Hey guys,

I am in the market for a Kuro 5020FD. Does anyonw know what is the panel's life rating in terms of hours? I couldn't find anywhere on the pioneer site this stat. I know that the latest Panny's claim 100,000 panel life.

thanks.

I haven't heard an exact number, but I have heard 60,000 hours mentioned in the past. But really, it's a moot point because no manufacturer will honor it as far as warranties go & even if you watch it 6 hours a day every day, that's over 27 years. I think it's safe to assume that even if the set was still working by that point, most people would have moved on to something newer and better.

User controlled options like raising the contrast/brightness settings, frequent use of the Break-in DVD or white pattern bar; will also shorten the panel's useful life.

These hour numbers are called half life , meaning the brightness of the panel dims to 50% of new. There is no rating as to when the panels actually dies/goes dark.

User controlled options like raising the contrast/brightness settings, frequent use of the Break-in DVD or white pattern bar; will also shorten the panel's useful life.Really? Please provide current scientific data to backup your post claims. Nothing you just posted would reduce the lifespan of any component located in the display.

Really? Please provide current scientific data to backup your post claims. Nothing you just posted would reduce the lifespan of any component located in the display.


D-Nice, is this "brightness reduction" fairly linear in nature (given linear usage times, of course)?

Meaning, at 8hrs a day 365 days a year, we're at about 3,000 annually. Now, for the sake of argument let's say the Kuro's "half-life" is 60,000 hrs.

Does that mean we can assume a 2.5% reduction in brightness annually? I think it's a bit quicker from the outset, but does it level off?

thanks!

James

Really? Please provide current scientific data to backup your post claims. Nothing you just posted would reduce the lifespan of any component located in the display.OK, I will as soon as you post some "scientific data" of your own, which supports using that silly Break-In DVD you're always hawking to the PDP newbie's who participate in the "Plasma Flat Panel Displays" Forum. :D

D-Nice, is this "brightness reduction" fairly linear in nature (given linear usage times, of course)?

Meaning, at 8hrs a day 365 days a year, we're at about 3,000 annually. Now, for the sake of argument let's say the Kuro's "half-life" is 60,000 hrs.

Does that mean we can assume a 2.5% reduction in brightness annually? I think it's a bit quicker from the outset, but does it level off?

thanks!

JamesNo it's not linear per the example you provided.

OK, I will as soon as you post some "scientific data" of your own, which supports using that silly Break-In DVD you're always hawking to the PDP newbie's who participate in the "Plasma Flat Panel Displays" Forum. :DI have all the proof at home with my 111FD and 1150HD that are used on a daily basis. Both have been tortured far more than any other panel on AVS. Peak brightness is identical to what it was day 1. Not one of the components on my panels have failed either.

I have all the proof at home with my 111FD and 1150HD that are used on a daily basis. Both have been tortured far more than any other panel on AVS. Peak brightness is identical to what it was day 1. Not one of the components on my panels have failed either.I have the same proof @ my house w/a 50PX50U & PRO-150FD. ;)

I have the same proof @ my house w/a 50PX50U & PRO-150FD. ;)So then we can agree that your prior statement is false.

No, but I can tell you that:

1) I fixed my dead CT-36HL42 HD ready CRT TV by replacing a $2 fuse on the main power board.

2) A $2 fuse begat a $7750 PRO-150FD & the WAF is not pleased.

3) I nearly killed myself moving this 220 lb. beast from the basement to the 2nd floor, which required (2) men (1 52, not 56, year old & a 48 year-old) to carry.

4) The closest that E-A-G-L-E-S & my football teams are getting to the Super Bowl this year is with the NYG red & white sideline hat that adorns the front pedestal of my PDP.

(the crowd seemed to get a kick out of that)

BTW E-A-G-L-E-S, I think your team was robbed on that last pass play. It sure looked like pass interference to me. I don't recall, but was there even a booth review?

Don't know the exact number but it's high enough that it shouldn't be a concern...and that goes for all plasmas made in the last 5 years or so.

I'm guessing that the 60,000 estimate is based on minimum contrast.
So, normal viewing levels, would be a much shorter (but still significant) lifespan.

I'm guessing that the 60,000 estimate is based on minimum contrast.
So, normal viewing levels, would be a much shorter (but still significant) lifespan.No one does panel life rating based on minimum contrast. Also, panel life rates are truly worthless when the power supply in flat panel displays are going to give out well before the rated panel half brightness rating.

Thanks for the prompt reply.

I've stumbled across some of your other postings and found them immensely useful (settings, etc.)

A couple of further questions, though;
Do you happen to know what contrast setting is used to test the plasma half-life?
For that matter, does contrast have much effect? (I'd assumed that maximum contrast would wear out a plasma much faster than minimum)

Also, about power-supply, etc. do you happen to know how long that is likely to last and (most importantly to me) how much it's affected by use? (I basically have to keep my plasma in storage for 8 or 9 months of the year)

A couple of further questions, though;
Do you happen to know what contrast setting is used to test the plasma half-life?
For that matter, does contrast have much effect? (I'd assumed that maximum contrast would wear out a plasma much faster than minimum)That information is proprietary per each manufacturer.

