Serial upgrade from 0608 worked. Only problem is the image looks worse over component than it did before the upgrade...more contouring than i remember. Although I've only watched OC...bad example..

Ok here is what I found out. The reason mine was creating a rippling effect is because what I had it at apparently the unit tries to over compensate and over push in dark areas. When using DVE I was very close to the screen and I noticed that adjust the brightness by +1 cause noise in the blacks. So the rippling appears not to be an issue with my unit but the firmware trying to compensate. I did notice that when watching dark programming the blacks are not "floated" and no longer appear brighter.

Here is what I got using DVE and having the latest firmware using component and being in a pitch black room. Try it out and tell me what you guys think of these settings please.

Contrast: 45
Brightness: 19
Color: 25
Tint: 0
Sharpness: 10
Color Temp: Natural

Vas, these settings look a little dark on my set with the 0822 upgrade. I even tried watching in a dark room. BTW, I'm using the component ins as you did.

Ok here is what I found out. The reason mine was creating a rippling effect is because what I had it at apparently the unit tries to over compensate and over push in dark areas. When using DVE I was very close to the screen and I noticed that adjust the brightness by +1 cause noise in the blacks. So the rippling appears not to be an issue with my unit but the firmware trying to compensate. I did notice that when watching dark programming the blacks are not "floated" and no longer appear brighter.

Here is what I got using DVE and having the latest firmware using component and being in a pitch black room. Try it out and tell me what you guys think of these settings please.

Contrast: 45
Brightness: 19
Color: 25
Tint: 0
Sharpness: 10
Color Temp: Natural


This is in keepting with the way I've tended to get best results. Brightness really low (to decrease the noise that appears at higher brightness settings) and contrast higher. At times I'll push the contrast up to the 70 to 80 range, and it definitely increases the overall perceived "darkness" of the picture. It really varies very widely by source.

The 822 firmware lowers the brightness/contrast so higher settings are required after flashing.
I believe they did this to make the preset modes (vivid/theater etc...) look better. When it comes to color banding the HDMI input is superior to component IMHO.

Hey guys. Any idea as to why the picture on my TV gets dark and not visible while fastforwarding a VHS tape? I can barely see the squiggy lines of the pic while its moving but it is rather dark so that I'm uncertain as where I am in the tape. I'm just trying to move through commercials. I have the VCR/DVD hooked up as component 1 with plain composite connections. I'll eventually step up to a DVR but for right now, this is what I'm recording with.

Thanks, Todd

Vas, these settings look a little dark on my set with the 0822 upgrade. I even tried watching in a dark room. BTW, I'm using the component ins as you did.
Same here. While watching "Four Brothers" on DVD, these settings made it too dark. I couldn't see the characters in very dark scenes.

However, this did remove the band of contouring during opening credits that we are both experiencing.

I'm trying to do the upgrade but I think the instructions they sent me are a little wacked out.

I've loaded the ISP program.
Set the buad at 9600
Clicked connect
Clicked ISP
Clicked the large white box
Typed (1) enter

At this point the screen echos back

>RCV
>FAL

The instructions then say to type (y) enter

The screen echos back
>RCV
>FAL

I also tried typing (1y) enter and get the same message.

I've been around computers and terminal programs all my life and I can't figure this one out.

Thanks, Bill.

ps: the on board software is 615

I also have hooked up using HyperTerminal and get the same thing.

Try a different cable. The cable needs to be pin for pin straight thru, not a null modem (tx and rx crossed) Once you connect successfully with Hyperterminal the loader program should work as well. Good Luck!

I double checked my cable with a meter. All 9 pins show correct continuity.

I'm a little bummed because the HDMI is really red.

In Hyperterminal under File/Properties/Settings/Ascii Setup, check "echo typed characters locally" Also make sure the Com settings are right and that you're on the correct com port. Maybe it is something simple you overlooked. Make sure the set is on when using Hyperterminal. If I remember right the flash program connects when the set is off. Don't give up!

I have had this set for a while and have loved it. I rarely watch DVD's, but I put one in )and then several more to confirm it wasn't the movie itself) yesterday and noticed that there is a dramatic green tint to everything. Here is my info:

1. The DVD player is hooked up via component.
2. I maxed the tint on the Maxent to the red side, but the picture is still bad.
3. I have firmware 822.

Any thoughts on how to fix this?

I guess I'll call support Monday. I tried a different computer and cable with the same results.

Same here. While watching "Four Brothers" on DVD, these settings made it too dark. I couldn't see the characters in very dark scenes.

However, this did remove the band of contouring during opening credits that we are both experiencing.

Ok so you have the bands or ripples on the black scenes as well? I may give Maxent a call and describe it to them to see if I possibly have a bad image board.

I know the settings are a little dark, but it gets rid of the noise during darker scenes.

Wierd, wierd, wierd. I tried again this morning after leaving the set unplugged all night and the upgrade worked.

I don't recall seeing it anywhere in this topic. What is the life of the 42X3? 60,000 hours?

I can purchase a display model of the mx3 at costco. 10% off.

Is this a good idea?

The model's picture looks great.

With all the problems that I have heard maybe a display model is better than out of the box???

Toughts please :)

What problems? This panel remains the best value out there IMHO. Get it while you can. You can always return it if you're not happy. Good Luck!

I have had this set for a while and have loved it. I rarely watch DVD's, but I put one in )and then several more to confirm it wasn't the movie itself) yesterday and noticed that there is a dramatic green tint to everything. Here is my info:

1. The DVD player is hooked up via component.
2. I maxed the tint on the Maxent to the red side, but the picture is still bad.
3. I have firmware 822.

Any thoughts on how to fix this?

Anyone???

Anyone???

I'd say any tint described as dramatic is probably either a bad cable or loose connection. Try checking your connections, swapping your cable, or hooking it to the component 2 input.

What are the differences between this and the Panasonic 42PHD8UK? Do they really use the same panel? Surely the scaler and/or color decoder are different. Costco has these on their website and I will pick one up if they are basically the same as the Panasonic.

I guess I am months behind everyone here as I have just found out about this plasma. I'm moving up from (if you can remember this tv) a Samsung GXTV (remember folding speakers?) So essentially I'm going from 14'' to 42" widescreen :D

Anyway, my question is this: Looking at the Costco website, it says that the Maxtent MX-42X3 has:
TV Tuner: NTSC (Analog Tuner)

This confuses me as I remember seeing in the first few threads that this set has no NTSC tuner? So whats the deal?

Also, I sit about 8'-9' from the TV and will be watching mainly SD with OTA HD once I buy an antenna, as well as gaming, and using as a pc monitor. Do you believe the SD quality will be as good or better than a 14" 11yr old crt?

Thanks for any help!
-Short

The MX-42X3 has no tuner. The Costco website must be in error. You need to "feed it" a signal via composite, component, HDMI, etc. That's not an issue for most of us, since these days most people are using a cable box, DirecTV or Dish receiver, etc. which renders a TV's built-in tuner unnecessary. I, for one, was glad not to have to spend extra money for a tuner I'd never use.

In my opinion, the picture quality, even in SD, will blow your old set away. I love to show friends the Maxent and listen to them gush about how good it looks, before dropping the news that they're looking at SD... and when I show the HD quality, they're doubly blown away. To my eyes, the colors are brighter and more vivid as well as sharper than my old set -- and it was newer and larger than your old one.

Now everyone's perceptions are different, but I don't think you can go wrong with the Maxent, particularly given the price. I'd buy it again in a heartbeat.

The MX-42X3 has no tuner. The Costco website must be in error. You need to "feed it" a signal via composite, component, HDMI, etc. That's not an issue for most of us, since these days most people are using a cable box, DirecTV or Dish receiver, etc. which renders a TV's built-in tuner unnecessary. I, for one, was glad not to have to spend extra money for a tuner I'd never use.

In my opinion, the picture quality, even in SD, will blow your old set away. I love to show friends the Maxent and listen to them gush about how good it looks, before dropping the news that they're looking at SD... and when I show the HD quality, they're doubly blown away. To my eyes, the colors are brighter and more vivid as well as sharper than my old set -- and it was newer and larger than your old one.

Now everyone's perceptions are different, but I don't think you can go wrong with the Maxent, particularly given the price. I'd buy it again in a heartbeat.

That also depends on the signal from the SD channel. Some SD channels on cable look great, others are garbage.

okay....admittedly I am a newbie here...both to this forum and the world of HD.

