Thanks...the store was trying to add a $180 "installation" fee by claiming that the stand was difficult to put together and that their guys were the best able to seat the plasma in the stand. I knew he was full of it but I wanted to make sure that my handyman and I could put it together.The pedestal stand is easy to assemble but requires two men... or one LisaM & her "handyman..." be careful though, so your Panny doesn't wind up like this :eek:

http://mysite.verizon.net/vzequg9f/deathOfaPanny.bmp

The pedestal stand is easy to assemble but requires two men... or one LisaM & her "handyman..." be careful though, so your Panny doesn't wind up like this :eek:

http://mysite.verizon.net/vzequg9f/deathOfaPanny.bmp

OOOOUCH !!!!!!

...or perhaps 2 handymen while I watch the process!

That is really a sad picture!

Do any of the listed Panasonic panels have discrete IR commands for power control and input select?

I am likely going to buy the 42PX50U within the next two weeks. Question for those who have it: how difficult is it to attach the plasma to the stand? The salesman in a local B&M store was making a big to-do about it and stressed that it was important for his installation people to do it (at a ridiculous price, of course). Just curious whether two very handy people could easily handle the job?

He is a lying bastard, a 2 year old can do it.....providing the 2 year old can lift 80lbs.

Do any of the listed Panasonic panels have discrete IR commands for power control and input select?

Yes for power, no for input. Though if your remote does macros, you can simulate discrete input by using input and the corresponding input number.

HLDR posted earlier,

I have a 50px50u with digital cable service - no cable card - my cable co doesnt support it. They also wont give me a second hd box for this set (dont ask). So im trying to get my hd locals on my own via cable - antennae is out of the question. When i hook up the coax line directly to the back of the set and do the channel scan (analogue and digital) it zips through the analogue part then starts the digital scan. The digital part takes awhile (4-5mins) and as the progress bar fills it suddunly stops -at about 85%- before the progress bar finishes. The result is that it finds a boat load of music channels + some digital cable channels (toon disney, and cinnemax thriller) + some other blank channels w/o audio or video (I assume these are scrambled).

Here is the problem -- it also almost always finds pbd-hd and once i got it to find abc and nbc-hd. It has never found fox-hd. My hd locals are really all im concerned about getting, but i cant recapture nbc,abc,pbs and fox (never have gotton fox and only abc+nbc once) simultaniously.

I see that several others here have had issues with what seems to be a much-less-than robust QAM tuner.

I just bought a 50PX50U and set it up this weekend. Same trouble as the others...It has taken repeated auto channel set-ups to get any of the local HD channels from unscrambled cable. First time out of the box, it didn't find any. Next scan, it found only two (ABC afflilate and WGN). Today, after another scan, ABC mysteriously disappeared, and only WGN remained. I thought maybe it can only pick them up when these stations are actually broadcasting HD content, but that's not true, because WGN keeps getting "found" even when broadcasting SD.

Is it possible that Panasonic is currently shipping a $4,000 TV with a bum QAM tuner?? If there is a technical person in the house, or a Panasonic person, please let us know what we may be doing wrong.

...or perhaps 2 handymen while I watch the process!

That is really a sad picture!Is this what you think of us? A bunch of "handymen" ready to serve your PDP installation needs? :D

The 6" or 8" setback imposed by the duckfoot stand is (along with the QAM tuner issue) the only disappointment. [/QUOTE]Along with the inability to stretch/zoom 720p/1080i.The out-of-the-box color is great. My wife and the kids rented Wizard of Oz, and for some reason, when playing the disc the picture switched itself to VIVID mode and my wife thought, gosh, this color is AWFUL as Emerald city strobed at her. Later she saw it in Cinema mode and said, "Whew!" Everything else looks fine, although I agree, green push is prominent (as noted on today's NFL on FOX game, which I could NOT get in HD!!!)I prefer Standard mode. Once you start watching the TV... you'll quickly forget about any of it's shortcomings. The Giants/Eagles game with Dolby Digital 5.1 sound was "awesome" yesterday. yes, I'm back on their "bandwagon" again... :)

Do any of the listed Panasonic panels have discrete IR commands for power control and input select?
I have the 50PX500 and a Harmony remote. I was able to find the TV on the Harmony website and they have discretes listed for all the functions you asked about.

I would say another weakness of the 50PX50U is it's internal handling of 720p signals. I've been convinced that ESPN-HD and ABC's MNF were off in PQ this year (this is my first football season with the 50PX50U). They are both broadcast in 720p. FOX is too but I'll leave them out 'cause their PQ is sub-HD this year and was last year as well. Anyway, I recently purchased a newer HD STB through D*(H10) and I now have a significantly improved PQ from ESPN-HD. This is with everything sent to the Panny 1080i via the STB. I guess both my older STB's weren't doing a very good job of scaling 720p signals to 1080i. I'll get back to you on MNF tonight.

If the Panny handled a 720p signal well, it shouldn't matter what you feed it. This was the case with my prior Sony lcd rptv (couldn't see a difference).
I've even considered an outboard scaler to convert everything to 1080i but I just can't seem to justify the cost.

I have the 50PX500 and a Harmony remote. I was able to find the TV on the Harmony website and they have discretes listed for all the functions you asked about.

Thank you kindly.

I would say another weakness of the 50PX50U is it's internal handling of 720p signals. I've been convinced that ESPN-HD and ABC's MNF were off in PQ this year (this is my first football season with the 50PX50U). They are both broadcast in 720p. FOX is too but I'll leave them out 'cause their PQ is sub-HD this year and was last year as well. Anyway, I recently purchased a newer HD STB through D*(H10) and I now have a significantly improved PQ from ESPN-HD. This is with everything sent to the Panny 1080i via the STB. I guess both my older STB's weren't doing a very good job of scaling 720p signals to 1080i. I'll get back to you on MNF tonight.

If the Panny handled a 720p signal well, it shouldn't matter what you feed it. This was the case with my prior Sony lcd rptv (couldn't see a difference).
I've even considered an outboard scaler to convert everything to 1080i but I just can't seem to justify the cost.Not with a CableCARD. With CATV, a CableCARD delivers the purist digital signal to a DCR PDP. With CableCARD my 50PX50U scales correctly to 480i/480p/720p/1080i. ;)

But, IMO... 1080i broadcasts look better than 720p anyway.

Not with a CableCARD. With CATV, a CableCARD delivers the purist digital signal to a DCR PDP. With CableCARD my 50PX50U scales correctly to 480i/480p/720p/1080i. ;)

But, IMO... 1080i broadcasts look better than 720p anyway.

You can't switch resolutions with CC so how could you know? It could be that converting everything to 1080i through CC to the display would be even better.

Properly done, the best 720p football can be arguably superior to 1080i in that pixellation with movement is almost non-existent. I had felt they were more or less equivalent up until now and probably would have given the edge to 720p MNF if I had to pick. This is exactly the point I've been trying to make.

Last night 720p football via ESPN (converted to 1080i via the D* H10) looked for the first time like I remember it looking with my Sony rp-lcd.

When playing a DVD through HDMI, I hear a loud popping sound from the 42PX50 speakers when the TV audio HDMI setting is set to AUTO. If I set the audio to Analog, the sound disappears. Is there something wrong with the TV?

You can't switch resolutions with CC so how could you know? It could be that converting everything to 1080i through CC to the display would be even better.

Properly done, the best 720p football can be arguably superior to 1080i in that pixellation with movement is almost non-existent. I had felt they were more or less equivalent up until now and probably would have given the edge to 720p MNF if I had to pick. This is exactly the point I've been trying to make.

Last night 720p football via ESPN (converted to 1080i via the D* H10) looked for the first time like I remember it looking with my Sony rp-lcd.I'm not sure how the PDP scales... but selecting the "recall" button will display the incoming signal: 480i/720p/1080i

...
Is it possible that Panasonic is currently shipping a $4,000 TV with a bum QAM tuner?? If there is a technical person in the house, or a Panasonic person, please let us know what we may be doing wrong.

I don't think we're doing anything wrong, lots of people have reported this. My set does things that in no way could be operator error (like a channel in the channel listing with no channel number and that can't be turned on).

I have a service call going on this. When I showed the service engineer what my set does, he agreed there are problems. No resolution yet, though.

FWIW (not much), I think whoever developed the QAM tuner logic didn't anticipate how cable operators would organize subchannels. For example, they put unrelated, full-HD signals in sequential subchannels. OTA channel/subchannel organization is more regimented, I think, and I bet they made some assumptions based on that.

When playing a DVD through HDMI, I hear a loud popping sound from the 42PX50 speakers when the TV audio HDMI setting is set to AUTO. If I set the audio to Analog, the sound disappears. Is there something wrong with the TV?

Try setting your DVD player to output PCM instead of Dolby Digital.

i just pre-ordered a 42px50u... 6-8 weeks delivery time from TV Authority. This doesn't bother me, becuase the price is so ridiculously low, and they are a forum sponser. The question is... how wide of a stand do i need to put this thing on?

Another question is, have any of you bought any of the wall mounts off ebay? 2-300 dollars seems expensive for two pieces of metal that slide together. All i want is a flat-mount.

i just pre-ordered a 42px50u... 6-8 weeks delivery time from TV Authority. This doesn't bother me, becuase the price is so ridiculously low, and they are a forum sponser. The question is... how wide of a stand do i need to put this thing on?The included pedestal stand is a little over 32" wide at the widest point and i think a little over 12" deep front to back.

I have been wondering where the speakers were in the 50px500u. WOW, amazing at least the two tweeters seem to be in the middle of the side frame. But where are the woofers?

Also, is there a post that gives some suggested settings?

Well, I guess we have westa6969's review of his Panasonic PX500...

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=605995

:)

Well, I guess we have westa6969's review of his Panasonic PX500...

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=605995

:)

OUCH!

I'm glad that I normally watch my PDP at night. :)

Sears no longer shows the 50PX50U on their website either.

It can't be ordered on Panasonic's web site either.

Does anybody know if Panasonic will be reducing the price on the PX500 series anytime soon. I know they already reduced it by $500, though you think they'll do it again.

Thanks,

Victor

Hi all,

I just purchased the Panny 50px50u. I have been trying to read what I should set it to for the initial 100 hours. I know I should turn down the contrast and brightness but don't know what to turn it to. Can someone please give me a recommendation? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Anna

Wal-Mart is doing price matching this friday, but I see that they pulled the Panasonic PX50. Wonder why.

Walmart sells the PX50? That's surprising news...

What are the dimensions of the 42px500 glass? I understand it's 42" diagonally but I'm looking for L x W of the glass only. I also understand it's a 16:9 aspect ratio and I'm racking my brain trying to think of some formula to use (I should have paid more attention in Geometrey) :)
Thanks,
Louie

Figured it out (I think) thanks to the Pythagorean Theorem... My approximate calulations are 36.5" x 21". Can someone confirm this?
Thanks again!

What are the dimensions of the 42px500 glass? I understand it's 42" diagonally but I'm looking for L x W of the glass only.
36-7/32" wide x 20-25/64 high (according to the manual...)

Hi all,

I just purchased the Panny 50px50u. I have been trying to read what I should set it to for the initial 100 hours. I know I should turn down the contrast and brightness but don't know what to turn it to. Can someone please give me a recommendation? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
AnnaRead these:

"Plasma Facts and Myths Panasonic Presents Advice From the Video Purist Perspective" (http://www.fcw.com/vendorsolutions/panasonicplasma.pdf#search='panasonic%20plasma%20white%20pap er')

"Myth busting - Just the Facts on Plasma TV Performance" (http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pio/pe/images/portal/cit_3424/273087528Pioneer%20DTV%20White%20Paper%20-%20FINAL.pdf)

I have a similar problem. I also tried an LG tuner and Samsung tuner, and they found my missing channels as 92-1 92-X & 93-1, 93-X. My Panny tuner on scan finds nothing. I have come to the conclusion that this is a very serious defect with the Panny QAM tuner. Tried everything in the book, amplifiers, attenuators, no splitters but nothing worked.

I am sorry that I squandered my 7 day money back period from my retailer, as I am now stuck with a turkey that forces me to go to a cable card. None has reported this problem with other brands, but all the complaints are from Panasonic units.

I have a PX50U with what sounds like the same problem. I have a rooftop antenna which gives great signal strength on my local Detroit stations. One channel 62-1, sometimes is picked up on program scan, and when it does it is 85% strength. Then the next day, the station is GONE, 0% strength. Sometimes doing a program scan will bring it back, and when it does it is always a strong signal. The station is the same distance and direction, exactly, to other Detroit stations that ar 85%+. I think there is a problem here too.

Can somebody tell me the length of the power cord of the PX50Us?

6ft

I got the below text from Bruzzi's site on how to access the service menu... However, I have been unsuccessful at bringing it up. The salesman said I should be doing it with the power off, but that didn't work. Even with the TV powered on it still didn't come up. Can anyone offer suggestions/advice to help me out?
Thanks!

Hold Down the VOLUME - (minus) button ON THE PLASMA (Not The Remote)

Then press the "RECALL" button on the Remote Control 3 times in a row (within 2 seconds).


Switch off the power (Using the remote or the plasma button) to exit the service menu.

I got the below text from Bruzzi's site on how to access the service menu... However, I have been unsuccessful at bringing it up. The salesman said I should be doing it with the power off, but that didn't work. Even with the TV powered on it still didn't come up. Can anyone offer suggestions/advice to help me out?
Thanks!

Hold Down the VOLUME - (minus) button ON THE PLASMA (Not The Remote)

Then press the "RECALL" button on the Remote Control 3 times in a row (within 2 seconds).


Switch off the power (Using the remote or the plasma button) to exit the service menu.
That is the right procedure for the PD50 and PX50. Be careful that your hand on the volume - button is not blocking the remote IR receiver and you are pointing the remote directly at the receiver. At that distance, the remote has a very tight reception angle.

6ft

Thanks, oz.

That is the right procedure for the PD50 and PX50. Be careful that your hand on the volume - button is not blocking the remote IR receiver and you are pointing the remote directly at the receiver. At that distance, the remote has a very tight reception angle.

I forgot to mention I have a 42px500, and it appears this is the same procedure as well... But should the PDP on or off when trying to get into the menu?
Thanks,
Louie

Please Help - w/ HDTV newbie question:

I have 50PX50U hooked to SA 8300 HD via HDMI - works great!
My only issue - I can not get any sound with DVD Player.
I get video on both sources but no sound.
I have tried both RCA and Component for the DVD with no success.
(My DVD worked fine on onld TV)
With RCA connected I get blank screen.
With Component Video connected I get video with no sound.

Do I have a new TV with bad audio inputs or is there an issue with the way I have wired?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Brandon

You do know that the Component cables are video-only, right? You have to hook up both the component cables to the TV and either RCA or Digital cable to carry the sound to the TV or AV receiver. In other words, the 3 component cables replace the one yellow cable of the old composite standard, but you still need the red and black audio RCAs.

The DVD Player should have Component Out (red, blue, and green jacks) as well as Audio Out (red and white jacks together). These correspond with the two Component inputs on your PX50U so just connect these 5 cables to the matching inputs on the TV then switch the TV to that input to watch and hear your DVD player. Make sure your TV's speakers aren't set to OFF in the menu.

Thanks for the prompt advice!!

Here are all my current connections:
TV: HMDI In - TO: SA 8300 HD Out
TV: Audio In To: SA 8300 HD Out
TV: Cable Out To: SA 8300 In
TV: Component In 1: To: DVD: Component Out
TV: Component In 2 Pluged but Open
TV: RCA IN DVD: RCA Out
TV: Audio Out Reciever: Sony Pro Logic Year 94
TV: RCA In TO: Digital Cam Out
TV: S video In TO: Camcorder Out

DVD Audio was not an issue via RCA connection until I hooked up the HDMI cable from Triangle Cables. I currently get no audio except on the HDMI source which is very crisp.
TV Speakers are on - There is a setting on the Panny: Audio Menu: Other Adjustment that has HDMI selected and can not be changed.

Perhaps if I could change this setting somehow it would work?

Any thoughts, Please?

Best regards,
Brandon

Buying a 42" Panasonic Th42PM50U. Anyone--how high is the box as I need to know if my 38" clearance on my Sequoia tailgate will allow me to pick it up at Costco?

Thanks

Here are all my current connections:
TV: HMDI In - TO: SA 8300 HD Out
TV: Audio In To: SA 8300 HD Out
TV: Cable Out To: SA 8300 In
TV: Component In 1: To: DVD: Component Out
TV: Component In 2 Pluged but Open
TV: RCA IN DVD: RCA Out
TV: Audio Out Reciever: Sony Pro Logic Year 94
TV: RCA In TO: Digital Cam Out
TV: S video In TO: Camcorder Out

DVD Audio was not an issue via RCA connection until I hooked up the HDMI cable from Triangle Cables. I currently get no audio except on the HDMI source which is very crisp.
TV Speakers are on - There is a setting on the Panny: Audio Menu: Other Adjustment that has HDMI selected and can not be changed.
Best regards,
Brandon
I'm not sure I understand this list, but it seems like the DVD video out (component) and the DVD audio out (RCA) are connected to different inputs on the TV. Could you list the actual TV input connection numbers for these? Do you have DVD video out connected to Component 1 and DVD audio out connected to Composite 1?

Buying a 42" Panasonic Th42PM50U. Anyone--how high is the box as I need to know if my 38" clearance on my Sequoia tailgate will allow me to pick it up at Costco?

Thanks

From the Bruzzi FAQ

50.00" (W)....x....37.00" (H)....x....21.00" (D)

should be good!

TH-42PM50U

White line flickering at top of screen on some channels, and pixelation at top of screen on some others.

Seems to be normal from what I read in the thread and related to underscan and poor formating from the channel provider.

