Pioneer vs. Panasonic plasma

I've found AVS Forum extremely helpful. I agree that it is difficult to navigate; and, I find, particularly difficult to find information I need when I do a search. On the other hand, I've found it easier to use, and more helpful, as I've spent more time on it. Definitely worth it for me. The depth of information (on a forum) can be unsurpassed (in my experience). Ignorance? Well sure, there's some everywhere. Fanboys? I don't know what that means.

Both Pioneer and Panasonic are excellent. One thing worth checking is how they handle ordinary DVD or standard TV signals compared to 720p 0r 1080p. Unfortunately both LCD and Plasma have fixed pixels of many flavors (unlike CRT's)..most upscaled signals actually look WORSE than in their native format on an ordinary non-HD TV. Given that ordinary non-HD signals are going to be with us for many years to come then it is worth checking how well the TV upscales.

In terms of reliability/low cost/longevity LCD is better than Plasma.

In terms of picture quality Plasma is better than LCD.

Just my two cents...

I'm a Panasonic fan for life.

A few years ago (late 2003) I too did a lot AVSForum reading and a lot of side-by-side comparisons. At the time the members on the AVSForum seemed to agree that Fujitsu had the best overall picture (but was very expensive), followed closely by Panasonic, then the Pioneer (w/ the Panny and Pioneer being very close in price). What was being posted was that the Fujitsu and Panasonic had the best black levels and the Pioneer had the nicest brightest colors (The Pioneer blacks were not as deep when compared to the Fujitsus or Pannys). My side-by-side comparisons had similar results. Therefore w/ the price performance of the Panny, I ended up buying the 6th generation 50 inch panel. If I'm not mistaken, the 7th generation panel was the one w/ the shutdown problem - but I'm not sure.

With that said, (as a casual observer) today I think you can pretty much flip a coin and not be disappointed. Everybody's panels PQ seem pretty close to me, but I like I said I'm looking as closely as before. Today I would look for AVSForum postings of complaints for glitches / manufacturing issues (e.g., shutdown issues, weird line issues, weird color issues, etc.).

After an extensive side by side comparison of just about every plasma TV on the market the best is with little doubt the Pioneer Elite models (50 & 43 now 42 inch versions). If you speak to most who sell many different brands and are viewing these dispays daily, most will agree that they provide the highest quality. Examples are Tweeter, Magnolia and Highend audio/visual dealers. I have found that the newest Pioneer 1080P Elite versions are better than previous models when playing some BluRay discs, but; very similar in picture quality when playing standard DVD's....simply amazing. Pioneer has announced a new technology they will be previewing this summer that will represent their best yet. I will have to see it to believe it.

Here is a link to information on the newest plasma technology to be introduced by Pioneer in the near future. If they can provide the quality of a CRT in a flat panel display, as they claim.....they certainly will have tremendous success, continue to feed demand for plasma displays and re-establish a price point that they have dearly desired. Read on:
http://gear.ign.com/articles/753/753475p1.html