The Official Panasonic GT30 Settings Thread - Page 6

I am happy with the overall improvements too. But I think that after applying the firmware that it messes up the settings that D-Nice provided.

But again as you state things appear better. I think that the gamma or luminance (not sure which exactly) being improved provides for a richer image.

I am a bit concerned though about the calibration at this point...I may want to get a ISF calibrator now. But I am happy overall with the improvements.....

I'm guessing the 2.1 fix will negate any kind of SM settings provided by DNice and that any settings by other users without the fix will not translate well.

Did the 2.1 fix affect the OOTB THX settings at all? I have heard colors/gamma measure excellent OOTB on THX but I'm worried the update may improve "Custom" but slightly alter "THX".

I'm curious about this as well. It looks pretty damn good and I have applied D-Nices settings before the 2.1 firmware. All I did was put down the color from 45 to 40 and everything looks very good.

Anyone else download the 2.1 Patch? As said before, I love THX mode and use it for movies/blu-ray but I like custom for regular TV watching and sports, that is except for the challenging color calibration, which I can't seem to get right. Hoping this firmware fixes that issue and gives me accurate colors like THX but with more pop.

I think the THX mode has more pop overall with the firmware. Blacks appear inkier and the color more vibrant...

But I am hoping someone more technical can break it down better than I can.

2.1 Patch? My latest firmware level is 2.2. Are we talking the same thing here?

No the 2.1 is only available on panasonics website for professionals to install. It is very easy to do though and addresses picture issues. 2.2 I believe was just with some online content fixes.

how does one install the 2.1 firmware? I have the gt60

Ah, thanks. I'll have to check their website out.

I found a link over at ************** forum. They give you step by step instructions, but it's basically this: put the downloaded firmware on a SD card, pop it in, and your tv will recognize the firmware. Then you follow the on screen directions.

I would still follow the guide on the website where it is downloaded. I would post a link but I can't find it again...

Here's a quote from Gotchaa at higdefjunkies:

"Junkies, cross post as there may be interest:

Here is the latest. Color update is approved. It will be available as a secure download from Panasonic. Time frame is end of this month early next month. Distribution will be similar to the Cameron "Avatar" update, in that you will be informed applying it will change performance of your display, so it is your choice to install it or not.

It will be available for the VT series and possibly the GT (though not 100% confirmed yet).

You should see improvements in high and mid panel brightness with color luminance.

If you are unsure about applying this update wait till DYI folks apply it. I think everyone will be happy with the improvement.

There have been techniques that calibrators have used to optimized the panel without this update, so I would recommend speaking to your calibrator if you are concerned about applying this update as it may alter your pro calibration.

It is your choice to apply or not. IMHO, many of you that have pro cal's already have an excellent picture due to the skills of your calibrator (at least we hope), so I would not think anyone is missing anything per se if they do not apply this update."

There's also a D-Nice quote there on the firmware that I have been trying to find and cannot. It talked about the firmware update and his custom settings, but his wording kinda threw me off whether or not it would effect his settings.


EDIT: Here's that D-Nice quote

"The 65VT30 was calibrated today with the new color luminance firmware. It is a marked improved compared to how the Mid panel brightness use to look post calibration @ a color setting of 50. However, I do not think it is a miracle firmware and it definitely has issues (i.e. a color setting of 50 does not always look correct). For those wo have already had their display calibrated by myself or toher calibrators who know how to work around the VT30s color deficiencies, there is absolutely no reason to install this update and have your panel recalibrated.

Kudos for the update Panasonic, but I personally think color decoding should have been the focus."

So it seems to me that he is saying there is no need to re-calibrate after doing the update? And yes he says VT30 but the same update is available for our GT30.

No, he is saying that if you had a professional calibration by himself or another calibrator that knows how to "calibrate out" the luminance issue, then there is no need to apply the patch because the professional calibration would have already fixed it.

What throws me off is the part right after:

"there is absolutely no reason to install this update and have your panel recalibrated"

So if we put in D-Nices calibration settings then they are not effected, but if he had personally calibrated someones set than this isn't a necessary update?

I hadn't thought about it in this way, but I suppose if you are using the D'nice prep/settings then you sort of had your set calibrated by him and the color issues would have already been taken in to account, so in that case you would not want to apply the patch. Bottom line is, if you apply the patch the display will need recalibrated for optimum results.

I believe you are misinterpreting the "and" you highlighted.

From the wording, he's saying that IF you had your set professionally calibrated you do NOT need to install + recalibrate.