My question is if I return this one to Costco and get another, will it be the same way?

I have a Panasonic TH-42PD25UP in the den and it does not have this issue.

Just for kicks I took the HD cable box from the den and did a swap and it is the same.


Thoughts?

Has anyone else had this problem? This is my second Panny. My first was a 34" RP CRT. The one I have now is the TH-42PD50U EDTV. Both have the exact same issue.

In a wider movie (2:35:1) like Lord of the Rings, right along the line where it goes from the image to the black letterbox bar, colors will appear. They're usually white or green. It's a thin line of color that isn't part of the movie. You won't see it if there's a dark sky toward the top of the screen, but if the image is light -- especially if someone's hair, or a sunset hits the top of the screen -- you'll get a green or white line there that doesn't belong.

This line of color ended up burning into my 34" CRT (I watch a large amount of movies, usually in the 2:35:1 ratio). The tech guy told me it was normal to have that line of color, and said he sees it "quite a bit" on Panasonics. But I thought this was a CRT problem. Now I have a plasma and it's doing the exact same thing.

Odder yet, I have changed inputs from the Component I was using on the CRT to an HDMI input on the Plasma. I've also changed DVD players since it happened on my RP CRT. So that pretty much eliminates the DVD player or inputs as the factor.

Is this just something I should get used to? Is it fairly normal with Panasonic HD/ED? Could someone check their TV and let me know if they see this (just keep looking at the top and bottom of the letterbox)?

I really hope someone knows what I'm trying to describe. Imagine a scene in a move, any movie, where a character is in a dark room. But his hair is blonde. Above the blonde hair there will be this green line.

Another example would be to imagine a dark night sky. The sun is setting at the top of the screen. Above the sun is a fairly bright white line. A great place to see this effect is at the beginning of Return of the Jedi when R2 and 3PO are walking to Jabba's palace. The blue sky really brings out the colored lines.

These aren't thick lines. They are sort of there with the letterbox line. Not any thicker than a cut from a razor blade. They're fairly even and they're always right where the film ends and the black bars begin.

I'm sorry I'm doing such a poor job describing this. If anyone could help, I would really appreciate it. The support guys do see it, but they don't know how to fix it. I've been told 3 times now that there isn't a fix and twice that it's "normal."

The rest of the picture looks great. It's just those lines. I really hoped to escape them with this new TV. I've tried a million changes in contrast, sharpness and brightness, but to no avail.

Thanks for any help or advice you can provide.

TH-42PM50U

White line flickering at top of screen on some channels, and pixelation at top of screen on some others.

Thoughts?

Does the white light flicker at all during DVD movies (letterbox)? If you're watching a movie that has the black bars, do you see the white line? I get white and green lines (very thin horizontal line -- is that like yours?) during all letterbox movies on my TH-42PD50U. This also happened on my 34" RP CRT Panasonic. I've had to people tell me it's "normal," but I've also had a lot of people say they never noticed it until they saw my TV. Your description is the closest to the problem I've been having. If you get the chance, pop in a 2:35:1 aspect ratio film and report back to us about whether or not you get the thin white and green lines (right where the movie stops and the black letterbox bars begin) there, too.

Has anyone else had this problem? This is my second Panny. My first was a 34" RP CRT. The one I have now is the TH-42PD50U EDTV. Both have the exact same issue.

In a wider movie (2:35:1) like Lord of the Rings, right along the line where it goes from the image to the black letterbox bar, colors will appear. They're usually white or green. It's a thin line of color that isn't part of the movie. You won't see it if there's a dark sky toward the top of the screen, but if the image is light -- especially if someone's hair, or a sunset hits the top of the screen -- you'll get a green or white line there that doesn't belong.

This line of color ended up burning into my 34" CRT (I watch a large amount of movies, usually in the 2:35:1 ratio). The tech guy told me it was normal to have that line of color, and said he sees it "quite a bit" on Panasonics. But I thought this was a CRT problem. Now I have a plasma and it's doing the exact same thing.

Odder yet, I have changed inputs from the Component I was using on the CRT to an HDMI input on the Plasma. I've also changed DVD players since it happened on my RP CRT. So that pretty much eliminates the DVD player or inputs as the factor.

Is this just something I should get used to? Is it fairly normal with Panasonic HD/ED? Could someone check their TV and let me know if they see this (just keep looking at the top and bottom of the letterbox)?

I really hope someone knows what I'm trying to describe. Imagine a scene in a move, any movie, where a character is in a dark room. But his hair is blonde. Above the blonde hair there will be this green line.

Another example would be to imagine a dark night sky. The sun is setting at the top of the screen. Above the sun is a fairly bright white line. A great place to see this effect is at the beginning of Return of the Jedi when R2 and 3PO are walking to Jabba's palace. The blue sky really brings out the colored lines.

These aren't thick lines. They are sort of there with the letterbox line. Not any thicker than a cut from a razor blade. They're fairly even and they're always right where the film ends and the black bars begin.

I'm sorry I'm doing such a poor job describing this. If anyone could help, I would really appreciate it. The support guys do see it, but they don't know how to fix it. I've been told 3 times now that there isn't a fix and twice that it's "normal."

The rest of the picture looks great. It's just those lines. I really hoped to escape them with this new TV. I've tried a million changes in contrast, sharpness and brightness, but to no avail.

Thanks for any help or advice you can provide.


May not be much help, but I'm not seeing any spurious lines on my TH-37PX50.

Has anyone else had this problem? This is my second Panny. My first was a 34" RP CRT. The one I have now is the TH-42PD50U EDTV. Both have the exact same issue.


Odder yet, I have changed inputs from the Component I was using on the CRT to an HDMI input on the Plasma. I've also changed DVD players since it happened on my RP CRT. So that pretty much eliminates the DVD player or inputs as the factor.




I can't see how this could be a problem with the TV. The image and the letterbox black bars should be generated by your DVD player. Be sure you are properly set up for a 16:9 monitor in the DVD player's menu and the Panny should be set to "full".

You could zoom the image to get rid of the black bar area if you want.

I just ordered this scaler/processor today to use with my 50PX50U. I know, I know, but I've not heard of anyone actually *trying* (and failing) to get this particular model to accept native resolution over HDMI. I had other reasons for getting the processor even if I can't get native to work (access to comprehensive tint/saturation/gamma/grey scale adjustments as well as at worst high quality scaling of everything to 1080i). I'm also planning to try a PC through the processor as well.

Anyway, I'll post back when I have some time with it. I was hoping maybe someone else had some experience/comments to share in the meantime.

I just ordered this scaler/processor today to use with my 50PX50U. I know, I know, but I've not heard of anyone actually *trying* (and failing) to get this particular model to accept native resolution over HDMI. I had other reasons for getting the processor even if I can't get native to work (access to comprehensive tint/saturation/gamma/grey scale adjustments as well as at worst high quality scaling of everything to 1080i). I'm also planning to try a PC through the processor as well.

Anyway, I'll post back when I have some time with it. I was hoping maybe someone else had some experience/comments to share in the meantime.
Definitely post your review of this combo. Plasma owners have not been big on processors. Mostly projector folks. I think the improvements will be marginal since current plasma processors are supposed to be pretty good. I'm hoping for more though! What you definitely will get is much more flexibility of configuration and setup.

Barnacle Bill,

Thank you very much for making me realize my ridiculous and embarrasing hook up error!!!
I hooked up every connection before wall mounting and somehow reversed the composite audio connections. The 50" Panny is wonderful.

Regards,


Brandon

Does the white light flicker at all during DVD movies (letterbox)? If you're watching a movie that has the black bars, do you see the white line? I get white and green lines (very thin horizontal line -- is that like yours?) during all letterbox movies on my TH-42PD50U. This also happened on my 34" RP CRT Panasonic. I've had to people tell me it's "normal," but I've also had a lot of people say they never noticed it until they saw my TV. Your description is the closest to the problem I've been having. If you get the chance, pop in a 2:35:1 aspect ratio film and report back to us about whether or not you get the thin white and green lines (right where the movie stops and the black letterbox bars begin) there, too.

Ok tested with
2.35:1 (8 mile)
1.85:1 (The Concorde: Airport '79)

No lines no flicker

It is only from the cable and only on certain channels and never on true HD content.

http://www.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=10060297&imageID=331218954&Mytoken=8B757E72-430B-4320-9D3D5FB1ECFA3BC51302596906

Has anyone used the TH50PX500u with an HTPC or Mac mini? Does the PC connection seem to work well (and easily)? My Mac PowerBook automatically finds and connects to a Pioneer PDP4304.

Any issues with the Panny? What about overscan?

Thanks in advance...

I got a 42PX50U a couple of weeks ago (thumbnail review : wonderful picture, so-so audio, great value).

This morning I got HD cable from Comcast (with the HD-DVR). I watched a few minutes of MNF in HD - wow !!! But I have a couple of questions about the HD broadcast.

It seems like even with the HD broadcast (ch 707), some portions of the program are non-HD (like the commercials, and some other portions). I found this weird - I expected either the entire show to be in HD or none, not portions HD and portions non-HD. Is this "normal" or "something wrong in my STB/TV interface" ??

Also, I found that some of the so-called HD channels (like 702 etc) show up with black bars on the sides (as though they are really broadcasting in 4:3 not HD). But the "Aspect" button on the TV does NOT work on these channels, which means they are really in 16:9 (doesn't it ?? that's what the TV manual says). The Aspect button works as expected on channels 2, 3, etc - the 4:3 broadcasts can be seen in full/just/4:3/zoom), but the 702/703/etc channel cannot be adjusted with 'Aspect" even though they are not "full screen". Again - is this "normal" or "something funny in my STB/TV interface" ? Also, if this is "normal", does that mean I need to worry about burn-in on the sides if I watch these channels for a long time ??

BTW - the Comcast guys hooked me up with component video instead of HDMI (the STB has an HDMI output but the one they gave me apparently does not have it enabled). They are going to bring me a new STB tomorrow, I don't know if that has anything to do with my questions...

It seems like even with the HD broadcast (ch 707), some portions of the program are non-HD (like the commercials, and some other portions). I found this weird - I expected either the entire show to be in HD or none, not portions HD and portions non-HD. Is this "normal" or "something wrong in my STB/TV interface" ??
This is completely normal. Most commercials are not HD. Also, I understand that not every MNF camera is HD, so it can switch during the game.

Also, I found that some of the so-called HD channels (like 702 etc) show up with black bars on the sides (as though they are really broadcasting in 4:3 not HD). But the "Aspect" button on the TV does NOT work on these channels, which means they are really in 16:9
This is correct and everybody hates it. They are broadcasting an SD 4:3 image padded out to 16:9 with the black bars. The black bars are part of the broadcast, not added by the TV. Since they are broadcasting an HD 16:9 image, you can't change the aspect. I've found Fox the worst for this. Welcome to the world of transitioning from SD to HD. It will be like this for years.

I got a 42PX50U a couple of weeks ago (thumbnail review : wonderful picture, so-so audio, great value).

This morning I got HD cable from Comcast (with the HD-DVR). I watched a few minutes of MNF in HD - wow !!! But I have a couple of questions about the HD broadcast.

It seems like even with the HD broadcast (ch 707), some portions of the program are non-HD (like the commercials, and some other portions). I found this weird - I expected either the entire show to be in HD or none, not portions HD and portions non-HD. Is this "normal" or "something wrong in my STB/TV interface" ??

Also, I found that some of the so-called HD channels (like 702 etc) show up with black bars on the sides (as though they are really broadcasting in 4:3 not HD). But the "Aspect" button on the TV does NOT work on these channels, which means they are really in 16:9 (doesn't it ?? that's what the TV manual says). The Aspect button works as expected on channels 2, 3, etc - the 4:3 broadcasts can be seen in full/just/4:3/zoom), but the 702/703/etc channel cannot be adjusted with 'Aspect" even though they are not "full screen". Again - is this "normal" or "something funny in my STB/TV interface" ? Also, if this is "normal", does that mean I need to worry about burn-in on the sides if I watch these channels for a long time ??

BTW - the Comcast guys hooked me up with component video instead of HDMI (the STB has an HDMI output but the one they gave me apparently does not have it enabled). They are going to bring me a new STB tomorrow, I don't know if that has anything to do with my questions...Some STBs (e.g. SA8300HD-DVR) will provide stretch/zoom capabilities for 720p/1080i signals. While 480i up converted to 720p/1080i isn't real HD, it still looks better than SD. You may prefer to use the component to HDMI connection from the STB --> PDP because many STBs don't do a good job with HDMI. Try both connection interfaces to see which one you like best. A 3m HDMI cable will cost you ~$100. To obtain the best picture... try a ”CableCARD.” (http://www.audioholics.com/techtips/specsformats/CableCARDprimer.php)

Thanks for the clarifications on the HD broadcasts. A couple of comments on the notes below :

1. I was able to buy a 2M HDMI cable for $7.65 from monoprice.com ($17 for a 2M HDMI cable + a 2M 5-RCA component cable + shipping). A 3M cable is not much more ($10 I think).

2. I do 99% of my viewing thru a DVR (time-shifted so I can watch after kids are in bed, and so I can skip commercials). So for my viewing, CableCard (as well as the tuner itself) are basically useless...

I am guessing that next year, the Panasonic model will have a built-in DVR which will work with CableCard-2 & built-in POP, giving me serious envy which my wife will force me to resist :-).


Some STBs (e.g. SA8300HD-DVR) will provide stretch/zoom capabilities for 720p/1080i signals. While 480i up converted to 720p/1080i isn't real HD, it still looks better than SD. You may prefer to use the component to HDMI connection from the STB --> PDP because many STBs don't do a good job with HDMI. Try both connection interfaces to see which one you like best. A 3m HDMI cable will cost you ~$100. To obtain the best picture... try a ”CableCARD.” (http://www.audioholics.com/techtips/specsformats/CableCARDprimer.php)

This line of color ended up burning into my 34" CRT (I watch a large amount of movies, usually in the 2:35:1 ratio). The tech guy told me it was normal to have that line of color, and said he sees it "quite a bit" on Panasonics. But I thought this was a CRT problem. Now I have a plasma and it's doing the exact same thing.
I'm sorry I'm doing such a poor job describing this. If anyone could help, I would really appreciate it. The support guys do see it, but they don't know how to fix it. I've been told 3 times now that there isn't a fix and twice that it's "normal."


barb1978,

This is not normal and whoever is telling you this is normal is smoking crack. I have the PD50U EDTV. The same set as you and i do not have this situation so i know it is not normal. It is either your components, cables, the way you have it set up or just a defective set. Good luck. :)

TH-42PM50U

White line flickering at top of screen on some channels, and pixelation at top of screen on some others.

Seems to be normal from what I read in the thread and related to underscan and poor formating from the channel provider.

My question is if I return this one to Costco and get another, will it be the same way?

I have a Panasonic TH-42PD25UP in the den and it does not have this issue.

Just for kicks I took the HD cable box from the den and did a swap and it is the same.


Thoughts?
Are you using HDMI?, this only happens for me when i use HDMI to my DVR and set at 1080i out,watching say HBO when they output some show's at 4:3, 720p doesnt have this issue.
It is underscan, i have a tech coming by thursday to hopefully correct this problem as the service menu has no under/overscan adjustments, there is a special service remote that can adjust this,but like any adjustment it effects another, so if i widen the top of screen the lower will suffer,unless theres a centering adjustment.
Component does NOT have this problem.
Also i had my PA25 side by side and the 50u shows more underscan as i was watching a fight and you could peoples heads in the crowd that the PA couldnt

Are you using HDMI?, this only happens for me when i use HDMI to my DVR and set at 1080i out,watching say HBO when they output some show's at 4:3, 720p doesnt have this issue.
It is underscan, i have a tech coming by thursday to hopefully correct this problem as the service menu has no under/overscan adjustments, there is a special service remote that can adjust this,but like any adjustment it effects another, so if i widen the top of screen the lower will suffer,unless theres a centering adjustment.
Component does NOT have this problem.
Also i had my PA25 side by side and the 50u shows more underscan as i was watching a fight and you could peoples heads in the crowd that the PA couldnt

Yes

HDMI

1080i fixed out, it is very bad

720p fixed out, it is almost not there at all

Still there via component but much less so, similar to 720p

My 25up is not like this at all, I am afraid this is going to have to go back to Costco.

My second Plasma in as many weeks returned...:(

Below of two of the worst examples using 1080i
http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/4700/img09203ax.th.jpg (http://img221.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img09203ax.jpg)
http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/8941/img09211de.th.jpg (http://img221.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img09211de.jpg)

Yes

HDMI

1080i fixed out, it is very bad

720p fixed out, it is almost not there at all

Still there via component but much less so, similar to 720p

My 25up is not like this at all, I am afraid this is going to have to go back to Costco.

My second Plasma in as many weeks returned...:(

Below of two of the worst examples using 1080i
http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/4700/img09203ax.th.jpg (http://img221.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img09203ax.jpg)
http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/8941/img09211de.th.jpg (http://img221.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img09211de.jpg)

These lines are the closed caption text information. Normally, the display overscans so you do not see this information. If this is an HD stations showing 4x3 they are not properly cropping this information. There is no problem with your panel.

-- Rich

These lines are the closed caption text information. Normally, the display overscans so you do not see this information. If this is an HD stations showing 4x3 they are not properly cropping this information. There is no problem with your panel.

-- Rich

How come my th42pd25up does not do this then?

I am guessing that next year, the Panasonic model will have a built-in DVR which will work with CableCard-2 & built-in POP, giving me serious envy which my wife will force me to resist :-).I'm hoping that some day, in the not too far distant future, there will be 1080p FP displays that support OCAP 2.0 and have dual NTSC/ATSC/QAM tuners. :)

How come my th42pd25up does not do this then?

