Home audio & video: What HDTV do I buy!? LCD or Plasma and which model?? HELP!!!
Good Luck!
by WildClay - 7/26/09 6:30 AM In reply to: Plasma it is by ZitechI was tossed between the two brands when I bought my first one, it really was down to a coin flip almost, but when I got mine the timing was such that both had their new models out.
You really can't go wrong with either choice, I got my Blu-Ray at the same time and had ordered a couple movies so I could see the max ASAP, as well as ordering the HD from my cable provider.
Thanks!
by Zitech - 7/27/09 3:32 AM In reply to: Good Luck! by WildClayThanks, The good news is I already have HD cable service and just need to get an additional HD-DVR, BTW did you hook yours up with HD component cables or a HDMI? And I already have a PS3 for Blu-Ray so I am good to go. I still haven't purchased the TV yet, just shopping prices around and deciding which one, you are right that it is a coin flip, the only thing I noticed that the Pioneer had over the Pani was the Pioneer had THX mode. Thanks again for all the help! Also, how did you end up calibrating yours?
I just bought a PRO-111FD.
by ikjadoon - 7/26/09 10:19 AM In reply to: Plasma it is by ZitechHi! I bought a Pioneer PRO-111FD and, to me, it is absolutely fantastic. The whites could be brighter, but it has "hidden" IFS modes: ISF-Day and ISF-Night. You need about $30 worth of software to do it or a professional calibrator ($300 or more). If you can get these tweaked, you'll have an amazing television.
~Ibrahim~
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by jostenmeat - 7/26/09 3:33 PM In reply to: Thanks and one last thing... by ZitechThe larger pana's don't come out till Fall, as you noted. This is typical. Was the same last year when they came out with larger sizes last year.
You ought to understand something: part of the reason why, maybe in fact the most important reason, that the Pro panels are so good is because of their calibration abilities. I would highly recommend a pro calibration. I would love to get one, but since I use FP, it's not worth it to pay that sum every 200 hours.
With the pro panels, you should be able to have calibration for every source you are hooking up, as well as having BOTH day and night calibrations for EACH of those sources.
There are compromises you can choose otherwise. Cal disc is bare minimum. You can learn about calibrating on your own, and try for yourself (but the initial costs will be way higher than a single cal). You can try using a spectroradiometer at higher cost, or simply a colorimeter at much lower cost. check out calman products for example. you can search user threads, or pick calibrator's brains to make offsets to the SM (service menu), but most people would tell you to be extremely careful as the SM is not meant for normal consumers to poke around in and destroy display.
such calibration flexibility is what makes the 850 the old flagship. It is much more tweakable than the 800. HOWEVER, if you are 100% sure you won't get a pro cal, the 800 is actually more accurate out of the box, namely in THX mode.
just some FYI stuff.
Not to change the subject or such, but...
by ahtoi - 7/26/09 8:07 PM In reply to: What HDTV do I buy!? LCD or Plasma and which model?? HELP!!! by ZitechI just came back from Best Buy and I saw this 46" Samsung; it may make me forget about laservue, hehe. This is an LED tv (not the OLED). I didn't know they have such tv. The color brilliance cause me to say "wow". However, the skin tone wasn't as great as the Pioneer though (sorry).
Had to start a new reply line to your last question...
by WildClay - 7/27/09 12:34 PM In reply to: What HDTV do I buy!? LCD or Plasma and which model?? HELP!!! by ZitechZ> BTW did you hook yours up with HD component cables or a HDMI? That
Z> the Pioneer had over the Pani was the Pioneer had THX mode. Thanks
Z> again for all the help! Also, how did you end up calibrating yours?
I used HDMI on the Blu-Ray, though my A/V receiver and HDMI from the A/V receiver to the TV.
I used component cable from the Cable Box as it was only 1080i and to use the receiver to up-scale I wanted to make sure the HDMI was not blocking me or doing its "auto" stuff. I upscale the Cable Box to 1080p.
As for THX mode, I have admit <color me shamed> I don't always agree with the director on how a movie should be watched so I would say I use it maybe 60% of the time...
