Official New Panny thread: 42PD50, PX50, PX500 [Text View] - Page 13

DarrenK

07-11-05, 03:31 PM

Was shopping last weekend and wound up next to the BSS. I generally refuse to deal with them, based on some prior experiences. However, I really did want to see the PX500U. I stopped in, and sure enough they had it on display. No sound on, but the picture was running a hi-def picture. The bezel does have an angle to it, and the speakers are not clearly visible. Another interesting fact to note was that the lighting in the store was very low, expecially compared to the large chains. It seemed to be all incandescent, and dim. It made the sets all seem quite bright. The PX500U did not particularly stand out.

Interestingly, the set (which was a 42") was marked $3999.99 SALE!. Well, as I am sure you all know, this is MSRP for this set. But as the successor to Luskin's (which locals will remember) this tactic did not surprise me. The saleman approached and was very friendly. We chatted about the set, and he proceeded to tell me that BSS was the only store locally which was going to carry the set. He said Tweeter had passed on it (we know that is not true) and that BB was not going to carry it (differing posts on this thread). I advised that I was getting the set wholesale, and only came in to view the actual bezel and look for the green push. He asked me how much I was going to pay wholesale, and he did not blink when I told him.

I don't think he believed me however, as he continued to try and sell me the set. I asked him how the price they had could be a sale price when it was MSRP. He did not have a good answer, but told me he would throw in the extended warranty. I told him I was not interested in that. He then offered a minimal discount, continuing to try and sell me the set. He said before I bought to call him and let him know what I was paying and that "I might be surprised" by their ability to price match. LMAO. They are going to match wholesale pricing? No way. I think he thought I was bluffing about the wholesale price (I am not - I have a connection in the business...its just not in stock at his wholesaler yet, but is listed with them).

The warranty went up to 7 years by the time the saleman was done pitching. I again declined. Even as I exited the store, he was still asking me to call him so he could give me a price! Talk about the hard sell. he was polite and courteous the whole time, so I guess it was the soft/hard sell combo.

Darren

D-Nice

07-11-05, 03:51 PM

"Explorer HDTV Setup Wizard" (http://www.scientificatlanta.com/ExplorerClubGuides/getting_started/4003114B.pdf)

Whoops......guide not select...my bad.

Macfan424

07-11-05, 03:53 PM

DarrenK

07-11-05, 04:27 PM

I have no idea who/what BSS is, Darren, but your salesman sounds like he just walked over from the car dealer across the street. :D

I've never understood the conceit that makes guys like that think they don't have to give you a price, but that you will shop all over town, then come back and give him a chance to meet the best offer you have found. Why would anyone bother?

It must work though, because they keep doing it.

Well, at least you got to see the PX500U.

Its so funny you say that, because at one point I said to him something like
"I am not buying a car here." I then told him my car dealer story where a car dealer made me the same promise, and when I did call (from the other dealer) called me a liar and said no one sold cars at that price. I drove into the dealership in my car a few weeks later to rub it in. :D

Swimzwu

07-11-05, 05:02 PM

I am a new member but have been following this thread for a couple of weeks now. With that in mind, i have a couple of quick questions. First, I went to BB the other day and they said they just got the 50U in stock a couple of weeks ago and that they had never heard of the 500U. When i explained what it was, they said it was Panasonic's elite model and that they wouldn't be carrying it. I thought he was full of it, any thoughts?

Second, that was the first time i had actually seen a panny, the 50U, and I was immedietely drawn to how much darker the overall picture was compared to others. It was definetely an amazing picture, the blacks were incredible, but the overall picture was not as bright and vivid as i had imagined. The sales guy at BB said that it was because Panny's have a guaranteed life span of almost 60,000 hours compared to most 30-40,000 hour pdp's, and that a panny will never look as bright because of this. Again, any thoughts, any help would be much appreciated. Thanks.

rogo

07-11-05, 05:15 PM

The brightness vs. lifespan argument is a pure lie.

RandyWalters

07-11-05, 05:47 PM

.....I went to BB the other day and they said they just got the 50U in stock a couple of weeks ago and that they had never heard of the 500U. When i explained what it was, they said it was Panasonic's elite model and that they wouldn't be carrying it. I thought he was full of it, any thoughts?

Yeah he's full of it. Kinda. The PD50/PX50 is the low end model, the PX500U is the middle-of-the-road model, and their high end is the Onyx series. When i was shopping a few months ago BB had the PD50, but weren't carrying the PX50.

Second, that was the first time i had actually seen a panny, the 50U, and I was immedietely drawn to how much darker the overall picture was compared to others. It was definetely an amazing picture, the blacks were incredible, but the overall picture was not as bright and vivid as i had imagined. The sales guy at BB said that it was because Panny's have a guaranteed life span of almost 60,000 hours compared to most 30-40,000 hour pdp's, and that a panny will never look as bright because of this. Again, any thoughts, any help would be much appreciated. Thanks.

Please don't listen to anything a BB employee tells you. But please come here and report everything they tell you cause it's always good for a laugh :D

BruZZi

07-11-05, 06:25 PM

...But please come here and report everything they tell you cause it's always good for a laugh :D

Yes... please do it.

http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/2403/hahayellowsmilie6om.gif http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/2403/hahayellowsmilie6om.gif http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/2403/hahayellowsmilie6om.gif

.
Check Out the all-new BruZZi's Panasonic Plasma FAQ (http://www.glaucobruzzi.com/plasma-faq/index.php?)
Links to Plasma Stands, Wallmounts, Murals, Lifts, Speakers, Frames, Bezels & Motorized Artwork.
Also links to Audio/Video/Computer Faqs, Comparisons, News, Reviews, Shootouts, Tutorials, Tweaks and Many More.

Pakman

07-11-05, 06:29 PM

is the TH-50PX500U in retail yet?

I am strongly considering getting this unit, and would prefer NOT to mail order it.

Yes, I know I will pay more (not shure how much more yet), but if it is not too much more, I would rather get one locally.

So, have there been any sightings? Please spell out where.
(also, I know what BB, and CC are, but not some of the others, for everyone please spell out the name of the location) and the price.

thanks

Dave

mscappa

07-11-05, 06:35 PM

Your SA8300HD is obviously running SARA software so make sure you don't read instructions for the Passport versions.

It sounds like your Panny's aspect control may be stuck. It's happened to a few people here already and there's a thread about it where they fiqured out a trick to unstick it.

You should also be able to connect the S-Video output on the back of the 8300HD to an unused S-Video input on your plasma and watch all your SD channels on that input.

it's actually an 8350, does that make a difference? and i tried plugging it directly into the pdp. works that way, but when i plug it back in, it goes back to not working again!

bioman35

07-11-05, 07:17 PM

I went into Magnolia to look for the new PX500, but they didn't have them. I asked them about which companies make the best plasma pq and he said this:
1. Fujitsu/Hitachi
2. Pioneer
3. Panasonic
4. Sony

Is this true? They have the PX50 there and I don't know if it was the signal, but the picture up close looked very pixelated. Those of you who have bought Panny's, how is the picture quality on regular cable? Is it not that good up close? Can you see big squares in the pictures up close? Thanks.

rogo

07-11-05, 07:36 PM

Potato. Po-tah-toe.

Tomate. To-mah-toe.

Macfan424

07-11-05, 07:37 PM

I went into Magnolia to look for the new PX500, but they didn't have them. I asked them about which companies make the best plasma pq and he said this:
1. Fujitsu/Hitachi
2. Pioneer
3. Panasonic
4. Sony

Is this true? ...

Sounds like he ranked them in order of mark-up. :D

Seriously, throw those five brand names in a hat and pull them out in any order and you'll find many people who agree with it. They are all good. Some just suit some of us better than others.

Can you see big squares in the pictures up close?

You can see those squares (or rectangles) in any plasma if you are close enough.

bioman35

07-11-05, 08:07 PM

I wasn't even that close. I was about 2 feet away and I could see them. They were at least 1cm x 1cm, if not bigger. It didn't look right to me, so I was just wondering.

And if I get the PX500U, do I need to get a cable card? What does a cable card do exactly? Thanks.

optivity

07-11-05, 08:53 PM

Yeah he's full of it. Kinda. The PD50/PX50 is the low end model, the PX500U is the middle-of-the-road model, and their high end is the Onyx series. :rolleyes:

Same glass... same scalar... same sub-pixel controller...

During the past year, no one in this Forum has been able to offer any specific information to explain the $3000 premium for a 50" Onyx series PDP...

But I'm sure you have all the answer(s). :p

'Compared to Onyx' (http://www2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/vModelComparisonResults?storeId=15001&catalogId=13401&catGroupId=24973&cacheProgram=11002&cachePartner=7000000000000005702&surfCategory=Plasma%20TVs&items=86942|93883|93338|)

RandyWalters

07-11-05, 08:53 PM

I wasn't even that close. I was about 2 feet away and I could see them.

This is why i sit 3 feet away from my Plasma. 2 feet is just starting to get too close :p

Swimzwu

07-11-05, 09:45 PM

DanP

07-11-05, 10:04 PM

Did you check the picture settings to be sure the Panasonic wasn't set to be darker?

mscappa

07-11-05, 10:17 PM

"Explorer HDTV Setup Wizard" (http://www.scientificatlanta.com/ExplorerClubGuides/getting_started/4003114B.pdf)

Followed the directions and it worked like a charm! thanks for the tips Optivity and D-nice! However, I still can’t access my "3dY/C filter", "Color Matrix" and “zoom adjust” features, they’re still grayed out on no-hd channels. And I can’t change 720p though my pdp, right? Only from my stb?

D-Nice

07-11-05, 10:30 PM

Followed the directions and it worked like a charm! thanks for the tips Optivity and D-nice! However, I still can’t access my "3dY/C filter", "Color Matrix" and “zoom adjust” features, they’re still grayed out on no-hd channels. And I can’t change 720p though my pdp, right? Only from my stb?

Did you set the STB to pass-through?

OhBoy!

07-11-05, 10:40 PM

Well, I am yet another new feller to this forum. I have been eyeballing the 500u and am pretty sure that's the one for me. I have found the Onyx version of it, very reasonable, at fivestarplasma (can't post a URL yet cuz I'm new).

I am wondering if anyone has had any experiences with fivestarplasma (good or bad) before I go plunking down that much money.

Also - when my wife and I were looking at plasmas at the local best buy, she commented (and I agreed) that the images on the plasmas looked "sculpted" (sort of like playing around with the smudge tool in photoshop or something). Do you guys know if that is a function of stretching an image to fit the 16:9 aspect ratio? That said, the "Pany" looked much more crisp and... well, just better than the others (Phillips right next it), and Sony and Pioneer and LG. Although they all looked a LOT better than my current Toshiba flat screen CRT. Hehe.

Thanks Guys

No Signature yet.... cuz there's not TV yet.

[MSRP ONLY - Retail Links Are Not Allowed]

mscappa

07-11-05, 10:52 PM

Did you set the STB to pass-through?

yes

mscappa

07-11-05, 10:54 PM

mscappa

07-11-05, 11:16 PM

here are some pics of my new baby. don't make fun of my temporary setup. it was a premature buy, so i'm still waiting for furniture!

OhBoy!

07-11-05, 11:17 PM

mscappa

07-11-05, 11:18 PM

few more

mscappa

07-11-05, 11:19 PM

last batch

mscappa

07-11-05, 11:21 PM

mscappa

07-11-05, 11:30 PM

Thanks for the link! I checked it out, but the closest thing they listed was Five O'clock computers, (Which happens to be close to us - small world), and five star laser. So, that may be a good thing... or maybe a bad thing. Sigh. That's a good resource to check though - thanks.
----
Just checked your jpgs,... cool! And regarding the setup - hey, once the lights are off, who cares? Hehe. Just curious - are the speakers that come with the unit decent? And, I was wondering this for my own setup - how do you plan to ultimately mount the screen? Wall mount? Because those wall mounts look pretty expensive. I found a tilt wall mount for about $150. Eeek.

speakers are actually pretty good! i think they do a pretty decent job for speakers on a pdp! i think it's due to the slight slant on the sides which allows the sound to travel out wide rater than right at you.

as far as setup, will be using the stand, no mount. kinda disappointed that it doesn't swivel. intitial reports on the 42 noted a swivel stand....not on the 50's though? unless i'm missing something?

OhBoy!

07-11-05, 11:30 PM

Indeed - I see that! Thanks for the heads up. Looks like statistically there isn't a realy huge data population. I guess my next step (if no one around here has heard of 'em) would be to contact them to see what kind of gut feeling I get. I usually deal with computer stuff online, building systems, etc. - but this stuff is new to me. Thanks again! Have fun with your new Plasma TV!!! I hope to have one here before too long...

-------------

thanks for the info on the speakers and stand. I plan to use a relatively cheap JBL surround system for movies.... but, my family usually just wants to watch their stuff with the native speakers - which is fine. So, that helps. Thanks!
-------------
And I did further checking on fivestarplasma - looks like we should avoid them like the plague. I read some actual reviews, and no one had anything good to say about them. So, it's more searching for price:satisfaction. What have been some of the forum subscriber's experiences for good price. I remember seeing some posts for visual apex... but they are a long way from Ohio (where I am). That truck ride might be rough on a glass product like this... ow.

