HDTV Expert - Buy a Plasma TV While You Can – by Ken Werner

[Rodolfo]

Thanks Bill for the clarifications.

I cannot recall the equipment I had in my HT back then, I keep upgrading and testing new stuff all the time and most probably was a Theta Casablanca II hi-end pre-amp at that time (upgraded now to III HD, over $25,000 MSRP just for the preamp).

It had and still has the best sound quality in the market, and Theta Digital is very picky with using unnecessary filtering, which goes along with what you mentioned related to Hams.

Giving my options, and to be a lawful citizen, I suppose I must consider giving away my Theta and all my plasmas on eBay for peanuts, so the Ham operators, the FCC, and Part 15 are pleased. I will buy LCDs and low-end receivers from now on, as my contribution to solving their mess, and to make Ham operators happy as well. I am starting to feel the goodness of trading high quality audio and video equipment for what others like me to buy.

Best Regards,

Rodolfo La Maestra

[stevekaden]

Okay, so I'll sell my Kuro to satisfy the Hams up the block but maybe they outta take down all those antennas lest they make the neighborhood look cluttered. Is there a legal basis for visual noise pollution?

But if I sell my Kuro, (and more realistically) my question is....should I buy a Panasonic VT50. I do want 3D along with better processing - and would give up a tiny bit of black level if I HAD to.

So Rodolfo, I should rush before the market collapses so I will ask directly rather than wait for a full review. Have you taken a look at a VT50 set, especially a calibrated and do you have any comments?

Thanks, steve

[Rodolfo]

Steve,

Selling your Kuro? I hope you are joking; unless you really need THX and 3D.

To respond your questions, I informally tested all the VT30 and VT50 top-of-the-line series for the past 2 years (from 42 to 65 inches), the VTs are the best plasmas right now (I do not think you can get the VT30 line any longer, it was a 2011 model, maybe in eBay).

I also tested the GT30 and GT50 series (all the sizes, one line below VTs), the VTs have better video processing, but the GTs are very close in image quality, still with THX and 3D like the VTs, for at least $1000 less.

After the tests, and before the 50-line hit the market earlier this year, I "had" to buy a GT30 50-inches I did not need, so I gave it to my Son for his bedroom. My wife has the 60" Kuro, she did not need it either, but after I made 5 installations with that beauty (to very satisfied clients) and noticed that the stock was almost empty with the exit of Pioneer, I could not avoid getting one for someone in my home.

The active-shutter 3D on the GT is very pleasant and with sufficiently bright 3D images, I could not detect serious crosstalk, and the THX gives good natural colors on the menu presets. You are always free to pay $400 for 2 input ISF but I frankly think the sets are decent enough as they are as starting point (or forever if $400 hurt you enough, you can always use the Kane's disc for some basics). Panasonic is still on top of its plasma game.

Samsung was a close competitor, the panels are a bit brighter, whiter whites, and still have natural imaging like Panasonic, but beware of the bezel/stand movement, it shakes back and forward when you touch it, Panasonic is firm, but the bezel/stand maybe irrelevant if the panel ends up on the wall. Note that Samsung seems more expensive but note the added features, like more 3D glasses/3D Blu-ray player.

I have two Pioneer Elites, one is a Kuro, and I also have the GT30 from Panasonic, the Kuro is unique but the GT and VT lines of Panasonic are very good looking and they took the place Pioneer had in terms of image quality, they surpass the image quality of the large LCDs, including Sharp's Elite (LCD/LED), specially for angle viewing over 20 degrees, unless you like cartoon-like representations on torch-mode of film based movies, many people do and so I respect the taste, bright sells, not image quality.

Good luck Steve, it hurts selling a Kuro for 3D.

However, if you are not in a hurry and can fork out $8-$10K, which maybe is about what you paid for a Kuro when it was on top, I would wait a few months for the 55" OLED (Samsung's true RGB OLED, not LG's WOLED, which is FPR 3D passive 540p per eye), check a first lab review and do some viewing after toning down the settings to close to ISF levels to get some natural imaging, then, if you like it, sell the Kuro. The OLED technology has the potential to take the Kuro's throne as the best panel image, no matter how many more gimmicks and features LCD/LED may add.

However, if you like the Kuro image quality, imagine a huge plasma that does not exist (other than the $500,000 152 inches of Panny), and try the new Sony 4K projector. It feels like a huge plasma, stunning colors, great natural detail on 8 million pixels, almost Kuro blacks but on huge images (showing also white on the same video frame). I tested it for two months, the projector "refused" to leave my HT, you know that feeling, so I dismounted my other projector and bought the 4K Sony; it is worth every penny and nothing touches the image quality of that projector now (JVC is not a true 4K image).


Best Regards,

Rodolfo La Maestra

[charlesc93]

Rodolfo: I only post every few years but I follow the discussions. I asked you once about the Kuro and was ready to buy one after they released it in a 65" size. That did not happen so i purchased a Panasonic TH-65VX100U. My wife and I love it, but I was always curious how it compares to the Kuro. Do you have any thoughts? That was an interesting dialogue about "Buy a plasma now" thread. I think the LCD's lack depth and look a little artificial.

CharlesC

[charlesc93]

Rodolfo: I only post every few years but I follow the discussions. I asked you once about the Kuro and was ready to buy one after they released it in a 65" size. That did not happen so i purchased a Panasonic TH-65VX100U. My wife and I love it, but I was always curious how it compares to the Kuro. Do you have any thoughts? That was an interesting dialogue about "Buy a plasma now" thread. I think the LCD's lack depth and look a little artificial.

