Update and correction posted 2/9/10
(2/7/10) The big game represents the tail end of the HDTV buying season. All dealers run specials to help sell as many sets as possible, in preparation for the sales drought that lingers for months afterwards. This year is different. You need to know why in order to make your decision: buy this year’s close-out at a bargain price, or wait for the 2010s.
In previous years the annual model change began in late spring through mid-fall. This year, in an effort to increase sales during the late winter selling drought, many TV vendors chose to begin releasing their respective 2010 model lines beginning as early as February, just a week or so after the Super Bowl.
Wait or Buy Now?
Fortunately, having seen many of the 2010 models at the International Consumer Electronics Show this past January, we know what is coming. Pricing has begun to leak out as well. Here’s how the picture shapes up.
37″ and Smaller LCD
There are few significant image improvements in this size category with the exception of more LED models (producing brighter images, with lower power consumption and thinner form factors) appearing in a number of 2010 product lines, in the next four to twelve weeks. We’ve listed some smokin’ hot closeout deals in this size range below.
42″ and Larger LCD
Here’s where it’s a tough to call. Your decision will depend on the features you desire. Among LCD with CCFL lighting models, only one 2010 series will come with 3D capability (C750 by Samsung). All other 3D capable LCDs will be LED 240 Hz models with premium pricing and feature sets associated with the high refresh rate. The 60Hz and 120 Hz models we’ve seen will perform similarly to last year’s models across brands. More 2010 models will include added features such as Internet widgets and services as well as USB inputs for viewing photos.
Most of the major improvements in the 120Hz and 240 Hz models will be found in the 2010 LED LCD sets. They include better contrast and deeper blacks, better anti-reflective coatings and thinner depth cabinets. Moving up in a given product line, you will be able to get local dimming in a thin, edge lit LED LCD TV. Sony and LG announced two types of local dimming, each of which divide the screen into small, dimmable sections, with the higher end models having the most localized control, minimizing halos of light objects or text against a dark background. Samsung also will incorporate a form of local dimming in its C8000 and C9000 series LED LCDs, but won’t yet say how it’s done.
Plasma
2010 plasma sets have a number of performance improvements, although they are limited to the upper tier models of their respective manufacturers (Panasonic, LG and Samsung). Buying a 2009 closeout model now or waiting for the 2010s really depends on your needs and desires and where in the line you want to make a purchase. For example, in the Panasonic line the 2009 S1 and 2010 S2 models have the same contrast ratio and number of gradations specs. Correction: The native contrast for the 2010 S2 series is rated at 2,000,000:1 up from a native contrast ratio of 40,000: 1 for the 2009 S1 plasma series. However, the retail price is actually $100-$200 lower (depending on screen size) on the 2010 S2 series.
Update: Panasonic has just supplied contrast ratio specs for its 2010 models. Please note “Dynamic Contrast” ratio uses a black measurement with no content on the screen. “Native Contrast” uses a test signal containing a small white area surrounded by black to make the measurements.
Note, we take all dynamic contrast numbers with a grain of salt as measuring contrast ratio using with an all black screen for dark measurment does not provide a meaningful number as to how a display performs when viewing real content.
C2- 2,000,000:1 Dynamic
X2- 2,000,000:1 Dynamic
U2- 2,000,000:1 Native
S2- 2,000,000:1 Native
G series- 5,000,000:1 Native
VT series- 5,000,000:1 Native
3D
As a feature for LCD and LED LCD you will be limited to 240 Hz models. As announced (to date) all the Sony and LG 3D LCDs will be LED edge-lit thin designs, within their top three series (Sony) or strictly the top series (LG). Besides the LED series, Samsung offers a 240 Hz CCLF LCD 3D series (C750). Sony will have 3Ds in screen sizes starting at 46″ while Samsung will begin at 40″ screen size.
Samsung and Panasonic will offer 3D plasmas in two top series starting at 50.” No word yet on LG 3D plasma, although they did show a prototype at CES. While there’s no official word on availability from any of the 3D vendors, we expect Samsung and Panasonic to ship theirs sooner than Sony’s July 2010 scheduled release of its LED LCD 3D models.
Summing it up
60 Hz LCD– Get a closeout deal on a 2009
120 HZ LCD– Get a closeout deal on a 2009
LED LCD 120 Hz– Get a closeout deal on a 2009, this category is declining, for example Samsung is offering only one series of LED 120 Hz TV in 2010
LED LCD 240 Hz-Wait for the 2010s, which will have higher performance, local dimming availability and many will be thinner than this year’s models. Plus we expect them to cost less than the comparable 2009 models. Many series will also include 3D availability.
