Panasonic 11G/12G/13G black levels have seemingly doubled overnight? - Page 346

Originally Posted by 3Dhereicome

yikes! It's that bad?? I don't think I can consider a Panasonic anymore than. I have a Pioneer Kuro and this would bug the hell out of me. The pictures posted are gray, not even black anymore.

Originally Posted by Cold-Steel

Well guys, I'm pretty choked.

It finally happened to me. Pretty obvious rise in black level seemed to happen really quickly and hasn't faded.

Today I booted up the set and the black level seemed to go back down. But after a couple hours of gaming, I noticed it rose again back to *gray* levels.

I'm pretty disappointed. I have a G15 (November 2009 build) and if this 'rise' is permanent, it was great while it lasted.

Like many others here, I'm still super satisfied with the picture quality and I'm hoping that somehow the black level will find a way to go back down but to be honest - I'm not too optimistic with what I've read in this thread.

I do have an extended warranty on the television through Future Shop though, but I really doubt they are going to service me for what the manufacturer says is *normal* - anyone with any experience trying this route through FS/Best Buy?

Originally Posted by kha

hey guys

picking up a 50'' S2 tommorow. the sales person says that fading blacks have been fixed in 2010 models, but i would like an objective opinion.

i fully expect to keep the TV for 3+ years and intend to follow the break in/settings in D-Nice's thread

please chime in with some opinions as im going to bed right away and going to the store bright and early

still have an option of getting a Samsung, I guess....

Originally Posted by guvadc

You mentioned that you gamming on the set, have you noticed if the IR has also become worse along with the rise?

Originally Posted by oxygenmask

A week later I was contacted by a lawyer who threatend me with legal action if I continued to contact Panasonic about my problem.

Originally Posted by Rpresner

anyone know of a good meter to use to measure my black levels. I have come across some cash betting and really want to know where i am at. I dont need the best meter, just a reliable one.

Originally Posted by Rpresner

anyone know of a good meter to use to measure my black levels. I have come across some cash betting and really want to know where i am at. I dont need the best meter, just a reliable one.

Originally Posted by oxygenmask

A week later I was contacted by a lawyer who threatend me with legal action if I continued to contact Panasonic about my problem. I was never rude, or disrepectful and did not pester them with an obscene amount of calls or e-mails. I just wanted a fix for my clearly defective T.V.

Originally Posted by Vader424242

WHAT...?!? They are threatening legal action against YOU??? You have all the cards, my friend (i.e. objective measurements from a plethora of sources, backing from every major review site that is not on Panny's payroll - cnet, I'm looking at you). Unfortunately, the way the legal system works, that is unlikely to benefit anybody but the lawyers. In any case, the threat that they might sue you is simply a damage control bluff on their part (one that is worthy of Monster), and I for one would love to see them try.

To whom it may concern:

Exactly what legal proceedings are you referring to? Allow me to summarize the situation. I paid $4k for a product, which is clearly defective (a fact which is borne out by the many web sites which post subjective measurement data), and I wrote the customer satisfaction department of your client. At no time did I disparage the company or the product, but I merely reported the problem. The reply to this was a stock letter saying, in effect, that the behavior is a feature, not a bug. The substantial increase in MLL is intentional, and the accompanying image retention is simply not their concern. In short, your client is clearly the Toyota of the CE world, and has been called out on the issue all over the net:


Many of my friends have asked for advice on upgrading to a plasma display, and I simply direct them to the applicable threads on AVS, cnet, etc. Sadly (for your client), this does not reflect well, and I can safely say that my friends have looked elsewhere (and not just for TVs, but have sworn off the Panasonic name entirely). Legal note, in case you weren't paying attention in Libel 101: There is no legal issue here as I am simply referring people to the facts, and am not stating them myself. Sorry, no lawsuit here (move along).