On the other hand I did the calibration myself with just a Cal Disc, the Pani came out of the box pretty good and I have been calibrating TV's for many years. Could a pro get more out of my set, hard to day but I seriously doubt it since I doubt most would cal the way I did. First it got it to the standard from various sources, then I have cal for regular and low lighting and for 480i and 1080p.
If you get a pro calibration I would advise waiting 2-3 months and while your at it take a swing at it your self, it is an acquired skill that takes a few times at least to get faster, expect the first time to take hours and don't be shocked if more than once you opt to reset all to factory and start again if this is your first time.
The upside of doing it yourself is that once you know how you can do it ever couple of years and on new sets in the future. The only real downside is if your set is so far out of whack that the service menu's are needed as well as other test equipment. In the end if you can get a pictire you really like yourself, why shell out the bucks for what will likely be a minor difference at best. If you can't get a picture you like then pro cal is worth it, in the end it is all about getting a great picture, in your opinion.
Thanks for all the help!!!!
by Zitech - 7/27/09 1:49 PM In reply to: Had to start a new reply line to your last question... by WildClayThanks for all the help. Your input and advice has saved me a ton of time researching and also many things I would probably have to go through making mistakes, I really appreciate it! As you saw and posted on I figured I would create a new thread on the calibration, just to simplify things a bit. So after taking in your advice here's what I am going to do, tell me if you think it is a-ok!
1. I decided to go with the new Panasonic TC-P65V10, it replaces 2008's model and retails for LESS then the 08 model and also features THX mode. So I figured I am getting a newer screen and 5" bigger than the Pioneer. It comes out in August so I will wait the new few weeks to get it but I think it would be silly not to.
2. I got a great Pioneer receiver that I am plugging my Blu-Ray into via HDMI 1.3 and then running everything out of the receiver via HDMI to the TV, I think that is the way to go. I will probably use the component HD cables that came with my DVR since it is only 1080i.
3. I also just so you know did some research and I am going to get a great surround sound for this, besides you need great sound to go with a great picture!
4. I am pretty sure as far as HDMI's go as long as they are 1.3 version the price points make no difference since they all do the same thing and the crazy prices are just scams, am I right? Anyway, I will probably go with a Monster HDMI just to know it is good quality.
5. Calibration: I really appreciate your input on this one. I am going to first before I do anything let the TV run for about 100 hours on full screen (with know cable channel logo) that way it is already burnt in. I will get a Cal-Disc and try it out a bit, I'm sure it is something to do when I have time and play around with, the great thing is I can switch it back if I really mess it up (as long as I don't go into the service menu which I have no intention of doing as I've never even calibrated a TV before, lol), I can fix it easy. So that's my plan.
Thanks a lot for this information, it really is much better then trying and struggling to search for info only to get tiny bits and pieces and then have to put them together in your head. When I was shopping around for speaker systems it took me probably 30+ hours of research, crazy!
Thanks again for everyone's help!!!!!!!!!
Sounds Like you have a plan!
by WildClay - 7/27/09 3:17 PM In reply to: Thanks for all the help!!!! by ZitechIt all looked good to me, nice getting the extra 5" of screen!
GREAT CHOICE OF DISPLAY!
by jostenmeat - 7/27/09 5:13 PM In reply to: Thanks for all the help!!!! by ZitechWell done! 
According to a pro that I trust a lot, and have talked with a lot, it even bests his Pio professional 141 panel in some areas. Here is a review he linked.
http://hdguru.com/the-new-king-of-hdtv-displays-panasonics-tc-p54v10-reviewed/458/
Forget Monster. Even if you DID find a great deal on Monster, I say do not support them if only due to terrible business practices.
Monoprice is really all you need. I just posted this today in fact, elsewhere:
http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showpost.php?p=602279&postcount=12
Now, since I just saved hundreds of dollars, you are now obliged to use that savings on better speakers and subs. 