MikeS_inLA

07-11-05, 11:40 PM

So is the Panny's PQ naturally darker than the other PDP's that I saw at BB? I was really excited to see the 500U but of course only had the 50U to look at, but left the store a little disheartened. I definetely think the panny had the best darks by far, and even a superior PQ than most there, but the overall darkness of the screen was hard to get used to you.

I think it wasn't set up correctly. My Panny ED is plenty bright after calibration with AVIA. I would try to see it in other stores, and if you can get a remote, try to get the picture to look the way you like it. The picture menu should be standard or cinema for most natural picture, IMO.

Foos-Man

07-11-05, 11:53 PM

Why not just upgrade to the 50" PDP? You know that's the one you really want anyway.

BTW... once you become accustomed to your 50" screen... you'll want a 65"er instead. ;)

I am deliberately pacing myself so I hit 70" just months before my death. I started with a 27" in 1996, then a 34" around 2000, a 42" in 2005...I should be up to 50-55" by 2010. To use a drug analogy (NOT THAT I'M ADVOCATING DRUG USE), it's like going from Alcohol to Marijuana, etc...you can't just go straight to Heroine.

As for the person asking if the PX50U is darker than other plasma's. This was something I paid close attention to due to a large number of windows/light in the area in my house. In my experience, the previous generation Panasonic's lacked a bit of the VIVID-ness and brightness of other displays (which is why morons like Consumer Reports rated the Sony the best), but had much better blacks. I think this years models (PD50/PX50/PX500) have improved the brightness and vivid-ness and are plenty bright. They probably had the Panasonic in Cinema mode while the other models were in Torch mode. I saw a Sony a few weeks back that was so bright and vivid that it caught my attention, then I saw the blacks on it or should I say, I saw the light gray that was supposed to be black. It looked terrible! On any LCD or plasma you can crank up the brightness and color, but you end up shifting the brightness/contrast range and the blacks look horrible. The different modes on the Panasonic's Vivid/Cinema/etc. are really nice...you can go bright during the day and then shift to darker at night...many other displays just have bright and changing modes doesn't help out the black levels because the display can only go so black due to technical limitations.

Foos-Man

07-11-05, 11:57 PM

D-Bucket

07-12-05, 12:50 AM

... will be using the stand, no mount. kinda disappointed that it doesn't swivel. intitial reports on the 42 noted a swivel stand....not on the 50's though? unless i'm missing something?

mscappa, I haven't seen any panny 50px500u yet, but all of the 42px500u's that I have seen in the local B&M stores have swivel stands. This was something I especially checked for. The very first one I tried require a bit of effort to turn, I thought at first that it was a stationary stand and didn't turn. But after about 10 impressive minutes of checking out every thing I could without a remote, I got the urge to try the stand again, to be absolute sure. This time I put forth more effort to try and turn it and voila!!! It swivel solidly & nicely. When I viewed the other px500u's, they swiveled immediately since I now had a realistic idea of how much it effort it took to turn them.

None of the displayed px500u's I viewed had any sound sources connected, so I could not check out the sound of the internal speaker system at all. I even asked the sales associates if they would hook up a temporary sound source, but I was told something like "not at this time".

The pq of the hd feeds was outstanding and (imho) the panel itself looked a lot better in person than the pictures I had seen. My impression of the panel, beveled bezel & stand was it looked elegant and classy.

56Oval

07-12-05, 01:43 AM

[QUOTE=catslick]

The manufacturer's remotes don't have buttons for discrete functions such as "Power On", "Power off", HDMI, etc. They have toggle buttons such as "power" and "input". Therefore, you must get the discretes elsewhere (remotecentral is a good start)

I too am looking for the discrete Power On/Off code for the new series of panny plasmas. I'm sick of my Harmony 680 sending a "power toggle" and turning off the display when it is already on!

Anyone?

Pakman

07-12-05, 04:20 AM

here are some pics of my new baby. don't make fun of my temporary setup. it was a premature buy, so i'm still waiting for furniture!

Looks good...thanks for sharing.

Did you get it retail (at a store) or mail order?

I have not found them in my area yet (DFW, TX).

I have found a few vendors online, but not sure who to order from...I WILL NEVER ORDER FROM PRICE MAD AGAIN.
(long story).

dpak

optivity

07-12-05, 06:58 AM

"The VIERA TH-50PX500 features Panasonics latest PEAKS (Picture Enhancement Accelerator with Kinetic System) technology incorporating a new plasma panel..."

"PEAKS?" :confused:

optivity

07-12-05, 07:11 AM

I THOUGHT that was it and tried it last night, but no dice! i think you guys are definitely right about the 1080i thing though. because i when i press the "info" button on the pdp remote and it says something like, "standard 1080i" for ALL channels! Is there a way to reset the stb? should i just unplug it for like a minute then retry? it seems to have a few settings like, pass through, upconvert 1, upconvert 2 and fixed. When i first started looking into the stb settings, i noticed it was on "fixed", so i switched it to pass through. and STILL nothing! UGH, let me just order this damn CC! :(

"Explorer HDTV Setup Wizard" (http://www.scientificatlanta.com/ExplorerClubGuides/getting_started/4003114B.pdf) :)

Your SA8300HD is obviously running SARA software so make sure you don't read instructions for the Passport versions.

It sounds like your Panny's aspect control may be stuck. It's happened to a few people here already and there's a thread about it where they fiqured out a trick to unstick it. :confused: :rolleyes:

Followed the directions and it worked like a charm! thanks for the tips Optivity and D-nice! However, I still can’t access my "3dY/C filter", "Color Matrix" and “zoom adjust” features, they’re still grayed out on no-hd channels. And I can’t change 720p though my pdp, right? Only from my stb? ;)

Twilighter

07-12-05, 09:23 AM

speakers are actually pretty good! i think they do a pretty decent job for speakers on a pdp! i think it's due to the slight slant on the sides which allows the sound to travel out wide rater than right at you.

Congrats again on your plasma, mscappa, and thanks for the pics.

On the note of calibration, I found (at least with AVIA) that the "0 level" settings on my 42PX500U were pretty close to perfect.

Twilighter

07-12-05, 09:26 AM

bkos

07-12-05, 09:47 AM

here are some pics of my new baby. don't make fun of my temporary setup. it was a premature buy, so i'm still waiting for furniture!

mscappa...your setup looks amazingly like mine. I too am looking for some furniture. My panny is currently on a side table in front of my old Sony 34" CRT. That CRT is going to the mother-in-law's house tomorrow. My wife and I have been looking for some decent smallish TV consoles and have only found one we like so far from Baker Road furniture (www.bakerroad.com (http://www.bakerroad.com)).

BTW, I've successfully connected the following devices to my px500u:

1. OTA antenna
2. Dish Network 811 with OTA antenna connected
3. Dish Network 501
4. Toshiba progressive DVD player

All are nicely working together and it's kinda cool to see the Panny's OTA reception side-by-side with the 811's OTA reception through the side-by-side "PIP". What is interesting is how the Panny OTA receiver receives some signals better that the 811 and others worse. For example, the 811 has a hard time locking into channel 7.1 and 7.2 (in the Wash DC area) but the Panny locks perfectly. Another example is hearing some audio breakups through the Panny on channel 9.1 but perfect audio on that channel with the 811. Both connections to the antenna are using the exact same cables and lengths. Well, at least I have choices.

I still haven't figured out how to change the aspect ratio on anything other than the DVD input. Maybe that unstick it thread will help.

And the guide data is trickling in. I might be kinda spoiled by Dish's guide presentation but I'm learning the tricks on the Panny.

jcslam

07-12-05, 09:56 AM

mscappa

07-12-05, 09:57 AM

mscappa, I haven't seen any panny 50px500u yet, but all of the 42px500u's that I have seen in the local B&M stores have swivel stands. This was something I especially checked for. The very first one I tried require a bit of effort to turn, I thought at first that it was a stationary stand and didn't turn. But after about 10 impressive minutes of checking out every thing I could without a remote, I got the urge to try the stand again, to be absolute sure. This time I put forth more effort to try and turn it and voila!!! It swivel solidly & nicely. When I viewed the other px500u's, they swiveled immediately since I now had a realistic idea of how much it effort it took to turn them.

None of the displayed px500u's I viewed had any sound sources connected, so I could not check out the sound of the internal speaker system at all. I even asked the sales associates if they would hook up a temporary sound source, but I was told something like "not at this time".

The pq of the hd feeds was outstanding and (imho) the panel itself looked a lot better in person than the pictures I had seen. My impression of the panel, beveled bezel & stand was it looked elegant and classy.

hmm, interesting......let me stop being a pansy and really put some weight behind it. I'll let you know tonight. thanks for the heads up!

bkos

07-12-05, 09:59 AM

mscappa, my 42" swivels just fine. Give it some elbow grease man!

mscappa

07-12-05, 10:01 AM

Congrats again on your plasma, mscappa, and thanks for the pics.

On the note of calibration, I found (at least with AVIA) that the "0 level" settings on my 42PX500U were pretty close to perfect.

thanks man! i;m gonna wait out the break in perios before camlibrating, but good to know it's that good out of the box!

mscappa

07-12-05, 10:02 AM

Looks good...thanks for sharing.

Did you get it retail (at a store) or mail order?

I have not found them in my area yet (DFW, TX).

I have found a few vendors online, but not sure who to order from...I WILL NEVER ORDER FROM PRICE MAD AGAIN.
(long story).

dpak

retail store that's local to the DC area. are you looking for the 42 or the 50?

optivity

07-12-05, 10:08 AM

By the way, I got my cable card yesterday - it is sweet. PQ is awesome. So far, I have watched a lot of Discovery HD Theatre, InHD and InHD2 (too bad about that superimposed logo, or I would have it on all the time).Ah... another convert... Oh those silly STB users paying more to sacrifice picture quality!!! :D

bkos

07-12-05, 10:13 AM

thanks man! i;m gonna wait out the break in perios before camlibrating, but good to know it's that good out of the box!

Hey...what levels do you have your 500 set to?

ryansmith111

07-12-05, 10:19 AM

Panasonic has one of the worst telephone and web site technical supports that I have ever experienced. I received my television (50PX50) yesterday with a base that has improperly tapped screw holes and I have had little or no success getting this resolved.I resoundingly agree.

First, in May I ordered a 52" rear prj tv and had to return it. They scheduled a pickup from UPS with a pickup window of 9am to 7pm, but they screwed up the request so I had to stay at home 3 days before they got the pickup right.

Then in late June I ordered my plasma. The order was stuck on hold for a week because my credit card fraud alert blocked the purchase and noone followed up to tell me. That was resolved, and I switched my order to the 50PX500 which had been released in the meantime.
Last Tuesday the local freight terminal refused shipment on my plasma because it was massively damaged in transit. I am still trying to get them to ship me a replacement a week later.

Please excuse the following cathartic rant:

Last Tuesday I called them when I saw the refused-damaged status from the freight company and they said they had been notified of the damage and I would receive a call that day or the next morning with a replacement order number.

Wednesday pm I called back because I hadn't been called. I was told unless I remembered the name of who I had talked to the previous day, she would have to start the process over and contact the shipping company to get more information before a replacement could be sent, and she would call me as soon as she had any info.

I was out of town Thurs-Sunday, but my cell was my contact number - no call.

Monday am - called and said its been almost a week and nothings been done. Was told someone called the freight company on Thursday, but they couldn't ship a replacement until they had confirmation that the damaged unit was being returned. They didn't know if this had happened and the person who was handling it wasn't in today and I'd have to wait and call back tomorrow ?!?!?!?!?!? :mad: He asked if I'd like to leave a message on the guy's voicemail. I said no, I wanted to talk to a supervisor. He said ok, then transferred me to the guy's voicemail anyway!?!?!?!?! I called back and asked for a supervisor, but got his voicemail. I left a message, but received no call back.

Tuesday am - today. called again, and now finally a request was made to their ops department to issue a replacement order. Supposedly this will ship out today, and I'll receive a callback today with a tracking number. I'm not holding my breath.
:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:
Were it not for the EPP discount I would never do business with them again.

jcslam

07-12-05, 10:32 AM

I resoundingly agree.

First, in May I ordered a 52" rear prj tv and had to return it. They scheduled a pickup from UPS with a pickup window of 9am to 7pm, but they screwed up the request so I had to stay at home 3 days before they got the pickup right.

Then in late June I ordered my plasma. The order was stuck on hold for a week because my credit card fraud alert blocked the purchase and noone followed up to tell me. That was resolved, and I switched my order to the 50PX500 which had been released in the meantime.
Last Tuesday the local freight terminal refused shipment on my plasma because it was massively damaged in transit. I am still trying to get them to ship me a replacement a week later.

Please excuse the following cathartic rant:

Last Tuesday I called them when I saw the refused-damaged status from the freight company and they said they had been notified of the damage and I would receive a call that day or the next morning with a replacement order number.

Wednesday pm I called back because I hadn't been called. I was told unless I remembered the name of who I had talked to the previous day, she would have to start the process over and contact the shipping company to get more information before a replacement could be sent, and she would call me as soon as she had any info.

I was out of town Thurs-Sunday, but my cell was my contact number - no call.

