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Official Panasonic VT50 owners thread - Page 14

post #391 of 12304
5/9/12 at 12:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chere View Post

Chad could you tell me how much the black level and overall PQ is better compared to the GT50 or even the ST50? Is it significant enough to notice it without a side to side comparison therefore justifying the higher price of this flagship plasma?

The ST and GT50s I've reviewed have been the smaller models, and there has in the past been a trend to see higher black levels on the smaller sizes of the same model. So I will have to refrain from comment here until I see some more samples of various sizes and models.
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post #392 of 12304
5/9/12 at 12:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by airgon74 View Post

Chad , great work as always. I appreciate your knowledge and honesty.

In your opinion should new VT50 owners wait til ISF modes cals are corrected before getting the panel professionally calibrated? Will it make much of a difference?

Also, compared to the EU(UK) reviews and cal reports do you see much of a difference in post cal results?

In some ways it depends on your calibrator and his skills and abilities. But I would expect a working ISF mode calibration to be a visible improvement over THX mode, which is already excellent. Even with the controls not fully working I slightly preferred the ISF mode.

I haven't looked at the EU reviews yet.
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post #393 of 12304
5/9/12 at 1:04pm
I wonder how soon the ISF mode calibration would be fixed by Panasonic? And if it's something that can be fixed in existing units?
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post #394 of 12304
5/9/12 at 1:08pm
Derek and the CalMAN guys are looking into it. They may have some weight to throw around to make Panasonic work on it. Derek talked like it was FW related.
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post #395 of 12304
5/9/12 at 1:10pm
i want my vt50! We need more pictures!
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post #396 of 12304
5/9/12 at 1:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chad B View Post

Derek and the CalMAN guys are looking into it. They may have some weight to throw around to make Panasonic work on it.

Assuming Panny fixes this, what do I need to perform the ISF calibration? I have Calman DIY and an i1 Display Pro... Are Autocal and the ISF calibration the same thing?
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post #397 of 12304
5/9/12 at 1:11pm
Chad, thanks for the review. I know a lot of people are asking this question on numerous forums and thought I'd ask you here since you've had the pleasure of using both the GT50 and now VT50.

For those not getting ISF calibration done, sticking with self-adjusted THX modes, would you say the GT50 is the way to go in that case?

I'm also asking this for myself personally as here in Canada the VT50 commands a significant premium over the GT50 so the value factor becomes somewhat important. As of right now I'm leaning towards the 60GT50 but always open to suggestions.

TIA
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post #398 of 12304
5/9/12 at 1:13pm
chad, how would you say the color compares to the e8000. I wasnt very clear if it was better or worse than the e8000. Also, is it brighter than your GT50?
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post #399 of 12304
5/9/12 at 1:14pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chad B View Post

Viewing my 1080P/24 Blu Ray material in 96 Hz mode, the pans and motion were satisfyingly film like.

Thanks Chad! I'm on the GT/VT fence. Leaning GT (if prices drop another 200-500$ ever), but VT seems a good value at a price point not much higher than the GT.

Does the VT really have much on the GT? I like the GT styling and your VT review makes it sound like THX out of the box looks better on the GT. Am I hearing that correctly?

Also, is the 96Hz mode on the VT noticeably superior for 24p over 60Hz on the GT? Should it be a factor in my decision?

(Sorry, all tough questions )
Thanks!
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post #400 of 12304
5/9/12 at 1:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ATC7 View Post


For those not getting ISF calibration done, sticking with self-adjusted THX modes, would you say the GT50 is the way to go in that case?

TIA

Unless there is a significant black level difference, which I don't know yet until D-Nice or I measure more samples of each model, I would say the GT50 would be much more sensible for you.
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post #401 of 12304
5/9/12 at 1:22pm
I have my 65VT50 installed and ready to go. The silver edge is fine. It does not bother me at all. I will take some pics when it gets dark out. So far, I like it. I have to say though, I had a D7000 up as a temp set and it was a far better picture than I had anticipated.