Thanks, and one last question!
by Zitech - 7/29/09 1:10 AM In reply to: GREAT CHOICE OF DISPLAY! by jostenmeatI was just browsing around since the new Panasonic's don't come out for another few days and found a great deal on a Pioneer Pro 141FD. I was wondering if I could get that for say, $350 less than the Panasonic if it is just as good or any better. As you know from the threads I have done a lot of research on the 151FD TV but don't know that much about he 141FD except for that it is apparently a bit better in PQ. I know it doesn't come with speakers or a stand and can't get over the air HD channels but for my situation I would never use the speakers or the over the air cable. Other than those things are the two TVs identical? Does it have all the same modes, even though I intend to calibrate it does it have any type of out-of-the-box setup that would work good until I figure that out. I have read that it is a, as you put it, PROFESSIONAL panel, does this mean I need a professional to hook it up?
Thanks for all the help!!!!
as I've probably already said in one of your multiple recent
by jostenmeat - 7/29/09 2:39 PM In reply to: Thanks, and one last question! by Zitechthreads, by not getting one of these PROPERLY calibrated means that you are losing a lot of the value of the unit. The high end units are high end namely because of the amount of tweaking available.
As the extremely helpful Pepe has already told you I believe, I'd go to other forums, like AVS as he recommended, at which I'm also a regular at.
But, knowing just enough to be dangerous, I'd probably go for the V series. However, I would bet good money that either of them calibrated will be better than the other uncalibrated, no matter which you pick. If pro cal can only be afforded by getting the 141, then get that.
You are in a wonderful predicament. I'd have an extremely hard time giving you a better choice to be stuck with!
Went with the 141FD
by Zitech - 7/29/09 2:54 PM In reply to: as I've probably already said in one of your multiple recent by jostenmeatI ended up going with the Pio 141fd. It cost me actually less then the V10 would have. I am not going to immediately get it calibrated since it needs to break in. I think I will play around with it many times myself and see how well I can do, if I find I have no luck I will get it properly calibrated. Thanks for the help, I look forward to many hours of enjoying the TV.
did you read the review I linked above, for your benefit?
by jostenmeat - 7/29/09 3:05 PM In reply to: Went with the 141FD by Zitechit says:
""The TC-P 54V10 really excelled overall in visual contrast, consistently creating more "pop" to the image than our reference Pioneer Pro-141FD monitor...
However, the Pioneer sometimes obscured dark details that the Panasonic presents".
There is a break in DVD you can get, I think designed by an AVS member (not sure) and if I can be bothered maybe I'll track it down for you. If you can be bothered to sign up and use a search function, Im sure you can find it in less than 5 minutes.
To do it yourself means setting gamma curves, making service menu offsets, besides the super basic stuff the rest of us do. If you don't know what you're doing in the SM, you can easily destroy the TV.
Then the gear itself is very expensive. Whether Sencore or whatever. I believe the typical kit for ISF is a cool $15,000. I've already researched on my own behalf, because paying $400 for a pro cal every 200 hours is not feasible. Count yourself lucky that you might only have to do it once.
Thanks again
by Zitech - 7/29/09 3:18 PM In reply to: did you read the review I linked above, for your benefit? by jostenmeatWell I will 110% not go into the SM, that would be silly. I was thinking as far as break in I could just play different full screen movies on it, is there any benefit to a special break-in DVD? There is no way I would pay someone that much every 200 hours. If I do it at all I will do it once. If I don't go into the SM and just learn the settings can I get it somewhere close to a pro-cal? Thanks...
I feel like I've been repeating myself over and over and ove
by jostenmeat - 7/29/09 3:23 PM In reply to: Thanks again by Zitechr again. That's why sometimes it's better to keep all q's in the same thread. I've already answered your questions. Maybe some of them twice?
I use front projection. hence my need for recal at every 200 hrs.
i've explained enough why you're not going to get it to the same level as a pro cal.
If you ARE going to do it, I would in fact go into the SM to do the offsets. Ask in the owner threads. I'll find one for you. sit right here and wait. ok im back.
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1059491
I highly recommend using the search function so that you might not annoy people who've already answered the same question multiple times.
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