It is my understanding that Costco no longer stocks the MX-42X3 and it has been replaced with the MX-42XM11 model (which should be avoided as it is an inferior model compared to the MX-42x3).

Is that accurate??

okay....admittedly I am a newbie here...both to this forum and the world of HD.

It is my understanding that Costco no longer stocks the MX-42X3 and it has been replaced with teh MX-42XM11 model (which should be avoided as it is an inferior model compared to the MX-42x3).

Is that accurate??

Yes. I think CostCo still offers the 42X3 online, but alot of people don't wanna pay an extra $200 for the shipping.

Anyone know how to proram or what the remote codes are for the Maxent with the 8300?
Just closed on the house and wall mounted the plasma. Saw HD on it for the first time. out side of some contouring that is different on every channel, it looks great.
I have Scientific Atlanta 8300HD (Cox) and was having to use both remotes. Even the cable guy couldn't get my cable remote to control the TV...even tried "searching for your code" on the remote...and nothing. I put in the code for Gateway (1755) and it worked! Now I can control everything with my cable remote. Good Luck.

if you're in southern california there're 5 [ 42x3 ] available at some store, Garden Grove and FV and also few other warehouse just saw yesterday

OK. The service tech came out and changed the image board. The picture, which looked fine before, looks fine still. However, the remote control still does not work. This is the second remote I have tried. Maxent figured since the remote functions are also handled on the image board, replacing the image board would also fix the remote. Nope. The service tech could not give me an explanation and said just call tech support. He also seemed pretty disgusted with their tech support center because he sounded pretty pissed with them while on the phone.

I am considering returning this set to Costco because it doesn't appear the problem will be resolved on-site. For those of you have returned a 42X3, has Costco given you any hassles and will they give me a full refund if they don't have any other 42X3s available?

I must say that I a bit disappointed with Maxent at this point. Great TV with great picture but an expensive set like this should at least have a working remote.

What settings do you guys use for gaming on your unit? I played 360 for about an hour last night and noticed a slight image retention. Im letting it run on Discovery HD while Im at work for damage control today.

first thanks to you all for the great advice. Looking to purchase my first plasma. Local costco has a display 42x3 at a 10% discount. From the info on this forum I was ready to snap it up. The PQ looked great but it did seem as tho the right side of the screen looked just a bit darker. I don't know what kind of signal they were feeding it, just a promo loop that had a bright lime green background. I'd love to pick it up but wondering if the set is defective or maybe some adjustments might clear it up. Have any 42x3 owners noticed this on there sets?

I am considering returning this set to Costco because it doesn't appear the problem will be resolved on-site. For those of you have returned a 42X3, has Costco given you any hassles and will they give me a full refund if they don't have any other 42X3s available?

No, I returned mine after the idiot tech came out and busted it. I could have waited for Maxent to send me a new one, and I would have had to send the old one back, but I just returned it so I wouldn't have to deal with any of that. They don't do exchanges, so even if they had one in stock they would still do a credit and have you re-purchase it. When I returned it, they asked me what the problem was, to which I said "It does not turn on, tech support says it may be a problem with the image board" (which was true). The guy from the returns counter looked inside the box, then someone that works with the TV's came over and made sure everything was inside, then they gave me the credit. I then grabbed one of those push carts, and walked right over to the TV section and bought another one with a later build date.

Does anyone know how well the M11 compares to the X3? I bought an M11 and am considering bringing it back for a bigger set. Anyone have any input?

Does anyone know how well the M11 compares to the X3? I bought an M11 and am considering bringing it back for a bigger set. Anyone have any input?

The X3 is better in every way.

Does anyone know how well the M11 compares to the X3? I bought an M11 and am considering bringing it back for a bigger set. Anyone have any input?

I have the M11, and it's not too bad. I think one of the problems with this panel, is that it got such a bad rap at Best Buy no one has bought one. From reading the threads, the X3 has had it's share of problem too, but so many AVS'ers own one, that they have shared tips and tricks, and worked out most of the issues. As for the M11, if you get one you're basically on your own when it comes to troubleshooting. Personally, I didn't think the X3 was worth the price difference when you factor in S&H...however, if you see one in a B&M store I would jump on it.

I am a newbie who has recently picked up a 42" Maxent, based largely on info I have gathered from this forum. (Thanks!) Exactly what is this "firmware" that people are talking about, and how does it affect my viewing experience? How do I find out which version my TV is equipped with? I am not very tech-inclined (yet), any explanation or advice would be much appreciated.

Friends:

I'm using a Comcast 6412 III box, into my 42X3. The Comcast box is set to output a 1080i signal, and I am using component cables.

I've noticed on some HD channels -- right now, on 175 INHD2; often on the CBS and NBC HD feeds; not on the FOX HD feed -- a very subtle, but notable "stutter" (for lack of a better term). It is easiest to see when a channel is running a scroll across the bottom, like on the morning news shows. The scroll does not move smoothly; it seems to stop for a split second and then click back to normal. The same thing happens to the picture, which I can usually observe in a long tracking shot.

This does not happen all the time, and it does not happen on all HD channels. I assume some of the possible sources of this problem are:

(1) my head (but I don't think so);
(2) the source broadcast;
(3) a bad Comcast box;
(4) a bad TV; or
(5) bad cables.

If you have any insight on this, I will be grateful to hear from you.

Regards,

PJP

I am a newbie who has recently picked up a 42" Maxent, based largely on info I have gathered from this forum. (Thanks!) Exactly what is this "firmware" that people are talking about, and how does it affect my viewing experience? How do I find out which version my TV is equipped with? I am not very tech-inclined (yet), any explanation or advice would be much appreciated.

You can view the firmware by going to the setup menu, then going down to setup. It will then give you the information you are looking for.

I have a couple of really dumb questions.

On some shows, especially ones with dark scenes, there seems to be a graudation in the brightness and colour between the light areas and the dark areas. This sometimes results in some wierd effects making certain parts of images looking like a cartoon or causing a colour shift looking somewhat like a rainbow..

I've found turning the colour down to about 28 helps with this but I've seen the same effect on black and white source material.

Also no matter what level I have the colour or tint set to sometimes facial features have small patches of a reddish tint.

Is this normal for plasma displays? These effects seem especially pronounced in a direct side by side comparison with a RCA F38310 38" crt hdtv.

I'm using the component input, software rev. 615.

Thank You, Bill.
I had the same kinds of problems with a lot of different sources. The faces on 24 looked terrible. I switched to hdmi, and the problem went away.

Hi I have a strange issue with my maxent mx-42x3.

When I first turn it on, for about 10 seconds it flickers wildly different colors, instead of just showing the blue screen. It clears up and goes to blue after a bit and then the tv is fine. I figure it's something related to heat and I should probably get it looked at since problems like that tend to get worse over time but I thought I would check here first and see if anyone else has seen this issue.

Thanks,

Alex.

well I had a prob with pulsing brightness ??
small amount would go brighter darker brighter darker no matter how it was adjusted and just on the HDMI
well this week everything goes red like the other colors are gone think BW version of red ;)
component was funny ?? everything but the red ??

then went to retest and component is now working but seems like its 2-3 stops to dark ?? and way to much contrast from what it was
and of course HDMI is still not working

so I think it might be going back to costco ??
not sure what I am going to get to replace it yet ??
might get a 50 vizio ?? checked out the pio 42 model that is coming up on sale but not impressed with the dark levels on it and from what I have read its not that great ??
might pony up and just get a regular pany model ???

argghhhhh I was happy with it and the costco does not have this set anymore here or I would just get another one :(

argghhhhh I was happy with it and the costco does not have this set anymore here or I would just get another one :(


My local Costco has them in stock. They used to carry them, then carried the M11 for a few months, and now have switched back to the 42x3 (thankfully). Of course, they now also carry the 50x3 too. Decisions, decisions...


Is the 42x3 still recommended, especially considering the new Vizio 42" coming out in March?

Does anybody has luck to have this TV work with MOXI controller from Charter cable?