The D7000 was very sharp and the black levels to my eyes were pretty damn good. I also have to give Sammy credit for making the red LED go OFF when the set is ON and ON when the set is OFF. This is a minute issue but seriously.

Anyway, the screen uniformity on the VT50 is even better than the VT30 I had, and the VT30 was pretty good compared to what I had seen others stuck with. I have one slight hot spot but overall very pleased. No lines or blobs to speak of. And no dead or stuck pixels (knock on wood).

Setup was very smooth and wifi setup was as easy as it gets. I do not understand why they got rid of the interpolation but it is nice to have more range of settings for the motion smoother.

For the most part, it seems to perform very similar to the VT30 under daylight conditions, maybe slightly brighter. I won't really be able to guage performance gains until it gets dark out. But so far so good.
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post #402 of 12304
5/9/12 at 1:28pm
Can anyone comment on whether the VT50 will accept Dolby Digital audio into the TV from an AVR with HDMI pass-through enabled? I know last years VT30 did not, but the Samsung's did/do.
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post #403 of 12304
5/9/12 at 1:28pm
Thanks for the review Chad. Always great to hear you weigh in and share your findings.

Watched different content on my VT with the lights out last night, I have to say I didn't notice any brightness shifts like I saw on last year's models (especially on the display 60GT30 at my store) and no floating blacks like on my 2010 model. Watching blu-ray content at 96Hz looks great too.

I guess my only complain is that the single sheet of glass seems to reflect slightly more in my room than my last plasma. On the other hand, the filter is very effective; even though I get more reflection the picture retains black level and contrast very well. My G20 would tend toward a grayish black with my lamp on.
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post #404 of 12304
5/9/12 at 1:30pm
I happen to have my tv in a room where two sides are all windows with sw exposure, so we get a lot of light during the day. Blinds help reduce direct sun, but still enough light coming in.

Has anyone noticed how the VT compares to the GT and ST with respect to reducing reflections. Both GT/ST have the infinite black pro vs VT infinite black ultra; is this marketing or is there marked improvement warranting the additional price.

Would consider LED for this issue, but seems like a lot are coming out with glossy panels to improve the blacks in dark viewing, but negating the benefit of LED in bright rooms, which sends me right back to plasma for better blacks/uniformity/viewing angles.
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post #405 of 12304
5/9/12 at 1:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by TopperMcFly View Post

Anyway, the screen uniformity on the VT50 is even better than the VT30 I had, and the VT30 was pretty good compared to what I had seen others stuck with. I have one slight hot spot but overall very pleased. No lines or blobs to speak of. And no dead or stuck pixels (knock on wood).

Whoa wait- what do you mean by "slight hot spot"? What is this? Care to take a pic? Thanks.
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post #406 of 12304
5/9/12 at 1:36pm
Chad or anyone with some experience, please let us know how 3D looked on the VT. Any relative comparison to the GT's 3D would be very helpful as well. (Yeah, i have little kids.) Thank you.
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post #407 of 12304
5/9/12 at 2:23pm
Can anyone tell me where I can find the recommended television setting or calibration setting for the TC-65VT50?
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post #408 of 12304
5/9/12 at 2:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chad B View Post

Well, I already bought a 55GT50. I just mounted it the other day. I liked it's THX modes well enough and I figured if I really had to have 10 pt adjustments I'd put my Lumagen in the signal chain.
But if I hadn't already gotten that, and if I had the budget, I would go for the VT50.

Glad I saw your post Chad. I was stomped on yesterday by certain trolls against the GT50. I was also further told by another poster that the experts wouldn't agree with me that the GT50 was even worth buying. Nice to see someone highly respected for his opinion on this forum that owns one proudly. Saw your review which was very good as well. Thank you.
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post #409 of 12304
5/9/12 at 2:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tempest261 View Post

Whoa wait- what do you mean by "slight hot spot"? What is this? Care to take a pic? Thanks.

