[John Casler]

My distributor just sent me an e-mail for the Philips 63" Plasma, which makes it "street" around $4500.

A quick Google will show authorized vendors in that area.

I can't vouch for the quality, since I haven't seen it, but Philips is likely at least above the middle, if not better.

Has anyone seen this set?

Is it a reasonable performer?

[Levi]

I have not seen it John but I can imagine it is huge and heavy.  I have seen Philips plasma before and my guess would be as good as your.

[Dan Driscoll]

At that price I have to wonder about the specs, I doubt it is 1080p capable.

[John Casler]

At that price I have to wonder about the specs, I doubt it is 1080p capable.

Didn't see a spec saying 1080p, but resolution is 1366x768 so I don't see how it could be.

Doubt it is up to Pioneer/Panny/NEC quality, but price is certainly an indicator that will likely cause others to compete.

Just a few years ago, 42"s were in that range.

[randytsuch]

At that price I have to wonder about the specs, I doubt it is 1080p capable.

I think the current one is 768.  Where did you see 1080?  It might be able to input 1080p signal, but would have to downscale (is that the right term) to 768.

This summer, Philips is coming out with some new plasma's, the MSPR for a 768 63" will be $3500, and the 1080p 63" will have MSRP of $5500.

I don't know what street price this will translate into.

And Visio is coming out with a 60" plasma for $3000, supposed to be out next month.  I wonder about the quality of this one though.

Randy

[John Casler]

At that price I have to wonder about the specs, I doubt it is 1080p capable.

I think the current one is 768.  Where did you see 1080?  It might be able to input 1080p signal, but would have to downscale (is that the right term) to 768.

This summer, Philips is coming out with some new plasma's, the MSPR for a 768 63" will be $3500, and the 1080p 63" will have MSRP of $5500.

I don't know what street price this will translate into.

And Visio is coming out with a 60" plasma for $3000, supposed to be out next month.  I wonder about the quality of this one though.

Randy

Looks like you are on the wave.  Just recieved an update and my "cost" dropped another $200.

[jqp]

I have found that it is helpful to think in terms of "generations" of TVs and Computer monitors.

For example you will see that just about all brands of LCD TVs have 1366x768 (with the next generation going to 1080p).

Or, all your brands of 22" LCD displays for computers (widescreen) are 1680x1050. (could have been HDTV  )

And the same generational specs should apply to plasmas.

Any exceptions are going to cost more (e.g. double the price)

[zybar]

My distributor just sent me an e-mail for the Philips 63" Plasma, which makes it "street" around $4500.

A quick Google will show authorized vendors in that area.

I can't vouch for the quality, since I haven't seen it, but Philips is likely at least above the middle, if not better.

Has anyone seen this set?

Is it a reasonable performer?

John,

Philips plasma tv's performance has been below the middle and their service record is even worse.

There are much better choices out there to spend your money on.

I would look at products from Panasonic, Pioneer, Hitachi, NEC, and even Visio before Philips.

George

[John Casler]

My distributor just sent me an e-mail for the Philips 63" Plasma, which makes it "street" around $4500.

A quick Google will show authorized vendors in that area.

I can't vouch for the quality, since I haven't seen it, but Philips is likely at least above the middle, if not better.

Has anyone seen this set?

Is it a reasonable performer?

John,

Philips plasma tv's performance has been below the middle and their service record is even worse.

There are much better choices out there to spend your money on.

I would look at products from Panasonic, Pioneer, Hitachi, NEC, and even Visio before Philips.

George

Probably why they are dumping the price.

Plus I have seen the Vizio, and at the time I saw them they weren't that impressive. So if Phillips is below that. . . .

Too bad, but I am not in the Plasma market (even at my cost) since I think once you go FP, it is difficult to go back.

[zybar]

Vizio's performance has improved, but it is still behind Panny, Pioneer, Hitachi, NEC...however, they still hold a decent price advantage.

I also love the FP route, but still have a plasma and SXRD rear proj in the house.

An FP is just too limiting and not universal enough.

George

[John Casler]

Vizio's performance has improved, but it is still behind Panny, Pioneer, Hitachi, NEC...however, they still hold a decent price advantage.

I also love the FP route, but still have a plasma and SXRD rear proj in the house.

An FP is just too limiting and not universal enough.

George

Yeah, I only use my FP for "screening" DVD, or special Broadcasts like Rose or SUPER Bowls.

For News, and any Broadcast TV, I'm happy with anything.

Unless I fire up the "rig", I'm not too critical.

