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TH42PX80 Fundraising/ V3000 Review

Thursday, 28 February 2008, 11:25 pm GMT  

The Sony Bravia V3000 series was the most popular request in our latest VIP Poll. I have tested and published my findings on the Sony KDL40V3000.

On an interesting note, I see my competitor over at hdtvorg.co.uk has published a review of the Panasonic TH42PX80. Nothing wrong there, except that on closer inspection it is a word-for-word rehash of their own TH42PX70 review. Have a look at the following screen captures from their website.

From hdtvorg.co.uk/reviews/plasma/panasonic_th42px80.htm:

HDTV Org TH42PX80 Review

From hdtvorg.co.uk/reviews/plasma/Panasonic_th42px70_2.htm:

HDTV Org TH42PX70 Review

Given HDTVOrg’s past history of plagiarism, constant rehashing (check out the “Performance” section of their Samsung PS63P76FD review which is again completely rehashed from the corresponding section in their PS50P96 review, but somehow they forgot to substitute the model name), and the fact that I haven’t seen anything but generic stock photos on their website, I suspect that HDTVOrg actually writes bogus reviews without having seen many (if any) of the TVs himself.

Part of what motivates me to continue reviewing HDTVs is the sense of achievement I get from publishing my reviews way before the likes of What Hifi and Home Cinema Choice (because I’m not afraid of buying the televisions myself if there’s popular demand in our VIP poll). But how can you compete against someone who can fabricate an entire review at the drop of a hat?

On this bombshell, if you’d like to see us buy and review the Panasonic TH42PX80, I have started a fundraising to help me cover my loss when selling the plasma as second hand after the review. I have been in touch with Panasonic, but they told me that they haven’t received their loan stock in yet, and even if they had they would send the pioneer batch to the major publishing houses first.

Warmest regards
Vincent

50 Comments So Far... Add Yours

  1. Troels Jakobsen on 29 February 2008 10:34 am

    Dear Sir,

    I also think you should look/review the new LG Plasmas in the G6000 series, especially the new 42PG6000 that some Swedish reviews says is as good as the Pioneer Kuros, has 100hz /72hz for 24p, is ISF calibrated from factory and has THX certification, 4 (which is what I need) HDMI ports and all this at prices 40% less than the Pioneers. Appr. EUR 1.200 here in Spain.

    Best regards,

    Troels

  2. Vilmar on 29 February 2008 10:38 am

    It’s a shame people have to resort to such acts. Keep up the good work. People will recognize the quality work over the quantity work of a copy cat.

  3. Kaz on 29 February 2008 11:22 am

    That HDTV org (www.hdtvorg.co.uk) reviews have even more factual errors. For example, their Sony KDL37P3000 review http://www.hdtvorg.co.uk/reviews/lcd/sony_kdl-37p3020.htm
    states that this set has a WCL-CCFL backlight. You can go to Sony’s website or look into their printed materials that this not true. So it seem like some copy/paste reviwes site. Not very trustworthy…

  4. fonso on 29 February 2008 1:23 pm

    I think it would be very, very better a review of Panasonic TH42PZ85 than Panasonic TH42PX80.

    Z85 will have, in principle, some elements that they were lost in PX70, mainly: 24 fps native playback.

    It will be very interesting to know, Z85 is able to plau 24 fps well and the quality.

    Thanks.

  5. Pete on 29 February 2008 7:21 pm

    I’m all for a Z85 review as well.

    The PX80, in my eyes, is not an entusiast TV. But I have to say the Z85 is priced pretty steep compared to the Z80.

  6. Vincent on 29 February 2008 11:05 pm

    @fonso & Pete: I’d like to review the PZ85 as well, but it’s not available to buy in the United Kingdom at the moment.

  7. Mark on 1 March 2008 10:55 am

    keep up the good work. I’ve learned a lot from your reviews. Truly hope our small donations help!!

    thanx

  8. Jurgen Noppe on 1 March 2008 11:01 am

    Not Good to hear that with cod 4 there’s also smearing on this tv, i have the exact same thing on my calibrated 40d3000, which is a shame really…. And i for one can’t get rid of it….

  9. Karl on 1 March 2008 12:53 pm

    Keep up the good work Vincent, I also have learned a great deal from your great reviews and I’ll take quality over quantity anytime.

    Keeping my fingers crossed for an 40PX80 review.

    Great work - Karl, Sweden

  10. interested on 1 March 2008 1:14 pm

    Could we have black level and contrast measurements also as numbers?