If the problem only occurs on HD, it is a problem at the station. HD programs do not transmit the CC information in this manner.

Because it is using more overscan so it is hiding the problem.

Can you adjust the vertical size or overscan of the TV?

-- Rich

Comcast came & re-installed my new HD-DVR yesterday (I am in San Jose, now I have an HDMI setup). The DVR is a Motorola 6412 dual-tuner box (I bought a 42PX50U last week).

I know that the TV does not have PIP (I could not afford the extra $$ for the 500U) - but I was under the impression that if the DVR has PIP, I do not need a TV with PIP (I thought I could just get the PIP thru the DVR box). Is this true or false ? (I cannot seem to make the PIP work thru this tuner, even though the remote has PIP).

BTW - on the Comcast website, it says that the Motorola dual-tuner does not support PIP yet, but the Scientific Atlanta dual-tuner does. When I called them last night, I was told the web-site was out of date & that PIP would work with the Motorola box. But I cannot figure out how, so now I am wondering if

1. I am SOL - PIP will never work with the 42px50U OR

2. I should call Comcast back & ask for the SA DVR instead of the Motorola


Help please - and thanks in advance, boy this forum is a wonderful place !!!

How come my th42pd25up does not do this then?

Be glad it's there. Too much overscan softens the image and decreases perceived resolution. I see this on occasion as well with my 50PX50u. I'm seeing it even more now that I've decreased my overscan even further through use of a video processor.
You'd rather have less overscan believe me. As long as you don't have any issues with full screen images I'd leave it alone.

It's not so much a defect as a guage of how much "room for error" the TV manufacturer decides to leave to compensate for variability from different sources. More overscan means less problems like you have but an overall decreased PQ.


The overscan set by the manufacturer can vary with different input resolutions.

Comcast came & re-installed my new HD-DVR yesterday (I am in San Jose, now I have an HDMI setup). The DVR is a Motorola 6412 dual-tuner box (I bought a 42PX50U last week).

I know that the TV does not have PIP (I could not afford the extra $$ for the 500U) - but I was under the impression that if the DVR has PIP, I do not need a TV with PIP (I thought I could just get the PIP thru the DVR box). Is this true or false ? (I cannot seem to make the PIP work thru this tuner, even though the remote has PIP).

BTW - on the Comcast website, it says that the Motorola dual-tuner does not support PIP yet, but the Scientific Atlanta dual-tuner does. When I called them last night, I was told the web-site was out of date & that PIP would work with the Motorola box. But I cannot figure out how, so now I am wondering if

1. I am SOL - PIP will never work with the 42px50U OR

2. I should call Comcast back & ask for the SA DVR instead of the Motorola


Help please - and thanks in advance, boy this forum is a wonderful place !!!Motorola's web site has no mention of any PIP capabilities for their DCT6412, however the Scientific Atlanta SA8300HD-DVR does support PIP.

I'd like to occasionally use this Plasma with a computer, PC or Mac. It has a regular VGA input, I believe.
Has anyone had any problems with this?
The native resolution is 1024x768, that's what the computer output would be.
As this is 4:3, how does it map out to the 16:9 display?
Is is possible to "pillarbox" it, so there is not horizontal distortion?
Thanking anyone for input....

I'd like to occasionally use this Plasma with a computer, PC or Mac. It has a regular VGA input, I believe.
Has anyone had any problems with this?
The native resolution is 1024x768, that's what the computer output would be.
As this is 4:3, how does it map out to the 16:9 display?
Is is possible to "pillarbox" it, so there is not horizontal distortion?
Thanking anyone for input....

Search this thread for "PC". Plenty have, including me. 1024 x 768 is displayed full screen via VGA. No way to display it 4:3. Since that's native res, it looks crystal clear. You will want to crank down color saturation in the SM since color on the PC input isn't adjustable and overblown from the factory. Search for a post by me on this topic in this thread.

When viewing shows that are supposed to be broadcast in 1080i (Tonight Show, Letterman, INHD shows etc...) , my px50u's display bar (hitting recall on the remote) will only show 720p. I'm using a comcast STB with DVR. Is there a setting on the cable box that needs to be adjusted? On the TV? I've been through the menu on the box, but maybe i'm missing something.

Oh yeah, I'm connecting TV and cable box via HDMI cable.

Thanks for any help.

Search this thread for "PC". Plenty have, including me. 1024 x 768 is displayed full screen via VGA. No way to display it 4:3. Since that's native res, it looks crystal clear. You will want to crank down color saturation in the SM since color on the PC input isn't adjustable and overblown from the factory. Search for a post by me on this topic in this thread.

Hi ... I need help and have tried to search but just tell me Steps 1-2-3-Etc.

What steps do I take to hookup a Toshiba laptop Computer to a Panasonic TH-50PX50U?

I am an old 68 yr guy and this is my 1st plasma. I haven't got alot of time to figure it out.

When I was 58 I got my 1st computer and it took me 10 years to figure it out.

When I am 78 I will get a new girlfriend ... hopefully and try her figure out in about 10 minutes.

When I wear the girlfriend out I will get a new dog at 88.

When I am 98 I will go for a quadruple transplant: Knees / Heart / Male Tool / New Brain With Optional LCD PX-23M1 Implant.

Thanks for helping Gramps ... please just post here 1-2-3 and tell me how to hookup my laptop to the Panasonic Plasma. Once I hook it up I plan on using an Infrared Keyboard with Mouse.

When viewing shows that are supposed to be broadcast in 1080i (Tonight Show, Letterman, INHD shows etc...) , my px50u's display bar (hitting recall on the remote) will only show 720p. I'm using a comcast STB with DVR. Is there a setting on the cable box that needs to be adjusted? On the TV? I've been through the menu on the box, but maybe i'm missing something.

Oh yeah, I'm connecting TV and cable box via HDMI cable.

Thanks for any help.

We need to know what manufacturer the cable box is. If it's a Motorola, on the cable box remote, power on, power off, press Menu immediately. This will bring up a menu where you can set the output resolution. Also, I recommend setting the "4:3 override" to 480i while you are there (assuming the PX50 will take 480i over HDMI).

Martyj19,

Thanks for the useful info. I was able to change the output on the comcast DCT3412 I, to 1080i. Does my cable box now output everything in that format, or does it differentiate based what is broadcast?

Is there any chance of transporting a 50PX50U in the back of a mid-size SUV (Acura MDX)?

I'm starting to second guess my decision to pick up from Sears - but I'd still prefer to handle it myself instead of leaving it up to their delivery guys.

CPPanther. If you and at least one friend have strong backs, you can probably lift it, but it is VERY heavy in the box because the stand alone (which is packd at the bottom) is very heavy.

Is it too tall to keep upright?

Is it OK to find two friends with strong backs? ;)

I just bought a new Panasonic TH-50PX50U plasma. Took me 7.2 Yrs to make a Plasma Decision. I collect Aluminum Cans and they helped me finance it.

I would like suggestions for a new DVD, possibly upconverting and if possible, upconverting on component out.

The Momitsu, NeuNeo and Oppo look interesting. Can someone address an earlier post that said:

"Definitely because of the macro blocking issues. Since I have a Panasonic plasma and these units are known to be more susceptible to a DVD player that has macro blocking problems, I want to minimize the possiblity of this anoying bug. The only Faroudga system that has solved this is the Denon 5901, and that more than I'm willing to go right now. Is there a problem with an OPPO and a Panny Plasma?

I am almost 95% sold on an OPPO DVD Player for <$200. Anybody using an OPPO with the Panny TH-50PX50U plasma or similar Panny plasmas?

There is one lone HDMI port on the PX50 ... what's the solution there? I will also be using a Comcast Cable box ... what's the best there? They are pushing me toward a Motorola DCT6412 with DVR & Dual Tuners ... Should I rent that at $10/month ... or go Satellite?

Thanks ... A 6 Pack (never opened ... circa 1989) of Bud in Aluminum Cans to best answer.

CPPanther. If you could, I think 4 friends would be ideal. :-) I don't think you are supposed to put a plasma on it's back or front, so I'd suggest keeping it upright. You can give Panasonic a call to ask what the size of the shipping box is to give you a better idea. I think some online stores actually give shipping sizes on items.

CPPanther - FWIW, I've hauled my PDP short distances across town out of the box flat on it's back with the glass facing up on more than one occasion with no issues. I know this is officially not recommended, but when my local Panny service center picked up my pdp for service, they hauled it this way as well and said they've never had any issues.

Others have hauled pdps upright in the back seat strapped in with seat belts and towels to avoid rub marks.

What steps do I take to hookup a Toshiba laptop Computer to a Panasonic TH-50PX50U?...

There are many variables so there's no completely clear cut way, but here's the best bet:

Since your PX50U doesn't have a VGA input, you can only hook up a PC via component or HDMI. If your laptop has a DVI out, you're in luck. You'll just need a DVI to HDMI cable (or a DVI to HDMI converter and an HDMI cable) so you can plug your laptop's DVI output into the HDMI input on your plasma. Check Ebay for cheap cables/converters. Then, assuming you have a newer laptop with recent video drivers, you should be able to select an HD resolution on your laptop to feed the set (720p which is 1280 x 720 @ 60hz is your best bet).

But, be forewarned, you'll notice a little of all four corners of the screen will be cut off due to overscan. You can correct this with a program called Powerstrip - search in the HTPC forum for "Powerstrip resolution within resolution".

Martyj19,

Thanks for the useful info. I was able to change the output on the comcast DCT3412 I, to 1080i. Does my cable box now output everything in that format, or does it differentiate based what is broadcast?

The anwser is YES. Everything will be in 1080i. :p

Martyj19,

Thanks for the useful info. I was able to change the output on the comcast DCT3412 I, to 1080i. Does my cable box now output everything in that format, or does it differentiate based what is broadcast?

It outputs everything at 1080i unless you have set the "4:3 override" to something other than "Off". If you have, it outputs standard definition at what you have set. My Motorola is older and does not have a "Passthrough" setting. If yours does, you could set to Passthrough and get things passed through in their original format.

Is it too tall to keep upright?

Is it OK to find two friends with strong backs? ;)


You might have a hard time, I had to take my 42" out of the box to transport it , and I have a ford expedition. So you might be better off if one of your strong backed friends has a pickup.

Cheers,
Jeremy

Is there any chance of transporting a 50PX50U in the back of a mid-size SUV (Acura MDX)?

I'm starting to second guess my decision to pick up from Sears - but I'd still prefer to handle it myself instead of leaving it up to their delivery guys.

Funny you should ask...a friend just asked for the box dimensions yesterday and I have them right here:

41" in height
56.5" in width
20.5" in depth

Thats with it standing up...It says not to lay it down, but I don't know how much I believe that. Make sure your MDX will fit the height if you want to transport it standing up, thats usually the restriction...or get someone with a truck.

The box has 4 plastic locking handles near the bottom. It makes it easy to carry, however it is heavy. A friend and I were able to handle it pretty easily. Remember to bring something to stablize it if you're carrying it standing up (straps or something similar)

Great, thanks bailiff.

I'll have to check the hatch opening.

I brought my 42PX50U home from Best Buy side-ways. The Best Buy loader who put it into my van said it would be no problem as long as I put the glass facing up, which I did. It was just a 2-mile ride home for me, and the TV did not suffer in any way, so it worked for me.

Of course, I was uninformed - had I read this thread before I purchased my TV, I would have pulled the seats out of my van before going to pick it up. But as it turns out, the short ride home was no problem for sideways transport.

One additional note : for installing the stand, the manual says "lay the TV flat, glass down, on a soft surface". SO I imagine even transporting it that way for a short distance will not cause any problems, as long as it is resting on a soft surface...


[QUOTE=bailiff]

Thats with it standing up...It says not to lay it down, but I don't know how much I believe that.

At least you were thinking ahead about measuring. I just ordered the 42PD50 from the Circuit City web site and planned on picking it up with my SUV. I figured it would fit one way or the other. When they brought it out I knew right away the box was too tall. My hatch opening is about 35" and that was a couple inches short. They wouldn't load it on its side. They said there wasn't enough packing on the sides to support the panel and if it flexed at all it could crack. So I was forced to setup a delivery date for this Saturday. Talk about disappointed! Circuit City was good about it - they gave me free delivery without having to deal with the mail-in rebate. I'm counting the hours!!

Guys, I checked out the pansonic FAQ link, but did not see an answer to this.

I'm worried about future state HD-DVD and Blue-Ray fully working with the 8th gen panny. This of course is going on the assumption that both of those formats will be able to output 1080p.

From what I have been able to tell, is as follows:

HDMI
v1.0 - 1080i
v1.1 - same, small audio upgrade
v1.2 - 1080i, not sure of other upgrades
v1.3 - 1080p capable

What version of HDMI do these 8th gens utilize? I believe 1.3 will be moving to a new pin configuration, and therefore it won't be a firmware upgrade.

Any clarification would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!

Interesting I picked mine up (TH-50PX50U) in a Durango. They basically unpacked it and slid it in (kept the plastic covering on it though) and we then used the styrofoam/stand, some of the cardboard and some blankets I keep in there during the winter to keep it vertical for the ride home. No problemo...

Oh it is the older smaller Durango by the way...

I know I'd never transport my $5000 PDP laying flat, but to each his/her own. Hopefully you won't hit a BIG pot hole or have an accident :eek: on the way home... Have your TV delivered and let Sears/BB/CC bear the responsibility; so if the box shows up like this:

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

:eek: back it goes.

my 50u with my xbox 360! its insanely gourgeous...
you must see geometry wars on this badboy.... its the best looking graphics ive ever seen....

Just make sure that when you get your 360, to first enable HD on the cable, then to go into setup and enable 720p.

http://home.comcast.net/~dealios/13.JPG

I noticed a new firmware on panasonics firmware site dated 11-22-05

anyone install this firmware? I needed the 1.23 version to fix my comcast cablecard issues, but was wondering what this new 1.24 version would add or fix.

Click here to download the firmware (http://www.pasctraining.panasonic.com/SpecialApplications/ProductFirmwareDownloads/downloads1.asp)

I believe this firmware update was to address an MSOs inability to communicate directly to a host-installed CableCARD; the symptom addressed was a firmware update to the CableCARD that never completed.

I have no problems with my CableCARD, but updated my 50PX50Us firmware from 1.21 to 1.24. It's a fairly simple and straight forward process.

I believe this firmware update was to address an MSOs inability to communicate directly to a host-installed CableCARD; the symptom addressed was a firmware update to the CableCARD that never completed.

I have no problems with my CableCARD, but updated my 50PX50Us firmware from 1.21 to 1.24. It's a fairly simple and straight forward process.
Unless there is a specific problem that you have that this firmware would fix, I wouldn't go near it! If it ain't broken, don't fix it.

nc

I'll second that... but sometimes I don't take my own advice... :rolleyes:

I'll second that... but sometimes I don't take my own advice... :rolleyes:
It's just been my experience that with firmware (especially when it is JUST released), introduces added problems that otherwise wouldn't appear. I usually wait until the firmware is out for a while, say a couple of months before installing.

nc

Well everyone, my parents just bought the 42PD50U and should receive it in a week or so :) I want to thank all you Panny plasma owners for your knowledge and love of the product... it really helped me in advising them which to get. And although I don't live at home anymore I DO visit often during breaks from college so I'll definitely be in here a lot asking questions and probably gushing about the set. I can't wait to see it when I head home for winter break! Already got my DVDs picked out that I want to impress the folks with :D

I'll probably try to take my Xbox along to test it out a lil, too :D

Congrats... I was at BJs Wholesale Club last night and they had the Panasonic TH-42PM50U set up along-side a Sony (ED), Pioneer (HD) and Phillips (HD) PDP... not only was the 50U the least expensive display with that same great Panasonic picture... it "blew away" the competition too. ;)

Congrats... I was at BJs Wholesale Club last night and they had the Panasonic TH-42PM50U set up along-side a Sony (ED), Pioneer (HD) and Phillips (HD) PDP... not only was the 50U the least expensive display with that same great Panasonic picture... it "blew away" the competition too. ;)

Thanks :)

Just realized though that I'll have to figure out how/where to place the center speaker of the home theater system now that we have the new TV. Can't place it on top like on our old CRT HD set 'cause it's so thin! lol

Well, I should find out Monday, but it looks likely that I'll need an alternate set if I want to get it for Christmas. If the 50PX50U isn't on the Sears supply truck, it likely won't be available before the end of the year. :(

It's either the 42" Panny, or one of the other models they carry. I may switch brands just to get a black plasma - but I hate to go down to 42" since they'll be about 10' back, and according to many on this forum HDTV gets so watered down from that distance that it looks like only EDTV. The only 50" they have now is the Samsung.

Well, I should find out Monday, but it looks likely that I'll need an alternate set if I want to get it for Christmas. If the 50PX50U isn't on the Sears supply truck, it likely won't be available before the end of the year. :(

It's either the 42" Panny, or one of the other models they carry. I may switch brands just to get a black plasma - but I hate to go down to 42" since they'll be about 10' back, and according to many on this forum HDTV gets so watered down from that distance that it looks like only EDTV. The only 50" they have now is the Samsung.

I dunno about those viewing distance/screen size numbers. I mean, it's all about personal preference. We had a 36" CRT and sat at least 10' if not more from the set and it was PLENTY big. I never understood some people's complaints that 42" at 10-12' is "too small." Frankly, I find it ridiculous.

Judge by yourself, not according to what others say

Right now we sit:

10' from a 9'6" wide screen
6.5' from a 34"
13' from a 57" (would prefer larger, but we're space limited)

I don't have any experience with the Panny plasmas, and the few times I've seen them in the store, the feed supplied was so bad - all the plasmas looked pretty much the same. But according to many of the Panny reviews, apparently they don't resolve HD well enough to notice from very far back - to many they look the same as an EDTV. My daughters can distinguish good HD from mediocre HD, so they will want to be close enough to appreciate it. It doesn't sound like that will be the case with a 42" from 10'.

