No, I would say that the manuals are spot on. When I first got my 50PHD8UK I thought it was doing something different than the consumer 42" HD model I had and I looked into the manual and it appears correct. The commercial seems to zoom in a little more first than the consumer model and then it does the stretch so in effect it actually has to stretch out less of the picture. The difference is not huge but to my eyes significant. I really noticed it because watching channels like ESPN News with a constant ticker graphic at the bottom makes it more noticeable that some of the screen it being cut off top and bottom. The Consumer model zooms in a little as well I think but not as much as the commercial one. If anyone has as consumer panel and takes a screen shot of the AVIA or DVE over-scan screen I can post my results for a more scientific comparison.

-Jerry C.

Particularly with the 50U manual picture, it looks like the center circle is zoomed just as much as the center circle in the 8uk manual. If the manuals are spot on, then they would show less of a zoom in the center circle for the 50U than the 8UK. Or do you find that on consumer model it does zoom in the middle but not on the outside edges?

It just looks like the pic of the 50U just is not quite acurate. The corner circles are clearly not zoomed, only stretched. If that is the case, how did the center circle get zoomed? I don't think it should have been...

ron

Thank you both. It appears that the 8UK does in fact zoom a little more and therefore stretch a litte less. This is exactly what I was hoping for. I think I'm going to take the 8UK plunge tonight with TVA.

I took a look a the manuals and there is a discrepancy between the 2 pictures.

I don't think that these pictures accurately depict if there are any real differences between just modes in the commercial and consumer.

The reason I say this is that the large center circle is the same in both pictures. Only the 4 small circles are drawn differently.

50U JUST
http://members.cox.net/renlopez/images/50u_just.jpg

I agree. IMHO the 50U graphic is in error. The small circles are parallel to the large circle in the 4:3 but not in the 16:9.

If the position of the small circles was changed relative to the large circle going from 4:3 to 16:9 this would produce a squished picture at the edges when compared to the center. Very un-desirable.

I suspect that both displays work the same but it certainly would be interesting to see a test pattern output on both displays to verify.

Its a "picture not to scale".

There is no difference in the "Just" mode on the consumer or commercial plasma.

E-mail Panasonic Technical Support if you need more clarification.

Dave

http://homepage.mac.com/jerrycube/.Pictures/Photo%20Album%20Pictures/2005-09-29%2016.05.48%20-0700/Image-308F1387313D11DA.jpg

http://homepage.mac.com/jerrycube/.Pictures/Photo%20Album%20Pictures/2005-09-29%2016.05.48%20-0700/Image-308F2FD1313D11DA.jpg

http://homepage.mac.com/jerrycube/.Pictures/Photo%20Album%20Pictures/2005-09-29%2016.05.48%20-0700/Image-308F53BF313D11DA.jpg

http://homepage.mac.com/jerrycube/.Pictures/Photo%20Album%20Pictures/2005-09-29%2016.05.48%20-0700/Image-308F425D313D11DA.jpg

Here are actual photos of the screen I just took myself. They are a little quick and dirty but good enough to see the differences in real life.

-Jerry C.

P.S. I would be interested to see some taken of a consumer model. It could be there is also a difference in the way the 42 and 50 models scale as well.

Are these patterns from AVIA? If so, I'll check on my consumer model. I can take a pic as well.

Hello All,

I just wanted to share my info wirth you all.

Ordered on 9/17/05 and delivered 9/28/05 from PC Connection.
Build Date is Sept.
Made in Japan.

This is an upgrade for me. Previous plasma was 6th gen 42" EDTV Panny. So far I am lovin' this 50". For anyone deciding 42 or 50, go for the 50 I feel it hits the sweet spot so perfectly. :)

I can't comment too much on the picture. I'm right in the burn in mode. But so far I've been very happy!

-PBjr.

Are these patterns from AVIA? If so, I'll check on my consumer model. I can take a pic as well.

Yes they are from Avia. Thanks in advance. It is always better to have objective results than to depend on subjective perceptions.

-Jerry C.

I Also just got mine from PC Connection. Same Deal Sept. 2005 Build Made in Japan. DVI board is in and sending NR from a DVDO Iscan HD. Note to Iscan HD users, the standard 1366x768 will not give you a signal. I spent 1 1/2 hours on the phone and we got it right. If anyone need the settings send me a PM.

John


Hello All,

I just wanted to share my info wirth you all.

Ordered on 9/17/05 and delivered 9/28/05 from PC Connection.
Build Date is Sept.
Made in Japan.

This is an upgrade for me. Previous plasma was 6th gen 42" EDTV Panny. So far I am lovin' this 50". For anyone deciding 42 or 50, go for the 50 I feel it hits the sweet spot so perfectly. :)

I can't comment too much on the picture. I'm right in the burn in mode. But so far I've been very happy!

-PBjr.

My TH-50PHD8UK is coming tomorrow. Right now I am running Fight Club DVD on my reference Sampo 34" CRT and taking screenshots of particularly dark scenes, rich with shadow detail.

Tomorrow and over the weekend I am going to give Panny a workout, comparing these scenes to the Sampo. I know it is unfair, but I am an inky blacks fiend. I will try to set the Panny black level based on these scenes, trying to get the deep black in the areas that are solid black on the Sampo and yet resolve as much shadow detail as possible.

I am hopeful.

Even if Panny comes in a little short on the black level, I hope that up-sizing form 34" to 50" will more than make up for it. And HD should look better on the Panny.

Anyhow, it is interesting that I have been hanging out on this forum since 2000 and this is my first plasma.

I guess the $2,800 price did it. No more excuses....:D

Yes they are from Avia. Thanks in advance. It is always better to have objective results than to depend on subjective perceptions.

-Jerry C.

Here you go. This is Just mode on the 50PX50U:

Hello All,

I just wanted to share my info wirth you all.

Ordered on 9/17/05 and delivered 9/28/05 from PC Connection.
Build Date is Sept.
Made in Japan.

This is an upgrade for me. Previous plasma was 6th gen 42" EDTV Panny. So far I am lovin' this 50". For anyone deciding 42 or 50, go for the 50 I feel it hits the sweet spot so perfectly. :)

I can't comment too much on the picture. I'm right in the burn in mode. But so far I've been very happy!

-PBjr.

Well you just touched on the one issue I have left to decide on. I am ready to pull the trigger but have one last question...and please don't laugh at me for asking this...but...well...here goes...

Should I go bigger (50") or smaller (42")?

I'm sure most think bigger is better, and budget is not an issue. But I do have some serious questions. Undestand that this will be a step up from a 27" 4:3 CRT, so either seems like a big jump.

Viewing distance will be about 10". And a lot of viewing will be SD from a DTivo. I'm a little worried that the 50" will just dominate the room/wall (12x15' room), but more worried that the SD will look worse on the 50 than the 42.

What finally got me ready to buy were the initial comments that SD actually looked pretty good on these panels. Can anyone comment on what the SD quality is/would be from the two sizes given my viewing distance.

Once I figure this out, the credit card is coming out, so thanks in advance for your help!

Here you go. This is Just mode on the 50PX50U:


Hey thanks. I think I was right. Look at the small circles in the corners and how there is still a gap at the edge of the screen on the consumer and it is off the screen on the commercial. Also of note is the central big circle, the commercial is almost still round but the consumer is more ovoid.

-Jerry C.

Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeet! Feels pretty good. I just got off the phone from ordering my new 50" 8UK! I took the advice of some on this forum and ordered from TV Authority. Cambryn at extension 520 was exceptionally helpful and patient. She answered all of my questions except one that I don't think anyone actually knows so she certainly can't be faulted for that. We were trying to determine the difference in the "7" hdmi board and the "8". We were both researching on the internet trying to find if there are any significant differences. Athought we couldn't find a definitive answer I appreciated the effort and went ahead and ordered the "7" blade which is the only one they had and I believe the only one currently available in the U.S. TVA also has a perfect pixel guarantee that allows me to return the set if there are any defective pixels. They also threw in BNC to RCA adapters for free. I was very pleased with the customer service attitude of Cambryn at TVA and highly reccomend them. Expected arrival date is between the 7th and the 10th of Oct.

Now I need a stand. TVA has the duckfoot stand but not the round one. Anyone know the best place to get an all black round one?

This may sound crazy but I actually had the chance to order the 50" 500u for a couple of hundred less delivered from a friends employee discount but paid a little extra for the 8UK for the following reasons.

1. A more tweakable picture.
2. Per input settings memory- can't belive this isn't on the consumer models.
3. Cleaner and sleeker frame/bezel in my opinion. And all black no silver!
4. Slightly preferable "just" mode. See above posts.
5. I don't have to wait a month for 500u availability.

I feel like a kid with Christmas around the corner.

Hey thanks. I think I was right. Look at the small circles in the corners and how there is still a gap at the edge of the screen on the consumer and it is off the screen on the commercial. Also of note is the central big circle, the commercial is almost still round but the consumer is more ovoid.

-Jerry C.

You are right. I realize these things are preference but for me I much prefer the slightly greater zooming and the less stretching. Things just look more natural that way. A plus for the commercial in my opinion.

Go with the 50. I bought mine about a week ago and it is already shrinking :) Good Luck and ENJOY

Go with the 50. I bought mine about a week ago and it is already shrinking :) Good Luck and ENJOY

Trust me, I am equally concerned about shrinkage :) .

But can anyone comment on SD PQ (from DTivo) from a 10' viewing distance on the 50" vs. the 42"?

Hey thanks. I think I was right. Look at the small circles in the corners and how there is still a gap at the edge of the screen on the consumer and it is off the screen on the commercial. Also of note is the central big circle, the commercial is almost still round but the consumer is more ovoid.

-Jerry C.

You forgot Overscan/Underscan settings.

You both have to have the same settings in order for this little experiment to be valid.

Dave

No one is missing out on anything. You choose what you want to buy after carefully shopping around and most will be happy with either.

I really think you need to get your facts on pricing straight, though. The above statement is ludicrous. Either that or your CC is ripping you off. I just bought a 50PX50U from CC. I'll PM you the price I paid including tax.

Edit: Tried your PM but it's disabled.

You need glasses. I said i can buy a 50UK at the place near LAX for the price of a 42PX50 at CC.

You forgot Overscan/Underscan settings.

You both have to have the same settings in order for this little experiment to be valid.

Dave

Yep, and I can't change mine. One of the disadvantages for the consumer model. :)

What's the name of the store buy LAX?

I don't think i'm allowed to post it but try to figure it out this way....LOL
Type in the technology (not DLP or LCD but it begins with "P") then the number between 3 and 5 and then the opposite of "more".

You forgot Overscan/Underscan settings.

You both have to have the same settings in order for this little experiment to be valid.

Dave

Actually, if you look carefully you'll notice that the same amount of the test image is shown on the sides but the commercial is cropped a little more on the top and bottom. If this was an overscan difference one would be cropped more on both the sides and the top/bottom not just the top/bottom.

In addition the center circle is clearly more stetched out horizontally on the consumer model.

This is clear evidence that the "just" modes are different. Only slightly different but different nonetheless.

You need glasses. I said i can buy a 50UK at the place near LAX for the price of a 42PX50 at CC.

You are creating a false impression of the relative pricing of these PDP's and it does no one good other than you. Maybe you can get everyone here this price and facilitate purchase from this store. I can't imagine why they wouldn't be willing to ship elsewhere and the shipping should be offset by the lack of tax to those out of state.

Let's see, the 50 inch commercial model including a stand/mount and one terminal board with shipping for the price of the 42PX50 at CC. Sign me up!

Maybe folks could PM you, oh wait, you don't allow that do you?

What's the name of the store buy LAX?

I posted it but was deleted by the FBI.

You are creating a false impression of the relative pricing of these PDP's and it does no one good other than you. Maybe you can get everyone here this price and facilitate purchase from this store. I can't imagine why they wouldn't be willing to ship elsewhere and the shipping should be offset by the lack of tax to those out of state.

Let's see, the 50 inch commercial model including a stand/mount and one terminal board with shipping for the price of the 42PX50 at CC. Sign me up!

Maybe folks could PM you, oh wait, you don't allow that do you?

I don't do PM's as i'm currently under the witness protection law.
They ship all around the country, i never said they didn't, they are primarily an online dealer. They are an authorized Panny dealer..they say #1. I've been inside this place which can best be described as a techie joint for computer nerds and audio/video geeks. It's more like a showroom with a few computers and a couple of plasmas. You basically go in there already knowing what you want. The stand is cheaper than most other dealers as well as the blades. They do EW's thru repairmaster if you so choose. I would have to pay tax but not shipping.

You forgot Overscan/Underscan settings.

You both have to have the same settings in order for this little experiment to be valid.

Dave

Mine were at factory defaults for my photos so no horizontal, vertical or size adjustments. Here is an overlay for further comparison I made:
http://homepage.mac.com/jerrycube/jerrycubepix/Overlay.jpg


Green Lines are the consumer and the black are the commercial. There was a slight distortion from the photos due to slightly off center camera angles which I corrected a little but they were close enough to make it work.

-Jerry C.

Would there be any difference in PQ, between using a component---->vga cable, or buying a component-input board and use component--->component?

Mine were at factory defaults for my photos so no horizontal, vertical or size adjustments. Here is an overlay for further comparison I made:
http://homepage.mac.com/jerrycube/jerrycubepix/Overlay.jpg


Green Lines are the consumer and the black are the commercial. There was a slight distortion from the photos due to slightly off center camera angles which I corrected a little but they were close enough to make it work.

-Jerry C.


Maybe you can adjust the picture position on the commercial model and repeat the test. All of the pattern should be visible and be centered. Also, just curious,why are you using the PC input? It would be even more valid I think if you would use the component (BNC) input as that's what I'm using.

Yup. They used to be located here:

no image- not enough posts...


]

Thanks again- bought from tva - very pleasant - should be here next week! Can't wait...

Maybe you can adjust the picture position on the commercial model and repeat the test. All of the pattern should be visible and be centered. Also, just curious,why are you using the PC input? It would be even more valid I think if you would use the component (BNC) input as that's what I'm using.

I do believe my TV seems to have a slight vertical offset from the test pattern but with the commercial JUST mode there is no way to show the whole pattern as it zooms it as well as stretches it. I use PC input with a VGA to component cable which acts identically to the component input (I have my cable box hooked up through the component input of the TV using BNC ->RCA adapters). I can try later to see if any variation exists between the PC and the component blade but I see the same thing as far as JUST goes but if the PC input is set to use a PC signal instead of component I don't think JUST is even available.

-Jerry C.

P.S. I accidentally came across a feature (undocumented?) with the PiP modes on the commercial. When you normally have it split two way you get two sources side by side in proper aspect but large grey letterboxes above and below that take up half the screen. If you hit Aspect you can get side by side full screen PiP with both picture squeezed, more like PiP on consumer HD sets. Not sure if anyone would use this but I like it better just FYI.

I do believe my TV seems to have a slight vertical offset from the test pattern but with the commercial JUST mode there is no way to show the whole pattern as it zooms it as well as stretches it. I use PC input with a VGA to component cable which acts identically to the component input (I have my cable box hooked up through the component input of the TV using BNC ->RCA adapters). I can try later to see if any variation exists between the PC and the component blade but I see the same thing as far as JUST goes but if the PC input is set to use a PC signal instead of component I don't think JUST is even available.

.


It's easy to adjust vertical position/vertical size/horizontal position/horizontal size through the commercial model's user menu, or am I mistaken?

After 6 months of analysis paralysis, I finally made a decision and purchased a 50PHD8UK from VA. It arrived yesterday and was up and running in no time. What a beautiful TV! I love the clean look of the commerical model. Since there are already a number of reviews on this TV, I will just highlight a few things that have been discussed in this thread.

I'm currently breaking-in the TV and have not done any callibration, so my observations about PQ are limited. That being said, HD on this plasma is beautiful! I am running Comcast cable though a Motorola 6412 HD DVR and component into the TV with no problems.

I watch SD through a Tivo running through S-video to the TV. The JUST mode does take some getting used to, but it is very watchable unless there is a ticker on the screen or some show where there is a lot of panning. I can't tell whether the 8UK zooms the picture in JUST. If it does, the zoom is pretty small. Overall, I am shocked by how well SD looks on this TV. I guessed I had planned for much worse after reading all the posts on how SD looks poor on a plasma.

I ordered a DVI card. Installation was a breeze, but other than hooking up a computer for a few minutes, I haven't really used it. I did try running the cable box through it, but saw no difference in PQ compared to components.

I tried looking for changing black levels, but haven't observed anything out of the ordinary. I will try again once the set is callibrated.

The menus are great on this TV. I love being about to make changes separately to each input.

One of the main advantages touted by Panasonic of the 8UK over the 7UY is 20% increased brightness. I can't test this because I have never seen the 7UY in person, but the 8UK does appear to be plenty bright. I have currently lowered the brightness during break-in and it is still very watchable.

For those of you that are still on the fence, I will quickly explain by decision process. I was first came to AVS back in April when I saw low prices on the PD50. Well, after a few months here, I decided that HD better fit my needs than ED and convinced myself that the 50" was a nice upgrade from the 42" :) Incidentally, I sit about 9 feet away from the TV and the 50" is a perfect size for me. My final decision was between the 50PHD8UK and the Pioneer 5060. While I think Pioneer makes a great TV with nice vivid colors and ample inputs, I feel that the price premiums on their TVs are too high and they lose on a cost-benefit basis to the 8UK. The color rendition on the 8UK is the best I have seen on a plasma and the nice blacks don't hurt! Having now made my decision, I am more than convinced I made the right one.

