Finally got my 58VT25

well i bought my 58VT25 a few weeks ago and im done with the slices, i did them for 5 6 days 24/7. anyway i wont recommend you using your plasma as a monitor for the first 100hrs at least, because is a young TV still and in the beginning is more prompt to get IR and all that. just use it normally in case you don't want to run the slices, but don't let a static image be display for more than 2 hours for the first 100hrs of the plasma. i got a little IR when i first turned it on because i left the avatar 3D warning up because i was reading it, then i change it and i clearly saw the ghosting letter of that warning, but after doing the slices no more! im getting my display calibrated by the end of this month and that will be it! i love my plasma!

you can update the tv but dont use D-Nice settings, because the 3D settings will be affected.

I've been thinking about the same issue, I'm leaning in the plasma direction, because of better picture quality.

I've heard the plasma's are very durable now, but can still be burned if abused. I think Panasonic recommends a static image no more than an hour. Interestingly, the LCD TV manufacturers tell you not to leave a static image for more than 2 hours. That got me thinking about how to prevent burn, or even bad temporary image retention.

1) Turn down the brightness and contrast. I don't like a monitor overly bright anyway (hard on the eyes).

2) Move the Windows taskbar around. If you right click on the Windows taskbar, then uncheck "Lock taskbar", then you can drag it to any of the other three sides of the screen.

3) Let other windows cover the taskbar.

For Windows XP, right click on the taskbar, left click Properties, then uncheck "Keep Windows taskbar on top of other windows".

For Windows 7, you'll need a special free app which can be found here.

By the way, the "Auto-hide the task bar" setting in the Taskbar properties almost does the job, except it leaves a thin line where the taskbar would be, which could in theory burn the screen over time.

3) Change the size of your taskbar. Right click on the taskbar, and uncheck "Lock taskbar". Then click and drag the border of the taskbar. That will shift the position of the Start button, program icons, clock, etc. to new locations.

4) Make sure you have a screen saver setup to turn on say after about 15 minutes.

5) Click the "Restore Down" button at the top right corner so Internet Explorer doesn't quite fill the screen. Then move the browser around the screen occasionally. You don't really need the browser to fill the screen anyway on a 16:9 screen.

6) Occasionally change your Windows Theme colors.

Michael

Set the Taskbar to auto hide & it will re-appear when you cursor over it. Problem solved!

Turn off desktop icons, dont maximize windows so you can move them around every once in awhile, auto hide the taskbar (it will leave a line but you will use the taskbar enough that it wont burn in), In Windows 7 you can turn on slide show for the desktop background and set the interval to 5 minutes (if you dont have a way to auto change the desktop in an older version of windows then get Windows 7, you are pushing your luck with an expensive TV without that feature).

If you use the computer a lot on the TV you are taking a gamble, plasmas are really bad to use for computers and its easy to forget to move stuff around on the screen. I use my computer on mine but I only use it for games and videos, I have a laptop for all the regular computer stuff like web surfing.

You want the middle of the screen to be eye level when sitting. A 58" on a 20" high stand might be okay.

Here ya go! Good stuff from D-Nice.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1232441

You can call panasonic and they will fix the buzz for you, if you really want to keep the set. If not just return it to BB. I got lucky with mine, it doesn't buzz or do any other problem!

Hey pannther, how do you like the new vt25 compared to your old local dimming set? Black level, shadow detail, overall picture quality? (basically i'm having a hard time deciding between a new local dimming set and a panny plasma)

well if you like it, try and return again, if not just call panasonic and tell them your problem. its an easy fix in most cases. my set is a November 2010 build and everything is just perfect. no sound even if i go behind it, and the picture is absolutely amazing after it had the pro calibration

I have a 54" vt25 and no buzz whatsoever! I just can get over the very soft picture that all plasma's have and the lack of detail !