I find 12' from my 50" 50u to be at about the max i want to be. i had my living room setup differently when i bought tv but had to move it b/c it was right next to the radiator. anyways - the original setup the tv was about 7' away and it was definately a much better experience at that distance. i'd definately get the 50" at 10'

Eh, I'm stepping up to a 65" 1080p the next time I buy.

I am trying to find out the height of the Panny PX50 when using the stand? Any help would be great!

The Polz,

The height is 34.5 inches.

Right now we sit:

10' from a 9'6" wide screen
6.5' from a 34"
13' from a 57" (would prefer larger, but we're space limited)

I don't have any experience with the Panny plasmas, and the few times I've seen them in the store, the feed supplied was so bad - all the plasmas looked pretty much the same. But according to many of the Panny reviews, apparently they don't resolve HD well enough to notice from very far back - to many they look the same as an EDTV. My daughters can distinguish good HD from mediocre HD, so they will want to be close enough to appreciate it. It doesn't sound like that will be the case with a 42" from 10'.

I have a Panasonic 657UY viewed from about 12'. It does a great job with HD. Sometime the HD source is not that great. Some shows like Supernatural are very dark, with muted colors and tons of MPEG artifacts. Put on a football game and it is fantastic. Lost looks particularly good. I use a MyHD card set to Native to let the panel do all of the deinterlacing and scaling. No problems.

Contrary to popular belief, black levels matter a great deal with most HD. Not much when watching football, but any other show you can see the difference. At least I can, since I used to own an NEC.

-- Rich

Forgive me if this has been mentioned but I can't read back through 171 pages. Is there a reason the 50PX50U seems to be so hard to find? BB, CC, heck, even Walmart and TVA don't seem to have this TV in stock. Is there some type of shortage or something on these? Great thread and thanks for all the valuable input everyone has provided!

Yes, extreme shortage brought on by extreme demand.

I bought mine a week ago at CC... at the time the sales guy showed me they had almost 400 in the regional warehouse (I asked because I had been reading about the shortage)... I am in CO.

Forgive me if this has been mentioned but I can't read back through 171 pages. Is there a reason the 50PX50U seems to be so hard to find? BB, CC, heck, even Walmart and TVA don't seem to have this TV in stock. Is there some type of shortage or something on these? Great thread and thanks for all the valuable input everyone has provided!Circuit City has them available in many of their stores across the country.

You can go to their website and they are currently available for delivery or immediate pickup if a store in your area has them in stock.

Don't know if this is new news, but Sam's now has the 42-PM50U. Panny 42" Plasma Monitor with no tuners. Same as the 42-PD50U except for the tuners.

I just replaced a Sony KDE-50xs955 that I had some problems with to a
PX50U from CC. The Sony had a zoom mode that could be used on any input including over the air from the tuner. The Panasonic of course does not.
My problem is like others I have an HD-TIVO running 1080i output via component. HDMI has Sony Upconverting DVD Changer ( 995v) Is there a simple solution so I don't have to keep changing outputs on the TIVO via the remote AND can the "JUST" mode be adjusted via service menu to actually fill the screen on 4:3 material ? I found the Sony "wide zoom" to work very well for SD DirecTV and OTA 4:3 material.

Thanks, Snoots

p.s. the new PX50U has an OCT. 05 Build date if anyone is interested

Has anyone else had this problem? This is my second Panny. My first was a 34" RP CRT. The one I have now is the TH-42PD50U EDTV. Both have the exact same issue.

In a wider movie (2:35:1) like Lord of the Rings, right along the line where it goes from the image to the black letterbox bar, colors will appear. They're usually white or green. It's a thin line of color that isn't part of the movie. You won't see it if there's a dark sky toward the top of the screen, but if the image is light -- especially if someone's hair, or a sunset hits the top of the screen -- you'll get a green or white line there that doesn't belong.

This line of color ended up burning into my 34" CRT (I watch a large amount of movies, usually in the 2:35:1 ratio). The tech guy told me it was normal to have that line of color, and said he sees it "quite a bit" on Panasonics. But I thought this was a CRT problem. Now I have a plasma and it's doing the exact same thing.

Odder yet, I have changed inputs from the Component I was using on the CRT to an HDMI input on the Plasma. I've also changed DVD players since it happened on my RP CRT. So that pretty much eliminates the DVD player or inputs as the factor.

Is this just something I should get used to? Is it fairly normal with Panasonic HD/ED? Could someone check their TV and let me know if they see this (just keep looking at the top and bottom of the letterbox)?

I really hope someone knows what I'm trying to describe. Imagine a scene in a move, any movie, where a character is in a dark room. But his hair is blonde. Above the blonde hair there will be this green line.

Another example would be to imagine a dark night sky. The sun is setting at the top of the screen. Above the sun is a fairly bright white line. A great place to see this effect is at the beginning of Return of the Jedi when R2 and 3PO are walking to Jabba's palace. The blue sky really brings out the colored lines.

These aren't thick lines. They are sort of there with the letterbox line. Not any thicker than a cut from a razor blade. They're fairly even and they're always right where the film ends and the black bars begin.

I'm sorry I'm doing such a poor job describing this. If anyone could help, I would really appreciate it. The support guys do see it, but they don't know how to fix it. I've been told 3 times now that there isn't a fix and twice that it's "normal."

The rest of the picture looks great. It's just those lines. I really hoped to escape them with this new TV. I've tried a million changes in contrast, sharpness and brightness, but to no avail.

Thanks for any help or advice you can provide.

You won't like this answer. I have had this problem for a couple years now, and have learned to live with it. To make a long arduous story short, it turned out to be caused by something completely out of my control. It is not YOUR euipment, or your settings. The cause is a poor FEED (as they like to call it) from your cable company. After several trips out to my house with 2 technicians, fancy equipment, and brain power it was determined that the signal (sent from another city via antenna in the Charter cable network) causes the shadowed lines when highly contrasting colors are next to each other. It is not very noticeable on digital broadcasts, but very obvious in standard def programs. You can prove this to yourself: if you play a DVD you won't see it. If you play a VHS tape, you won't see it. If you look at all the tvs in your house you WILL see it in various strengths depending on the type of set. When everything is digital it should be lessened, if not eliminated. If you find out more about this, please let us know. Best of luck.

I got off the phone a short while ago with CC to schedule delivery of our new PD50U. My parents will be getting it tomorrow and we're all really excited, specially me! :D I'll be there this weekend to tweak the picture and make sure everything's hooked up properly, and to enjoy a few DVDs too, of course :)

My question for all of you is what kinds of last-minute info/advice/suggestions can you give, or are there any precautions I should take, stuff like that. Basically, any help you can provide so we can get maximum satisfaction from the set would be great. Thanks! :)

Yes, extreme shortage brought on by extreme demand.My brother in-law took delivery of his 50PX50U yesterday from Sears.

I got off the phone a short while ago with CC to schedule delivery of our new PD50U. My parents will be getting it tomorrow and we're all really excited, specially me! :D I'll be there this weekend to tweak the picture and make sure everything's hooked up properly, and to enjoy a few DVDs too, of course :)

My question for all of you is what kinds of last-minute info/advice/suggestions can you give, or are there any precautions I should take, stuff like that. Basically, any help you can provide so we can get maximum satisfaction from the set would be great. Thanks! :)I recommend reading this:

"Plasma Facts and Myths Panasonic Presents Advice From the Video Purist Perspective" (http://www.fcw.com:8443/vendorsolutions/panasonicplasma.pdf#search='panasonic%20plasma%20white%20pap er')

Thanks, optivity. But do you guys have any advice as far as what I should/shouldn't be doing during the initial setup and first few days of watching it? Since I won't always be around to remind my parents, I want to know what precautions I should tell them when it comes to viewing and operating the TV.

Set the picture to standard and turn down the contrast from say +25 to +15 for a few weeks,you'll be fine, then after that crank her up to vivid "torch" mode and game all night!
I dont worry about break-in, just enjoy it!

Just like "chips & beer"

Cheap PDPs & Bad Advice seem to go together... :rolleyes:

Hi -- I just received my HP PL5000N today (Same as Panny 500 unit) ... any suggustions for the settings for breakin period ... and post break in period for the HDMI source input ?

Thank you!

BTW -- This thing is NICE.

Is that right? Is the HP model mentioned the same as the panny 500U?

Is that right? Is the HP model mentioned the same as the panny 500U?It's built by Panasonic's parent company (Matsushita Electric Company) for HP and is electronically identical to the 50PX500U. There are a few cosmetic differences and it lacks the TV Guide feature of the 500U but the picture is the same. One thing that bothers some people about the HP is that the remote has different IR codes from the Panasonic and because the set is relatively new, manufacturers of set-top boxes and other equipment don't have the codes in their listings yet. Therefore your STB remote may not be able to control the TV. Of course you can use the TV remote to work the STB or buy an all-in-one remote (all Harmony models recognize the HP codes).

Just like "chips & beer"

Cheap PDPs & Bad Advice seem to go together... :rolleyes:


Thats right buddy, i watch my panel with my Beer Goggles on!!
You can go with your outdated "myth" break-in info and stick with it

Just like "chips & beer"

Cheap PDPs & Bad Advice seem to go together... :rolleyes:

I set my pdp on standard mode and adjusted the picture like I wanted it right out of the box. I kept any time with black bars on the screen to a minimum for the first month or so. I still stretch SD material but the black bars on HD or DVD's I no longer obsess over. The contrast ended up between 18-22. It's now at 24 with a Lumagen VisionHDP in use and I've also dialed up the contrast a little in the Lumagen's menu.

You use cablecard and your contrast setting requirement is different than alot of us so your advice in this area may be chips and beer to many.

You guys are just confusing me now :P I'd like advice from people who either own a PD50U or really know what they're talking about, please.

Couple questions:

- Do I keep it set at the same aspect ratio for all sources, or do I have to keep changing it depending on what I'm watching? For instance, if I'm watching a SD TV program in 4:3, but have it set to fill the screen, can I keep that same setting for DVDs, even if it's an anamorphic DVD? And what about HD material? I understand a lot but certain aspects still confuse me, at least as far as different TVs having different menu settings goes.

- According to the document Optivity showed me, you should set the side bars for 4:3 content to "mid-gray," but I personally find black bars to be easier to watch. If I occasionally watch 4:3 stuff with black bars (occasionally, not all the time), will that be a problem? And also, what setting does the PD50U have for stretching 4:3 content to fill the screen without distorting people into fat blobs? I read that there's a setting that stretches the sides of the picture more than the middle. What's that called?

There's probably more I want to ask but this will do for now. Sorry for all the questions, I just want to get the maximum enjoyment out of our new set at a minimum of headache later on! :)

- Do I keep it set at the same aspect ratio for all sources, or do I have to keep changing it depending on what I'm watching?

Keep it set at "Just" mode - this is the best stretch mode for 4:3 (people are not such fat blobs). It will adjust depending on the incoming signal (HD 16:9 will be in the correct aspect ratio, DVDs will display widescreen, etc).

If I occasionally watch 4:3 stuff with black bars (occasionally, not all the time will that be a problem?)

Probably not but to be on the safe side maybe stick with the stretch modes during the first 100 hours...at least go with the gray bars during that period.

I'm a PD50 owner and I like chips and beer too. Chips and beer are way better than the whine and cheese Optivity's always serving up around here anyway.. :eek:

I've noticed that many people have been using the "Pic. Mode" of "Standard" to adjust their sets. Choosing those settings will automatically choose a "Color Temp" of "Normal". Using that as a starting point to calibrate my set numerous times, I just couldn't seem to get all the colors just right. Then a long lost brain cell kicked to life and I recalled that with many sets the "Warm" "Color Temp" will get you closest to the 6500K standard.

So I decided to do a another recalibration with the "Pic. Mode" of "Standard" but this time I changed the "Color Temp" to "Warm" (and of course turning off all the other crap like "Color Mng") and Voila! Much better overall colors with flesh tones very close to natural. I did have to slightly tweak these setting when viewing content from the tuner or cable box, but I changed the settings of the Cinema template back to the DVD calibration to have an easy way to switch between the two inputs.

I know that everyone's different sources and/or preferences will preclude the above settings working for all, but I was just curious if anybody else found the above to be a preferable setup?

Thanks scottro! :)

Minx's post brings up another question: what settings/features should I make sure I set to "OFF" or disable, if any? Like he mentioned "Color Mng" (Manager, I'm assuming?).

Just realized though that I'll have to figure out how/where to place the center speaker of the home theater system now that we have the new TV. Can't place it on top like on our old CRT HD set 'cause it's so thin! lolIf the speaker is small enough, you can lay it behind the plasma on the backside of the duckfoot stand and let the sound eminate from the gaping opening between the duckfoot uprights. I tried this and it sounds just fine compared to placing the speaker in front of the stand.

If the speaker is small enough, you can lay it behind the plasma on the backside of the duckfoot stand and let the sound eminate from the gaping opening between the duckfoot uprights. I tried this and it sounds just fine compared to placing the speaker in front of the stand.

Ok thanks for the advice. :) I was actually thinking of placing it in front of the TV inbetween the stand's legs, assuming it would fit and wouldn't obstruct any part of the screen. My components are video-shielded, of course, so putting the speaker in front or behind the plasma shouldn't affect anything, right?

What's the width of the stand? The distance inbetween the legs, I mean. I was planning on using our current stand, which accommodates a 36" set (36" as in regular, big bulky CRT size). I assume it should be able to hold a 42" plasma since weight isn't a concern and even though the overall width is greater, as long as there's enough space for the stand itself and the set's balanced properly, it should be fine.

My components are video-shielded, of course, so putting the speaker in front or behind the plasma shouldn't affect anything, right?

Just for the record, plasmas and LCDs are unaffected by magnetic fields, so speaker placement wouldn't be an issue in any case.

Ok thanks for the advice. :) I was actually thinking of placing it in front of the TV inbetween the stand's legs, assuming it would fit and wouldn't obstruct any part of the screen. My components are video-shielded, of course, so putting the speaker in front or behind the plasma shouldn't affect anything, right?

What's the width of the stand? The distance inbetween the legs, I mean. I was planning on using our current stand, which accommodates a 36" set (36" as in regular, big bulky CRT size). I assume it should be able to hold a 42" plasma since weight isn't a concern and even though the overall width is greater, as long as there's enough space for the stand itself and the set's balanced properly, it should be fine.You can put the speaker right up against the Plasma and it won't hurt anything (it's not like with a Tube TV).

The narrowest part between the feet is a little over 20 inches (the actual straightaway before it curves out to the feet). The bottom edge of the screen is 7-3/4" above the table surface. The overall outer width of the duckfoot stand is 31-5/8. " (the 42" PD/PX50 and 37" PX50 all use the same stand BTW). I tried setting the speaker in front but it looked weird and distracted me. No matter, it's hiding between my DVRs on the shelf below ;)

So I decided to do a another recalibration with the "Pic. Mode" of "Standard" but this time I changed the "Color Temp" to "Warm" (and of course turning off all the other crap like "Color Mng") and Voila! Much better overall colors with flesh tones very close to natural. I did have to slightly tweak these setting when viewing content from the tuner or cable box, but I changed the settings of the Cinema template back to the DVD calibration to have an easy way to switch between the two inputs.

I know that everyone's different sources and/or preferences will preclude the above settings working for all, but I was just curious if anybody else found the above to be a preferable setup?

I like "standard" and "warm" as you. Test patterns such as AVIA/THX optimizer/DVE can help, but tweaking to preference may be required thereafter.
See the "Steaming Rat" method by R Harkness: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=261309
It makes alot of sense and seems to work well.

I like "standard" and "warm" as you. Test patterns such as AVIA/THX optimizer/DVE can help, but tweaking to preference may be required thereafter.
See the "Steaming Rat" method by R Harkness: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=261309
It makes alot of sense and seems to work well.

Yes, the “REALISM” that Rich Harkness so eloquently writes about is the goal I have always sought when calibrating my sets. In that same thread, cheridave reminds us of the established "D6500" Standard and the Director's intent, thus the advantage of using AVIA/THX optimizer/DVE as a starting point and carefully choosing material that is known to be close to the "Standard" when tweaking.

You guys are just confusing me now :P I'd like advice from people who either own a PD50U or really know what they're talking about, please.

Couple questions:

- Do I keep it set at the same aspect ratio for all sources, or do I have to keep changing it depending on what I'm watching? For instance, if I'm watching a SD TV program in 4:3, but have it set to fill the screen, can I keep that same setting for DVDs, even if it's an anamorphic DVD? And what about HD material? I understand a lot but certain aspects still confuse me, at least as far as different TVs having different menu settings goes.

- According to the document Optivity showed me, you should set the side bars for 4:3 content to "mid-gray," but I personally find black bars to be easier to watch. If I occasionally watch 4:3 stuff with black bars (occasionally, not all the time), will that be a problem? And also, what setting does the PD50U have for stretching 4:3 content to fill the screen without distorting people into fat blobs? I read that there's a setting that stretches the sides of the picture more than the middle. What's that called?

There's probably more I want to ask but this will do for now. Sorry for all the questions, I just want to get the maximum enjoyment out of our new set at a minimum of headache later on! :)The way I look at it... you can follow Panasonic’s advice as specified in their white paper... or the recommendations of someone you don't know who posts their opinion in this Internet forum. The choice is yours... My experience has been that most people only listen to what they “want” to hear anyway. :rolleyes:

Need some very fast help.

The good news (for me - fullest sympathies to those still waiting for your Pannys) is Sears called and my 50PX50U is in stock and will be delivered Wednesday.

