I haven’t yet had the opportunity to come into contact with very many Insignia plasma televisions, so the chance to take a look at the Insignia NSP501Q10A was a great opportunity indeed.
The Insignia NSP501Q10A is a fifty inch 1080p plasma television with a 3D y/c digital comb filter, two ten watt speakers with SRS TruSurround, two HDMI inputs, one composite input, two component inputs, one RF input and one digital audio output.
Admittedly, you’re thinking that this sounds kind of bare bones, and you’d be exactly right. It’s a bit short on inputs and outputs and suchlike, not that there aren’t enough here to handle most any configuration you want (in all honesty, folks, two HDMI inputs really is enough for a minimalist approach, which allows you to hook up one media device and one speaker array. If you want more HDMI options than that that’s why they make receivers.). And two ten watt speakers won’t exactly blow you out of the room.
But bear in mind that this is a big screen plasma television, and the retail price on this one is only seven hundred bucks. Yes, a fifty inch plasma for under a grand. And the sound quality and picture quality are in good shape here.
If you’re looking to upgrade, and you’ve got an eye to value, then you may do well to get your hands on an Insignia NSP501Q10A.
It is hard to imagine just how fifteen extra inches of space on a television can make it cost twenty five hundred bucks more than a smaller model, but that’s the case with today’s review target, the Panasonic TCP65S1.
The Panasonic TCP65S1 is a sixty five inch 1080p plasma television with a twenty watt two speaker system, three HDMI inputs, one S-video input, two component video inputs, two composite video inputs, one RF in put and one optical digital audio output. Plus, we also get Viera Image Viewer with a memory card slot to view pictures, and Viera Link capability to make this a good competitor with most any receiver system for the role of system hub.
Frankly, there’s not much of anything to find wrong about this except the catastrophically high price. This sucker retails for thirty two hundred bucks. Granted, sales are to be had most anywhere–you’ll get almost a third off shopping via Best Buy’s web site–but a third off of an arm and a leg is still an arm and most of a shin. Still though, if you’re prepared to shell out epic piles of loot for a television, the Panasonic TCP65S1 will definitely be worth checking out yourself.
Generally, plasma televisions have a little edge in the marketplace over LCD televisions. They look a little better, on average, they sound a little better, and naturally, they cost a little more. The Panasonic TCP50X1 falls into that category nicely, in every respect.
The Panasonic TCP50X1 is a fifty inch 720p plasma television with a pair of twenty watt speakers, progressive scanning, a secure digital media slot, three HDMI ports, one s-video port, two component video ports, two composite video ports, and one optical audio output.
Now, like I said, plasma televisions do look a little better on average, though this one really doesn’t have that much better looks than some of the better LCDs I’ve seen. The sound is also of solid quality if a bit unimpressive. And the controls are simple enough to operate so that’s not a huge problem. Where I’m a bit dismayed is at the price. This beastie retails for seven hundred fifty bucks, and that’s a bit more than a 720p system should ever go for.
You can do a lot better than the Panasonic TCP50X1, but it’s still a fairly well done piece.
You’ve got to love people who try to build home theaters inexpensively. They long for the same home theater experience as high priced setups can get, but their budget won’t allow it. Thus, they seek to make do and do what they can themselves, and home theater setups like this are spawned.
Thus, The Hood Guru will lead us on a tour of his downright bargain basement setup, and show us that we too can enjoy home theater without breaking the bank.
He’s got a a fifty inch Vizio plasma television in there, and saved money by buying an older model. There’s a Philips receiver that he added some Polk Audio speakers to–the mismatching is due to him already owning the receiver, and it can do whatever he’s looking to do with the exception of HDMI.
The key thing about this setup is the mismatching of components. By selecting on the basis of availability and price you can do a great job on just a little budget. Sure, you won’t get the utility, but this comes back to the whole point of using a modular setup, so as your budget improves, so too can your components.
But for a start, this is definitely a sweet home theater setup, because it was done with the future in mind.
Panasonic is planning on shipping the Viera G2 series on February 5th, and it will have three basic models: the TH-P50G2 (50-inch model), the TH-P46S2 (46-inch model), and the TH-P42S2 (42-inch model). These panel TVs have full HD resolution, three ports for HDMI and composite cables, and a whopping 5,000,000:1 native contrast ratio.