Monday am - called and said its been almost a week and nothings been done. Was told someone called the freight company on Thursday, but they couldn't ship a replacement until they had confirmation that the damaged unit was being returned. They didn't know if this had happened and the person who was handling it wasn't in today and I'd have to wait and call back tomorrow ?!?!?!?!?!? :mad: He asked if I'd like to leave a message on the guy's voicemail. I said no, I wanted to talk to a supervisor. He said ok, then transferred me to the guy's voicemail anyway!?!?!?!?! I called back and asked for a supervisor, but got his voicemail. I left a message, but received no call back.

Tuesday am - today. called again, and now finally a request was made to their ops department to issue a replacement order. Supposedly this will ship out today, and I'll receive a callback today with a tracking number. I'm not holding my breath.
:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:
Were it not for the EPP discount I would never do business with them again.

I just got off the telephone with them with no results. They are going to call me back, supposedly. They need permission from the CEO to ship a new base. Really just a supervisor, but they are in a meeting.

I must say that your experience sounds much more painful than mine though! I applaud you on sticking with Panny after all that.

Twilighter

07-12-05, 11:06 AM

Ah... another convert... Oh those silly STB users paying more to sacrifice picture quality!!! :D

STB was never an option. :D If you have a cablecard slot, I have a hard time seing why you would not want to use it.

However, I might opt for the HD PVR, in addition to the cable card - I have my ReplayTV now, which is fine, but it would be nice to be able to pause HDTV as well as SD.

I see only one reason to use an STB, and that is if you are dead set on using a regular Tivo/ReplayTV to tape digital (not HD) TV channels, and need an STB to decode the signal. A friend of mine does that with his PX50U. I was not overly impressed with his (PQ) results.

Macfan424

07-12-05, 11:09 AM

...I still can’t access my "3dY/C filter", "Color Matrix" and “zoom adjust” features, they’re still grayed out on no-hd channels. And I can’t change 720p though my pdp, right? Only from my stb?

"Color Matrix" can only be switched for 480p input. The circuitry automatically selects SD for 480i and HD for 720p/1080i.

"3D Y/C Filter" applies only to composite signals. (I've never understood why anyone would turn it off for composite, though.)

Have you tried "Zoom Adjust" while you have the aspect set for Zoom? I believe that's the only time it's active.

Twilighter

07-12-05, 11:13 AM

thanks man! i;m gonna wait out the break in perios before camlibrating, but good to know it's that good out of the box!

Actually I calibrated it (confirmed the settings basically) and then turned down the contrast for the break in period. I'm at about 43 hours and counting. I play a DVD loop in full screen mode to "break it in quickly" when I am not watching Discovery HD or InHD... :D

dontdothat88

07-12-05, 11:47 AM

Ah... another convert... Oh those silly STB users paying more to sacrifice picture quality!!! :D
Almost as silly as those cablebard users rushing home to catch a show - hahaha imagine missing something on tv just because im not there when it comes on. Ahhhh gives me flashbacks of the 90's when I used to do that.

optivity

07-12-05, 12:03 PM

Almost as silly as those cablebard users rushing home to catch a show - hahaha imagine missing something on tv just because im not there when it comes on. Ahhhh gives me flashbacks of the 90's when I used to do that.OK, I'll give you that... I did want to see (3) repeat episodes of BSG on NBC-HD Saturday night... :eek: but had to miss them because I was "forced" to work instead. :mad:

Of course I didn't lose any sleep over the missed shows and it isn't very often a TV program is "so" important I need to record it. :rolleyes:

Your DVR has (2) nice convenience features and provides a noticeable "neon green tinge" that many AVSF members seem to be fond of. :D

ryansmith111

07-12-05, 12:08 PM

OK, I'll give you that... I did want to see (3) repeat episodes of BSG on NBC-HD Saturday night... :eek: but had to miss them because I was "forced" to work instead. :mad:
I've got the entire season 1 of BSG in HD on my HD-TiVo. :D Waiting to get my stinkin' plasma delivered so I can watch them. :(

Your DVR has (2) nice convenience features and provides a noticeable "neon green tinge" that many AVSF members seem to be fond of. :DMy D* HD-TiVo doesn't have this issue ;)

56Oval

07-12-05, 12:29 PM

If anyone cares, I found the discrete IR remote codes (pronto) for Power On and Power Off for the new series (which are the same for the older PDPs). They work on my 37PX50U just fine.

Power Off

0000 0071 0000 0032 0080 003f 0010 0010 0010 0030 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0030 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0030 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0030 0010 0030 0010 0030 0010 0030 0010 0030 0010 0030 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0030 0010 0030 0010 0030 0010 0030 0010 0030 0010 0030 0010 0010 0010 0030 0010 0a98

Power On

0000 0071 0000 0032 0080 003f 0010 0010 0010 0030 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0030 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0030 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0030 0010 0030 0010 0030 0010 0030 0010 0030 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0030 0010 0030 0010 0030 0010 0030 0010 0030 0010 0010 0010 0030 0010 0a98

optivity

07-12-05, 12:33 PM

I've got the entire season 1 of BSG in HD on my HD-TiVo. :D Waiting to get my stinkin' plasma delivered so I can watch them. :(

My D* HD-TiVo doesn't have this issue ;) Can't we have the 'best of both worlds...' (http://www.tivo.com/cms_static/press_19.html) without those silly 'neon green push' issues that are so problematic with the Scientific Atlanta DVRs? :(

toddbarry

07-12-05, 01:21 PM

Were it not for the EPP discount I would never do business with them again.

Ryan, I ordered a 50PX500 via EPP right around the same time you did. During the placing of the order (via phone since the online link was not yet active), they had to ask for the shipping address about 5 times. It was comical after a while.

Finally got a weird voice mail message that the plasma was in the vicinity and delivery would be next week (they gave two dates which were like 4 and 7 days out - strange), but they also said that they were not in the area very often (hello, this is L.A.). But, the phone number they left had a Michigan area code.

After many phone calls, the freight company went back and forth between saying the plasma was in L.A., no wait, it's in Michigan. Turns out our phone number got associated with someone else's order - in Michigan. Finally they say now that the plasma is on its way, but they say to expect two packages at 348 pounds! What are they sending - three plasmas?

Another interesting experience with Panasonic online...

jcslam

07-12-05, 01:56 PM

Ryan, I ordered a 50PX500 via EPP right around the same time you did. During the placing of the order (via phone since the online link was not yet active), they had to ask for the shipping address about 5 times. It was comical after a while.

Finally got a weird voice mail message that the plasma was in the vicinity and delivery would be next week (they gave two dates which were like 4 and 7 days out - strange), but they also said that they were not in the area very often (hello, this is L.A.). But, the phone number they left had a Michigan area code.

After many phone calls, the freight company went back and forth between saying the plasma was in L.A., no wait, it's in Michigan. Turns out our phone number got associated with someone else's order - in Michigan. Finally they say now that the plasma is on its way, but they say to expect two packages at 348 pounds! What are they sending - three plasmas?

Another interesting experience with Panasonic online...

Same thing here, EPP discount.

I am so frustrated. They do not have parts for the bases nor can an entire base be shipped without a TV. Of course, they accused me of damaging the screw holes that are not properly threaded in the first place. I even had a machinist look at this and he stated that 3 of the 4 holes are not properly tapped. More important, he has stated that there is nothing I could have done when inserting the screws into these holes to cause this problem. It is truly a manufacturing problem. They cannot even begin to give me a time frame. This, after waiting more than 2 months for this TV.

It will be comical if they have to ship me a new TV just to resolve the base problem. What won't be comical is packing up the TV I already have in my possession and sending it back!

jcslam

07-12-05, 01:58 PM

I've got the entire season 1 of BSG in HD on my HD-TiVo. :D Waiting to get my stinkin' plasma delivered so I can watch them. :(

I have a plasma just collecting dust if you want to borrow it!

housecor

07-12-05, 04:45 PM

Did you set the STB to pass-through?

Apparently this isn't an option on the SA 8300HD, unless I'm somehow overlooking it. Can anyone confirm that there's no way to set it up for "pass through"? All I can do is select applicable resolutions in the menu.

D-Nice

07-12-05, 05:03 PM

Apparently this isn't an option on the SA 8300HD, unless I'm somehow overlooking it. Can anyone confirm that there's no way to set it up for "pass through"? All I can do is select applicable resolutions in the menu.

It should be as it is on my TWC 8300.

Press the settings button twice to access the General Settings Menu....
Scroll up to "Set: Display Format"....
If you are using HDMI select "Auto DVI/HDMI"....
If you are using component select "Pass-Through"

housecor

07-12-05, 05:08 PM

Panasonic has one of the worst telephone and web site technical supports that I have ever experienced.

Sorry to hear. Just to provide another viewpoint, I've had an excellent experience w/ Panny support. My 6th gen pdp was in service twice for an issue which they couldn't resolve and Panny is now replacing my unit w/ an 8th gen panel. Service was friendly and while it's been an admittedly slow process, I've been otherwise very pleased with their work to resolve the issue and will certainly buy another Panny when I go 50" based on their response.

Hopefully your stand shows up shortly - though I can't say I'm too surprised at the wait since the panel just started shipping. But yes, they should have had parts in order in advance of launch...

housecor

07-12-05, 05:10 PM

It should be as it is on my TWC 8300.

Press the settings button twice to access the General Settings Menu....
Scroll up to "Set: Display Format"....
If you are using HDMI select "Auto DVI/HDMI"....
If you are using component select "Pass-Through"

Pressing the setting button twice does nothing for me. I must press "A" to get to the advanced settings menu. Is your 8300 running SARA or Passport? On my Passport machine I see no such settings in the menu. I'll give it another look tonight if you're on Passport as well...

D-Nice

07-12-05, 06:22 PM

Ahhh, you have the passport software. I have SARA. Here is something I got from the HD recorder forum...

Under Passport, there is no official pass-through mode, but you can achieve the same thing by doing the following:

Select "Settings", then press A for "More Settings"
Use the down arrow until you get to "Output Formats"
Use the right arrow to change "Output Formats"
Now make sure that 480P, 720P, and 1080i are selected (480i doesn't matter)
Then press A to accept as many times as necessary.

The box will now pass through all HD formats.

-barry

Try that.

slickmick

07-12-05, 07:19 PM

lkrz1

07-12-05, 07:36 PM

Is the 50" PX 500 out anywhere yet????

mscappa

07-12-05, 09:37 PM

i just saw the most beautiful thing. i downloaded some clips from quicktime and divx and oh man! Saw shark tale, Madagascar, batman and the fantastic 4. what a beautiful thing . all in HD using my G4 powerbook hooked up via my vga port on my 50px500. with all of my pdp settings on low for my break in period it STILL looked incredible. I even got right up on the screen and saw a perfect picture! so much better than any HD channel i've ever seen! how is that even possible? the color, contrast, blacks and depth in the picture ..... it was just silly!

mscappa

07-12-05, 09:46 PM

D-Bucket

07-12-05, 10:27 PM

Sorry to hear that your 50px500u stand does not swivel like those on the 42Px500u's. If anyone else has their 50PX500u set up on the included stand, would you mind checking if your stand swivels or not?

ClarkeBar

07-13-05, 12:50 AM

After extensively following this forum, I have decided to go with the PX500. My problem is I also need a DVD recorder to go with it. I still live in the dark ages, using a VCR and am upgrading my entire entertainment system. Could someone give a couple recommendations on a good DVD recorder that would be compatible/friendly with the PX500. I currently use Direct TV but do no want to limit myself to a Direct TV DVR. I want something with a decent size HD, the ability to use TIVO, or Replay TV and not be affected by the source (Cable, Satellite etc.). Something somewhat flexible and future proof. I have considered the Panny E500 but am not sold on the TV guide function because it does seem to play nice with satellite TV. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I use Toshiba recorders and would recommend the RD-XS34. The so-called Black Level 'bug' has been dealt with using a now selectable IRE level.

You are making the right decision IMO about staying away from provider DVRs. With the latest content agreements you cannot edit commercials for DVD burning from virtually any of them anymore. Be aware that satellite compatibility seems to be somewhat hit or miss in terms of recording inter-operation. I generally run a direct line after splitting the signal so that everything gets its own feed.

The XS52 is also a nice machine but inexplicably dropped the DVD-R/W...stupid move which was corrected with the XS34.

Kevin C Brown

07-13-05, 03:01 AM

I generally run a direct line after splitting the signal so that everything gets its own feed.

CB- Can you explain this? I have a Dish Network DVR, and I want to make some permanent copies of some stuff (most likely to a DVD recorder I haven't bought yet :) ). I thought you needed the DVR/STB to "decode" the satellite's signal? (In the back of my mind, I'd love to hook up a PC-based DVR with more editing capabilities direct to the satellite feed. Is that possible?)

I guess this really belongs in the DVR section, but I'll ask just this one and head over there...

drivie

07-13-05, 03:04 AM

I don't know about a Dish receiver but I had my SA8000 connected to a GoVideo DVD recorder and archived a number of shows for myself to DVD by connecting the S-VIDEO out to the SVID in of the recorder. Worked great.

Drivie

BobStern

07-13-05, 06:13 AM

When you enter the Service Menu, does the menu text completely replace the video input signal, or is the menu text superimposed on the video? If the latter, where on the screen is it, and what fraction of the screen does it occupy?

It would seem exasperating to make service adjustments if you cannot immediately see the effects of the adjustments on the video.

