I recenty purchased a Runco 65" full Hd (1920/1080) plasma. Like all Runco products there are two components to the product: a display and a video processor.

I have had no problems displaying source material up to a resolution of 1080i. However, when i make the final leap to 1080p the image is not stable (i.e it kicks in and out). I have tried displaying a 1080p with four different sources. These are a Pioneer BDP LX-70 Blue Ray player, a Toshiba HD-XE1 HD DVD player, a Meridian G98 standard definition DVD player, and a Panasonic DMR-EZ47VEB DVD and VHS combination player. In all four instances when i connect the source directly to the display I am able to maintain a stable picture. However, when I route the source through the processor I am unable to maintain a stable picture. I contacted Runco who advised me that the processor only supports 1080p at 50 frames per second. Both my HD DVD player and my Blue Ray player output 24 frames per second at 1080p and thus I can understand why I am having trouble with them but don't understand why I am having problems with the Meridian and Panasonic as they are both 50 frames. Can anyone help?

My second question is whether or not anyone is aware of any HD DVD players or Blue Ray players in Europe that output 1080p at 50 frames? At the moment I am forced to circumvent the Runco video processor when watching anything at 1080p and that seems crazy in light of the fact that large portion of the price I paid for the product went towards the video processor.

If anyone can help I would very much appreciate it.

I did not even know rucno makes plasma's and LCD's, who do they get the pannels from?

The only thing I could find is that their 50" is from Pioneer and 42" is from NEC.

they buy them from a variety of OEMs. in the case of their large plasmas (i.e. the 65" and the 103") they both come from Panasonic.

they buy them from a variety of OEMs. in the case of their large plasmas (i.e. the 65" and the 103") they both come from Panasonic.

So why not just buy the panasonic?

that's kind of like asking why not just buy a porsche instead of a RUF or why not just buy a mercedes instead of an AMG...Ruco and Vidikron heavily modify the electronics in order to eliminate all the areas in which the OEM has made economic compromises in order to keep prices down and thus unleash far higher performance. Runco does not simply "re-brand" displays, they completely "re-engineer" the product.

Ruco and Vidikron heavily modify the electronics in order to eliminate all the areas in which the OEM has made economic compromises in order to keep prices down and thus unleash far higher performance. Runco does not simply "re-brand" displays, they completely "re-engineer" the product.

I doubt that.

At the moment I am forced to circumvent the Runco video processor when watching anything at 1080p and that seems crazy in light of the fact that large portion of the price I paid for the product went towards the video processor.

What video processor is it and what does it do? Since that is the problem we need to look at it.

i came here seeking help and advise and not to debate whether or not the manufacturer of the product i bought actually does or does not do what it claims to do. with all due respect and please do not take this the wrong way, if you are not familiar with the product, which it readily appears that you are not, i'd prefer to seek advise from someone that has hands-on experience with the Runco product line.

Is the video processor the one that comes with the TV or an external one?

it is an external unit that comes with the display.

http://www.runco.com/xp-65dhd.html

http://www.runco.com/dhd_ds.html

Its not the same as this on is it? It looks the same but it is? Plus this unit can only do 720p.

http://www.runco.com/image/brochures/PlasmaWall%20SP-DHD%203-07b.pdf (http://www.runco.com/image/brochures/PlasmaWall%20SP-DHD%203-07b.pdf)

If you look at this PDF it says the following specs for the DHD controller.

Output Resolution: SP Models: 768P
XP Models: 1080P

What model do you have.

Also are you using HDMI or DVI?

http://www.runco.com/livelink_ds.html

do you use the LiveLink™ DVI Cabling System?

This might not help much, but DVI/HDMI switching boxes generally are unreliable and flaky at this point. I've talked to two local high end install companies, that say if they connect one digital source to a display, they connect it. More than one source, and they connect everything via component. It saves a lot of downtime and warranty service calls.

There's a bunch more info on my site below with regards to the DVI adapters that are sold through the site to convert DVI to RGBHV. Even switchers like the high end Denon receivers are flaky.