Bad news is I lost my list of mounts I had narrowed down to. I didn't want to buy until the plasma was definitely arriving - but now I can't recall which ones I was considering.

If you can, please post a link(s) to any low-profile mounts you know of. I need as flush as possible since the side will be visible as you enter the room (mounting on the door wall). I might consider a slightly less flush mount if the tilt would enable me to re-wire without taking the panel down. But I need no tilt for viewing, so rewiring would be the only possible consideration not to get the flattest mounting possible. I'd rather stay in the $100-$150 range if possible. I'd also prefer to be able to shift the centerpoint (between studs) 4"-6" if possible.

Also, I'd welcome any comments about mounting the bottom of the screen 8"-10" (I know not ideal) above the eyeline sitting on a sofa 10' back.

Any help would be appreciated.

Also, I'd welcome any comments about mounting the bottom of the screen 8"-10" (I know not ideal) above the eyeline sitting on a sofa 10' back.

Any help would be appreciated.

Sorry, I'm not much help for wall mounting as I use a pedestal stand. My 50PX50U is even a little higher than yours though, at 15 feet, and it's fine. That's the great thing about plasma as you know (wide viewing angles).

Well, I've had this processor for a couple of weeks now. I've been able to get the pdp to accept 1366 x 742p through the HDMI input but no higher on the vertical res. This requires adjustment of input/output sizing and position through the HDP as this isn't accessible through the Panny current generation consumer pdp as far as I know. If anyone finds a way through the service menu please let me know. It also helps setting the HDP at 1.71 output aspect ratio to correct the slight geometric distortion from the squeezing, sizing, etc. that's necessary to get this resolution to fit properly with 1 percent overscan via AVIA. I may decide to accept a little more overscan and in that case should be able to go back to 1.78.

The flexibilty and tweakibility the HDP gives you is just enormous. It can be configured just about any way you want it. There are independent memories for everything and once set, all you have to do is just change channels. It's fairly complex (for me it was anyway) and expect to spend some time fiddling and figuring everything out if you want to get the most from it. The manual is o.k. in explaining everything but there is a definite learning curve out of the box. Customer support from Lumagen is great, though. Patrick and Jim seem more than willing to answer emails and phone calls if necessary.

PQ is subjective, but I feel there's been a significant improvement with the HDP in the loop on all sources. My sources include Sat HD/SD, OTA HD,SD, and DVD.
I've used component inputs, DVI/HDMI inputs as well as DVI and component out. The BNC component out option is an extra 100 dollars. SDI input is also optional and I've heard Lumagen will also mod your DVD player or STB for SDI output. I settled on DVI input and output for everything although I've left component input from my DVD player attached for comparison purposes.

Next, I plan to try a PC. I'm planning on trying to use VGA input through a VGA/ component adaptor. I'll try to post back after that as well.

Bad news is I lost my list of mounts I had narrowed down to. I didn't want to buy until the plasma was definitely arriving - but now I can't recall which ones I was considering.

If you can, please post a link(s) to any low-profile mounts you know of. I need as flush as possible since the side will be visible as you enter the room (mounting on the door wall). I might consider a slightly less flush mount if the tilt would enable me to re-wire without taking the panel down. But I need no tilt for viewing, so rewiring would be the only possible consideration not to get the flattest mounting possible. I'd rather stay in the $100-$150 range if possible. I'd also prefer to be able to shift the centerpoint (between studs) 4"-6" if possible.

Also, I'd welcome any comments about mounting the bottom of the screen 8"-10" (I know not ideal) above the eyeline sitting on a sofa 10' back.

Any help would be appreciated.


I've got the Sanus low profile mount VMPL2, I picked it up at BB.

Sanus VMPL2 product page (https://www.sanus.com/cgi-bin/web_store.cgi?page=products/wallmount/visionmount/VMPL2.html&cart_id=7265004_16177)

It was a little more expensive that what you're willing to spend. But it sits about an inch and a half from the wall. Its so low profile that I have a hard time getting my hand in from the side, between the panel and the wall.

As for rewiring, there is a locking bar at the bottom that keeps the bottom of the panel locked down. If you pull out the locking bar, you can tilt the bottom of the panel outward (while the top is still hooked), so you can get to the connections on the back. Its still not the easiest way to connect the panel, but I can do it by myself. You just have to hold the panel out with one hand while pluging in with another. When you're done, you just lower the panel and replace the locking bar. Much better than taking the panel down. I would need a friend to help me take it down. the panel is pretty heavy.

The Sanus mount also allows you to move the unit left or right depending on how you mount the base plate. Which was perfect for me because my studs weren't on center. I'm not sure of exactly how far it will allow horizontal movement. But I think mine is about 4-5 inches.

Hope this helps.

Need some very fast help.


Also, I'd welcome any comments about mounting the bottom of the screen 8"-10" (I know not ideal) above the eyeline sitting on a sofa 10' back.

Any help would be appreciated.

Recently purchased the PX50, first post to forum. I mounted above fireplace (brick) with bottom of panel at eyeline, with sofa at 10 ft distance. Recommend you use a mount that tilts if above eyeline. Allows better angle for viewing as well as easier access to wiring. Purchased my mount at Super WM, price was within your target mentioned above. Came will all parts for mounting on any surface, including brick.

Many thanks to all for your posts - helped me in my decision process, and provided great links for researching this technology....

I've got the Sanus low profile mount VMPL2, I picked it up at BB.

Sanus VMPL2 product page (https://www.sanus.com/cgi-bin/web_store.cgi?page=products/wallmount/visionmount/VMPL2.html&cart_id=7265004_16177)

Hope this helps.

Yep, that helps. I think that's the one I had pretty much settled on. Two questions:

1) Will I need anything to connect the TH-50PX50U to the bracket, or is the hardware Panny provides universal for any of these mounts?

2) Any idea what the profile is if I'd use the 5 degree tilt bracket that is included?

[QUOTE=1) Will I need anything to connect the TH-50PX50U to the bracket, or is the hardware Panny provides universal for any of these mounts?[/QUOTE]

Sorry for butting in...

I have same PX50 and wall mount. All of the hardware comes w/ the wall bracket kit. It's definetley low profile. Between the TV and Kit, no other harware is needed. If I recall no parts are needed from the PX50, all from kit.

bailiff is 100% accurate with his description.

Yep, that helps. I think that's the one I had pretty much settled on. Two questions:

1) Will I need anything to connect the TH-50PX50U to the bracket, or is the hardware Panny provides universal for any of these mounts?

2) Any idea what the profile is if I'd use the 5 degree tilt bracket that is included?
Yep. All of the hardware comes with the mount like HDTVsportsfan said. Just pop off the plastic caps on the back of the TH-50PX50U and bolt on the brackets. The mount comes with different sized bolts, just find the ones that match. Plus it will come with two different length bolts, use the longer ones. The panny mounting points are recessed in the panel.

I tried the 5 degree tilt, but it causes both the top of the pannel to tilt out, and the bottom to tilt in slightly. Thus giving you the 5 degrees. However, it caused my cables to bind against the wall. This probably could have been avoided by mounting the plasma higher on the brackets.

After looking at it, I decided to go without the 5 degree tilt. In my opinion, it really didn't change anything (other that bind the cables against the wall).

Just to add to my comments, the 50PX50U *will* take native res. from the HDP (1366 x 768) but I'm only able to adjust it to around 3 percent overscan vertically and when you turn the power off/on or change inputs sync is lost and you have to start over so it's just not practical. Possibly when ?if we ever figure out how to adjust overscan on the pdp it may work.

Yep. All of the hardware comes with the mount like HDTVsportsfan said. Just pop off the plastic caps on the back of the TH-50PX50U and bolt on the brackets. The mount comes with different sized bolts, just find the ones that match. Plus it will come with two different length bolts, use the longer ones. The panny mounting points are recessed in the panel.

I tried the 5 degree tilt, but it causes both the top of the pannel to tilt out, and the bottom to tilt in slightly. Thus giving you the 5 degrees. However, it caused my cables to bind against the wall. This probably could have been avoided by mounting the plasma higher on the brackets.

After looking at it, I decided to go without the 5 degree tilt. In my opinion, it really didn't change anything (other that bind the cables against the wall).

I ended up cutting out somehting like a 6" x 6" square hole in the sheetrock directly behind the inputs. Some connections do occur from the bottom, but the inputs from the back. The cables do push against the wall pretty good. I didn't feel totally comfortable w/ it. The long bolts that bailiif is referring are almost scary. Call me paranoid or stupid but i actually stopped for a minute (to re-evaluate) to make sure the bolts weren't actually going in too far. To be specific I was afraid the bolts would end up in the backside of the panel. LOL...

Need some very fast help.

The good news (for me - fullest sympathies to those still waiting for your Pannys) is Sears called and my 50PX50U is in stock and will be delivered Wednesday.

Bad news is I lost my list of mounts I had narrowed down to. I didn't want to buy until the plasma was definitely arriving - but now I can't recall which ones I was considering.

If you can, please post a link(s) to any low-profile mounts you know of. I need as flush as possible since the side will be visible as you enter the room (mounting on the door wall). I might consider a slightly less flush mount if the tilt would enable me to re-wire without taking the panel down. But I need no tilt for viewing, so rewiring would be the only possible consideration not to get the flattest mounting possible. I'd rather stay in the $100-$150 range if possible. I'd also prefer to be able to shift the centerpoint (between studs) 4"-6" if possible.

Also, I'd welcome any comments about mounting the bottom of the screen 8"-10" (I know not ideal) above the eyeline sitting on a sofa 10' back.

Any help would be appreciated.I used a Solid-Mount UF-60 to mount my HP PL5000N (same as Panasonic 50PX500U). It doesn't tilt but will give you a very flush-to-the-wall fit, adding under 1" to the mounting depth. I actually bought it to mount a 50PX50U but it turns out that it also works very well with the 5000N/500U as the speaker bump on those models fits below the bracket. 50" TVs will have about 4" of side-to-side movement after hanging plus the bracket can be mounted so the center point is not directly between the studs. It also has a couple of vertical positions, comes with all necessary hardware and can be found very cheaply on eBay (comfortably under your budget). The wiring is a little tricky because of how close the TV is to the wall but it wasn't a big issue.

As for your mounting height issue, I have a similar situation and don't find it to be a problem.

This looks like a good thread to post my questions in. :)

I'm looking to buy the Panny 42" Plasma TH-42PX50U

Here are my questions:

- Sometimes, I'll be doing a lot of gaming on this TV.How many hours can I game on this TV (static image on screen) until I have to turn the TV off or change the channel.Also, how long should I wait before I go back to gaming.

- 6 or 7 feet, that's how far away I will be viewing.Is that alright.

This looks like a good thread to post my questions in. :)

I'm looking to buy the Panny 42" Plasma TH-42PX50U

Here are my questions:

- Sometimes, I'll be doing a lot of gaming on this TV.How many hours can I game on this TV (static image on screen) until I have to turn the TV off or change the channel.Also, how long should I wait before I go back to gaming.

- 6 or 7 feet, that's how far away I will be viewing.Is that alright.

I'd read the burn-in faq - many have played for a claimed 12 or even 24 hours with no issues. The number of hours in a row that you view certain content are generally irrelevant. Burn-in occurs because a very large percentage of your viewing over time puts a static image in the same spot of the screen because the phosphors in that area have been used more (or less) in that section and therefore have a different brightness. Whether that's 7 hours in a row or 1 hour 7 days in a row is pretty irrelvant. This is why many have accidentally left static menus on all night and had no issues.

It's hard to determine a hard rule, but after reading the faq I think you'll find normal gaming activity (no single game with static images is over half of your total viewing) is a pretty safe bet. So it's more about getting variety in your viewing over time than worrying about the number of straight hours. Also, you'll find there are plenty of people that take few/no precautions and have had no issues. In my opinion, you can treat today's brand name pdp's like a CRT, but the above is just to be safe.

And yes, 7 feet should be fine, but I'd go no closer.

Also, you'll find there are plenty of people that take few/no precautions and have had no issues. In my opinion, you can treat today's brand name pdp's like a CRT, but the above is just to be safe.Panasonic's recommendation regarding the prevention of:

"Burn In

Much has been written about the possibility of permanently marking a plasma
screen by viewing a static image on the screen for too long. This is often
referred to as “static image burn in,” which is a misnomer. The phosphors are
never “burnt,” rather they are unevenly aged. While the possibility of uneven
aging exists, it can also occur with any other phosphor-based display such
as a direct-view CRT television or CRT rear projection TV. Panasonic has
developed new phosphors that are resistant to image burn-in and has added
other features that minimize its occurrence. One such feature imperceptibly
moves the image around the screen to eliminate sharp delineations between
dark and light areas.

There are several simple steps to take to further prevent the possibility of
image burn-in which should be performed during the break-in period."

"Plasma phosphors are most susceptible to image retention in the first
hundred hours of use. The panel becomes considerably less sensitive to
burn-in after this period."

"After one-thousand viewing hours, panels are much less likely to experience
image burn-in."

Hey guys... Just wanted to update everyone on how our new plasma's doing :) I also have a bunch more questions for all of ya :P

I went home over the weekend to wait for the delivery people and set up the TV. When they brought the set in I was like "Ohh" just staring at it. For someone who's only owned CRTs, having a plasma in the home is a totally new, exciting experience. And this was before the set was even turned on! lol It just looked so sleek and shiny and elegant.

Ok so after they put it in the pedestal stand and left, I hooked the DVD player and home theater system up and then took a deep breath and turned it on...

Now keep in mind that for right now, my parents only have expanded cable, not digital. So for the initial set-up, the set scanned all available channels through the cable hookup. We can actually get all the music channels that normally come with the digital package, but aside from that, the channels were pretty much the same as before. I was disappointed when I realized our cable company didn't seem to broadcast any channels via clear QAM, but a quick call to them confirmed even worse... they didn't even OFFER high-definition content in our city yet! Grrrr....

Well, after looking at some of the channels and toning down the contrast to about 2/3 what it was out of the box, along with some other minor tweaking, I set the aspect ratio at "Just" and enjoyed widescreen SD content lol, which varied in quality depending on the channel. But I knew that SD stuff wouldn't necessarily look that great on such a good TV. I was itching to look at some high-def programming, though. So next I switched the cable going into the wall outlet to the antenna jack (my parents have one of those big UHF antennas on the roof), and changed channel scan to "antenna" then tried to see if we could pull in any OTA HD.

No luck. :(

I was really disappointed by this, but I checked antennaweb.org and noted that the closest towers to us were about 40 miles away, though apparently there was some station right in our city that broadcast in HD. We couldn't even get that one in. My parents were out of town on the way home so I called my father and updated them on how the set looked, and he mentioned that the antenna was apparently BROKEN in one section, which I thought might explain why we couldn't get in any OTA signals.

This leads me to a few questions:

1. Let's say that we stick with expanded cable and try to get OTA HD. Does that mean that everytime we want to watch HD, we'd have to switch the cable going into the wall from the cable jack to the antenna jack, re-scan ALL the channels each time, and try to tune in stations? And of course, if we switched it back, we'd have to re-scan all the cable channels again each and every time? It seems like this is how the PD50U works.

2. Since we have to get the antenna fixed, and it's the middle of winter and probably won't be able to do so until spring, would something like a Zenith Silver Sensor work for us? Or are we too far away from the towers for an indoor HD antenna to work?

3. Something that puzzled me: as I mentioned, my dad said the antenna was broken, but when I attached the cable to the antenna jack, I was able to get channels 2 through 14, which we'd always get over the antenna no matter what. So why were we able to get in those channels but not any HD ones, if the roof antenna was broken?

4. The PD50U doesn't have independent memory for its inputs, right? I noticed that when I changed settings on the DVD input, they would remain when I switched back to normal TV.

Sorry for all the questions guys but you've all been a big help and I'd really appreciate whatever further advice you could give this plasma newb. :D I have to say that I was giddy with joy when I put in my Return of the King Extended DVD and watched a few scenes. Frodo never looked so cute (though grimey! lol) and the colors never looked so vibrant. The funniest part was when I watched a scene of Arwen laying on her divan, dreaming, and I was like, "Oh! Look at her FOOT!" LOL... I had never noticed the sock/stocking she was wearing but this time, the color of it stood out so nicely in contrast to the rest of her dress that it was like a whole new scene. :D

Oh and finally, for those who own the PD50U, could I get an idea of what some of your settings are? Like for normal SD viewing and for DVDs?

Unfortunately, I didn't have enough time to do more adjustments to the picture, as I noticed what I thought was a little bit of the "clayface" phenomenon going on in a couple scenes in ROTK. Not so much clayface, really, as the flesh tones seemed slightly bright and airbrushed as opposed to natural. I hope to correct this using the THX optimizer or maybe even a digital essentials/AVIA disc next time I visit.

All in all, though, we're very happy with the set. My folks loved it when they got back yesterday and saw it. :)

Thanks, housecor.

Well, I want this TV mainly for gaming. So, I'll probably play the same game with a static image for 3-6 gours a day, everyday.I guess I'll be playing games with a static image about %75 percent of the time.I really don't want to limit my gaming.

Just to add to my comments, the 50PX50U *will* take native res. from the HDP (1366 x 768) but I'm only able to adjust it to around 3 percent overscan vertically and when you turn the power off/on or change inputs sync is lost and you have to start over so it's just not practical. Possibly when ?if we ever figure out how to adjust overscan on the pdp it may work.

IIRC, isn't there a way to adjust geometry with a "special" remote that some ISF technicians have? As an aside, it never occurred to me that overscan/underscan would be an issue with PDPs until calibration attempts highlighted this fact.

Anyway, thanks for the info on the Lumagen VisionHDP. Have you noticed any specific improvements like improved greyscale accuracy, less sensitivity to color differences of sources, minimization of false contouring, etc, etc?