Twilighter

07-13-05, 09:06 AM

When you enter the Service Menu, does the menu text completely replace the video input signal, or is the menu text superimposed on the video? If the latter, where on the screen is it, and what fraction of the screen does it occupy?

It is superimposed. How much the text covers depends on the sub-menu, but you can still see what is behind it.

mstanl

07-13-05, 10:54 AM

CatfishJohn

07-13-05, 11:16 AM

Congrats to mscappa, mstanl, and all the other lucky folks that got their new Pannys! The 50PX500 must be quite lovely. I am sorry though that your stands don't swivel. You can always get a swivel platform to put your TV on.

As of 9:30 this AM, I am HD'd. If all goes well in Florida, I'll be watching the shuttle launch in HD this afternoon. I'm so excited. It's very cloudy there right now, but the shuttle with the dark clouds in the background looks fantastic.

Foos-Man

07-13-05, 11:33 AM

Argh...just received my 42PX50U from OneCall and it has cosmetic damage. Box had no damage and the shock sensors were okay. The silver strip/bezel along the bottom of the display got scuffed up and every place where the styrofoam came into contact during shipping scuffed the silver leaving dark spots...probably about 10% of the silver is scuffed. Calling OneCall soon to see what they will do.

I was really surprised that Panasonic packs these with just a thin plastic bag around the display prior to being held in the styrofoam. Other displays I've bought have a padded bag. I think Panasonic has some potential packaging issues.

kenlev

07-13-05, 12:12 PM

May I ask a big favor of someone with a 50PX500 and a tape measure? With the Panny mounted on the supplied pedestal, what is the measurement from the top of your table to the top of the Panny??

kocho

07-13-05, 12:48 PM

In this review I may sound somewhat critical of the TV, because it is not perfect. But understand that it is probably the best you can do for the money, the thin profile, picture quality and a few other criteria I had. I give it a full score with the thinking that if you take into account these parameters you will automatically exclude other offerings that may give you a better picture. And rankings are supposed to be relative to what you would get given your constraints. So scoring at less than full score would imply I could buy a better TV within the constraints I had, which is simply not the case as far as I could research.

After looking at too many models of both LCD and plasma, I settled on a narrow choice of either the new generation (V-shaped bottom bezel) Samsung LCDs, Sharp Aquos LCD, Sony LCD or Pioneer or Panasonic plasma. LCDs are definitely more focused/sharp than plasma, so this I count as a plus. Also they are higher resolution even in the 32” – 45” sizes where the 42” plasmas are only 1024/768 (in most cases).

I was pushed to buy a new TV because my old one is almost unwatchable at times and requires vigorous tapping to steady the picture increasingly often. Had this not been the case, I’d have probably waited a year or so to see where the truly HD resolution displays are going (e.g. the ones capable of displaying 1080 progressive signal natively, without re-scaling, as opposed to just 1080 interlaced or lower resolutions as most of today’s screens do). But may be a while before such displays become affordable enough to justify the wait anyway…

I looked at Enhanced Definition TVs as well since when watching from over 8 feet they are very hard to distinguish from a High Definition sibling of the same make, while being up to 30% cheaper. But at the end, critical viewing at around 8 feet or closer is something that happens in my home, so I decided that I would be unsatisfied being able to see pixels on the screen on the ED models. If you are not very critical or your vision is not perfect, an ED TV may be all you need.

I got the Panasonic TH-42PX50U 42" TV only a few days back based on the following strengths this TV offers (more details on each point follow in the review):
- Picture was closest to “natural” looking among comparably priced plasma sets
- Good black level detail
- Built-in over the air HDTV tuner (NOTE: Amazon’s description says “HD-Ready Plasma TV” when in fact this is an integrated HD TV with a built-in tuner)
- 42” is probably the optimal size for my room
- “Rumors” that Panasonic has good reliability
- Price was competitive with other plasma and better than similarly sized LCD

Here are some more details. I simply got a very good deal, so for what I paid this is unquestionably the best TV out there. I got an open box from Circuit City for about a $1,000 less than MSRP and a couple of hundred less than ANY online retailer I’ve seen. Plus interest free 24 month financing and the peace of mind I can return with no penalty or loss of any kind within 30 days.

If you have to pay close to the MSRP, and especially if you do not use the built-in over the air HDTV tuner then the choice is not that clear – I would seriously look at the new Samsung LCD and Sony and Sharp offerings (in that order) as an alternative or some of the Pioneer plasma.

If you need features like memory card slots, picture in picture, channel guide etc., then look for the xxx500 version of the same TV for a premium of $500 or more. As for me, these are not especially useful so I’m glad that Panasonic sells a model without them for a lower cost.

The picture is indeed pretty well calibrated out of the box compared to most other sets I’ve seen. There are three preset modes and the Standard is closest to my liking (Vivid is too artificially bright and sharp, Movie is too dark, but may be used in a totally dark room). I’ve played with the user adjustments a bit and did not have to change much off the Standard preset. I got to the Service Menu too and played with some of the settings there, but again did not need to do major adjustments.

I’ve settled on the “Standard” picture preset with just a slight (-2 points) adjustment of the tint control in the user menu after a small -5 points adjustment of the tint control in the service menu. I would not call the picture completely “natural”, but it is close. If anything, it is a bit film-like in terms of being slightly warmer than life on skin tones. It is very watchable, so no big complaints there. Especially if you take this in prospective of what you get from other sets, I think this is one of the better pictures out there for the up to $5K price range, bar a very few CRT behemots, which do not even come in this screen size anyway, or a few non-integrated plasma or LCD TVs that may have some aspects of a better picture.

One of four minor flaws I’ve found so far is the very light greenish tone on some yellow objects and a slight red emphasis that emerges if you eliminate the green through the tint adjustment. So I’m not sure if this is a green or a red push, but it takes away some of the naturalness of skin tones. In the US market slight red push is the norm anyway so most folks won’t notice it. And if you compare to other brands, it is not that bad at all. Of course, you will never get the perfection of the latest Sony XBR tube sets in terms of natural colors and black level detail, but you gain a thin profile and settle for a very decent picture.

The second flaw is the lack of true deep black resolution. The blacks are quite close to a good black and this TV has one of the deepest blacks I’ve seen on a plasma TV. It is close to a tube TV for over the air HDTV. Where it falls short of the “ideal” is in its ability to resolve details in dark areas. Basically a black suit sometimes may appear as a black spot, rather than showing all crevices and fabrics details. What you see is still quite better than what you can see on almost any LCD and most plasmas, so I do not think you can do much better than this unless you go to a tube TV. It is just something that you need to be aware of and to not expect perfect black AND shadow detail at the same time. Increasing brightness and backlight levels can increase the details in dark scenes, you can gain shadow detail, but you loose deep blacks. I considered getting a cheaper flat TV but the inability to display decent dark level information in most of them (as well as in most expensive LCDs) plus the quite un-natural skin tones in almost anything sub $2,000 were the primary decision points for me to go with the Panasonic plasma set. In a brightly lit room the lack of deep black (e.g. the presence of gray background instead of black) may be OK, but I find it very distracting in a dark room. So the trade-off that Panasonic did by displaying fairly deep blacks and losing some of the very deep shadow detail is in my opinion a better choice given the constraints of the technology.

The third flaw is that this TV is not totally silent. I do not hear any fan noise from the back of the TV. But there is electronic hum (not from the speakers but from high-voltage components) that is audible if you are in a totally quiet room and you mute the speakers. This is more audible if the picture is brighter, so it seems to be related to the “strain” the TV components exhibit which is related to how bright the picture needs to be. Again, this is not much worse compared to the annoying high-pitched noise coming off ALL tube TVs. And it is not really audible if you have even a little sound coming off your speakers during normal viewing. You certainly can’t hear it over the background noise in a store or in most normal TV viewing.

The fourth flaw is that the sound system on the TV is nothing special. While it is better than what you would find in most sub $1,000 TVs and is usable for casual TV watching, it is not a high-res system and certainly worse than most other $3K+ HDTVs out there. Low and low-mid frequency is OK for a TV speaker but the most important mid-range and highs are not well defined and the sound is muffled and unintelligible at times. A $300 home theater in a box will give you better sound and may be worth the investment, especially as the TV has an optical audio out. In my opinion most home theaters in a box under $2,000 are garbage in terms of decent sound quality, but you draw your own conclusions. As far as I’m concerned, if you have almost any sound system, even a decent boom box or a shelf system, it will be better than the built-in speakers.

The remote is mostly fine with me – it is large, comfortable, intuitive and fully back-lit at a push of the glow in the dark back-light button. Access to most features is easy, but some dedicated buttons are missing – I would like to be able to switch inputs (with one click as opposed to cycle through them) or set the picture defaults through the remote rather than through a menu on screen (although the menu is intuitive and quick enough if you do not do it more than a couple of times a day).

The over the air tuner seems to be good – it gets all analog stations that my 10 year old Panasonic gets, plus about 10 digital stations in the Washington DC area with only an old non-amplified rabbit ear antenna. The digital channels come in perfect, and standard analog channels (SD) seem comparable to the tube TV it replaces (e.g., quite bad). The only drawback is that the size of this TV is double compared to a 20” tube TV it replaces so that you see more of the garbage in analog signals. But if you get farther away it is comparable if not better looking. So SD is handled quite well as far as I’m concerned.

A PDF manual is available off the Panasonic web site, so you can check the specs and read more about the functions. The manual does not explain why would you want to do many of the things it covers, but is otherwise detailed enough to tell you how to do them.

For a LOT of chatter go to avsforum and search by model number. There is a 1000+ post/100 page thread on these TVs there. You can get more information and a lot of talk about the above-mentioned green/red issue. Just ignore most of it and enjoy the TV. You probably would not notice many of these imperfections if you did not read about it :)

dontdothat88

07-13-05, 12:50 PM

kocho

07-13-05, 12:54 PM

Has anyone found discrete color adjustments in the service menu for a 42PX50U? I only see "Color" and "Tint" I think...

PS. after fiddling with settings I settled on the following for most programs:
Standard preset, just change color temp to "Warm" and decrease tint to -2, tint in service menu at 0.

kocho

07-13-05, 01:03 PM

Has anyone else observed it? When I hook-up my non-progressive DVD player through the component inputs, the effect is as if I have increased the brightness. Basically, instead of almost no backligth visible when there is no image on the TV you see quite a bit of it, so the screen looks less black and more grayinsh?

Has anyone observed the same with a HDMI source? (I do not have any such source yet)

With HDTV from the built-in over the air tuner the blacks are decent, but seems the somponent inputs don't work as well. May be my DVD player is the cause (an older model Pioneer), but I can see this effect without a signal. I need to try tonight to see if this is the case too by just switching to the component inputs without having anything connected to them before a final verdict on this...

RandyWalters

07-13-05, 02:25 PM

I would like to be able to switch inputs (with one click as opposed to cycle through them)

You don't have to cycle through all the inputs, just hit the Video key to bring up the list of inputs, then hit the corresponding number key assigned to that input (like 1 for TV, 2 for Component 1, and 5 for composite 1, etc) and it takes you directly to that input. So it's just two clicks to switch to another input, not bad.

KINGEGO1

07-13-05, 02:40 PM

Cablevision-NJ came out to the house on saturday to hook up my Cable Card. After about 3 hours of a "uploading cablecard firmware" message on the TV the techinician at the service center decide to ask the model number. Mind you this information was provided when i ask for the cable card installation. The tech said that the new Panny plasmas were not compatible with cablevisions cable cards. Why they sent someone out to the house knowing that this model tv doesnt work with their cable cards is beyond me. Does that sound right? Can anyone verify that?

Solderbot

07-13-05, 03:35 PM

I just went to HFB and saw the 42PX500. The pic was pretty crappy. I looked at all of the other panels and saw the same poor PQ. It was clearly a poor signal that was being split 100 times. Naturally, I was accosted by a salesman. He would not stand farther than two feet from me. I asked him what the video source was. It was Directv.

I said, "That's not a HD channel, is it?"
He said, "Yeah it is!".
Me: "Oh. It doesn't look very good."
Him: "Hmm...it doesn't even look this good on an SD channel. Sounds like your expectations are too high."

I laughed at him and walked out of the store.

I liked the cosmetic appearance of the unit, but it looked like it has been to hell and back before arriving at the safety of the wall mount on the sales floor. The beveled edge of the bezel was quite scratched, as if the panel had been dragged while laying on that facet. The gray strip at the bottom of the panel did indeed have a titanium appearance. Maybe I can take a longer at some place where the salesman will give me some breathing room.

HowieZee

07-13-05, 03:37 PM

Kingeg01, Had a similar issue here in AZ. After many tries and several discussions with both Cox Cable and Panasonic, Cox came with a new cablecard with new microcode. This fixed the problem, our 42PX50U is beautiful.

Also, the sd channels were grainy. Cox added an amplifier and these channels are fine now.

gmarsden

07-13-05, 03:44 PM

The third flaw is that this TV is not totally silent. I do not hear any fan noise from the back of the TV. But there is electronic hum (not from the speakers but from high-voltage components) that is audible if you are in a totally quiet room and you mute the speakers. This is more audible if the picture is brighter, so it seems to be related to the “strain” the TV components exhibit which is related to how bright the picture needs to be. Again, this is not much worse compared to the annoying high-pitched noise coming off ALL tube TVs. And it is not really audible if you have even a little sound coming off your speakers during normal viewing. You certainly can’t hear it over the background noise in a store or in most normal TV viewing.