CharlesC

[stevekaden]

Rodolfo, thanks for the thorough response. Your input is always appreciated.

I would probably never actually sell my Kuro's...I have 3 daughters, 3 step kids and some best friends. Like grandma's solid wood and teak furniture, until utterly dead it all gets moved within the family as needed. My main seating is a recliner-love seat set about 10' from the present TV so angular views are 50% of the seating. So LCD is not going to be acceptable unless I just assume the other viewers are not going to notice or care - which is typical in a friends and family group.

I have wife approval for a projector, that is what I started planning, then got distracted by the concept of a big Sharp. I have been concerned over lighting - actually more concerned about too dark situation and falling over the dog's toys etc. I also would enjoy having friends over for sports and then worry about too much light, both needed, and leaking in the room. Oh the details to work through!

I am quite patient and will probably wait awhile to move anything around. After all 2 kids are in college and all 3 are moving intermittently, mother-in-law needs a condo, etc. so by the time all that settles down, maybe OLED or a 4k projector will fit the situation. I am spoiled though and can hardly imagine going down in size - now a 90" OLED....hmmmm.

Again, thanks for the feedback - Steve

[Rodolfo]

Charles,

To answer your questions. The Panny plasma is excellent now, but the Kuro was already excellent when the Panny was catching up 3 years ago. Panny now has the 200 Kuro engineers that left Pioneer when they closed, they are in the best position to still improve the image quality, that is, if they can survive the slide produced by the masses buying LCD.

My Kuro/Panny plasmas are not the same size but the ones I tested were; when Kuro left it was 10 on a 1-10 scale and Panny was 8 in image quality (although with some black level issues that were later resolved), now Panny's VT line is 9 while Kuro is still 10.

If you ever saw Kuro's absolute black, a black so inky that seamlessly blended with the black bezel, you may use that as a parameter when you see the Pannys (or anyone else's). That black made all the colors pop, giving depth to all the objects in the image.

Steve,

You have it right, never sell the Kuro, pass it to someone that can take good care of it and appreciate image quality.

As 2010 was the year of 3D's introduction, this is the year of OLED and 4K's introduction.

If you can wait until next year to make your move, I anticipate more 4K projectors than the Sony (and the faux JVC), I also hope TI would do their 4K chip soon to compete with LCoS although I have not heard a word about that, that will bring more projectors on that resolution.

The Sony 4K is 2000 lumens and beats my large venue DLP projector with 2300 lumens regarding how bright the image looks in low lamp and reference level. Sometimes it is so bright that I feel better turning on some lights in the HT, or opening the door. I use a Firehawk Deluxe G3 with 1.3 gain and silver color, it handles well the room light, you should be OK for your application.

I am expecting a testing Stewart wanted to do with a StudioTek 130 sample when I was testing the 4K projector, but the Firehawk shows the 4K detail very well, so you may want to consider the same silver Firehawk for the light on your room.

Your viewers may get their nose to the huge screen and still not see the 4K pixels, although 4K is not just about small pixels, the reality of the image and the detail is outstanding. OLED is expected to be larger than 55-inches and 4K as well, but that will take time, I anticipate LG and Samsung showing some prototypes of that at next CES.

To give you an idea of possible pricing, the 84-inches 4K LCD panel from LG shown at CES this year is now selling for about $22,000 in Korea, it is not in the US yet, so a 4K OLED of that size would be expensive, but relatively speaking, the Sony 4K projector is a great deal for $25,000 MSRP and can give you any screen size. I am using a 130.5" screen for Cinemascope and the image is stunning. Let me know when you are ready and I will be glad to help. Remember you only have one life to enjoy these toys.

Good luck, I am glad you are not getting rid of your Kuro.

Best Regards,

Rodolfo La Maestra

[Roger Halstead]

Thanks for the explanations btreth. I would expand on the hams side, and operating within their license parameters. They would be at fault if for instance they were operating outside their assigned frequencies. But as you stated, the TV receiver is an unlicensed device while the ham is operating with a license in a licensed service which is often used in public service. Here the county installed ham stations in both the EOC and the mobile EOC which is manned by volunteer hams as you have to have the proper license to operate the equipment.

Most hams try to work with the owners of equipment receiving RFI to determine the source of the interference. Many areas actually have RFI committees that are willing to serve as intermediaries between the ham and the TV or stereo owner.

There is such a thing as the "pin 1 problem" in audio systems. Poorly shielded TV sets close to a transmitter may also be a problem. They may change channels, turn on and off, change volume all on their own. There is actually a cure for most pin 1 problems and an RFI tutorial on line. Just search on " RFI tutorial " by audiosystemsgroup.com
He shows how to build a number of chokes inexpensively that will get rid of the RFI in many audio systems.

One problem with the hi fi systems is the long speaker leads serve as a very good antenna, bringing common mode voltage back into the output transistors or stage (tubes). In the case of bipolar transistors in the output they become the RFI generator whether turned on or not. This can then get into all sorts of equipment. The same is true for the input to outboard amps used in stereo systems. Often the ground for the input is not chassis ground (the pin 1 problem)

[jordanm]

I would... never actually sell my Kuro...

Ditto!