Panasonic 600u availability

[ninmess]

HELP ME Guys!!!!

1. When will Panasonic 600u series be available in stores (not online)?
I haven't seen any in retail stores. Panasonic support told me it may be late July or August, but the guy I talked to didn't sound convincing at all.

2. Have found near 0 sales and reviews of 600u on Amazon, or other online sites.
Which makes me a bit concerned to go ahead and buy it.

3. Is it worth waiting for the 600u for 2 extra speakers, PC and PIP?
Is there any difference in the quality? Lookswise I like 600u better (if the pics available on say amazon are indeed real). I find the bottom 3-4" of the 60u aesthetically unappealling but can live with it.

4. Is the PIP only for 2 separate sources i.e. TV and PC or can I watch 2 channels simultaneously?

Thank you for your help.

[c627627]

For the record, what you get with 600U vs. 60U:

• SRS TruSurround XT
• CableCard
• Advanced Smart Sound Speaker System
• Picture-In-Picture
• PC Input
• Different bezel and stand
• C.A.T.S. (Contrast Automatic Tracking System) – Automatically senses the ambient light conditions and adjusts the brightness and gradation accordingly. Provides the best possible picture contrast for each operating environment. This feature also helps reduce power consumption and minimize phosphor aging.

[billybob_jcv]

They have a 50PX600U currently on display in the BB/Magnolia in Thousand Oaks, CA. I didn't ask whether they had any in the warehouse, but the salesman said they had just received it. Unfortunately, all they had playing on it was the Carlos Santana SD-DVD being upconverted to HDMI via a Denon AV Receiver. In talking to the salesdweeb, apparently they thought it was important to showcase the audio capability of the display... :rolleyes:

[AllElectric]

Just ordered the 600U from Tweeter (UTC Store), in stock, home delivery next Saturday. They have a sale in progress on it.
Also picked up the Panasonic XR56S, a DVD recorder and a speaker set.
Key features: HDAVI, Cable Car, and the great picture....

[Longspeak]

I saw it on display at Bestbuy. It is displayed in their Magnolia Center section.
Not all Bestbuys have Magnolia section.

It is not listed on their Website...

[ninmess]

I checked in Best Buy, Circuit City and Sears in West Covina and none of the sales guys had any idea of the model I was talking about. At BB, I had the sales guy go to amazon to show him the model, because he had never heard of the 600 series :-(

None of the web sites of the retail stores like the ones listed show this model.

Will call the BB in Thousand Oaks and find out.
Thanks

[jimmymac613]

I've seen the 600U at Best Buy/Magnolia, Ken Crane's and Tweeter in Orange County, California. Oh, and one was also spotted in my living room!!!

[westa6969]

Congrats on your new panel and nice way to rub it in. ;)

[triton.]

Beyond the differences listed above, is there any difference in picture quality or materials/glass between the 600 and 60 series for the 42" ?

[SteelyPan]

Just ordered my 600U today from 6th ave in NJ...... delivery next week as I'll be away.....


Hooking up to OPPO 970, Vienna acoustics speakers, marantz AV receiver

[Dah-Dee]

As I chew on fingernails waiting for any sign that my pre-ordered 58PX600U will actually be manufactured some day, it would be greatly appreciated if those posting here could specify the particular model (size) claimed to have been sighted. Thanks!

[jimmymac613]

[QUOTE=Dah-Dee]As I chew on fingernails waiting for any sign that my pre-ordered 58PX600U will actually be manufactured some day, it would be greatly appreciated if those posting here could specify the particular model (size) claimed to have been sighted. Thanks![/QUOTE]

Good point!! My post above referred to spotting the 42" and the 50". I don't remember seeing the 58" anywhere yet.

[omegaGray]

[QUOTE=jimmymac613]Good point!! My post above referred to spotting the 42" and the 50". I don't remember seeing the 58" anywhere yet.[/QUOTE]


Salesman at Paul's in La Habra said they were told it would likely be October before the 58" commercial model would be available.

[SteelyPan]

my 600U is 50 inch...will review in other thread when I set it up...can't wait

[amarnj]

I got my Panny 42PX600U from one of the samll time family owned and operated store here in NJ after booking with them and waiting for one month.

I've posted one picture here and more could be found in the following link:

http://photos.yahoo.com/amarmistry2000

I love the TV. It matches very well with my HK receiver, DVD Player and which are also black and silver, and silver speakers. I am so glad I did not buy 60U and waited for 600U. Additional $$ are as much worth for the looks as they are for thea dditional bells and whistles. IMO, it looks way better than 60U.

[biswasd]

how is the pq of the 600 vs. the 60u? i recently saw the 60u at a best buy sitting next to a samsung s5053 and the sammy blew away the panny 60u....just wondering if i should get the sammy or the new panny 600u?

any help would be appreciated.

