I wouldn't trust reviews from cnet 100%, especially since that Panny 42px80 review has been criticized heavily on both AVSForums and AVForums. Best is go to a few big stores like Harvey and Best and compare them side by side, preferably with your own DVD and access to their remote controls.

Your own eyes are the best judge.

That is a cool setup. You guys think a cheapo Benq 612 (now RM1999 + screen) can do a decent job?

Thanks to g5sim's logos, my mobile phone is now THX-certified.

I've tried upscaling Astro to 1080p through a Philips DVDR3600 (the new recorder). It was worse than letting my PV80 upscale itself. While the detail was only marginally better, compression artifacts were far more obvious, making the overall picture worse. I guess you can't polish a turd.

All input is automatically upscaled in your PV80. Just a matter of whether your TV's upscaler better or the DVD player's upscaler. FYI, PV80 upscales all incoming signals to 1080p and then downscales it to 768, so to get the best scaling, set your upscaling DVD player to 1080p. To compare whether the TV or the DVD player is upscaling better, try setting your DVD player to 480i (TV does all the deinterlacing/upscaling), and then 1080p (DVD player does deinterlacing/upscaling), and see which looks better.

My Panny DVD-S54 upscales better than the pv80.

This post has been edited by 99below0: Jul 31 2008, 05:17 PM

SenQ IOI sucks IMO. Their prices are never updated, their stuff is old and outdated, and their staff know nothing. Just wondering when they are going to "chap lup"...

BTW, I'm using a Monster S-Video cable and there IS a noticeable difference from my previous TNK S-Video cable. The picture is definitely sharper. Using on Astro Max connected to a PV80.

I still can't get over how bloody good the picture is on the PV80 even after 2 months...

This post has been edited by 99below0: Aug 4 2008, 04:04 PM

Astro only got S-Video mah... plus Max don't even have that antenna out anymore so I can't parallel to my TV upstairs anymore...

Using HDMI to connect my DVD player with my plasma. Upscaling is the best way to watch DVDs on a HDTV.

This post has been edited by 99below0: Aug 4 2008, 04:11 PM

I agree. The LX800 looks great, especially on motion sequences (and the viewing angle is ). Both the Sonys and the Samsungs give me a headache when watching fast moving sequences and panning due to all the motion blurring. I rather hate how soft the Sony S-Series looks on SD sources (eg ASSTRO). I'd have to say also that the Sharp 32a53m model is rather comfortable to my eyes for long viewing (for an LCD).

You know, this is the highest viewed thread in Audiophile. Doesn't it deserve a "sticky" status?

And the PV80 also has a light sensor for ECO mode, which the PV8 doesn't have. Basically it adjusts your backlight according to the ambient light levels. Useful if you watch in varying light conditions.

Oh, and the PV80 has a swivel stand.

This post has been edited by 99below0: Aug 6 2008, 10:12 AM

That logic is

Well, technically you don't need one to join the thread... SteadyPana's been doing fine without one for a long time...

I can. The detail with the Monster THX is sharper, and the picture brighter. Compression artifacts are pretty clear with the Monster cable, so you can really see how sucky ASSTRO is...

32LE8 - Some generic panel, no SD slot, non-glossy bezel

32LX800 - IPS-Alpha panel, SD slot, 100Hz display, more expensive looking bezel

To my eyes - the LX800 has better color and richer depth, smoother gradation, excellent motion handling, and better viewing angle. For just RM500 more than the 32LE8 you might as well get the LX800.

You'll be glad you paid the extra RM500 when you view them side by side. The difference is very visible. Bargain basement LCDs all suck, no matter i they're the Panny 32LE8, Sammy 32a330, LG LG30, etc. You're getting the cheapest components of that range. It's better to buy a good 32" than a cheap 37". After all, you can just sit nearer to your good 32" to appreciate the great PQ, but there's no way to make a cheap 37" good.

I'm just glad this is one of the few forums where enthusiasts have some sense to pick a superior PQ technology (eg Plasma) over that over-hyped over-priced POS tech called LCD.

I mean, why pay big bucks for a 100Hz, super view-angle, 2ms, and whatever else tech word they can put in there (and your ASTRO will still look sh!t) when for under 4k you can get a plasma set that has no view angle problems, 0ms, and that you can watch ASTRO satisfactorily on. It's all a question of value for money.

A 4k panny plasma will look better with a DVD upscaler than an 9k sony W-series. Try a comparison in a big electrical store and see. Let's not talk about blu-ray sources, cause frankly how many blu-rays are you going to buy vs the number of *ahem* DVDs? This is Malaysia, after all. ;-)

Well, blu-ray looks better on FullHD sets, be they plasma or lcd. I will still give the edge to FullHD plasma sets like the PY800 because motion handling on LCDs, I feel, are still not up to par. You either get motion-blur on 50Hz sets or unreal-looking motion on 100Hz sets.

I just feel that plasmas are the best available technology for watching movies and TV on (this being the audiophile section).

Not trying to be rude or anything, just that I have both types, and I also have a lot of friends with LCD, and compare a lot of TVs in a lot of stores, and I just think that LCD is not a great TV technology. Let's not confuse great Sony design (no dispute there) with great viewing technology.

Just trying to win back the day for actual PQ vs all the misinformation sown by our local electrical store salespeople that confuse customers to get them to buy high-margin LCDs.

How can any salesman in good conscience, push a 12k Philips instead of a KURO when the customer says he only watches ASTRO and DVDs? Or an expensive Samsung 6-series over a Panasonic PY800 on the same criteria.

I still watch a lot of shows on LCDs but at this point in time, in no way does it beat the sheer PQ or eye comfort level of a Plasma. If an informed consumer chooses a LCD in the end, then all power to him/her. It's a choice, a well-informed one.

But uninformed consumers should not be suckered into buying LCDs over Plasmas because of reasons like "FullHD sharper for ASTRO", "LCD is new tech", "Plasma is hot like hell", "Plasmas will have screen burn and spoil easily".

The only reasonable advantage of the LCD over Plasma is when primarily used for console gaming and as a extra-large PC monitor.

A lot of people come into this thread looking for education and information so let's no just say stuff like "Sony is best la" or "dun ever buy Samsung la" without stating the reason why.

LCDs are winning because it's easier and cheaper to manufacture, margins are higher, and there are economies of scale because they can share production lines with LCD monitors. Plasma manufacturers bleed red due to high R&D and production costs, and lower margins (cause have to fight with LCD mah). Even LG is still losing money from it's display division. Pioneer bled all their funds out making high quality, high priced, low volume plasmas. (I'm sure they'll kill themselves making high-priced, high-quality, low volume KURO LCDs too). Only Panasonic is making money. I sure hope they don't throw in the towel as well. I wanna be watching a PV90 not a LX90 in the future...

---

Added on August 14, 2008, 11:16 amI'd buy a Sony if they stick a Panasonic plasma panel into a XBR chassis. Panasonic makes such great panels, it's a crime that their designs are so... bleh.

All my previous CRT TVs were Sony WEGAs. Loved them. Lots. My stereo, MP3 players, headphones, DVD players are all Sony, so be assured I'm not a Sony-hater. ;-)

This post has been edited by 99below0: Aug 14 2008, 11:16 AM

Niamah... the Europeans already got a HD-ready 32" plasma from LG... We all here no word at all...

http://uk.lge.com/products/model/detail/pl..._32pg6000.jhtml