This TV works great, it's a very nice entry-level, budget plasma TV.

i'm considering this model, which is in stock at my local costco, but have one crucial question

can you fully remove the speakers from the sides? it looks like they can easily be screwed off, but i just wanna make sure, as i can't get a plasma with speakers on the side due to space limitations

i'm considering this model, which is in stock at my local costco, but have one crucial question

can you fully remove the speakers from the sides? it looks like they can easily be screwed off, but i just wanna make sure, as i can't get a plasma with speakers on the side due to space limitations

This is not the display for you then, as they speakers are part of the casing.

i'm considering this model, which is in stock at my local costco, but have one crucial question

can you fully remove the speakers from the sides? it looks like they can easily be screwed off, but i just wanna make sure, as i can't get a plasma with speakers on the side due to space limitations

Are you sure you are looking at the MX-42X3? You may talking about the 42XM11 which does have removeable speakers, but is a different display.

well my Plasma went back and I came home with a Sharp DT400 projector ? I didnt see that coming either as I had my eye on a 50 plasma
since moving to the mainland I have more room and the projector bug has bitten me so now looking at a nicer model of projector even

I must say the Maxent was a great looking plasma for the money ;) I am bummed it broke ? but then again maybe a blessing in disguise as watching The Shield on 120 inches is killer ;)

well at costco it says MX-42X3...i double-checked yesterday that it was the X3

it has a black surround with silver surrounding that...the speakers look detachable because there are just 2 screws on them and the speaker wire comes from terminals on the tv over to speaker...

maybe it was mislabeled at costco?

if so, the m11 is not nearly as good as the x3, right?

sigh; too bad the 4214hd pio at costco has speakers as well

so it may be either the m11 (if costco had it mislabeled) or another 700 for dell or samsung at costco

I've had my MX-42X3 for several months now, but just recently upgraded to HDTV, using a DirecTV HR10-250 (DirecTivo HD box).

Anyone else have this combo?

The problem is that I do not have any surround-sound setup, so I have Dolby 5.1 disabled on the STB. So normal stereo audio goes from the STB to the Maxent via the HDMI cable.

However -- HD broadcasts in 5.1 are very hard to hear properly on the built-in speakers because it appears that the center channel info is missing ... it's as though the STB is sending only the outer front channels to the Maxent.

Is this really the STB's fault, or is it the TV's?

I noticed that the TV has another audio input, "DVI In". What is that for? There's no mention of it in the manual. I'm wondering if I use those connectors if it might ignore the audio on the HDMI port? Might it help? Any recommendations?

(Also, if anyone also has this combo -- do you set the STB to output in 1080i or 720p? I've found 1080i to look better in almost all circumstances, but I'm curious what others see.)

(Also, again -- any luck getting your Tivo peanut remote to control this monitor?)

I noticed that the TV has another audio input, "DVI In". What is that for? There's no mention of it in the manual. I'm wondering if I use those connectors if it might ignore the audio on the HDMI port? Might it help? Any recommendations?

The "DVI in" is for carrying the audio if you are using a DVI to HDMI adapter or cable. HDMI is basically DVI with audio. Many STB's have a DVI output, but no HDMI output, so you if you use a DVI-HDMI cable, you need a way to carry the audio.

You can try using it but I don't know if it will ignore the audio coming in through the HDMI port.


(Also, if anyone also has this combo -- do you set the STB to output in 1080i or 720p? I've found 1080i to look better in almost all circumstances, but I'm curious what others see.)


I just set STB to "pass through" and let the TV do the scaling.

FWIW, I just did the firmware upgrade from 615 to 822. So far I really don't notice much of a difference. Maybe a slight reduction in green push on the HDMI input, but nothing like the improvement when going 608 to 615. The HDMI is still slightly off in comparison to the component inputs, but overall I'm still very happy with this set.

I just set STB to "pass through" and let the TV do the scaling.

Yeah, unfortunately this DirecTivo box doesn't offer that feature. You have to choose between 480i, 480p, 720p, and 1080i. I've noticed that even when watching broadcasts that originate in 720p that it looks sharper in 1080i for some reason.

So no help for my audio question -- I'm still curious if it's the Maxent's fault or the STB's fault that I can't seem to hear DD broadcasts clearly.

[Update: I have the 0615 firmware even though I bought this unit in November '05. Will try to get an update to see if it fixes it. Anyone know if it's downloadable? Maxent did not return phone calls or e-mails Thursday and Friday. ]

Hi I have a strange issue with my maxent mx-42x3.

When I first turn it on, for about 10 seconds it flickers wildly different colors, instead of just showing the blue screen. It clears up and goes to blue after a bit and then the tv is fine. I figure it's something related to heat and I should probably get it looked at since problems like that tend to get worse over time but I thought I would check here first and see if anyone else has seen this issue.

Thanks,

Alex.


I purchased an open-box X3 from costco which had the same problem exactly as you described, so I returned it and got a new one. After about a couple of months, I also started seeing a similar symptom like the one that I returned, however this time was not as bad, it only flickers for 1-2 seconds during start-up. Not sure if this is the beginning of the same exact issue or not. I am hoping it is not. The firmaware version for my X3 is 822 and I am using component cables. Anybody else here experiencing the same issue???

I purchased an open-box X3 from costco which had the same problem exactly as you described, so I returned it and got a new one. After about a couple of months, I also started seeing a similar symptom like the one that I returned, however this time was not as bad, it only flickers for 1-2 seconds during start-up. Not sure if this is the beginning of the same exact issue or not. I am hoping it is not. The firmaware version for my X3 is 822 and I am using component cables. Anybody else here experiencing the same issue???

I have this MAXENT for around 6 months now and here the few problems I am noticing.

1. When I have my XBOX connected using component and switch on the TV, it flickers as you have described above. It flicker for 4-5 seconds and then everything is fine.

2. Again, when using xbox, I noticed that when using component, the intiial xbox green screen, the gradient colors where disconnected at the middle, the lower half has proper gradiant and then upper half. In the middle you can see a line. Later I noticed the same with HDMI->DVi adapter connected thru comcast box and if the output from box is black.

3. I also tried connecting my HTPC with this TV and I noticed that there are some small thin vertical artifacts all over the screen. In lighter colors, you cann't see it but on dark background, they are more visible. They are of same color as the picture but little darker.

I am little concerned with the above problems and not sure if these can be addressed with the firmware update. I have the original firmware (not sure what #) and I had purchased this TV back in August.

Can somebody please suggest a resolution?
thanks,

Just out of curiousity, has anyone noticed buzzing from this TV getting worse over time? When I first got the tv, it didn't seem to be bad, but it seems to have gotten worse, now I can sometimes hear it over the tv.

I know that the power supplies in plasmas are going to make some noise, but this seems to be making more noise as it goes along, and I am getting a bit worried.

Anyone getting a line that is lighter when the screen is all black about 1-1.5" from the top.

My contrast is at 45 and my brightness is at 19.

Could anyone see if they can duplicate the problem.

I am getting a line but the line is in the center of the screen. I also get flicker if my input is selected to AV and I switch on the TV. It goes after few seconds.

I couldn't find a solution and will be returning the TV back.

Can anyone help with comparing the MX-42X3 that is the topic of this thread to the MX-42HPM20

Chuck,
It looks like the same TV. If you search for the MX-42X3 it brings you to the exact same page.

Wow... nice price! Enjoy! I am extremely happy with mine.. If anything, the picture has just got better over the last 6 months.

Edit - wait.. I just took another look. No speakers, or they moved them to the bottom.
I took a look at Maxent's site: Here are the links for both:

http://www.maxentusa.com/_coreModules/eShopping/productDetail.aspx?productMasterID=27

http://www.maxentusa.com/_coreModules/eShopping/productDetail.aspx?productMasterID=21

the MX-42HPM20 show Contrast as: 10,000:1! but Costco says 3000:1.

Jerry

The new one has me very interested. And that price is insane. My father brought up this TV during the week. He was at Best Buy and he thought it had the best pic out of all similar TV's, I will be checking them out this weekend.

Also, has anyone spotted the new 42” ThunderPanel HD Video Monitor MX-42HPM30

Edit - wait.. I just took another look. No speakers, or they moved them to the bottom.
I took a look at Maxent's site: Here are the links for both:

http://www.maxentusa.com/_coreModules/eShopping/productDetail.aspx?productMasterID=27

http://www.maxentusa.com/_coreModules/eShopping/productDetail.aspx?productMasterID=21

the MX-42HPM20 show Contrast as: 10,000:1! but Costco says 3000:1.

Jerry

Another member reported seeing the new 42HPM20 and said it uses LG glass, not like the 42X3 which used Panasonic glass. The 10,000:1 contrast ratio seems to support this. Any thoughts?

The 42HPM20 definitely has bottom-mounted speakers. Seems confirmed to be LG glass.