Overall, the 8UK is an incredible TV and a great deal for anyone just looking for a monitor.

Brighton, glad to see you have joined the Panny club. I have the 50PHD7UY. if you think your set looks great now, wait to you see itf after it is professionally calibrated. Send me a private message. Where in Philly are you?

Brighton, my new 50phd8UK experience mirrors yours very closely. I too am quite impressed with this TV, even out of the box.

I'd also like to know where you are in Philly. I just moved from that area. I was in Old City, then Chestnut Hill and for the past 3 years out in Wayne. Boy did I make a killing when I sold my house in Wayne.

I got my TH-50PHD8UK from TVA yesterday. Build date Sept 2005, Japan. Isn't it cool to get it the same month? I will hook it up via s-video using the SVCD from avs's own evangelo2 and looping ABBA videos. I want to log at least 100 hours that way, so I don't have to worry about the silly burn-in issue when I start putting widescreen and 4:3 material thru it.

BTW - I ordered a tabletop stand TY-ST07K but later decided to wall-mount the unit. If anyone is interested in the tabletop stand which fits the 7UY/8UK models, shoot me an e-mail. I'd rather make a fellow AVs'r happy with a good deal than pay the ridiculous re-stocking fees....:D

I'm anxioiusly awaiting the arrival of my 50" 8UK next week and have a question for you guys who already have one. It only comes with one set of component inputs and I'm using the available empty slot for an HDMI blade. The VGA input will be taken by my computer leaving me truly with only one component imput. My question is this: is there significant signal degredation if I use the component switching through my AVR? I know that a straight connection to the panel would be ideal but with only one set component inputs I may not have a choice. My Denon AVR-3805 would be doing the switching. Can you see the difference between a signal straight to the panel versus one switched through the amp?

I'm anxioiusly awaiting the arrival of my 50" 8UK next week and have a question for you guys who already have one. It only comes with one set of component inputs and I'm using the available empty slot for an HDMI blade. The VGA input will be taken by my computer leaving me truly with only one component imput. My question is this: is there significant signal degredation if I use the component switching through my AVR? I know that a straight connection to the panel would be ideal but with only one set component inputs I may not have a choice. My Denon AVR-3805 would be doing the switching. Can you see the difference between a signal straight to the panel versus one switched through the amp?

I am letting my AVR do component switching and I have not noticed any degradation in PQ. I originally had my cable HD DVR connected direct but have since moved it to the AVR so I could hook up the DVD via component. I am going to do the same with my Dish receiver as soon as I have a chance to pick up another component cable.

I ordered my 50phd8uk and can hardly wait for it to arrive. How do you break in the tv? How do you callibrate?

I ordered my 50phd8uk and can hardly wait for it to arrive. How do you break in the tv? How do you callibrate?
Read the appropriate thread.

I'm anxioiusly awaiting the arrival of my 50" 8UK next week and have a question for you guys who already have one. It only comes with one set of component inputs and I'm using the available empty slot for an HDMI blade. The VGA input will be taken by my computer leaving me truly with only one component imput. My question is this: is there significant signal degredation if I use the component switching through my AVR? I know that a straight connection to the panel would be ideal but with only one set component inputs I may not have a choice. My Denon AVR-3805 would be doing the switching. Can you see the difference between a signal straight to the panel versus one switched through the amp?

Degredation depends on the AVR you have. The 3805 is rated at 100MHz bandwidth for component switching so you should have no problem with any type of signal.

Avia vs. DVE for the 50phd8uk? Which DVD player pairs well with it? Recommendations on tilt mounts?

I ordered my 50phd8uk and can hardly wait for it to arrive. How do you break in the tv? How do you callibrate?

There is a thread at the beginning which will explain everything in detail.

Just received my 50phd8uk!!! I will post more once I have it up and running... Woohoo! It feels good to finally get off the fence! :D

Kane

Can you tell I'm excited???

Congratulations. You should be excited. It's like getting up on Christmas. You wait the whole day to escape work so you can play with it!

Just received my 50phd8uk!!! I will post more once I have it up and running... Woohoo! It feels good to finally get off the fence! :D

Kane

Can you tell I'm excited???

Degredation depends on the AVR you have. The 3805 is rated at 100MHz bandwidth for component switching so you should have no problem with any type of signal.

My 3804 componet switching works fine, so the 05 is probably good to go!

Hi All,
I am thinking about returning my new 50px500u due to problems with the VGA input (too red, no controllability). I've looked through the manual for the 50" 8uk, and it seems that is does not have a MPEG noise reduction switch. Can anyone confirm or refute this? I am of the impression that it makes a small but perceptable difference on my 500U.

Can anyone also confirm that colors are adjustable when using the DVI input? The HDMI Input? The VGA Input?

What is the best blade for connecting to an iScan HD and an Apple Macintosh dual G5?

TIA
-Drew

Drew - the VGA input (also called PC) in 50PHD8UK has no color/tint controllability only if you are putting RGB signal into it.

If you set it to component, you gain full control.

And yes, with RGB input on the VGA the colors are much too saturated, so without the color control the VGA-RGB is useless, unless you can control color/tint at the source.

Your other questions are very good and I second them - does PHD8UK allow color/tint control on the DVI and HDMI inputs?

How about Aspect Ratio control when Native Rate is fed into the display via DVI, HDMI, component, or VGA?

We know that Aspect Ratio control is disabled on any input when 1080i or 720p is fed into the display, which is by far the most moronic feature of Panny plasmas (both consumer and commercial).

PS. I just found out that the color/tint control on the Panny is also disabled on the DVI input when Native Rate is fed. So maybe the lock-in-full is not the most moronic feature on the Panny. Sheeesh.

Drew - the VGA input (also called PC) in 50PHD8UK has no color/tint controllability only if you are putting RGB signal into it.

If you set it to component, you gain full control.

And yes, with RGB input on the VGA the colors are much too saturated, so without the color control the VGA-RGB is useless, unless you can control color/tint at the source.

Your other questions are very good and I second them - does PHD8UK allow color/tint control on the DVI and HDMI inputs?

How about Aspect Ratio control when Native Rate is fed into the display via DVI, HDMI, component, or VGA?

We know that Aspect Ratio control is disabled on any input when 1080i or 720p is fed into the display, which is by far the most moronic feature of Panny plasmas (both consumer and commercial).

PS. I just found out that the color/tint control on the Panny is also disabled on the DVI input when Native Rate is fed. So maybe the lock-in-full is not the most moronic feature on the Panny. Sheeesh.

I, perhaps, would use a different exclamation.... This is so frustrating. I am so happy with the display for watching TV, but 10-20% of why I bought this thing is to do family slideshows from my computer. I _really_ don't want to spend megabucks more for a pioneer, or settle for a lesser picture on a Mitsubishi, just to get control at native res.

Thanks so much for your response,

Digging yet deeper into his wallet,
Drew

I have the second "head" of my PC feeding a 50PHD8UK via DVI at native rate (1366x768@60). I've tuned it up and it runs great, so I'm not sure what the real control issue is. You have control over tint, color saturation, and *much* more at the PC end. Also all the decent video playback software (TheaterTek, WinDVD, etc) have aspect ratio control that can even pick and save the correct choice for the video. Don't get me wrong, I like having control on every piece of equipment, but I really don't think it's that big of a deal with a PC connection.

got mine today, so far have only tested it with cox HD channels, but am very impressed over the last plasma that i had extensive use of (42" sony from about 2-3 years ago). the black improvements in this generation of screens are no joke, i can see a big difference :).

i'm using component coming out of my HK7300.

I have the second "head" of my PC feeding a 50PHD8UK via DVI at native rate (1366x768@60). I've tuned it up and it runs great, so I'm not sure what the real control issue is. You have control over tint, color saturation, and *much* more at the PC end. Also all the decent video playback software (TheaterTek, WinDVD, etc) have aspect ratio control that can even pick and save the correct choice for the video. Don't get me wrong, I like having control on every piece of equipment, but I really don't think it's that big of a deal with a PC connection.

I'm a little concerned with this. I tried connecting my any of my Mac's, my dell D600, and my iScan HD to my 50px500u with the VGA connection. I tried the built in windows control. On the Mac I tried the built in controls, SuperCal and my Gretag Macbeth EyeOne Display. In no case wase I able to get the reds under control enough. I could get it to look ok with moving images, but whenever I displayed a still image with an area of red, the reds got pushed way too far.

Are the red's less pushed on the DVI input than the PC Input?

-Drew

I don't think i'm allowed to post it but try to figure it out this way....LOL
Type in the technology (not DLP or LCD but it begins with "P") then the number between 3 and 5 and then the opposite of "more".

All I get there is a placeholder homepage. Do they have an actual web site?

got mine today, so far have only tested it with cox HD channels, but am very impressed over the last plasma that i had extensive use of (42" sony from about 2-3 years ago). the black improvements in this generation of screens are no joke, i can see a big difference :).

i'm using component coming out of my HK7300.
Congrats on your new plasma. mine should be delivered next week. i will also be using my HK7300. i was curious as to whether you were running all of your devices through the receiver. also, if you were using the faroudja processing for all devices, and if there is any improvement with SDTV running it through the HK7300. this will be my first HDTV, and i did not purchase any additional blades yet. but i was wondering if i should get an HDMI or DVI blade (currently I have comcast cable with a motorola 6412 DVR which has DVI. My DVD player is an old, but quality non-progressive player). My thought is that If the HK7300 processing is helpful with my DVD player, perhaps I can withhold upgrading until HD-DVD or Blu-ray is out. Any thoughts? Thanks, Dave

Are the red's less pushed on the DVI input than the PC Input?



I really haven't seen any extreme red push or cast with my PC connection. (DVI using a "cheap" ATI Radeon 9250.) IMO colors are pretty saturated and vivid in general out of the box, but I haven't noticed any major tint or push. The ATI and nVidia based cards have some pretty elaborate controls including gamma, contrast and brightness on a *per channel* basis that should help; however if it seems that far out of wack I'd be suspicious. (maybe try a different spare cable?)

I'm using the D15 input as a HD component input for a Showcenter 200 (1080i) right now which has been working well. Haven't noticed anything major there, but again it's in component mode. Haven't really used RGB for anything, sorry.

Good luck..

Does anyone know when the silver color version of the 50-8UK is supposed to come out?

-T

Does anyone know when the silver color version of the 50-8UK is supposed to come out?


I had asked about the silver versions in a thread several weeks ago. I guess in the past they have just been reserved for Europe, so unless something changes (or you live there ;) )...

lipcrkr [U]

Can you please contact me with regard to this place by LAX that you speak of???

Thanks, Michael

Congrats on your new plasma. mine should be delivered next week. i will also be using my HK7300. i was curious as to whether you were running all of your devices through the receiver. also, if you were using the faroudja processing for all devices, and if there is any improvement with SDTV running it through the HK7300. this will be my first HDTV, and i did not purchase any additional blades yet. but i was wondering if i should get an HDMI or DVI blade (currently I have comcast cable with a motorola 6412 DVR which has DVI. My DVD player is an old, but quality non-progressive player). My thought is that If the HK7300 processing is helpful with my DVD player, perhaps I can withhold upgrading until HD-DVD or Blu-ray is out. Any thoughts? Thanks, Dave

yeah i run everything through the receiver.

there is a noticable difference in the receiver's output on the abnormally bad SD channels, yes. and yes i have it turned on for all devices, i like the ability to tweak color saturation on it too.

i would hold off on getting the HDMI/DVI panel for the TV. honestly, after playing with the TV's settings, i had trouble finding a set of custom color settings that looked better to me than the presets it has. really, it looked great to me "out of the box", probably because i had the picture like i wanted it at the output level instead of having to fool with it after the receiver ;). given the ability to tweak your picture not only at the TV but at your receiver as well, you very well may find a combination between the two that satisfies what you're looking for even if you do want to change it a bit.

after all, you paid for the receiver presumably because of its video processing ability (at least in part), just like i did ;). might as well try to use it before abandoning it completely without even trying it. try the receiver first, i would bet that you'll probably be very satisfied with the results you can get there, instead of paying more money just to bypass the receiver.

I'm a little concerned with this. I tried connecting my any of my Mac's, my dell D600, and my iScan HD to my 50px500u with the VGA connection. I tried the built in windows control. On the Mac I tried the built in controls, SuperCal and my Gretag Macbeth EyeOne Display. In no case wase I able to get the reds under control enough. I could get it to look ok with moving images, but whenever I displayed a still image with an area of red, the reds got pushed way too far.

Are the red's less pushed on the DVI input than the PC Input?

-Drew

yes there is the little red push with my new PHD 8 over VGA RGB as well

but in my setup with a shuttle htpc and a nVidia 6600 GT @ NR @ 50 Hz
and the fine purevideodecoder

it was not very hard to get rid of it.

and my 42"8 PHD looks quite good... now

really nice is the ability of the new nvidia drivers to tweak the timings of the panel
to get native @50 hz over vga. the 8hd panny is pretty close to vesa timings.
no powerstrip needed.

now if panasonic would only (after 8 generations)... support nr@50 Hz over their dvi or hdmi board crap. !

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

regards from germany
m

I have tried hooking up some Macs to my 50PHD8UK using the VGA port and if I leave it set to "component" on the PC input I get a washed out pinkish-red screen. Once set over to "RGB" the color looks almost spot on. I am not sure if the Macs are doing something different than the PC's but the color on the panny looks just right.

-Jerry C.

I have tried hooking up some Macs to my 50PHD8UK using the VGA port and if I leave it set to "component" on the PC input I get a washed out pinkish-red screen. Once set over to "RGB" the color looks almost spot on. I am not sure if the Macs are doing something different than the PC's but the color on the panny looks just right.

-Jerry C.

Computer outputs are RGB by default. If it aint broke... :)

-- Rich

First I want to thank all contributors to this group for helping make my decision to buy an TH-50PHD8UK. Sorry for the long post, but this is in response to reading many posts and finding a few things from other sources that may be of interest.
2. I belong to a number of forums like this dealing with equipment of various sorts from autos to astronomy. One thing in common is people (mostly men) who like "gear" get very passionate about their decision to purchase a particular model and will become defensive about it to justify their purchase decision (even to themselves). Myself included. (Not that this is a bad thing. I just find it fascinating).
3. My initial reason for buying the 8Uk over the 50 or 500 was appearance of the unit itself along with a picture that I perceived better than all but (maybe) the high end Fugitsu or Pio. I'm putting it in the bedroom over a fireplace mantle and had limited space between the mantel and the ceiling. Both fit but the 8Uk fits much better as it is a couple inches smaller in every dimension. More screen, less border. I have a 5:1 system with quality in wall speakers and a HD DVR/tuner combo box from Adelphia. Didn't need the extras from the consumer model.
4. WAF. My wife like the clean look of the 8UK. The price drop did not hurt either.
5. Flexibility of the connections. I bought the FB7HM blade from an on line dealer who had it in stock. I telecon'd a Panny tech in their cust. svc. who told me there was no difference between the 7 and the 8. (Sounds like there might be some diff. after reading this forum) He did say the 8 would probably not be available until late 05/early 06.

I'm placing the AV equipment in a cabinet with a pull out and swivel shelf system, in the same room but around a corner from the 8UK. I need about a 14' connection between receiver and 8UK. 5m quality HDMI connectors cost much less then 5m component ones, and going through walls are easier. I'm waiting for Yamaha to start shipping their RX-V2600 receiver, which not only has HDMI (2 in 1 out) but is "Fully Analog Video Up-Conversion to HDMI and Component Video". I can wire now for a future DVD upgrade, while using my current one with component cables, (to the 2600), and get a HDMI cable with a DVI-D adapter for my cable box to 2600 until they have a true HDMI connector. All signals will go to my 8Uk with a single cable. I found on my other system (Mitsu DLP 62725) that the on screen instructions and "mode" changes don't show while viewing HD. I ran an S-video cable to an unused position like VCR-2, so when changing from THX to something else I can see it on screen as this unit is remotely located also. I assume it will be the same with the 8UK and I will run this redundant cable in any case, and have left a channel in the wall for easy access if I need other changes.

I'm "building out" the wall the 8UK mounts on about 6 inches by re-framing drywall around the entire fireplace. I'm using an articulating mount, so that when the unit is pushed back against the wall, it is recessed except for the outer lip (1"), but I can pull it out from it's recess to work on cables etc. Nice and clean, but enclosing it creates a heat issue. I went to ATM for a nice big attic mounted fan system that will "Y" off and cool both the cavity behind the 8UK and the component cabinet in complete silence to the viewer. (System 1)
activethermal(dot)com
They recommended I leave a gap under the 8UK and have the other three sides snug against the drywall using some felt tape, so the air will only enter the cavity from under the screen, pass by and through the 8UKs vents, and then out through the upper fan inlet. They say these Pan Plasmas can run hot and without exposure to free air really need a good vent system. This whole system only added about $400 to my whole project and was really needed in my component cabinet desperately. It will pull about 60 cu'/min in my configuration.

I took a chance and bought th 8UK from an on line co.(via a live telephone call) in NYC. Delivered no tax, and inc. shipping for less than 3K. (It was actually shipped from a Las Vegas wherehouse, delivery within 5 days of order.) It came in the well designed Panni double box, plastic wrapped to an 18" X 54" wooden pallet. It would take repeated blows with a sledge hammer to even get near it and damage it. The outside of the box was pristine, and the deliver company was professional. As my location is still being constructed, I did temporarily test it by connecting it with component cables to my other DVR tuner and got what I considered an excellent picture in SD. The HD was simply WOW. But it did work beautifully out of the box, actually still in the bottom of the box!

