Bad news...House was robbed today. The upside? I get to shop for new electronics. TV was taken, so I need recommendations for a new 65" tv.

PS3 was taken, so prolly will just replace with ps4?

Wii was taken...can get one of those for peanuts now, right?

Why didn't they take the damn Onkyo receiver?

So essentially looking for tv recommendations...PQ is top priority over all else (and 65" size)

You won't be sorry if you go for the Panasonic TC-P65ST60. Very highly rated.

Or, if it fits the budget, the slightly more expensive, but even higher rated, Panasonic TC-P65VT60.

Look for other reviews to get a broader range of opinions.

Boy, that IS bad news, bear. Sorry to hear of the violation of your domicile, Craig. What a drag. But as you are a smart man, I notice that you too see such things as shop opps.

Hope there wasn't much else of a mess or damage to other things.

I didn't know that kind of stuff happened in LA.

DOH! Sorry to hear about your misfortune, Spiff. Hope it all works out well for you.

So sorry, Craig.

Nobody has ever felt remorse after buying a Panasonic plasma. Go with hat Jack said.

It was a 65" panasonic plasma that was stolen.

Been reading...VT60 vs ZT60 any thoughts?

That sucks Craig. I thought L.A. only got wrecked by volcanoes and giant dinosaurs and such. I never would have prepared for a common thief.

Seriously though, I can't help much on TV advice. I bought my last one strictly on the fact that it was big and the price was right as a friend had it for sale.

That really sucks Spiff
I can provide no advice on a tv though.

Don't have any personal experience with either TV. I have a 60ST50, last year's model, and absolutely love it.

You'll find, to me, a surprising number of reviews comparing the two HERE .

The one review I read said picture quality is virtually identical. If this is so, then go with the one which has the features you want.

I got the Panasonic 65 inch VT 50 about 1 1/2 years ago. Very pleased with it overall.

yeah...keep reading that the PQ is virtually the same in VT and ZT, yet ZT is $1100 more. Doesn't make sense. Looks like a 65" VT is the right choice for me.

Craig, besides Katzmaier's reviews, check the reviews for the ST60, VT60 and ZT60 here in Sound & Vision(now combined with Home Theater Magazine and showing improvements).

Also, in the November issue of Consumer Reports all three are recommended. The VT60 and ZT60 got the same test score of 73, and the ST60 got 72.

My view is that the VT60 and ZT60 don't appear to justify their added cost over the ST60, which is the best buy at about half the price.

Looks like the VT50 has the best 3d performance, according to that article.

3D...bleck. Not a factor in my decision making.

Still think I'm going with the VT50. Thanks for the links and tips.

Done. TC-P65VT60 being delivered on 10/30.

Your a lucky duck I would like to add one of those to my arsenal. Hopefully the week will pass quickly for you.

If it's being shipped to you, be sure to check its condition carefully. The first 60ST50 which was delivered to me ended up having the glass cracked all the way across.

The cracks were not visible until the TV had been completely set up and I probably wouldn't have seen them until I turned the TV on if I didn't accidentally happen to swing a flashlight across the glass which made them visible.

Turns out the TV had been dropped, really hard, on it's corner during shipment. The bottom edge of the corner of the TV was driven clear through the foam packaging all the way to the ground.

Fortunately, the company from which I purchased the TV (abt.com) came through like champs and delivered me a new TV as quickly as possible. The cracked one went back on the truck that delivered the replacement TV.

Ironically, the replacement TV's box was in much worse condition than the damaged TV's box and I accepted and opened it with some trepidation. Luckily it was pristine.

Thanks for the tip!

You're welcome. I was having trouble uploading photos to photobucket, still am. Had to upload these from my spare computer. Haven't figured out the problem yet. Frustrating.





Purchase of this new TV was made possible by the selling of the 2800 record albums I had accumulated as a radio disc jockey in the early 1970s.

oh my...that's gotta send your heart to your feet when you open the box.

Yeah, it was a heartbreaker. As I said, it was very difficult to see the damage until I shined a flashlight across the screen. You can see the LEDS of the flashlight in the photos.

Good choice and timing on the Panny, if the rumors are correct(and the number of them growing) Panasonic is set to stop Plasma production early next year. I really hope this isn't true but poor sales numbers indicate it could be a possibility.

Great grab, Spiff. You're timing was excellent.

TV Shoppers: Now is the time to buy a Panasonic Plasma

Panasonic has confirmed that its excellent plasma-based televisions won't be available for sale after March 2014.

Curious how you like that set Spiff. I have a VT30 and seriously considering that last ZT. Definitely a huge plasma fan and I want one of these last ones before they're finally gone. A few years ago I had a small window (as in hours) to buy NOS Kuro monitor for under $1800. I hesitated and it was gone. I helped my FIL choose a Pioneer FHD1 years back and to this day, it still has the best picture I've seen w/ my own eyes, uncalibrated.