Hello,

I've had this TV for a few months and every now and then there is an audio sync/stutter issue when switching channels. I have comcast cable with a DVR connected via HDMI (HDMI->HDMI). Here's what happens: I'll be flipping through channels and sometimes the picture will pop up but the audio will come through with a stutter. If I change channels and go back (or pause the DVR and play again) it syncs up again. Does anyone else experience this? I just want to make sure I'm not alone :).

Sorry if this has already been covered!

If you could get either of the following choices for the same cost...

Maxent 42X3
Philips 42" hd plasma (current one)
Panasonic 42PD50u (edtv)

...which would you get and why? I need a plasma soon (well shouldnt say I need, but want one) and have spent a great amount of time pondering over those 3 displays. I can't make up my mind what to get.

If someone could list the pros and cons of these, I would appreciate it. Also, how is the reliability factor of the Maxent. I'm looking for something that will hold up for years, not months.

ps- Xbox 360 and future hd-dvd/blu-ray are what I'll be using it for. No SD! Minimum DVD!

If you could get either of the following choices for the same cost...

Maxent 42X3
Philips 42" hd plasma (current one)
Panasonic 42PD50u (edtv)

...which would you get and why? I need a plasma soon (well shouldnt say I need, but want one) and have spent a great amount of time pondering over those 3 displays. I can't make up my mind what to get.

If someone could list the pros and cons of these, I would appreciate it. Also, how is the reliability factor of the Maxent. I'm looking for something that will hold up for years, not months.

ps- Xbox 360 and future hd-dvd/blu-ray are what I'll be using it for. No SD! Minimum DVD!

I may be biased because I own it, but I would go for the 42X3. The 42X3 uses Panasonic glass anyways, so you might as well go with HD. Haven't heard much about the Phillips. As far as reliability, it was a concern for me too, but the store I bought it from has a fantastic return policy, so no worries.

I got the floor model - deep discount but no box -costco $ I shrink wrapped it and drove away with it - out of the box it is 29x50x8 with the stand - do the math to see if it fits in back seat but of course do not lay it face down. I like it and Jay from maxent tech support is sending me firmware upgrade on cd to tweak the it. good luck.

I am no longer a Maxent 42X3 owner. I returned it to Costco for a full refund.

My main issues with the TV were:

- The TV would not respond to the remote. Maxent sent another remote same problem. appears the TV has a bad IR sensor or some sort of defect.

- While watching DVD via component after several minutes, the screen would suddenly go blank as if in powersave mode. Pressing a button on the T V would make image reappear. Maxent tech swapped the image board out but it still did the same thing.

Other minor issues:

- HDMI (digital cable) seemed to show a reddish picture. No matter what I tried, skin tones just looked slightly red. Maxent never suggested upgrading the firmware when they sent a tech out.

- Dark scenes looked grainy. Not sure if all plasmas have this problem, but blacks looked fairly grainy when about 6 feet from the screen.

- Lack or programmability with my Tivo remote or most other non-learning universal remote because Maxent is an unknown company.

Overall, I enjoyed the TV for the price. But unfortunately, Maxent could no resolve the problem. So if any of you see an open box 42X3 at Costco in Avon, Massachusetts... stay away because it's defective.

I just got my MX-42X3, and it is DOA right out of the box.

I can't describe how disappointed I am right now. A friend of mine bought a MX-42XM11 from a big box store, and it was also DOA. I figured I would never buy another Maxent product based on this, but read favorable reviews of the 42X3 on C/NET and on this forum. This led me to go ahead and purchase a 42X3 from an internet vendor that still had some in stock.

I thought perhaps the 42X3 would not have the DOA issues that the 42XM11 had since everyone has stated that the 42X3 is by and large, a Panasonic, and the 42XM11 comes from some other origin, but apparently they share a common problem.

In my case, and in the case of my friend, the set was plugged in, the rear power switch turned on, and then turned on from the switch on the front panel. This produces an audible 'clicking' noise from the back panel (power transformer?). The panel appears to turn on, but no menu items can be displayed using the 'menu' button on the panel itself or using the remote. Even without a video source going to it, it should be able to show what input its on and bring up the OSD, shouldnt it?

I'm just curious why I seem to be encountering all these DOA maxent products, but I can't find a single forum post or review where this has happened. Is this common for Maxent products? Most people seem to be complaining about remote control compatibility or red push. I just want mine to turn on!

Unfortunately, since I didnt purchase this at Costco (they dont have them in stock here in FL), I have to foot the bill to return it to the internet vendor I purchased it from. There goes any price advantage I saved by not buying a better-known brand. I'm hoping maybe Maxent will help me, since its *supposed* to have a one-year warrantee, but I'm not holding my breath.

All in all, I'm incredibly disappointed and unhappy with my purchase.

Yikes! That's too bad pir8matt.
Did the delivery company bring it in and set it up for you? I wouldn't have let them leave without testing it.. oh well.. and shouldn't the online retailer pay shipping for a DOA product?
Just another reason I would never ever buy something that expensive over the internet.
If you send this back will they refund your total purchase? [EDIT]

Jerry

I bought it from tigerdirect. They dont cover return shipping on defective items, something I wish I had read a little more closely when I ordered it. Caveat Emptor, I guess.

If I send it back, a full refund is an option, though that would mean I basically blew $200 to have a non-working TV shipped to me.

I don't actually have a costco account myself. I just noticed that a lot of people ended up with this panel from purchasing it there.

I called Maxent support and they tried to shuffle me off to Tigerdirect. I explained that it is advertised with a one-year parts and labor warrantee provided by Maxent, not TD.

They took my information and are supposed to get back with me later today. It sounds like they are gonna send an onsite tech, though Jay with Maxent support said that the fix for this problem often requires it be shipped back to them in California, again at my own expense. Basically it sounds like Im going to ship it back to someone, its just going to have to be to whoever is cheaper.

Maxent support said they haven't heard about a lot of these types of failures. That sounds pretty unbelievable to me, since I've seen two of the exact same failures in less than 2 months from their products. Maybe I'm just lucky.

Next time I buy a plasma, its going to be from a brick and mortar STORE, and Im going to unbox the damn thing and turn it on before I leave. This is unbelievable to me.

I bought it from tigerdirect. They dont cover return shipping on defective items, something I wish I had read a little more closely when I ordered it. Caveat Emptor, I guess.

If I send it back, a full refund is an option, though that would mean I basically blew $200 to have a non-working TV shipped to me.

I don't actually have a costco account myself. I just noticed that a lot of people ended up with this panel from purchasing it there.

I called Maxent support and they tried to shuffle me off to Tigerdirect. I explained that it is advertised with a one-year parts and labor warrantee provided by Maxent, not TD.

They took my information and are supposed to get back with me later today. It sounds like they are gonna send an onsite tech, though Jay with Maxent support said that the fix for this problem often requires it be shipped back to them in California, again at my own expense. Basically it sounds like Im going to ship it back to someone, its just going to have to be to whoever is cheaper.

Maxent support said they haven't heard about a lot of these types of failures. That sounds pretty unbelievable to me, since I've seen two of the exact same failures in less than 2 months from their products. Maybe I'm just lucky.

Next time I buy a plasma, its going to be from a brick and mortar STORE, and Im going to unbox the damn thing and turn it on before I leave. This is unbelievable to me.


Your experience could have been mine and that compels me to post.

I also have the Maxent 42X3. When I first got this PDP there were some problems with colors and HDMI so I asked for a firmware upgrade. To make a long story short, the tech Maxent sent was not familiar with the MX 42X3 and the PDP was DEAD after the firmware upgrade.

I was dead set about returning the set when I spoke to Jay from Maxent who suggested that if I feel up to it he would send me a new EFROM chip and the software upgrade and then I could return the machine if I still want to do it.

I am a computer person and I had no problem updating the PDP firmware. The Maxent has been a very satisfactory purchase for us since then.

If you feel up to it, may be you could fix your PDP with a chip from Maxent or just do the software upgrade.

Good luck

;)

exactly why I will not do business with tiger direct. they do not support this product and usually sell refurbished merchandise. tiger had the mx42x3 on [EDIT] and stated on their site that all problems must be addressed to maxent- i happily went with costco to avoid the delima you are facing. good luck with maxent tech - so far jay has been very helpful and as i mentioned before there is a firmware upgrade for this set.

I was dead set about returning the set when I spoke to Jay from Maxent who suggested that if I feel up to it he would send me a new EFROM chip and the software upgrade and then I could return the machine if I still want to do it.

I am a computer person and I had no problem updating the PDP firmware. The Maxent has been a very satisfactory purchase for us since then.