I had exactly the same problem with mine, and since it was in a bedroom, I couldn't get used to the buzz late at night and returned the TV. It was certainly louder than any of the CRT's that
it was to replace.

rogo

07-13-05, 03:58 PM

To me, a variable buzz / hum that changes with picture content is a 100% dealbreaker.

I can't understand how people find it OK when the sound goes off and it's supposed to be silent that they suddenly hear a buzz. And then the screen brightens and they hear more of one.

I -- personally -- would never tolerate such a TV.

DanP

07-13-05, 04:25 PM

optivity

07-13-05, 05:03 PM

Mine too! :)

My crappy old SA8300HD-DVR made more noise... use a CableCARD.

D-Nice

07-13-05, 05:13 PM

RandyWalters

07-13-05, 05:16 PM

Mine is silent (50px50u).

My 42PX50U is completely silent. I have to put my ear up to the back panel before i hear anything, and then it's not even as loud as a baby mosquito.

If you can hear it from more than a few feet away, it's defective.

cerealmba

07-13-05, 05:20 PM

56Oval

07-13-05, 05:33 PM

My 42PX50U is completely silent. I have to put my ear up to the back panel before i hear anything, and then it's not even as loud as a baby mosquito.

If you can hear it from more than a few feet away, it's defective.

My 37PX50U has a noticable buzz if you go around the back. Sounds like a transformer making noise. Mine even has it when the set is turned off.

rogo

07-13-05, 05:34 PM

My 42PX50U is completely silent. I have to put my ear up to the back panel before i hear anything, and then it's not even as loud as a baby mosquito.

If you can hear it from more than a few feet away, it's defective.

Agreed. The sound should only be audible up close and personal, where you'll never be when watching the TV.

Number_6

07-13-05, 06:01 PM

Kocho, regarding black level on component inputs, the TV may have selected the "light" black level on that component input. So you might want to check that if that's not what you want. Otherwise, component inputs for me seem to have about the same brightness scale as regular standard TV channels. HDTV does look darker on my set than DVD+component, but not by much.

BruZZi

07-13-05, 06:26 PM

For those of you in the city... I was at J&R this afternoon (right next to Brooklyn Bridge/City Hall) and they had just unwrapped the 50px500u to put on display.

They hadn't turned it on yet, but said they would have it up and on by tonight.

Cheers.

Thanks for the info cerealmba. :)

Going to J&R tomorrow.

.
Check Out the all-new BruZZi's Panasonic Plasma FAQ (http://www.glaucobruzzi.com/plasma-faq/index.php?)
Links to Plasma Stands, Wallmounts, Murals, Lifts, Speakers, Frames, Bezels & Motorized Artwork.
Also links to Audio/Video/Computer Faqs, Comparisons, News, Reviews, Shootouts, Tutorials, Tweaks and Many More.

dontdothat88

07-13-05, 06:59 PM

For those of you in the city... I was at J&R this afternoon (right next to Brooklyn Bridge/City Hall) and they had just unwrapped the 50px500u to put on display.

They hadn't turned it on yet, but said they would have it up and on by tonight.

Cheers.

im hoping they come down on that price they have listed on the website, kinda steep especially considering how cheap their 50px50 is (the 500 is $1000 more). Also if you plan on buyin from j&r and you can somehow ship out of state (friend in nj?) you will save the tax. Of course you will then have to get the plasma back to ny which might not be worth the hasle

ryansmith111

07-13-05, 10:16 PM

Mine is silent (50px50u).My 50PX500 is silent, too. Oh wait, thats because it was crushed in transit a week ago, and they still haven't shipped a replacement. :rolleyes:
Nevermind :(

mscappa

07-13-05, 10:20 PM

May I ask a big favor of someone with a 50PX500 and a tape measure? With the Panny mounted on the supplied pedestal, what is the measurement from the top of your table to the top of the Panny??

JUST a hair under 37". I'll say 37" even, just to be safe....

mscappa

07-13-05, 10:25 PM

PerryU

07-13-05, 11:06 PM

Mine too! :)

My crappy old SA8300HD-DVR made more noise... use a CableCARD.
Op, I've got to applaud your creativity in turning every post into an argument for cablecard. Of course some of us don't have that option (no cc available in Canada), so your endless raves and exuberant italics are more likely to convince us that a new PDP would be useless without a cablecard, so we might as well just stick with our 10-year-old 27" CRT. ;)

Well, okay, you're not that convincing! :D

Cheers... Perry.

OhBoy!

07-13-05, 11:15 PM

oh, and my 50px500 is silent too, i think my lamp makes more noise! the only noise it makes is when it's begging me to crank up the settings! like last night watching the matrix reloaded on HBO HD, it wouldn't shut up about it! anyone else having this problem?:D

Well, I don't have a new PDP yet(!), but, I think I need to order one soon. I know what you mean about hearing voices, and in my case... seeing things... like when I look at painting on a wall, I translate it's dimensions to that of a plasma TV. I say to myself... hmm... that would be about the size of that 500U I am going to buy. Then I start picturing a good film, and how it would look (and sound) - and the Matrix series will be some of the first DVDs I slap in to watch! Can't wait. But then... reality hits again, and people stare at me with a furrowed eyebrow, wondering what's wrong. Then, I sheepishly walk off...

I think I found a decent place to purchase - ibuyplasma gets good ratings, and they seem to have decent prices. 500u shipped for around $4200. In stock. Still checking around tho...

HDidiot

07-13-05, 11:37 PM

I think I found a decent place to purchase …gets good ratings, and they seem to have decent prices…In stock. Still checking around tho...

Welcome to the board Ohboy. Since March, various plasmas not yet appeared in the US have been indicated as “IN STOCK” by internet companies with far better ratings. You decide if it really is in stock, I have my opinion.

Also, I looked thought the actual customer comments and could not find a single one related to plasma in the first 100. You reach your own opinion; I just don’t find those ratings reassuring. I suggest you first check with forum sponsors.

Paulie

07-13-05, 11:44 PM

Wanted to get some opinions from forum members, especially new PX500 and PX50 owners on picture settings for the break-in period. I have had my 42PX500 for a week now. I've read the "white paper" and a decent chunk of the "master burn-in thread" so I hope that my settings are where they should be.

Currently:

Standard
Picture: -5
Brightness: -3
Color: 0
Tint: -8
Sharp: 0
Color Temp: normal
Color Mng. : off
CATS: off
Black level: light

Depending upon content, the picture occasionally looks dark, but most of the time looks great. :cool:

I've tried not to stay too long with one channel that has a logo or banner; zoomed DVD material that isn't full screen, and so forth. Anything I'm missing here?

Also, I just received my AVIA DVD, should I wait to calibrate until after the break-in period? Thought someone mentioned that the other day.

Thanks :D

Foos-Man

07-14-05, 01:23 AM

curious to know how onecall will handle this. Their website says it doesnt accept tv returns over 20 inches, but it does say it accepts "defective' items which i guess this would be? Let us know how it works out please! thanks

OneCall rocks! They confirmed that there is a packaging issue and said mine was the 2nd reported display to arrive with the scuffed silver bezel. They did say they have sold a lot of these and only had 2 with this problem. Bottom line is that it is not the shippers fault or OneCall, but Panasonic's packaging...and I concur. They could have told me to go pound sand, but instead are eating the cost to ship me a new one and ship the old one back. I felt bad that they will end up eating $400 in shipping charges and offered to see if Panasonic would replace the bezel. He told me not to worry and they would work it out with Panasonic when they receive the scuffed unit back.

This is outstanding service...they literally could have told me to call Panasonic and would have been perfectly justified to do this. In addition, they are out of stock and told me to hang on and use the one I have until the new one arrives. Kuddos to OneCall.

As for reports of noise, this bastard is quiet: Off=no noise, even when ear pressed to rear of unit. On=I can hear the fan start up with my head pressed to the unit that goes away...then a slight buzz that is emitted while turned on. At > 3 feet from the front of the unit I can't hear the buzz at all. The unit is well baffled causing the buzz sound to emit from the rear and upward (upward may be due to wall behind unit)...the screen blocks the sound from traveling forward. So, in my opinion the sound is only as issue if:
1) You are extremely sensitive and anal and in an environment with zero surrounding noise and have the display on mute.
2) You enjoy starring at the rear of the display instead of the screen and are less than 3 feet away.
I think my DVD player and STB are louder and I never noticed any sound until I read the previous posts and conducted this measurement.

Foos-Man

07-14-05, 01:28 AM

My 50PX500 is silent, too. Oh wait, thats because it was crushed in transit a week ago, and they still haven't shipped a replacement. :rolleyes:
Nevermind :(

You made me laugh...hope you get it soon.

D-Bucket

07-14-05, 05:58 AM

...I think I found a decent place to purchase - ib**pl**** gets good ratings, and they seem to have decent prices. 500u shipped for around $4200. In stock. Still checking around tho...

While I admit that their price for the 50PX500U is quite attractive, their return policy flies a bright red flag and should be cause for great concern. They state very cleary that:

"All sales of LCD/Plasma/Televisions above 20" are final and may not be returned."

I would also echo the suggestion that was made earlier to at least consider this forum sponsors with their proven track record in your balancing of the price vs peace of mind equation.

optivity

07-14-05, 07:00 AM

Op, I've got to applaud your creativity in turning every post into an argument for cablecard. Of course some of us don't have that option (no cc available in Canada), so your endless raves and 'exuberant italics' are more likely to convince us that a new PDP would be useless without a cablecard, so we might as well just stick with our 10-year-old 27" CRT. ;)

Well, okay, you're not that convincing! :D

Cheers... Perry.See how I save you money. ;)

Also, don't forget about my use of the color=red, bold, size and underline tags for added emphasis! :)

OhBoy!

07-14-05, 07:34 AM

Thanks for all the helpful comments. I appreciate the advice (that's one reason why I joined this forum - you guys have already gone through what I am going through!). I'll certainly keep looking and won't buy until I feel it is the right seller (and that will involve phone conversation). I am interested by the forum sponsor comment... I assume the sponsors must be those links at the top of this page? I do remember seeing Visual Apex mentioned waaay back in this topic (probably months ago). I'll look into those.

I was also wondering if anyone can suggest the web site, or resource where one can find info about that AVIA calibration DVD? That sounds like a real good idea.

Thanks guys!

catslick

07-14-05, 09:08 AM

My 42PX50U is completely silent. I have to put my ear up to the back panel before i hear anything, and then it's not even as loud as a baby mosquito.

If you can hear it from more than a few feet away, it's defective.

My PD50U is completely silent. It wasn't until i got the TWC STB that i noticed any kind of humm. Oh well no CC so have to do with what i have.

CatfishJohn

07-14-05, 09:19 AM

Hey Paulie, the settings on my 42PX500 are very similar to yours except for my tint setting. It seems that setting tint to 0 works very well for me. It's not perfect yet, but pretty close. I'm still unable to get perfect flech tones and perfect yellows simultaneously, but I'm real close.

On another note, I'm a bit concerned with the electronic buzzing. This is something I noticed before I ran across the topic here. I can't say I've noticed it when I'm sitting more than 10 feet away, but I can here it from 6 feet away. It's only noticeable when there is a bright scene with little sound. If I mute the speakers, I can here the characteristics of the electronic sound change as the scene changes.

At this point, with less than 10 days on my very first plasma TV, I'm going for perfection in a technology that's not perfect. Besides the slight buzzing that I here, my TV seems perfect. No green push; no annoying contrast changes; my TV guide works; my dark seens are nice and dark but maintain acceptable detail.

I think I'm bothered more by the fact that my big investment is not perfect, than I am by the slight buzzing that I notice if I'm listening for it. Should I leave well enough alone? Should I demand a perfect plasma when one may not exist?

I know that CableCard eliminates all non-perfections, but my cable company is not offereing them yet. ;)

RandyWalters

07-14-05, 09:26 AM

I think I'm bothered more by the fact that my big investment is not perfect, than I am by the slight buzzing that I notice if I'm listening for it...... Should I demand a perfect plasma when one may not exist?

You should demand a non-defective plasma. Silent ones do indeed exist, and apparently yours is not one of them. I'd exchange it (unless the buzzing isn't a problem at your viewing distance).

catslick

07-14-05, 09:28 AM

gmarsden

07-14-05, 09:33 AM

You should demand a non-defective plasma. Silent ones do indeed exist, and apparently yours is not one of them. I'd exchange it (unless the buzzing isn't a problem at your viewing distance).

Tried exchanging one, while the new one is quieter, and may be quiet enough, it is definately not silent
I have been to a lot of stores lately, and if you are real close, especially from the rear, all of them buzzed. I think calling any plasma that is not silent defective, is going a little too far.

optivity

07-14-05, 10:01 AM

My PD50U is completely silent. It wasn't until i got the TWC STB that i noticed any kind of humm. Oh well no CC so have to do with what i have.What's a little 'rumble' in the hard drive between 'friends?' :D

You can always 'pester' Time Warner to swap the unit. You're paying for it. ;)

johnbrain666

07-14-05, 10:17 AM

Do I have to register my new pany online for warranty to be in effect?