720p Plasma– Performance for the 2010 models will be similar to the 2009s, but at lower retail prices. Consider only a red-hot deal on a 2009 leftover.
1080p Plasma– Entry level (i.e. S2 Panasonic) 2010s offer better performance than the 2009 models. Expect the 2010s at lower retail prices though. Only consider a 2009 at a red-hot price.
1080p Plasma- Mid Level (i.e G25 Panasonic)- 2010 models will offer significant performance and energy efficiency improvements over last year’s models. You’re better off waiting for the 2010s to begin arriving later this month or early March.
1080p Plasma- High End (i.e VT25 Panasonic, C8000 Samsung). 2010s offer significant performance, deeper blacks, extremely effective new anti-reflective coatings and efficiency improvements over the 09s in addition to new 3D capability at equal or lower retails. Wait for the 2010 models.
This Week’s Hottest Deals: (FS=Free Shipping)
[amazonify]B001UE6MA2::text:::: Panasonic X1 Series TC-L26X1 26-Inch 720p LCD HDTV [/amazonify] $289.99 Amazon FS
[amazonify]B002JCSBE4::text::::Toshiba 32RV525R 32-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV [/amazonify] $399.98 Amazon FS
[amazonify]B001U3Y8M2::text::::Samsung LN32B360 32-Inch 720p LCD HDTV [/amazonify] $379.00 Amazon FS
[amazonify]B001U3Y8PY::text:::: Samsung LN52B550 52-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV[/amazonify] $379.00 Amazon FS
[amazonify] B001U3YK48::text::::Panasonic TC-L32S1 32-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV [/amazonify] $438.00 Amazon FS
[amazonify] B001TOD3J6::text::::Toshiba REGZA 42Z650U 42-Inch 1080p LCD 240 Hz (using 120 Hz Panel + Scanning CCFL Backlight) HDTV[/amazonify] $799.00 J&R via Amazon FS
[amazonify]B001U3Y8PY::text:::: Samsung LN52B550 52-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV[/amazonify] $1119.00 Amazon FS
[amazonify] B001TOD3JQ::text::::Toshiba REGZA 55V650U 55-Inch 1080p LCD 240 Hz (120 Hz +Scanning CCFL Backlight[/amazonify] $1499.08  6ave via Amazon FS
Edited by Michael Fremer
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“Guys, sorry to rain on your parade but attacking a reviewer for reviewing a product is unhelpful to us all – if you’re dissatified with products then blog the supplier and/or don’t buy their products.”
I second that
Guys, sorry to rain on your parade but attacking a reviewer for reviewing a product is unhelpful to us all – if you’re dissatified with products then blog the supplier and/or don’t buy their products. Yes, its a case of caveat emptor – a reviewers advice is just that – you dont have to agree with it and we dont want to hear the tirade against them. btw NZ laws allow replacement return of products for this type of supplier failing – thats another way of improvement forced on suppliers; changing consumer protection under law. cheers
I’m going to wait.
I want a 3D TV
Dear HDGuru !
After researching advantages of plazma over LCD I set my hear on Panasonic and march into the store
to take a look. I was really surpize – Panasonic
46S1 picture look as if i was looking through sunglasses – very dull blackish colors. I ask sales person if he could adjust the picture and he tried to use custom mode with no visible change. The picture still looked dim. I went to another store where Samsung plasma was on display and I also noticed that the picture was dim. The salesperson in this store told me that this is how plazma TV pictures generally look and that is why she prefers LCD. Please explain why the plazma picure looks as if TV covered with the thin black plastic. Is there anything could be done and how 2010 plazma TVs address this issue.
Thanks
We covered this issue in our article How Retailers Use Lighting to Confuse HDTV Buyers (link is at the end of my reply).
Plasma HDTVs produce bright images in normal home lighting conditions . The store’s very bright ambient light levels skew your perception to the brightest image, rather than the one with better black levels and superior shadow detail.
BTW the 2010 “S2” models are shipping soon and provide better rated contrast at lower prices.
Here’s the link
HD Guru
Samsung plasmas have their share of problems, too. Pronounced buzzing was frequently reported in mid- to late 2009, although sets manufactured recently don’t seem to be as prone to buzzing. Also, the Cinema Smooth (96-Hz mode for 24p) issues — increased noise and/or black levels and loss of audio synchronization — apparently have not been fixed. Be aware, too, that Samsung plasmas are a little more prone to image retention than Panasonic plasmas.
