Glass vs Plastic Lenses in Panasonic HDTV ?? How do I find out?

Hi all,

I'm looking at the Panasonic 53 in. Projection TV model #PT-53X54, and
I've been told to see whether it has glass or plastic lenses. I do
play games (X-Box) and I've been told by several folks to make sure
the television I choose has glass lenses and not plastic lenses due to
this fact.

I checked with three local electronic stores, but none could tell me
whether this television (or any of their HD televisions for that
matter) had plastic or glass lenses.

This TV is a mid-range Panasonic television, so I'd like to think it's
glass, but not sure.

Suggestions? Here's an article I found mentioning this also --
http://www.myhometheater.homestead.c...eoBasics2.html

Thanks for your time,

Ringo

Ringo Langly wrote:

Hi all,

I'm looking at the Panasonic 53 in. Projection TV model #PT-53X54, and
I've been told to see whether it has glass or plastic lenses. I do
play games (X-Box) and I've been told by several folks to make sure
the television I choose has glass lenses and not plastic lenses due to
this fact.

I have no idea why gamers should avoid plastic lenses. Do you?

I checked with three local electronic stores, but none could tell me
whether this television (or any of their HD televisions for that
matter) had plastic or glass lenses.

This TV is a mid-range Panasonic television, so I'd like to think it's
glass, but not sure.

Suggestions? Here's an article I found mentioning this also --
http://www.myhometheater.homestead.c...eoBasics2.html


Where it says:

"Lenses: The lenses focus the light from the tubes onto the screen.
They can be made of glass or plastic. Glass is better as it allows for
better focus, but is more expensive".

This kind of blanket statement with no qualifiers is essentially
useless. Using high quality plastic lenses can cost more than using low
quality glass. High performance plastic lenses can produce better images
than low performance glass lenses. Well designed plastic lens systems
can use fewer elements than a poorly designed glass lens system.

I suspect any difference between the two would be similar to the
differences between glass fiber and plastic fiber for toslink
connections, not much.

Matthew

--
Thermodynamics and/or Golf for dummies: There is a game
You can't win
You can't break even
You can't get out of the game

There are ZERO projection TVs out there with all-glass lenses. You wouldn't
even want one if there was because there are thermal expansion issues with
glass.

Toshiba's top of the line 'Niltava' lenses had one glass element, but I don't
believe Panasonic ever used these lenses. I'm pretty sure all Panasonic sets
(and most Toshiba's) use the 'Shortwing' lenses which are all plastic elements.

But like the other poster mentioned, I can't think of any reason for wanting one
over the other...be it for video game play or any other reason.


"Ringo Langly" wrote in message
om...
Hi all,

I'm looking at the Panasonic 53 in. Projection TV model #PT-53X54, and
I've been told to see whether it has glass or plastic lenses. I do
play games (X-Box) and I've been told by several folks to make sure
the television I choose has glass lenses and not plastic lenses due to
this fact.

I checked with three local electronic stores, but none could tell me
whether this television (or any of their HD televisions for that
matter) had plastic or glass lenses.

This TV is a mid-range Panasonic television, so I'd like to think it's
glass, but not sure.

Suggestions? Here's an article I found mentioning this also --
http://www.myhometheater.homestead.c...eoBasics2.html

Thanks for your time,

Ringo

"John Golitsis" wrote in message
...
There are ZERO projection TVs out there with all-glass lenses. You
wouldn't
even want one if there was because there are thermal expansion issues with
glass.

What kind of thermal expansion issues? The coefficient of thermal expansion
for glass is much less than plastic. Glass could have a problem with thermal
shock from rapidily changing temperatures but that doesn't seem likely in a
projection TV. I'm curious what the issue could be.


Toshiba's top of the line 'Niltava' lenses had one glass element, but I
don't
believe Panasonic ever used these lenses. I'm pretty sure all Panasonic
sets
(and most Toshiba's) use the 'Shortwing' lenses which are all plastic
elements.

But like the other poster mentioned, I can't think of any reason for
wanting one
over the other...be it for video game play or any other reason.


"Ringo Langly" wrote in message
om...
Hi all,

I'm looking at the Panasonic 53 in. Projection TV model #PT-53X54, and
I've been told to see whether it has glass or plastic lenses. I do
play games (X-Box) and I've been told by several folks to make sure
the television I choose has glass lenses and not plastic lenses due to
this fact.

I checked with three local electronic stores, but none could tell me
whether this television (or any of their HD televisions for that
matter) had plastic or glass lenses.

This TV is a mid-range Panasonic television, so I'd like to think it's
glass, but not sure.

Suggestions? Here's an article I found mentioning this also --
http://www.myhometheater.homestead.c...eoBasics2.html

Thanks for your time,

Ringo

"Ringo Langly" wrote in message
om...
Hi all,

I'm looking at the Panasonic 53 in. Projection TV model #PT-53X54, and
I've been told to see whether it has glass or plastic lenses. I do
play games (X-Box) and I've been told by several folks to make sure
the television I choose has glass lenses and not plastic lenses due to
this fact.

I checked with three local electronic stores, but none could tell me
whether this television (or any of their HD televisions for that
matter) had plastic or glass lenses.

This TV is a mid-range Panasonic television, so I'd like to think it's
glass, but not sure.

