Hi all,

Has anyone got anything to say about the above item??????

Current price on one of these is $2750.00

Seems a good deal for HD plasma.

If anyone knows of a better purchase, please let me know.

Is it actually HD, or only HD capable? Any model number or specs?

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi...5762049857&rd=1 appears to be the one...

They're claiming a 1024x768 res, so it may be the goods.

This unit looks the same to me, it's only SD.

http://www.leadingedgecomputers.com.au/cat...phonesAndFaxes1

Here's a CNet review on the Optima Plasma's:
http://www.cnet.com.au/hometheatre/tvs/0,3...40004004,00.htm

The user ratings are up and down, 2 guys give it a real pasting, while 4 reviews give it the thumbs up! So i'm no closer to knowing if they're any good or not. I can't find a store in Melbourne that stocks them so I can go and have a look!

I went to Good Guys, never heard of them, also Retravision, same thing. Yet the press release from Optima said they'd be using both the Good Guys and Retrivision to distribute them! Argh...

Juz.

Here's some more about the Optima range of Plasma TV's:
http://www.arnnet.com.au/index.php/id;9755...;fpid;133331573

According to the article they have new 42 & 50 inch High Def plasma's coming out in April. They were also "caught short" by the demand for their original SD 42" plasma released last December...they got 10,000 orders for it instead of the 2,000 they were expecting.

Has anyone seen one in the flesh?

Juz.

Goodguys have these for sale over Easter, according to the sales guy they have a LG panel. Retail $2899.00, Sale Price $2499.00, Cash Price $2449.00.
Gadget

$2449 for a HD plasma. Sweet! let the price wars begin!

As someone pointed out above they're SD panels... so keep ya knickers on. 2500 for 'no name' brand SD panels is about par for the course at the moment.

yeah but looking at the eBay link, you can buy it for $2749 which is still a sweet price for a HD Plasma. The specs say its capable of up to 1080i.

The native resolution is 852 x 480.
HD capable is not true HD.
gadget

Gadget,

In the add on ebay it says Native Resolution is 1024 x 768 pixel resolution (1080i); 16.7 million colours (256 levels);

Is this a false advertising as you say it is only 852 x 480????

It also says it has a Samsung panel, not an LG panel in it.

Damn im getting confused...............

Helllppppp...........................

blueboy said Goodguys never heard of them, I was looking at one today. Sales guy said they were LG panel, true or not?
To get a 1024 x 768 HD display for this sort of money is truly a good buy.
I didn't buy one.
Gadget

It looks to me that the Optima plasma currently on sale for outrageously low prices ($2500 in some cases) must be the SD panel they released in December and are having trouble meeting demand for. The HD version will be released shortly, and be around $4000 rrp for the 42" model. This is the source of the confusion, I think. I have seen the current model and it looks quite good, but not up to HD standards. Still very tempting at the price, though; hopefully it will encourage a few other brands to discount their panels in coming months.

Optima used to be sold at DickSmith's but only in PC's.

Not a bad computer but an unaceptable rate of faulty units amougst them.

I personaly would not recomend buying.

Still lots of talk but no details....has ANYONE actually seen either the Optima SD or HD plasma screen these in the flesh? If so, please answer these questions:

1. How did it look? What was it showing when you saw it?

2. Where did you see it? I'm yet to find a retail outlet stocking them, and Optima themselves won't reply to my emails....

surely this is telling you something.

There are other brands that are now selling close to this price range. I'd be inclined to look at those instead.

Yeah, if it follows along the lines of Optima PCs, avoid it like the plague! 'Optima' branded monitors were just that, branded. They didn't really make anything at all. There were using KFC (no! not kentucky fried chicken, but I think if they did, it may have given a better picture) PC monitors at one stage. What a waste of space they were. No such thing as an Optima PC either, its just a collection of generic bits in a box, quite often with a custom (snap out at that, there were a few others using the same box, the snapout was transposable between boxes, had fun doing that a few times :-) ) Optima badge.

Only God knows what the Optima panel really is and (s)he isn't telling (yet). Don't take anything the sales droids tell you at face value.

Ok, just to add to the info, Optima did suddenly reply to me (wouldn't be suprised if they were perhaps reading this forum?)...

Anyway, their new HD panels (both 42" & 50") will be in Good Guys stores in Melbourne from late this month/early next month. The 42" panel will be sold with a HD set top box for RRP $3,999. Street price could be around $3,500 then? Which is pretty good for a HD panel with a HD STB.

They sent me a pdf file with the specs of each panel, and also mentioned that their SD panels were "end of life" and they're not taking any more orders for them. Word is they're still filling back orders 'coz they were so popular....

I've uploaded the pdf files to here:
http://www.spicer.com.au/Optima42Plasma.pdf
http://www.spicer.com.au/Optima50Plasma.pdf

Lastly, I asked Optima whose panel they were using, and he quite happily replied that it's the LG V6 Panel. So there you go.

Now i'm no plasma expert, does this mean there should be virtually no difference between the PQ of the Optima, and that of the LG using the same V6 panel??