Thread: Quick question. CRT-RP vs Plasma?

(Yes I will see one in person before I buy one but...)

In 1000 words or less, how can I expect my 2D viewing experience to be different on a Panasonic GT50 (not out yet I know) compared to my current 2005 Sony KP-57W520 rear proj CRT (professionally calibrated) which is working fine without any problems. TV would be in basement without a lot of sunlight, viewed at an angle between 0-40deg, watching movies, HD TV, hockey....and Dora. In 2005, the CRT was highly rated and generally PQ was preferred over many LCDs and plasmas at the time...however it is now 2012.

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-KP-57WS52...9797311&sr=8-1

Thanks in advance.

The last Sony trinitrons are equal or even better than Kuros with black level. Truly 3d looking. The Gt50 won't have the same blacks

Funny, I used to have the exact same TV: Sony KP-57W520. Mine too was pro cal'd and very well calibrated. I currently have a pro cal'd Panasonic 65ST30, and also briefly had a 65VT30 and Samsung 64D8000.

The biggest strength of the Sony is no question the black levels. None of the displays mentioned will reach blacks that deep which were about as good as they can possibly get. I do miss those remarkably deep blacks.

However, the plasmas will surpass the Sony in just about every other picture quality attribute especially in terms of resolution and focus where it's just day & night --- and the blacks on the Panasonics are still very good. I prefer the overall image of the Panasonic for sure.

Great, thanks for the advice. Perhaps this summer we'll have to go shopping.

Interesting you went from a VT and ended on an ST. I guess there's a story there.

Unless your viewing in an all dark environment the price difference isn't worth it IMO between the ST30 and VT30.

Originally Posted by d0000h

Great, thanks for the advice. Perhaps this summer we'll have to go shopping.

Interesting you went from a VT and ended on an ST. I guess there's a story there.

Right, I ended up returning my 65VT30 because of uniformity issues. I decided to just try a 65ST30 as I learned the black levels at that size are nearly the same for all 2011 65" Panasonics. The average MLL is something like .036 for the 65VT30 and .039 for the 65ST30/GT30. In a dark room, I could tell no difference between them in terms of color or blacks for that matter. Once pro cal'd, the VT30 does have a bit more linear gamma and grayscale tracking, but from an actual viewing perspective with real content, the differences are very negligible at best (after all, they use the same phosphor system and share many other intenrals). The 65VT30 does have a better filter as I understand it which might be an advantage in a bright room.

It should be noted that the ST30s below the 60/65" do not seem to have quite as good of color and the blacks are not as good.

Also, you might want to wait until the fall/holidays as that's when the prices really drop!

The picture is "flatter". (Coming from a 65" Mits to a 65ST30, in just the past couple weeks). But sharper, and cleaner.

Connectivity is nice. 3D is more fun that I anticipated. Motion is only slightly better on the CRT, I'm overall pretty impressed with the plasma.

Blacks were better on the CRT, but not by enough to really matter. The brightest colors were better on the CRT, too, since the plasma is dimmer. But again, not a problem.

It sounds like I prefer the CRT... but in reality, I'm loving the plasma. It looks sexy ad the picture is great. The viewing angle is MUCH more consistent on the plasma... the sweet spot is so large it's absurd. Once calibrated, the color is equally beautiful... but I have to say, I was more impressed with my CRT than I had been in a while when I did some A/B testing.

The ST50 should be even better.

OOOOOO I thought the topic was about CRT TUBE LOL.

Originally Posted by MASKOAA

OOOOOO I thought the topic was about CRT TUBE LOL.

Well, CRT-based rear projection sets do use tubes. Three of them, actually.