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cube

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May 10, 2004
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You can also just choose a more natural preset that the usual vivid default.

A mass market shop is usually a bad place to judge the quality of a TV.
 

boateng

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Sep 8, 2012
440
10
Colors are always jacked on new TVs which is why you should have them professionally calibrated. One this is done, colors will be more natural and the TV will run much cool (especially if it's a plasma).
When you say professionally calibrated...does that mean getting the shop to install the tv and set up the picture?
[doublepost=1472051669][/doublepost]
I was considering some Panasonics like this or perhaps a little bit better, but I wanted curved and found a great Samsung deal.

I don't know if the shop where you have to buy would have something better in another brand.

The main display limitations that this has are not being Quantum Dot or direct lit, but it has some local dimming.

I don't know how compatible the HDR is, or if some upgrade is promised.

But I think it has both HEVC and VP9 for Netflix and Youtube.

For Panasonic, sometimes a similar model but bigger has better display technology. The Panasonic site should have a big PDF with a comparison table of all their TVs (basically, a 48" monitor is great to view it, although the document I had checked last year seemed to be of low resolution for such a display at 4K).

Taking that into account, here's a review for the 58". As usual, experts about TVs can be more critical that a person on a budget:

https://www.avforums.com/review/panasonic-dx700-tx-58dx700b-uhd-4k-tv-review.12515
[doublepost=1471996306][/doublepost]I could not find the UK VIERA catalog, so I think the French 2015 should do. Page 32 and 33:

http://www.panasonic.com/content/da...chures-et-catalogues/2015_VIERA_PANASONIC.pdf

See this LG one 49' 4K is £549
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5328457.htm

This Panasonic 50 ' is £750

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5239539.htm

Is it worth the jump in price?
 

simon lefisch

macrumors 65816
Sep 29, 2014
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When you say professionally calibrated...does that mean getting the shop to install the tv and set up the picture?
If you want the shop to install it, you can. However you can get the calibration done by itself normally. Not sure what it costs in the UK, but here in the states it can range from $300-$800, depending on the company. By getting this done, flesh tones will look more natural and usually the company should do 2 modes....day and night. That way the colors will still look natural when watching in lower light. If you're curious to see what a calibrated TV looks like, a good shop should have a side-by-side display comparison. It's night and day.

For what it's worth, I used to do home theater setups ranging from small home theaters to full a/v distribution, home automation and dedicated theater rooms ($400,000 projectors, $180,000 speakers, etc). I've seen it all, and if calibrated properly, the TV/projector will look amazing!

You can also just choose a more natural preset that the usual vivid default.

A mass market shop is usually a bad place to judge the quality of a TV.
Even the more "natural" preset is nowhere near a custom calibration setting. Flesh tones will either still be saturated or washed out.
 
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cube

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May 10, 2004
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I know a preset is not the same as calibrating.

You can calibrate it yourself with something like this, if you're not a perfectionist:

Personally, I would buy neither of those TVs, as they are not 3D.

I see that DX700 is a downgrade from CX700 (the one in the 2015 French catalog).
 

Apple fanboy

macrumors Ivy Bridge
Feb 21, 2012
55,099
52,715
Behind the Lens, UK
When you say professionally calibrated...does that mean getting the shop to install the tv and set up the picture?
[doublepost=1472051669][/doublepost]

See this LG one 49' 4K is £549
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5328457.htm

This Panasonic 50 ' is £750

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5239539.htm

Is it worth the jump in price?
You can buy a Spyder TV for a couple of £100 and do it yourself. But colour grading on broadcast content varies greatly, so not much use.
 

cynics

macrumors G4
Jan 8, 2012
11,959
2,154
I don't like the way 4k looks--IMHO Talking about seeing them in stores. Seem over-saturated.

That said, I have never been disappointed in a good Sony. Nice bright picture, good quality. True colors.

You can find reviews on places like Amazon to help you decide.

They are calibrated for retail mode in the store to make them "pop" especially under fluorescent lighting.

Most 4K tv screen tech is more capable of producing an accurate image than its 1080p counterpart.

......

When I bought a 4K TV I ended up preferring and buying a Samsung KS9000 (4K non 3D).

I think the LG OLED had a slightly better picture for movies/tv but the game mode still had a higher input latancy and picture didn't look as good as Samsungs game mode. Plus there was something weird about it....retention or something.

Obviously gaming is a big thing for me so my purchase was based around. But not entirely because surprisingly Vizio (for gaming) was by far the best I tested (using a friends) when it game to input lag. I looked it up online later and found it to be around 13ms which is very impressive for a 4K TV.

Anyway, long story short. Buy a TV specific to your uses not other people's.
 

cube

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May 10, 2004
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The LG is a RGBW IPS panel. The Panasonic is a VA panel.

The Panasonic has better blacks and resolution.

The LG would be better for HDR and in the sunlight.
 

boateng

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Sep 8, 2012
440
10
The LG is a RGBW IPS panel. The Panasonic is a VA panel.

The Panasonic has better blacks and resolution.

The LG would be better for HDR and in the sunlight.
so which one would you recommend

is the panasonic worth the £200 difference?
 

cube

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May 10, 2004
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Maybe you would be happier buying the LG and saving money to upgrade sooner.

Perhaps if you get a look in the real world it helps you decide.

Remember this is probably quite a transitional HDR TV. I'd rather get 3D, but maybe you want to watch Marco Polo.
 

Hermes Monster

macrumors 65816
May 4, 2010
1,204
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UK
These two are worth a look and within budget, both good size and have HDR (well the LG is just compliant, and won't display the full gamut), which I think is more useful/important than 4K

SONY

LG

The SONY has Android built in, so you could easily install apps such as Kodi and MovieBox - though it's apparently a bit sluggish, but improving with updates
 

boateng

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Sep 8, 2012
440
10
These two are worth a look and within budget, both good size and have HDR (well the LG is just compliant, and won't display the full gamut), which I think is more useful/important than 4K

SONY

LG

The SONY has Android built in, so you could easily install apps such as Kodi and MovieBox - though it's apparently a bit sluggish, but improving with updates
I am thinking of getting the panasonic one for £750
but that is really expensive
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produ...Product/partNumber/5239539.htm&referrer=COJUN
 

cube

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May 10, 2004
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These are transitional products. If you think it's expensive, maybe it's not worth it.
 
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