After reading this forum I intend to follow the burn in suggestions and probably have it professionally tuned unless I find the picture just incredible.

I'm looking into some power management issues with an UPS type system since we have frequent brown outs in my area of S. Cal. Any suggestions in this regard? I want to include my Mitsu DLP since it has a cool down sequence, which would require a "smart" UPS like:
tripplite(doy)com/products/ups/smartonline.cfm
But all of the ones I've found require a computer to run software that shuts off the computer. I need one that sends an IR signal remotely to the TV.
Thanks again and enjoy your systems.
John

Hi everyone:

I just bought my 50PHD8UK today and waiting for delivery in 9 days. I'm moving to a new place in a week and I'd rather they ship it to me at my new address rather than having to move it with me.

As like so many others here, I went with the industrial model over the consumer model because of the tweakability factor and not wanting to pay extra for features I won't use.

I am going from a 46" Samsung DLP (Tantus Model HLN467WX) which I sold to my brother-in-law. It was a great TV but I was never happy with all the moving parts (colour wheel, lamp cooling fan) even though I was delighted with the picture quality.

I wanted to get the 34" SONY 34KV955 Direct View CRT but my new place is quite small (downtown condos, what can you do?) and the bulk of the set was just too much. While comparison shopping I was looking at the new 40" Sony Bravia LCDs and 45" Sharp Aquos LCDs. But when I got to Bay-Bloor Radio and saw the wall of Panasonic Plasmas....WOW! To me (others may have a different opinion) the Panasonic Plasma picture was just awesome. The salesman even let me play with the settings of the Bravia and Aquos to see if I could get it to look like the Plasma (a Panny 500U) and I just couldn't do it. Then I came to this forum and read about the availability of the commercial model 8UK and found out that the price was actually cheaper....that sold me. Too bad I couldn't give the sale to the great salesperson at Bay-Bloor Radio, but they couldn't sell the commercial version. Too bad.

So, 9 days to go until I get it. I'm actually more excited about getting the TV than I am about moving to my new condo. Is that so wrong?

Frustrated.

Thought I was going to buy a 50PHD8UK by now. Did not expect the current shortage which has resulted in prices creeping back up instead of down.

Looking to pay 2800 shipped from reliable vendor. If anybody has any leads, send me a PM.

Hey Kruzmisl,

Regarding your concern about the 8UK heat - out of the box with the stock settings (contrast and brightness turned waaay up), yes, the back vents on the top of the 8UK get quite hot. However, I turned the brightness down to about -16 and the contrast down into the same area. Now, the metal vents are barely warm. The picture looks much much better also. The first few days I watched it with the settings way up made my eyes fried after about an hour of viewing!!

PS - I'm just down the road in Camarillo.

All I get there is a placeholder homepage. Do they have an actual web site?

Sorry, my bad. Type in "TV" in between the "plasma" and the number.

Thanks for the reply. That's good to know. The heat issue is important in my installation since the vents are literally enclosed, except for the slot at the bottom to let the air in. The fan can have a temp sensor that turns the fan on gradually as the temp increases, or I can set it up to run whenever the system is on. I'll follow your advise when I get it running. The way contractors go, it'll be 10 days to 2 years before they finish.
John (from up the road)

Hey Kruzmisl,

Regarding your concern about the 8UK heat - out of the box with the stock settings (contrast and brightness turned waaay up), yes, the back vents on the top of the 8UK get quite hot. However, I turned the brightness down to about -16 and the contrast down into the same area. Now, the metal vents are barely warm. The picture looks much much better also. The first few days I watched it with the settings way up made my eyes fried after about an hour of viewing!!

PS - I'm just down the road in Camarillo.

Hi everyone,
I finally made my decision to go with the panasonic 50phd8uk over the pioneer 5060hd.
My 50phd8uk is now on its way. I have some questions. Should i purchase a line conditioner? Also since the 8uk doesn't come with in home service, should i purchase an extended warranty that would cover in home service?

Steve

However, I turned the brightness down to about -16 and the contrast down into the same area. Now, the metal vents are barely warm. The picture looks much much better also. The first few days I watched it with the settings way up made my eyes fried after about an hour of viewing!!


spot on, davidmac27.

At high brightness, contrast, and color the folks with more sensitive eyes will be hurting in no time.

I turned them all down and it is much better now.

Here's what I love, like, and dislike about this display.

I love the TH-50PHD8UK form factor (thin bezel, no buttons; all you see is the image). I love sports and other quality programming (daylight) in HD on this plasma. I love the size (coming from a 34" tube). I love the perfect geometry, no dead pixels. I love access to advanced set up controls. I love the fact that the display id DEAD quiet - no buzz, no fan, no nothing. I love the price!!!

I like DVDs (not love; see below).

I strongly dislike the fact that aspect ratio control is disabled when the signal is 1080i or 720p - I cannot stretch any digital 4:3 broadcast material. I dislike the poor black levels (good for plasmas, but poor compared to CRT). This poor black level negatively impacts DVD and HD non-sport viewing and any material with some dark scenes - concerts, etc. I dislike the fact that apparently (can somebody confirm or refute) that color and tint control are disabled on HDMI or DVI input, rendering them pretty much useless for me (not a problem if your source - cable box, STB, DVD player, scaler, etc - can control these parameters).

All in all this display is a stop-gap measure for me. I will enjoy sports in HD, tolerate movies on DVD and avoid SD broadcast material.

After 3-4 years I will happily ditch it for an SED set, if SED makes it that far. To be honest with all of you, I had not realized how important the inky black levels of my reference CRT are for me.

The 50" size of the PHD8UK makes up for a lot of that, but perfect it is not...

I strongly dislike the fact that aspect ratio control is disabled when the signal is 1080i or 720p - I cannot stretch any digital 4:3 broadcast material.

I'm guessing you have poked around already, but many STB allow you to choose how to display 4:3 material (full, bars, etc). For example the HD DirecTivo unit I'm using allows for these options. It also as a button to allow you to quickly toggle the output modes you want (ie. switch between 1080i and 480p), but I'm not sure how common that is. It does work well though as the Panny remembers the aspect ratio used for the 480P source (which I leave on Just).

I dislike the poor black levels (good for plasmas, but poor compared to CRT). This poor black level negatively impacts DVD and HD non-sport viewing and any material with some dark scenes - concerts, etc.

FWIW, I'm actually pretty impressed with the black levels I'm getting compared to my CRT and my CRT projector. On bright or high contrast scenes it has amazing control, on very dark low level scenes I'd say I'm 90% there. (IMO of course). Tweaking "Brightness", "Black Extension" and "Gamma" for my difference sources (HD Tivo, Computer, Showcenter 200, DVD) has really made a big difference. It's not a CRT, but it certainly smokes my CRTs in other areas. :eek:

Got mine this week and am loving it. First HD tv and coming from a tube 32" JVC is quite a jump. I can't believe the picture in high definition- it's *almost* too real! I haven't adjusted anything- I guess I'll look through this thread again when I have a chance for some adjustment advice. I just watched Pirates of the Carribbean- looked great on dvd going into s-video on the set. I did notice however in the black bars at the top and bottom of the screen some "noise" - and also some light pulsing in different scenes- is that normal? anyone else experience this? It's also great that the hd channels broadcast in 5.1 - loving that on my HK with infinity overture speakers!!

I dislike the fact that apparently (can somebody confirm or refute) that color and tint control are disabled on HDMI or DVI input, rendering them pretty much useless for me (not a problem if your source - cable box, STB, DVD player, scaler, etc - can control these parameters).





Apparently this is the case as it is stated so in the manual. I certainly didn't pick up on it before and haven't heard it mentioned here yet.

Got mine this week and am loving it. First HD tv and coming from a tube 32" JVC is quite a jump. I can't believe the picture in high definition- it's *almost* too real! I haven't adjusted anything- I guess I'll look through this thread again when I have a chance for some adjustment advice. I just watched Pirates of the Carribbean- looked great on dvd going into s-video on the set. I did notice however in the black bars at the top and bottom of the screen some "noise" - and also some light pulsing in different scenes- is that normal? anyone else experience this? It's also great that the hd channels broadcast in 5.1 - loving that on my HK with infinity overture speakers!!

not much you can do with dvd out of S-Vid. garbage in garbage out.

welcome to having a nice display, now you see how bad the quality of DVD is ;).

not much you can do with dvd out of S-Vid. garbage in garbage out.

welcome to having a nice display, now you see how bad the quality of DVD is ;).

Actually- the vcr is s-vid- the dvd is running component- my bad- and ideas? The black bars (top and bottom) have noise running through them- I woulod have thought they would be solid black. Maybe it's the dvd player doing that?

Actually- the vcr is s-vid- the dvd is running component- my bad- and ideas? The black bars (top and bottom) have noise running through them- I woulod have thought they would be solid black. Maybe it's the dvd player doing that?

It sounds to me like your brightness is set too high for that input. For some reason, at least on my consumer model, 480i has a much different black setting than 480p. 480p seems to be similar to 720p and 1080i but 480i is much "lighter" i.e. the brightness level is set higher. This may be adjustable through the advanced menu on the commercial model or the solution may be to output a different resolution from the DVD player. Otherwise, just try turning the brightness down for that input. Per-input settings are saved on the the commercial model.

Got my 50PHD8UK today from VA. I originally ordered a 700U from them but realized I didn't really have a great place for front projection in my house. VA let me return it with no restock fee given that I was getting the 8UK from them.

So why did I choose this display device? Knowing that all types of devices have compromises in what they offer, plasma was the best fit, and the 8UK seems to get good reviews everywhere I look, with a good price relative to other plasmas. Rear projection sets are thinner than ever but they are still kinda like the big box TV sitting in your living room. Also, go to the brick and mortar stores that have plasmas beside DLPs and LCDs and to me plasma wins hands down because of color saturation, black levels, brightness, and viewing angle. I got a chance to see plasmas beside the new Samsung 1080p DLP and every plasma they had looked better than the Samsung. Plasma just has a vibrance that is not really matched by other display technologies except for CRT, which has its own limitations. The huge picture of front projection is great, but lack of great black levels and the need for a room that lends itself to front projection ultimately ruled that out for me.

Coming from a 27" CRT with standard (not digital, certainly not HD) cable TV, some impressions:

- Aspect ratios are a pain. I don't mind stretching 4:3 but everything I'm watching is coming from a media center PC over the same input and right now I have to stretch the picture using the TV's resizing ability, each time I change from TV to DVD. I'm hopeful that once my environment is settled (get the HD cable, get the Denon 4306) that I'll have this nailed down better. The MCE GUI does look great, I'm using a NVidia 6200 card with the DVI output into the 8UK's HDMI port via a DVI-HDMI adapter. No worries there so far except I'm still digging to find the 1366x768 resolution in the control panel applet. Using 1280x720 right now, I'm sure I'll track down the other res soon enough.
- Standard def doesn't look that bad. Certainly not what I intend to watch most of the time but for now it is passable until I get HD cable.
- DVDs look ok, tried Black Hawk Down and The Matrix, I'm sure I'll do some tweaking to max out the black levels but I'm encouraged by what I see. I will be an early adopter of blu-ray/HDDVD for sure though.
- Threw in the WMVHD disc 'Dolphins' which is 720p - WOW. Pretty stunning. This TV begs to have HD content shown on it for sure.
- Using the white scroll bar screen saver for my 100 hour burn-in. I was thinking of using Media Player visualizations, but I figure the plasma's built-in screen saver should be as good as anything else for this right? I hope? :-)
- I'm still curious about the claim of 4,096 levels of gradation using HDMI or DVI. I have the 7 series HDMI card and of course nobody knows if that supports the 4K gradation levels.
- This is a great looking TV. Very minimalist in its design. Seems silly they reserve this form factor for the professional plasmas only.

Overall, so far so good, I just gotta get the cable guy out to hook me up with some HD channels to really take advantage of what this display can do.

If your media PC has got enough HP go to Apple's Quicktime page and download some 1080p trailers. I was running them on my Dual G5 PowerMac and they blew my socks off. I mentioned this in another thread here but most media seems to not do this panel the justice it deserves.

-Jerry C.

The Windows version of Quicktime requires the purchase of Quicktime Pro to view anything full screen. Oh well.

More on aspect ratio switching over HDMI...

Today I started getting "no signal" from the HDMI input. Turned off the TV, the PC, reseated the cable on both ends (right now I'm doing everything in media center, output via DVI video card to HDMI adapter to the TV).

The signal comes back, but the PC has been reset to 640x480, it was previously at 1280x720. However this 640x480 signal is obviously one that the 8UK will allow aspect ratio switching on, because I start watching 4:3 channels and they fill the screen automatically. The aspect button on the remote now allows toggling from Full (4:3 stretched to fill 16:9) to zoom (4:3 stretched beyond 16:9), and normal (4:3 with bars on the sides).

So it isn't HDMI or a digital signal that disables the aspect ratio switching, it is certain types of signals (digital or not) that make switching not possible. From the manual...

"For PC signal input, the mode switches between "NORMAL", "ZOOM", and "FULL" only."
"For a 1125 (1080)/60i, 50i, 24p, 25p, 30p, 24sF, 1250(1080)/50i, 750(720/60p, 50p signal input, the mode is set to "FULL" mode, and and switching is not possible."

Now the ironic thing is that FULL with the 640x480 fills the screen nicely to 16:9, but the 720p signal I was feeding it previously, the media center GUI filled the screen but 4:3 TV coming through media center did not.

All the aspect ratio stuff in the 8UK is intended for making 4:3 fill the 16:9 panel. Unfortunately, it does nothing for DVD aspect ratios, so I'm left with black bars there still.

Watching SD TV in FULL mode wasn't bad, it didn't really bother me at all, so I imagine JUST mode is even better. But I won't get JUST unless I use component outputs.

The Denon 4306 I'm waiting for was pushed back to 11/11, which makes me just want to get the 3806, but I think it is fairly certain the 4306 will have a Faroudja 1080i scaler, while the 3806 just does transcoding.

Anyone know of that scaler will let me stretch 1:85:1 and 2:35:1 to fill 16:9? Without seeing the type of stretching/distortion that would do, I don't know if I'd even want to view them that way, but it is something I'd like to test because 4:3 is very watchable stretched to 16:9, even with the FULL mode.

Well I just got my 50" 8UK yesterday and I love it. I had just bought a 50" Sony A10 rear LCD rear projection a few weeks ago but decided to return it for the 8UK. The A10 was a great TV but in the end I had to have the Panny.

I ordered the unit from TVA and it took a couple of weeks to get it. It was double boxed and in perfect condition. I LOVE the looks of the panel - very clean. I really like the all black thin bezel with no silver. I immediately hooked up the panel to my PC and my SA-8300 DVR from Time Warner. I hooked up the DVR to 3 inputs to test and compare various settings: component, HDMI, and S-Video. The picture via HDMI is spectacular and I haven't even tweaked it yet. I have basically been viewing the standard and cinema modes with the sharpness dialed back for now and will callibrate using AVIA soon. I think this may be the best picture I have seen. The Sony A10 had a great picture as well but with the 8UK is cleary superior in my opinion. I don't think I could tell much difference between the two in SD or even lower quality HD as is shown sometimes on HBO and Showtime. The difference really shows when you get a high quality source on Discovery HD, or INHD. It can look like your looking through a window into real life - awesome! I sit 10 ft from the screens and SDE is non existant at that distance and I can get considerably closer to the 8UK than I could the A10 before it becomes visible. More importantly I do not see the shimmering that some call SSE on the 8UK that I saw on the Sony. I will gladly trade a little glare for a cleaner picture. I am quite happy and think I made the right decision. I love it.

As much as I love the picture I do have a couple of issues that need to be resolved and hope someone can help me. The first issue is a constant hum coming from the speakers (especially the sub) when the panel is plugged in. As soon as I plugged the panel into the outlet the hum started. When I remove the plug it stops. The Sony never had this problem and it's difficult to see how a monitor (8UK) could affect the sound. I have the sound from my TWC SA 8300 box going straight to my Denon 3805 via digital coax with a standard 5.1 setup. The power is run through a Monster cable power conditioner (no battery) that runs about $150 which I believe to be good quality. I ran an extension cord from the panel to a kitchen outlet and this fixed the hum. The only problem is that I don't want to have an extension cord running through the house at all times. Can anyone tell me why one outlet would cause a hum and one would not?

My second issue is with using the just or stretch modes. I am trying to set my SA8300 cable box to "4:3 sidebars" then use "just mode" on the panel to fill the screen. I know the panel will only stretch 480i or 480. When the cable box sends a 480i or 480p signal via component I cannot use the PDP to stretch and fill the picture. I can see changes but they all happen inside the side bars. I can see the various modes trying to work inside the box but they will not fill the screen. Via HDMI 480i will not even display on the screen which originally caused me problems since the SD channels are sent 480i if all formats are allowed to pass through to the TV. I kept getting a blank screen until I turned off 480i. 480i signals are then passed as 480 to the panel and show up via HDMI but I still have the stretching issue where everything takes place inside the bars. I think I should be able to take a 4:3 480p signal and use stretch or just to fill the screen. If someone has been able to figure out how to do this please let me know. Aspect changes work perfectly on S-Video and I really like "Just" mode but I'd really like to get this to work over HDMI and/or component so I don't have to switch inputs every time I switch between SD and HD. If anyone has any suggestions I would really appreciate some help.

Thanks,
Chris

mchrisbrown, Just curious did you see a difference in PQ between the component and hdmi when hooking up your 8300? THANKS

mchrisbrown, Just curious did you see a difference in PQ between the component and hdmi when hooking up your 8300? THANKS

Yes, I can see a difference. I am using high quality rca/bnc component cables from Blue Jeans. I prefer to use this type of cable as opposed to using rca/bnc adapters just to eliminate an extral link in the signal chain. I am using the "7" blade via HDMI with an HDMI cable also ordered through Blue Jeans (sold by Blue Jeans but not made by them).