CatfishJohn

07-14-05, 10:37 AM

You should demand a non-defective plasma. Silent ones do indeed exist, and apparently yours is not one of them. I'd exchange it (unless the buzzing isn't a problem at your viewing distance).
Thanks for the response Randy. I think I will take some time this weekend to determine whether this buzzing is normal and I'm just more sensitive to it or if it is excessive and can be tamed. I'm also not convinced that the buzzing will not subside with a bit more break-in time.

ryansmith111

07-14-05, 10:48 AM

Do I have to register my new pany online for warranty to be in effect?No, only if you want to give them the opportunity to market to you. Thats all warranty registration cards are for. If you have proof of purchase that indicates you are still within the warranty period, you are covered.

housecor

07-14-05, 10:53 AM

RandyWalters

07-14-05, 11:05 AM

Tried exchanging one, while the new one is quieter, and may be quiet enough, it is definately not silent
I have been to a lot of stores lately, and if you are real close, especially from the rear, all of them buzzed. I think calling any plasma that is not silent defective, is going a little too far.

Well my point is that it shouldn't have an audible buzz at anywhere near a normal viewing distance. Very late last night i checked mine again in a completely silent room and i had to get my face within a foot of the screen before i could hear any hint of buzz and even then it was barely audible. I'd consider this normal. And i have my Brightness and Picture settings on the high side. But hearing a buzz at 6 feet is unacceptable.

ocinator

07-14-05, 11:25 AM

My 37PX50U has a noticable buzz if you go around the back. Sounds like a transformer making noise. Mine even has it when the set is turned off.
checked my 37PX50U and i had exactly the same buzz level as Randy had described in his previous post ^^^

when it's turned off i don't hear it

it's only after i read these posts did i notice the buzz but it still doesn't bother me since the volume is always on to drown out the tiny buzz :cool:

side note time on PDP is at : 0000F = 15 hours after 1 week....wahooo

Macfan424

07-14-05, 11:44 AM

Originally Posted by johnbrain666
Do I have to register my new pany online for warranty to be in effect?
No, only if you want to give them the opportunity to market to you. Thats all warranty registration cards are for. If you have proof of purchase that indicates you are still within the warranty period, you are covered.
They also give the manufacturer a way to notify you if there is a recall.

Maybe I'm unique, but I haven't heard from Panasonic since I registered over six months ago.

brad79

07-14-05, 11:59 AM

I will have to check my buzz, of course it is a non-issue for me as the buzz is surely less noise than the fish tank I have in my living room.

in case anyone is looking to order a wall mount I ordered the Peerless PLA-1S articulating arm and bought the PLP-PAN42 wall mount, our panel doesn't need an offset whereas the px50s needed the PLP-PAN42PX (which had a 3/4" offset)...I am a guinea pig for the company and will let them know if this model works when I get it. Nice that we don't need the offset as it will help our sets depth against the wall.

I think I plan on recessing my TV in the wall so that the screen will be flush mounted with the wall.

I am going to get a cable card since I have my Tivo split off from the cable line already it should work fine, and once i have the cable card it should solve my issue with the TV Guide that I am having.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a cloth I should use to clean the screen...figure I should pick a few up.

catslick

07-14-05, 12:30 PM

Does anyone have a recommendation for a cloth I should use to clean the screen...figure I should pick a few up.

I have been using a moist sponge(water) and a lint free cloth i picked up at an audio shop. It works good for me. I do not use anything but water as a cleaner and use the lint free cloth to dry it with. I do not use a lot of force when cleaning the screen. I am very gentle, :p . If anyone has any other ideas concerning cleaning the PDP screen or uses something that works great for them please let us know.

optivity

07-14-05, 12:38 PM

http://home.nycap.rr.com/nessus/clean.JPG

jim1701

07-14-05, 12:51 PM

Just got back from visiting J&R to see the 50PX500. Awesome. No green push (the 50PX50 seems better than the last time I looked at it too, maybe they fixed the signal). The speaker grills are darn near imperceptible. The holes are extremely tiny, I had to get some light to reflect off the panel while I looked up close to see them.

But as mentioned before, it's a $1k upgrade over their 50PX50 price. Ouch. I really want this set, but can't decide if its $1K nicer. The floor base is nice too, if you like modern. The set is thicker at the bottom (there's a protrusion) that the 50PX50 doesn't have.

J&R also posts a sign that for TV's over 27" you're basically on your own.

optivity

07-14-05, 01:07 PM

RandyWalters

07-14-05, 01:16 PM

Maybe I'm unique, but I haven't heard from Panasonic since I registered over six months ago.

It's probably too soon for them to be calling you. I bought a 32" HD-ready Panny tube TV a little over two years ago (to hold me over for a few years till Plasma prices came down). About a month before the 1-year warrany was due to expire i got a call from Panasonic offering me their extended warrany which was WAY overpriced. I informed them that i had the 5-year Circuit City warranty which amounted to about 1/3rd the price per year of coverage, and to take me off their list. They called a few more times in the next few weeks and i finally told them to delete my phone number from their system and do not call again. I also got calls some years ago for a few Panny VCRs and my Panny answering machine. The good thing is i have or have had over a dozen different Panasonic items in my home and haven't had a single problem or failure ever.

Rick90

07-14-05, 01:35 PM

slimoli

07-14-05, 01:48 PM

I would bet my farm that the problem is with the receiver and not the plasma. I have been a customer of Dish for 5 years and their hardware is terrible with loads of software problems too.

sergio

tomboyter

07-14-05, 01:50 PM

Jim 1701 ... I cannot evaluate one locally, and to me the real value of the PX500 over the PX50 is the sound system. Have you been able to listen to it, and if so would you consider it good enough for a bedroom tv ? I really would like to avoid having a separate speaker system in the bedroom, but I also want to be able to enjoy things like special concerts on TV and movie soundtracks.

RandyWalters

07-14-05, 01:52 PM

RandyWalters

07-14-05, 01:56 PM

How can this be when the MSRP's (http://www2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/vModelComparisonResults?storeId=15001&catalogId=13401&catGroupId=24973&cacheProgram=11002&cachePartner=7000000000000005702&surfCategory=Plasma%20TVs&items=93883|93338|) are only $500 apart? :confused:

I assume J&R is selling the PX500U at full MSRP, but selling the PX50U at $500 less than MSRP, thus the $1000 difference. Or maybe the OP is just bad at math :D

optivity

07-14-05, 02:05 PM

I had the 50PX50U professionally installed & callabrated about a month ago. For two weeks, all was well. I have since been experiencing an issue with the HDMI connection. Every time I turn the plasma on, I get no signal to my tv from my Dish Network 912 DVR receiver. If I reboot the dvr (with the tv on), the HDMI input works perfectly and the picture appears. But, once off, I am required to reboot the receiver again in order to get a picture.

My installer attempted to debug this and is puzzled. If we use the Component 1 input, the signal is received and we can turn the system on/off without issue. But, the HDMI input fails every time. Almost as if the tv is failing to recognize that a signal is being sent to it.

Is the HDMI input at fault? Ideas?

Thanks! Rick

I would bet my farm that the problem is with the receiver and not the plasma. I have been a customer of Dish for 5 years and their hardware is terrible with loads of software problems too.

sergioOK. You can keep your farm. Is this a DVR(DVI - out) to PDP (HDMI - in) connection? Everything I read indicates there are signaling issues when going DVI --> HDMI. It seems like you have discovered a viable workaround which may be the best fix you will be able to achieve.

Jim 1701 ... I cannot evaluate one locally, and to me the real value of the PX500 over the PX50 is the sound system. Have you been able to listen to it, and if so would you consider it good enough for a bedroom tv ? I really would like to avoid having a separate speaker system in the bedroom, but I also want to be able to enjoy things like special concerts on TV and movie soundtracks.To put it mildly... the sound system included with the PX50Us is rather 'cheesy.' While passable for TV-in-the-bedroom use... it's certainly not up to "concert hall" sound quality.

Rick90

07-14-05, 02:54 PM

It seems like you have discovered a viable workaround which may be the best fix you will be able to achieve.

The question is, is the image quality slightly better with the HDMI connection?

Rick

jim1701

07-14-05, 03:06 PM

I assume J&R is selling the PX500U at full MSRP, but selling the PX50U at $500 less than MSRP, thus the $1000 difference. Or maybe the OP is just bad at math :D

Not quite, but you have the right idea. Go to JR's website to see their prices. Same as in store once you add the 50PX500 to your cart.

JR does sometimes negotiate though. I got a salesman to give me the shipping cost to Monmouth County NJ when I asked about the PX50 awhile back.

The sound is off for all the sets, so I can't hear them. I didn't ask to turn it on, but I guess they could. This set would go in my family room, but someday might end up in my bedroom. Compared to the little speakers on the bottom of my 21" Sony Trinitron, I probably wouldn't consider the PX50's speakers a problem. From what I've read here, the PX500 will be substantially better though.

optivity

07-14-05, 03:08 PM

The question is, is the image quality slightly better with the HDMI connection?

RickYes, and at the risk of drawing "PerryU's" ire..., but not as good as with CableCARD... (not that component input is bad either)

PerryU

07-14-05, 03:34 PM

Ire? Moi?? Non non non, mon ami.

Amusement only.

Chilly Willy

07-14-05, 03:35 PM

I'm a bit of a newbie and a lurker, but I'm trying to get a little info about the newest Panasonic plasma tv's.
I'm in the market for a 50 incher, and basically have it narrowed down to the Panasonic 50PX500U and the LG 50PX5D (latest generation). I've seen the LG on display, and I like it. Looked as good or better than the other plasmas on display in the store. I've seen the 42 inch Panny equivalent, and thought that looked good.
My 2 biggest concerns about the Panasonic are: no 2:3 pulldown, and only one HDMI input. Can someone comment on these concerns of mine? I know this is a very Panny-centric board, but any input would be helpful. Thanks.

optivity

07-14-05, 03:42 PM

Rick90... 'CNET's Connectivity Options' (http://reviews.cnet.com/Home_video/4520-8900_7-1016109-5.html)

apru

07-14-05, 05:00 PM

Just got back from visiting J&R to see the 50PX500. Awesome. No green push (the 50PX50 seems better than the last time I looked at it too, maybe they fixed the signal).

I also just returned from J&R though my perceptions differ. Of all the Panny's I saw there I thought the 37" had the best picture--it was noticeably better than the 50" 500 which was mounted just below it.

The 50" picture was dark--I thought I was wearing my sunglasses, I wasnt't-- and most importantly it was decidedly grainier than the 37". The salesman said its settings were all default --after I walked away I saw him checking them.

The colors of the two were similar but not identical but of course these could be a settings issue.

Both sets werer looping off the same Panny DVD player with a Panny High def demo disk. In one scene some glass crystal bird sculptures were shown and the images were far easier to resolve, ie, the detail was finer, on the 37" set.

When the image shifted to formula 1 racing the tire treads disappeared into the shadows.

Forever perplexed.

Paulie

07-14-05, 05:58 PM

optivity

07-14-05, 06:36 PM

I also just returned from J&R though my perceptions differ. Of all the Panny's I saw there I thought the 37" had the best picture--it was noticeably better than the 50" 500 which was mounted just below it.

The 50" picture was dark--I thought I was wearing my sunglasses, I wasnt't-- and most importantly it was decidedly grainier than the 37". The salesman said its settings were all default --after I walked away I saw him checking them.

The colors of the two were similar but not identical but of course these could be a settings issue.

Both sets werer looping off the same Panny DVD player with a Panny High def demo disk. In one scene some glass crystal bird sculptures were shown and the images were far easier to resolve, ie, the detail was finer, on the 37" set.

When the image shifted to formula 1 racing the tire treads disappeared into the shadows.

Forever perplexed.The number of pixels and their pitch will have a major influence regarding the perceived resolution when viewing the 'TH-50PX50U & TH-37PX50U' (http://www2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/vModelComparisonResults?storeId=15001&catalogId=13401&catGroupId=24973&cacheProgram=11002&cachePartner=7000000000000005702&surfCategory=Plasma%20TVs&items=93338|93337|) at the same distance. These panels have three default settings: Vivid, Standard and Cinema that must be the same for accurate comparison.

If you don't mind squinting when you watch TV, then get the 37" panel.

cammy

07-14-05, 07:02 PM

Kevin C Brown

07-14-05, 08:55 PM

Both sets werer looping off the same Panny DVD player with a Panny High def demo disk.

BluRay or HD-DVD? ;)

cammy

07-14-05, 09:55 PM

Thanks for all of your emails and PM's! I'm not in the office for the evening and will return in the office in the morning to talk to all of you directly. Thanks for all of the inquiries and interests that have came in. I will be spending the next few hours responding to your individual emails the best I can. If you would like to get yours reserved this evening please give me the best number I can reach you at in the email/PM/leave a VM for evening contact otherwise early tomorrow morning. Also, due to demand we are currently getting more on order considering on all of the inquiries we have on this size of model. There is very few at this time... Thanks for all of your time and glad that this model is finally available!

For those interested in the TH-42PX500U those are still in stock. Thanks for all of your time!

Best Regards,
Cambryn Courson
X 520
cambryn@tvauthority.com

OhBoy!