Panasonic should have stepped up to the plate and offered some sort of firmware patch for this. I know that it David K. from CNET put the disclaimer before EVERY new Panasonic review (his latest is the Z1 review), I’m definitely going to go with a Samsung.
HDGuru doth protest too much, methinks.
Maybe Panasonic did testing and found these anecdotal reports wrong. They haven’t said and we don’t know. For the statement not to be arrogance, their brightening programming would have to be working well. Calling it arrogant is jumping the gun since we don’t know for sure either way. I’m suspicious of the claim cuz a software problem should be a problem in every panel. Maybe some folks have short memories.
A design is an intention by definition of the word ‘design.’ A design error is unintended, say the programmer typoed the brightening rate as 22*x instead of 2*x. A bad design process can lead to design errors. Bad design is intending something which doesn’t work in practice. Then there is the grey area that someone approved an error.
“If they’re sure that panels are brightening in a productive way, it isn’t. It would just be incredibly wrong at worst.”
The issue isn’t whether a very gradual brightening would be productive (i.e., it extends the life of panels), but how well or poorly it was implemented. If the reports are true (and Panasonic has as much admitted they are) and Panasonic has said that the 2010 panels’ black levels will increase more gradually (which Panasonic has stated), then the 2009 panels have a tendency to brighten too quickly, a problem Panasonic has corrected (or mitigated) in the 2010 panels. But for them to say it’s not a problem — and therefore the unhappy people with the affected sets have nothing to complain about — is arrogant.
“Toyotas weren’t designed for sudden accelleration. Pintos weren’t designed to blow up.”
Sure they were. The designers (and I include materials, mechanical, and software engineers under that designation) just weren’t aware of their design errors.
‘“There is no reason for dissatisfaction with a product that works as it was intended to†is an arrogant statement.’
If they’re sure that panels are brightening in a productive way, it isn’t. It would just be incredibly wrong at worst.
“Every product works as designed.”
Toyotas weren’t designed for sudden accelleration. Pintos weren’t designed to blow up. Panasonics were designed to brighten.
Buyer beware! How can we believe HDguru is not in bed with Panasonic, when he seems so clearly to be a corporate shill. Why do you not admit that you have a particularly cozy relationship with Panasonic, your biggest advertiser?
You make some wild, imprecise charges. What do you mean by “corporate shill?” And after you define that, please cite examples. What does “in bed with Panasonic” (or any company) even mean?
Are you making these undefined charges because I give good reviews to products I find worthy? Do you really think I would sacrifice my credibility with readers for advertising dollars? My credibility is my only capital. Why would I do anything to damage my reputation?
As for “cozy relationships”, I have developed very good relationships with all the major vendors, Panasonic included, as well as with retailers and many other industry players. Not only is that not wrong, it’s an essential responsibility for what I do. Despite our relatively limited resources, these personal relationships enable our website to first bring news and information to our readers, often scooping the largest consumer electronic websites that are run by large media companies.
If you believe vendors advertising on HD Guru get “special treatment,” when we review their products, you should stop visiting the site. You won’t be missed.
HD Guru
Yeah, arrogance. “There is no reason for dissatisfaction with a product that works as it was intended to” is an arrogant statement. Every product works as designed. Panasonic’s 2009 plasmas work as designed — but the design (in particular, the software that regulates the displays’ voltage) is flawed in that the black levels, according to a number of reports, increase excessively after a thousand or so hours of usage, to a level that one report described as that of a mediocre LCD. People with affected sets should be dissatisfied, and Panasonic should fix the problem instead of pretending there isn’t one.
Arrogance?! Screens dim with age. Panasonic could either do nothing which hurts the picture all the time or brighten and noticeably lose some black level occasionally. (Granted, I’m being very general.) Their 2010 screens age slower, so the software brightens at a slower rate. We’re going back to the store so you can apologize to that nice Mr. Panasonic.
