Panasonic Plasma THP50V20Z

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StuntCommando

41 posts

Geek

#75150 13-Jan-2011 21:45

Hi all, just after some advice.

After doing the research I have decided upon the above TV as my best purchase. Does anyone have anything bad to say about it or can offer a better alternative (3D does not interest me BTW).

Also, what would be a good BR player to pair with this. I what the BR to replace my existing DVD player, so must be capable of playing any region DVD and upscaling would be good too (although I believe the TV does upscaling?).

Thanks for your help.

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4086 posts

Uber Geek

#426965 13-Jan-2011 22:06

I'd say - If you're only looking for negatives, you'll only find negatives...
The best thing to remember in my mind, is that no TV is perfect.
I certainly haven't heard of any V series failing - and everyone I know who owns one, loves it.

For me, the only nitpick issue is the buzzing you can hear when the TV is muted, in a quiet room... and when you're sitting VERY close to the set. To be fair, you have to be within a meter, or standing directly behind the TV... and the same thing can be heard on a mates series 7 Samsung too.
Oh yeah, the USB recording of FTA content is crippled. But I don't have FTA TV, so it's not a concern for me. The lack of codec support is annoying for video playback, but I use an external device for this anyway.

Positives:
Black levels + accurate colours
Gun metal bezel (black bezels are sooooo 2009)
DLNA support and interweb integration that does what it says it will
ISF calibration for picture tweaking
Motion performance
USB wireless keyboard integration
Legacy connections like S-Video / decent numbers of RCA's etc.
Good anti-glare filter

So yeah, great TV's. I saw the 50" for $2350 the other day - so it's a lot of tellie for not much money in my books.

StuntCommando

41 posts

Geek

#426968 13-Jan-2011 22:09

Thanks for that. The price you mention is in line with what I have been quoted.

Any thoughts on a BR player?

Dunnersfella

4086 posts

Uber Geek

#426976 13-Jan-2011 23:00

Panasonic don't come region free... but you can get local repair places like Next etc to fix this for you at no charge.
Sony used to come region free for DVD playback, but my b/in-laws didn't for some reason?

The BD65 looks good, but the BD85 is reportedly even better playback wise. I wouldn't bother with a BD45 as the updates etc are a bit of a PITA, as they have no network port and actually support DivX...

The Sony BDP-S370 and S570 are very well reviewed too, and will play DivX. Infact, the best reviews under $600 I've read have been for the S570. I haven't used one myself, but I'd suggest taking your favourite BluRay disc into the store and playing them both on the V Series to compare picture performance / playback etc.

xarqi

727 posts

Ultimate Geek

#426978 13-Jan-2011 23:35

I've had this model for about 3 months. I'm struggling to think of anything at all negative about it that isn't either trivial, a matter of taste, or relating to a feature that is quite peripheral to its function as a TV/display.

Maybe the biggest ones are - absence of the THX-compliant picture mode, and of a built-in DVB-S tuner. Oh - the PVR functions are laughable, and DLNA is fairly silly.

slapnutz

38 posts

Geek

#426987 14-Jan-2011 00:32

I've had this model since Nov and honestly cant complain.

I'm 90% gaming and 10% movies.

I wanted the best 2d picture I could get, didnt care about connectivity and other features... purely picture quality.

GOOD:
* The picture is awesome, crazy black levels and no real reflection issue.

* Watched Toy Story 3 in 1080p 24hz playback via PS3, it was incredibly clear and smooth.

BAD: (i'm hesitant to put this here because I was very picky when shopping and I can see these comments putting doubt in buyers like myself)

* Every now and then in 1080p/24hz playback theres weird "artifacting" around certain objects in the screen. This is VERY rare. Maybe 4 times in Toy Story 3.
It was more apparent in Home Alone 1 Bluray.

* Slight buzzing if TV is mute on a solid colour screen... ie.e full black or white... BUT this is also intermittent and basically I've never noticed it once i'm gaming or a movie is playing. I.e. I might notice it as the Xbox starts up... but once in the dashboard its gone.

* Flickering. Some people notice others dont. I can. Its quite easy. However as mentioned... once you have a moving image, you can not notice it. Same thing with darker images, you cant notice it. That said, to honest, after having it for 3 months, its harder for me to notice, even though I am a visual snob.

The end result (for me) is, once I'm actually sitting there and playing/watching something, I have no complaints. No anoying "issues" just great pictures and great experience.

If you want pretty much the best 2D picture this is it. (excluding the 3d VT20 version in 2d mode).

Honestly dude, I was reading reviews from US/UK, jumping on here, avsforums ... checking out CNET, checking colour maps, response times and lag captures, following early 2010 threads to see peoples experiences .... all this does is just create this perception that your TV might be the one with all this random issues "person x" has discribed.

The reality is, its a great TV and if you can score a deal like me for around $2100 go for it!

Keep an eye on Pricespy.

http://pricespy.co.nz/product.php?p=622500

Every now and then, 100% Electric sells them as loss leaders. Thus I was able to buy mine from JB Hifi for $2100 since they had to (reluctantly) price match.

Just remember, I cant comment on its connectivity/multimedia component since I didnt care about it, simply wanted the best picture quality.

StuntCommando

41 posts

Geek

#427004 14-Jan-2011 07:47

Awesome guys. That pretty much backs up what I have read. Thanks all

fahrenheit

757 posts

Ultimate Geek

#427074 14-Jan-2011 10:39

Dunnersfella:
Gun metal bezel (black bezels are sooooo 2009)

*cough*

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Masterpiece

247 posts

Master Geek

#427527 15-Jan-2011 23:15

They do have THX modes, just called something different, but in fact the same.

Pro1 and Pro2 are and can be calibrated into isfDay and isfNight by an isf technician.

Me:"I'm not a robot!"

