Official Panasonic VT50 owners thread - Page 269

I have purchased the following which has been incredible for me...

http://www.thesimpletvstandstore.com/p-6824-salamander-designs-synergy-pm300xlk-expansion-kit-increases-max-mounting-screw-spacing-to-38-w-and-2125-h.aspx

I could not wall mount my 55vt50 due to the fact that I live in an apartment. Also, the walls just weren't suitable for hanging this size TV. I then ran into the same problem regarding the position of my center speaker. I ended up getting the salamander mounting kit I listed. This allowed me to lift the TV up for better viewing as well as fit a nice Polk Audio center speaker on my TV stand which remains under the TV. It was a sizable investment, but it looks great and doesn't damage your walls.

Hello, looking at maybe snagging a 65vt50. Can any gamers tell me how the lag is on the vt50? Also what is the best wall mount for this set? Any pics of a wall mounted vt50? Thanks

I have my xbox 360 through my receiver to the 55vt50. Both tv and receiver are in game mode and I experience no lag

Given the price of that unit, it would have been less costly to buy a shelving system with three levels in which one can lower or raise the display and easily fit the center speaker below the display as well as storing most HT components such as AVR, cable box,and BR player.

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Tell my wife that. There is a consensus here that wives pick the worst pieces of furniture with respect to HT setup. I had purchased the TV after we had all the furniture and moved in. But I if you don't already own a nice TV stand, I would do as you recommend and purchase a new unit that fits everything.

I use a pair of center channel speakers, which allows the IR sensor to be exposed.

I've always had a pair of bookshelf speakers as my center channel as historically I used separate amps to drive my speakers, the amps I used were stereo, and bookshelf speakers always seem to come in pairs. With smaller TVs, having a speaker on each side gave me a good soundstage. WIth the VT50, instead of having them standing up, they are laying down in front of the TV, which is actually better as they line up closer to the same height as the midrange and tweeters on the front speakers.

Even though they are only about 5" high, this would block some of the picture, so I have the stand raised up to allow clearance. I used the ghetto method of hockey pucks glued to the bottom of the stand (after routing out the top of the hockey pucks so that the feet of the stand would nestle inside and give me a larger contact surface). In a dark room, they pretty much disappear, but I could put some sort of trim in front if I really wanted to.

Just received my 55VT50. Straight out of the box in THX mode it is quite a bit better than my G20 that I spent quite a bit of time adjusting. I don't feel the need to adjust anything on the VT50, it looks that good! Using size 1 with pixel orbiter and no signs of IR Yet. Mostly watching Directv running through an Oppo 105 wich seems to improve picture quality too. Panasonic hit a home run with this model!

I have looked around there and do not find anything telling me if I need to buy some special software/hardware to work with the panasonic vt50 for it's auto calibration ability. Can someone please tell me if an additional purchase is required?

myriadcorp,

You'll have to get a meter such as a i1display3 and Calman. Figure on $500- $600.

Plan B is to get a Lumagen radiance 3D, software from either Calman or Chromapure, and the meter. Now you're up to about $2,200 ish.

Plan C....screw it and find some of the published calibration settings and see if one of those works out well for you. Cost you nothing but the time to research for it.

By the way, there is a thread for VT50 settings somewhere around here. Don't remember if it's in the calibration section or in the plasma section.

+1 on that. I have a DefTech CS-8080 HD center channel which is powered, and has top-firing woofer and bass radiators. To get the most out of that speaker, you need to avoid having it in an enclosed cabinet. I had a Sanus 18" center channel stand, but with our new 55" VT50 coming next week, I picked up a stand with three shelves so I can minimize the overall footprint, leave the space above the center channel open by putting it on the top shelf, and mount the VT50 above the center.

There's many choices, but I picked this one:
http://www.abt.com/product/45625/Z-Line-ZL56855SU.html

@Jimp: the VT50 calibration/settings thread is in the Plasma sub-forum. I found it when researching this display.

I am getting my 65VT50 tomorrow and I am planing on running the color images for at least 100 hours before I start using it for normal viewing. My plan is to reduce brightness to about 30% and run the images for about 6 to 8 hours during the night and in the evening just playing a movie that fills the screen. I will leave it off during the day so that it rests and because I am afraid of overheating issues with the electronics (power supply, fans etc...). Any opinions on this approach would be appreciated

My 2 cents is, I ran mine very nearly 24 hours a day for the first 6 days and had no overheating or even any real significant heat from the TV. I also didn't even know there were fans in the TV until I was told here. I still don't think I've heard them.

Thank you. I am starting to consider running it for that long . Did you reduce your brightness? What video mode did you have your on?

I look at it like this: its like buying a Maserati to drive to the corner store for groceries.

Heaven forbid that I would say that this set is not good for gaming. But if your primary reason to have a TV is games, you will not be happy with a plasma. Or you could save $$$$ and get the 65ST50 instead.

But its your money to spend, wisely or not.

I actually made a mistake and didn't realize the custom adjustments were per input, so I had setup the HDMI input using CNETs settings but had left the media player (counts as an input as far as settings are concerned) settings to the standard which is quite a bit darker than the CNET settings (which aren't nearly as bright as THX Bright Room). I switched to the CNET settings part the way through figuring the increased but not rediculous brightness would help increase the burnin (not image burnin in but aging of the phosphors) rate and stabilize the panel faster.