In closing, you should know that this, and any further correspondence, is being posted on multiple websites (I have included one URL below in case you wish to follow the conversation, or even to contribute). I will leave it up to you to track down the others, so you can issue the same cease and desist order to each of them (my, this is becoming the expensive proposition, ain't it?). By any chance do you also represent Monster Cables, as this is almost worthy of their empty threat tactics? In any case, should you wish to pursue this further, be assured that your client will get a great deal of publicity (not the kind they want, I would guess), but, please, knock yourself out. I find all of this rather amusing, really.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1167339

Originally Posted by Vader424242

Actually, the more I thought about this, the more infuriated (and befuddled) I became. So, I sat down and composed the following reply to this “lawyer”:

Originally Posted by Vader424242

WHAT...?!? They are threatening legal action against YOU??? You have all the cards, my friend (i.e. objective measurements from a plethora of sources, backing from every major review site that is not on Panny's payroll - cnet, I'm looking at you). Unfortunately, the way the legal system works, that is unlikely to benefit anybody but the lawyers. In any case, the threat that they might sue you is simply a damage control bluff on their part (one that is worthy of Monster), and I for one would love to see them try.

Originally Posted by Clint S.

Exactly, let 'em do it! That's exactly what you want because then you'd have the platform you need to tell everyone about this and get the word out! That's exactly what they do not want, they want to keep this quiet! Tell them to "bring it on". That's just want you want.

Originally Posted by PENDRAG0ON

Yeah, if I hadn't gotten a refund when I did, I would have been calling them twice a day every day until I got somewhere, and I would have begged them to sue me for harrasment if they so much as mentioned it.

I would be at the top of their worst enemy list, just as everyone with this problem should be. If more people had been doing what I listed above, odds are this would have been fixed already with a firmware update. (Samsung made a firmware that lowered the blacks on their plasma sets, why can't Panasonic?)

Originally Posted by Clint S.

I'm confused. My post was for "oxygenmask"/"Vadar", post #10365 above. So where exactly is your post and what you did, how did you get a refund?

Originally Posted by PENDRAG0ON

I responded to the original post, and for some reason I missed the reply letter, which is worded very well (I especially like the final sentence) I only chimed in on what I would be doing today if I hadn't gotten a refund just days before their announcement (thanks to a very helpful high level Panny tech) I am very interested in seeing where this goes and I wish oxygenmask the best and really hopes that he presses the issue.

Originally Posted by Clint S.

Ok I gotcha. But I'm still curious as to how you got a refund.

Originally Posted by oxygenmask

I've spent a year trying to get my 50 inch G15 replaced, I have no actual measurements but I've noticed a drastic increase in blacks, which now look worse then my Old 46ln630 Samsung LCD, and the even bigger problem is that the Image retention has became so bad that a static image on the screen for less then a minute will remain quite visible for sometimes weeks even after running the scrolling bars for hours. After telling Panasonic of my problems here's an actual e-mail I recieved.

"Thank you for your inquiry

Panasonic has incorporated a feature in our VIERA Plasma TVs that makes adjustments periodically to maintain our excellent picture quality. ? One aspect of this feature results in very small changes to black levels. ? The VIERA Plasma TVs work as they were designed and, even with the designed-in changes, provide outstanding performance."

After calling them and asking what my options were, and if it would be possible to get a refund, or a replacement they transfered me to a higher department where I was hung up on mid sentence.

A week later I was contacted by a lawyer who threatend me with legal action if I continued to contact Panasonic about my problem. I was never rude, or disrepectful and did not pester them with an obscene amount of calls or e-mails. I just wanted a fix for my clearly defective T.V.

I have never experienced such bad customer service. I feel like I'm out of options, and at this point I can not watch any movies with letterbars, or any Television with a static image on screen, pretty much voiding the entire point of owning a T.V.

If anyone has any ideas or is in a similar situation let me know.

Originally Posted by ElwayLite

Im sorry, this poster has 3 posts and just joined. To believe this lawyer story, which is most likely FUD, is a little premature. Panasonic has not denied the fact now, and explained it. To think they just sent a lawyer after this person is ridiculous.

Id like to see some PROOF, but I know the guys with pitch forks and rope usually dont care about the "p" word.