I recently purchased a Panasonic TH-37PX60U plasma that was the display model at the store (open box). I didn't know it at the time, but after going through the proper button configurations I found out that it has 3000 hours under it's belt. That's probably a solid few years of viewing for me. :( Every time I look at the television now, I try to find something wrong with the picture. I'm having a hard time, though, considering I came from a rather old CRT. The clarity and brightness of the picture look great to me, and I don't see any burn ins at all on the television.

Is it possible that I'm just not seeing it? I know burn ins should probably be easy to spot; I've looked over the television screen with a very keen eye and I don't see any imprints of an ABC logo or a sports score box. I can't really decide on the picture; would the picture quality go way down if the plasma wasn't broken in properly and always in torch mode? When I bought the television the brightness and picture were (amazingly) down, it wasn't in torch mode, but I can't possibly say it wasn't in torch mode at all for those 3000 hours. I can still return it if you all think that's the way to go.

Are there any good tests to see if the television still has a good picture/no burn ins? Any other problems I should consider looking for on the plasma?

Turn the TV on by itself, or on an unused input. This is then showing a blank screen while powered up. If you can't see any images on the screen (shadowy looking) then you're good. Look up close too. Sometimes minor burn-in and image retention is only visible if you get up close. 3000 hours isn't much. If you only use 3000 hours in a year, then you have about 19 years left on that set before half life of the product. That's pretty good :D. Myself, I've put about 2000 hours on the new 60"er since November... It's pretty much on all the time.

^ Just did that. ESPN had been on for probably a half hour (maybe longer) and it showed one ESPN line and the text box on the right side. It was VERY faint, I had to toggle between the cable input and the blank input to even see it. I guess that's IR and not a burn in, though? I didn't see anything else at all on the black screen besides the little IR (I guess?) of what I was watching.

When I power it up, the screen goes from being completely black to slowly becoming a little lighter black before it finally boots up. Is that normal?

I guess I could probably try Star Wars, which I've seen a billion times even on the big screen, as a test of the picture quality and if it's depreciated in any way.

Yeah, that's probably IR. If you watch something without those tickers and logos, and the espn thing goes away, it's IR. Sounds like you're probably in good shape. That which you describe is normal for startup also. So, if you got a good deal on it, and you are happy with the PQ, enjoy it.

Yeah, it went away. Does IR normally go up that fast?

Depending on how much discount you got for the set. Remember this, a good on-line store normally lists it at a min 15% less than at a store. Do the math and ask yourself if you happy w/ the purchase.

Cheers,
TP.

I recently purchased a Panasonic TH-37PX60U plasma that was the display model at the store (open box). I didn't know it at the time, but after going through the proper button configurations I found out that it has 3000 hours under it's belt. That's probably a solid few years of viewing for me. :( Every time I look at the television now, I try to find something wrong with the picture. I'm having a hard time, though, considering I came from a rather old CRT. The clarity and brightness of the picture look great to me, and I don't see any burn ins at all on the television.

Is it possible that I'm just not seeing it? I know burn ins should probably be easy to spot; I've looked over the television screen with a very keen eye and I don't see any imprints of an ABC logo or a sports score box. I can't really decide on the picture; would the picture quality go way down if the plasma wasn't broken in properly and always in torch mode? When I bought the television the brightness and picture were (amazingly) down, it wasn't in torch mode, but I can't possibly say it wasn't in torch mode at all for those 3000 hours. I can still return it if you all think that's the way to go.

Are there any good tests to see if the television still has a good picture/no burn ins? Any other problems I should consider looking for on the plasma?

I'm sure it's fine. 3000 of its likely 60,000 hour half-life is 5%. So it's not that much, as someone above mentioned. How do you know it wasn't broken in? If it's open-box, it could've only become the store display once it was returned. FWIW, there are some that don't believe a break-in is necessary unless the owner's manual states as much.

Enjoy your new set. :)

I don't believe in breaking them in. I've had 3 plasmas, and never broke any of them in, and I have no burn-in and no IR (except for the NEC which is a IR nightmare). Just don't watch too much 4:3 unstretched and keep logos off for very long and that's good enough for break in. For the OP, 3000 hours and you have no burn-in, and IR goes away fast, you're in good shape. You can pretty much do anything with that panel, no break-in necessary. :D

I recently purchased a Panasonic TH-37PX60U plasma that was the display model at the store (open box). I didn't know it at the time, but after going through the proper button configurations I found out that it has 3000 hours under it's belt. That's probably a solid few years of viewing for me. :( Every time I look at the television now, I try to find something wrong with the picture. I'm having a hard time, though, considering I came from a rather old CRT. The clarity and brightness of the picture look great to me, and I don't see any burn ins at all on the television.

Are there any good tests to see if the television still has a good picture/no burn ins? Any other problems I should consider looking for on the plasma?Just watch Hockey or something with a white or very bright backround and see if you see any ghost images or black bar discoloration that you didn't put there. So far it sounds like you haven't found anything so you're probably OK. How much did you get it for? New ones are going for around $900 lately and these are the last 37" Plasmas you'll ever see so if you like it, just keep it. It has argueably the best picture quality of any other plasma or LCD so you got a great set there !

...Every time I look at the television now, I try to find something wrong with the picture. I'm having a hard time, though, considering I came from a rather old CRT. The clarity and brightness of the picture look great to me, and I don't see any burn ins at all on the television.

Is it possible that I'm just not seeing it? I know burn ins should probably be easy to spot; I've looked over the television screen with a very keen eye and I don't see any imprints of an ABC logo or a sports score box. I can't really decide on the picture; would the picture quality go way down if the plasma wasn't broken in properly and always in torch mode?

I am not 100% sure, but I think you are suffering from Paranoia. You like what you see, but you are trying hard to find something wrong with it. You can't but you come to this forum to see of someone can help you find a problem that does not exist?

I would relax. With 3k hours on it, and no signs of Burnin, (with IR going away fast), that thing is probably bullet proof. One last check you can do is download the breakin DVD, which displays full screens of all the needed colors for breakin, and check each color screen for Burnin / IR. If none is there, then take a deep breath and enjoy your set.