The difference is very minor but the HDMI looks a little better. Its hard to explain but the image just looks a little more like real life. I will do a little more comparing but will probably end up using the HDMI for all of my HD viewing but just want to make sure I explore all options and let my eyes decide what looks best. So far HDMI is winning but I want to callibrate both and reevaluate.

It's great to finally be able to answer questions as opposed to just asking :)

Has anyone calibrated their 50PHD8UK yet? Right now I have my dvd player hooked up via RGB, my DirecTivo HD to component, and ps2 on rca. I ran Avia, but i don't have a blue or red filter so i was unable to do the redpush, etc calibration.

After calibration i had like:
brightness: -4
color : -1
tint : 0
sharpness: -3
contrast: -2

Does this sound right to everyone?

Also what version of gamma should we use i think i am using 2.5? i think default was 2.2

This is my first time calibrating, and i doubt i did it right.

Did anyone else manage to completely calibrate? If so can you please share your settings?

Thanks,

Matt.

mattvds, I used the digital video essentials and came pretty close to your settings. I had brightness at 3, color at 2, tint at 0, sharpness at 5, with black extension set at 3. I am still playing trying to get it where I want it. Later

Well I just got my 50" 8UK yesterday and I love it. I had just bought a 50" Sony A10 rear LCD rear projection a few weeks ago but decided to return it for the 8UK. The A10 was a great TV but in the end I had to have the Panny.

I ordered the unit from TVA and it took a couple of weeks to get it. It was double boxed and in perfect condition. I LOVE the looks of the panel - very clean. I really like the all black thin bezel with no silver. I immediately hooked up the panel to my PC and my SA-8300 DVR from Time Warner. I hooked up the DVR to 3 inputs to test and compare various settings: component, HDMI, and S-Video. The picture via HDMI is spectacular and I haven't even tweaked it yet. I have basically been viewing the standard and cinema modes with the sharpness dialed back for now and will callibrate using AVIA soon. I think this may be the best picture I have seen. The Sony A10 had a great picture as well but with the 8UK is cleary superior in my opinion. I don't think I could tell much difference between the two in SD or even lower quality HD as is shown sometimes on HBO and Showtime. The difference really shows when you get a high quality source on Discovery HD, or INHD. It can look like your looking through a window into real life - awesome! I sit 10 ft from the screens and SDE is non existant at that distance and I can get considerably closer to the 8UK than I could the A10 before it becomes visible. More importantly I do not see the shimmering that some call SSE on the 8UK that I saw on the Sony. I will gladly trade a little glare for a cleaner picture. I am quite happy and think I made the right decision. I love it.

As much as I love the picture I do have a couple of issues that need to be resolved and hope someone can help me. The first issue is a constant hum coming from the speakers (especially the sub) when the panel is plugged in. As soon as I plugged the panel into the outlet the hum started. When I remove the plug it stops. The Sony never had this problem and it's difficult to see how a monitor (8UK) could affect the sound. I have the sound from my TWC SA 8300 box going straight to my Denon 3805 via digital coax with a standard 5.1 setup. The power is run through a Monster cable power conditioner (no battery) that runs about $150 which I believe to be good quality. I ran an extension cord from the panel to a kitchen outlet and this fixed the hum. The only problem is that I don't want to have an extension cord running through the house at all times. Can anyone tell me why one outlet would cause a hum and one would not?

My second issue is with using the just or stretch modes. I am trying to set my SA8300 cable box to "4:3 sidebars" then use "just mode" on the panel to fill the screen. I know the panel will only stretch 480i or 480. When the cable box sends a 480i or 480p signal via component I cannot use the PDP to stretch and fill the picture. I can see changes but they all happen inside the side bars. I can see the various modes trying to work inside the box but they will not fill the screen. Via HDMI 480i will not even display on the screen which originally caused me problems since the SD channels are sent 480i if all formats are allowed to pass through to the TV. I kept getting a blank screen until I turned off 480i. 480i signals are then passed as 480 to the panel and show up via HDMI but I still have the stretching issue where everything takes place inside the bars. I think I should be able to take a 4:3 480p signal and use stretch or just to fill the screen. If someone has been able to figure out how to do this please let me know. Aspect changes work perfectly on S-Video and I really like "Just" mode but I'd really like to get this to work over HDMI and/or component so I don't have to switch inputs every time I switch between SD and HD. If anyone has any suggestions I would really appreciate some help.

Thanks,
Chris

Well I've solved my humming problem, sort of. I've found that if I use a 3 prong to 2 prong converter on the power cable and thus eliminating the ground wire that the humming does not occur. I'm not sure if this the wrong way to go about it but it's working. I am a little nervous about doing this but I don't know what else to do.

Can anyone address my second issue. I cannot figure out a way to get the panel to stretch a 480p signal. Has anyone else been able to stretch a 480p (or any other signal for that matter) over HDMI?

Can anyone address my second issue. I cannot figure out a way to get the panel to stretch a 480p signal. Has anyone else been able to stretch a 480p (or any other signal for that matter) over HDMI?

Well I'm using an HD DirecTivo unit via it's HDMI output to a DVI blade on the 50". I set the unit to display 4:3 material as "full" with no sidebars. If I switch to 480P from HD (1080i or 720p) then the 50" lets me use any of the aspect ratios I want. (Just, full, 4:3, etc). I'm not exactly clear on what you're seeing, but it sounds like your STB is displaying sidebars on 4:3 material with 480P output? If so, just try setting the STB to full and see if that's what your after.

Well I'm using an HD DirecTivo unit via it's HDMI output to a DVI blade on the 50". I set the unit to display 4:3 material as "full" with no sidebars. If I switch to 480P from HD (1080i or 720p) then the 50" lets me use any of the aspect ratios I want. (Just, full, 4:3, etc). I'm not exactly clear on what you're seeing, but it sounds like your STB is displaying sidebars on 4:3 material with 480P output? If so, just try setting the STB to full and see if that's what your after.

Thanks, I was really hoping to hear that 480p signals can be switched with HDMI. I'm quite pleased this is possible. Unfortunately my STB (SA8300) does not have a full mode. I can choose from the following: stretch, zoom, or 4:3 with side bars. If choose 4:3 with sidebars the PDP will allow me to change aspect ratios but only inside the box created by the side bars. I can use zoom or stretch through the STB to fill the screen but I don't like these as much as the "just" mode on the PDP. Zoom crops too much and stretch causes to much distortion. I really want the the set top box to display a non-zoomed and non distorted image and use the "just" mode on the PDP to fill the screen. Has anyone been able to accomplish this with a SA8300 (passport version via TWC).

Is it possible that my STB says I'm sending out a 480p signal but my PDP is interpreting it as 720p or 1080i? Is there any way to see what signal my 8UK is receiving. My Sony used to display the signal that it was receiving but I can't seem to find this on my 8UK. For example if you hit display on the sony it would show 1080 or 720p on the screen.

Chris,
I'm sure that you are aware of the Panny's claim to do 14-bit processing through the DVI or HDMI connection. It sounds like you might be in a position to test this capability to see if it reduces or eliminates false contouring. Master & Commander is a dvd that is famous for showing the banding artifact in the foggy scenes toward the beginning of the movie. I'm sure that there are others, and maybe you have experienced it already in broadcast signals...ESPN seems to have the clayface issue more often than most. Can you compare the performance using component and HDMI to see if the extra bit depth is something that we should go for?

Chris,
I'm sure that you are aware of the Panny's claim to do 14-bit processing through the DVI or HDMI connection. It sounds like you might be in a position to test this capability to see if it reduces or eliminates false contouring. Master & Commander is a dvd that is famous for showing the banding artifact in the foggy scenes toward the beginning of the movie. I'm sure that there are others, and maybe you have experienced it already in broadcast signals...ESPN seems to have the clayface issue more often than most. Can you compare the performance using component and HDMI to see if the extra bit depth is something that we should go for?


Yes I would be happy to do this. I am leaving straight from work to visit the parents for the weekend so I won't have access to it until Monday or maybe late Sunday. I don't have Master & Commander on DVD.

I'm not sure exactly how to test so if you can tell me how I'm happy to check anything you wish. The following would be helpful.

1. Pick out something that will be broadcast on Monday night that you think will be suitable for the test. I have almost every channel available via TWC including the HD suite.

2. Tell me what to look for exactly in what scenes. The more specific you are the better I can help. I have a DVR so I have the ability to pause and slow motion to exact points in time if neccesary.

Chris,
I'm sure that you are aware of the Panny's claim to do 14-bit processing through the DVI or HDMI connection. It sounds like you might be in a position to test this capability to see if it reduces or eliminates false contouring. Master & Commander is a dvd that is famous for showing the banding artifact in the foggy scenes toward the beginning of the movie. I'm sure that there are others, and maybe you have experienced it already in broadcast signals...ESPN seems to have the clayface issue more often than most. Can you compare the performance using component and HDMI to see if the extra bit depth is something that we should go for?


I forgot to ask. What is 14 bit processing supposed to accomplish and what is false contouring? I assume component does not have this?

Thanks, I was really hoping to hear that 480p signals can be switched with HDMI. I'm quite pleased this is possible. Unfortunately my STB (SA8300) does not have a full mode. I can choose from the following: stretch, zoom, or 4:3 with side bars. If choose 4:3 with sidebars the PDP will allow me to change aspect ratios but only inside the box created by the side bars. I can use zoom or stretch through the STB to fill the screen but I don't like these as much as the "just" mode on the PDP. Zoom crops too much and stretch causes to much distortion. I really want the the set top box to display a non-zoomed and non distorted image and use the "just" mode on the PDP to fill the screen. Has anyone been able to accomplish this with a SA8300 (passport version via TWC).

Is it possible that my STB says I'm sending out a 480p signal but my PDP is interpreting it as 720p or 1080i? Is there any way to see what signal my 8UK is receiving. My Sony used to display the signal that it was receiving but I can't seem to find this on my 8UK. For example if you hit display on the sony it would show 1080 or 720p on the screen.

It sounds to me like you should try "stretch" on the cable box and "just" on the panny simultaneously.

It sounds to me like you should try "stretch" on the cable box and "just" on the panny simultaneously.

You are correct and in fact I just did this prior to reading this post and it works. I thought the image would be stretched and restretched doing this but it isn't. It seems like the settings on the STB deterimine the size and shape of the box the picture is viewed in and the PDP settings deterimine how the box is filled if that makes sense. I am so happy now that this works. I love this Panny!!!

For the benefit of anyone else who wants to view "just" mode on the 8UK with a SA8300 STB over HDMI all 3 of the following must be done.

1. Make sure the SA8300 can output 480p but not 480i. If all resolutions are allowed to pass through SD will be sent in 480i and you will get a black screen on your PDP. If you block out 480i the STB will upconvert the signal to 480p which is what you want if you'd like to use "just"

2. Set the SA8300 to display 4:3 images in stretch mode.

3. Set the PDP to Just mode.

I'm so happy now that everything is working as I had hoped. Did I mention that I love this Panny!!!

I have a SA8300 also and I changed the output signals as you mentioned and am able to do JUST mode, etc.

The upgrade rollup for Media Center was just released, and among other things it adds a nonlinear zoom feature. The benefit being that DVDs will now fill the screen, which mitigates my burn-in paranoia from having black bars since I haven't hit the 1000 hour mark yet. There are four different zoom settings available, and it works with both DVDs and TV recordings. One of them is very similar to JUST.

I finally got it mounted this weekend, with the peerless smartmount that VA sells. I would recommend it, the setup was simple, and it is extremely low profile.

Well I've solved my humming problem, sort of. I've found that if I use a 3 prong to 2 prong converter on the power cable and thus eliminating the ground wire that the humming does not occur. I'm not sure if this the wrong way to go about it but it's working. I am a little nervous about doing this but I don't know what else to do.



you have a ground loop. google should turn up plenty of info.

yes it is the wrong way. without re-posting all of the info that's already out there, the problem results in there being multiple paths to your house's main ground point, one of those paths being directly through the thousands of dollars worth of audio and video gear you have. imagine a lightning strike or power surge, and do the math ;).

you have a ground loop. google should turn up plenty of info.

yes it is the wrong way. without re-posting all of the info that's already out there, the problem results in there being multiple paths to your house's main ground point, one of those paths being directly through the thousands of dollars worth of audio and video gear you have. imagine a lightning strike or power surge, and do the math ;).

Thanks for the information. Maybe I can run the ground connection from the outlet to a metal spike in the ground in the crawl space. If anyone has any thoughts on this I'd love to hear them.

Thanks for the information. Maybe I can run the ground connection from the outlet to a metal spike in the ground in the crawl space. If anyone has any thoughts on this I'd love to hear them.

might not be that simple. it's possible that there are two grounds involved, for instance if your cable TV is grounded at the cable company's panel around the block somewhere, whereas the rest of your stuff is grounded at your house's ground point. in that case you've got a current going between them that's causing the hum.

try plugging your TV in without your cable/satellite box attached, and see if the hum goes away. if it does, that's your problem, which is actually the cable company's problem, and they might send a tech out to install an isolater to correct it if you call them. if disconnecting the cable TV doesn't fix it, the problem is somewhere within your house so it's yours to find and fix.

either way making another ground point isn't necessary, nor will it fix it if having multiple ground points is your problem. you just have to find the offending connection by trial and error and use an isolater at that device to fix it.

Thanks for the information. Maybe I can run the ground connection from the outlet to a metal spike in the ground in the crawl space. If anyone has any thoughts on this I'd love to hear them.

Manufacturers have been floating the ground on TV's for years. Just FYI.

If you get a direct lightning strike and your system is energized, the ground won't save it. The reason for the ground is to prevent a discharge into a person in case an internal short electrifies the TV's chassis. This will also flip your circuit breaker.

The only way to prevent damage in case of lightning is to unplug and disconnect. Surge protectors, etc. , might help but I would still unplug/disonnect if you can.

Unhooking the cable tv coax is a good thing to try to see if that's the problem.

Thanks for the input. I think I've narrowed it down to the subwoofer and the PDP. These are the only two devices that have the third "ground prong" on the plug. The humm stops if either of these is plugged in via a 3 prong to 2 prong adapter. The humm also stops if I unplug the subwoofer line out from the amp. For now I've switched the 3 prong to 2 prong adapter to the sub since it costs less than the PDP. I think I'm going to order a ground loop isolator for the sub to amp cable.

I'm also planing to purchase a power conditioner/ UPS. Do any of these do anything for ground loop issues?

I'm also planing to purchase a power conditioner/ UPS. Do any of these do anything for ground loop issues?

No. Not unless you float their ground. :) ;)

My credit card is in hand. No more ED vs. HD, 42 vs. 50, Panny vs. Pioneer. I'm ready to pull the trigger. All the remains is who I'm buying from and ... one other question:

I was all set to get the 50PHD8UK. But the price has creeped up and, well, from my source, and after factoring a stand and extra component card, it's almost the same as the 50PX50U. I don't care about speakers, PIP, cable card or whatnot.

The main reason I like the 50PHD8UK is that I've heard it's more tweakable w/r/t picture quality. But I've also read plenty from those who say the out of the box settings are nearly perfect. So my question ... have those with the UK found they really needed to tweak the PQ via settings only available on the commercial set, or needed to set unique PQ settings for each imput?

Got my PDP last night! PHD50 It's friggin sweet. NO dead pixels and an awesome picture. Thanks TVA. I have it running with a svideo cable right now because I cant get my DVI blade to work. When I attach the DVI-D cable to the TV from the SA 8000 STB I get no signal and even the sound stops coming out of the STB to my amp. I even tried another DVI-D cable. Is the blade bad, the stb bad or the does slot 1 have to be configured for the DVI blade? Maybe I should upgrade to the SA 8300 STB which only has HDMI and no DVI so then I"d have to get a cable conversion.

Also the DVI blade directions say that the existing component connections will no longer work when this blade is installed! Does the HDMI blade also disable the component RGB? This is bad because I want to run my XBOX through the component and my STB through the DVI. Well other than that this PDP is jet black blacks if you ask me and one big bad ass flat panel. Thanks.

My credit card is in hand. No more ED vs. HD, 42 vs. 50, Panny vs. Pioneer. I'm ready to pull the trigger. All the remains is who I'm buying from and ... one other question:

I was all set to get the 50PHD8UK. But the price has creeped up and, well, from my source, and after factoring a stand and extra component card, it's almost the same as the 50PX50U. I don't care about speakers, PIP, cable card or whatnot.

The main reason I like the 50PHD8UK is that I've heard it's more tweakable w/r/t picture quality. But I've also read plenty from those who say the out of the box settings are nearly perfect. So my question ... have those with the UK found they really needed to tweak the PQ via settings only available on the commercial set, or needed to set unique PQ settings for each imput?

I found it necessary to tweak a few of the service menu options in order to get color perfect on the advanced Avia test patterns. I could get the blues to adjust perfectly dropping the regular "color" param by 2. I had to mess with the service menu to bring reds and greens in line.

I am absolutely glad I got the commercial model over the consumer because I required none of the "extras" from the consumer model and wanted the tweak options of the commercial.

thanks, that helps plenty

Turns out the DVI port on the back of the SA 8000 is not an active feature on the box and I have to upgrade. Just called Adelphia cable. Now I need a DVI-D to HDMI cable for the SA 8300 box.