UPDATE FROM THE FUTURE "page 204"

 

This thread is currently on page 204. For those that are attempting to read through this whole thing front to back in order to research a possible purchase, let me save you some heartache. You are going to read about nasty "issues" that are realized to be non-issues. I am going to sum up the majority of the larger topics for you right here.

1. There have been two firmware updates since the VT50 launched. The first only seemed to add a banner at TV startup which can be disabled in the TV settings just so you know. The second update was much more robust and corrected the broken CMS Luminance controls. This allows for a more accurate calibration and was well received by calibrators for sure.

 

2. There were rampant claims and false support for "Bad Pans". The term N.S.D. New TV Syndrome was coined at that time and has been used more than once. At any rate, there were several reports that in certain scenes of certain movies, camera pans from left to right were exhibiting screen tearing, haloing, color smearing and you name it. After some research, it was found that these "bad pans" were bad on any television that you tested them on based on whatever form of motion smoothing the set had was turned low or off. Pans can be cleaned up and smoothed out substantially by turning Motion Smoother to Medium or High. But this introduces SOE and most people here will set Motion Smoother to Low and simply deal with crappy pans as they are the result of the way film is shot and not how the VT handles them.

3. Buzzing. You will read all kinds of flame wars about buzzing. This set buzzes just like every other plasma on earth. Once people settled down and realized that the buzzing really is a non-issue 99% of the time, we have heard virtually no serious complaints about it.

4. Soft picture. There are many comments about the Pannys having a "soft" picture. After much deliberation, it is the general consensus that A. the VT produces one of the most accurate and unadulterated pictures out there. and B. The VT may not have the best video processor out there. So lesser quality content may not be cleaned up as well as on say a Samsung. We have also played around with external processors in an effort to get the best picture possible. I personally have gone with an Onkyo 818 which does all of my scaling and some edge enhancement. I and others have been very pleased with its performance.

We are also talking about the Darbee Darblet. I have one on the way. This littel gem can be read about in its own thread or hit page 200 or so of this very thread fo the skinny on it. In short, it magically adds depth and contrast to any picture without introducing artifacts if set properl.

3. Dithering. This has been misrepresented by many including myself. You will see reports of excessive dithering. In most cases it is confused with video noise which is more a product of the content than the set itself. The VT may have more dithering than past sets, but it is not detectable at normal seating distance 99% of the time.

I am sure there are more things I am forgetting about. I will update this post as need be. But hopefully this will help save you some heart burn as you read through this massive and many times off topic thread.

 

Peace


Edited by TopperMcFly - 8/24/12 at 6:52am
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post #410 of 12304
5/9/12 at 3:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by fatuglyguy View Post

I guess my only complain is that the single sheet of glass seems to reflect slightly more in my room than my last plasma. On the other hand, the filter is very effective; even though I get more reflection the picture retains black level and contrast very well. My G20 would tend toward a grayish black with my lamp on.

Do you remember your last unit that well ?
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post #411 of 12304
5/9/12 at 3:31pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cleveland Plasma View Post

Do you remember your last unit that well ?

Very well, I had it from 4/2010 until about a week ago when I sold my 50" G20 to make room for the VT50. I have a floor lamp in the corner of my room along the wall opposite the TV. When I had the lamp on the G20 did not reflect very much but I did experience more washout, darker/black areas tended towards gray. When I turn my lamp on now, I can see the reflection of it more easily on the VT50, but dark areas remain dark and I don't experience the washout I got on my G20. I guess we can blame the stylish front glass pane Not a big deal, I find it preferable to my G20 under bright light.
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post #412 of 12304
5/9/12 at 3:33pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by HLdan View Post

Glad I saw your post Chad. I was stomped on yesterday by certain trolls against the GT50. I was also further told by another poster that the experts wouldn't agree with me that the GT50 was even worth buying. Nice to see someone highly respected for his opinion on this forum that owns one proudly. Saw your review which was very good as well. Thank you.

