First 3D showdown pits Samsung vs Panasonic

Both Samsung and Panasonic started selling 3DTVs with great fanfare this week, but only Consumer Reports bought both and started testing them head to head. This is hardly a full review, but initial impressions seem to confirm what we saw at CES which is that Panasonic's 3D has the edge. To be more specific "in the 3D mode, its (Panasonic's 50-inch VT-20 series) lack of crosstalk and great black levels really made three-dimensional images pop." Of course some will always prefer LCD over plasma, but the initial reviews seem to indicate that plasma's great contrast and super fast response time go a long way in delivering a great 3D experience.

[kangoljas Posted Mar 13th 2010 2:18PM]

Is Best Buy only offering the 50" model from Panasonic at this time?

[nsfw Posted Mar 13th 2010 2:42PM]

@kangoljas yes.

[kangoljas Posted Mar 13th 2010 3:06PM]

@nsfw Makes sense I am hoping the 65" comes out before ESPN 3D and the world cup launch.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 13th 2010 4:46PM]

@kangoljas

Yes. The VT20 series appears to ONLY be 50". When the VT25 series is released, it will be available in 50/54/58/65" sizes (and maybe bigger, like the 85"). These will all be carried in Magnolia.

Do remember, the 50/54" usually come out first, and there can be a lag for the 58/65" sizes (as was the case last year, and the year before I recall).

And I am looking forward to the 65"!

[rchapoteau Posted Mar 13th 2010 5:10PM]

I think I'll wait till these come down by about $1000.

[kangoljas Posted Mar 13th 2010 5:38PM]

@rchapoteau If last year is any indication Black Friday will be a good indicator of how much of a bust or buy 3D is.

[Darren Pillans Posted Mar 13th 2010 6:16PM]

"Of course some will always prefer LCD over plasma..."

That seems like an odd statement.

Is it referring to the ignorant masses?

[Darren Pillans Posted Mar 13th 2010 6:43PM]

The new Samsung models STILL have clouding issues.

It looks official to me now. Edge-lit LED LCD cannot, and will most likely never, produce a uniform screen of black.

Surely, they've had enough attempts with the technology to get it right by now.

[EatingPie Posted Mar 13th 2010 8:44PM]

Sadly the Panasonics still suffer from the Black Level shift after so many months of use. It's the one thing that really kills the Panasonic plasma for me.

-Pie

[BenD Posted Mar 13th 2010 8:45PM]

@EatingPie

True, but even after the shift the black levels were still the better than any other TV from 2009.

[EatingPie Posted Mar 15th 2010 3:46PM]

Good info Ben.

Problem is, though, if you ISF your TV, your calibration is completely blown after the shift. From what I understand, it shifts after x number of hours of use, so you would have to schedule a new calibration every 6 months or so... at $300 a shot! Yikes!

-Pie

[Darren Pillans Posted Mar 14th 2010 6:59AM]

So if a Panasonic plasma isn't the TV to get in 2010, what is?

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 14th 2010 12:30PM]

Perhaps the new Vizio's coming in August. Local dimming LED back lit with 480hz in sizes including above 70". Time will tell.

[engeek Posted Mar 14th 2010 5:06PM]

When is the 8K OLED 3D 600Hz projector coming out, again? And how many lumens will it have?