The number of hours in a row that you view certain content are generally irrelevant. Burn-in occurs because a very large percentage of your viewing over time puts a static image in the same spot of the screen because the phosphors in that area have been used more (or less) in that section and therefore have a different brightness. Whether that's 7 hours in a row or 1 hour 7 days in a row is pretty irrelvant. .

.

So you're saying the cumulative time is all that matters? In other words, one minute per day of pillar box viewing for 5 years=30 hours straight without a break?


I'm not sure that is correct. Image retention has to be related to the time the image remains static without any intervening changes else you'll eventually burn-in no matter what.

So you're saying the cumulative time is all that matters? In other words, one minute per day of pillar box viewing for 5 years=30 hours straight without a break?


I'm not sure that is correct. Image retention has to be related to the time the image remains static without any intervening changes else you'll eventually burn-in no matter what.Image retention is evidenced by the combination of one or more static images and how long they have been displayed. Most commonly image retention will present itself in the form of lighter versus darker areas of the display when too much 4:3 material is viewed (lighter image to each side) or too many hours of 2.35:1 OAR DVDs are viewed (lighter image to the top and bottom).

If constant black bars are displayed... eventually the uneven phosphor wear will become evident.

IIRC, isn't there a way to adjust geometry with a "special" remote that some ISF technicians have? As an aside, it never occurred to me that overscan/underscan would be an issue with PDPs until calibration attempts highlighted this fact.

Anyway, thanks for the info on the Lumagen VisionHDP. Have you noticed any specific improvements like improved greyscale accuracy, less sensitivity to color differences of sources, minimization of false contouring, etc, etc?

On my 50PX50U the 720p overscan was around 5 percent and the whole image was shifted to the right about 10 percent before adjustment. For a 1080i input, it seemed centered and with about 2 percent overscan. I'm not saying everyone's 720p input is this bad, but it could at least partially explain why I always preferred to upconvert everything to 1080i before I got the Lumagen.

I can't really speak to greyscale accuracy as I have no way of measuring it, but I can tell you I've noticed a big improvement in detail/sharpness watching HD football. This has been most noticeable with 720p football. It's now on par with 1080i football for detail/clarity where before it always looked blurry in comparison. This could be explained at least in part by the overscan correction, though. I even thought FOX HD football looked like real HD for the first time yesterday.

Comprehensive greyscale adjustment can be performed through the processor but I'll probably leave that to an ISF tech (if I choose to have it calibrated).

For color, I've left the Lumagen at default for the most part and have used similar settings to what I had before through the TV's menu. I then just use the Lumagen to tweak each input/source. So far, it seems about equivalent but the Lumagen does allow independent adjustment per input and also has sub-memories for each input depending on resolution (i.e. 1080i, 720p, 480p) which helps.

If by "false contouring" you are referring to the distinct steps you see in shades like around a sunset I can't say I've noticed any difference. I've also heard this referred to as "solarization". It seems that the terms used to describe artifacts on pdp's are somwhat confusing (or maybe it's me that's confused).

I hope you are right about the ability to adjust geometry on the pdp. If that's true I think I'll eventually have at least a shot at 1:1 mapping. I'm hoping someone will come on here soon and say "oh yea, here's how you do it" or something equivalent. There has to be a way to do it. I'd think it's just a relatively new panel and the secret has yet to get out.

I am expecting delivery of the 50PHD8UK sometime in the next weeek and am wondering what to do wrt speakers? Naturally a home theater system is an option. However, for simplicity Im thinking of simply installing the optional Panasonic Speaker system. I'm wondering if the speakers made for the 7th generation panels (speakers TY-SP50P5W-K) will fit the 8th gen systems (speaker part TY-SP50P8WK). Anyone?

apru

ps - sorry if this query is posted in the wrong thread..I didnt find an official thread for the commerical panny's

Panasonic offers several picture frames which pair with the 8UK to improve its appearance. Has anyone experience with these, if so Id like to know your impressions. Also, is it trivial to simply have a local frame shop design a frame or is thier some special engineering which is evident in the Panny offering.

a

So you're saying the cumulative time is all that matters? In other words, one minute per day of pillar box viewing for 5 years=30 hours straight without a break?


I'm not sure that is correct. Image retention has to be related to the time the image remains static without any intervening changes else you'll eventually burn-in no matter what.

I see image retention and burn-in as two separate issues. Image retention is temporary and caused by a static image being displayed for a few consecutive hours. It will slowly fade over a short time. This can occur after watching many hours of letterboxed movies. For example, NEC's have big issues with image retention - many have reported seeing ghosts of logos remain on the screen for a few minutes after watching one channel for a long time on NEC pdps. Image retention is virtual non-issue on Panny PDPs and I've never seen it on my own.

Burn-in is permanent and caused by a pattern of many weeks/months/years of the the same static images. These effects won't fade naturally over a short time. The only way to fix burn-in is to display a negative image to reverse the burn.

So yes, I'm saying once you get around 1000 hours on your pdp, cumulative time with static images is all that really matters. Remember, burn-in is nothing more than uneven phosphor wear. Think of it like tires that slowly wear - If you run one tire a little out of alignment for a short time, no biggie, you can rotate tires and fix that. It's over time that the effects become visible and hard to reverse. Whether you rack up those miles in a 1000 mile chunk or on 5 mile trips makes no difference. So if you view the same static image 100% of the time, uneven wear will eventually show up - even if your viewing is in just 5 minute chunks. This is why Panny says burn-in is much less likely after 1000 hours - after 1000 hours of use, 8 hours of a game is a VERY small percentage of your total viewing. In addition, phosphors "wear" (lose their brightness) much more quickly during the early stages of use. After 1000 hours their brightness stays pretty static.

All this being said, burn-in concerns don't effect my viewing habits at all. I use my Panny as a computer monitor, watch the same news programs every day, and watch letterboxed films quite often. I have never had any issues - nor do I expect to down the road. While all 3 of these incorporate static images to some degree, the variety of images incorporated in just these 3 activities is enough in itself.

So if you view the same static image 100% of the time, uneven wear will eventually show up - even if your viewing is in just 5 minute chunks. This is why Panny says burn-in is much less likely after 1000 hours - phosphors "wear" (lose their brightness) much more quickly during the early stages of use. After 1000 hours their brightness stays pretty static.Which for people with "typical" viewing habits is about one year.

Does anyone have a recomendation for a swivel stand that would work with a 50PX500? An IR remote motorized one would be very cool.

The stand that comes the 500U isn't motorized but does swivel.

I see image retention and burn-in as two separate issues. Image retention is temporary and caused by a static image being displayed for a few consecutive hours. It will slowly fade over a short time. This can occur after watching many hours of letterboxed movies. For example, NEC's have big issues with image retention - many have reported seeing ghosts of logos remain on the screen for a few minutes after watching one channel for a long time on NEC pdps. Image retention is virtual non-issue on Panny PDPs and I've never seen it on my own.

Burn-in is permanent and caused by a pattern of many weeks/months/years of the the same static images. These effects won't fade naturally over a short time. The only way to fix burn-in is to display a negative image to reverse the burn.

.


Burn-in = image retention as far as their causes are concerned. Yes, I'd agree that burn-in has a permanent connotation but for all practical purposes they're the same process. Manufacturers tend to refer to it as "image retention" probably because it tends to describe it more accurately.

You could also say burn-in=permanent image retention.

Your argument that cumulative time is all that matters really doesn't make sense to me. Static images shown on the screen with intervening dynamic images should function much the same way as a negative image would. We may just have to agree to disagree on this one.

Burn-in = image retention as far as their causes are concerned. Yes, I'd agree that burn-in has a permanent connotation but for all practical purposes they're the same process. Manufacturers tend to refer to it as "image retention" probably because it tends to describe it more accurately.

You could also say burn-in=permanent image retention.

Your argument that cumulative time is all that matters really doesn't make sense to me. Static images shown on the screen with intervening dynamic images should function much the same way as a negative image would. We may just have to agree to disagree on this one.

There is a problem in some plasma's called "image retention". After images that take some time to decay due to residual charge of the phosphors which is definitely different from "burn-in" which is the uneven wearing of the phosphors.

Panasonic has very little image retention. My NEC 61XM2/s and Pioneer 503CMX were much worse.

-- Rich

Wasn't Panasonic rumored to have developed a phosphor based display rated to last for 100,000 hours?

Could someone please answer the questions I posted earlier? Thanks :)

Could someone please answer the questions I posted earlier? Thanks :)

1. Fraid you're right. You must choose one or the other - or live with re-scanning everytime you switch. It only has one database of channels, which is overwritten when if you switch between OTA and cable.

2. Nope, won't work from that far.

3. Can't say. Strange.

4. The only way to have independent pic settings per input is to use a different picture setting name for each input (ie - use cinema for one input, vivid for another). The set will remember which picture setting was used last on that input and select it.

For settings, do a search.

GamerGirl,

1. Yes. I know this sucks but the only way around it is to hook up a cable box with component or HDMI.

2. It works for me at 33 miles. It might be worth a try?

3 Roof antenna has UHF(2-13) and VHF(14-? and HD) evidently the VHF side is broke.

4. The different memories are standard, cinema and vivid. Each input will remember which one of those 3 that was used last.

I've got the Sanus low profile mount VMPL2, I picked it up at BB.

Sanus VMPL2 product page (https://www.sanus.com/cgi-bin/web_store.cgi?page=products/wallmount/visionmount/VMPL2.html&cart_id=7265004_16177)

It was a little more expensive that what you're willing to spend..............

Overstock has a great deal on the VMPL2 (B or S) at the low end of my target price range.

1. Let's say that we stick with expanded cable and try to get OTA HD. Does that mean that everytime we want to watch HD, we'd have to switch the cable going into the wall from the cable jack to the antenna jack, re-scan ALL the channels each time, and try to tune in stations? And of course, if we switched it back, we'd have to re-scan all the cable channels again each and every time? It seems like this is how the PD50U works.



I have the cable from the wall split, one going to the cable box and one going to the ant input of the PDP. I am able to receive the local HD channels through the antenna input which is passed by the cable company. In my case it's convenient when recording two shows and there is a third I want to watch in HD. I believe you should be able to get these channels even with basic cable. I do not have to rescan when switching from the component to antenna input.

First off, thanks for all your help once again, guys. :) That's good to know I can at least change the settings on each input in that manner.

I have the cable from the wall split, one going to the cable box and one going to the ant input of the PDP. I am able to receive the local HD channels through the antenna input which is passed by the cable company. In my case it's convenient when recording two shows and there is a third I want to watch in HD. I believe you should be able to get these channels even with basic cable. I do not have to rescan when switching from the component to antenna input.

I don't think you caught what I said about my parents' cable company not providing HD programming in their area yet, which means they wouldn't be able to receive anything over clear QAM since there's nothing there to get in the first place. OTA HD is still a possibility if I can figure out what's up with the antenna.

I'm not quite understanding your description, though... Are you saying you have a cable connected to the cable jack in the wall (not the roof antenna jack), which is then run to a splitter, with one wire going to a cable box and the other going to your TV? If that's the case, it explains why you can get HD... It's because your provider broadcasts those channels over clear QAM.

Your solution won't work for us, not to mention the fact you have a cable box and we don't. I'm assuming you have digital cable, right? Cause otherwise you wouldn't normally need a box for expanded basic.

Gamergirl,

Best bet is probably to get a digital package with a cable box on one input and use the TV's tuner for OTA HD if you want to avoid the rescan.

Yes you are right about what radyoactive is doing - he splits the coax out of the wall coming from the cableco, one to his digital set top box and the other to the TV's coax input. I do the same...sometimes both tuners on the DVR are recording the wife's programs... :rolleyes:

I've noticed that many people have been using the "Pic. Mode" of "Standard" to adjust their sets. Choosing those settings will automatically choose a "Color Temp" of "Normal". Using that as a starting point to calibrate my set numerous times, I just couldn't seem to get all the colors just right. Then a long lost brain cell kicked to life and I recalled that with many sets the "Warm" "Color Temp" will get you closest to the 6500K standard.

So I decided to do a another recalibration with the "Pic. Mode" of "Standard" but this time I changed the "Color Temp" to "Warm" (and of course turning off all the other crap like "Color Mng") and Voila! Much better overall colors with flesh tones very close to natural. I did have to slightly tweak these setting when viewing content from the tuner or cable box, but I changed the settings of the Cinema template back to the DVD calibration to have an easy way to switch between the two inputs.

I know that everyone's different sources and/or preferences will preclude the above settings working for all, but I was just curious if anybody else found the above to be a preferable setup?
Yes, you are correct (many other posts here are off base). HDMI appears to offer the best pq.

Other findings:
1) Component output from the SA HD8300 HD cable box has a green tinge. Wrong color space decoding here. HDMI is perfect. In fact I'm going to purchase a 2-3 input 1.1 1080p HDMI switcher soon.

2) Panasonic s97 DVD player set to 720p and HDMI 4:4:4 makes for an excellent match. Clear, clean and really excellent color quality. But don't use 480p as severe macroblocking results.

3) Ordered service manual

4) Charter cable does not have cable cards, and even if they did they would not work. What a crappy company.

5) Consumer Reports is correct in rating these Panasonics as offering the best picture quality: better than LCD and DLP. Its a gas:)

Panasonic s97 DVD player set to 720p and HDMI 4:4:4 makes for an excellent match. Clear, clean and really excellent color quality. But don't use 480p as severe macroblocking results.It sounds like you have the Panasonic DVD-S97S player. How is the picture it renders compared to a typical progressive scan player? How does 1080i look?Charter cable does not have cable cards, and even if they did they would not work. What a crappy company.CableCARD input definitely provides the best picture, too bad there is all this hassle involved with them. Consumer Reports is correct in rating these Panasonics as offering the best picture quality: better than LCD and DLP. Its a gas:)If you go to almost any Tweeters, BB or CC the Panasonic displays are the consistent winner of the PDP wars... I was at Tweeters last night and the sales person there said at present they can't even accept new orders for the 50/500Us.

First off, thanks for all your help once again, guys. :) That's good to know I can at least change the settings on each input in that manner.



I don't think you caught what I said about my parents' cable company not providing HD programming in their area yet, which means they wouldn't be able to receive anything over clear QAM since there's nothing there to get in the first place. OTA HD is still a possibility if I can figure out what's up with the antenna.

I'm not quite understanding your description, though... Are you saying you have a cable connected to the cable jack in the wall (not the roof antenna jack), which is then run to a splitter, with one wire going to a cable box and the other going to your TV? If that's the case, it explains why you can get HD... It's because your provider broadcasts those channels over clear QAM.

Your solution won't work for us, not to mention the fact you have a cable box and we don't. I'm assuming you have digital cable, right? Cause otherwise you wouldn't normally need a box for expanded basic.


Gamer,

Sorry I misread your post. You are correct, you can only get what the cable company sends out. I did not catch where your cable company does not carry any HD locals.

Np RadYo :) I guess I'll try an indoor antenna like that Terk and see if we can tune in any OTA signals, though I'm not too hopeful considering my parents' house is about 43 miles from the nearest towers according to Antennaweb. The other problem is that they have a small patch of trees to one side of the house (not a huge group or anything but at least half a dozen pines) and I'm wondering if that might muck up reception, too.

Reincarnate mentioned Charter... they're the same provider we have and you're right, they DO suck. I didn't even know that about CableCards. I thought they offered them, but it figures considering they're so behind in a lot of other areas. It seems like they're still trying to catch up with a lot of the other major cable providers.

I encouraged my dad to get Dish but the thing is, I know them and I know that if he had to pay $15 or whatever per month for 4-5 HD channels, he wouldn't be that crazy for it. He'd rather get it free OTA until more programming is available.

Does Dish offer local HD channels, like NBC, CBS, etc?

I have the Panny TH 42PD50 and have a Pioneer DV 363 Progressive scan dvd player and had read the reports on the Panny S77 DVD Player and bought one from F.S. There was absolutely no difference whether I ran the Panny thru HDMI or component and if the dvd player was any better than the Pioneer my eyes could not tell. I have the S77 sitting here ready to go back.

I'm wondering if an HD panel might be better suited for an upscaling DVD player?

There is a problem in some plasma's called "image retention". After images that take some time to decay due to residual charge of the phosphors which is definitely different from "burn-in" which is the uneven wearing of the phosphors.

Panasonic has very little image retention. My NEC 61XM2/s and Pioneer 503CMX were much worse.

-- Rich

If you read through the first parts of this: http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pio/pe/images/portal/cit_3424/273087528Pioneer%20DTV%20White%20Paper%20-%20FINAL.pdf,
it would seem that "burn-in" is used synonymously with "permanent image retention". I think image retention can be temporary or permanent, but it would seem to me that both are caused by static images and are thus related.

The debate I think is whether "burn-in" or "permanent image retention" is dependent solely on cumulative exposure of the screen to static images over time *or* if it also depends on whether intervening dynamic images are being displayed.
For example, IMO, the possibility of burn-in would be greater displaying a pillar-boxed image for 30 hours straight over a weekend vs. spreading that 30 hours out over 1 minute/per day for five years with intervening non-pillar boxed images.