If you feel up to it, may be you could fix your PDP with a chip from Maxent or just do the software upgrade.

Good luck

;)

I talked to Jay this morning, and mentioned to him that I had seen on this forum that he was generally being lauded as the 'guru' of MX-42X3 support.

I'm a 'computer person' too, hell, Im a CCNA. I've reflashed hardware that cost 5 times what I paid for this TV set. If he would offer me a chip and/or a software upgrade I'd be glad to try it.

I told Jay when I spoke to him that I was more than computer literate, but I still got the impression that he was going to try to send someone out to try to repair it.

You don't still have that software upgrade, do you? How do you get it onto the set? Hyperterminal into the control port or something?

happily went with costco to avoid the delima you are facing. good luck with maxent tech - so far jay has been very helpful and as i mentioned before there is a firmware upgrade for this set.

The dilemma I faced is that my local costco no longer had the MX42X3 for sale at my local costco. They didnt have any maxents at all, in fact.

My local big box store has a couple, an ED and and HD model, but both are seriously overpriced, IMO. I read such good things about the set on this forum I thought if I was going to get any Maxent at all, it should be the 42X3. Unfortunately, I was wrong.

Honestly though, I suspect the set was damaged in shipping. I think plasmas are probably mishandled a great deal when shipped individually. When theyre sent to the big box stores, they are palletized and relatively immobile. When the delivery company that TD used showed up this morning, the guy had it on a hand truck basically upside-down. I dont know if that broke it, but Im sure it didnt help.

At any rate, I'll never buy another plasma TV online. Hopefully Jay can help me out.

Well I can tell you that Maxent seems to use local independent contractors as techs. They are not familiar with Maxent products whatsoever. In fact, by Mathe tech they sent me had no clue how to operate the TV and get it to display the digital cable signal which I had running thru HDMI. My mother-in-law had to call me at work and I had to rush home. When I got there he was saying that it doesn't seem to be working and I clicked two buttons and had the picture up. :confused:

After he replaced the image board he had no clue as to why perhaps the TV wouldn't work with the remote still. He basically shrugged it off like, oh well, make another service call. I guess he was only paid a set fee Maxent for a couple hours of work, including travel time. It took him an hour to to drive to my house so he seemed like he was in a rush. He even argued with a Maxent rep that he called, complaining that his time was up.

I didn't even bother calling maxent again because I knew they would ask me to ship it to California on my tab. Additionally, there was no guarantee that it would work right when it was returned. I also wasn't confident in my packaging ability of such large a sensitive item. So basically I returned it to Costco because it was the best alternative. I think I will definitely spring fro the Panasonic for my plasma purchase.

Well I can tell you that Maxent seems to use local independent contractors as techs. They are not familiar with Maxent products whatsoever.


Yeah I kind of figured as much, I mean really how many people are going to be certified to work on Maxents. They haven't been around that long and haven't made very many sets.

Unfortunately, I never heard back from Regents/Maxent about whether they were going to send someone out or not. The good news is that I called Tiger to see where the set would have to be shipped back to so I could figure out which company was going to be cheaper to return it to (Maxent for repair or Tiger for return), and they very quickly arranged to pickup the tv (at no cost to me) and stated that they would send out a replacement as soon as the defective one comes in (again, at no cost).

That still adds (probably) weeks of delay to my plasma-owning experience, but its a better prospect than having to pay the shipping myself out of pocket. Im still disappointed, but Im happier than I was before, and TD's rep has just jumped up a notch in my book.

Sorry to hear about your remote problems though..that sounds like a real PITA.

Hello,

I've had this TV for a few months and every now and then there is an audio sync/stutter issue when switching channels. I have comcast cable with a DVR connected via HDMI (HDMI->HDMI). Here's what happens: I'll be flipping through channels and sometimes the picture will pop up but the audio will come through with a stutter. If I change channels and go back (or pause the DVR and play again) it syncs up again. Does anyone else experience this? I just want to make sure I'm not alone :).

Sorry if this has already been covered!

dralion,
Hi. That problem is a Comcast issue. I've called them about it and they said they know about it but don't have a solution. The only way to sotp it is as you have discovered - change channels. The hi-def channels are awesome on this TV, aren't they?

Jerry

This can get confusing. I saw the Maxent 42 and 50 inch at BestBuy this weekend and hands down they were better than any other set in the store. But that's where this gets confusing. It's hard to believe that this $1500 is better than a high end Sony which was sitting next to it. I really don't trust the signals in the stores since the majority of them looked bad.

It's really difficult to guage a set these days, particularly in stores. The only question I have about the maxent is that the resolution is 1024 x 768 which is less than the 1366 x 768 on comparable sets. How much of a difference does this resolution factor make?

The only question I have about the maxent is that the resolution is 1024 x 768 which is less than the 1366 x 768 on comparable sets. How much of a difference does this resolution factor make?

You have seen plasmas with 1366 x 768? That resolution is more likely to be found in LCD flat panel displays. Maybe by "comparable" you mean in price? An LCD would not have anywhere near the picture quality of a plasma.

Jerry

It's really difficult to guage a set these days, particularly in stores. The only question I have about the maxent is that the resolution is 1024 x 768 which is less than the 1366 x 768 on comparable sets. How much of a difference does this resolution factor make?

All 42" HD plasmas have 1024X768 resolution. Currently you will only see 1366X768 on plasmas which are 50" or larger, so there is no "comparable sets".

The pixels are rectangular, not square, which makes the 1024X768 fit into a widescreen ratio.

There are probably 200-300 posts on this in the forum.

Resolution achieved! I posted before of my woes with purchasing the (refurbished) MX-42X3 from tigerdirect and having it arrive DOA.

Maxent shipped me a new (refurbed) one with a return label for the dead one. Tigerdirect wanted me to ship the dead one back first before sending a new one, which would have added weeks to the process. Maxents solution was better.

Word to the wise also, Fedex delivered the replacement from Maxent, which came on a PALLET. This is an important distinction, I think. The one I got from TD came through a no-name freight company, and I think I mentioned it was delivered upside-down on a hand truck.

If you happen to ever order ANY plasma for delivery from ANY source and it is not on a pallet, REFUSE IT. Internal damage can happen to these sets even if the box does not appear damaged.

Anyway, the new panel works fine, can't wait to get it home and set it up with my HD box.

BTW, what is the best calibration DVD out there?

Thanks,

-Matt

Hey guys, been lurking for a few months. Just got the 42X3 this past week, one of the last ones it seems since costco has run out of them. The picture on this thing rocks!!! I really just wanted to post a thanks to anyone who posted any info about this set or their adventures with it. It really helped me find and settle on this set. So, thanks to all, great forum.

Anyone got a sense of how the "new" Model MX-42HPM20 [EDIT] compares with previous models?

I was in Bestbuy on Friday and this MX-42HPM20 caught my eyes. The PQ is very good with nice colors and contrast, similar to the old 42X3. I also like the design more than the new panny 60U; very stylish and classy.

I need some help guys! I am a little confused and hopefully you can give me some advice. I was in BB today and they have a Maxent MX-42XM11 floor model for sale. I can't seem to find anything out about this unless it is the same as the 42x3. What kind of expected lives do these have? Should I be concerned that it was being used heavily as a display unit for God knows how many hours?

Thanks!

I need some help guys! I am a little confused and hopefully you can give me some advice. I was in BB today and they have a Maxent MX-42XM11 floor model for sale. I can't seem to find anything out about this unless it is the same as the 42x3. What kind of expected lives do these have? Should I be concerned that it was being used heavily as a display unit for God knows how many hours?

Thanks!

Please read up-thread. The XM11 is a different (according to many, inferior) model from the X3.

As far as your concerns about floor models: Your own eyes should be able to tell you if the screen has burn-in. Otherwise, make sure that you're getting some kind of repar/replacement warranty either from the retailer or the manufacturer (i.e. common sense appplies here).

Hey XBox 360 users out there:

I just got mine yesterday and hooked it up to my 42X3. So far so good. My general question is: For those who've been playing the 360 on this set, do you prefer 1080i or 720p? I'm just curious about the range of opinions...

I need some help guys! I am a little confused and hopefully you can give me some advice. I was in BB today and they have a Maxent MX-42XM11 floor model for sale. I can't seem to find anything out about this unless it is the same as the 42x3. What kind of expected lives do these have? Should I be concerned that it was being used heavily as a display unit for God knows how many hours?