Also the DVI blade directions say that the existing component connections will no longer work when this blade is installed! Does the HDMI blade also disable the component RGB? This is bad because I want to run my XBOX through the component and my STB through the DVI.

So do I. Is this true? Installing the DVI blade cuts off the component connections?

Does the HDMI blade cut off component connections too?

Have a 50PHD8UK on the way. Need a little help with some accessories:

1) I need a stand that will raise the Panny at least 6" so I can put the center speaker infront of it, without blocking any of the screen. Does anybody know of any third party stands that would work?

2) Looking for $100-300 DVD player that would work nicely with this unit. I have a OPPO currently set up with my 42PWD8UK (commericial EDTV), and the macroblocking is totally tolerable for me. Is it going to get worse with 50" HD panel? Was also looking at the Pan S97. Am I nuts for getting something with the Faroudja chip?

Thanks ahead of time for the suggestions.

My credit card is in hand. No more ED vs. HD, 42 vs. 50, Panny vs. Pioneer. I'm ready to pull the trigger. All the remains is who I'm buying from and ... one other question:

I was all set to get the 50PHD8UK. But the price has creeped up and, well, from my source, and after factoring a stand and extra component card, it's almost the same as the 50PX50U. I don't care about speakers, PIP, cable card or whatnot.

The main reason I like the 50PHD8UK is that I've heard it's more tweakable w/r/t picture quality. But I've also read plenty from those who say the out of the box settings are nearly perfect. So my question ... have those with the UK found they really needed to tweak the PQ via settings only available on the commercial set, or needed to set unique PQ settings for each imput?

i didn't. for HD signals, the 50PHD8UK "just looked good" to me. I messed with the presets a bit and used the one that looked best to me. i couldn't get better results to my eyes by overriding them. as for SD material, i have that tweaked a bit at my receiver, so doesn't apply.

So do I. Is this true? Installing the DVI blade cuts off the component connections?

I just recently got my 42PHD8UK and installed the DVI blade. I'm running my STB through the DVI input (slot 1) and my DVD through the standard component BNC inputs (slot 3). They both work great and I can flip back and forth with no problem. I haven't plugged anything into the "PC" input (RGB/Component selectable) yet, so I don't know if it's active. It appears in the Input menu and would appear to be active, but I can't say for certain.

I haven't gotten the HDMI blade yet, so I can't comment on that, either.

So...not the clearest answer to the questions, but it's what I've got.

Hi cofalt try these links.

http://www.racksandstands.com/prods/StudioTech/DP-2/StudioTech/0C38/0PSO0053.htm
and add plasmas post to raise plasma to help with front speaker placement.
http://www.htmarket.com/plastelstan.html

So do I. Is this true? Installing the DVI blade cuts off the component connections?

Hi EdgarQ and DedPixl ,

No input card disables any other input card.

Once installed, any input card (DVI, HDMI, Composite etc.) becomes a valid input option. With the 8UK series you also have the ability to use more than two at the same time such as PC and DVI.

The whole idea of having multiple slots in the back and multiple input buttons on the remote is to allow the use of multiple inputs.

Please see your included documentation for additional details on the input cards. The documentation can also be downloaded from the Panisonic web site.

In the 8UK's operating instructions, it lists the 8UK in compliance with "the limits found in a class B digital device" and that "...[it]may cause harmful interference to radio communication". Anyone experienced any radio/cell/cordless phone communication issues while the 8UK is in operation?

Does anyone know if commercial vs consumer radiation emission data is available? I think the myth of plasma TVs giving off high amounts of radiation has been fairly-well debunked, but I was interested in knowing if any quantitative data was available to compare.

In the 8UK's operating instructions, it lists the 8UK in compliance with "the limits found in a class B digital device" and that "...[it]may cause harmful interference to radio communication". Anyone experienced any radio/cell/cordless phone communication issues while the 8UK is in operation?

Does anyone know if commercial vs consumer radiation emission data is available? I think the myth of plasma TVs giving off high amounts of radiation has been fairly-well debunked, but I was interested in knowing if any quantitative data was available to compare.

:) :) :)

Those are FCC ratings and have to do with RF interference. This has nothing to do with radioactivity or anything harmful. It's a rating estimating how likely the unit will emanate or receive radio waves which might interfere with other equipment. The commercial are class A if I recall and the consumer are class B. The consumer are actually rated for better shielding.

This is in Bruzzi's FAQ on "commercial vs. consumer".

Plasma's don't cause cancer. ;)

I have had a 42PWD4UY for almost four years and a 50PHD7UY since last November and have had no issues with interference, none, nada. Cell phones, radios, etc. I have heard of problems with short wave radios but I do not have one. I know one person who switched to a consumer model because the comsumer interfered with his short wave.

:) :) :)

Those are FCC ratings and have to do with RF interference. This has nothing to do with radioactivity or anything harmful. It's a rating estimating how likely the unit will emanate or receive radio waves which might interfere with other equipment. The commercial are class A if I recall and the consumer are class B. The consumer are actually rated for better shielding.

This is in Bruzzi's FAQ on "commercial vs. consumer".

Plasma's don't cause cancer. ;)

Thanks cpcat. Sorry if my post was confusing. I was trying to ask 2 separate questions. In the first, seeking feedback about RF interference. In the second, I was seeking quantitative data on UV radiation produced by the 8UK. Didn't mean to imply these were necessarily related.

I'll check Bruzzi's FAQ to see if there is any data there. Thanks again :)

I was seeking quantitative data on UV radiation produced by the 8UK. Didn't mean to imply these were necessarily related.

:)

I'd recommend SPF 50 if viewing at closer than 10 feet. :D

Does anyone know if the HDMI board for the TH-50PHD8UK is HDCP compliant?

HDMI Board (http://catalog2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ModelDetail?storeId=11201&catalogId=13051&itemId=86542&modelNo=TY-FB7HM&surfModel=TY-FB7HM)

It's important that this unit is HDCP compliant, because all future Blu-Ray or HD-DVD players will require HDMI-HDCP:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDCP

HDCP compliance is part of the HDMI standard so by definition the answer is yes.

HDCP compliance is part of the HDMI standard so by definition the answer is yes.

Seems odd that Panasonic would leave the HDCP part off of the product description. Everywhere else on their site they use "HDMI-HDCP", but this was the only time I saw just "HDMI" used.

That was one of the supposed goals of the creators of HDMI: an interface which is standardized and which would simplify digital connections. This is in contrast to DVI for which there was little or no standardization.

I am certain a main underlying goal was to ensure the ability to encrypt data as well, although you won't find that on the HDMI PR page. :) :mad:

Any idea if I can use 2 HDMI modules with this Plasma? One for DirecTV HD DVR & one for a Blu-Ray/HD-DVD unit next year?

Any idea if I can use 2 HDMI modules with this Plasma? One for DirecTV HD DVR & one for a Blu-Ray/HD-DVD unit next year?

Yes you can.

Yes you can.

Thanks cpcat!

Hi EdgarQ and DedPixl ,

Please see your included documentation for additional details on the input cards. The documentation can also be downloaded from the Panisonic web site.

Reading the documentation that came with the DVI blade is what got me bent out of shape in the first place. It states that after inserting this blade, the RGB Component will be disabled. Turns out this information is incorrect. I hooked up my XBOX via HD component cables last night and it worked fine. Who needs documentation anyway.

Thank you for the Premier Mounts suggestion/links. It was exactly what I needed.

Anybody have a Panny s97 hooked up to the 50PHD8UK? Impressions? How are you connecting the two?

I received my TH50PHD8UK two weeks ago. I purchased the optional DVI board (the one recommended by the Panasonic 8 series brochure; not sure of model number) and installed it. I've got an ATI Radeon X800 based graphics card made by Asus. What follows is a text copy of the problem ticket I sent to ATI in hopes they've got a fix. Does anyone else experience this through optional DVI board on the 8 series Panasonic PDPs? Anybody with a fix? Thanks.


I am using the latest driver downloaded from the ATI website on October 18, 2005. I recently acquired a display with native resolution of 1366x768. It is a Panasonic PDP TH50PHD8UK. I use an optional DVI board with the display. When I connect my Asus card to the display via DVI and boot the PC I get several resolution options under the Windows XP 'Display Properties', including 1360x768 and 1366x768. When I choose 1360x768, the picture fills the whole screen, but it is evident that the 1360 horizontal pixels of the picture are stretched to fit into the native 1366 horizontal pixels of the display, so it doesn't look very good or crisp. When I choose 1366x768, the picture looks very crisp (1 to 1 pixel mapping) for the first 1360 horizontal pixels (left to right) across the entire horizontal and vertical planes of the screen, but the last six horizontal screen pixels (or last six vertical screen lines) are repeats of the visual information in horizontal pixel 1360 (or vertical line 1360). Can the card deliver a true 1366x768 picture without the repeating six vertical lines on the side of the screen?

I am using the latest driver downloaded from the ATI website on October 18, 2005. I recently acquired a display with native resolution of 1366x768. It is a Panasonic PDP TH50PHD8UK. I use an optional DVI board with the display. When I connect my Asus card to the display via DVI and boot the PC I get several resolution options under the Windows XP 'Display Properties', including 1360x768 and 1366x768. When I choose 1360x768, the picture fills the whole screen, but it is evident that the 1360 horizontal pixels of the picture are stretched to fit into the native 1366 horizontal pixels of the display, so it doesn't look very good or crisp. When I choose 1366x768, the picture looks very crisp (1 to 1 pixel mapping) for the first 1360 horizontal pixels (left to right) across the entire horizontal and vertical planes of the screen, but the last six horizontal screen pixels (or last six vertical screen lines) are repeats of the visual information in horizontal pixel 1360 (or vertical line 1360). Can the card deliver a true 1366x768 picture without the repeating six vertical lines on the side of the screen?

The 1366x768 is not handled properly by ATI. It is the card/driver that is at fault. I assume that ATI would have fixed this a while ago if it were a driver problem. I know for sure that NVidia 6 and 7 series card have no problem with 1366x768. The simplest solution is to sell your ATI and get an NVidia card. NVidia also has been compared and reviewed and has slightly better de-interlacing for DVD playback.

-- Rich

The 1366x768 is not handled properly by ATI. It is the card/driver that is at fault.
Thank you. ATI confirmed your comment. It completely boggles my mind. Here is ATI's "solution".

We have responded to your issue.
Solution: 1366x768 is not an officially supported resoltion of any ATI cards or drivers.
1360 is the closest you will get.
Powerstrip may be of some help if there are no drivers for the monitor.

There are several references to the added tweakability in the picture settings of the commericial unit over the consumer unit. Can someone detail what the differences are?

Thanks.....

I'm deciding between the 50PHD8UK and the PDP 5060..... by tommorrow... haha.

My question is, will the Panny 50PHD8UK allow me to PIP/ Split screen Two HDMI inputs, component inputs, or combination of the two?

Many tvs only let you PIP one HD input with one standard input and I plan on watching this thing with the girlfriend.

Thanks....

Spades

I'm deciding between the 50PHD8UK and the PDP 5060..... by tommorrow... haha.

My question is, will the Panny 50PHD8UK allow me to PIP/ Split screen Two HDMI inputs, component inputs, or combination of the two?

Many tvs only let you PIP one HD input with one standard input and I plan on watching this thing with the girlfriend.

Thanks....

Spades

Well, it doesn't say you can't:

"New Advanced Dual Picture Mode - simultaneously display images from two different sources in Picture And Picture, Picture Out Picture, Picture In Picture, and Video Over PC modes"

There are several references to the added tweakability in the picture settings of the commericial unit over the consumer unit. Can someone detail what the differences are?

Thanks.....

I have a commercial and not a consumer, but there differences are well documented:

Commercial has:

- Individual picture settings per input. So each input has Standard, Cinema, Auto, and Dynamic settings per input. The Commercial one set of these 4 global for all inputs.

- Advanced Picture settings include:

Black Level Extension - basically crushes blacks not recommend

Input Level - Helps white crush - not available on digital inputs

W/B High Red, W/B High Blue, W/B Low Red, W/B low Blue - used to adjust the gray scale tracking

Gamma - 2.2 is recommended

ACG - Automatical Gain Control which is on by default in Dynamic mode. I have this off since it can blow out the whites leading to clay face. All settings can be used to achieve the same picture results. Dynamic defaults to ACG on, but it can be turned off in the advanced menu.

The Auto mode seems to some brightness adjust on it changes the image in ways that cannot be defeated in the advanced menu.

Also, the Setup menu allows for additional control over power saving mode. I turned them all off.
I turned of "Peak Limit" and set contrast to 0 or less and this really makes the panel look great. The gray scales look much better. Most users probably leave this on and turn up the contrast to get a similar look. Many people say that Panasonic has more punch, but I believe that may not be true with Peak Limit turned off.
Panasonic defaults there panels to run them conservatively.

The commercial lets you have more control over its performance. They accept native rate digitally. My 657UY looks awesome with my Lumagen HDP. I have a friend who uses a Bravo D2 set to output 1366x768. It looks stunning.

-- Rich

Rich would you buy the Bravo D2? It was rated the best product of the year in the budget class by AVGuide. Do you know of any problems with it?

I have a commercial and not a consumer, but there differences are well documented:
Thanks Rich... exactly what I wanted to know.

I'm just reading these forums to follow your ever changing avatar. Made me laugh!

I'm just reading these forums to follow your ever changing avatar. Made me laugh!
At least your not reading to follow my ever changing TV!

Peter, are you not sticking with the Pio 1130? If not, what made you change your mind?

Drivie

Peter, are you not sticking with the Pio 1130? If not, what made you change your mind?

Drivie
I think I am sticking with it. That's my thinking today anyway! :rolleyes:

I will post more on this in http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=582071

I had talked about my perceptions and concerns in that thread and in http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=587399

Rich would you buy the Bravo D2? It was rated the best product of the year in the budget class by AVGuide. Do you know of any problems with it?

I would recommend the Bravo D2 because it can deliver native rate 1366x768 to the panel. This results is one scaling so it is very sharp. The color controls were a bit heavy handed but work since the panny color controls are disabled when you go in digital. It looks great.

It does not the most advanced de-interlacer but most DVD have no problems so I doubt that would be an issue. Check out Hometheaterhifi.com player reviews. IMHO scaling to native rate more important than de-inerlacer performance. For under $250, it is hard to beat. I use a SDI modded player and a Lumagen HDP and I think this comes remarkably close at about 1/10'th the cost.

Of course, the Lumnagen has much better adjustments and film de-interlacing so that is not the whole story.

-- Rich

Rich,

How does the Bravo D2 deliver 1366x768 native rate when it only upconverts to 1080i or 720p? Other than a HTPC or outboard scan converter I haven't seen anything that outputs 1366x768. Maybe you can elaborate.

Rich,

How does the Bravo D2 deliver 1366x768 native rate when it only upconverts to 1080i or 720p? Other than a HTPC or outboard scan converter I haven't seen anything that outputs 1366x768. Maybe you can elaborate.

The Bravo2 has a key sequence that allows you to setup a custom resolution. You have to enter vertical and horizontal resolution, front and back porch, sync width etc. You need to be an "Advanced" user, but it works if you get the right numbers.

-- Rich

Thanks Rich

I guess this is a function similar to using powerstrip for custom HTPC resolutions. BTW, will it allow you to setup 1920x1080 progressive for the few existing and the new upcoming displays?

I have a 42WD6UY which I just wall mounted with a basic flat mount I bought from a forum member. I think it came from Electrograph through Dell. The mount has four holes on the bottom (two on each side) the upper two holes are in about an inch and up about an inch. The 42WD6UY bottom mounts go in the upper lower holes. My question is if I get a 50PHD8UK will this wall mount work?

Thanks , Bill

Thanks Rich

I guess this is a function similar to using powerstrip for custom HTPC resolutions. BTW, will it allow you to setup 1920x1080 progressive for the few existing and the new upcoming displays?

Is is the same a powerstrip, but the names my not be the same. I have no idea if it can handle 1080P, but I doubt it. This is not a well documented feature :)

-- Rich

I'm deciding between the 50PHD8UK and the PDP 5060..... by tommorrow... haha.

My question is, will the Panny 50PHD8UK allow me to PIP/ Split screen Two HDMI inputs, component inputs, or combination of the two?

Many tvs only let you PIP one HD input with one standard input and I plan on watching this thing with the girlfriend.

Thanks....

Spades

Spades,
Yes using two HDMI inputs for PIP functions is supported.
This is definitely one of the advantages of the 50PHD8UK when compared with the 37” and 42” versions as well as the Panisonic consumer models and other makes.

I have not specifically tried HDMI with another HDMI but I have used the following:

Component/DVI
Component/PC
DVI/PC

I would recommend getting a TY-42TM6D DVI card and HDMI adapter initially because it supports more resolutions than the TY-FB7HM HDMI card currently available. Specifically, the 1024x768 and 1366x768 resolutions which are output by many computer video cards and up converters. These resolutions match the pixel count of the 50PHD8UK when using the “Normal” and “Full” settings respectively.

There is supposed to be a new HDMI card coming out but I'm not sure if it will support any additional resolutions.

Bryan

I have a 42WD6UY which I just wall mounted with a basic flat mount I bought from a forum member. I think it came from Electrograph through Dell. The mount has four holes on the bottom (two on each side) the upper two holes are in about an inch and up about an inch. The 42WD6UY bottom mounts go in the upper lower holes. My question is if I get a 50PHD8UK will this wall mount work?

Thanks , Bill
According to what I am told, the 37, 42, and 50 Panasonic panels share the same mounting configuration. I am about to mount the 50UK in the "PA-1" Peerless mount, which works with all three models. So my thought is your mount should work, if it is rated for the extra weight of the 50.