"Burn-In mars the screen when unchanging images stay on the screen for a long time. Burn-in can happen on any phosphorbased display. You've probably noticed it on ATM screens, airport flight info monitors, arcade game screens and computer screens. Burn-in can happen also on plasma sets. Techs who work on flat-panel LCD screens say these displays can also burn-in if abused. The most common cause of burn-in is viewing old-fashion TV shows, in their square-ish 4x3 aspect ratio, centered in the middle of a 16x9-aspect screen, with black bars on the left and right side of the image. This cause of burn-in was more common when wide-screen plasma displays (and rear-projection widescreen displays) first came on the market. Nowadays, customers use Plasmavision display's wide modes to stretch 4x3-shaped TV pictures to fill the whole 16x9 screen, virtually eliminating this cause of burn-in. Station logos, subtitles, and video game scores also drive burn-in worries. Plasmavision display features such as video orbiter (which moves the entire image an inch or two every hour) and an automatic white screen setting (a screen refresh feature - exclusive to Plasmavision sets-which bathes all pixels equally in white, for a minute or so, when you turn off the source signal) eliminate these worries for home theater viewers."

If you read through the first parts of this: http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pio/pe/images/portal/cit_3424/273087528Pioneer%20DTV%20White%20Paper%20-%20FINAL.pdf,
it would seem that "burn-in" is used synonymously with "permanent image retention". I think image retention can be temporary or permanent, but it would seem to me that both are caused by static images and are thus related.

The debate I think is whether "burn-in" or "permanent image retention" is dependent solely on cumulative exposure of the screen to static images over time *or* if it also depends on whether intervening dynamic images are being displayed.
For example, IMO, the possibility of burn-in would be greater displaying a pillar-boxed image for 30 hours straight over a weekend vs. spreading that 30 hours out over 1 minute/per day for five years with intervening non-pillar boxed images.

My purpose in posting is to permit members to discuss two distinct occurences:

1) Short-Term Image retention (or ghosting). This can occur when displaying a bright image like a PC screen for 30 seconds, then displaying a dark screen. It can sometimes be seen when going from HD to SD with black bars. Some people mistake this for burn-in. Orbiter can help a bit with this. I have not seen this on my Panny, but have seen in on older Pioneer and NECs. I do not think this is a burn-in issue, just an annoying artifact.

2) Permanent Burn-in describe is uneven wear. As I understand it, the only fix for this is to "even out" the wear.

I think uneven wear would accommodate your example. Intermixed viewing habits would wear the panel evenly.

-- Rich

My purpose in posting is to permit members to discuss two distinct occurences:

1) Short-Term Image retention (or ghosting). This can occur when displaying a bright image like a PC screen for 30 seconds, then displaying a dark screen. It can sometimes be seen when going from HD to SD with black bars. Some people mistake this for burn-in. Orbiter can help a bit with this. I have not seen this on my Panny, but have seen in on older Pioneer and NECs. I do not think this is a burn-in issue, just an annoying artifact.

2) Permanent Burn-in describe is uneven wear. As I understand it, the only fix for this is to "even out" the wear.

I think uneven wear would accommodate your example. Intermixed viewing habits would wear the panel evenly.

-- Rich

Thanks. I think we agree on #2.

Number one is confusing. I know what you are referring to. I think "ghosting" or "after imaging" would be better descriptions as it goes away only after a minute or two. I see this for example when viewing a black screen while switching inputs.

The Pioneer/IDC article I referenced describes a temporary "image retention" as a phenomenon that happened to the tested pdp's after a weekend of static images being displayed. The images remained visible for up to 24 hours later but dissappeared after running a DVD movie loop. This is distinct from the "ghosting" like you describe but yet wasn't permanent. Erasure of the image did not require any special "negative" white screen input but occurred with a simple DVD loop.

Erasure of the image did not require any special "negative" white screen input but occurred with a simple DVD loop.I wonder how much "wear & tear" of the phosphors is incurred during a white-screen procedure?

Thanks. I think we agree on #2.
The Pioneer/IDC article I referenced describes a temporary "image retention" as a phenomenon that happened to the tested pdp's after a weekend of static images being displayed. The images remained visible for up to 24 hours later but dissappeared after running a DVD movie loop. This is distinct from the "ghosting" like you describe but yet wasn't permanent. Erasure of the image did not require any special "negative" white screen input but occurred with a simple DVD loop.

I saw that. I don't think we can be sure if this test was displaying some sort of after image retension that a white screen could have fixed or the screen wear that needed more wear to fix. I think the answer may depend on the particular panel used.

The main reason I jumped in here was to make clear that Panny's do NOT suffer from temporary image retension. This artifact is not often discussed when comparing plasma displays.

-- Rich

I saw that. I don't think we can be sure if this test was displaying some sort of after image retension that a white screen could have fixed or the screen wear that needed more wear to fix. I think the answer may depend on the particular panel used. The main reason I jumped in here was to make clear that Panny's do NOT suffer from temporary image retension. This artifact is not often discussed when comparing plasma displays.During the first month or so my 42PX50 did retain images, but now that it's fully broken in it no longer does this.

I watch the local FOX news for an hour or two each weekday morning before work and they use an obnoxious FOX logo which also displays the current time and temperature. I also watch a lot of SPEED channel sportscar racing and the SPEED logo was retained in the upper right corner but not as prevalent as the FOX logo in the lower right corner. Within the first week i noticed these logos could be seen when watching other shows that displayed a bright scene or shot of the sky and for the next month or so i could still see the "ghost" of these logo from time to time, but apparently as the panel aged the SPEED logo slowly faded away leaving the FOX logo still there, and that one soon faded away as well. Now that the panel is fully broken in i no longer see it even though i still watch the same FOX show every morning and SPEED racing on the weekends. It had me scared for a while but now it's a non-issue and i no longer see any images retained for more than maybe an hour or so till it disappears, if that.

Randy, you're lucky. My 2 year old Hitachi RPTV (57XWX20B) has burned in the lower left Fox News cube, Ticker, Flag in upper left, Fox News Alert section in bottom middle, plus the 4:3 pillar bars - all thanks to a couple hours of Fox & Friends every morning.

Too bad an image of "Kirin Chetry" wasn't retained instead. :D

She's half the reason I can't bring myself to stretch it.

She's half the reason I can't bring myself to stretch it.
Yes...Kiran...and Megyn Kendall too!!

Actually, Fox is a good example of why I zoom and stretch with my scaler.

The cube is 100% white. It spins and a screen rotate function will not stop that area from smudging. Channel 7 in Boston is another big offender.

If you cannot zoom, turn down the contrast.

Hey FOX News Channel...

You are my station of choice... but since I purchased my PDP I watch your news broadcasts less often because of the omnipresent station logos and crawling ticker you insist on displaying.

Fortunately, mine was covered - but I'm using the credit towards something else. I'll give you a hint, it's why I'm hanging in this thread. ;) ...so I'll have to live with the burn-in until I upgrade my living room TV. It's very annoying on any light background - not only the fact that it sticks out like a sore thumb, but the fact that the "burned in" areas actually display the colors so much better. It gives you the impression that the bulk of the video is very muddy.

I have the 42PD50 and after a scan of both analog and digital channels, I can get ch4 (SD) and ch4-1 (HD) the same for ch5 and 7, but not ch2. I have straight cable in to the TV (no box) and am on Long Island using Cablevison as my provider.

Thanks,
Neil

"Burn-In .....Plasmavision display features such as video orbiter (which moves the entire image an inch or two every hour) and an automatic white screen setting (a screen refresh feature - exclusive to Plasmavision sets-which bathes all pixels equally in white, for a minute or so, when you turn off the source signal) eliminate these worries for home theater viewers."


This sounds like a good fix to a bad situation. Does Panny have anything similar?

From Panasonic's FAQs:

Is it true that logos, graphics and other images will "burn in" and permanently damage my plasma?

There is a slight risk of image retention on any phosphor based technology (like CRTs or plasma). Improvements in panel service life to over 60,000 hours have minimized the risk of uneven aging and image retention. In addition, screen savers, pixel shifting, and brightness level adjustments can dramatically reduce any chance of burn-in. The rule of thumb: if you don't worry about your CRT, you don't have to worry about a Panasonic plasma.

I've heard that plasma TVs can burn-in over time. What is burn-in exactly, and is it really a concern?

Burn-in, which is an uneven aging of the phosphors in a display device, can occur on any display that uses phosphors to generate an image, including tube TVs, projection TVs that use CRTs, and plasma TVs. Such uneven aging happens when bright, static images are left onscreen for an extended period of time, which can leave a permanent "shadow" that is always visible. It often occurs because the contrast and brightness settings on the TV are too high. Use common sense when it comes to your plasma TV; don't pause video games or watch TV stations with station logos onscreen for long periods of time, and use one of the many display calibration DVDs available today for properly setting brightness and contrast.

I guess not too many people are worried about it.

hey guys, i just found out that my 42px50u is shipping from tv authority today, and i need a wall mount. i live in a small apartment, and i want a flat wall mount. my walls use wood stud construction. i've noticed that flat wall mounts range in price from 90-300 dollars. is there any real difference between these mounts? i don't really plan on taking it on and off the wall that often, and i don't live in earthquake zone, so i don't think the walls will be moving.

any suggestions?

edit: i was thinking of the peerless flat mount. it's only 90 bux, and seems to be a good manufacturer.

I got the Sanus (link in post #5175) from Overstock for less than 20 bux more than the Peerless you quoted (plus 2.95 shipping).

I've used neither, so I can't compare - the Peerless is actually a little (very little) closer to the wall at 1.18" instead of 1.25".

overstock is out of stock of the sanus

I hope mine comes - my order shows "In Process".

The Good news is shipping went down to $1. The bad news is the unit price went up $5. The worse news is they don't have any. :(

TH-50PX50U just delivered by Sears. Now I have to wait until Christmas to open it.

Regardless, I'm still all smiles. :) :) :)

TH-50PX50U just delivered by Sears. Now I have to wait until Christmas to open it.

Regardless, I'm still all smiles. :) :) :)
Big time congrats on the new plasma CPanther!!

TH-50PX50U just delivered by Sears. Now I have to wait until Christmas to open it.

Regardless, I'm still all smiles. :) :) :)

You're kidding, right? There's no way I could wait.

Right, consider it to be an "early" Christmas present and open the box. :)

TH-50PX50U just delivered by Sears. Now I have to wait until Christmas to open it.

Regardless, I'm still all smiles. :) :) :)

Bad idea. You want the cable company appointment before Christmas. If you wait, everyone else will need one also.

It's a Christmas present for my daughters - even by AVSer standards, opening it early would be considered rude. ;)

I just purchased a 42PX50U and knew about not being able to control the aspect on HD feed. Now that I have it home, I'm wondering if this will be a long range problem. Now I have the option of going to the non-HD feed and use the just mode. What would happen if there are no longer two feeds for a given channel and just the HD. If those HD channels send non hd programming, would that be a concern not being able to fill the screen.

Thanks.

I just purchased a 42PX50U and knew about not being able to control the aspect on HD feed. Now that I have it home, I'm wondering if this will be a long range problem. Now I have the option of going to the non-HD feed and use the just mode. What would happen if there are no longer two feeds for a given channel and just the HD. If those HD channels send non hd programming, would that be a concern not being able to fill the screen.If the stations continue their current practice of pillarboxing their non-HD programming after the analog transmitters are turned off then yes it will be a big problem for the 90% of programming that is not HD. People getting their signal from an antenna will suffer black-bar-burn-in as it will be unavoidable. Some HD cable boxes have the ability to Zoom or Stretch the 4:3 image on the HD channels but it looks like crap compared to the Panny's JUST mode (which still doesn't look all that great). Dunno if HD satellite receivers also have the ability to stretch or not. I think the lack of stretch modes on an HD signal is the biggest shortcoming of the Panasonic plasma line up.

My question is "once everything starts being transmitted in digital, will the stations start broadcasting all their non-HD content in widescreen?". I'm hoping the answer will be YES !! I've asked this in the HD forums but nobody seems to know the answer, but i think it would be a good idea for the stations to automatically send everything in widescreen. TNT-HD uses a mode similar to JUST mode on movies that are 4:3 and it looks about as good as JUST. I could live with that on all the other non-HD content if it means no burn-in.

Randy, the answer is NO. Please tell me you're kidding? Why would you want local broadcasters to either zoom/crop or stretch all SD programming? Just because YOU have a PDP and are concerned with burn in on YOUR set? What about everyone else that doesn't have PDP or is not concerned about it? You would want to subject them to a distorted picture for no reason? Think about it some more. You seem like a more considerate person than that....


ron

If the stations continue their current practice of pillarboxing their non-HD programming after the analog transmitters are turned off then yes it will be a big problem for the 90% of programming that is not HD. People getting their signal from an antenna will suffer black-bar-burn-in as it will be unavoidable. Some HD cable boxes have the ability to Zoom or Stretch the 4:3 image on the HD channels but it looks like crap compared to the Panny's JUST mode (which still doesn't look all that great). Dunno if HD satellite receivers also have the ability to stretch or not. I think the lack of stretch modes on an HD signal is the biggest shortcoming of the Panasonic plasma line up.
..

What brand of plasmas offers this feature?

This is my first post to the forum, I've sorted through alot of messages, but haven't found an answer to my problem specifically.

I recieved my 42PX500U about a month ago, a few days later a NJ Meadowlands Comcast tech came over and "installed" the cablecard. The first one didn't work, but the second did. I'm hooked on the HD channels, the picture is beautiful, but I still can't get the TV Guide to recieve data from Comcast. I called Panasonic and they said it's Comcast. Comcast is coming tomorrow, but I am not hopeful. Has anyone in Northern NJ with COmcast had the same problem?

Thanks for any insights you all can provide.

Mike G.

Electronic Program Guides (EPGs) (http://www.answers.com/topic/electronic-program-guide?hl=epg) rely on:

The Program and Systems Information Protocol (PSIP) (http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery?method=4&dsid=2222&dekey=Program+and+System+Information+Protocol&gwp=8&curtab=2222_1&linktext=PSIP) which is the ATSC standard for digital television channel naming, numbering and navigation. DTV Receivers use PSIP information to tune and label digital and analog channels.

Most likely your cable provider filters the data passed over PSIP which renders your TVs EPG feature inoperable.

Np RadYo :) Reincarnate mentioned Charter... they're the same provider we have and you're right, they DO suck. I didn't even know that about CableCards. I thought they offered them, but it figures considering they're so behind in a lot of other areas. It seems like they're still trying to catch up with a lot of the other major cable providers.

D

Where do you live? In Michigan, I just had Charter put in a cable card in my new 500U, and it works beautifully. Setup was tricky for the installer...he said pannys were the most difficult, but he got on the phone with his office and it was a piece of cake. He said Charter is adding 12 new HD stations within a year, and some really cool interactive features soon. My opinion of Charter was raised significantly after chatting with him for quite a while...and he is just the cable guy!:) Plus I get a great deal. Just go to their website and look and the Big Value Package deal. For about $90 I get high speed cable internet, basic, expanded basic, HD channels + plus 5 HD local channels (no screwing around with antennas), all digital channels, and tons of movies, 48 digital radio channels, and more. My friends say it is a helluva package that Comcast can't even come close to. Can you tell me likey Charter?

Electronic Program Guides (EPGs) (http://www.answers.com/topic/electronic-program-guide?hl=epg) rely on:

The Program and Systems Information Protocol (PSIP) (http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery?method=4&dsid=2222&dekey=Program+and+System+Information+Protocol&gwp=8&curtab=2222_1&linktext=PSIP) which is the ATSC standard for digital television channel naming, numbering and navigation. DTV Receivers use PSIP information to tune and label digital and analog channels.Actually, that's not entirely true; whether the PSIP data is displayed is up to each vendor.

The "TV Guide Online" system used in the x500U plasmas relies on a Gemstar data stream broadcast by a local television station; it completely ignores any PSIP guide information and in fact has no way to display it.

EPG rely on:

The Program and Systems Information Protocol ,PSIP which is the ATSC standard for digital television channel naming, numbering and navigation. DTV Receivers use PSIP information to tune and label digital and analog channels.

Most likely your cable provider filters the data passed over PSIP which renders your TVs EPG feature inoperable.[/QUOTE]

So most likely I'm out of luck, oh well, thanks for the response though.

I would still be curious to heat other experiences in the North Jersey Comcast area with the Panny TV Guide feature.

Thanks Mike

There are 3 ways of getting guide information

Vendor specific protocol between the cable box and headend, normally what is used by cable boxes. This is carried totally out of band with the programming.

PSIP (Program System Information Protocol) data, an ATSC standard. This is carried interspersed in the program streams along with the video and audio packets. Cable providers resist it because it takes bandwidth that could be used for the program streams.

TV Guide On Screen. This is carried in the vertical blanking interval of PBS analog channels. A private arrangement between TV Guide and PBS. TVs that claim to support "TV Guide on Screen" use this.

If the stations continue their current practice of pillarboxing their non-HD programming after the analog transmitters are turned off then yes it will be a big problem for the 90% of programming that is not HD. People getting their signal from an antenna will suffer black-bar-burn-in as it will be unavoidable. Some HD cable boxes have the ability to Zoom or Stretch the 4:3 image on the HD channels but it looks like crap compared to the Panny's JUST mode (which still doesn't look all that great). Dunno if HD satellite receivers also have the ability to stretch or not. I think the lack of stretch modes on an HD signal is the biggest shortcoming of the Panasonic plasma line up.

My question is "once everything starts being transmitted in digital, will the stations start broadcasting all their non-HD content in widescreen?". I'm hoping the answer will be YES !! I've asked this in the HD forums but nobody seems to know the answer, but i think it would be a good idea for the stations to automatically send everything in widescreen. TNT-HD uses a mode similar to JUST mode on movies that are 4:3 and it looks about as good as JUST. I could live with that on all the other non-HD content if it means no burn-in.

I always just assumed they would multicast an SD Digital signal along with the HD on different subchannels. I haven't gotten my HD OTA for a while but I'm pretty sure that's what some of my locals were doing at the time, at least our Fox affiliate for sure.

I almost think they would have to - otherwise every 4:3 TV would be getting a letterboxed feed...and while I wouldn't mind that, plenty of people would.
A heck of a lot more people would be complaining about that than plasma owners complaining about pillarboxing.

