Video Asylum

Posted by Rich H (R) on April 30, 2002 at 08:06:14

In Reply to: Re: Plasmas and "Prime Time..." posted by EdM on April 30, 2002 at 06:31:28:

Ed,

I hear you, and it appears you have experience with this stuff too.
Forgive my cheerleading, but I've only just received my Panny and I'm all giddy.

As much as I enjoy seeing other plasmas, it's really the Panasonic black levels that sold me on buying one. If I couldn't find a panel with blacks this satisfying I probably would have waited. The big Fuji has nice blacks too, and the newer Pioneers are pretty good (though not as good as the Panny). I've read that the Panny responds well to ISF calibration, as it becomes very smooth and linear throughout the color/gray scales, so I’ll be doing this too.

As far as better/cheaper plasmas coming down the pipe, this kind of thing could have gone on forever with me...waiting...waiting...biding time. But some recent experiences have emphasized to me the old adage "life is not a dress rehearsal,” so I went for it. I get to enjoy seeing movies on a plasma now, not in the future. And, if prices drop significantly and quality goes up, that's wonderful - it means I'll be able to replace my current model more cheaply down the line too.

The contrast, sharpness and color on this Panny are superb. I'm a life-long fan of Ray Harryhausen's movies - the Sinbads, Jason And The Argonauts et all - and I can't believe how the Panny brings these movies to vivid life. Makes me feel like a kid at the movies again. Amazingly enough, some images from these older films are so clear that it's like watching an HD feed. Sorry, I've gone on again, but I couldn't be happier.

Later,

Rich.