  11. Fintian on 2 March 2008 9:19 am

    Totally agree with the dudes. I would too like to read the review for Panny PZ85

  12. Phantoma on 2 March 2008 3:16 pm

    I vote for the 42px80.
    Actually, i would have preferred the 50px80.
    I recently saw the 50px70 next to a 50pz70 playing a blue-ray documentary and from 3.0m away I couldn’t tell the difference between them.

    The 50px70 was over 30% cheaper as well. I think they are great value for money and with the Olympics coming, I just want to see if the **px80 range have any significant improvements.

  13. Maybe on 2 March 2008 6:34 pm

    you can see the difference between 15000:1 and 30000:1 contrast from 3m away?

  14. Benky on 2 March 2008 7:08 pm

    Here’s another who wants to see the new LG PG6000 reviewd.

    And blacklevel/contrast measurements would be great!

    Keep up the good work mate =)

  15. JM on 2 March 2008 7:39 pm

    Benky, Fintian, Pete etc: Be realistic. Hdtvtest.co.uk is usually reviewing TS’s available at UK market, not preliminary TV sets from CeBIT & CES.

    And for LG6000 & PG6000 or PZ80/85 is there only “news”: Pricing and availability is yet to be confirmed…

  16. Greg on 2 March 2008 10:43 pm

    Please, could you check on the panasonic PX80 review if it is 24p native and judder free? … there are many doubts about if that tv, and the rest of panasonic 8 series fully support 24p.

    Thanks

  17. Panny on 3 March 2008 8:45 am

    Please make a comparison on picture quality, in particular black level performance, between the PX70-series and the new TH42PX80. I am sure many PX70 owners are curious to see if there really is a big difference.

  18. Benky on 3 March 2008 10:46 am

    JM:

    LG 50PG6000 is available in stores here in Sweden as we speak. Its already been reviewd twice here but those reviews ae rather low class. Hence my request.

  19. Fintian on 3 March 2008 11:30 am

    JM! Fundraising takes time. I remember fundraising for X3500 took for ever!
    PZ8 series will be available in the marked in a month or so. No need to request for sets from other places

  20. Fintian on 3 March 2008 11:39 am

    If anyone can translate from German, there are reviews coming out for Panasonic TH-42PX80

  21. Fintian on 3 March 2008 11:40 am

    Sorry, here is the link
    http://av-magazin.de/index.php?id=2082

  22. JM on 3 March 2008 12:02 pm

    Fintian:

    It sounds as an excelent idea. So …

    Vincent:

    Why not start parallel fundraisings for new expected “flagships” as PZ80 or PG6000?

  23. zumb on 3 March 2008 4:47 pm

    Benky, do you have the links to those reviews?
    Thanks

  24. Batz on 3 March 2008 5:44 pm

    The lg pg6000 series is available in germany too.
    Best prices are 964,-€ for 42 inch and 1436,-€ for the 50 inch modell.
    That is about 1000,-€ less than the kuros.
    So it would be really interesting to know their performance!

  25. Benky on 3 March 2008 6:11 pm

    Here’ one: http://www.prylportalen.se/ArticlePages/200801/19/20080119151503_MKF533/20080119151503_MKF533.dbp.asp

    No measurements though =(. It gets 5 out of 5 “stars” and the reviwer are especially pleased with scaling and blacks, comparing it to Kuro.

  26. Benky on 3 March 2008 6:17 pm

    Here’s the other one:

    http://m3.idg.se/2.1022/1.141855

    A shootout between Kuro LX508 and the new 50PG6000. The reviwer concludes that the PG6000 is no match for the LX508 in terms om picture quality alone but considering the price its a winner.

  27. John Wilson on 5 March 2008 5:58 pm

    My family has 3 x PX70’s. I have been looking forward to seeing your PX80 review (we intend to buy at least two more Panasonic televisions in the next few months).

  28. Phantoma on 5 March 2008 10:31 pm

    Hello Vincent,
    I was just thinking of a few things I would like to have tested for in the 42px80 review.

    1. Does the TV support independent input memory settings?
    2. Will it accept 1080p signal over component and VGA?
    3. Is there any juddering present with a 1080p/24 signal?
    4. Remote Control - Quick response when changing channels?
    - Decent operating angle in front of TV?
    5. Any Screen Saver and Screen Burn protection?
    6. Motion Ghosting compared to top tier plasmas already reviewed?

    Thanks.