Don't let the facts get in the way of your agenda. I don't think anyone said the GT50 wasnt worth buying, in fact I knew that Chad himself had purchased a GT50 prior to him stating it on this forum, obviously both excellent sets, I find it amusing that you choose to get upset about people wanting the VT50 over the GT50, but think is perfectly fine for you to degrade the ST50 seems a little hypopcritical to me but to each his own.
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post #413 of 12304
5/9/12 at 3:37pm
I posted this picture earlier in the thread, but I'll repost it and point out I did notice a slight "in-reflection" that was a trademark of Panasonic's older plasmas (look at the doubling of the letters). Doesn't bug me, just kinda interesting
LL
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post #414 of 12304
5/9/12 at 3:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by fatuglyguy View Post

I posted this picture earlier in the thread, but I'll repost it and point out I did notice a slight "in-reflection" that was a trademark of Panasonic's older plasmas (look at the doubling of the letters). Doesn't bug me, just kinda interesting

Keep the pics coming although I must admit I have plasma envy
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post #415 of 12304
5/9/12 at 3:56pm
has anyone tried out any gaming yet?
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post #416 of 12304
5/9/12 at 4:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by chunon View Post

Don't let the facts get in the way of your agenda. I don't think anyone said the GT50 wasnt worth buying, in fact I knew that Chad himself had purchased a GT50 prior to him stating it on this forum, obviously both excellent sets, I find it amusing that you choose to get upset about people wanting the VT50 over the GT50, but think is perfectly fine for you to degrade the ST50 seems a little hypopcritical to me but to each his own.

I find it quite laughable that you can't control yourself. When I'm speaking to someone else you feel the need to attack me. Don't worry about what I like or if you think I'm getting upset (which is nonsense) because people want the VT50 over the GT50. I couldn't care less, I just didn't understand why. I know now that many people on this forum are not from the U.S and they can't get the GT50 in the size they prefer as the U.S. can so instead they troll the product. The ST50 and the VT50 are available outside the U.S. in many sizes up to 65". Why else would anyone consider either the bottom of the line or the top of the line for $1000+ more but not the middle? There is already a dedicated GT50 thread with very happy owners so not everyone feels the way you do buddy.

Your "facts" are YOUR facts. I don't care one way or the other. I'm certainly not on my high horse as you some others are here, especially some of the VT50 owners who feel superior because they can spend top dollar.Not everyone here is rich or dare I say it, pretentious. Some people here especially you act like you own this forum and the people that don't own the TV need to stay out.

I have not discounted the ST50, show me where I was saying incorrect information about it in order to make it look bad. Stop making things up as you go along. Well, you call me a hypocrite and now I know who you are. Find somebody else to attack, one that was actually talking directly to you. This forum is actually a great forum and helped me to choose the right TV. Sadly there are some who want to pick fights and act superior.
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post #417 of 12304
5/9/12 at 4:13pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by HLdan View Post

I find it quite laughable that you can't control yourself. When I'm speaking to someone else you feel the need to attack me. Don't worry about what I like or if you think I'm getting upset (which is nonsense) because people want the VT50 over the GT50. I couldn't care less, I just didn't understand why. I know now that many people on this forum are not from the U.S and they can't get the GT50 in the size they prefer as the U.S. can so instead they troll the product. The ST50 and the VT50 are available outside the U.S. in many sizes up to 65". Why else would anyone consider either the bottom of the line or the top of the line for $1000+ more but not the middle? There is already a dedicated GT50 thread with very happy owners so not everyone feels the way you do buddy.

Your "facts" are YOUR facts. I don't care one way or the other. I'm certainly not on my high horse as you some others are here, especially some of the VT50 owners who feel superior because they can spend top dollar.Not everyone here is rich or dare I say it, pretentious. Some people here especially you act like you own this forum and the people that don't own the TV need to stay out.

