LG 50PA6500 and LG 60PA6500 Plasmas - Page 35

Has anyone updated to firmware 4.00.02 and noticed any changes?

I love the picture quality of this TV, but I've noticed some input lag, especially when using HDMI... Which subsequently caused me to use VGA instead of HDMI with a Radeon 4870 (no cable tv service in my room, so I only my computer for internet and hard drive video streaming). VGA works much better than HDMI, but i still see occassional slight lag. it's a little aggravating, and although not a total deal breaker, i'd really like to try and fix it. i've tried all other inputs, including component, all 3 HDMI inputs with 3 different cables, as well as turning off all dynamic movie/cinema settings, AND setting Game Mode to ON, but there 50-55ms input lag is still there as per a stopwatch test (I don't have the pictures at this moment, but verified that HDMI caused a 70-80ms lag, and VGA showed a 45-60ms lag)...

Also, does the 4.00.02 firmware fix the black screen issue (movies going to all black frames shutting off the actual screen).

Any help would be appreciated.

Adam

I also have noticed some input lag but it happens with my lg lcd i used to have as well as a magnavox set i had, so i was thinking it was just the fios dvr. I would also like to know what the update brings, under what's new it just says it changed the Brazil lg website.

Picked mine (60PA6500) for $699 yesterday at Fry's! Tweaking right now looking for that good burn in setting.

Damn, I would have easily paid another $125 for 10 more inches! Paid $575 for my 50.

Lord have mercy, the reflection with the light on is terrible, just changed my mind about getting one..

yeah, sears had the 6500 right next to the st50 and you can really tell the difference in glare, the lg was like a mirror and the st50 glare free. and one of the differences between the 6500 and 5500 is that the former has anti glare coating, but does not seem to work well. i did find some blackout shades at sears on clearance, 52"X84" were $12 each, and the 42"X84" and 42X63" panels were $9 each. Made a big difference with the glare on my 5500 in my room.

Has anyone flashed a firmware to a set other than what is listed as being compatible? From talking to customer service it sounds like it shouldn't be a problem, but I'm skeptical. I have the 60PA6550-UF and every firmware that's been released since I got mine in July has been for the UG model. I'd really like to hear if anyone's thrown the dice on this.

I just wanted to share my post 100 hour calibration settings. After 200 hours they will change slightly again (primarily contrast and brightness) as I'm still keeping contrast fairly low until I reach the 200 hour mark. This is after much tweaking using the various tools noted in previous posts.

Aspect Ratio: Just Scan / 16:9 / or even Set by Program - depends on source
Energy Saving: Off
Picture Mode: Expert 1 or 2
Contrast: 80
Brightness: 51
H. Sharp: 15
V. Sharp: 15
Color: 56
Tint: 0
Dynamic Contrast: Off
Noise Reduction: Off
Gamma: Medium
Black Level: Low
Color Gamut: Standard
Edge Enhancement: Off
Color Temp: Medium
Method: 2 Point
Pattern: Outer
Points: High
Red: 14
Green: -12
Blue: -10

No amount of tweaking using the "Warm" color temp setting yielded an overall picture I was happy with. The warm setting may calibrate perfectly with a colorimeter and calibration tools, but it always looks "too" fleshy and tinted to my eyes. Using the above settings I was able to get great whites (although still a little to the blue side), grayscale performance is awesome and almost zero banding. These settings were also a nice compromise on getting life like flesh tones.

@ 5thdimension: Does swinging the set one way or the other the full 20 degrees or so not make a difference to glare/no glare? I have a patio door double glass window directly behind me and just swinging those few degrees makes all the difference in the world. Overhead pot lights at night are a non issue. The patio door glass has vertical blinds closed 90% and daylight viewing reflects that backdrop but the swing cuts that 100%.

IMHO the 6500 is a mirror with a power switch, the reflection is so clear and blatantly visible i would not even consider the purchase, i have several mirrors but none of them are quite as expensive as the LG 6500 series

I have french doors opposite of the tv in the family room. During the day I'll just swing the tv to the left and I don't see a single reflection.

I started reading this forum to get some more information specifically on the LG 60PA6500 and the Samsung PN60E530, priced $899 and $999 respectively at the moment online and at the local big box store. I don't want "smart" features, and don't want to break the bank, which is why I specifically was looking at these two sets. I see some other LED options within $100 or $200, but these

Yesterday, I couldn't decide and ordered the LG 60PA6500 and it will be delivered this coming Monday. I still am having second thoughts, and I saw the Samsung PN60E530 in the store and loved the overall picture and viewing angles, etc. I didn't get a chance to look at the LG set before I had to leave the store.