The largest is about $3,500, and the smallest about $2,400. There is also a lower pried S2 series which will be available soon.
I have to admit, it gets a little monotonous talking about Samsung televisions sometimes. There isn’t a whole lot of variance in between the different kinds. Usually the picture is at least good, the sound is at least good, and the horrible control scheme I’ve grown to hate. And as for the Samsung PN50B550, it’s a terrific system with only one exception.
The Samsung PN50B550 is a fifty inch 1080p plasma television with four HDMI inputs, two component inputs, one composite video input, one USB input, one PC input, two 15W bottom speakers, SRS TruSurround HD, Ultra FilterBright Plus, 600Hz Subfield Motion, and Anynet+ capability.
It’s a beautiful plasma television, make no mistake, and considering you can get this beauty for just a thousand and sixty bucks on Amazon, you can get a terrific plasma television for not a lot of cash. The picture and sound are both terrific, but the control scheme is that usual flat-panel troublemaker that I never much enjoy.
But aside from that, the Samsung PN50B550 is an excellent, top-quality plasma television that should be pretty much everything you could want in a television.
LG Electronics unveils a new line of plasma HDTVs over at the CES 2010 in Las Vegas. Leading the pack is the LG Infinia Series which perhaps typify the best in LG’s design, technology and entertainment solutions. They feature picture-enhancing technology and lightweight designs.
Among the new LG Plasma series include the INFINIA PK950, PK750, PK550 and PJ350. All these plasma lines feature LG’s Picture Wizard II technology, Intelligent Sensor, Clear Voice II and AV Mode II.
Japanese company, Panasonic Corporation recently developed the world’s largest 152-inch 4K x 2K definition Full HD 3D plasma display. The display is capable of delivering 3D images with virtually infinite 5000000:1 contrast ratio.
The display has a resolution up to 4096×2160 pixels and implements a number of innovative technologies that include cross-talk reduction for clear images, dramatically reduced power consumption, PDF technology and super-efficient quadruple luminous efficiency technology to delivers an overwhelming immersive experience.
The ability to reproduce highly realistic images makes this plasma display not just ideal for home theater use, but also for various uses such as business, medical, education and commercial applications. Focusing on the development of 3D infrastructure, Panasonic is set to accelerate the spread of 3D products as well as hopes to contribute to the enhancement of 3D related business. To know more about the 3D plasma display, visit www.panasonic.com/3D.
We talk about a lot of different home theater products and relevant applications around here. And you know from experience that we’ve got just as much love for the big and flashy as we do the simple and inexpensive. So today, we’re bringing you a home theater setup with one central theme: a massive Samsung PN58B860.
That monster fifty eight inch plasma television is the centerpiece of the system, but it’s not the end all be all. In fact, it’s backed up quite ably by an Xbox 360, an Onkyo receiver, a Samsung blu-ray player and plenty more, including some truly retro speakers and a cleverly hidden pair mounted in the ceiling behind the seating area.
It shows how simple a home theater setup really can be, and at the same time, how thoroughly exciting it can be when it all comes together. And in the end, that’s most of what makes a home theater setup sweet.
Two rare days in a row, can you believe it? Two days in which I get to sing the praises of a Samsung brand that DIDN’T annoy me with anything or give me any reason to snap at it! It’s just plain old amazing! Today we’ll be talking about the Samsung PN58B550, and it may well be the best Samsung I’ve ever seen.
The Samsung PN58B550 is a fifty eight inch 1080p plasma TV with four HDMI inputs, two component inputs, one composite video input, one USB port, a PC input, game mode, two fifteen watt bottom speakers, SRS TruSurround HD, Ultra FilterBright Plus, 600Hz Subfield Motion, and Anynet+ technology.
If you were impressed by the LN55B650, as I was when I wrote about it just yesterday, then you’ll be as blown away by the PN58B550 as I was. The picture is almost heartbreakingly beautiful with no artifacts that I could spot at any range. The colors were deep and shockingly vibrant and the sound quality was top notch.
And the best part is, you can get this little beauty for just sixteen hundred bucks on Amazon, which is a downright incredible price, especially for this kind of system.
The Samsung PN58B550 might be one of the very best televisions I’ve ever reviewed, and for a Samsung, that’s saying something.