I have not discounted the ST50, show me where I was saying incorrect information about it in order to make it look bad. Stop making things up as you go along. Well, you call me a hypocrite and now I know who you are. Find somebody else to attack, one that was actually talking directly to you. This forum is actually a great forum and helped me to choose the right TV. Sadly there are some who want to pick fights and act superior.

Your words not mine:

The price between the GT50 and the VT50 is not close at all. It's several hundred dollars more to get the VT50 with very little differences and although we can't talk about price per say, the GT50 is only about $300 U.S more than the ST50 and you get substantially more TV for the money. The value of the VT50 is really in the eye of the beholder because you're not getting a whole lot extra. Case in point the "One Sheet of Glass" is being advertised a feature? Seriously? You're paying for that.

Doubt it. The ST50 gets plenty of action on this forum and other than it's decent PQ (although it lacks the amount of gradation the GT50 and VT50 offers) it offers very little to the consumer. Less ports, slow processor and not such an attractive bezel design.

Btw I dont own a VT50 or a GT50 or an ST50 but I do like Panasonic plasmas
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post #418 of 12304
5/9/12 at 4:15pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chad B View Post

Well, I already bought a 55GT50. I just mounted it the other day. I liked it's THX modes well enough and I figured if I really had to have 10 pt adjustments I'd put my Lumagen in the signal chain.
But if I hadn't already gotten that, and if I had the budget, I would go for the VT50.

Do you think the price differential between this year's GT and VT models is worth the difference in picture quality? This is a tough decision.

Thanks much for your review, you hit all of the touch points we are interested in without any fluff.

Edit: I believe this was already answered, I jumped the gun. That said, any additional comments you care to make would be appreciated.
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post #419 of 12304
5/9/12 at 4:18pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nethawk View Post

Do you think the price differential between this year's GT and VT models is worth the difference in picture quality? This is a tough decision.

Thanks much for your review, you hit all of the touch points we are interested in without any fluff.

What I want to know is for those of us with the budget...is it worth it!
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post #420 of 12304
5/9/12 at 4:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by chunon View Post

Your words not mine:

The price between the GT50 and the VT50 is not close at all. It's several hundred dollars more to get the VT50 with very little differences and although we can't talk about price per say, the GT50 is only about $300 U.S more than the ST50 and you get substantially more TV for the money. The value of the VT50 is really in the eye of the beholder because you're not getting a whole lot extra. Case in point the "One Sheet of Glass" is being advertised a feature? Seriously? You're paying for that.

Doubt it. The ST50 gets plenty of action on this forum and other than it's decent PQ (although it lacks the amount of gradation the GT50 and VT50 offers) it offers very little to the consumer. Less ports, slow processor and not such an attractive bezel design.

Btw I dont own a VT50 or a GT50 or an ST50 but I do like Panasonic plasmas

And exactly which part of what I said was an untruth? Was it the part the processor was slower than the GT/VT? (That was true). Or was it the part that it had less ports than the GT/VT? (That was true). Or was it the part that I didn't like the bezel of the of the ST50? I'm entitled to how I feel. I'm the consumer. Seems like you're the one that's really upset that I'm saying anything critical about the ST50, wonder why??.

Look, I'm new to this forum, I got some great help from some very talented people. I'm no novice to tech so I will voice my opinion but you need to respect others opinions rather than attack them for everything they say. You seem to have a problem with that. For the record, I never once asked anyone this forum if they liked/disliked the GT50 and to explain to me why anyone wouldn't want it. You decided to take it much further on a rhetorical question I asked D-Nice.
I see you have a beef with me. Since I irk you so much then place me on ignore or skip my posts. I will do the same for you at this point.

Sad state of affairs, a great forum gets slightly ruined by personal attacks.
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