And no offense Lepin, but your 're-engineering' post above shows that you've bought into the sales pitch of what is Runco. I won't comment on it more than that, but I'm a board level tech that has opened many Runco products.

Curt, take it from me, they do add quite a bit. they rework many parts. just because the glass is from Panny does not mean the box is a panny.

Honestly Lepin, call Runco. And pay no attention to blurod... he is antagonistic on purpose

The DHD that I am using is the one that came with the screen and thus it is the one which is capable of 1080p resolution as this is the native resolution of the display. Clearly Runco is not going to match a display which has a native resolution of 1080o with a processor that is only capable of kicking out 720p as this would be a mismatch as the display would be over engineered relative to the processor.

As far as cabeling is concerned, I am not using the Runco LiveLine DVI cabling system as the run from my rack to the display is only 10m and I have no need for additional amplification of the signal. If the cable length was an issue I would not be able to achieve 1080p resoloution when I bypass the video processor and go direct from an HD DVD or Blue Ray source to the display, something which I am able to do. The cable that I am using is a Kimber Kable HDV which is terminated DVI on one end and HDMI on the other (the Runco display is fitted to accept a DVI connection while the processor is fitted to accept an HDMI conection). As a result I have no DVI to HDMI adaptors in the link as I do not require one.

I have no hand-shake issues as if this was the case I would have a problem accross all resolutions and not just 1080p. As per my original post, I can maintain a stable picture at any resolution (1080i, 720p, etc...) other than 1080p. At the 1080p resolution level the picture is not stable (i.e it blanks out every few seconds and then the picture returns).

On paper, my problem should be solved in one of two ways:

1. Runco produces a new video processor that supports 1080p at 24 frames or provides a firmware upgrade for the processor that I currently have, something which they have no plans of doing at the moment.

2. I swap out my existing HD DVD player and Blue Ray players with ones that support 1080p at 50 frames. However, I do not know of any HD DVD or Blue Ray players which out put 1080p at this frame rate.

The DHD that I am using is the one that came with the screen and thus it is the one which is capable of 1080p resolution as this is the native resolution of the display. Clearly Runco is not going to match a display which has a native resolution of 1080o with a processor that is only capable of kicking out 720p as this would be a mismatch as the display would be over engineered relative to the processor.

And did you do a simple check to make sure?

As far as cabeling is concerned, I am not using the Runco LiveLine DVI cabling system as the run from my rack to the display is only 10m and I have no need for additional amplification of the signal. If the cable length was an issue I would not be able to achieve 1080p resoloution when I bypass the video processor and go direct from an HD DVD or Blue Ray source to the display, something which I am able to do. The cable that I am using is a Kimber Kable HDV which is terminated DVI on one end and HDMI on the other (the Runco display is fitted to accept a DVI connection while the processor is fitted to accept an HDMI conection). As a result I have no DVI to HDMI adaptors in the link as I do not require one.

I brought it up since it is not capable of 1080p, you might want to check the specs on that kimber kable to make sure it is up to snuff.

Does your outboard video processor add anything worth while, if not just run the connection straight to the tv.

Mr. Blue Ray...

Clearly I checked the video processor when it arrived to make sure that Runco packaged the right unit for the display...Runco products where I live are delivered and installed by the regional Runco distributor.

As far as the Kimber Kable is concerned, clearly it is capabel of transmitting a 1080p picture as if it was unable to do so I would not be able to get a stable picture when i used it to go directly from an HD source to the display!

As far as bypassing the video processor altogether is concerned that is a non starter for a variety of reasons...It would be mean that I would have to forego all my ISF callibrtion settings as these are programmed into the processor...It would also mean that everytime I wanted to use a different HD source I would need to swap the cable going into the display as there is only one DVI input on the monitor and I have 5 digital sources...It would mean that I would have to have multiple 10m runs of HDV cable between the rack and the display...the list goes on and on...

I think i'll take Dizzman's sage advise and go back to Runco and see what they can come up with.