Thanks!

I was in a BB last Friday and saw the 42XM11 open box also. My wife and I could not figure out why the picture appeared so much better on the 42HPM20 which was nearby, but the salesperson assured us that they were "basically" the same. I told him that we would return on Saturday and see if they could put a different feed on the XM11 to better compare the two. That night, I did some research and it turns out that they are anything but "basically" the same. The CR and brightness are (off the top of my head) 10,000:1 and 1200 cd/m2 on the HPM vs. 1000:1 and 700 cd/m2 on the XM. Also, according to one wholesaler's website, the panel on the HPM is an LG. There is no comparison between the two. If I was you, I would wait until later in April and check your local Costco. JMHO

I was in a BB last Friday and saw the 42XM11 open box also. My wife and I could not figure out why the picture appeared so much better on the 42HPM20 which was nearby, but the salesperson assured us that they were "basically" the same. I told him that we would return on Saturday and see if they could put a different feed on the XM11 to better compare the two. That night, I did some research and it turns out that they are anything but "basically" the same. The CR and brightness are (off the top of my head) 10,000:1 and 1200 cd/m2 on the HPM vs. 1000:1 and 700 cd/m2 on the XM. Also, according to one wholesaler's website, the panel on the HPM is an LG. There is no comparison between the two. If I was you, I would wait until about April 7 and check your local Costco. JMHO

The problem with the warehouse club deal on the 42HPM20 is that it is an online only deal and and they are making you pay for shipping. So with tax and shipping, you are basically looking at the same deal at the big box store.

The problem with the warehouse club deal on the 42HPM20 is that it is an online only deal.
I was told by my local store that the deal would be available later. But the new "flyer" confirms the online only deal, so who knows.

I have Scientific Atlanta 8300HD (Cox) and was having to use both remotes. Even the cable guy couldn't get my cable remote to control the TV...even tried "searching for your code" on the remote...and nothing. I put in the code for Gateway (1755) and it worked! Now I can control everything with my cable remote. Good Luck.


Just thought I'd throw my 2cents in on this one, I use Bright House networks with a scientific atlanta Explorer 8300HD-DVR converter, and the gateway code (228) worked for mine. Looks like gateway tends to be the common link for some universal remotes, anyway.

Is the MX-42HPM20 available in Costcos now? I am thinking of returning my MX3 and getting the MX-42HPM20 to save $300. Probably won't do it, but I prefer the speakers on the bottom, and if its a better TV???

Only seen it online. Just called a local Costco about another product, and asked about the Maxents, and they don't seem to think they'll have them in the store.

Also, I sent you a PM.

Anyone got xbox 360 hooked up to their 42x3 and how do you like it so far? I might get my kid an xbox 360 for bday in a few months but want to see if others had good stories to report. If not, I'm not hooking it up to the PDP for fear of burn in.

Anyone got xbox 360 hooked up to their 42x3 and how do you like it so far? I might get my kid an xbox 360 for bday in a few months but want to see if others had good stories to report. If not, I'm not hooking it up to the PDP for fear of burn in.

Well, I just got a 360 and have put in about 12 hours on it. It looks great, esp compared to the old xbox, but to tell the truth, I feel that the component inputs on this TV are a bit too noisy to take full advantage of the new console's capabilities. That's not to say that I wouldn't do it again, though.

As far as the burn-in thing goes: I followed the standard caution procedures for the first 100 hours of use (see elsewhere in this forum), but since then have been gaming and watching SDTV with black bars quite a bit (50 to 75% for 4 months) and have not seen any image retention or burn-in.

Well, I just got a 360 and have put in about 12 hours on it. It looks great, esp compared to the old xbox, but to tell the truth, I feel that the component inputs on this TV are a bit too noisy to take full advantage of the new console's capabilities. That's not to say that I wouldn't do it again, though.

As far as the burn-in thing goes: I followed the standard caution procedures for the first 100 hours of use (see elsewhere in this forum), but since then have been gaming and watching SDTV with black bars quite a bit (50 to 75% for 4 months) and have not seen any image retention or burn-in.

That's good to know as I passed my 100 hrs last Fall and quality should be just fine for my kids eyes coming from the original xbox on their 20" tv.

I have a MX42X3 and have written a Visual Basic software package to make use of the serial port and get access to all the tweaks including the 6 RGB controls. I have also found a couple of "features".
Anyone else writing code out there want to share experience and knowledge?
xmonday

I have a MX42X3 and have written a Visual Basic software package to make use of the serial port and get access to all the tweaks including the 6 RGB controls. I have also found a couple of "features".
Anyone else writing code out there want to share experience and knowledge?
xmonday

How about posting it here and sharing?!

How about posting it here and sharing?!

I agree! If you want to post the source, perhaps some of us other VB programmers could contribute to the effort.

Thanks!

Jerry

P.S. Are the tweaks only usable if you are connecting through the digital inputs? I am only using component right now, but my STB has a DVI out that I was thinking of trying out.

Anyone got xbox 360 hooked up to their 42x3 and how do you like it so far? I might get my kid an xbox 360 for bday in a few months but want to see if others had good stories to report. If not, I'm not hooking it up to the PDP for fear of burn in.
I'd personally wait a little past the 100 hr mark for gaming but, can testify that the 360 set at 1080i on the 42X3 looks stellar. I've only played a few games but NFSMW has to have the best graphics I've ever seen and I've played way too many games. :)

Great plasma on all fronts though I did see some image retention from gaming even when just past the 100 hr mark, hence my advice. I'm sure that was from way too many hours of just one game. If you're playing more than one a reg basis I'm sure that would guard more against potential burn-in. All in all though, HD viewing, games and DVD's look awesome on this TV! Really pleased with the purchase so far.

Yeah I am thinking about the same thing. I am thinking about trading in my 42X3 for the new Maxent. I wanna see some reviews on it before I make a move.

After looking at both the old and the new, the 42x3 is the better looking of the two. Better contrast and blacks.

After looking at both the old and the new, the 42x3 is the better looking of the two. Better contrast and blacks.

Really? Wow, I didn't think the 42X3 would have better constrast and blacks. How about the motions seens? Does the X3 still do better?

My problem is I have a line about 2 inches from the top that goes away if I adjust the brightness and the constrast. Also when in some dark scenes it switches over as if it is adjusting for the darker scenes.

Anyone else experiencing these problems?

Really? Wow, I didn't think the 42X3 would have better constrast and blacks. How about the motions seens? Does the X3 still do better?

My problem is I have a line about 2 inches from the top that goes away if I adjust the brightness and the constrast. Also when in some dark scenes it switches over as if it is adjusting for the darker scenes.

Anyone else experiencing these problems?
Yup, I've seen both of those. As you said, low brightness is all I've found to combat the lines at the top.

Has anyone found a setting to stop the dark scene auto adjusting?

I'm still trying to figure out how to keep the reds in and lose the small blotches on cheeks and foreheads. I can only get close but I feel I'm taking too much color out (for a greenish look) to achieve it.

I bought the Maxent 42 Inch HD LCD TV from CostCo Online a couple weeks ago, and the picture quality is awesome. So I decided to try to connect it to one of my G4 Macs using the DVI input. But after failed attempts on a couple Macs, I read the manual :) Seems that it doesn't support Macs, though I am a little lost as to why not, since my Macs have an ATI pci video card which is the same as used in PCs. Anyway, I decided to try it on a Win box running XP Pro, and got the same results. It doesn't say "No Signal", but even at 800x600 res, it can't seem to read the signal. Calling Maxent tech support was a waste of time, because the guy, who I talked to, barely knew his own name. The only thing he could say was to install the latest driver in my PCs, which already had the latest video driver. At this point, I am undecided as to wether to return it to CostCo before the time limit is up, and get another brand, or try some other Video cards in one of my PCs. The picture is so great that I would have to loose that, but the Maxent might even have other incompatibilities, if I am able to get around this one. Since I use mostly Macs, I would prefer to be able to use it on a Mac, is addition to using it on a PC. But since all of my movies are on my 2.6TB Linux server, as DIVX files, playing them on a Win box would be better than nothing,

Hi! I am new here and had to share my story with everyone. I was in the market for a bigger, better TV than my trusty, 8 year old Zenith 27". I did all the homework went to all the big box stores, did my comparisons and didn't like rear-projection (too bulky) or LCD at any size, they just looked worse the bigger they got. Almost every objective review out there sent me towards a Panasonic. I went to see the line at Best Buy and I eventually wound up with a Panasonic TH-42PWD8UK 42" EDTV (From the industrial line) - I already have the surround sound set-up so I didn't need the speakers and I won't be jumping on the HDTV bandwagon for a few years. All I use this TV for is watching DVD's and once in a while MLB from my laptop. Everything about this TV is nothing short of amazing. Trust your eyes.. Even at EDTV, this TV had a better picture than any low- to medium priced HDTV I've ever seen it placed alongside. A lot of it has to do with the superior contrast ratio 4,000:1 compared to 3,000:1 - I know this: If you don't plan on getting HDTV but want plasma, get the Panasonic EDTV. Your eyes won't know the difference.