Of course the government is involved so who knows.

Actually, that's not entirely true; whether the PSIP data is displayed is up to each vendor.Exactly, and most likely the Comcast provider in Northern NJ won't. PSIP (Program System Information Protocol) data, an ATSC standard. This is carried interspersed in the program streams along with the video and audio packets. Cable providers resist it because it takes bandwidth that could be used for the program streams.My cable provider is competent with installing PODs & supporting CableCARD technology. What digital information they “authorize” their CableCARDs to pass is another story.

I always just assumed they would multicast an SD Digital signal along with the HD on different subchannels. I haven't gotten my HD OTA for a while but I'm pretty sure that's what some of my locals were doing at the time, at least our Fox affiliate for sure.

I almost think they would have to - otherwise every 4:3 TV would be getting a letterboxed feed...and while I wouldn't mind that, plenty of people would.
A heck of a lot more people would be complaining about that than plasma owners complaining about pillarboxing.

Of course the government is involved so who knows.

It is likely that they will transmit a single 16:9 feed once the analog shutoff occurs. Mandatory SD multicasting would destroy the HD picture quality on the primary channel - at least for 1080i stations. Not that many aren't willing to do that anyway, but if they are, an SD feed would mean one less sub-channels they could carry.

Letterboxed SD viewing will just be one minor effect of the transition. The 30% of the TV's with analog tuners being used with OTA signals will not even work without a STB. When those newer digital STBs reach the shelves, 4:3 TVs will be a significant, if not the primary end use. I would think a "zoom" function would be a standard feature - something my 2 year old Hitachi RPTV can do to HD programming. That gives the anti-black bar consumer an option to view a fullscreen image.

Fair enough. I still wouldn't want to be manning the phones when Grandma calls in and wants to know why the Guiding Light is letterboxed... ;)

Now that you mention it, I think my OTA STB tuner can zoom and stretch HD too...it's just the Panny without that.

BTW Panther...if that 50" is an Xmas gift for your daughters....you're the best dad ever.

Does anyone have a recomendation for a swivel stand that would work with a 50PX500? An IR remote motorized one would be very cool.

The stand that comes the 500U isn't motorized but does swivel.

Are you sure? I could not swivel it on the 50PX500 I saw.

I have not been able to find a swivel stand yet but I am considering setting the unit on a swivel base. The only problem is that the stand is aweful wide, however Rockler has a 30" wide x 18" deep model that I believe will work.

http://www.rockler.com/ecom7/product_details.cfm?&offerings_id=5842&

Anybody else have a suggestion for a swivel stand or base?

Just got my 50-500u last night and the thing is sitting upright in my living room on the base of the box with the cover removed. I didn't have anyone around that could help me lift that thing off of the base so that I could get to the stand so for now it is going to have to sit. Man my wife is pissed. Anyway, I have 2 questions:

1. Stupid question but how did you guys get that thing off the base so that you could get to the stand. Am I the only one confused? Did you have to have another person help you?

2. After I removed the plastic, I hooked the thing up to my HR10-250 via HDMI but didn't get a picture. Do you have to turn the TV Tuners off first? Do you have to set the TV to Cable?

I know, I'm not smart enough to have a plasma. :) Please help.

Kurt

Are you sure? I could not swivel it on the 50PX500 I saw.

Only the 42" PX500 has a swivel stand.

Just got my 50-500u last night and the thing is sitting upright in my living room on the base of the box with the cover removed. I didn't have anyone around that could help me lift that thing off of the base so that I could get to the stand so for now it is going to have to sit. Man my wife is pissed. Anyway, I have 2 questions:

1. Stupid question but how did you guys get that thing off the base so that you could get to the stand. Am I the only one confused? Did you have to have another person help you?There is no way you'll be able to lift the plasma onto it's table stand by yourself. Even if you can handle the hundred or so pounds, the thing is big and unweildy and hard to get ahold of. The two guys that delivered my 42" had no trouble lifting it and lowering it onto the posts of the table stand, but there's no way one guy should attempt it.


2. After I removed the plastic, I hooked the thing up to my HR10-250 via HDMI but didn't get a picture. Do you have to turn the TV Tuners off first? Do you have to set the TV to Cable?Did you switch the TV to the HDMI input? ;)

Only the 42" PX500 has a swivel stand.I Can confirm this. I was able to swivel the 42PX500U at Fry's with a little force, but when i tried to do the same thing with the 50PX500U i almost pulled the whole thing off the shelf! Scared the hell outta me . . . .

Fair enough. I still wouldn't want to be manning the phones when Grandma calls in and wants to know why the Guiding Light is letterboxed... ;)Lets outsouce those calls from Grandma to India! :p

I believe those 'poodle-fakers' (http://www.khandro.net/mysterious_naga.htm) would like a good American job. :)

After watching my 50PX50U on the normal stand I realized the CC installed it backwards !!
The front of the TV has the text on each piece of the stand. The curved out pieces are in the back :(
So apparently you can put it on backwards. I don't have the heart to call em back and schedule it to be redone.

There is no way you'll be able to lift the plasma onto it's table stand by yourself. Even if you can handle the hundred or so pounds, the thing is big and unweildy and hard to get ahold of. The two guys that delivered my 42" had no trouble lifting it and lowering it onto the posts of the table stand, but there's no way one guy should attempt it.


Did you switch the TV to the HDMI input? ;)

Randy,

Thanks for the response. Yes, I did switch to the HDMI input but all I get is the channel not available screen. I know the answer is right in front of me, but I just can't figure it out. Does the TV need to be set to "cable" or "satellite" or do the internal tuners need to be turned off?

Kurt

4) Charter cable does not have cable cards, and even if they did they would not work. What a crappy company.
I have Charter cable, and I know they have cables cards because I got one from them. I will say that they insisted on it needing to be "professionally" installed, and then sent someone over who said that he never had seen a cable card before, (but at least he had his checklist of what he was supposed to do). He did like my new Panny though.
:D

Randy,

Thanks for the response. Yes, I did switch to the HDMI input but all I get is the channel not available screen. I know the answer is right in front of me, but I just can't figure it out. Does the TV need to be set to "cable" or "satellite" or do the internal tuners need to be turned off?

Kurt


Is the "Channel not Available" screen in a blue banner at the bottom of the screen? Are you sure that the TV is putting that up, or is it the HD-Tivo? If it's the Tivo, you may be tuned to a channel you don't receive, or you don't have the sat coax hooked up properly.

If it's the HD-Tivo, You should see "Channel not available." in a blue box on the bottom and a DirecTV logo on the left.

Is the "Channel not Available" screen in a blue banner at the bottom of the screen? Are you sure that the TV is putting that up, or is it the HD-Tivo? If it's the Tivo, you may be tuned to a channel you don't receive, or you don't have the sat coax hooked up properly.

If it's the HD-Tivo, You should see "Channel not available." in a blue box on the bottom and a DirecTV logo on the left.


Cpanther95,

Thanks for the response. The "channel not available" box is more in the middle of the screen and does not resemble the smaller, rectangular box that you see from Dtv at the bottom of the screen. It also does not give an extension to call like the Dtv banner does. If I was tuned to a channel that I didn't receive then I would still be able to see the guide come up when I pressed that command. Unfortunately, nothing happens when I press any tivo or dtv commands. It's gonna take some messing around with.

Kurt

Doesn't sound like it then if there's no D* logo. For future reference, the extension message (X721) comes up for channels that you do not subscribe to. The "Channel not available." message comes up for channels that don't exist.

overstock is out of stock of the sanus

If one Googles the Sanus model number, you'll find several other vendors have it in stock for about the same or less than Overstock.

During the first month or so my 42PX50 did retain images, but now that it's fully broken in it no longer does this.

I watch the local FOX news for an hour or two each weekday morning before work and they use an obnoxious FOX logo which also displays the current time and temperature. I also watch a lot of SPEED channel sportscar racing and the SPEED logo was retained in the upper right corner but not as prevalent as the FOX logo in the lower right corner. Within the first week i noticed these logos could be seen when watching other shows that displayed a bright scene or shot of the sky and for the next month or so i could still see the "ghost" of these logo from time to time, but apparently as the panel aged the SPEED logo slowly faded away leaving the FOX logo still there, and that one soon faded away as well. Now that the panel is fully broken in i no longer see it even though i still watch the same FOX show every morning and SPEED racing on the weekends. It had me scared for a while but now it's a non-issue and i no longer see any images retained for more than maybe an hour or so till it disappears, if that.

Glad your issues cleared up. I'm in the break in period as we speak. Are the black pillars equally as damaging as the static logos?

When you are breaking these things in, the amount of logos and potential burn in threats are mind boggling. Can't wait for the time where I can once again just sit and relax and enjoy some television.

Glad your issues cleared up. I'm in the break in period as we speak. Are the black pillars equally as damaging as the static logos?

When you are breaking these things in, the amount of logos and potential burn in threats are mind boggling. Can't wait for the time where I can once again just sit and relax and enjoy some television.I feel your pain...
According to Panasonic Customer Service, yes they are. They told me if I was concerned about image retention, that I should watch fullscreen the 1st couple of months.

I did what some others have recommended in that I ran a DVD full screen on a loop for a good portion of the 1st hundred hours on my TH-37PX50U. After the 1st hundred hours were done, I have watched what I wanted, but have tried to mix it up when possible (some full screen, but lots of 4:3 screen). After 2 months/ 250 hrs. playing time, no image retention issues that I can tell.

I feel your pain...
According to Panasonic Customer Service, yes they are. They told me if I was concerned about image retention, that I should watch fullscreen the 1st couple of months.

I did what some others have recommended in that I ran a DVD full screen on a loop for a good portion of the 1st hundred hours on my TH-37PX50U. After the 1st hundred hours were done, I have watched what I wanted, but have tried to mix it up when possible (some full screen, but lots of 4:3 screen). After 2 months/ 250 hrs. playing time, no image retention issues that I can tell.

Lots of 4:3 with no black pillar issues. I like hearig that.

Not home at the moment, but sure hope my dvd player has a loop function. Either way, a great idea to run graphic free content in a loop.

The panny service tech. finally showed up at my house 15 minutes ago. He looked at my Panasonic TH-42PD50U, entered the service mode and found there was no way to adjust the horizontal or vertical alignment (horizontal/vertical shift or horizontal/vertical position).

Upon seeing this he called Panasonic and read them the model number and serial number of the TV and they flat out admitted that they literally "overlooked" these invaluable functions when making the TVs and that it is the primary reason the line has been "discontinued." They said the problem has been fixed in next year's models.

They recommended that if I was in my first 30 days to return the television and wait for next year's models, rather than exchange for another model from this year, because if the horizontal or vertical ever misaligns, down the road, it will be impossible to fix and, if out of warranty, a new circuit board won't be cheap.

I honestly think Panasonic should have recalled this model (and any other of this year's models with the same problem). Imagine 2 years from now when people's tvs go out of alignment and they're told they need to fork over a thousand bucks for a new circuit board.

There's no doubt the Panny plasma has the best (or at least one of the best) picture, but Panasonic directly admitted there is at least one problem with the TV. And Panasonic themselves recommended the service tech advise me to return my television and not exchange it for another one. Anyone still thinking of getting one should probably wait until next year.

This is very disappointing, but at least now I know. So it's back to Circuit City for me. I tried to get Panny to pay to ship it back, but it was a no go. Great customer support, Panasonic. You screw up, I have to box and package your defective television and drive 2 hours to make up for your error. :mad:

The panny service tech. finally showed up at my house 15 minutes ago. He looked at my Panasonic TH-42PD50U, entered the service mode and found there was no way to adjust the horizontal or vertical alignment (horizontal/vertical shift or horizontal/vertical position).

Upon seeing this he called Panasonic and read them the model number and serial number of the TV and they flat out admitted that they literally "overlooked" these invaluable functions when making the TVs and that it is the primary reason the line has been "discontinued." They said the problem has been fixed in next year's models.

They recommended that if I was in my first 30 days to return the television and wait for next year's models, rather than exchange for another model from this year, because if the horizontal or vertical ever misaligns, down the road, it will be impossible to fix and, if out of warranty, a new circuit board won't be cheap.

I honestly think Panasonic should have recalled this model (and any other of this year's models with the same problem). Imagine 2 years from now when people's tvs go out of alignment and they're told they need to fork over a thousand bucks for a new circuit board.

There's no doubt the Panny plasma has the best (or at least one of the best) picture, but Panasonic directly admitted there is at least one problem with the TV. And Panasonic themselves recommended the service tech advise me to return my television and not exchange it for another one. Anyone still thinking of getting one should probably wait until next year.

This is very disappointing, but at least now I know. So it's back to Circuit City for me. I tried to get Panny to pay to ship it back, but it was a no go. Great customer support, Panasonic. You screw up, I have to box and package your defective television and drive 2 hours to make up for your error. :mad:I would suspect that he called back to his shop, not Panasonic. I owned an independent Panasonic service center for twenty years and we had no magic number to call that would instantly link us up with some all-knowing factory service center. If a situation came up that we couldn't handle we would have to call our zone rep who would naturally be on the road and call us back hours (or days) later. I admit this was before the days of cell phones, but I still don't believe he got this advice from Panasonic. There are rumors that the 'true' service manual for this set has been hacked into. Check this thread: http://www.hometheaterspot.com/htsthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/748485/Main/739792/

Hi All,

I emailed Panasonic Customer Service about my 50PX500 loss of stations
from time to time. With the only way to resolve the loss station is to do a rescan.
This is the reply back

Dear MR MIKE

Thank you for your inquiry. There is not a software update available for this model at this time.

We hope this information is helpful to you.

Thank You,
Panasonic Consumer Support

I will update you all if I hear more.
Mike

I have a 50" Panny PX500U and my neighbor has the 42" 50U. We are both having a problem once in awhile of one or two of the local channels just vanishing (they won't come up)....and then we have to RESCAN all the channels, then they are "back" ok. Anyone else have this problem, and any ideas on how to fix this minor problem? Of course, these plasmas are just great in every other aspect. Thanks, Bruce.
FWIW I have a different brand tv than you do but I used to lose channels and had to rescan to get them back. I have a OTA and I solved it with a 10db amplifier, the brand is a ASKA but there are many other brand names. You can get one at a electronic store like Radio Shack and you connect your coax input to one side and then outputs to your tv. Then plug the amplifier into a outlet and I noticed more signal strength and no more loss of channels since. Also it seemed that I had enough signal strength to begin with but when I installed the amplifier it boosted much more. Also the stations I was losing were the ones that were the longest distance from my location.

The panny service tech. finally showed up at my house 15 minutes ago. He looked at my Panasonic TH-42PD50U, entered the service mode and found there was no way to adjust the horizontal or vertical alignment (horizontal/vertical shift or horizontal/vertical position).

Upon seeing this he called Panasonic and read them the model number and serial number of the TV and they flat out admitted that they literally "overlooked" these invaluable functions when making the TVs and that it is the primary reason the line has been "discontinued." They said the problem has been fixed in next year's models.

They recommended that if I was in my first 30 days to return the television and wait for next year's models, rather than exchange for another model from this year, because if the horizontal or vertical ever misaligns, down the road, it will be impossible to fix and, if out of warranty, a new circuit board won't be cheap.

I honestly think Panasonic should have recalled this model (and any other of this year's models with the same problem). Imagine 2 years from now when people's tvs go out of alignment and they're told they need to fork over a thousand bucks for a new circuit board.

There's no doubt the Panny plasma has the best (or at least one of the best) picture, but Panasonic directly admitted there is at least one problem with the TV. And Panasonic themselves recommended the service tech advise me to return my television and not exchange it for another one. Anyone still thinking of getting one should probably wait until next year.

This is very disappointing, but at least now I know. So it's back to Circuit City for me. I tried to get Panny to pay to ship it back, but it was a no go. Great customer support, Panasonic. You screw up, I have to box and package your defective television and drive 2 hours to make up for your error. :mad:

My question for you (if you can answer it) is does this problem just appear on the 50U or does it also appear on the 500 u?

After watching my 50PX50U on the normal stand I realized the CC installed it backwards !!
The front of the TV has the text on each piece of the stand. The curved out pieces are in the back :(
So apparently you can put it on backwards. I don't have the heart to call em back and schedule it to be redone.My "primary" concern would be what the potential for damage is to your CableCARD slot.

After watching my 50PX50U on the normal stand I realized the CC installed it backwards !! The front of the TV has the text on each piece of the stand. The curved out pieces are in the back :( So apparently you can put it on backwards. I don't have the heart to call em back and schedule it to be redone.Why not? It's possible that the plastic trestles on the base are now damaged from being installed backwards so i'd have CC send someone out to lift the display off the stand and turn it around, and while it's off you can inspect it for damage.

Or if you have two friends to help you two of you can lift the plasma straight up while the 3rd guy (or gal) turns the stand around for you then just lower it back down. I would do this right away because the plasma will tip forward way easier with the stand backwards like that.

There are rumors that the 'true' service manual for this set has been hacked into. Check this thread: http://www.hometheaterspot.com/htsthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/748485/Main/739792/

My understanding is that the "service remote" will NOT give one access to controls to adjust for under/overscanning and/or picture centering issues. Michael @ The Laser Video Experience (member: Michael TLV) informed of this.

This is quite disturbing. :(

I just received the service manual I ordered for the 50px50u and I am going to look through it this weekend for adjustments. It may be that the only positioning adjustments are on circuit cards rather than through the menus' although most modern equipment is moving away from manual potentiometer adjustments.

Is anyone using an upconverting DVD player with a Faroudja deinterlacer/scaler --> HDMI with a 50/500U? If so, do you notice any macroblocking problems with your DVD player?