According to what I am told, the 37, 42, and 50 Panasonic panels share the same mounting configuration. I am about to mount the 50UK in the "PA-1" Peerless mount, which works with all three models. So my thought is your mount should work, if it is rated for the extra weight of the 50.

MR,

Thanks for the info. I had a feeling there mounts would be universal. I'm sure it will hold the extra weight as its pretty heavy gauge steel.

Thanks again, Bill

Spades,
Yes using two HDMI inputs for PIP functions is supported.
This is definitely one of the advantages of the 50PHD8UK when compared with the 37” and 42” versions as well as the Panisonic consumer models and other makes.

I have not specifically tried HDMI with another HDMI but I have used the following:

Component/DVI
Component/PC
DVI/PC

I would recommend getting a TY-42TM6D DVI card and HDMI adapter initially because it supports more resolutions than the TY-FB7HM HDMI card currently available. Specifically, the 1024x768 and 1366x768 resolutions which are output by many computer video cards and up converters. These resolutions match the pixel count of the 50PHD8UK when using the “Normal” and “Full” settings respectively.

There is supposed to be a new HDMI card coming out but I'm not sure if it will support any additional resolutions.

Bryan
In another thread (or is it this one?) it is claimed that 1366x768 over HDMI works from an Nvidia card despite what the paper specs. say.

Greetings to all.

I am awaiting the arrival of a 50PHD8UK next week. :D I have also received a Panny SA-XR55K to mate it with. Hopefully I will give a review when I get everything up and running.

Lots of good info here on this Board and my decision to purchase these two items was finalized by posts here.

THANKS!

I've been going back and forth between getting an 8UK and a Pio 1130. I like the looks of the Pio better (at least the frame), but I found the PQ to be very similar (even the blacks!).

The one thing I noticed though was that the Pio seemed to show more detail than the Panny. When I asked the rep in the store about it, he said that Pio had a better scaler and, all things being equal, would deliver a sharper picture. He then said that if I went with added a scaler to the Panny set-up (he recommended the new DVDO VP30), it would blow even the Pioneer away.

So my questions are:

- 'As is', is the Pio picture usually more detailed than the Panny, even after both have been similarly calibrated?

- Does a scaler actually make a huge difference, even with market-leading plasmas like these?

- Would the Pioneer still look better, even if it used the same scaler?

- Is the DVDO VP30 the right scaler to get?

Thanks in advance for you feedback...!

Bill

I've been going back and forth between getting an 8UK and a Pio 1130. I like the looks of the Pio better (at least the frame), but I found the PQ to be very similar (even the blacks!).

The one thing I noticed though was that the Pio seemed to show more detail than the Panny. When I asked the rep in the store about it, he said that Pio had a better scaler and, all things being equal, would deliver a sharper picture. He then said that if I went with added a scaler to the Panny set-up (he recommended the new DVDO VP30), it would blow even the Pioneer away.

So my questions are:

- 'As is', is the Pio picture usually more detailed than the Panny, even after both have been similarly calibrated?

- Does a scaler actually make a huge difference, even with market-leading plasmas like these?

- Would the Pioneer still look better, even if it used the same scaler?

- Is the DVDO VP30 the right scaler to get?

Thanks in advance for you feedback...!

Bill


This won't answer any of your questions but i find it interesting that you are comparing 2 TV's that have about a $2200 or more differential in price.

- Does a scaler actually make a huge difference, even with market-leading plasmas like these?


The 8UK is a good choice for a scaler since it can accept native rate digitally.


- Would the Pioneer still look better, even if it used the same scaler?


I cannot really say, but I have a 657UY paired with a Lumagen HDP scaler and I am very pleased. The picture is awesome.


- Is the DVDO VP30 the right scaler to get?


You might want to check out the scaler forum. The DVDO VP30 looks to be a very nice product. AVS has special pricing, so you may want to contact them. It has 4 HDMI inputs and that is a big plus. There will be many new scalers next year that will likely blow away all internal scalers. Although, most people find the internal scalers acceptable.

In summary, no one can truly answer these questions for you. My choice has always been commercial since they accept native rate digitally for use with scalers and HTPC's.

-- Rich

Using the PC input on my Panasonic TH50PHD8UK, I found that I've got a band shooting to the left and to the right of open un-maximized windows on the screen. The band is somewhat dimmer than its surroundings. For instance, Internet Explorer has a horizontal 'status' bar (I think that is what it is called) at the bottom of the IE window, and on my pc this bar is beige. In a horizontal band (approximately the same height as the status bar) outside the IE window to the left and to the right, the desktop is slightly darker than the rest of the desktop. When I move the window about the screen, the left and right dim bands follow the window. This happens using a desktop with an ATI based card and also with a laptop with an nvidia card.

I tried unplugging everything hoping that it was some kind of noise. At one point, I ended up with just the laptop (running only on batteries and disconnected from AC power) connected to the plasma via VGA cable. The VGA cable has ferrite cores at both ends. No other cables were connected to plasma except power that was plugged in directly to the wall outlet. The problem persisted.

Is there an adjustment that can be made to get rid of these dark horizontal bands?

I read in this forum that this TV has the PIP feature. My question is:
Will this feature work with the Comcast HD STB?

My current CRT TV also has PIP feature. However, the PIP feature will not work with the Comcast digital STB. Also with Comcast digital STB I can't even watch one channel and record another one. However, Comcast rep told me that HD STB will allow me to watch one channel and record on the other.

Can anyone with this TV and Comcast HD STB comment the following:

Will PIP feature of this TV work with Comcast HD STB without purchase any additional accessories?

Can I watch one channel and record another channel at the same time?

Thanks very much for the help!

CNET reviews the TH50PHD8UK...

http://reviews.cnet.com/Panasonic_TH_50PHD8UK/4505-6482_7-31511908.html?tag=cnetfd.sd

From the CNET Review;

We did see evidence of an inability to hold a consistent level of black, however, which contributed to some loss in shadow detail. With our setup, we noticed this loss mainly in scenes with roughly equal amounts of dark and light material. One good example occurred when Batman leaped out the window, covered in bright flames; some of the bricks in the buildings in the foreground were swallowed in shadow.

Can someone try this also and report back. (RHarkness)

They also rated the DC Restoration as POOR again ???

We do not know the settings used for the test. Was Power Save, Power Management, and Peak Limit set on. That is likely since they are the defaults.
I have found the Power Management is a big offender.

Power management seems to dynamically change the contrast and on my 7UY changes the Blank Level. So if you see this, try turning some of these off.

-- Rich

Hi all,

I'm seriously considering purchasing a complete home theater setup with the 50PHD8UK as the centerpiece. Since this thread has been a huge help to me, I thought I'd solicit advice on my setup from the experts here before I slap down the big bucks.

If anyone has any advice/better ideas/other thoughts on/experience with the following setup, I'd truly appreciate it...

-DirecTivo HD DVR (HR-10) connected with HDMI to
-Yamaha RX-V2600 A/V receiver connected with HDMI to
-Panny 50PHD8UK w/HDMI blade

For the most part I just watch Tivo'd shows and DVD. I will occasionally hook up my Powerbook. And I'm not a huge video game player.

I would love just one cable going to the panny and I thought HDMI was the best. I saw that someone suggested going with DVI blade and HDMI adapter, is that better with this setup? Or do I even need an HDMI or DVI blade, will I get a great picture via component video? I also haven't decided on a DVD player yet, so if anyone has advice there, I'd love to hear it.

Thanks in advance for any help!

texcrowbar42

P.S. This is my first post so please don't hurt me if this is in the wrong thread :o

We do not know the settings used for the test. Was Power Save, Power Management, and Peak Limit set on. That is likely since they are the defaults.
I have found the Power Management is a big offender.

Power management seems to dynamically change the contrast and on my 7UY changes the Blank Level. So if you see this, try turning some of these off.

-- Rich

The problem persist even with the PM/PS/PL off. :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:


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

The problem persist even with the PM/PS/PL off. :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:


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

Do you have a DVD that you use to demonstrate the problem?

-- Rich

The problem persist even with the PM/PS/PL off. :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:


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

Strange. I really don't notice anything with the 50PX50U. I've heard others say they see it, others not.

It seems the reports are more prevalent for 42 inch models, both consumer/commercial. Maybe just because more units in those size are around?

Subscribing. Great thread.

Hi all,

I'm seriously considering purchasing a complete home theater setup with the 50PHD8UK as the centerpiece. Since this thread has been a huge help to me, I thought I'd solicit advice on my setup from the experts here before I slap down the big bucks.

If anyone has any advice/better ideas/other thoughts on/experience with the following setup, I'd truly appreciate it...

-DirecTivo HD DVR (HR-10) connected with HDMI to
-Yamaha RX-V2600 A/V receiver connected with HDMI to
-Panny 50PHD8UK w/HDMI blade

For the most part I just watch Tivo'd shows and DVD. I will occasionally hook up my Powerbook. And I'm not a huge video game player.

I would love just one cable going to the panny and I thought HDMI was the best. I saw that someone suggested going with DVI blade and HDMI adapter, is that better with this setup? Or do I even need an HDMI or DVI blade, will I get a great picture via component video? I also haven't decided on a DVD player yet, so if anyone has advice there, I'd love to hear it.

Thanks in advance for any help!

texcrowbar42

P.S. This is my first post so please don't hurt me if this is in the wrong thread :o


We'll have similiar setups. I picked up the 2600 last Sat and just put the 8UK on order.
I'll be using Comast (HD-DVR)

What did you choose for speakers?

anybody know how far the rounded stand extends forward from the front of the display? i have the duck foot stand and it extends just over 5 1/2 inches forward from the display. i was hoping the other stand might allow my plasma to be more "flush" with my entertainment center.

The TY-ST42PA20 stand is 7.7 inches from centerline of the post to the front edge. I believe this is exactly the same as the duck feet stands.

Strange. I really don't notice anything with the 50PX50U. I've heard others say they see it, others not.

It seems the reports are more prevalent for 42 inch models, both consumer/commercial. Maybe just because more units in those size are around?

I have the 50PHD8UK, and I don't see these problems.

In any event, CNET still gives the performance a 9 out of 10, and calls the display "the best-performing plasma we've reviewed." Strangely, their other factors of design and features reduce the overall rating to a 7.8. To me, it has the best design, in fact its minimalist design was a far greater factor in my decision than it should have been. As for features, you know what you're getting with the inputs (which is the issue they had with it). All of this plus giving their best performing plasma a mere 7.8 seriously undermines the reliability of their rating system.

I have the 50PHD8UK, and I don't see these problems.

In any event, CNET still gives the performance a 9 out of 10, and calls the display "the best-performing plasma we've reviewed." Strangely, their other factors of design and features reduce the overall rating to a 7.8. To me, it has the best design, in fact its minimalist design was a far greater factor in my decision than it should have been. As for features, you know what you're getting with the inputs (which is the issue they had with it). All of this plus giving their best performing plasma a mere 7.8 seriously undermines the reliability of their rating system.

It's funny you bought up CNet as they pretty much the lamest bunch of jackasses that have ever reviewed plasmas. They have their nose so far up Panny's a$$ it is pathetic.

Look at the review of the Maxent MX-42X3 compared to the 8UKs. How can they rate the Maxent a 7 on performance and the 8UK a 9 when it uses the same damn glass?

The only thing in the reviews I saw different was that they saw slight false contouring in extremely dark areas on the Maxent.

They mention the same orange reds and yellow greens in both reviews.

Biased? You're damn right they are.

We'll have similiar setups. I picked up the 2600 last Sat and just put the 8UK on order.
I'll be using Comast (HD-DVR)

What did you choose for speakers?

You'll have to let me know your impressions when you're all hooked up. Did you go with a DVI or HDMI blade?

What you think about the 2600? I'm using a small set of Paradigm speaks for the short term (Mini-Mk3's for fronts, CC-70 for center, ADP-70's for rears, with a PDR-10 sub). Nuthin' fancy...YET!

It's funny you bought up CNet as they pretty much the lamest bunch of jackasses that have ever reviewed plasmas. They have their nose so far up Panny's a$$ it is pathetic.

Look at the review of the Maxent MX-42X3 compared to the 8UKs. How can they rate the Maxent a 7 on performance and the 8UK a 9 when it uses the same damn glass?

The only thing in the reviews I saw different was that they saw slight false contouring in extremely dark areas on the Maxent.

They mention the same orange reds and yellow greens in both reviews.

Biased? You're damn right they are.

Sorry, but if you're comparing a Panny to a Maxent you need Dr.Phil to give you some serious therapy.

It's funny you bought up CNet as they pretty much the lamest bunch of jackasses that have ever reviewed plasmas. They have their nose so far up Panny's a$$ it is pathetic.

Look at the review of the Maxent MX-42X3 compared to the 8UKs. How can they rate the Maxent a 7 on performance and the 8UK a 9 when it uses the same damn glass?

The only thing in the reviews I saw different was that they saw slight false contouring in extremely dark areas on the Maxent.

They mention the same orange reds and yellow greens in both reviews.

Biased? You're damn right they are.

I'm criticizing the review methodology and basic judgment, not commenting on any bias. I don't see how they are biased if they give the "best performing plasma we've reviewed" an overall 7.8.

where can I get this plasma set in the San Francisco bayarea? Please advice.

Thanks

I have DirecTV with the music channels (they use XM radio). If you press the clear button on the remote, the screen goes blank. I can tell that the backlight is still on but the screen is blank. Will extended periods of listening to music with the screen like this cause any kind of burn in?

Thanks,

David

I have DirecTV with the music channels (they use XM radio). If you press the clear button on the remote, the screen goes blank. I can tell that the backlight is still on but the screen is blank. Will extended periods of listening to music with the screen like this cause any kind of burn in?

Thanks,

David

Plasmas dont have a backlight... but i know what you mean. :D
If the screen is displaying solid black then that should be fine, as the phosphors are being lit at a minimum level.

I just sold my 6th generation 42PWD and am getting the TH-50PHD8UK. Can I have 2 HDMI blades and still have component input? Is that possible?

I want to hook up Comcast HD box and Marantz DV6600 via HDMI plus have receiver hooked up via component (Xbox). Is that doable?

Thank for any input.

Yes, you can use the VGA input as component with an adapter.

-Jerry C.


Edit- Also the component blade can mount in any of the three, if you don't need the composite blade. So you could put in two HDMI's in slots 1 &2 and the component in 3.

Perfect! Thanks for the info.

How about the S-Video card in slot 3? I tried it and got no signal through the display (input 3).

I have 2 HDMI blades (slot 1 and slot 2), one for my Dish HD DVR player and Denon 3910 DVD player. I was hoping to use slot 3 to run the X-Box into.

Thanks,
Kenreau

How about the S-Video card in slot 3? I tried it and got no signal through the display (input 3).



The S-Video/Composite, DVI & HDMI Boards can be used in the Slot 1 and Slot 2 only.



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

Hi everyone, I recently got my 50PHD8UK! The PQ is unbelieveable. I have Time Warner HD cable via component. Here are some pics. Even with the ambient light, the picture is amazing. Great investment! :)

I just got my 50PHD8UK on Tuesday and have some general questions on set up I was hoping to get some recommendations on. FWIW, the manufacturing date is OCT 2005, made in Japan.

1) Break-in: I have been running it nearly 24h/day for the past two days. Is there a certain minimum time frame to allow for things to settle in before doing any critical tweaking/calibrating? I recall reading 100 hours, but that seems a little excessive.

2) I have Dish service running into the Dish player 942 HD DVR. I am using the HDMI output direct to the Panny (slot 1). HD signals look great. SD signals suck. I get Over The Air local digital signals of the major networks. The prime time HD signals kick in late evenings and they look great. The SD signals look terrible. Same for the majority of the Dish SD signals.

What to do with the OTA channels where they go from SD the majority of the day to HD ?

Whats the best route to make the SD signals tolerable without spending $2k on a DVDO VP30? Is the tactic different for the OTA channels vs. the standard Dish suite of SD channels?

I have searched the threads to the best of my ability and am not sure what route to take (stretch, Just, et al). Suffer through the side bars, stretch things, etc.

3) Denon DVD-3910 player set up. I am using the HDMI output direct to the Panny (slot 2). It has the following Video Features;
Faroudja FLI-2310 Decoding Engine
Adjustable Chroma Delay and Level
Exclusive Denon Picture Image Correction
4:4:4, 12 bit Video D/A Conversion system featuring Noise Shaped Video processing (1 chip each Progressive and Interlace)
8x Oversampling Progressive and 16x Interlace output
Wideband relay switched component video outputs
Variable Black Level (Setup): 0 and 7.5 IRE
Passes below-black (PLUGE) on progressive and interlace outputs
(1) DVI-D (HDCP) and (1) HDMI Multi-Channel Audio Compatible, outputs with selectable 480p/720p/1080i output
Anamorphic Scaling for 4:3/16:9 Sets
4:3 Squeeze and Zoom Controls, including DVI/HDMI outputs

Yikes....sorry, too much information.... What's the best way to optimize the DVD picture quality?



Thank you,
Kenreau

I had my 8UK since September 15th. I hadn't seen any other HDTV before I bought this one but I wanted a tV which can deliver 1080p as well and I decided on this TV. I have connected my COX HD cable box (explorer 8300 HD) to onkyo (SR503) a/v receiver, I have no complaints with PQ, I see the 'quantity' of sound drop when I change channels though.
I am thinking of changing the reciever but I am not sure if it will improve my Video any better. ANy comments? I tried connecting my PC as well but I wasn't impressed with the PQ - I am not sure if I did it right but overall I am very happpy with the purchase.