I was going to post a story related to the Maxent versus Panasonic but it got deleted accidentally. I'll post tomorrow.

Hi! I am new here and had to share my story with everyone. I was in the market for a bigger, better TV than my trusty, 8 year old Zenith 27". I did all the homework went to all the big box stores, did my comparisons and didn't like rear-projection (too bulky) or LCD at any size, they just looked worse the bigger they got. Almost every objective review out there sent me towards a Panasonic. I went to see the line at Best Buy and I eventually wound up with a Panasonic TH-42PWD8UK 42" EDTV (From the industrial line) - I already have the surround sound set-up so I didn't need the speakers and I won't be jumping on the HDTV bandwagon for a few years. All I use this TV for is watching DVD's and once in a while MLB from my laptop. Everything about this TV is nothing short of amazing. Trust your eyes.. Even at EDTV, this TV had a better picture than any low- to medium priced HDTV I've ever seen it placed alongside. A lot of it has to do with the superior contrast ratio 4,000:1 compared to 3,000:1 - I know this: If you don't plan on getting HDTV but want plasma, get the Panasonic EDTV. Your eyes won't know the difference.

Thanks for your post, but I don't understand what it has to do with this particular monitor. Also, as you learn more about the technology, you'll come to know that contrast ratios and brightness ratings are largely subjective, and should not be used as any meaningful comparison tool. As always YOUR eyes are the best judge.

Does anyone know if costco will take this set back without the box?

Does anyone know if costco will take this set back without the box?
If there is a problem with the set and you have your receipt, I don't see why not.

Has anyone found a setting to stop the dark scene auto adjusting?


I too am looking for a solution to this problem! I posted a new thread here:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=680465

but am happy to talk about it here. Hoping someone has figured this out.

Mike

If there is a problem with the set and you have your receipt, I don't see why not.

No need for a box or a receipt. Costco keeps a record of all your purchases when they scan your membership card. They do however look carefully to make sure you have all the cables, remote and manual included though.

No need for a box or a receipt. Costco keeps a record of all your purchases when they scan your membership card. They do however look carefully to make sure you have all the cables, remote and manual included though.

This is not entirely accurate. You will need your receipt to get back what you paid for the TV, or you will get the last price in the system for the unit (which could be good or bad). If you need a copy of your receipt, phone customer relations, they have helped me before.

No new posts for over a month now - everyone must be happy with their Maxent! :rolleyes:

returned mine to costco and bought the 42" westy 1080p at BB.

No new posts for over a month now - everyone must be happy with their Maxent! :rolleyes:
You didnt hear? They've all been returned back to Costco.... :eek:

returned mine to costco and bought the 42" westy 1080p at BB.
touche...

Why would they all be returned? I'm very happy with mine.

Hey jc dont mind me... I'm just a disgruntled ex-Maxent owner who still subscribes...

No new posts for over a month now - everyone must be happy with their Maxent! :rolleyes:

I just picked up the newer 2006 model, the Maxent MX-42HPM20, from BJ's Warehouse. So far, so good. :)

I bought the Maxent 42 Inch HD LCD TV from CostCo Online a couple weeks ago, and the picture quality is awesome. So I decided to try to connect it to one of my G4 Macs using the DVI input. But after failed attempts on a couple Macs, I read the manual :) Seems that it doesn't support Macs, though I am a little lost as to why not, since my Macs have an ATI pci video card which is the same as used in PCs. Anyway, I decided to try it on a Win box running XP Pro, and got the same results. It doesn't say "No Signal", but even at 800x600 res, it can't seem to read the signal. Calling Maxent tech support was a waste of time, because the guy, who I talked to, barely knew his own name. The only thing he could say was to install the latest driver in my PCs, which already had the latest video driver. At this point, I am undecided as to wether to return it to CostCo before the time limit is up, and get another brand, or try some other Video cards in one of my PCs. The picture is so great that I would have to loose that, but the Maxent might even have other incompatibilities, if I am able to get around this one. Since I use mostly Macs, I would prefer to be able to use it on a Mac, is addition to using it on a PC. But since all of my movies are on my 2.6TB Linux server, as DIVX files, playing them on a Win box would be better than nothing,

I run mine exclusively off my PC and it works perfect. I running it off a nvidia 6800 Ultra using the quadro 81.67 drivers hooked up through a DVI to HDMI cable (my card has dual DVI outputs).

I just bought the MX-42HPM20 and am picking it up on Saturday. Also bought a Toshiba DVD player with upconvert and HDMI, along with DTV HD and NFL Sunday Ticket. Word of advice, never ever ever buy from best buy online. Their authorization process and charging to a credit card requires you to have double the amount of your purchase price if you want home delivery on a TV. I wrote a crazy letter to corporate and hope to get a discount for the hours spent on the phone and in store to try and actually buy this TV.
As far as quality, this was killing all the other plasmas around it. It was sitting next to a panny and a samsung? and the maxent had a sharper picture and colors were deeper. Will post pics and a review once its set up an running

I just bought the MX-42HPM20 and am picking it up on Saturday. Also bought a Toshiba DVD player with upconvert and HDMI, along with DTV HD and NFL Sunday Ticket. Word of advice, never ever ever buy from best buy online. Their authorization process and charging to a credit card requires you to have double the amount of your purchase price if you want home delivery on a TV. I wrote a crazy letter to corporate and hope to get a discount for the hours spent on the phone and in store to try and actually buy this TV.
As far as quality, this was killing all the other plasmas around it. It was sitting next to a panny and a samsung? and the maxent had a sharper picture and colors were deeper. Will post pics and a review once its set up an running

I saw this set and did not feel that it had a better picture that the X3 has.

I just picked this display up at the local big warehouse last weekend. I am really impressed with the display so far(only complaint is that it has no tuner, not even NTSC). I dialed down the contrast and brightness down to 30. I noticed after watching USA for about an hour, the USA logo down on the right(it is white) is noticable on black images/black signal. I'm sure it's just temporary, but the question I have, will TIR go away with age? I've looked at hundreds of plasma's in the store, and I could never tell the logo when displaying ESPN, Discovery, FOX, or whatever. The logo is only noticable on dark scenes, so I'm not too worried. Just wondering if anyone else has had early TIR with this set.

Dj

I just picked this display up at the local big warehouse last weekend. I am really impressed with the display so far(only complaint is that it has no tuner, not even NTSC). I dialed down the contrast and brightness down to 30. I noticed after watching USA for about an hour, the USA logo down on the right(it is white) is noticable on black images/black signal. I'm sure it's just temporary, but the question I have, will TIR go away with age? I've looked at hundreds of plasma's in the store, and I could never tell the logo when displaying ESPN, Discovery, FOX, or whatever. The logo is only noticable on dark scenes, so I'm not too worried. Just wondering if anyone else has had early TIR with this set.

Dj
I still see IR on mine and its way past the 1,200 hr mark (widescreen bars, sports tickers, etc.). Never seems to stay more than five or ten mins; I also play the 360 plenty and no adverse effects FYI.

SO now that prices have dropped on plasmas, has anyone who purchased the X3 from Costco thought about returning it to trade up to a 50" set for less than what we paid on this Maxent? I have thought about it, but made no move yet.

CC is currently offering the Vizio 50" (w/ HD tuner & 2 HDMI ports) for $1499 after rebate. I am not in the practice of returning things, but I know it was discussed on this thread earlier & wanted to see if anyone had actually done so.

Thanks

ps: does anyone else see a purple strip at the top of all NBC HD broadcasts on DirecTV?

My parents love the two they have. Until they break they are satisfied. :D

The Maxent has served me well. I think returning it for no reason would be taking advantage of the system. I bought two (one for my parents) and very happy with my purchase.

Yes, the purple line was a mistake in the NBC feed. My friend had it on his Sony WXRD-60.