Also, about power-supply, etc. do you happen to know how long that is likely to last and (most importantly to me) how much it's affected by use? (I basically have to keep my plasma in storage for 8 or 9 months of the year)Just like anything else, the more you use it, the more wear it receives. The less you use it, the less wear it receives.

fwiw...

i've had my 150fd essentially since they came out... short of d-nice's sets, there probably aren't too many out there that have gotten more use/abuse than mine has (average usage 8 hours a day, the great majority of which is sports related)... it's not unusual for it to be used over 12 hours a day on weekends...

no degradation here... as d-nice noted, i'd fully expect other parts to "wear out/break" before the panel itself would become unacceptable...

ymmv...

Good to know :)

About wearing out other parts of the tv, there's something that I just cannot figure out;
The Kuro manual says it's unwise to leave the plasma switched off for prolonged periods of time (months)
I've asked elsewhere how often I should switch on my plasma while it's in storage.

But now I'm also curious about the "why"?
Does anybody happen to know the mechanics of how a long period of disuse could damage a plasma? It seems so counter-intuitive. :confused:

Just to add my own small anecdote...

I am on my 3rd plasma (a Pioneer Kuro), following my previous Panasonic TH42-PF11 and the original TH-42PW3.

I bought the PW3 in 2000 and used it daily (often 5 or 6 hours a day) for 8 years. In 2009 I bought the PF11 because I wanted HD and became convinced that the much later technology in the PF11 would produce a much better picture - deeper blacks, brighter etc.

And guess what. The PF11 performed pretty much identically to my 8 year old Panny. Yes the colours were a bit richer, but overall - side by side - there was nothing to choose between them.

The PW3 was still plenty bright, with rich vibrant colours, strong blacks. It was still after 8 years a terrific picture. That the PF11 was not really any better came as a huge disappointment to be honest, which is why I bought the Kuro only a few months later.

My conclusion is, unless you are planning on using the TV 24x7, or keeping it for 10 years or more, then panel ageing really is a non-issue. You will get bored of it - or new technology like OLED will have come along - WAY before the panel's performance has noticeably deteriorated. Incidentally, I might add that my old Panny has a nominal 30,000 hour screen life. Modern plasmas have even longer projected lives.

Just to add my own small anecdote...

I am on my 3rd plasma (a Pioneer Kuro), following my previous Panasonic TH42-PF11 and the original TH-42PW3.

I bought the PW3 in 2000 and used it daily (often 5 or 6 hours a day) for 8 years. In 2009 I bought the PF11 because I wanted HD and became convinced that the much later technology in the PF11 would produce a much better picture - deeper blacks, brighter etc.

And guess what. The PF11 performed pretty much identically to my 8 year old Panny. Yes the colours were a bit richer, but overall - side by side - there was nothing to choose between them.

The PW3 was still plenty bright, with rich vibrant colours, strong blacks. It was still after 8 years a terrific picture. That the PF11 was not really any better came as a huge disappointment to be honest, which is why I bought the Kuro only a few months later.

My conclusion is, unless you are planning on using the TV 24x7, or keeping it for 10 years or more, then panel ageing really is a non-issue. You will get bored of it - or new technology like OLED will have come along - WAY before the panel's performance has noticeably deteriorated. Incidentally, I might add that my old Panny has a nominal 30,000 hour screen life. Modern plasmas have even longer projected lives.

why on earth...:rolleyes:

About wearing out other parts of the tv, there's something that I just cannot figure out;
The Kuro manual says it's unwise to leave the plasma switched off for prolonged periods of time (months)
I've asked elsewhere how often I should switch on my plasma while it's in storage.

But now I'm also curious about the "why"?
Does anybody happen to know the mechanics of how a long period of disuse could damage a plasma? It seems so counter-intuitive. :confused:

I believe that the Manual is speaking to leaving the plasma in a stand-by mode, not un-plugged as in storage. You really don't think that they routinely ran their units when stored in a warehouse, do you? Un-plugged should have absolutely no effect on the unit.

Does that mean that it's in general a good idea to have the set unplugged or use a physical socket that can be turned off when not in use instead of leaving in standby?

Hey guys,

I am in the market for a Kuro 5020FD. Does anyonw know what is the panel's life rating in terms of hours? I couldn't find anywhere on the pioneer site this stat. I know that the latest Panny's claim 100,000 panel life.

thanks.

Panny also claims to have inky dark blacks etc.. etc.. but we all know how much stock you should place in that claim. I'd expect that Panasonic is probably similar (60k) since they're prone to marketing their specs a bit better than what they actually are.

Does that mean that it's in general a good idea to have the set unplugged or use a physical socket that can be turned off when not in use instead of leaving in standby?

Depends on the length of non-use. Being plugged into a physical socket that is turned off will take it off standby mode but it won't offer any protection against power surges or lightning strikes. My plasma is plugged into a surge protector, but when I'm gonna be gone for a week or two, I unplug everything as I once had lightning hit the transformer above my meter which pretty much blew up my whole system.