ET: "Maybe; you have some freewill, but you chose your path by arrangement"

Me "That sounds like a program with no freewill?"

ET: "We will catch up when you end this cycle"

Me: "Sounds like a 'KPI'!"

ET: "Did you read the terms and conditions?"

Me: .....

xarqi

727 posts

Ultimate Geek

#427529 15-Jan-2011 23:33

There are no THX modes.
The "Pro" settings are just user-definable profiles, and yes, you can pay someone to come and set them up if you want to.
The THX setting is a factory-defined THX-compliant setting, requiring just that the user choose it.

fahrenheit

757 posts

Ultimate Geek

#427545 16-Jan-2011 01:13

xarqi: There are no THX modes.
The "Pro" settings are just user-definable profiles, and yes, you can pay someone to come and set them up if you want to.
The THX setting is a factory-defined THX-compliant setting, requiring just that the user choose it.

Correct. The panel on the NZ V20 is Infinite Black as opposed to the Infinite Black Pro panel used on the US and UK/EU models. NZ and AU models got lumped with an old panel for some reason.

Perhaps this year we'll get Infinite Black Pro panels while the rest of the world gets the new Infinite Black 2 and Infinite Black Pro 2 panels...

Masterpiece

247 posts

Master Geek

#427571 16-Jan-2011 09:26

Not trying to argue with you so there is no need to be aggressive.

Just to clear something up for you. THX and isf certification means the panel in question can achieve reasonable tolerences with reference to the standards. THX and isf are independent bodys who work with and have members within SMPTE. Some have been the chairs and board members at times of all bodys. SMPTE sets the standards, the off shoots THX and isf try and inform, educate and work with the manufactures and public.

It usually costs the manufacture for THX or isf certification, with that they can define modes to show off this certification. The point of difference within a model range can be that the upper model exibits the mode.
The displays themselves to have certification have to have properties such that the display can be brought within reasonable tolerences and this is where the modes name, THX,isf or pro1/2 could either be a defined or user mode.

Of course there is a marketing aspect to this, however, even if the modes are good out of the box there is usually some room for improvement through the separate user modes in the THX defined displays or definable within the isf design.

Just different ways of the same thing.

Me:"I'm not a robot!"

ET: "Maybe; you have some freewill, but you chose your path by arrangement"

Me "That sounds like a program with no freewill?"

ET: "We will catch up when you end this cycle"

Me: "Sounds like a 'KPI'!"

ET: "Did you read the terms and conditions?"

Me: .....

fahrenheit

757 posts

Ultimate Geek

#427596 16-Jan-2011 11:56

Masterpiece: Not trying to argue with you so there is no need to be aggressive.

Who is being aggressive? I'll assume the comment is being directed at me since it directly follows my post.
You are mistaken if that is the case. I wasn't addressing you. I was merely backing up the poster whom I quoted and added one more disparity between the local and overseas models.

Masterpiece

247 posts

Master Geek

#427684 16-Jan-2011 16:20

No direction at all, just voicing a few facts for the benefort of anyone who happens to read the thread.

For parity or similarity the public should look to EBU models , even there you will find differences. It's our small market, count ourselves luckly to get atleast some of the models.

The US models have largely always been different and dispite HD the core engines still work with ATSC/NTSC and ours as EBU are PAL where our broadcast is different again even comparing with Aus.

Me:"I'm not a robot!"

ET: "Maybe; you have some freewill, but you chose your path by arrangement"

Me "That sounds like a program with no freewill?"

ET: "We will catch up when you end this cycle"

Me: "Sounds like a 'KPI'!"

ET: "Did you read the terms and conditions?"

Me: .....

fahrenheit

757 posts

Ultimate Geek

#427697 16-Jan-2011 17:09

Masterpiece: No direction at all, just voicing a few facts for the benefort of anyone who happens to read the thread.

Xarqi was completely factual when he stated "There are no THX modes".
Whether or not another mode can give the same calibrated results as THX is beside the point. Its absence is a measureable loss to the end user. Its a missing option.
The UK/EU/US etc have the Pro 1 and 2 modes in addition to THX. Not only does the mode offer one more configurable setting for the end user, but also offers 1:1 pixel mapping (no overscan) by default. Anyone with experience with a recent Panasonic will know how convoluted turning on and off overscan can be.

That aside, there could well be a silver lining to the V20z being an older panel though. If its anything like the 2009 panels, then floating blacks won't be an issue. Its clear from other markets that their G20 and V20's are very susceptible to floating blacks but owners like Xarqi would need to confirm whether or not its a problem here too.

Masterpiece

247 posts

Master Geek

#427772 16-Jan-2011 21:30

StuntCommando, I apoligize to you as thread starter for the direction some have taken things.
Just so you are aware I calibrate the high end and pro panels for Panasonic and take what I do as a business very seriously.

I can only comment on the picture quality of this line and will not make judgement on other functions of this panel as it would not be a service to you to do so.

Please take advise that it isn't that big of a deal to not have the labeled "THX mode", there is plenty of options and modes in this model to suit, if you desire the Pro1 and Pro2 modes are very similar to THX mode, but also more in that they can be turned into Day and Night modes. It is all about compliance to industry standards, nothing more nothing less.
My other comments above are true in relation to this area.

As for the raised non event issue of black levels, don't worry about it. It is a function of time for those effected models, in time the luma drops and black is not raised anymore, those in the know understand this. Panasonic increased the stepping in later models so the effect is less pronounced.

Me:"I'm not a robot!"

ET: "Maybe; you have some freewill, but you chose your path by arrangement"

Me "That sounds like a program with no freewill?"

ET: "We will catch up when you end this cycle"

Me: "Sounds like a 'KPI'!"

ET: "Did you read the terms and conditions?"

Me: .....

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