How about the S-Video card in slot 3? I tried it and got no signal through the display (input 3).

I have 2 HDMI blades (slot 1 and slot 2), one for my Dish HD DVR player and Denon 3910 DVD player. I was hoping to use slot 3 to run the X-Box into.

Thanks,
Kenreau

You can use your component blade for your XBox. I'd recommend the component cables for the XBox anyway; you're likely to get a better picture than with S-Video.

I had my 8UK since September 15th. I hadn't seen any other HDTV before I bought this one but I wanted a tV which can deliver 1080p as well and I decided on this TV. I have connected my COX HD cable box (explorer 8300 HD) to onkyo (SR503) a/v receiver, I have no complaints with PQ, I see the 'quantity' of sound drop when I change channels though.
I am thinking of changing the reciever but I am not sure if it will improve my Video any better. ANy comments? I tried connecting my PC as well but I wasn't impressed with the PQ - I am not sure if I did it right but overall I am very happpy with the purchase.

The 8uk .... deliver 1080p????? It's res is 1366 x 768. 1080p is 1920x1080.

HI Everyone,

I have had my 50PHD8UK for about 2 months and love it. Today, while watching TV, I noticed horizontal scan lines (not sure what to call them). They would start at the bottom of the TV and work their way up - they were very faint but once you notice them they are annoying! This seemed to be on all channels. I'm not sure if it has always done this. Is this anything to worry about? Or is this just something from the source? Any way to eliminate these? Here's my setup:

DirecTV with DirecTivo unit
going through my Denon 3802 AV unit S-video out to the TV

Thanks and Merry Xmas everyone!

davidmac27,
It sounds like a ground loop problem. Probably from the Direct TV. Try disconnecting the cable and see if it goes away with only the DVD player connected. Do a search for "ground loop" there is a lot of information there.

I would recommend a calibration. I have the 50PHD7UY and while it had a great picture out of the box, it is mindblowing after the calibtration. Better blacks, better contrast, better overall color and more detail.I've noticed that the whites on the Panasonics are yellowish. Do you have this problem after calibration? One probably would not have known this unless you had another plasma next to it as a comparison.

I've noticed that the whites on the Panasonics are yellowish. Do you have this problem after calibration? One probably would not have known this unless you had another plasma next to it as a comparison.


Maybe you should buy the other brand.

Hi everyone, I recently got my 50PHD8UK! The PQ is unbelieveable. I have Time Warner HD cable via component. Here are some pics. Even with the ambient light, the picture is amazing. Great investment! :)What is that grey card (?) looking thing just above your tv?

Maybe you should buy the other brand.Not if the problem I saw could be corrected by calibration. Buying another brand was not a productive response at this juncture.

After wayyy too much research I have decided on the 50PHD8UK. I would like to have it around April 1st (no foolin). How soon should I order it? Inventory appears to be nonexistent at the present time. If it arrives to soon there will be no place to deliver it.

After wayyy too much research I have decided on the 50PHD8UK. I would like to have it around April 1st (no foolin). How soon should I order it? Inventory appears to be nonexistent at the present time.I had originally planned on ordering it today. But like you said about inventory, if you don't expect to get it until April, then why not wait until May when the 1080p monitors come out? Unfortunately, they will probably be expensive. Then if you choose not to go with the new 1080p, I'm sure the price on the 8UK will drop when the 1080p comes out. Also, if you order it in April, there might not be a supply issue at that time.

From what I understand the new 1080p will be 65". The 50" 1080p is at least another year or two away.

I had originally planned on ordering it today. But like you said about inventory, if you don't expect to get it until April, then why not wait until May when the 1080p monitors come out? Unfortunately, they will probably be expensive. Then if you choose not to go with the new 1080p, I'm sure the price on the 8UK will drop when the 1080p comes out. Also, if you order it in April, there might not be a supply issue at that time.

I agree with everything you said, except I have done the bleeding edge thing too many times. I would rather have the last gen with the bugs worked out than help the next gen work out the bugs. Getting old I guess.

Nobody has a educated guess when supplies will be replenished?

From what I understand the new 1080p will be 65". The 50" 1080p is at least another year or two away.I've read that too, but here's the link to a story on the release of the 50" 1080p Pioneer plasma. http://www.i4u.com/article4329.html

Did you read this article?

Did you read this article?You mean the article in the link on my post? The last line states, "The Pioneer 50 inch 1080p Plasma apparently is slated for May 2006." I think they might reveal it at the Vegas 2006 CES next week. Actually, some editorial stated that the 50 inch 1080p Panasonic is being sold right now in Japan.

My Bad I was thinking Panasonic. Yes I believe the Pioneer 50" 1080p will be available in the USA in 2006. But the Panasonic 50" 1080p is not scheduled for the USA until 2007. I hope that I am wrong and you are right.

Not if the problem I saw could be corrected by calibration. Buying another brand was not a productive response at this juncture.

You need to try to calibrate with Avia or DVE. Check the color decoder test. Check to see if your white balance is warm or normal (warm takes some getting used to, but from what I can tell is closest to accurate.).

You need to try to calibrate with Avia or DVE. Check the color decoder test. Check to see if your white balance is warm or normal (warm takes some getting used to, but from what I can tell is closest to accurate.).Wow, warm is hard to get used to. - thanks.

Looks like I may have to wait a while, another poster said prices had creeped back up due to the holidays :eek: . I am not paying extra just because its after Christmas, that makes no sense to me. :rolleyes:

EDIT>>

mod note: no asking members where to get a decent price. Also, no price other than MSRP, please. Thanks

Looks like I may have to wait a while, another poster said prices had creeped back up due to the holidays :eek: . I am not paying extra just because its after Christmas, that makes no sense to me. :rolleyes:

EDIT>>

mod note: no asking members where to get a decent price. Also, no price other than MSRP, please. Thanks

I agree with ZZtop about paying extra just because of a supply shortage, but, I want a TH-50PHD8UK display right now... :D

MSRP is $3,995.00 ?

While a "decent" price is, of course, important --- I STRONGLY desire to avoid the dreadful scams and rip-offs that one hears about all too often --- and buy only from an authorized dealer with a great reputation... Perhaps a dealer associated with AVS Forum?

So members, instead of asking where to buy at a "decent" or discounted price --- where can I get one? Soon?

Thanks, TechoFobe

TH-50PHD8UK delivers following signals

1080/60i, 1080/50i, 1080/24p, 1080/24sf, 1080/25p, 1080/30p, 720/60p, 720/50p, 480/60p, 480/60i signal compatibility. If I am correct it gives 1080p signal at different frequencies, or am I missing something?

Hello:
Can someone help me please? Rather than buying a consumer Panasonic 50" model, I thought I would just buy the commercial monitor and use my HDTV Pioneer settop box to get my programs. I also wanted to buy the Bose 123 GS Series II to hook up to the monitor, but looking at its manual on the web it seems a heck of a lot simpler if the Panasonic monitor had audio outputs (otherwise it seems you have to run it thru your VCR and leave it on).

Does anyone one know if it has audio outputs or if you can buy a "blade" for this? The only audo outputs I can see in the Panny manual are for their own optional speakers.

Thanks everyone and have a great 2006!

...I also wanted to buy the Bose 123 GS Series II to hook up to the monitor... Does anyone one know if it has audio outputs or if you can buy a "blade" for this?

Unless I am missing something basic, your Pioneer HD settop box has audio outputs (either optical, coaxial or analog)? These outputs would be connected directly into the Bose audio system and bypass the monitor's amp entirely.

Happy New Year!

Hello everyone,
I am really going crazy, and my wife thinks i am crazy for spending so much time researching, but anyway i keep changing my mind after reading reviews, and the message boards. Ok it is a budget of no more than about $3,000 on a 50 inch. The Vizio price is right, because i can use the extra money for something else that i will need for it. Then we have any of the Panasonic's that are in my range. The Zenith 50 inch, or a phillips 50 inch in my price range. Of coarse with the tuner built in would be great, but i would rather have a better overall tv without the tuner built in. Please help, and thank you in advance. Some of the models are from Costco. :eek:

Unless I am missing something basic, your Pioneer HD settop box has audio outputs (either optical, coaxial or analog)? These outputs would be connected directly into the Bose audio system and bypass the monitor's amp entirely.

Happy New Year!

Thanks for the quick response. I guess my fear is that Bose 123 GS Series II Owner's guide makes a big deal that "if your tv doesn't have an audio output, you need to feed the sound into the bose 123 thru a secondary souce like a VCR" p. 17. I don't understand why I couldn't just feed the sound straight from the Pioneer into the Bose Media Center and have the component video go straight to the Panny monitor.

Thanks for your help, as you can see I am way over my head and may have to break down and spend an extra $1000 on the Panny consumer model!!

CAT,

The very reason why I don't want to buy the consumer model is because I don't NEED a TV with an amp and speakers or an integrated tuner. The way I see it is why buy a model with features I;'ll never use. My present home theater setup runs the optical output from my Directv thru my A/V receiver into my JBL speakers; not into my TV.

If you NEED the features offered by the consumer models by all means get one... If you don't? Go with the industrial monitor. As far as I know either will perform wonderfully. :)

Thanks for the quick response. I guess my fear is that Bose 123 GS Series II Owner's guide makes a big deal that "if your tv doesn't have an audio output, you need to feed the sound into the bose 123 thru a secondary souce like a VCR" p. 17. I don't understand why I couldn't just feed the sound straight from the Pioneer into the Bose Media Center and have the component video go straight to the Panny monitor.

Thanks for your help, as you can see I am way over my head and may have to break down and spend an extra $1000 on the Panny consumer model!!TechoFobe's way is the idea, especially if you need to use the speakers for music. You're better off running the TV audio to the av receiver and then from the av receiver to the speakers. That's the point of the 8UK. Once it's setup, it's more convienent to control the sound from one source.

CAT,

The very reason why I don't want to buy the consumer model is because I don't NEED a TV with an amp and speakers or an integrated tuner. The way I see it is why buy a model with features I;'ll never use. My present home theater setup runs the optical output from my Directv thru my A/V receiver into my JBL speakers; not into my TV.

If you NEED the features offered by the consumer models by all means get one... If you don't? Go with the industrial monitor. As far as I know either will perform wonderfully. :)

Thanks again everyone for your patience. Let's see if I have this right. In the above quote, "Directtv" I guess is analogous to my "Pioneer Settop box" and "my A/V receiver" is analagous to the "Bose 321 Media Center". If this is all correct, then it sounds I could run the either an optical audio or digital audio cable into the Bose Media Center (it has both inputs) directly from my settop box and send the video signal from the set top box up to the Panny monitor (either using the component cables or DVI output on the set top box and buying the HDMI blade for the Panny monitor). It still troubles me why the Bose manual has the audo going from the settop box FIRST through a VCR then to the Media Center. If I do it that way, I lose the digital sound as my VCR only has the old RCA cables for sound. I wonder why Bose doesn't show the sound going straight from the set top box into the back of the Bose if the TV has no audio out?

I finally was able to talk to a techie at Bose and he confirmed the diagram in the manual was misleading and that I can run the sound directly into the media center from the set top box.

I, however, have another dumb question. In hanging the monitor on the wall, I plan to place the plug high up on the wall rather than run the power cord thru the conduit I will be cutting into the wall to reach the components. Is this the right way to to it?

Thanks once again!!

Cat, if you cut a hole in the wall, just make sure that it doesn't allow rain to get in and damage your new monitor... ;)

Hiding the wiring in the wall should be far more aesthetically pleasing than having tangled up cables dangling everywhere. More labor involved to hide them like you propose --- but it will obviously look far better? Have you thought about the possibility of also connecting your new monitor to a computer or other inputs in the future? The 50PHD8UK has numerous options available. I plan to connect mine to a networked computer when I get my monitor and that will require more than just a HDMI cable and power cord I believe. In any case, it might be easiesr to run all cables at one time.

TFobe

Thanks T-Phobe

I plan to run a lot of wires thu the conduit to connect a vcr, the media ceter, and the settop box. I was just thinking it might be better not to run the power cord thru the conduit for some reason.

After all of this I am now souring on the Bose 321 based on the many negative reviews I have seen on Amazon, etc. There seems to be much more support for something called a Denon S 301 (not related to the yoghurt company I hope :) )
I live in NYC so I dont have room for 5 speakers, trying to get it done with just 3!

Anybody have a view on this piece of equipment?

I am trying to learn fast. My research indicates I should put a "clock" outlet behind my 50" Panny Plasma as running a power cord through the wall sounds like a no-no.
If I do this however, what about all the facy pants surge protectors Monster et al sell? Do a risk getting a bad reception unsing "unfiltered" power?

Any advice would be helpul, I posted this question on another thread but didn't get much of an answer.

Do you all think the price of the 50PHD8UK will come down soon (like next week) now that CES has started. I'm ready to buy, but don't want to have a "D'OH!" moment. Thanks!

Do you all think the price of the 50PHD8UK will come down soon (like next week) now that CES has started. I'm ready to buy, but don't want to have a "D'OH!" moment. Thanks!


Hmmm... Where would you ACTUALLY get one between now and the end of next week? I was under the impression that there was still a wait for the 50PHD8UK. If that is the case, then why not get on a waiting list now, and if the price goes down, either cancel your order, or negotiate the new price with the vendor?

Perhaps I am wrong, maybe supplies have increased since last month when I got mine...Anyhow, best of luck, let us know how you make out!

Marty

Cat,
On the power cord. I ordered a Medical/ hospital grade 14/3 long power cord
that is in-wall rated, CL2 or 3?. Google Alpha source. 20 ft was under $50
I did this to plug into my power filter with everything else.

interesting to read that routing a power cable inside the wall is not code compliant.

i photo'ed all the in-wall wiring of our house when it was built, and every piece of power cabling are not protected by any conduit of any sort. they are routed through drilled holes in the 2x4" . as the house is built by a reputable builder and every pieces are inspected before the put on the dry-wall, how does their wiring different than us putting a 3 feet piece of cable different?

thanks.

Is the PIP able to do a full split screen or is it a split screen with the bars on the Top and Bottom?

I would like to watch the larger PIP because of the large size and to not have bars that could lead to burn in.

thanks

Yes you have control of the aspect ratio in PIP and POP and have full split-screen. The images will appear vertically stretched, however.

interesting to read that routing a power cable inside the wall is not code compliant.

i photo'ed all the in-wall wiring of our house when it was built, and every piece of power cabling are not protected by any conduit of any sort. they are routed through drilled holes in the 2x4" . as the house is built by a reputable builder and every pieces are inspected before the put on the dry-wall, how does their wiring different than us putting a 3 feet piece of cable different?

thanks.

The difference is that 'romex' is a in-wall rated sheathed cable. In many areas no conduit is required for installation. Power cords are considered 'temporary' and not rated for in-wall use. In-wall is considered 'permanent'.

shane

Can someone help me out with yet another question?

In slot 2 of the Panny 8UK Panel I plan to hook up my VCR using the S-cable video input and the 2 RCA audio inputs. I also plan to plug a wire into the "CVBS Out" terminal which is part of slot 2 back to my VCR in the odd event I want to tape something.

Here are my questions:

1. Does anyone know what type of outlet the CVBS Out is? The picture in the brochure is fuzzy and it only says "CVBS". Is it a BNC outlet so I need to get an adapter? Will this let me tape stuff on my VCR?

2. Even thought my VCR has an S Video out which I plan to use to connect to the S video in on the 8UK monitor, should I ALSO run a cable from the composite video out in the back of my VCR into the CVBS Video in jack on the 8UK? Or is that not needed if I use the S cable? In other words, can all VCR tapes be read and the video signal sent thru the S cable?

Thanks a bunch!!

I was just notified today that the monitor outlet has my 8UK - I believe they have more if anyone is interested.

The_Cat:

Slot 2 has:
1 RCA Audio In (Left and Right jacks)
1 S Video port
1 BNC Video Port In (Composite)
1 BNC Video Port Out (Composite)

On your second question, that connection you mention would be redundant. You already have S Video connection, so no need to run another composite connection (the BNC ports). The S Video signal is of better quality than the composite video port, plus you wouldn't need to get a BNC to RCA adapter. If you VCR has an S Video port out..and you connect it to the S Video In on the monitor, all will work fine as far as displaying what the VCR is playing.

Depending on the quality of the VCR, you may be better off running other signals (such as Dish TV, cable) directly to 8UK rather than through the VCR. You might try both initially, to see if you see any display differences.

I currently run all video and audio signals into my Sony A/V receiver and outout the video to my TV via S-Video. The Sony acts as a switch when I want to change input sources.

I am considering upgrading my A/V receiver and have been looking at the Denon AVR-4306 because it does analog-to-HDMI conversion. With it, I would (apparently) only run the HDMI cable from the Denon to my Panny. I'm not sure if this is advisable or not. Maybe someone could comment about the Denon's analog-to-HDMI conversion quality?

In your case, you could go from your VCR into an A/V receiver. The audio would thus be handled by the receiver and the video routed to the monitor.

Makes sense to me... :)

TFobe

I have the Denon AVR 4603 and use it for HDMI switching and was planning on using it for upconverting SD to the 8UK. It works fine, although the scaler in the Panasonic plasma is better, if you ask me. I do not use HDMI for audio, however. I use the fiber optic alternative to carry digital audio signals.

As an aside, the Denon is a GREAT receiver!

Hi, I'm new to the forum and I am glad to have found such a great resource of information. I am considering purchasing the TH-50PHD8UK but, I need to know if this model has closed captioning capabilities. If not, would anyone know where I would be able to download the user's manual so I can find this info myself. I checked out the spec sheet but, I noticed that there is no dedicated CC button on the remote.