After reading through this very long thread concensus seems to be this is a great HD set and worth the price. Here in Canada the set is listed at Costco at $1549 with a free wall mount.

I am now going to look for it. Can anyone recommend anything else roughly in the $1400US mark that would compete cause thats what it would roughly be in US $$'s.

There is alos the Westinghouse 42" HD LCD that can do 1080p, which is about $250 more Ca $$'s at BB but I am not a fan off BB and Costco return /warranty policy is really decent

Even though this set is over a year old since it came out it still seems to be well worth it from what I have found, I am now debating over this or the Westinghouse and waiting till B-Day for a deal

Can anyone comment on this Maxent HD set, specs seem similar but I prefer the look of the 42X3
http://www.avdeals.ca/maxentplasmatv/mx42hpm20.htm

Does anyone have any experience in getting the CCD option working with the Maxent? I can't for the life of me get it to work on anything, DirecTV, DVDs, regular stations.

I say yes. I would buy one if I didn't have to wait until I move. My Parents own two & love them.

I own one and bought another for my parents. If it is the 42x3, then yes it's worth it.

Best Buy doesn't sell the 42X3..its actually a 42HPM20 which is a different TV. As far as I know, the X3 is no longer available unless you find it at an online retailer or a stray one in a Costco somewhere.

Isn't the 42GPM20 just like the X3 version?

Hi I have a strange issue with my maxent mx-42x3.

When I first turn it on, for about 10 seconds it flickers wildly different colors, instead of just showing the blue screen. It clears up and goes to blue after a bit and then the tv is fine. I figure it's something related to heat and I should probably get it looked at since problems like that tend to get worse over time but I thought I would check here first and see if anyone else has seen this issue.

Thanks,

Alex.
I've had my Maxent for about 14 months now. It has just started to do this same flicker on power-up. Has anyone else had this problem? What's the fix?

Mine takes about 45 - 60 seconds to get the picture - i'm afraid it's breaking and Maxent said to take it for service - it's not under warranty.

They said try to hit menu when it starts to see if it's the TV or what's connected - it still did it when it was generating it's own picture.

My MX42X3 has been sent to the glue factory. About a month ago, it started dropping the signal from the AV1 input (coming via S-video from a DirecTV R10 Tivo box). A restart of the TV would fix the problem. At first it was very rare and intermittent, then late last week it started happening every hour or so. The set was purchased in Nov '05, so it was out of Maxent's warranty. Thank God for CostCo's now-changed policy. I lugged it back to the warehouse where I purchased it, and they accepted it, no questions asked.

I'll continue be very careful about getting extra buyer protection when getting a plasma panel.

My MX42X3 has been sent to the glue factory. About a month ago, it started dropping the signal from the AV1 input (coming via S-video from a DirecTV R10 Tivo box). A restart of the TV would fix the problem. At first it was very rare and intermittent, then late last week it started happening every hour or so. The set was purchased in Nov '05, so it was out of Maxent's warranty. Thank God for CostCo's now-changed policy. I lugged it back to the warehouse where I purchased it, and they accepted it, no questions asked.

I'll continue be very careful about getting extra buyer protection when getting a plasma panel.

Wow, sorry to hear that Ruster. I actually bought from Costco the same time as you and noticed they have changed their return policy. Are we grandfathered in due to when we purchased? What if you don't have a receipt? I am just curious as to how you went about the return and if anything has changed since we originally bought?

Wow, sorry to hear that Ruster. I actually bought from Costco the same time as you and noticed they have changed their return policy. Are we grandfathered in due to when we purchased? What if you don't have a receipt? I am just curious as to how you went about the return and if anything has changed since we originally bought?

I asked about that, and the customer service rep at the warehouse said that the new policy applies only to new purchases. My receipt was barely readable, since I'd carried it around in my wallet for several months, and the ink had rubbed off. They found the record of the purchase in their computer. I had brought it in to the location where I'd purchased it. In any case, if it wasn't for CostCo's dearly departed policy, I would never have dropped four figures on a bargain-brand plasma.

Good information to know. I hope it doesn't come to that for me because I am enjoying the TV immensley (but you truly never know w/ electronics). One more question if I may; did you receive a full refund for it? I know Costco said if you don't have a receipt they'll give you a refund for the lowest price remaining in their database. Thanks!

I'm thinking about pulling the trigger on one of these from Costco.

I've had my Maxent for about 14 months now. It has just started to do this same flicker on power-up. Has anyone else had this problem? What's the fix?
I've had mine for about 14 months also. It's doing the same thing.

--Bill.

returned mine to costco and bought the 42" westy 1080p at BB.

When did you originally buy it? Any problems returning to Costco? I've had mine for quite a while, but the HDMI appears to be failing. I feel awkward returning what is now an "old" set.

I've had mine for about 14 months also. It's doing the same thing.

--Bill.

Mine is doing the same thing too :( , just started about a month ago.
Any solutions to this problem?

Also, I just bought an HDMI cable, hooked it up to my SA 8300HD, but doesn't work correctly at 1080i or 720p!?! Only works with 480i/p but what good is that? Is it because the resolution is mismatched on those two higher resolutions, 1920 x 1080 and 1280 x 720 (higher horizontal than the native of 1024 x 768)?? Anyone able to get this to work.

Hey guys ..

I have gotten lots of answers from this forum for my new Maxent 42" ..

I get a beautiful HD image on HD channels.. My only problem is when viewing satellite feeds for soccer games the players look extremely pixelated.. There is a haze around them that almost looks like a halo of messed up pixels.. Pretty aggravating. ..

I am using component cables.. I cannot use my HDMI cable because my COMCAST box is not compatable with the Maxent according to comcast.. I get green screen, and fuuzzy images.. Anyway that is another problem, but if anyone has any input for this it would be great.

I am using component cables..

I have override for 4:3 set to ...... 480P..

Any info would be appreciated.. Thanks for all the info you have provided on this forum.. I am glad to get this great TV, it has been wonderful so far.

Have you tried another override other than 420p? I think I have mine set for 1080i.

Also.. where are these soccer games originating? If they are originating in foreign countries there may be a conversion being done from PAL to NTSC. Any conversion problems would show up mostly in faster moving objects, like players! They also may not be shot in HD even if you are watching them on an HD station.

Good luck!

Jerry

The 1080i setting, makes the screen really small ( half horizonal width) when the signal is not HD.

Has anyone bought a panasonic progressive scan HDMI compatable DVD player. With HDMI my signal kept 'skipping'... It would run fine for a few minutes and then it would skip..

Anyway, I wish all these stuff was plug and play.. I am a little concerned with my HDMI plug on the television since I have had problems with both the cable box and DVD player.

Hi Folks,

I've had the MX-42x3 for around 2 years now and love it.

However, I am moving to Singapore and am trying to figure out if this monitor will work there.

The specific questions I am wondering about:

1) Will the TV work on 220V @ 50 Hz? The manual says 100-240V @ 50/60 Hz but the sticker on the back of the TV says 120V @ 60 Hz. Anybody help?

2) Is the TV NTSC only or will it also accept a PAL input?

Thanks in advance for your help!

I see this thread died a while back so may be a long shot but... is there anyone who could please send me the firmware update or point me on the right direction?, i am out of warranty and i doubt the manufacturer will send it to me at no cost.

thanks.

Sorry to resurrect a really old thread but has anybody figured out the startup flicker issue with this panel. Mine is definitely getting worse.

Thanks.

Sorry to resurrect a really old thread but has anybody figured out the startup flicker issue with this panel. Mine is definitely getting worse.

Thanks.

All I can say is its happening on my set as well. Has been for the last year. It isn't really getting worse but on a cold morning it can take up to a full minute before it has a normal picture. I've never called Maxent about it thou. Not sure what they would say.

All I can say is its happening on my set as well. Has been for the last year. It isn't really getting worse but on a cold morning it can take up to a full minute before it has a normal picture. I've never called Maxent about it thou. Not sure what they would say.

Mine got so bad that I returned it to Costco. Fortunately their old return policy applied to me fromm 4 years ago and they gave me my money back in full and I bought a Samsung 50" 1080p plasma w/ no flickering issues.

Mine got so bad that I returned it to Costco. Fortunately their old return policy applied to me fromm 4 years ago and they gave me my money back in full and I bought a Samsung 50" 1080p plasma w/ no flickering issues.

Just called Costco today. They are having a local tech come and service my unit since it is still covered. I still love the TV and will be happy if they can resolve the startup issue.