LCD/Plasma/CRT/DLP - questions

[SmokeMeAKipper]

Quick update on my problems with my Panasonic V20 and image retention / screen burn. Basically, after a few weeks of having the TV I noticed I could see the after-image of what I suspect to be the "red-button" boxes you get on certain broadcasts.

After more than a month the problem has definitely improved, making me think it is just bad IR rather than burn - it's not as noticeable and I really have to look for it at times to see it. As before, it really only catches my eye when I'm not looking for it on a light background (normally the sky if something is outdoors). My girlfriend hasn't mentioned it and I've not mentioned it to her.

However, I'm now getting some proper image retention now. Last weekend I watched most of the England rugby game on Saturday, and the FA Community Shield between Man Utd and Man City on Sunday. Let's call it a total of 4 hours. During both of these broadcasts, the Sky Sports HD logo is on in the top-right hand corner and for a few days afterwards I could see it during normal TV watching. Again, generally only during lighter scenes but it took a good few days to disappear.

Yesterday, I watched the second half of Stoke v Chelsea, and all of the West Brom v Man Utd game, and again last night I noticed the Sky Sports HD logo clearly visible during normal watching - you can even make out the letters.

For image retention, most people suggest putting normal TV on and it should disappear after a few minutes. I had normal TV on for a good 3 hours last night and the Sky Sports logo was still clearly visible. I should reiterate I have my TV set to the THX setting with both brightness and contrast at default which is exactly 50%.

Any suggestions? I realise I'm probably looking for it now which doesn't help but I'm honestly really annoyed as the reviews for this TV were excellent and I've not got the settings high. I was going to turn the brightness and contrast down a few notches and see how I get on. The TV has been broken-in now - it has at least 400 hours on it. This has really put me off plasmas and I think if I were buying again I would go for LCD, despite how good the actual picture is.

[charlesr]

My panny plasma monitor has a screen wipe function for killing screenburn. Anything like that in your menu? Or perhaps an engineer's menu?

[Lyris]

Yes, screen wipe is in the engineer's menu. They added it to the user menu for the 2011 models - have a Google, if you can't find it give me a shout and I can give instructions. I'm sure i posted them earlier in this thread actually.

[SmokeMeAKipper]

As Lyris said, it's in the service menu. I have found it and used it previously for my original IR / burn, usually overnight. As I said, it has gotten less noticeable over time but now I'm having this issue with the IR of the Sky Sports logo after only a couple of hours use (more or less in the same spot as my original problem too!)

I'll try it over the next few nights and see if it improves. I've kept it in THX mode and bumped down contrast and brightness - both now below 50%.

[Lyris]

Don't bump down Brightness. That will just destroy shadow detail with no real gain elsewhere. Reducing contrast might technically help, but not by much. To be honest, it sounds like you're going to have to live with it.

[smouty]

I've just 'bought' Panny TH42-PH9 which is no longer required at work.
It is a few years old but has probably seen <100hrs use and is immaculate.
The native resolution is quite low by today's standards and the inputs are limited so is it worth looking to find input cards for DVI or HDMI or just use it on my 360 with VGA or component?

[gIzzE]

I've just 'bought' Panny TH42-PH9 which is no longer required at work.
It is a few years old but has probably seen <100hrs use and is immaculate.
The native resolution is quite low by today's standards and the inputs are limited so is it worth looking to find input cards for DVI or HDMI or just use it on my 360 with VGA or component?

Still one of the best displays ever made.

Couple of little set up tips.

Put it in Cinema mode.

Now go to the advanced picture menu and choose WARM and then on the next page choose gamma 2,5, this is actually 2.25 and the default gamma of 2.2 is nearer 2.0 so can look a little washed out.

Go back into the main picture menu and set the following.....

Set colour to around -6 as it is too hot at 0
Set contrast to +10 as that is when it starts to clip.
Now put a film up with black bars and stand right next to the screen, reduce brightness till the little green pixels disappear and the black is solid black.
Sharpness set to +1 or maybe +2, +2 does start to add a little noise but from the seating distance does actually make it look sharper rather than noisy.


Don't worry too much about the hdmi blade etc. I would go component where possible and then buy an HD Fury II for HDMI input on the vga port, the VGA port is clean and will actually take more signals like 24p.

I have bought so many screens since I bought my PHD8 including the Pioneer Kuros, the latest GT30 and the Samsung D8000 LED, but they have all been moved on as not one has bettered the commercial Panasonic as a whole.
Yeah some have better blacks, and some have better menus and options, but the important thing, which is overall image the panny still wins out for me.


There is also a little trick in the menu to set the black from floating, and to up teh overall brightness/gain of the image, get it set up first and then I will tell you about that if you feel it wants some more punch.

[smouty]

Cheers gIzzE.
Looking forward to setting this up now. It hasn't been calibrated before as it has only been used very occasionally on a video conference system.

[ItsThere]

Can anyone help me find the screenwipe for the LG - 50PZ570T


I am running a blank.

[smouty]

OK. I'm very pleased with the PH9 and GIzzE's settings help a lot so many thanks.
360 looks great and just watched the latest Dexter in HD with it
I'm looking for a pedestal type stand now if anyone can help as the ones on ebay are outrageously priced.

[gIzzE]

I have just swapped my 50" PHD8 for Sony's top end local dimming screen, the HX923.

Have to say it falls some way short of the Panasonic in both SD and HD.

Considering it is ?2199 for the 46" and I am advertising the PHD8 for ?350 it is a little annoying to say the least, but I did it for asthetics and to keep my better half happy, so it will have to do.
But considering it is being classed as the best LCD ever made they are still way behind a decent plasma imho.

[smouty]

I've just installed a 55" Samsung D8000 at work and whilst a great leap forward in LCD/LED terms I have to agree that the image quality is not as good as a 5 year old plasma.
The additional functions of the Samsung though make it an amazing piece of tech and the design is fantastic.

[gIzzE]

And when you get to see it at night in a room without bright lights it falls apart completely.

If the Sony didn't have local dimming it would have been scrapped by now.

[bash]

So if the Sony is not better than the Panny why are you still swapping them gIzzE?

[gIzzE]

Because I have moved my Meridian av system out of the front room, I am back to a stereo set up in a dedicated room, and wanted to make the front room look neater and not like a branch of Comet!!

The PHD8 doesn't have any speakers built in, it is purely a display, and what I had forgot is my HDMI switcher, which is also Meridian, is connected to the processor and communicates through that, so when I press TV on the remote it switches to Sky on input 1, press PS3 on the remote and it switches to the input with the PS3 attached etc. etc.
However, now I don't have the processor the switcher is manual, so I also wanted a display with plenty of inputs.

Don't get me wrong, it is the best LCD I have seen so far, but it is well behind the better plasmas.

This was the Panasonic, just a little over powering in the room....


This is the room with the Sony in it, less about the TV now...


I might just keep the Panasonic and stick it in the loft room, for the ?350 I will get for it it seems silly to let it go.