Hi, I'm new to the forum and I am glad to have found such a great resource of information. I am considering purchasing the TH-50PHD8UK but, I need to know if this model has closed captioning capabilities. If not, would anyone know where I would be able to download the user's manual so I can find this info myself. I checked out the spec sheet but, I noticed that there is no dedicated CC button on the remote.

The Panasonic Commercial Displays don't have CC decoders.




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

Hmmm... Where would you ACTUALLY get one between now and the end of next week? I was under the impression that there was still a wait for the 50PHD8UK. If that is the case, then why not get on a waiting list now, and if the price goes down, either cancel your order, or negotiate the new price with the vendor?

Perhaps I am wrong, maybe supplies have increased since last month when I got mine...Anyhow, best of luck, let us know how you make out!

Marty

Everywhere I've talked to is pretty much backordered but on my pre-order confirmation with TVA, it says initial date to be 1/20. Has anyone heard otherwise (hopefully sooner)...

I have the Denon AVR 4603 and use it for HDMI switching and was planning on using it for upconverting SD to the 8UK. It works fine, although the scaler in the Panasonic plasma is better, if you ask me. I do not use HDMI for audio, however. I use the fiber optic alternative to carry digital audio signals.

As an aside, the Denon is a GREAT receiver!
Now I am really confused. :)

I was under the impression that when inputting a signal from a SD source (DirecTiVo, for example) the Denon's analog-HDMI conversion would be preferable. Do you select "through" and pass the signal along to the monitor via the HDMI cable or do you also use component cables from the Drnon to the Panny?

Drat, just when I thought I was beginning to understand things, too...

Also, is the 50PHD8UK a HDCP compatible monitor?

I'm sorry if I created additional confusion. First, let me say that my Denon is hooked into a 65" 8UK, not a 50" 8UK. I'm feeding the panel's optional HDMI input through the Denon and HDMI. But, in order to take advantage of PIP and because my Comcast digital cable box has trouble with DVI-HDMI connections and pass-throughs (there are several extensive threads that address this issue elsewhere on this forum), I have that feed going into the panel directly through component video. (The component feed also produces excellent results for me. But, I should tell you that I'm not the type of person who spends HOURS comparing the subtle differences between grey scales from one input source to another. If the picture looks great, I'm happy.) The Denon is being used to pass through my DirecTV HDMI feed and to upconvert DVD and VCR inputs. The DVD is a progressive scan unit. The Denon does NOT convert an HDMI source signal. It just passes the signal through. So, the satellite feed is not affected by the switching (which, in my opinion, is good). The Denon requires you to set other feeds to upconvert signals through HDMI, for some reason. So, pass-through is really not an option. (If you don't do this, you won't get video to feed the other sources through HDMI and you won't get on-screen display, something I have confirmed with Denon directly.) So, I have played with the various upconverting settings and really don't see much difference with the image displayed on the panel. Essentially, what I think occurs is that the 8UK scales all incoming signals anyway to fit its native resolution (which is not 720 or 1080, the Denon's upconverting options). The Panasonic scaler does a great job, by the way.

I've experimented by connecting the DVD player to the panel directly through HDMI and saw no change in the quality of the image. (Both are GREAT, by the way.) So, I'm a happy camper. But, if you're expecting the Denon to improve the quality of the non-HDTV picture because of the AVR's upconverting electronics, I would simply say that you are not likely to see any material difference from the image you will see if you simply use the panel's internal scaler. In fact, I can't see any difference at all.

Buy the Denon 4306 for its wonderful sound, great connectivity (including internet radio, network connectivity and Ipod connections) and HDMI switching ability. But, don't buy it because of its internal scaler. I'm very happy with the unit and with the end result. It's one heck of a receiver and I noted a significant improvement in overall sound over my prior Denon unit (2803).

I hope that this explanation has helped clear some of the confusion for you.

The_Cat:

Slot 2 has:
1 RCA Audio In (Left and Right jacks)
1 S Video port
1 BNC Video Port In (Composite)
1 BNC Video Port Out (Composite)

On your second question, that connection you mention would be redundant. You already have S Video connection, so no need to run another composite connection (the BNC ports). The S Video signal is of better quality than the composite video port, plus you wouldn't need to get a BNC to RCA adapter. If you VCR has an S Video port out..and you connect it to the S Video In on the monitor, all will work fine as far as displaying what the VCR is playing.

Depending on the quality of the VCR, you may be better off running other signals (such as Dish TV, cable) directly to 8UK rather than through the VCR. You might try both initially, to see if you see any display differences.


Thanks for you input! (sorry for the pun!) In the slight chance I would ever want to record something on my VCR, don't I need at least to hook up the BNC Video Port Out on the Panny Monitor to my RCA Video In on my VCR? I don't think I will tape a lot, but since I have to run these wires thru a wall, I'm trying to do it right the first time.

have you guys noticed that the 50phd8uk has been pushed back to feb 28

I'm sorry if I created additional confusion... ...I hope that this explanation has helped clear some of the confusion for you.

You didn't create my confusion, my lack of understanding did. Thanks for the info. It seems like there are way too many unknowns (for me anyways) in setting up a HD (plasma) tv, or perhaps, way too many negative factors?

Component, DVI or HDMI --- or all of them? Length of cabling; too long is bad, but how much is too long? Trial and error? Scaling/conversion of various resolutions. Aspect ratios.

And then there's the matter of what an analog signal will actually look like. Black bars on the top and bottom OR on the sides... Naturally, HD will look great, but what about non-HD programming (which the bulk of broadcasts are now).

HDMI includes audio, which I don't need to send to the monitor; DVI is the same as HDMI except it isn't the same. What about HDCP?

I will feel awful when I finally get my new 50" Panny, if the results are less than stellar because I don't know what I am doing when connecting it.

From the sounds of posts I've read here on the forum, the actual HD broadcasts themselves often have serious technical problems?

See, it wasn't anything you said or didn't say. :rolleyes:

Thanks for you input! (sorry for the pun!) In the slight chance I would ever want to record something on my VCR, don't I need at least to hook up the BNC Video Port Out on the Panny Monitor to my RCA Video In on my VCR? I don't think I will tape a lot, but since I have to run these wires thru a wall, I'm trying to do it right the first time.

Measure twice and cut once? Sounds good to me. Especially since I know so little...

I would think that it would be preferable to simply run A/V outputs from your receiver directly into the VCR rather than to and then from the monitor. For example, if you have an A/V receiver there are outputs just for this purpose.

A question that I have is --- is it even possible to record HD content on a VCR? You can't use a TiVo or "regular" DVR to capture HD signals...

After reading your post, my best advice to you would be to take a huge step back and relax. There is nothing to fear in taking the HDTV/Plasma plunge. Most programming on major networks is now high definition after 8:00 p.m. and, except for the few hyper critical and sensitive among us, such programming will simply wow you on your new plasma. The same holds true for dvd's. SD programming pales in comparison, but you have to maintain perspective because once you get used to HDTV, nothing else will satisfy you.

As for connections, there is a lot of hype that you simply need to dismiss as "noise." Again, for the VAST majority of viewers, HDMI cable length is a non-issue. In fact, I would guess that it is a non-issue for all viewers unless the length is extreme (well beyond 8-12 feet) and the screen is enormous (we're talking front projectors here). Setting up a receiver with a panel is really a simple chore. Just lable your inputs and do the steps methodically. This is not brain surgery. If you can read a manual and recognize inputs from outputs, you should be just fine. And, I can assure you that you will enjoy the result.

Is the technology perfect? No. Nothing is. Are there issues with every HDTV technology. Absolutely. Each offers its pros and cons. I can tell you that I own a Sharp 37" Aquos (LCD) as well as a Panny 658UK (plasma). Both offer wonderful pictures and each has its strenghts and weaknesses. I also have a lot of equipment feeding both (in separate rooms), although I only use the Denon receiver for the plasma. Don't stress out with your decision making. You won't make a mistake no matter what you decide to purchase. Remember, once you bring your plasma or lcd screen home, you won't be seeing side by side comparisons. All you'll see is an incredible picture in the room of your choice. No 2 rooms are alike. So, don't compare your picture to your neighbors. The window placement (and number), lighting, wall color, etc. and viewing distances will be different. All of these factors and others will have at least a subtle impact on what you see on the screen.

As for resolution, the biggest issue for you will be viewing distances and size of screen. Unless you plan to take advantage of a 33degree viewing angle (and almost no one does in a home setting unless you have a front projector and true home theatre setup), you'll likely be seated at a distance where you will not notice artifacts, etc. and where you will have a VERY difficult time distinguishing between 480p (present DVD resolution) that is being upconverted to the panel's native resolution and 720p programming, let alone seeing the difference between 720p and 1080i. All you will notice is that everything looks great. Sure, if you place your nose 2 feet away from the screen you will see imperfections. But, the same holds true for anything else you stare at close-up (including Sports Illustrated swimsuit models).

So, take a deep breath and relax. Don't be afraid to take the plunge and purchase the hdtv and receiver of your choice. And, don't stress out about missing the boat on the latest and greatest tech advance that is about to come out. There's always another "latest and greatest" advance that is about to be announced and if you worry about that you will never buy anything. Remember, bleading edge technology is something that producers use to entice consumers to keep buying new products and upgrading old ones. It takes a LONG time before consumers get a chance to take real advantage of those new technologies as programming tends to lag far behind. If you think about why, it becomes obvious. If you were a consumer product company, which market would you focus on? Would you focus on the large "installed base" of consumers using older technology or would you focus on the very small base of consumers who purchase bleading edge technology? Companies chase larger markets, not smaller ones. So, don't get caught up in the marketing hype. Wait until bleading edge technology becomes every day technology before spending big bucks to buy it. At that point, you are more likely to be able to enjoy programming that can take advantage of it and avoid overpaying for something that you will end up waiting YEARS to enjoy.

Sorry for carrying on, but I thought you needed a reality check.

Good luck with your purchasing decisions.

I'm sorry if I created additional confusion. First, let me say that my Denon is hooked into a 65" 8UK, not a 50" 8UK. I'm feeding the panel's optional HDMI input through the Denon and HDMI. But, in order to take advantage of PIP and because my Comcast digital cable box has trouble with DVI-HDMI connections and pass-throughs (there are several extensive threads that address this issue elsewhere on this forum), I have that feed going into the panel directly through component video. (The component feed also produces excellent results for me. But, I should tell you that I'm not the type of person who spends HOURS comparing the subtle differences between grey scales from one input source to another. If the picture looks great, I'm happy.) The Denon is being used to pass through my DirecTV HDMI feed and to upconvert DVD and VCR inputs. The DVD is a progressive scan unit. The Denon does NOT convert an HDMI source signal. It just passes the signal through. So, the satellite feed is not affected by the switching (which, in my opinion, is good). The Denon requires you to set other feeds to upconvert signals through HDMI, for some reason. So, pass-through is really not an option. (If you don't do this, you won't get video to feed the other sources through HDMI and you won't get on-screen display, something I have confirmed with Denon directly.) So, I have played with the various upconverting settings and really don't see much difference with the image displayed on the panel. Essentially, what I think occurs is that the 8UK scales all incoming signals anyway to fit its native resolution (which is not 720 or 1080, the Denon's upconverting options). The Panasonic scaler does a great job, by the way.

I've experimented by connecting the DVD player to the panel directly through HDMI and saw no change in the quality of the image. (Both are GREAT, by the way.) So, I'm a happy camper. But, if you're expecting the Denon to improve the quality of the non-HDTV picture because of the AVR's upconverting electronics, I would simply say that you are not likely to see any material difference from the image you will see if you simply use the panel's internal scaler. In fact, I can't see any difference at all.

Buy the Denon 4306 for its wonderful sound, great connectivity (including internet radio, network connectivity and Ipod connections) and HDMI switching ability. But, don't buy it because of its internal scaler. I'm very happy with the unit and with the end result. It's one heck of a receiver and I noted a significant improvement in overall sound over my prior Denon unit (2803).

I hope that this explanation has helped clear some of the confusion for you.
Fact of the matter is that plasma panels are inherently analog. From what I have read the DVI/HDMI signals are converted to analog to be displayed on the panel anyway. With this said, good component vs. DVI/HDMI should be exactly the same! The only deference is ease of hookup and potential DRM copy protection...

Fact of the matter is that plasma panels are inherently analog. From what I have read the DVI/HDMI signals are converted to analog to be displayed on the panel anyway. With this said, good component vs. DVI/HDMI should be exactly the same! The only deference is ease of hookup and potential DRM copy protection...
then why do so many people say that using the hdmi for a dvd player or hd cable makes a difference in picture quality?

Has anyone here ever reverse mounted? I'm thinking about having a custom cabinet made for my place and I want the plasma to be completely flush against the wood backing of the cabinet I have made so the back of the unit is not showing from a side view. So basically I am thinking about cutting a section out of the wood to place the plasma with just the frame sticking out. I would need to figure out how to do some sort of reverse mount or something though.

The 50" and 65" 8UK's have cooling fans behind the panel (6 in the 65", for example) and require good air flow to avoid overheating. (The fans themselves are virtually silent when operating.) Be sure to follow the installation advice that Panasonic provides or you risk heat damaging the plasma down the road.

Not to be rudimentary, but to have a true digital display you must have a one to one pixel mapping. This is the case in LCD monitors as well as kind of in DLP (wobbilattion sp). Plasma displays are not mapped as this. The differences could easily be attributed to the device doing the output. I know I have never seen different outputs have different qualities on the same device, yeah right...

Fact of the matter is that plasma panels are inherently analog. From what I have read the DVI/HDMI signals are converted to analog to be displayed on the panel anyway. With this said, good component vs. DVI/HDMI should be exactly the same! The only deference is ease of hookup and potential DRM copy protection...

Sorry, but this is wrong. Plasma is as digital as it gets and there are some at least theoretical advantages in bypassing A/D conversion using HDMI.

Not to be rudimentary, but to have a true digital display you must have a one to one pixel mapping. This is the case in LCD monitors as well as kind of in DLP (wobbilattion sp). Plasma displays are not mapped as this. The differences could easily be attributed to the device doing the output. I know I have never seen different outputs have different qualities on the same device, yeah right...

Sorry, also wrong. 1:1 mapping doesn't make the display digital. 1:1 mapping and feeding native resolution with an external scaler can bypass the display's scaler though and improve the PQ (assuming the external scaler is better than the one in the display).

Hey gang - subscribing to this great thread - I can see one of these 8uk's in my future after reading about it on this forum for the last week or so :)

I do have a quick question for those of you that are in Canada - what Canadian suppliers normally carry these (when they are back in stock of course).

Thanks and again this is a great thread.

Lewis

Sorry, but this is wrong. Plasma is as digital as it gets and there are some at least theoretical advantages in bypassing A/D conversion using HDMI.
I am still confused by this. In an article I can not find now, it was detailed how as in LCD and computer monitors the output device controls individual pixels and that is what makes a computer monitor digital, i.e. 0 or 1, on or off. This is my understanding about DLP and LCD TVs. Are manipulated on a bit level. I cannot find the article but I thought plasmas did not operate at this level, and thus where not truly digital. Does anyone have a definitive answer here?

I am still confused by this. In an article I can not find now, it was detailed how as in LCD and computer monitors the output device controls individual pixels and that is what makes a computer monitor digital, i.e. 0 or 1, on or off. This is my understanding about DLP and LCD TVs. Are manipulated on a bit level. I cannot find the article but I thought plasmas did not operate at this level, and thus where not truly digital. Does anyone have a definitive answer here?


Good question. I'd like to know the same. What makes any display digital?

I would have VERY little room on the left and right sides of the 50PHD8UK if I put it into my entertainment center. I have been told by Panasonic Tech support that I should be OK as long as I have > 3" above the panel and the back of the entertainment center is open. They also said that they don't want the air coming out of the top vents to exceed 95 degrees. Does anyone have a tight installation of the 8UK and be able to measure the temperature of the air at the top vents?

Thanks

Hi Everyone - Finally got my 8UK in (50"). Here are some pictures of it. The first shows the back of the plasma with the mounting rails. I found it easy to put the plasma on the styrofoam blocks so you could add the hdmi board and mount the rails without laying the pasma down. The next pic show the Ethan Allen unit I am mounting it on - makes a very nice install and hides the wires for you. The final pic shows the TV mounted - still have a lot of clean up and organization yet. Let me know what you think.

Hey if anyone can answer this - should I leave the wobble setting on to prevent burn-in? Does leaving it on all the time cause any issues? Also should automatic color adjustment be set to on?

Hi Everyone - Finally got my 8UK in (50"). Here are some pictures of it. The first shows the back of the plasma with the mounting rails. I found it easy to put the plasma on the styrofoam blocks so you could add the hdmi board and mount the rails without laying the pasma down. The next pic show the Ethan Allen unit I am mounting it on - makes a very nice install and hides the wires for you. The final pic shows the TV mounted - still have a lot of clean up and organization yet. Let me know what you think.


Sweet set-up. What model of mount are you using and how flush to the wall is the plasma? I'm counting my pennies for this unit and hope to make a purchase in the next couple of months.

Cheers,
Lewis

nsavarirayan;

Very nice!

I have a 50" 8uk coming on 1/17, can't wait!

I ordered the table stand because I can't decide how I want to mount it. My question is how far is the bottom of the monitor from the the floor? I didn't want to mount it on the wall cause I thought it may be to high, and don't want to constantly be looking up at the screen. If you go to the newer stadium seating movie theaters, if anything your looking down at the screen.

After you watch your 8uk like that, tell what you think.