[USIM]

I'm looking for a new 32 inch TV, to replace my dying CRT. I've been looking at Panasonics, for no better reason than that they seem to get good reviews, and I've followed everyone's advice and been to have a look at these in action. I've seen them at an independent dealer, and also at Currys.

The independent was able to show me the LXD80, LZD80 and LZD85 on SD (Freeview), and HD (a demo programme, unfortunately with only slow gentle movement in it).

Currys, had the LXD80, 85 and LZD80, 85. They were set up side-by-side showing a Panasonic demo programme with strange dancers, motor boats, and some band I'd never heard of. There was no opportunity for an SD demo in Currys.

Now I'm really confused. The SD demo in the independent was BBC2 and all of them looked pretty awful. On screen text such as programme credits, had fringing around all the letters. When anyone moved, their face lost all detail and acquired strobes and/or jaggies on the edges.

The HD demo in Currys was marvellous - right up to the point when anything moved - then strobes and/or jagged edges appeared. Fast panning shots left the background of the LXD85, LZD80 and the LZD85 as a mangled mess. The straight edges of the motor boats as they bounced over the waves resembled saw blades.

Only the bottom of the range LXD80 was reasonably free from such artefacts.

OK, so maybe this leaves me with a easy choice which is to buy the cheapest

But before I commit my money, I have to ask the question - why was the cheapest apparently the best by a long way? In short - what is going on here?

[skinj]

Can't really explain whay the bottom end set seemed to give the better picture on both SD and HD. We have all those sets up and running in the shop on freeview and freesatHD and I hav to say that in general they all all pretty damn good. The x80 doesn't have the same colour range or contrast level but still produces a nice image. The 85 sets have the 100hz Motion-Pro system inside which if to close to the screen can produce, as I have seen so far, some vertical lines during very quick movement. But this is only really obvious when really close up. I would suggest going back to the independant and checking how the sets were set up. Take them out of dynamic mode as soon as you can, use normal instead, then click the reset to default option in the picture menu. The Colour Management mode I would turn on.
This should give you a good place to start from as all the sets should then be setup the same. Also check where the signal is coming from. Is it an analogue or digital signal coming in to the sets own tuner or is it a feed from somewhere else.
So far we have seen the lxd85 be the best seller in the range for 32" probably because most people do not see the need for 1920x1080p in that size screen as most people do not run a HD source let alone FullHD. If you are going to be runnimg a lot of HD/FullHD pictures the z range would be worth looking at.

In answer to you last question, the x80 is nowhere near the overall quality of the z85 if all other thing are equal.

[frabs]

I was told (in Currys) that the cheaper one is better because it is not 100Hz...?

[Nigel Goodwin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by frabs

I was told (in Currys) that the cheaper one is better because it is not 100Hz...?

There's certainly a degree of truth in that - 100Hz often provides a poorer picture than 50Hz sets.

[skinj]

Quote:

Originally Posted by frabs

I was told (in Currys) that the cheaper one is better because it is not 100Hz...?

Or there's more commision on the non 100hz set!!!!!

From what I've seen using direct comparision the x85 is a better image than the x80. But that obviously is just an opinion.
Most people would be more than happy with the x80 though. Since it cam out the x80 is probably outselling the x85 in our shop, but that could be more to do with price than anything else.

[davidweller]

I'm currently using a 37LZD85 and would recommend it.

SD, HD and upscaled SD all look brilliant - although I did have to play around with the picture settings for a while until I got a picture I liked (but I guess that's true of any TV now days).

[USIM]

Thanks for the feedback. It looks like it's back to the shops again

[borisd0]

I would take Curry's comments with a pinch of salt.
In Currys I was told that the sets were either 60hz or 100hz. Surely I said it was 50 or 100hz in this country. No I was wrong said the salesman, who then showed me the power input label on the back that said 50/60hz 120watts! There you are 60hz!

I am considering a 32"LCD purchase and although I intend eventually to buy a HD freesat PVR most of the time the input will be SD from freesat or Freeview. The "What Video" magazine said the 100hz motion of the Panasonic 32LZD85 seemed to make a better job of masking the digital compression artefacts than other sets. Since I find the artefacts disturbing I am attempting to see if they are right.

[Ragnarok]

haha, trust a Currys staff to confuse mains frequency with display refresh rate. I'm just going to go back to chuckling.

[performingmonk]

All I know is that the 37LZD800 is bloody incredible. Obviously it's a bit more money than some but in the end it's worth it, I'm telling you!

[andy.saunders]

I get more commision if I sell the TX32LXD85, plus if you buy from an independant, you get a FREE 5 year Guarantee! I work for an independant dealer, so quite a bit about what we sell, saves looking at one of those books some BIG company salesman use.