Here are the two preferred choices being recommended at Currys/Comet.

http://www.currys.co.uk/martprd/stor...rmationSection

http://www.currys.co.uk/martprd/stor...ory_oid=-34810

I like the look of both and the Panasonic was always a better brand in my mind, but am not so sure now.

Anyone able help and recommend or comment?

As a general statement Panasonic is seen as making better plasma TVs than LG (IMHO). However before buying any TV go and see them in the flesh and make our own mind up regarding PQ / features / connectivity.

Certainly Panasonic has a FAR better reputation than LG.

We love LG, our workshop would be empty without them!!!! Go for a Panny!

go for the panasonic

The panny plasma models are getting very good praise and it what i will be picking up later in the year.

John lewis do free 5 year warrantys on all their tellys and price match other stores. We have bought 2 TV from them and have always got brilliant service.

Definately Panasonic. Probably making some of the best Plasmas at the moment with the exception of Pioneer possibly.

I can't tell much difference between the Panasonics and Pioneers, however, the LGs cannot be comapired as the picture quality is poorer and the reliability is often poor

We don't sell LG (as we have never been happy with their reliability), but I was talking to a service guy the other day who does LG (amongst others) - and he was saying that their reliability is now pretty good, far better than it used to be.

This thread shows that cheapo brand Goldstar's decision some years back to rename themselves LG certainly has done them a world of good

LG of course is short for "Lucky Goldstar".

The Lucky referring to what you are if you get a good reliable one

Someone told me it meant "Life's Good"

lol

No, the company was originally called 'Lucky Goldstar', although mostly in the UK they just badged sets 'Goldstar', then they switched to calling themselves LG.

Whoever told you that was just making it up.

It was some guy at work. He swore by them

If i'd have know it was a rebadged Goldstar, I'd never have bought my HDD Recorder from them

I remember Goldstar crap very well

I'd have to disagree here, I bought a 50" LG plasma over two and a half years ago and performance has been nothing short of brilliant. When it was released it was compared favourably with a Pioneer model, 7G model as I recall, the Pioneer just pipped it to the post with slightly better blacks. At the time I paid £2500 not the £1000 they are asking now for their current models. I often have a look at all the current models when I'm out and about and to be honest it still gives them a run for their money.

In the past I have always gone for the bigger brand names believing they gave better around quality, in the case of the LG this isn't always the case. I have had faults and disappointments with Panasonic, Sony and Hitachi products in the past, something the LG hasn't in 30 months. You just have to visit other message boards to see the problems owners have with manufactures like Panasonic, Sony, Pioneer, Toshiba, they all have their fare share.

There is so much hype attached to brand names, it doesn't always mean you are buying the best, but you will always pay a premium for it's name regardless.

Best advice is to go see the display in person and make your decision from that, preferably from a reputable dealer.

The quality of picture on LG is usually OK but normally not as good as the more expensive main brands. If you have been happy with your LG, thats good but the features on it will not compaire to the newer high end models well (e.g. Full HD)


There will be problem sets from any manufacturer as not all the products manufactured are perfect. The point is that the 'better' brands are manufactured to a higher standard and there will be less problem products with Panasonic and Sony than with lower brands like LG and especially the bottom end brands which are rebagged Vestels etc... The main motto is - you only get what you pay for.


Couldn't agree more

I had my doubts when I first bought it but I must say it has been one of the better purchases I have made.

The model I have still compares favourably with some of the current models out now, it accepts 1080p/24f/s which I know some Panasonic's don't do, this is important to me as there is no judder from Bluray. IMO Full HD has no real benefit on screens this small, I see little difference between between 768 to 1080, seeing that I still watch a fair bit of SD I'd rather compromise on the resolution and have reasonable picture quality on 768 then 1080p.

If anything the LG lets me down on HDMI connections, it only has one, but then I run everything through my amp so it's not a major problem.



This is something that I used to believe, but not anymore, I got fed up with paying a high premium for a brand name living under the illusion that I was getting high quality product, certainly wasn't the case for me, I would think twice to buying anything from Panasonic, Hitachi or Sony in the future. I have found paying for a lesser name has given me the quality and reliability other manufactures have failed to provide in the past.

Lucky or chosen wisely, LG would get my vote over Panasonic purely on my experiences.

On screens at 32 inches 1080 is barely noticeable but above 42 (like yours at 50") it makes a diferance when a 1080i ot 1080p signal is displayed. At this size, 100Hz also makes a difference.

If anything the LG lets me down on HDMI connections, it only has one, but then I run everything through my amp so it's not a major problem.

As far as I am aware, the new model Panasonics all accept 1080p/24f/s



I think it is just that you have had bad luck with Sony or Panasonics. Hitiachi's today are not made by Hitachi and they are generally the same or worse quality than LG and are rebagged from other makes including Vestel, etc...

'Life's Good' is on the LG display boards in my local Currys. So, they weren't making it up. I think it's a trade mark.

It does.

The head of LG was interviewed quite a few years back by What Video/Home Cinema Choice around the time of the name change and it was he who said that was what LG stood for.

As the head of the company he should know.

What you say about the boss of LG is, I think, true and they used the slogan "Life's Good" in some advertising too but did not suggest that LG was short for that. LG really stands/stood for Lucky Goldstar (previously known mainly just as Goldstar in the UK). It's now plain LG. I doubt if anywhere in LG documentation they talk about "LG (Life's Good) Consumer Electronics Limited" or any such phrase. They obviously prefer Life's Good to the rather naff sounding Lucky Goldstar, which has always made me think of chinese chewing gum, for reasons I cannot understand!

Everything you want to know about the South Korean company LG.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LG

All their LCD panels are produced in a joint venture company with Philips of the Netherlands and other investors - LG Philips LCD (though they have changed name again recently to LG Display. Philips still retain a portion of the company).

Hope this settles your friendly dis-agreement.

Cheers
Steve

Or more than we wanted to know!

Thanks for that.

The reason I know they were 'Lucky Goldstar' is because that was what it used to say on the front of the service manuals.

Had the Panasonic TH42PZ81 deliverd last Friday to replace a 32" Toshiba CRT. Stunning pictures especially in HD...

BUT it crashed today All I can get is a flashing red power LED.

Dealer ordering a new one and loaning a Plasma till it arrives

Just hope its a one off problem