07-14-05, 11:57 PM

Check the link below they explain a bit about what it does. :)
http://www.enhancedht.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=AVIA&Category_Code=S
Thanks for the link - that is exactly what I was hoping to find! :D

mohanman

07-15-05, 10:26 AM

Hey everyone,
I am looking at this plasma like everyday, and really want it. I have a sony 42" plasma that I am returning since it doesn't have PC input, and I can't get the HDMI to work correctly with my computer.

When someone gets the above model, could you please post a quick review of it?

I really want it, but need to know if it is good or not.

and just to make sure I understand, this is the newest consumer model right?

Thanks
Mo!

housecor

07-15-05, 10:28 AM

Check the official Panny thread. Around 4 people already have them. Solid reviews. Mine is on the way.

jcpzero

07-15-05, 11:42 AM

optivity

07-15-05, 12:10 PM

Why not connect directly from the STB to your audio receiver?

catslick

07-15-05, 12:32 PM

Can anyone confirm is using an HDMI input, that 5.1 audio is output over the optical digital out (PD50U)? Before purchasing a longer optical cable, I wanted to make sure it works with HDMI input (concerned it may only output when internal tuner is used).

Note: I have not been able to get my SA8300HD to output digital output with the HDMI connected. I have sara software 1.85.14.1 and cannot find a place to force audio as digital out. The only HDMI settings I see on the SA8300HD are under set picture.

JCPZero

If you are using HDMI to HDMI you should not have to use any audio output. If you are using DVI to HDMI you will need to use optical output. In either setup make sure that your Digital Receiver has been set to accept Digital(optical) from the TV or STB. Hope this helps.

jcpzero

07-15-05, 01:02 PM

The STB passes digital audio out 5.1 fine so long as the HDMI connector is not used (ie component). As soon as HDMI is connected, the digital audio out is no longer 5.1 just 2 ch PCM. So I am trying to see if I can get around that deficiency buy using the digital out on the TV. This will only work if the TV passes 5.1 digital out when the input is HDMI.

Supposedly there is a setting on the 8300 to force 5.1 digital output when using HDMI, but I cannot find the setting (or possibly my cableco software version is more out of date than other companys.)

JCPZero

optivity

07-15-05, 01:20 PM

I don't use the 8300 anymore but did have one connected to my PX50U & an Onkyo receiver. My CATV provider has SARA software and on the 2nd settings menu there was an option to use either HDMI or Dolby Digital sound output. Both could not be active at the same time. If I selected DD, the 8300s digital sound out interface would be active.

RandyWalters

07-15-05, 01:21 PM

Supposedly there is a setting on the 8300 to force 5.1 digital output when using HDMI, but I cannot find the setting (or possibly my cableco software version is more out of date than other companys.)

I think this feature is only on units with the SARA software. DVRs running Passport software have no setting in the menu.

optivity

07-15-05, 01:24 PM

I think this feature is only on units with the SARA software. DVRs running Passport software have no setting in the menu.

Can anyone confirm is using an HDMI input, that 5.1 audio is output over the optical digital out (PD50U)? Before purchasing a longer optical cable, I wanted to make sure it works with HDMI input (concerned it may only output when internal tuner is used).

Note: I have not been able to get my SA8300HD to output digital output with the HDMI connected. I have sara software 1.85.14.1 and cannot find a place to force audio as digital out. The only HDMI settings I see on the SA8300HD are under set picture.

JCPZero :)

jcpzero

07-15-05, 01:53 PM

I think this feature is only on units with the SARA software. DVRs running Passport software have no setting in the menu.

I have sara software - but it certainly is possible it is not the latest release as I cannot find the audio optioin.

JCPZero

ocinator

07-15-05, 02:07 PM

Incase you all are wondering still, the TH-50PX500U models have come in stock to our warehouses this week. If you are interested in this model PM me for more information or email me. Thanks for all of your inquiries and patience on me getting back to all of your requests!

The Panasonic's 37" model is in stock to (50U model)

Best Regards,
Cambryn Courson
cambryn@tvauthority.com
X520

nice to have read this after i left voice mails and several emails with no replies inquiring about the 37px50U model several weeks before I pulled the trigger and decided to go else where with my business and couldn't be happier ;)

ocinator

07-15-05, 02:15 PM

http://home.nycap.rr.com/nessus/clean.JPG

what about vacuuming the rear panel...near the vents...i just read a pio manual and it recommends occasional vacuuming to clear the vents of dust?

catslick

07-15-05, 02:29 PM

what about vacuuming the rear panel...near the vents...i just read a pio manual and it recommends occasional vacuuming to clear the vents of dust?

I have never read that this is required on the Pany's but if you live in a dusty environment i guess it can't hurt. It has to be a high powered(sucking) vacumm. I can say sucking can't i? :eek:

ocinator

07-15-05, 02:35 PM

RandyWalters

07-15-05, 02:56 PM

that's my point pio's manual recommends it but not panny's strange don't you think?

wonder if i should unplug the PDP before I start vacuuming around it?

sure why not "sucking" is a nice descriptive term :D

besides i have had my tv and new stand for little over 1 week and already i see dust especially since my stand is black :eek:

I vacuum mine with it plugged in. It won't hurt anything, unless you suck the voltage out.

How is it that your 37PX50's stand is black? I want a black stand ! My silver duck-footed monstrosity of a stand is really distracting when watching at night :p

housecor

07-15-05, 02:59 PM

The STB passes digital audio out 5.1 fine so long as the HDMI connector is not used (ie component). As soon as HDMI is connected, the digital audio out is no longer 5.1 just 2 ch PCM.

I have a simliar issue. I'm running Passport software on my 8300HD and can't get Dolby D out of HDMI or optical. Now that you mention it, perhaps I'm just getting 2 ch. since my HDMi is hooked up. It's strange but my set doesn't seem to pass the Dolby D via optical to my receiver when getting audio from the 8300 via HDMI.

So thus far I can only watch shows in Dolby D via CC since my set passes the Dolby D via optical from anything tuned on the CC.

optivity

07-15-05, 03:36 PM

I have a simliar issue. I'm running Passport software on my 8300HD and can't get Dolby D out of HDMI or optical. Now that you mention it, perhaps I'm just getting 2 ch. since my HDMi is hooked up. It's strange but my set doesn't seem to pass the Dolby D via optical to my receiver when getting audio from the 8300 via HDMI.

So thus far I can only watch shows in Dolby D via CC since my set passes the Dolby D via optical from anything tuned on the CC.The best approach is to contact your cable operator to determine what digital services are available with the equipment you have. This can be problematic because most individuals who provide telephone support are 'brain-dead.'

Connection interfaces (DVI/HDMI/CableCARD) that pass uncompressed digital signals may send "copy protection" flags that will disable the digital interface(s) (e.g. optical audio out) on the host TV. Again, your cable provider should know if this is the case.

mscappa

07-15-05, 03:54 PM

BobStern

07-15-05, 04:03 PM

Since no one offered a definitive answer re the "missing" service codes for color adjustment, I ponied up $35 for the 42PD50 Service Manual.

I can confirm that there are no separate RGB adjustments in the Service Menu. The only color-related adjustments are Color and Tint, just like those of the regular user menu.

The 8UY industrial model has separate RGB adjustments for near dark and near white, so it seems the 8UY offers much better options for tuning the color. (You can see this in the user manual, a free download from Panasonic.)

The 42PD50 service menu has one Brightness adjustment and two Contrast adjustments named PICTUER and PICTUER2. Note the reversal of E and R. Does anyone know what these do? The default value of PICTUER is a hexadecimal value, 22D. Strange.

The only other adjustments in the Picture service menu are AGC. Two are labeled RFAGC, so I assume they only affect the RF (antenna) input. The other two are labeled AGC-ADJ1 and AGC-ADJ2. It appears they are merely selections from a small number of options rather than continuously adjustable numbers, because the default value of each is FIX. These settings could affect the black level strobing problem.

If anyone (Bruzzi?) has info on the meaning of the PICTUER, PICTUER2, AGC-ADJ1 and AGC-ADJ2 settings, it would be most helpful to the community. Since the model-specific service manual does not explain these settings, I expect they are explained in another service manual that provides general adjustment instructions for several Panasonic models.

optivity

07-15-05, 04:09 PM

My cablecard's being installed on Monday, anything I should know, be aware of, look out for? It's going on a px500 and i have cocks commmunications. Optivity, I'm sure you have SOME advice you can give?!;)Am I that predictable? :D

Something interesting to note would be to compare your current picture settings to what you'll be using with the CableCARD. Since I had my CableCARD installed, I've been using the default's with the Standard setting and have the Picture & Brightness turned down a couple of clicks.

Have the installer go through all the channels you are subscribed for to make sure the channel mappings are correct. If you have the optical audio out interface connected to a 5.1 channel receiver, see (listen for) if you get Dolby Digital sound output on your HD channels.

I believe Cox uses the Motorola CableCARD where my CATV provider: Time Warner has Scientific Atlanta.

pundit761

07-15-05, 04:50 PM

I need some help: I just bought a 42PX50 this past weekend, and it was working like an absolute charm. I have it connected to a SA 8300-HD box using the HDMI input and it displays pictures incredibly well....but you guys have all heard that before. One day I was watching some program on Discovery HD and noticed a faint outline of a horizontal line running right in the middle of the screen. I only noticed it when the image was off a monochromatic background - the sky, I believe - and paused there for a little while. But ever since, I have become a bit obsessed about it. It is there no matter what input i use, but is pretty much impossible to see when my head is up against the glass during any moving image. However on a monochromatic background, it comes out, especially now that i am looking for it. I did notice that as i turn up the brightness, the line washes out to the point that after a while (+15) it become impossible to see, even against a monochromatic background. I have seen a few posters talk about a "very faint line" in the British and US versions of the 500, but I was wondering if this is a problem more generally with the Pannys. I really dont want to go through the hassle of trading out my set, especially since it was mail order, but will of course do it if no one else has seen this line. I guess I dont want to go through the hassle if this is a more general problem, and im sure that i will manage to live with it. On the other hand, I dont want a defective product and if this seems to be a product defect and not a design issue, then I will get it switched out. Much appreciate it if you guys could take a minute to check (turn bright, contrast to 0, its most noticable then.)

On another note: anyone have recommended picture settings for the 42PX50 (saw some for the 500, but that just makes the line more prominent.) Also, i understand that its a good idea to keep the brightness down on the set for the first 100 hours, is that true? Should I wait on using Avia until after the 100 hours?

Thanks........

Number_6

07-15-05, 04:56 PM

housecor

07-15-05, 05:32 PM

There is nothing in the service manual that appears to allude to the above. The prospect of adjusting overscan via the SM on the 8th gen units doesn't look promising.

mscappa

07-15-05, 08:30 PM

Am I that predictable? :D

Something interesting to note would be to compare your current picture settings to what you'll be using with the CableCARD. Since I had my CableCARD installed, I've been using the default's with the Standard setting and have the Picture & Brightness turned down a couple of clicks.

Have the installer go through all the channels you are subscribed for to make sure the channel mappings are correct. If you have the optical audio out interface connected to a 5.1 channel receiver, see (listen for) if you get Dolby Digital sound output on your HD channels.

I believe Cox uses the Motorola CableCARD where my CATV provider: Time Warner has Scientific Atlanta.

good call, will do. Any troubleshooting tips though? everyone seems to have issues with their installs, I assume it's due to the new technology and limited training and experience these guys get.

mscappa

07-15-05, 08:43 PM

Okay, once in the service menu, then what? it's all jibber jabber to me! HELP! :confused:

D-Nice

07-15-05, 08:49 PM

good call, will do. Any troubleshooting tips though? everyone seems to have issues with their installs, I assume it's due to the new technology and limited training and experience these guys get.

When the cable installer comes, lock the door behind him, grab your shotgun and advise him he will not leave until it is working.

BruZZi

07-15-05, 09:19 PM

Okay, once in the service menu, then what? it's all jibber jabber to me! HELP! :confused:

Try this:

http://www.glaucobruzzi.com/plasma-faq/showpost.php?p=132&postcount=1 (http://www.glaucobruzzi.com/plasma-faq/showpost.php?p=132&postcount=1)

.
Check Out the all-new BruZZi's Panasonic Plasma FAQ (http://www.glaucobruzzi.com/plasma-faq/index.php?)
Links to Plasma Stands, Wallmounts, Murals, Lifts, Speakers, Frames, Bezels & Motorized Artwork.
Also links to Audio/Video/Computer Faqs, Comparisons, News, Reviews, Shootouts, Tutorials, Tweaks and Many More.

BruZZi

07-15-05, 09:24 PM

If anyone (Bruzzi?) has info on the meaning of the PICTUER, PICTUER2, AGC-ADJ1 and AGC-ADJ2 settings, it would be most helpful to the community.

BobStern, I don't know yet the meaning of those settings and how to adjust overscan. ;(
I wish I could get a good (cheap ;) ) price for the TH-50PX500U so I could play with the service menu. The street prices still too high for my taste.

.
Check Out the all-new BruZZi's Panasonic Plasma FAQ (http://www.glaucobruzzi.com/plasma-faq/index.php?)
Links to Plasma Stands, Wallmounts, Murals, Lifts, Speakers, Frames, Bezels & Motorized Artwork.
Also links to Audio/Video/Computer Faqs, Comparisons, News, Reviews, Shootouts, Tutorials, Tweaks and Many More.