I don't understand this comment. Other than potential IR/BI issues (which is mostly a non-issue), aren't plasmas better suited for gaming with their increased performance in fast motion?
Edited by Oh2Smooth - 12/7/12 at 3:09pm

I am sorry about all the questions but do you happen to have the link for the CNET settings?

http://forums.cnet.com/7723-19410_102-564711/panasonic-tc-p65vt50-picture-settings/?tag=StickyWin_1338818924521;createThreadPopup

Others on here have said there are much better ones, and I'm still toying around with over settings (also posted in the settings thread) but these are a good starting point IMHO.

My last set was a Samsung FPT6374 which is a 63" plasma. I gamed on it all the time w/o any problems.

I now have a 65" VT50 and though I have not had much time to game on it I have played some games and it has performed flawlessly. I have some free time tomorrow and plan to spend a good amount of the day gaming.

I did make sure to break-in both sets whether required or not.

Just be smart about what you play and how much you play early in the sets life. I know that after a year on the Sammy my concerns about IR and Burn in no longer existed. I am expecting the same on the Panny.

The VT50 is a great set but I also think the Maserati comparison may be a little extreme.

I can't emphasize enough that you just need to be smart with plasma early. Once the set has a bunch of hours on it you can relax a bit. After a year all your concerns will fade

I purchased my VT50 to replace a set that was used 6± hours everyday. Even more on the weekend.

I expect the VT50 to do an even better job.

Thank you for clearing up the confusion I had about the auto calibration on the VT50. I think plan C is the best option for me.

doesn't make any sense what you write here...

in general, you want the best TV for ANY given signal source... what you feed the TV is (obviously) personal preference, but you want the best possible picture, that hopefully - after calibration - is as close as possible as the source was mastered...

video games - for the last few years already - have way higher budgets than movies, they are a major part of the entertainment industry... and obviously you wanna enjoy ALL of your entertainment on the best possible screen...

all scenes in all video games are COLOR GRADED - ALL - which can't be said for some movies... the imagery you get in some video games nowadays on a calibrated screen is unreal...

lag on the VT50 is okay (for a non-pro approach), better than other screens - if you play competitively online, I would definitely go straight into the TV, avoid any other devices in your chain to minimize lag as much as possible...
Edited by Iron Mike - 12/7/12 at 7:02pm

+1.

Forza on my 65VT50. YUM.

I even get crazy sometimes and run HDMI from my PC to the TV so I can play some of my PC games on it.

If I had that Maserati - I'd drive it down the darn driveway just to get the mail.

Ok, so do I have another dud VT50? First one had two dead pixels and then devleoped a flashing green pixel. However, the overall picture quality on that set was way better then the one I have now. The one now, HD/BluRay the picture looks very soft. Now my issues, the first issue was with the banding or vertical lines. My screen is full of them. If I look at the tv up close, I can see these vertical lines, all across the screen, going all the way down the screen. Maybe about 8 to 10 of them in total. Then there is the right side faint banding. Neither of these issues were on the first VT50. Now I'm starting to notice the screen flickering when darker scenes of shows are on. This is happening on gaming, satellite, and Bluray, three different inputs. First I thought it was a source problem with the satelltie. However, the other night I watched the Dark Knight Rises on my other Panasonic plasma, then checked out a few scenes on the VT50 today and there was constant flickering/flashing in the picture. This was not observed on my other Panasonic plasma, or even on the other VT50. This is really starting to sound like another lemon. Panasonic has sent in order to replace the A board on the tv. I'm not sure that's going to do anything to help solve these issues. I'm hoping it does, but if not, I'm hoping they'll replace it again. Seriously, I would rather still have the flashing green pixel set then this one. If they don't do anything, I guess I keep it for a year or two, see what the next line of Panasonics are like, and use my dealers extended warranty where they will replace it with a new tv if there are issues, no questions asked, after the original warranty expires.

Congrats.

What you are planning is fine, if you want you can view a letter box movie and then two full screen movies. You probably don't need to turn it off for anymore than two hours a day, if it is well vented and there is someone to peak in to make sure your images haven't locked up.

Also if you back light your display make sure you use a very dim 65K bulb and be vary careful on were you place the bulb behind your display. The reason is because the light from a bias bulb can be seen on your screen or cause the picture to look a little washed out.

ss

Man this is rich. If you ever get a Maserati can I ride shotgun to the mail box?

I own a Mastercraft X45 wakeboard boat so that shows how wisely I spend money LOL.. Anyone that owns a boat can't be right.. The 65ES8000 is the only other screen that seems to be worth spending money on. (excluding the sony just because of the cost). I am going to send some emails out tomorrow so if I can get it for the same price as the people in the deal thread I will pick up the VT50 and try it out.

As for the car.. agree if I had a ferrari or whatever I would drive it every chance I got.

Which settings are better or what settings do you guys recommend?

Only if you promise to pay any bills you find

That's what I did with my Pio Elite 151fd pro. Ran it straight through for 6 days with no problems. 3 years later my Elite has been top shape since then. Planning on doing the same thing with my 65VT50 when it arrives..

Hey guys, I am looking to buy the TC-P55VT50. Does anyone know where to find the best price? Is below 1800 possible?