[ctviggen]

I still think for movies the FP route is the way to go.  While I love the 57 inch RPTV I have, it just doesn't feel like a movie theater.  On the other hand, you have to have a good light-controlled room for FP, and it gets quite hard to figure out all the terminology for FP (screen gain? throw? ANSI contrast ratio? etc.) and the dizzying array of different projectors with different technologies. 

[toobluvr]

Plus I have seen the Vizio, and at the time I saw them they weren't that impressive. So if Phillips is below that. . . .

Too bad, but I am not in the Plasma market (even at my cost) since I think once you go FP, it is difficult to go back.

I was in Costco the other day.  The picture on the 37 inch Vizio LCD HDTV looked really, really  excellent to me.   But what do I know?  I'm still watching my 10 year old Panasonic 32 inch TV!   
I'm certainly no hi-end TV goober, so maybe a large grain of salt is needed with my opinion.
 

But to my untrained eyes, the Vizio picture quality was least as good as, if not better than the Panny and all the other big names they were showing.  A friend I was shopping with thought the same exact thing.  And at about 900 bucks, a great value!

[John Casler]

Plus I have seen the Vizio, and at the time I saw them they weren't that impressive. So if Phillips is below that. . . .

Too bad, but I am not in the Plasma market (even at my cost) since I think once you go FP, it is difficult to go back.

I was in Costco the other day.  The picture on the 37 inch Vizio LCD HDTV looked really, really  excellent to me.   But what do I know?  I'm still watching my 10 year old Panasonic 32 inch TV!   
I'm certainly no hi-end TV goober, so maybe a large grain of salt is needed with my opinion.
 

But to my untrained eyes, the Vizio picture quality was least as good as, if not better than the Panny and all the other big names they were showing.  A friend I was shopping with thought the same exact thing.  And at about 900 bucks, a great value!

Speaking of VIZIO, I just received an e-mail promo from Geeks.com for the VIZIO 50" for $999.

(Looks like a damged refurb for that price, but it could make a good TV for the Garage)

http://www.geeks.com:80/details.asp?invtid=P50HDM-R&cm_mmc=geekmail-_-daily_html-_-26JAN07_GEEKHD-_-GEEKHDMain

You must use the code GEEKHD

[byteme]

Unless you've got specific depth restrictions I just don't get why you'd go with Plasma or LCD technology.  Even a well calibrated DLP with all it's warts will look better when it comes to black levels and thus color.

JVC has been dumping their 61 & 70" "Pro" series 1080p capable LCoS sets for $1700 and $2500 (shipped) respectively.  LCoS is the only technology that has surpassed CRT for picture quality as tested by two separate HT bodies.  At 18 or so inches deep, that's still darn thin.  JVC is coming out with an even thinner model LCoS based RPTV that will be able to be hung on a wall.  And 70" is plenty big to recreate that theater feel!!

To me, the discussion starts with what technology has the potential to look best - then it's implementation of the that technology.  With JVC adding adjustable iris to their new consumer models I don't know why you'd look elsewhere.

[toobluvr]

Plus I have seen the Vizio, and at the time I saw them they weren't that impressive. So if Phillips is below that. . . .

Too bad, but I am not in the Plasma market (even at my cost) since I think once you go FP, it is difficult to go back.

I was in Costco the other day.  The picture on the 37 inch Vizio LCD HDTV looked really, really  excellent to me.   But what do I know?  I'm still watching my 10 year old Panasonic 32 inch TV!   
I'm certainly no hi-end TV goober, so maybe a large grain of salt is needed with my opinion.
 

But to my untrained eyes, the Vizio picture quality was least as good as, if not better than the Panny and all the other big names they were showing.  A friend I was shopping with thought the same exact thing.  And at about 900 bucks, a great value!

Speaking of VIZIO, I just received an e-mail promo from Geeks.com for the VIZIO 50" for $999.

(Looks like a refurb for that price)

http://www.geeks.com:80/details.asp?invtid=P50HDM-R&cm_mmc=geekmail-_-daily_html-_-26JAN07_GEEKHD-_-GEEKHDMain

You must use the code GEEKHD

Yeah....the exceedingly low price suggests refurb/blem.....gotta be!

I was so impressed with the 37 inch VIZIO, that I did a little online research when I got home.
Came across many 37 incher refurbs on E Bay, and at other vendors.  But they were the previous model to the one in Costco.

[Rob Babcock]

An FPTV has been my only TV for at least 5-6 years, and I never found it limited nor lacking in flexibility.  True, my situation is atypical- no WAF to deal with, thus 95% or better light control.  Also, I'm not a TV junkie- those who's get up and turn on the boob tube before putting on their pants might be better served with a direct view.