Panasonic has just completed its largest and third plasma plant in Amagasaki which will now be able to produce new plasma displays and LCD panels to help its cause. The plant will begin commercial manufacturing in January 2010 with a target of 120,000 42” panels. The opening of this new plant should help Panasonic’s plasma display business which has been sorely lagging from other LCD brands.
I believe we can all agree that having an indoor pool is sweet on an order of magnitude beyond what most of us are used to.
I believe we can further agree that having a sweet home theater setup is sweet on a somewhat more attainable level of magnitude than we’re all used to.
But what I don’t think any of us would ever dispute is that putting the two of them together is a mind-blowing concept the likes of which most of us will never see unless we read about it.
And indeed, this home theater has a swimming pool (not a really big one, but still!) running right down the middle of it. It’s also got lots of great gear, which has been specially housed so as not to have humidity play hob with the whole thing. There’s a forty two inch Panasonic plasma TV in here, along with an Integra receiver, Sonance speakers and a Triad power subwoofer, not to mention all the HVAC gear and such to keep that humidity level at bay.
I’m sorry, but the mere existence of a home theater with a pool is entirely too cool for words.
You can say a lot of things about Californians, but there’s no doubt that they love their theater. A good chunk of the state’s tax revenue comes from media, and considering the headaches they went through with the big screen television ban, it’s no surprise they make some great theaters.
And today, we’ve got a real winner to show you. Created by San Rafael firm Rolling Thunder, you can see that this home theater isn’t going for power so much as it is for elegance. You’ve even got that fireplace going on in there, and custom cabinetry all around.
But it’s not just looks–there IS plenty of power in here, even if they were going for looks first. They’ve got a sixty five inch Panasonic plasma TV in there, plus an Artison 7.1 surround sound system, Denon blu-ray player, an Apple TV system and plenty more.
So for an excellent combination of looks and power, this is definitely one sweet home theater setup.
You likely won’t believe me when I tell you about this, but there’s a family out there that has managed to defy all possible odds, reason, and good common sense to include one really unexpected feature in their home theater setup…
…a washer and dryer.
No, seriously! A washer and dryer! Last thing you’d ever expect to see in a home theater and they’ve got it there. I’m amazed too. But it’s how they did it that’ll get you; they stacked the washer and dryer one on top of the other, and secured it in its own cabinet, just like any other piece of hardware.
And hardware they’ve got, too–how about a Panasonic sixty five inch plasma TV, Denon blu-ray player, SpeakerCraft speakers, and plenty more besides? Yeah, that’s plenty enough hardware for most any audio- or videophile.
And considering that it’ll even manage to wash your clothes, well, that’s got to be a sweet home theater setup and nothing less.
The new Samsung PN50B430 is a 50" 720p plasma HDTV that comes in a breathtaking stunning bezel. Bring home this showstopper plasma HDTV and enjoy the best of both worlds right in your living room.
The new PN50B430 HDTV features the company’s new e-panel technology that assures superior picture quality. The FilterBright™ technology helps minimize glare for optimal viewing at any time. The Anynet+ remote included with the TV is an all in one device that delivers one-touch control for all HDMI-connected compatible Samsung devices such as your AV receiver, TV or home theater system. This ENERGY STAR compliant TV further comes integrated with built-in digital tuner (ATSC/Clear QAM) and gaming mode.
The new Samsung PN50B430 720p Plasma HDTV is now available for purchase and is priced at $899.99.
You might not think that a New York high rise theater would be the best place for a sweet home theater setup. After all, these places are mostly glass and steel–the sunlight alone would be horrendous. And besides, who wants to distract from all those incredible views of the city by blocking windows with hardware?
Well, sometimes, you can have both, as is evidenced by today’s sweet home theater setup.
How do they get around those problems I mentioned? Easy–the screen is mounted in a retractable housing located just above a set of windows. Most of the rest of the equipment has been slipped away in a nearby wall cutout, accessible by a closet, so the closet can still be used. New Yorkers, you know how precious closet space is, and this solution works around that.
As for the hardware involved, that screen is a ninety two inch Vutec, and it’s backed up by a forty two inch Panasonic plasma television, an array of Speakercraft speakers, and plenty of other gear to boot.
For fitting a home theater setup in a really tight space with a maximum of efficiency and quality, you just have to call this one sweet and be done with it.
So it finally happened. The California State Government, neck deep in the worst economy they’ve ever seen, decided to pretty much ban any big-screen televisions over fifty eight inches in California.