He did not reference folks who have NOT had a pro calibration. If you have NOT had a pro-calibration and are using his SM settings, I'm guessing his SM settings would be bogus/ineffective with the patch installed.

Sounds risky to me. Can't be reversed, and it seems like "Gotchaa" references the fact that the patch should be installed by pro-calibrators or for DIY calibrators.

I have the basic DVE, WOW calibration disks, but he is mentioning a professional calibration with pro equipment....sounds like a risky patch upgrade to for the average user who only plays with brightness/contrast/2pt WB...

Does anyone know if this offers any improvement to OOTB settings? Or if this update is strictly for creating more "headroom" and service menu tweaks for pro-calibrators?

I guess I was reading and looking too much for what I wanted to read about his settings + the new firmware

Right now though with D-Nices settings and this firmware I am very happy with the picture improvements. So I guess I should leave it at that.

Yes I think I am misinterpreting it too. Oh well.

Snagged a 50" GT30 from Amazon on Cyber Monday... looking forward to trying out the settings in this thread.

Just a quick hello and thanks!

Here is the link to the patch to download if anyone needs it.

http://panasonic.jp/support/global/c.../down_pro.html

Good you found that link. For those who choose to try it out I'd like to hear what you think, especially if you are using the D-Nice settings.

I had a pretty good center channel speaker on top of my old 32" CRT, and of course that's not going to work here ;-). Is there a way to use the internal speakers as a Center Channel speaker in a 5.1 setup? I don't have a cabinet (or money to buy one) to put it underneath. Yes, I know the left and right channel TV speakers would have to work together as a mono channel. The older Panny CRTs used to allow this and wondered if the GT will work that way.

I wouldn't suggest this, why not just buy some cheap shelving brackets and place the speaker underneath the tv? (if on the wall that is).

Two of these could work: http://www.kitchen-cabinets-and-hard...elfbracket.jpg

I've been playing around with the Spears and Muncil test disc on my 60gt30 and have discovered that in THX mode peak whites are clipped to some extent at anywhere above a contrast setting of 46. This doesn't seem to be the case in several of the other modes i.e. Game, Custom, Vivid. The clipping appears to involve about the top 6-8 steps in peak whites in the "dynamic range high" test pattern. Standard, THX, and Cinema all appear to behave similarly while Game, Custom, and Vivid appear to have a greater dynamic range available. Source is a ps3 via HDMI with all standard video range settings applied.

As you may know, in real world viewing, this loss of peak white info can cause subtle loss in high white details depending on program material.

I'm experimenting with Custom mode at this point with Low panel brightness as it seems to be adjustable to closer to how THX looks overall (at least to my eye).

The other option would be to stay in THX mode but drop the contrast setting to 46 or lower--although to me this is a little subdued.

It's notable that I'm using factory default SM settings (have not altered the SM).

Just saw Dave O's settings here and other than the WB adjustments (which I haven't tried yet), they are very similar to what I've been experimenting with as looking as similar to THX mode (to my eye) as possible. I've been using sharpness at zero and contrast slightly higher at 85.

Will look forward to applying the WB adjustments per Dave O's settings.

Thanks Dave O!

Do you have SM calibrations or just factory settings? I haven't used any SM settings and really don't plan to either. Is this patch worth or safe to download even if I'm just using the basic adjustment settings?

You're welcome. The WB settings are very sensitive to the Contrast level, and would only be relevant with a Contrast level of 75, low panel brightness.

Looking at the Spears/Muncil test patterns for
peak white dynamic range and contrast, the panel
can go to 87 contrast without signs of clipping in Custom at low panel
brightness. That might squeeze out
a few more foot lamberts if you care to calibrate it
again.

The grey ramps on this disc are noticeably smoother in Custom with your WB settings
vs. THX as well.

I am using D-Nice's SM settings. There shouldn't be any problem in your case at all. Just be careful and read the instructions which are very straight forward.

In my case, I haven't touched any picture settings and the picture seems to have more pop. Others have stated that it improved their picture as well (see ken's post above). Have you had your tv long? If I were someone who had just bought the tv, the differences would probably seem less dramatic, but whereas I have had this set for a few months now I was really nit picking every little detail so this firmware is more dramatic for me.

I did try to calibrate at a higher Contrast, but the WB values I needed to get the Gamma correct ruined the minimal light level. You can find those settings earlier in this thread, with a disclaimer.

Thanks, will do.