Suggestions? Here's an article I found mentioning this also --
http://www.myhometheater.homestead.c...eoBasics2.html

Thanks for your time,

Ringo

I cant beleive panny would engage in such a cost cutting measure, although
the akai 52in 800 dollar hdtvs flying out of circuit city I'm not so sure
of.
I saw the 53 in your talking about, and almost upgraded my 3 yr old panny
47, but decided to wait.
I dont think you can go wrong with this brand
Go to panny.tv for all the info you need about this brand from enthusiastic
owners, including how to disable the scan velocity modulation and get into
the service menu

"Matthew L. Martin" wrote in message ...
Ringo Langly wrote:

Hi all,

I'm looking at the Panasonic 53 in. Projection TV model #PT-53X54, and
I've been told to see whether it has glass or plastic lenses. I do
play games (X-Box) and I've been told by several folks to make sure
the television I choose has glass lenses and not plastic lenses due to
this fact.

I have no idea why gamers should avoid plastic lenses. Do you?

I checked with three local electronic stores, but none could tell me
whether this television (or any of their HD televisions for that
matter) had plastic or glass lenses.

This TV is a mid-range Panasonic television, so I'd like to think it's
glass, but not sure.

Suggestions? Here's an article I found mentioning this also --
http://www.myhometheater.homestead.c...eoBasics2.html


Where it says:

"Lenses: The lenses focus the light from the tubes onto the screen.
They can be made of glass or plastic. Glass is better as it allows for
better focus, but is more expensive".

This kind of blanket statement with no qualifiers is essentially
useless. Using high quality plastic lenses can cost more than using low
quality glass. High performance plastic lenses can produce better images
than low performance glass lenses. Well designed plastic lens systems
can use fewer elements than a poorly designed glass lens system.

I suspect any difference between the two would be similar to the
differences between glass fiber and plastic fiber for toslink
connections, not much.

Matthew


Hi Matthew and everyone else who replied...

This is why I made the post... a friend of mine who does home theater
installations told me while shopping to look for this, and after doing
some digging online I found several websites mentioning this as well.
As to the technical reasons why glass is better over plastic I
couldn't tell you -- I'm just doing as i always do and researching an
expensive purchase as much as possible. If the concensus of the group
is that glass vs plastic lenses is a null argument or mute point, then
I won't worry about it.

Thanks for all th e feedback,

Ringo

(Ringo Langly) wrote in
om:

This is why I made the post... a friend of mine who does home theater
installations told me while shopping to look for this, and after doing
some digging online I found several websites mentioning this as well.
As to the technical reasons why glass is better over plastic I
couldn't tell you -- I'm just doing as i always do and researching an
expensive purchase as much as possible. If the concensus of the group
is that glass vs plastic lenses is a null argument or mute point, then
I won't worry about it.

It's a moot point - manufacturer's don't advertise if the lens is made from
glass or plastic so most consumers will never know. What does matter is how
the TV performs on the whole.

If you're looking for a recommendation... take a look at Samsung's DLP RPTV
or even the Sony Grand Wegas. They're both very nice. Mitsubishi and
Hitachi also have good LCD RPTVs.


--
Lucas Tam )
Please delete "REMOVE" from the e-mail address when replying.
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/coolspot18/

"Ringo Langly" wrote in message
om...
Hi all,

I'm looking at the Panasonic 53 in. Projection TV model #PT-53X54, and
I've been told to see whether it has glass or plastic lenses. I do
play games (X-Box) and I've been told by several folks to make sure
the television I choose has glass lenses and not plastic lenses due to
this fact.

I checked with three local electronic stores, but none could tell me
whether this television (or any of their HD televisions for that
matter) had plastic or glass lenses.

This TV is a mid-range Panasonic television, so I'd like to think it's
glass, but not sure.

Suggestions? Here's an article I found mentioning this also --
http://www.myhometheater.homestead.c...eoBasics2.html

Thanks for your time,

Ringo

The Panasonic you refer to is an RP-CRT model. The local Mits dealer in
town actually has old tubes and lenses available for customers to take a
look at, part of the sales pitch. The lenses I looked at appeared to be
made of glass.

The reference link you provided had a couple of errors. The 7", 9" CRT
measurement is not diagonal, the tubes are round and hence the measurement
is a diameter. 9" tubes are needed for larger displays, more a matter of
the physics involved than a measurement of the quality of the sets.

For gaming (X-box etc.) RP-CRT is not the best choice due to the burn in
issues.

Ed

(Ringo Langly) wrote in
om:

I'm looking at the Panasonic 53 in. Projection TV model #PT-53X54, and
I've been told to see whether it has glass or plastic lenses. I do
play games (X-Box)



You're going to burn in your TV if you play games on a CRT RPTV.

You'll need to purchase an LCD based TV such as a LCD flat panel or LCD
RPTV (i.e. Sony Grand Wega).

In article , anon-e-
says...
(Ringo Langly) wrote in
om:

I'm looking at the Panasonic 53 in. Projection TV model #PT-53X54, and
I've been told to see whether it has glass or plastic lenses. I do
play games (X-Box)



You're going to burn in your TV if you play games on a CRT RPTV.

You'll need to purchase an LCD based TV such as a LCD flat panel or LCD
RPTV (i.e. Sony Grand Wega).

You can burn in your TV if you play games on an LCD too, although its
less serious an issue.

The only new technology without burn in is DLP.

(And maybe LCoS... I don't know about that one??)