Official Panasonic 2011 TC-PxxST30 Thread [No Price Talk] - Page 11

Only .008 fL? So is this what we can expect on the GT30? That's really disappointing.

I know everyone, myself included, is looking for the absolute lowest black levels. However, the difference between .008, 0083, .01 seems miniscule enough that it could be a sample variation or a difference in meters or testing. And I do not mean that as any brick thrown at Chad as I enjoyed his review of the ST-30 and found it to be both informative and positive enough to raise my interest.

Chad, I enjoy all of your reviews and I wish some of the other calibrators whose opinions I value would also contribute like this.

Post calibration how would you rate this set against a gt25 or a g25?

About the same.

Why would you expect the same black level reading on the next model up in the series?

If whats been published continues to be accurate, they won't be.

Because they're the same panel. Panasonic must be holding the ST back, unless the GT30's blacks are just as mediocre.

It was just in default cinema mode. To be honest, I'm not a big time videophile. I'm one of those that appreciates top quality and can see the difference between things side by side. But I won't spot out black levels just by looking at a tv alone. I don't know what floating blacks look like (don't wanna know bc then I might start to notice ), etc...Point is the ST30, to me, looked just as good as my vt25. No better no worse. Colors and skin tones to me looked good. In other words, if I didn't have the vt, and didn't have the desire to have the best eg. The avg consumer, the ST would be fine.

Agreed except on black levels.

Well, the GT25 and G25 have more differences than just 3D; you know that better than just about anyone. So, wouldn't it be 'about the same' as one of them, not both?

My thinking, based on reading, is that the ST30 much more similar to GT25 than G25, with the exception being starting black levels; do you agree?

Can you provide some other specific differences compared to GT25?

To be accurate, IIRC, Chad B got .0135 fL; and D-Nice got .0083 fL; not exactly a 'miniscule' difference.

I look at everything and I still say its about the same. The ST30 does some things better that the GT/G25 and the GT/G25 does some things better than the ST. Beyond black levels, there really isn't anything significantly different between the GT25 and G25 (2D that is).

From Chad's review:

Larry

How was the filter on the ST30? Did it do as good a job as the Kuro's filters?

All of this will be discussed in my review.

The only "major" difference I can think of between the GT and G (other than 3D of course) is the GT having "fast phosphors".

But this thread is about the ST. Looking forward to the review D-Nice.

Went to BB today to buy a 50ST30 (i called around and they had 3 in stock.) I got there and they did not have any on display, so I asked and sure enough they were "in the back" On a whim, I asked if they had any 55ST30s.. The BB rep looked it up and said no, BUT we have them at the "warehouse." My response was "I can has one?"

Yes, was the answer and my 55ST30 will be delivered on Wed. sweet.

Oh and I returned my 50VT25 a few weeks ago due to flickering. Did not want to try another and thought the price point for the 50&55 ST were a good trade off. Especially since the wife can't tell the difference..

Thanks for the comments so far Chad and D-Nice. looking forward to you're full review D-Nice.

You would love VE's flat panel shootout. Butt to butt high end tvs, pre and post calibration with a few video experts reviewing the pq attributes and teaching how to properly select the best flat panel for the buck.

Oops...that's what I meant; but, I added one extra zero; thanks for pointing it out ; I have corrected that post.

will you post the review in this thread or do you have a extra site for it and what about a GT30 and Samsung D7000/D8000, have you one ?

greets

I read in some article that the GT30 and the ST30 are basically the same TV minus the THX certification. I was wondering would I be better served buying and ST and getting it professionally calibrated with the money I would be saving (roughly about $400 as of now) My thinking is with the money I saved by purchasing and ST and getting it calibrated professionally (and not by these calibration discs such as Disney's WOW and DVE ) I would have a TV better than or equal to and GT30. Though it probably wouldn't be fair to the GT30 series since it hasn't been released yet.

If the GT30 truly only offers a THX mode, then it is not worth the money compared to the ST30. You could use the money saved and get a REAL calibration for the same money you save. I don't see the point of the GT30 unless you need your tv to be slightly thinner....

0.008ftL...now that is a good black level (assuming it stays that way).

Now, all I need to know is:

a) can it go brighter than 37ftL without clipping whites?
b) can the gamma go in the 2.35-2.4 range?
c) is SD still being lowpass filtered?
d) is there any input lag?

Eagerly awaiting D-Nice's review!

I did enjoy it.

My thoughts as well considering:
.0052 fL is about equal to the total predicted rise in the VT25 of .005-.006fL.
IIRC it also exceeds the avg. lowering in BL of the 9g vs 8g Kuros.

That was my thinking also but the only benefit from having THX mode is having it has a decent fall back mode if you have to get your TV repaired. Thanks bsather for the link which confirmed my line of thinking.

Cinema mode clips white from a video signal around the 246 mark. That is the same point as THX mode on the 2010 models. It does not really matter anyway as there is nothing but junk infomation in the video signal above 240.

Don't you mean .009-.01?

Those are the predicted final levels.
.004 start + .005 to .006 rise =.009 to .010

Even if Panasonic is saying that the VT30 will be 1/2 of the final black level of last year's VT25 I will be fine with it, as it will be around .005 on the larger sets and will hopefully be stable. Very very good news.

If it was stable at .002 and the rest of the panel performance is reasonable I would be ecstatic, especially as I have one on pre-order from the excellent folks at VE who will also have it fully calibrated for me.