I've never had a Plasma before, and image retention is be a big concern for me. I mainly play video games and watch streaming content via Vudu or Netflix, or a B-Ray disc from time to time. So Plasmas seem scary, and I keep reading online that the LGs suffer from some pretty noticeable image retention. I have also read that the newer Samsung Plasmas have no noticeable image retention at all. But I also see some A/V techno lingo about frames or 24-bit processing or something that I didn't quite catch and it is a deal breaker for those buyers.

Could those of you with experience with either of these sets give me more of your impressions on image retention and overall performance between the two sets for video games and streaming?

I will be forever grateful! ~$1K, although reasonable for a 60" TV is not a small some of hard earned cash.

Thanks!

I just bought the LG 50PA6500-UA. I'm trying to update the firmware to the latest version but I'm stuck. I have the usb stick and created the LG_DTV and put in the downloaded file in that folder. I have attempted to use just putting it there zipped and unzipped but no change. Any help with this would be appreciated.

I tried the same - putting the unzipped firmware file in the LG_DTV folder with no success. When I called LG, they said that's the way to do it. I also tried putting the file in the root of the USB stick with the set on and off. Let's try to figure this out.

Is there any real reason to update the firmware? I've built computers for a long time now and it's a basic guideline to not bother updating the bios unless it's required.

As the saying goes, if it ain't broke don't fix it.

Then don't buy the TV. Why even bother posting in this thread? Go spend the extra $300 to $500 on a different TV. Not even sure how you can make a purchase / no purchase recommendation since you apparently don't even own the set. For the majority of us that took a chance on this particular plasma, reflection is a non-issue or we deal with it one way or another. I've got a rear patio door directly behind my set, and simply closing the blinds sufficiently eliminates the glare / reflection problem.

I updated the firmware and honestly not sure what changed. I wasn't having any issues before (also a fellow computer builder) but for some reason can't resist the temptation to keep firmware updated on my audio / video gear. At any rate, I haven't noticed any drastic changes between the shipping firmware and the latest firmware I updated too.

I didn't have any problems with the firmware flash. Put the file/folder on a USB drive (formatted FAT32 - and even had other stuff on the drive) plugged it into the USB port on the TV. TV immediately recognized the USB drive and found the updated firmware file. Followed the instructions and it was all done in less than a minute.

Just DO NOT shut down the TV under any circumstance during the firmware upgrade process

Brian - with the TV powered on.... when you insert the USB drive did the TV flash a message "detecting USB device"?

The set detected the USB drive, but it never initiated the firmware upgrade process. Was your exact model number referenced in the firmware notes or were the last two digits just similar? I have the 60PA6550-UF and every firmware I have seen posted is listed as the UG.

I'll check my revision level and report back once I get home this afternoon. Sorry for the delay. I'll bet you're on to something there though. Apparently this TV is very self aware when it comes to what firmware versions are compatible. I had read that earlier LG TVs weren't so well designed and in fact allowed some people to flash incompatible firmware revisions that bricked their sets.

I don't know where you're reading that but after 1500 hours I have NO IR. That was NOT the case with my Panasonic 720p set. I think the Panis still haven't worked out the IR problem.

Just know what you're doing - use the Colour Wash when leaving the set on a paused movie or when wanting to watch 4:3 content (especially if it does not have the grey bars) and you walk away (usually during commercials). Otherwise always leave the Orbiter on.

You will ALWAYS have second thoughts, second doubts. That's part of life. Pay $2000 for a 60" LED? Second doubts. Buy a Plasma instead of an LCD or LED? Second doubts. Didn't get the Smart features? Second doubts. Didn't get a 3D set? Second doubts. Didn't buy the extended warranty? Second doubts. Should have waited until after Christmas in the hope of getting a lower price? Second doubts. Wait until Washington's Birthday Sale? Second doubt. The list goes on and on...

If you're having second thoughts - return it and get an LCD or LED. Presto - no more worry about IR!

I bothered posting on this thread in response to a question from "fairwood" about the glare, was not my intention to offend.. the fact is that plasma TV's are designed to be used in a low to no light condition making the issue of glare a moot point to discuss, when used in the environment they are designed for the PQ is HQ on the majority of plasma HDTV's, when viewing i eliminate glare at the source but i realize that is not always a feasible solution for everyone.