  29. PX80 on 5 March 2008 11:42 pm

    1. Yes
    2. No
    3. No - it support native 24p playback with auto 4:4 pulldown to 96hz when 100hz are selected in the menu and 24p playback with auto 2:2 pulldown to 48hz when 50hz are selected in the menu. It autoswitches between 48/50hz and 96/100hz depending on input, if input is from 25fps material it selects 50/100hz, if input is 24p it selects 48/96hz for playback
    4. Yes and Yes
    5. Yes and Yes
    6. None.

  30. regular joe on 6 March 2008 12:58 pm

    Odd, I thought you couldn’t choose between 100Hz and 50 Hz in the PX80 - i.e. 100 Hz is always on? If this is correct (if not correct, ignore the remainder of the question), why the distinction between 48/96 Hz for 24fps. It should always be 96Hz at 4:4 pull down.

  31. Anthony on 7 March 2008 7:05 pm

    Any idea when there will be a review Please

  32. Renzo on 9 March 2008 4:09 pm

    Yo,
    an LG 50PG6000 or 42PG6000 review would be nice
    (1st LG review here?)
    They seem good for the price but offcourse the blacklevel
    and contrast will be nowhere near that of the Pio’s or Panasonics

  33. clarx on 9 March 2008 7:55 pm

    one more vote for review of 42PG6000

  34. Bengbeng on 10 March 2008 4:04 am

    It’s becoming boring but again a vote for a LG6000 review

  35. Mark on 10 March 2008 11:55 am

    me to: vote for the LG. Willing to donate if needed.

  36. Niro on 12 March 2008 1:14 pm

    Kudos to you for the astute observations, and keep up the good work!

  37. Bruno on 20 March 2008 9:03 pm

    The LG 42PG6000 has to be the next to review ….

  38. Djiet on 21 March 2008 9:50 am

    My vote goes out to a review on the LG 42PG6000 aswell.

  39. neil on 22 March 2008 2:59 pm

    do the pioneer 50 inch PROPERLY this time hey

  40. David on 27 March 2008 1:23 pm

    Another definite for the LG PG6000 reviews. There is a review in the latest edition of HD Review magazine which is very favourable and current prices are £750 for the 42″ and £1100 for the 50″ from RGBDirect and EmpireDirect among a couple of others, but EmpireDirect seems best as they offer free 3yr guarantee if you become an edXtra member (which is only £30). I am looking to buy the 50PG6000 over the next week as I don’t want to spend a fortune and this seems to be a winner.

  41. Seb on 29 March 2008 2:44 pm

    LG 42PG6000!!! Plz

  42. Keam on 31 March 2008 3:58 pm

    A review of the new LG Electronics plasma series PG6000 would be quiet interesting. I#m going to buy a plasma within the next 2 month and atm. I need to decide between the PX80 serie an the PG6000. So a review would be quite helpful

    Some stuff that I would like to know of the PG6000 serie:
    -scaling ability
    -black levels
    -burn in prevention?
    -quality of the chassis

    regards

    Keam

  43. clarx on 3 April 2008 6:45 pm
  44. samuel maina on 21 April 2008 7:26 pm

    i live in kenya.content here is available only in standard definition.i would therefore be interested in the pg5000s standard definition performance.on hdtvorg;their reviews cant be trusted.their reviews are indeed copy and paste.can anyone recommend a 32″ panel that has excellent standard definition performance even with poor quality sources?

  45. jluispamplona on 5 May 2008 9:11 am

    A review of the LG 50PG6000 please!

  46. Imran Ahmed on 6 May 2008 9:43 am

    When I want a review ofd a tv, this is the only site I come to.
    I do want a review and its of the LG 42PG6000 too. Its just that i’ve heared so much about it yet i’ve seen it on sales for sub £700 prices..
    keep up the hard work..

  47. zulu21 on 6 May 2008 5:42 pm

    hi vincent,
    looking on the sony uk site and noticed they are advertising a new sony model.
    the kdl 40w4000,wonder if you could compare this against the v3000 and w3000.
    would like to know its plus and minus points and which would be the best set to purchase…..
    many thanks in advance
    regards
    zulu21

  48. Koen Franken on 14 May 2008 8:48 am

    I’m very interested in the KDL40V3000 review. However, following the link above results in an errror…

    * WARNING: Class ‘PDO’ was not found.
    NOT FOUND
    [TODO: Create a template for this]

    Could this be a site error?

  49. Grant on 14 May 2008 2:25 pm

    A review of the LG 50PG6000 is just what the doctor ordered :)

  50. Panasonic TX 37LZD85 Review on 24 May 2008 4:25 am

    [...] we’re honest about it, without any sugar coating. Perhaps that’s why rogue review sites can get a link from manufacturers whereas HDTVTest will never get a [...]

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