Starting in 2011, only televisions that meet certain standards for energy efficiency will be allowed in California. Two years later, in 2013, a second set of even more stringent standards will be enacted. This makes me wonder, will all the televisions sold in 2011 and 2012 suddenly become illegal in 2013? Or at the very least, be unable to be resold? Will there be huge fire sales of 2012 models as they become illegal in 2013?
Needless to say, most are angry about this, but undoubtedly licking their chops with glee over this idiocy is EVERY TELEVISION RETAILER IN OREGON AND NEVADA. NOT TO MENTION ARIZONA. Seriously, is every member of a governing body in California such a spectacular moron that they don’t realize their law will be circumvented gleefully by driving across state lines or possibly even ordering from the internet?
Well, hey–if they want to shoot themselves in the foot by driving millions of dollars in sales tax revenue over their borders, well, more power to them!
I would like to remind you all that this is NOT in any way affiliated with the Best Buy Geek Squad. Even though it’s basically the exact same concept, only as far as I can tell, the Walmart home theater crew doesn’t dress in button down shirts and ties and drive Beetles around.
Anyway, Walmart’s tacked on a special extra service for its customer base–you can have your gear installed. Everything from TVs and home theater setups to computers, for just an extra charge between a hundred and three hundred forty bucks. This also includes pre-purchase consultation (just in case you don’t want to just ask the guy at the counter free of charge just what the difference is between this one and that one) and a tutorial on how to use the stuff you just bought once it’s been installed.
So just in case you’re getting started with home theater and want to take advantage of Walmart’s prices, you should be able to find a helping hand here.
ADVANCE WARNING: THESE ARE SOME REALLY GOOD DEALS. IF YOU HAVE A HEART CONDITION OR SIMILAR CHRONIC ILLNESS I RECOMMEND YOU READ SOMETHING ELSE RIGHT NOW.
Maybe I’m going too far, but I dug up Sears’ Black Friday deals. They’re clearly out to NOT get outclassed by Office Max, and best believe there will be PLENTY of joy for all my home theater heads. So assuming you’re still reading this far, check out this incredible slice of awesome.
How about a forty-two inch Zenith plasma TV for just under five hundred bucks?
Not good enough? Okay, how about a Sony Bravia 5.1 Channel 1000 Watt integrated home theater system (a home theater in a box kind of thing) for just under three hundred thirty?
STILL not good enough? Oh, you’re killing me, but lucky for you I got plenty more–try this one on, true bargain shopper: your choice of a Samsung or Sony Blu-ray player for just a hundred and fifty bucks.
Yeah, I figured that’d get you. So if you were thinking about sleeping off the turkey coma on Black Friday, you may want to think again, because these are some incredibly SWEET deals.
Shawn Lyman, you, sir, are some kind of mad genius deserving of our every salute.
So I was reading this thing over at Electronic House, and I find myself laughing along with Shawn Lyman. See, most people’s idea of a “budget home theater” starts at about five grand and works its way up from there. Well, Shawn was looking for a temporary home theater system. I say “temporary” because he was looking at moving eventually, and realized, hey, the next buyer may not want all of this stuff. For a lot of people, including California building code folks, a “home theater” is a fancy way of saying “a set of speakers in a box and a plasma TV“. But to some of us, folks like us, “home theater” is a huge and dedicated enterprise that can cost thousands.
And for Shawn, it did cost thousands. Two of them, specifically. Plus an extra three hundred bucks. Shawn went modular with his hardware, installing removable risers to give a second row of stadium seating in his home theater. He also went with some lower-cost components like the Onkyo box system, and he apparently already had an Optoma 720p projector ready to go. (Let that be a lesson to you, home theater buffs on a budget. Recycle whereever possible.)
Some might scoff at his choice of 720p, but he’s got one critical point–at ten to fifteen feet away, no merely human eye can actually tell the difference, and he didn’t have much of a room in which to put it. He actually hand-made his own screen, and says it looks better than it did when he had a “nice” pulldown screen.
So here’s to Shawn, who managed to make a home theater setup for what some of us might spend on a new computer. Saving money is absolutely sweet, especially these days.
I haven’t yet had the opportunity to come into contact with very many Insignia plasma televisions, so the chance to take a look at the Insignia NSP501Q10A was a great opportunity indeed.
Japanese company, 
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