searching for an used one (because new were not available since months ago) and all of them were around 300/400€, many hundred kms away, while the HDready (1366x768, or, worst, 1024x768) were available for not less than 150€, when... hey, this *seems* an HDTV model... but it CAN'T be, at 125€... let's phone the guy, to know more about it...
-Hello, I'm interested in your TV, what model is it?
-Dunno, I'm away home, I'll let you know in few hours...
-Can you say something more about it?
-Well, I bought brand new in 2009 for 2000€ $) I used for few hours a day and it's in a very good condition...
-Does it have the DVB, right?
-Well, no... or, better, dunno...
(mmh, bad sign, or simply he doesn't know?)
-OK, let me know the model...
Few hours later, I was aware of the model, but strangely really few info were available on the net... it *seemed* a rebadged version of another HDTV good model, but it *can* also be another lower HDready one... so, after (literally) have spent all the last night searching for info, I said myself: "what the heck, it cost a fraction of the original price, and I could afford the risk..."
Took the car, made a long trip (300km back and forth, still half the way of the ones which cost three times) and finally was at the guy's home... it was huge (not really, "just a tiny" 42', but after few months forced to watch first 28' CRT and then for the last few weeks a small 14' CRT, it seemed really huge)... in very good condition, no burn-in, no retention, no dead pixels... I took the remote, and press some "magic keys" (that what's the guy said) and ta-dah! the lifespan of the TV comes out: 9400 (and something) hours, around 4hrs a day, so the guy was right... not bad, because those plasma TVs go down to 50% brightness in 100,000 hours, so now it's a bit more 95%... take a look in the rear, and the smart cam slot was here, so DVB was indeed present... time to pay "120€, is it OK?" - "OK... do you want the TV furniture as well?"
So, after have it "rest" for some hours - it was laid down on the back during the trip - I have switched it on, and with just low bitrate SDTV broadcast, it-is-won-der-ful!!! I can't wait to spend some hours with BD, DVD, PS3, PC etc.
The model is TH-D42PT84E, a rebadged TH-42PZ80E; it is the same, apart it has the lower front silver, instead black, and SRS tru-surround XT - indeed, audio is waaay better than any thin edge LED!
If you are curious, spend few minutes to read the review here: http://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/news/panasonic...514109.htm
It's a perfect TV? Of course not; but for the price of few brand new movies on BD, I have a great HDTV, with better features than a lot of edge LED modern TVs... a smart move, I think... and, of course, I'm still looking for direct LED TV - if/when I'll find a suitable one, this Panasonic will remain with us, I think it's a great option to watch laserdiscs in a "vintage" way!
(if someone has read everything until here, could understand how much I'm excited about this... OK, it's not a life-changing event, but finally I'm able again to watch HD material, really important to check my own projects, too!)