[c627627]

See post #2 in this thread for a list of what you get with 600U vs. 60U.

The reason you see more Panasonic threads here is because, all things being equal and sets being calibrated to give the best Picture Quality they are capable of, Panasonic plasmas are "better than" Samsung plasmas.

[RicheyPoor]

[QUOTE=c627627]For the record, what you get with 600U vs. 60U:

• SRS TruSurround XT
• CableCard
• Advanced Smart Sound Speaker System
• Picture-In-Picture
• PC Input
• Different bezel and stand
• C.A.T.S. (Contrast Automatic Tracking System) – Automatically senses the ambient light conditions and adjusts the brightness and gradation accordingly. Provides the best possible picture contrast for each operating environment. This feature also helps reduce power consumption and minimize phosphor aging.[/QUOTE]The C.A.T.S. feature is useless in my opinion. I have it on my 500U and I never use it. It's also nothing new, similar systems have been found on televisions since the sixties or seventies.

[c627627]

Yes, well, we'll file it under marketing gimmicks to justify the increased price then. :)

Really, out of all the different features, CableCard may be the one that gets most people to go for 600U over 60U.

[jimmymac613]

[QUOTE=c627627]Yes, well, we'll file it under marketing gimmicks to justify the increased price then. :)

Really, out of all the different features, CableCard may be the one that gets most people to go for 600U over 60U.[/QUOTE]

For me it was purely looks!! I was willing to pay a premium to have the black border around the screen and not the cheesey looking 60U bezel!!

[ninmess]

thanks...I don't care much about the cablecard, and I do agree with the ugly bezel on 60U, but the question is, is it really worth the extra $1000?

In all likelihood, another 3-4 years and we all will be craving for the 100" plasma which may be available at the same price as these TVs today. So if the picture quality is comparable, I may decide on going with a 60U and use that $1000 for subscribing cable :-)

[superdome]

[QUOTE=ninmess]HELP ME Guys!!!!

1. When will Panasonic 600u series be available in stores (not online)?
I haven't seen any in retail stores. Panasonic support told me it may be late July or August, but the guy I talked to didn't sound convincing at all.
[/QUOTE]

Go to your local Bestbuy/Magnolia store. Ask the sales in Magnolia store(not bestbuy). They most likely have 600U in their center stocks and are able to deliver to you in a week. Don't forget ask them to price match online retailers or panny direct store. :D

[superdome]

[QUOTE=jimmymac613]For me it was purely looks!! I was willing to pay a premium to have the black border around the screen and not the cheesey looking 60U bezel!![/QUOTE]

Hehe, I went to 600U for the same reason, purely looks! :D

[rob316]

[QUOTE=SteelyPan]Just ordered my 600U today from 6th ave in NJ...... delivery next week as I'll be away.....


Hooking up to OPPO 970, Vienna acoustics speakers, marantz AV receiver[/QUOTE]

Did you go to the 6th ave in Woodbridge NJ on RT 1 North?


Rob

[c627627]

This is just in: Panasonic 9th generation commercial versions will ariive next week Friday to the distribution center!

Panasonic is emailing people saying the distributor will get 9UKs on Friday July 21, 2006. They're projecting actual shipping dates the week after that.

[jimmymac613]

[QUOTE=ninmess]thanks...I don't care much about the cablecard, and I do agree with the ugly bezel on 60U, but the question is, is it really worth the extra $1000?

In all likelihood, another 3-4 years and we all will be craving for the 100" plasma which may be available at the same price as these TVs today. So if the picture quality is comparable, I may decide on going with a 60U and use that $1000 for subscribing cable :-)[/QUOTE]

Not that's it's still not a lot of money but I've usually seen the 600U about $500 more than the 60U and not $1000.

[ninmess]

retail price difference is $500 but last week Amazon had the 60U for $2029 (shipped plus no tax) whereas 600U is still close to ($2999 + tax).

[ninmess]

Took the plunge today and bought the 600u from Magnolia in Pasadena. Can't wait to get it all set up :-)

[pwssr]

[QUOTE=superdome]Go to your local Bestbuy/Magnolia store. Ask the sales in Magnolia store(not bestbuy). They most likely have 600U in their center stocks and are able to deliver to you in a week. Don't forget ask them to price match online retailers or panny direct store. :D[/QUOTE]

I purchased my 50PX600U at a Magnolia here in MA - was told that they don't price-match online stores - only local B&M's.

Didn't matter to me - they had just put the 600U on sale 10 minutes before I got there and they had just received 2 - one on the wall and the other is mine! I was the first to buy one from them.

The Magnolia folks were super to deal with - even when I returned the Samsung 50" after a week!

[Nascar Dog]

[QUOTE=triton.]Beyond the differences listed above, is there any difference in picture quality or materials/glass between the 600 and 60 series for the 42" ?[/QUOTE]

no