LCD/Plasma/CRT/DLP - more questions

['Press Start']

I have a 720p Panny 37" plasma (X10) and it has been perfect for this gen. We will hopefully be moving soon then I can get my hands on a new 50" TV. I think I might grab a Sammy F8500 but then again it's table stand is fugly!

[QualityChimp]

Not sure I would get away with that with the missus!

Tell her "You keep saying a couple more inches makes all the difference!"

[punio75]

I was waiting for that QC!

[Adrock]

Would a Panasonic TXP42X60B be an improvement over a Pioneer 42" plasma, cant remember the model number but it was the last one released.

I'm looking and probably thinking there wont be much of a difference, but I need someone to convince me not to spend any more money.

[capcom_suicide]

Anyone noticed on a panty st50 a grainy effect at 1080p? Also any settings recommendations?

tried to video it:

[gIzzE]

Would a Panasonic TXP42X60B be an improvement over a Pioneer 42" plasma, cant remember the model number but it was the last one released.

I'm looking and probably thinking there wont be much of a difference, but I need someone to convince me not to spend any more money.

Yeah, same resolution but much better black levels and processing.

[gIzzE]

Anyone noticed on a panty st50 a grainy effect at 1080p? Also any settings recommendations?

What drive mode are you in? THX, Cinema, Normal?

Try a different one, the dither is more on some modes than others.

[capcom_suicide]

Game mode.

[gIzzE]

What happens when you run it in say Normal or Cinema?

[Brad]

I've seen that effect on every plasma I've ever seen mate. I just assumed it was normal. I don't notice it at normal viewing distance and really only ever spotted it when right up close with the XMB open.

[capcom_suicide]

Seems the same, especially up close. Dithering, like you say. Especially in dark scenes.

Edit, it, sounds normal then. Teach me for sitting too close!

[PaTaito]

Anyone noticed on a panty st50 a grainy effect at 1080p? Also any settings recommendations?

tried to video it:

Are you happy with the overall darkness on your ST50?

Never been happy with my ST50, the darkness is just all encompassing and destroys a lot of material, unless i pump my gamma to ridiculous levels. If anyone on TV/Movie has a dark outfit on its just unnatural looking.

Was going to return, but this comment from HDTVtest reviewing the gt60 made me think its just part of the set...

"We should just point out now that unlike last year, none of the modes have capped brightness or increased black level"

Perhaps i read it wrong, but this issue has put me off plasma, even though i'd love to try one of teh last models before they are gone.

I loved all the previous plasma's i've had too.

Currently looking at the Sony w905a.

[capcom_suicide]

Are you happy with the overall darkness on your ST50?

Never been happy with my ST50, the darkness is just all encompassing and destroys a lot of material, unless i pump my gamma to ridiculous levels. If anyone on TV/Movie has a dark outfit on its just unnatural looking.

Was going to return, but this comment from HDTVtest reviewing the gt60 made me think its just part of the set...

"We should just point out now that unlike last year, none of the modes have capped brightness or increased black level"

Perhaps i read it wrong, but this issue has put me off plasma, even though i'd love to try one of teh last models before they are gone.

I loved all the previous plasma's i've had too.

I'm reasonably happy, a step up from my pioneer xde 43" I got it end cycle, so it was a cheap 50" TV last year, about ?700 I think. I will never pay 3k for a TV ever again!

[gIzzE]

PaTaito, f you are crushing black levels then you have not got it set up right.
What have you used to calibrate it?

Black is black, the trick is making sure that you have black set at black and then the correct gamma so 2ire, 4ire etc. etc. is set correctly too.

You can make a plasma look as **** as an LCD with settings, you can't however make an lcd that can't do black look black.

What mode are you using, what settings have you go under the advanced menu etc.?

[PaTaito]

PaTaito, f you are crushing black levels then you have not got it set up right.
What have you used to calibrate it?

Black is black, the trick is making sure that you have black set at black and then the correct gamma so 2ire, 4ire etc. etc. is set correctly too.

You can make a plasma look as **** as an LCD with settings, you can't however make an lcd that can't do black look black.

What mode are you using, what settings have you go under the advanced menu etc.?

Its not pro calibrated, but i've used the AVC-HD disc to set up, and even in gamma mode 2.2(reported to be more like 2.1 in use) it crushes even slightly dark stuff.

The brightness is at +2 and gamma 2.2 and its barely passable if i'm honest, even though the generally used setting is default brightness and 2.4 gamma....which is god awful, and basically unusable on mine.

Been through black level patterns and whiter than white etc, and interestingly when i set black level for 16-235 on the all black screen, it appears fine, but introduce any brightness to the image(the next screen is white/black mix with each step measured from 0-255) and the black crushes out about 4-5 steps above 16.

Meaning basically i have to decide to have raised blacks, or even more crushed image overall.

I've had a lot of TV's, and whilst i don't pretend to be a pro, i know my stuff generally, and this TV's out of the box performance is just ****.

I dont buy TV's for the potential, i buy them if they are reported to be good out of the box...like this TV is reported to be everywhere, it seems, outside of my lounge.

My original setting i stuck with was:

True Cinema
Contrast: -15 clicks from max
Brightness: Default
Colour: Default
Sharpness: Minimum

Gamma 2.4(which is supposed to be around 2.3 according to a few reviews)

i couldnt bare it for more then about 6 weeks and i now sit unhappily at:

True Cinema
Contrast: -15 clicks from max
Brightness: +2 from default
Colour: Default
Sharpness: Minimum

Gamma 2.2

Anything higher in the gamma dept, and the image looks horrendous.

All the unwanted settings like CATS/vivid color/P-NR/power saving etc are off, of course.

Put it this way there isnt a setting i havent tinkered with in the 15 months of owning this, and people that have seen it have not been impressed.

My mate who is looking for a 65 inch tv for his new house, went as far as saying "i've scrapped the idea of plasma because its way too dark", purely from seeing mine a few times.

In terms of LCD blacks, i'd much rather have a balanced picture, with realistic brightness, then ultra deep blacks that ruin the image.

Might just try a gt60, and hope that the factory calibration isn't as piss poor...but it hasnt filled me with confidence.

The irony is that my old 46" c530 samsung lcd, which was a budget set, i was perfectly happy with(amazing given i was pro plasma), it was a stop gap TV until i could afford the TV i wanted.