In his Feb. 9 article, “Panasonic does not plan fix for reported black level increases” (http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10449939-1.html), CNET’s David Katzmaier reports on a phone conversation he had with Bob Perry, Senior VP of Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company. Katzmaier quotes Perry as saying, “Since the TVs work as designed, there’s nothing to fix.” That tells me that Panasonic doesn’t think there’s a problem and therefore doesn’t intend to fix it. Of course they work as designed — the design, howver, appears to be flawed. If not, why would Panasonic claim that their 2010 plasmas will exhibit a “more gradual change in the black level over time.” When Katzmaier asked him, “What should owners do who are unsatisfied with the picture quality of their TVs?,” Perry answered, “There is no reason for dissatisfaction with a product that works as it was intended to and provides industry-leading excellent black level performance.” Really? Lower black levels, lower image retention, and superior reliability are the only real advantages Panasonic’s 2009 plasmas had over competitors’. And now all three are questionable. Is unbridled arrogance the best Panasonic can do?
Guru,
With so many manufactures releasing 1st gen. 3d tv’s this yr,Mit. touts that they are releasing 3rd gen. 3d tv’s. I don’t know if this is correct but from what I’ve read it seems that reald-3d technology is being used by majority of manufactures.Being that you were at CES could you see much difference between 3rd gen vs. 1st gen.? If sets are using the reald-3d does that put the 3d portion of the sets equal and then it would come down to which set is better(this set passes all the test while the other might fail 3:2pull down as an example)?
I am looking for a 32-inch set and the deals look really good. My question…
Is 120 Hz worth the extra ~100-200 premium in a 32 inch size? I understand the 720p vs 1080p argument in a set this size but I’m worried I will start to hate the motion blur in a 60Hz set.
This would be my first HDTV.
Dynamic contrast is utter marketing BS. What matters is the ANSI Contrast ratio.
@Skipp
Go to AVSForum and you will get much more information there.
Guru,
still waiting for your input on the fluctuating black level with the panasonic plasmas!…
We replied days ago in the comments section of the latest Panasonic post and also linked from another post.
Here is a re-post of our response below. We will make another post when we get replies from Panasonic and THX.
For readers not familiar with the situation, a number of AVS Forum member posts have referenced a black level change over time (black levels get lighter) on 2008 and 2009 Panasonic plasmas, compared to their “out of the box†performance.
On January 3rd, 2010, my CNet friend David Katzmaier asked Panasonic to comment and explain. On Feb. 4th, Panasonic acknowledged the voltages do indeed increase over time as part of the panel’s built in aging circuit. This will result, Panasonic explained, in an increase in the minimum black level. Panasonic also states the increase in black level in the upcoming 2010 models is more gradual over time than the previous year’s models. Here is the link for David’s post and Panasonic’s response.
David added he has two Panasonic plasmas on hand and will begin measuring the minimum black level the panel is capable of reproducing over time. We have a lot of respect for David’s work and methodical testing techniques and are 100% confident that he will produce reliable answers to the question of how much of an increase there is and over how long a period of time.
Because of this, we feel that duplicating David’s tests would be redundant and not the best use of our time and resources. Therefore HD Guru will instead concentrate on reviewing as many of the most review-worthy 2010 models as we can.
Since we don’t yet have test results, and considering that this problem’s severity is currently based on hearsay from an unknown person(s) reporting on a forum, we do not feel it would be responsible to change or withdraw our recommendation of Panasonic plasma HDTVs at this time.
However, because we felt Panasonic’s response was incomplete; we posed some additional questions to Panasonic and await their response.
We asked Panasonic if there might be an upgrade designed to slow or diminish the acknowledged black level increase. And if so, when it might be instituted. Because David K asked similar questions first, he may receive and report Panasonic’s answer before we do.
In addition, we asked a THX spokesperson about the duration of the THX certification guaranty, which includes luminance measurements.
Is the certification guaranty good over the life of the product, only out of the box, or for a specific number of hours and if so, how many hours?
The THX spokesperson said the company would try to supply the answers to HD Guru next week. We will report the response and provide a comment. Thanks for writing.
HD Guru
I just wanted to mention that, contrary to your article, the Panasonic S1 and S2 models do not, according to Panasonic, have the same contrast ratio. Although I know there is a lot of controversy over how the numbers are achieved, the 2009 S1 series claims a DYNAMIC contrast ration of 2,000,000:1, and a NATIVE contrast ratio of 40,000:1. The 2010 Panasonic S2 series, however, has a 2,000,000:1 NATIVE contrast ratio, and, so far as I know, does not at all claim a DYNAMIC contrast ratio. The difference in this specification between the two models could potentially mark a significant improvement in black level; but, of course, we won’t know until someone actually has a production model to test. I just thought I’d bring this to your attention. Thanks. Dan.