Panasonic PT-50LC13 50 in. HDTV LCD TV

I spent about 2 months researching the latest tv technology, including Plasma, DLP, LCOS and RPTV. I wanted an HD ready plasma unit but was priced out of that market. DLP was my second choice but after reading up on the Samsung DLP TVs (which is the manufacturer you often see at retailers), I took a pass. That left LCOS and RPTV. LCOS at the time and even now is very new technology and I decided to pass on that, too. That left RPTV. Based on readings from Google and avsforum.com (which I recommend to anybody for researching opinions and facts on tv media technology), I decided that I would go for an RPTV from either: Sony, Hitachi or Panasonic. Of the three, the one I read the most positive *and* the least negative feedback on was the Panasonic. Having seen all three side by side, the Hitachi seemed to have superior color depth and contrast but didn't process blacks anywhere near as well as the Panny - a classic challenge for RPTVs. The Sony was nice and seemed to have less screen door effect than either the Hitachi or the Panny, but was more expensive and I was spooked by earlier reports of problems with blown lamps being shipped (something that I've heard is no longer an issue). The equivalent 50" Hitachi (sorry, forgot the model number) is also more expensive than the Panasonic and unfortunately seemed to be a problematic unit based on the many different forums I've read where folks complain about blown light processing engines, crop circles, smudges, sound sync, etc. To be fair, there have also been various reports of problems with the panasonic, including ballasts issues, dead or stuck pixels (which many many RPTVs have), and lamps burning out way earlier than expected. However, tallying up all the pros and cons for these RPTVs, I ended up going with Panasonic. The Panasonic has many things going for it, including a ton of inputs, including DVI, computer hook ups, memory card reader for displaying photos, svideo, multiple component video inputs, etc. Viewing a quality DVD from even an average DVD player looks very very nice. Viewing HDTV though is the real treat. Looking at Discovery HD, ESPNHD, HDNET, is really quite impressive and with a good satellite signal, you almost want to take a picture of the screen. Regular cable I'm told tends to be fuzzy or blurry due to the typical noise on the line and the signal quality being average or worse. Also, due to the image being displayed across such a big resolution on this tv, don't expect a clear picture like what you're seeing currently on a CRT tv, but the Panasonic does try to do the most with what it's given. If you have a Dish HD receiver, you can view these regular SD channels in various zoom modes anyway, which makes it look better sometimes. The color settings on this tv are a bit disappointing, as you pretty much have just R, G, B settings, and Contrast. DVD and video is different, with various additional settings like warm, cool picture settings, and dyanmic vs normal vs cinema settings. These can go a long way to changing the look (good or bad) of the picture. Still, with a good HD signal (720p or 1080i) or progressive scan DVD player, the picture on the Panasonic is beautiful. The only gripe I have is the "Screen Door" effect is noticeable to me on this unit but does not take away from the picture quality enough to make it a deal breaker. Some people don't notice it or sit far back enough not too. Also, lighting conditions in the home can reduce or increase the effect, and essentially I've watched HD movies over satellite and never noticed it but have put on a sports event or a brightly lit scene from an outdoor event or movie and I do. The other issue is that the colors on the panasonic tend to look "neon", which means the yellows, blues, etc, seem to gravitate towards a neon like color saturation, vs say the Hitachi that seemed to have awesome contrast and more increased natural color saturation. Watch "Finding Nemo" on these tvs for an example of this, and you'll see the difference. I recommend getting the stand especially made for the tv, but it is expensive and there are other options for sure. Also, like many RPTV brands, do expect at least one or more stuck or dead pixels or sub-pixels. It's just the way it goes and if you really insist on a perfect screen, you may ultimately have to take a refund since out of every PT-50LC13 model I've seen to date, every single one of them had at least one or more stuck pixels (usually 2-4) and one or more dead pixels or sub-pixels (usually 1-2). The good news is that, at average or recommended viewing distances, these are not noticeable and shouldn't bother you unless you are, like some people, prone to harp on these types of things. Panasonic also recommends keeping an extra lamp on hand since they can go out at any time, even though they do have a life time that should exceed at least a year or even two before that happens.

Most extended warranties should be avoided unless they are the kind the reimburses some of the money if nothing happens to the tv, or, offers free lamp replacement, configuration/tuning, performance & defect guarantees, etc, etc. The real decision once you settle on any thing like this is where to buy it from. If you are looking to save a lot of money and possibly risk having to pay for a return delivery in case there is a defect with the tv, you're probably best going with an online web retailer, but do your homework first and find one that is reputable. Otherwise, if you can afford to spend a few hundred more, my recommendation is to go with the peace of mind of a local merchant. However, I can not recommend BestBuy, Circuit City or P.C. richards, as I do not trust any of these companies based on prior experience. One that I've found is pretty decent is Sears.