Panasonic rear projection question

[bluejay]

I am considering a Panasonic PT 61LCZ70. It is a 1080P rear projection unit. Do you know anyone who has one? How is the picture? Can you describe its technology. It is different than the LCOS type or the DLP type.

Certain test reviews have criticized its "blacks" as being not too good. Is this a big deal?

I can't really go and test watch most of the sets myself. I have to order it in and keep it if it works within manufacturer's spec. Thanks.

[Sonnie]

Here's what I found on it in the Shack Electronics Store...

Features:
• 1920 x 1080
• Amazingly Vivid color reproduction
• LiFi lamp technology ensures high performance
• Modern design to enhance any living room environment
• GalleryPlayer CapableEditorial Reviews:

Product Description
Introducing the world's first consumer television with the innovative LIFI light source. LIFI stands for LIght FIdelity. This is a brand-new way to achieve long light source life, quick start-up time and high color fidelity for projection displays. Unlike conventional LCD projection TVs, the LIFI light source lasts so long it might never need to be changed. The High Intensity Discharge (HID) lamps used in conventional LCD projection TVs contain electrodes that deteriorate, causing diminished brightness and possible damage to the lamp itself. LIFI does not utilize electrodes, which helps achieve more stable performance and a long lifespan.The light source in Panasonic LIFI HDTVs offers full spectrum illumination that faithfully reproduces brilliant red, emerald green and natural skin tones. Whether you're watching hidden camera footage of rare Amazon Forest dwellers or taking in the local newscast, the lifelike color is a bright, beautiful enhancement to your HDTV experience. The 1080p HD display capability provides twice the number of pixels as 720p HDTV displays for superior detail and extraordinary HDTV reproduction.The LIFI lamp is an advancement in technology that offers advantages that you can see and hear - or not, in the case of scintillation noise. HID lamps generate noise, especially at high brightness levels. You won't hear the hum with the LIFI because it operates at lower wavelengths. Plus, because the small LIFI bulb heats up quickly when you power up, the start-up time of the HDTV is as low as 10 seconds. Once your HDTV is ready to watch, there's no flicker, as with some LCD TVs.Everything about the LIFI HDTV is designed to bring you to a new level of viewing pleasure. The amazing colors are boosted by the floating feeling provided by the flat panel design, and the audio is rendered more lifelike by the invisible speakers that help fuse picture and sound. The all-black design adds a sleek, modern and luxurious look to your room.

Customer Reviews:

Panasonic LIFI 61 inch September 22, 2007
9 out of 10 found this review helpful

I recently bought a 61" panasonic lifi hdtv. I was kinda skeptical at first with the lifi lamp being the new thing and all, but the tv is worth every penny spent. Excellent color reproduction and color contrast. Playing xbox360 on it looks absolutely amazing. I would definitely recommend the Panasonic LIFI to anybody looking for a new tv. For what they're priced they blow the competition out of the water. Click the link below to check it out Panasonic PT-61LCZ70 61" 1080p LIFI Rear Projection HDTV

It appears the light source is a fairly new technology, so I'm not sure how much experience you'll find with it, plus it being some 2 feet in depth, probably not many takers with all the slim display units available at super low prices and more advanced technology.

[bluejay]

I read this at cnet. Most of the article was very complimentary, however they did not like the "black level".
I am pretty sure I can deal with the colour accuracy part through adjustment. Also other reviews do not mention any banding issues so it may not be that big a deal.

While its bulb may last a long time, the Panasonic PT-61LCZ70's picture-quality problems will last even longer. It can't produce a very deep level of black at all, its color accuracy is pretty suspect, and we detected banding that we'd never seen before on a rear-projection set. All in all, the Panasonic performs worse than most RPTVs we've reviewed in the last year.

A Samsung like Sonnie's is $500 to $1000 more here, (this week). I am waiting for the JVC company to respond, so who knows? Sony's list price is high and what comes on sale is not always that great, (old stock). I don't mind the thickness of the Panasonic because their technology requires it to be so.

My house is dusty sometimes. Will dust make its way into the innards and display on the screen?

[brent_s]

Manufacturers don't usually take a step backwards in performance, but I suppose it's possible. LiFi sounds like it's just a replacement for the light source, the rest of the projection engine should just be an evolution of previous units.

I forget the full model number of my Panasonic, but it's a 2006 52" 720p LCD rear projector. I'm very happy with it, especially for the price. FWIW, "The Perfect Vision" rated it an Editor's Choice for 2006.

-Brent

[lcaillo]

Manufacturers take backward steps all the time when cutting costs or changing to what they perceive as a more marketable technology. The efficacy of these LED based light sources is yet to be determined, IMO. What I have seen of the Samsungs has not impressed me, but a lot of people like it. The question that is unanswered is the sprectrum of the source when compared to other light sources, and how the color decoding interacts with the spectral characteristics.