Fair enough. I re-read my post and it did come off rather strong. Sorry about that. I guess my primary point is that this particular TV is what this particular TV is. It has many of the same short comings as most all plasma TVs do. In the end (for me personally) the purchase of this set was a price to performance decision. I knew I would be making some compromises. Love the post above about second guessing. That guy is right.

But back to my purchase - I felt like I got a great deal at $999 dollars. I called BB today because they have the TV on sale again for $899 and they are going to refund the difference. I wasn't sure how you could beat the features and size for $999, at $899 or lower I almost feel like a thief.

Hey Bryan, checked my set tonight and it is revision UG - and therein lies the reason you probably aren't able to flash any of the firmware revisions you've found on the net. Following LG's revision scheme the UF is the previous revision hardware, but I don't have any idea what has changed. You could contact LG directly and ask them to send you updated firmware (if it exists). Or be happy with what you've got.

How old is your set and is there any way that you could return it and exchange for the latest hardware revision (which is UG)? I'm wondering if the change had something to do with the TV turning off if the brightness was set too low, a black screen came on and the TV powered down? I read reports of that anomaly in a few earlier posts here, but I never had a problem like that even before I flashed the firmware. Just speculation on my part..............

I purchased this tv (60pa6500-UA) about 4 weeks ago and have around 170 hours of use. That said I am seeing red spots on the faces of people. It moves with the people so it isn't a burn-in or dead pixel. I haven't done any tweaks such as adjusting the knobs in the tv as I've read on other threads (or maybe it was this one) and have tried different calibration settings. They go away as I fiddle with the settings but then the picture gets blurrier. I've tried several settings in this thread. I am waiting on the DVE blu ray to come in the mail but I was wondering if this is a known issue that anyone knows of or do I just have bad settings? I checked to see if it was firmware but unfortunately I can't update that since it is a UA.
Edited by duckydan - 11/30/12 at 7:33pm

First time I've ever read about a problem like this. My first instinct is to say exchange it since your only 177 hours into your break-in.

Other questions I would ask is what is the source material.

Is it Blue-Rays, video files, unconverted DVDs?

Does it happen on all inputs?

i got that set, and i really love the PQ on it. its seriously amazing, but the 24p playback is horrific. i'll probably be watching a BR movie once a week, so its important to me. i think i'll be returning my set to costco.

It's happening on fios. Haven't tried other inputs. My wife didn't complain about it while watching 2 movies today (older Bond films) on blu-ray. Had her furious on Grey's Anatomy the other night where there was a long red line on Yang's face. I'm tempted to take it back for a replacement but it's a pain in the arse to exchange if it is only a calibration setting.

Hookup is Fios / PS3 -> Pioneer AVR -> TV Input 1

Update: I just used the AVC HD disc that is on this site and she put on the Grey's Anatomy from last night to see how it is after calibration... The line that was annoying her is gone so it looks like some setting was bad...

Update 2: if I use the same settings on Expert 1: the line is there and it looks awful, if I use those settings on Expert 2 it looks great. Yes the obvious solution is ok use expert 2 but it is strange.
Edited by duckydan - 12/1/12 at 7:04pm

Hi guys. Need some help over here. I have the 50PA6500-ZG and i cant see how many hours i used the TV. If i press Settings - Red button - Product Info, there aren't the four line like all ppl have, and where it said how many hours the TV was on. What should i do? I need this very bad. I wanna know how many hours slides were on.

Mainly CNET reviews mentioned that the 60PA6500 suffered from noticeable image retention, several posts in this thread and on AVS forums also indicate that the 60PA6500 was having image retention for those individuals. Me, not ever having owned a plasma before, I wouldn't know if there is some level of IR that people are simply "accustomed" to seeing and therefore discount it as normal.


Have a wife that is technically disadvatanged, and 2 small kids that watch movies and games. I'll have to see how hard it is to enable those features and for them to use.


It's more a fear of the unknown. Just need to get more comfortable with the technology (Plasma) and understand how it works a little better in a "real world" sense. Kids and wife walk away from the TV all the time and leave it on. Either way, my 60PA6500 was delivered this morning. Checked the glass, and powered it on to verify it "worked" before a I had to run off for work. Play time will be this evening.