BobStern

07-15-05, 09:29 PM

BobStern, thanks for springing for the service manual! Although, it doesn't seem like much of a manual without a detailed explanation of each adjustment. Did you see *anything* that hinted at the ability to change overscan, vert/horiz image size, or image position?

I listed every single setting in the Picture (PCT-ADJ) menu. There are no others. Nothing else in the manual indicates that adjusting overscan or position is possible.

The Options menu (separate from the Picture menu) has some obscurely named settings that I don't understand: OPT00, POF-SET, EMGCY.

Panasonic could not use these obscure acronyms without defining them somewhere, probably in a "general" service manual that applies to all Panasonic TV's. Perhaps the legend at the top of the main service menu, INTERCAT2001, designates the general manual that explains the acronyms. I hope someone can help with this.

mscappa

07-15-05, 09:39 PM

Try this:

http://www.glaucobruzzi.com/plasma-faq/showpost.php?p=132&postcount=1 (http://www.glaucobruzzi.com/plasma-faq/showpost.php?p=132&postcount=1)

.
Check Out the all-new BruZZi's Panasonic Plasma FAQ (http://www.glaucobruzzi.com/plasma-faq/index.php?)
Links to Plasma Stands, Wallmounts, Murals, Lifts, Speakers, Frames, Bezels & Motorized Artwork.
Also links to Audio/Video/Computer Faqs, Comparisons, News, Reviews, Shootouts, Tutorials, Tweaks and Many More.

i got a:
"Time: 33 Count: 40"

Which one is it?

BruZZi

07-15-05, 09:43 PM

i got a:
"Time: 33 Count: 40"

Which one is it?

TIME = The Hours Used.
COUNT = How many times the Plasma was powered on

:)

Going to update the FAQ with that info. :)

.
Check Out the all-new BruZZi's Panasonic Plasma FAQ (http://www.glaucobruzzi.com/plasma-faq/index.php?)
Links to Plasma Stands, Wallmounts, Murals, Lifts, Speakers, Frames, Bezels & Motorized Artwork.
Also links to Audio/Video/Computer Faqs, Comparisons, News, Reviews, Shootouts, Tutorials, Tweaks and Many More.

mscappa

07-15-05, 09:57 PM

TIME = The Hours Used.
COUNT = How many times the Plasma was powered on

:)

Going to update the FAQ with that info. :)

.
Check Out the all-new BruZZi's Panasonic Plasma FAQ (http://www.glaucobruzzi.com/plasma-faq/index.php?)
Links to Plasma Stands, Wallmounts, Murals, Lifts, Speakers, Frames, Bezels & Motorized Artwork.
Also links to Audio/Video/Computer Faqs, Comparisons, News, Reviews, Shootouts, Tutorials, Tweaks and Many More.

thanks bruzzi!

cammy

07-16-05, 03:42 AM

nice to have read this after i left voice mails and several emails with no replies inquiring about the 37px50U model several weeks before I pulled the trigger and decided to go else where with my business and couldn't be happier ;)

Glad to hear you are happy with your plasma! It is common that someone products available before we d0, and we have said the same about some of our products also. We have not had pricing up until now or even an ETA until its in stock most of the time, with occassional heads up of a few days or a week if we are lucky. We apologize that you were not able to reach anyone here, but are glad to hear that you were pleased with your purchasing decision. We did have a preorder option in place for a few people that were interested on going that route of reserving the model when its to become into stock..but its in stock now, which that is no longer needed...Speaking on the "preorder" side of things, there might be a slight delay on getting back to people around this time since the samsungs 1080P preorders are in stock with high volumes of calls and chats during weekdays. I will have time this weekend to respond to anyones email inquiries on this model and answer any questions you might have.

As for the people that are emailing me are getting a sweet suprise ;) in their email accounts that is ONLY for those that inquire due to high demand on this TH-50PX500U model, and a limited time only while supplies last....

Regards,
Cambryn Courson
cambryn@tvauthority.com
x520

DarrenK

07-16-05, 01:51 PM

For those of you who want the 42PD50U, OneCall has them for a low price with shipping included. I think it is this weekend only.

Darren

sony4all

07-16-05, 02:57 PM

How do i get into the service menu of the new px50u. and does anyone have the list of what the codes mean. specificly the white balance codes

thanks
aj

Number_6

07-16-05, 03:32 PM

If anyone has a 42PD50U and is willing to run a little experiment for me, I'd really appreciate it. I'm seeing something odd on progressive component input (using a progressive DVD player, Sony NS50P). When the TV recieves a progressive component signal from the DVD, and Video Noise Reduction is set to "on" in the TV menu, a dark horizontal band about 1 centimeter high appears on the very bottom of the screen. The image is still there, it's just that the colors within the band are shifted slightly darker, like a watermark. It's visible in scenes of dark grays or dark blues (like moonlight or twilight). In bright scenes the band is washed out, in black scenes it's lost in the darkness. The band is fixed in position (does not move at all). The dark band is not present in interlaced component mode, but I have a different problem with interlaced mode. The dark band immediately vanishes when I turn off Video NR. Unfortunately Video NR is handy to clean up the image on some poor quality DVDs.

If anyone with a PD50U and a progressive DVD player connected by component is willing to experiment, I'd appreciate it if you could see if using Video NR on a component input (progressive DVD) causes any banding or brightness shifts at the bottom of your screen. This effect is on 1.85 anamorphic DVDs...probably won't be visible on 2.35 because the black bars will absorb it. You may need to view several scenes, as the effect is only noticeable in darker (but not black) scenes. I just want to know if this is something that affects all these units, or only mine. Thanks!

JesseRJ

07-16-05, 04:08 PM

I visited J&R this morning and finally got to see this new plasma. We (my wife came with me) feel that it has an excellent clear and sharp picture. The blacks were quite good compared to other plasmas. I hope my long search for a new TV is at an end. I know some of you will find fault with this plasma but we must make up our own minds in the long run. I wonder if the price will come down or should I just purchase it after searching for about a year.

BruZZi

07-16-05, 04:16 PM

How do i get into the service menu of the new px50u.
http://www.glaucobruzzi.com/plasma-faq/showpost.php?p=31&postcount=1 (http://www.glaucobruzzi.com/plasma-faq/showpost.php?p=31&postcount=1)

and does anyone have the list of what the codes mean. specificly the white balance codes

thanks
aj

Not yet. :(

.
Check Out the all-new BruZZi's Panasonic Plasma FAQ (http://www.glaucobruzzi.com/plasma-faq/index.php?)
Links to Plasma Stands, Wallmounts, Murals, Lifts, Speakers, Frames, Bezels & Motorized Artwork.
Also links to Audio/Video/Computer Faqs, Comparisons, News, Reviews, Shootouts, Tutorials, Tweaks and Many More.

Chilly Willy

07-16-05, 06:04 PM

Nobody has any thoughts on lack of 2:3 pulldown or only 1 HDMI on the 50px500u? I asked about this stuff a couple days ago. I don't know where I can get any comments on this if not here. Thanks.

cmonsammy

07-16-05, 07:05 PM

Nobody has any thoughts on lack of 2:3 pulldown or only 1 HDMI on the 50px500u? I asked about this stuff a couple days ago. I don't know where I can get any comments on this if not here. Thanks.

Where did you get the impression there is no 3:2 pulldown on the 50PX500? The description I've seen of the 42" unit at OneCall state that the feature is included...however I can't find mention of it on the Panasonic website or in the user manual, so OneCall's info is probably incorrect.

As for 1 HDMI, it's not an issue for me. I plan to use CableCard, so the HDMI port will be available for an upscaling or HD DVD player. If you find you need more ports, you can wait for the commercial version later this year, that usually has more configuration flexibility, or you can buy a splitter...or, of course, a different brand TV.

drivie

07-16-05, 08:42 PM

Nobody has any thoughts on lack of 2:3 pulldown or only 1 HDMI on the 50px500u? I asked about this stuff a couple days ago. I don't know where I can get any comments on this if not here. Thanks.

I'm not too concerned about 3:2 pulldown as many DVD players support this feature even if the plasma doesn't.

I feel that Panasonic was remiss to leave out a second HDMI port on their top-of-line Viera plasma...I mean how much could another port have cost realistically? With HD-DVD/Blu-ray on the way and many STBs that already support HDMI, it's ridiculous to put only one port on the newest models. This is especially true when you consider that if you plug in an upconverting player or HD-DVD/Blu-ray to a new display, chances are, you will have to use the HDMI input in order to view the high-res content due to DRM (HDCP)!

I've considered purchasing another brand of plasma or a Samsung DLP based on this fact alone. The problem is that when I compare PQ in the stores, I keep coming back to the Panasonic.

The other day I mentioned the lack of a second HDMI port on the new Panasonic 500 series and a sales person told me that Panasonic is only including a single HDMI port on their plasmas because HDMI-switching receivers are out. My response was, "yeah, if you want to spend $1500+ on a brand new receiver but where does that leave the other 90% of the general public".

Drivie

RichB

07-16-05, 10:12 PM

drivie,

If you buy a 7UY you can install two HDMI boards.

-- Rich

PerryU

07-16-05, 10:13 PM

...and if they really felt everybody will use an HDMI-switching receiver all the time, why bother including speakers?

Kevin C Brown

07-17-05, 02:18 AM

If the Panny's don't include 3:2 pulldown, then how do they display 480i SD TV? Simple line doubling? I have also seen posted *somewhere* they they don't include this feature. But plasmas by nature are progessive. So there is *some* sort of conversion going on...

PerryU

07-17-05, 10:59 AM

3:2 pulldown is not needed to convert NTSC (aka 480i) to progressive; that's simple line doubling, because NTSC consists of 30 frames / 60 fields per second. 3:2 is to reproduce more accurately material that was originally film (24 frames/second) and telecined to NTSC. Most (all?) progressive DVD players already do this, so the issue is broadcast film material, including (I think) early TV shows.

Here's (http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_7_4/dvd-benchmark-part-5-progressive-10-2000.html) a really good explanation of 3:2 pulldown; you need to scroll down to the grey area (it's kind of a sidebar to the article).

Cheers... Perry.

Macfan424

07-17-05, 11:35 AM

The question of 3:2 pulldown on Panasonics has long been a subject of debate. They never seem to mention it in their specs. Some reviewers criticize them for not having it; other praise how well it works! If its existence that hard to verify, it makes me wonder how important it is in the real (as opposed to theoretical) world.

I read somewhere that there was a rather hefty royalty involved with using HDMI connections. While that doesn't make a lot of sense to me, if true it would explain why so few HDTVs include a second HDMI terminal and why HDMI switchers are so ridiculously expensive.

optivity

07-17-05, 11:40 AM

If a DVD player includes 3:2 (2:3?) progressive scan processing... doesn't it become a redundant (i.e. unnecessary) feature for a PDP to do the same thing?

PerryU

07-17-05, 12:28 PM

Kevin C Brown

07-17-05, 05:03 PM

Perry- Thanks!

optivity

07-17-05, 07:12 PM

...the issue is broadcast film material, including (I think) early TV shows.
;)

edit: I shouldn't sound so smug, as I'm not entirely sure what I'm talking about here; that's just the impression I've gotten from others.I get your point... and you're not being smug... "Pith" noted... ;)

even Optivity doesn't know everything...

BTW… I’m a Molson Golden Ale drinker… :)

OhBoy!

07-17-05, 09:05 PM

Oh Boy... I took the plunge today. Should be receiving a new 50u in the morning. I was vacillating like crazy when going to vendor web sites and coming within millimeters of clicking on the "Buy Now" button... ("Will they screw up my order? Will it arrive intact? Will they call me back to tell me it is on back order? Will they send a refurbished unit versus new? Will the manual and warranty be in English?! And what if I have to return it?!! ... and pay that restocking fee?!!!"). So, today my wife and I went out with no intention of buying anything (isn't that how it always goes?), and ended up at a local Best Buy. The clincher came when the sales guy noticed we were looking at digital cameras... he wandered over (and this was after I talked price with him on the panny 50u, and said I'd think about it - knowing I'd still probably be ordering online). So, knowing that making "the wife" happy is often a deal maker, he offered to throw in the Nikon 5.1 mp Coolpix S1 my wife has been wanting. Plus, knocked $500 off the TV, and $50 off the Sanus tilt wall mount I wanted. E-gad. I couldn't resist. So - all this stuff and tax (and delivery tomorrow) for under $4800. I figured the tax offset the shipping charge that I would have paid for an online purchase. And I'll get it tomorrow morning. Still - I could have saved some money by ordering online. But, now my wife is happy too - so that is worth a LOT. Hehe. I'll probably post tomorrow when I hook it all up and the picture is blank. Hehe. (Hope not!).

Thanks to everyone for the great tips and links and all. I plan on following the new PDP suggestions for the first 100 hrs of use. And, I'll be ordering an AVIA disc to run the calibration tests on it. Will be mounting on a brick wall with the Sanus tilt mount. Anyone ever run into any problems with brick and supporting 100 lbs?

Also wanted to say that for me, the difference between 50u and 500u (after MUCH consideration) ended up being not enough to push me into the 500u. I don't need the better sound since I'll be using surround sound for "serious watching." And the PC connectivity and memory card reading isn't an issue. The main criteria remained the 8th gen display, and basic features common to both units. I can't wait to pop in a DVD and sit back and enjoy...