NEC 42" ED Resource - Page 7

Kudo's to Nec.

I sent a couple of pictures this morning and by this afternoon they agreed to replace the VM5.

Good for you Silvio. I sent mine in on Monday and I am still waiting to hear back from them.

Yep, good for you Silvio, and NEC.

I have yet to hear of any NEC pixel fault situations in which NEC did not satisfy the customer.

Can anyone out there comment? Just curious.

I received the replacement panel on Friday. It looks great, no bad pixels! (Knock on wood).

whats better to use, an XBOX with HDTV adapter? or a MCE 2005 machine for playing DVDs?

NEC is going to replace my unit. Thanks to forum member Tly whose post made me closely inspect my screen because if you are more than 30 days away from the purchase date NEC will send a refurb unit instead of a new one because it won't be considered DOA and I had almost went past that deadline. It appears that flashing pixels override NEC's policy for 3 malfuntioning pixels being within spec. Thanks to Bob Dosek at Plasma Concepts and all the folks in tech support at NEC who have been very helpful in resolving this issue. I am hoping for no problems with the new panel.

Tly did you resolve your issue with your replacement panel?

Since all you guys seem to have been running the VM5 for a while this seems like the most appropriate thread to post this in......

We are evaluating a VM5 (the one with AR glass) for use in our digital merchandising system for work. We will be using one for digital merchandising and dynamic menuboards, while another one will be set up in a dining area to display TV. We have had one of the new LG MU-42PM11 plasmas for about a month right now, but are unable to use this one in our application because of a depth constraint in the existing cabinet...That is why we chose to go with the NEC. We just got the NEC in yesterday, and after spending a couple of hours tweaking it: I must say the LG seems to blow it away as far as image "Pop" is concearned.

Now I know that image brightness is not everything, definately in a videophile world, but as far as our application goes...Eye catching is what we are going for. I have the two set up side-by-side, and the NEC doesn't hold up at all against the LG. I took a nits (cd/m^2) measurement using our light meter on an all black screen with a small white square, and we were only getting about 220nits out of the NEC, as compared to about 415 out of the LG. I tried jacking up the contrast, brightness, ect, but all the whites still look like a cream compared to the stark white as displayed on the LG.

Couple of questions:
1) Any official number that anyone has found in documentation on the brightness (nits) and C/R for this panel.
2) Is there something iI am missing as far as settings go (I've read the entire thread and didn't see anything)
3) Has anyone else done a side-by-side comparison with another ED 42" plasma and noticed the same thing.
4) I am also having a problem running 852x480 (which the documentation states that it handles). I am losing about 2-3 pixels total and cannot get it to fit. I tried all the different settings, sometimes forcing to do a reset all to get back to where it looks close to right.

Setup:
PC driving both displays using dual-head card in clone mode 852x480
Using VGA HD15 connections to connect to both panels
Same lighting conditions for both

I would say, even in a dark room I would vote for the LG, even if properly calibrated via AVIA or DVE. BTW, LG's claim to 1500nits and 5000:1 C/R is total BS.

Thanks for yall response, and any insight or suggestions would be great.

Brandon

Glad you got it taken care of WJB! I only hope your replacement is free of defects (unlike my replacement).

As for my particular case, I think I'm just going to live through it. It's FAR less intrusive than the panel it replaced. Only once in awhile do I notice it. /sigh - oh well. I still maintain there is some sort of semi-widespread issue here with these panels.

Good luck!

Been a lurker for many months on this forum andfinally pulled the trigger on the 42VR5 yesterday! Apologies for the newbie question, but I am purchasing component cables for the set and think I need one RCA-RCA and one RCA-BNC cable to use the two component inputs. Could anyone please confirm if this is correct?

Many thanks!
ds

Congrat dsavs!

Yes, you are correct about the Component Inputs. One is strictly RCA (3 of them) and the other is BNC (5 connectors but for a component signal you only attach to 3 of them). Just need to set it for Component (not RGB) in your menu.

Or you can buy just the connectors that convert from BNC to RCA (I paid 1.59 each), that way your component cables could be reused in the future..

Question for you VM5 owners. How does this display do in stretching 4x3 material. I am about to pull the trigger on this display and it is the last piece to the puzzle. Thanks folks.

Question for you VM5 owners. How does this display do in stretching 4x3 material. I am about to pull the trigger on this display and it is the last piece to the puzzle. Thanks folks.

There is a mode called stadium that stretches 4x3 sd material without it looking excessively wide (you know, short squat bodies...), very pleasing to the eyes!

My wife is very sensitive to the short and fat look on our projector. This is "her" room so the short and fat just isnt going to cut it. Thanks for the help. I have struggled with this decsion for WEEKS on which display and I am buying the NEC sight unseen so I hope it is as advertised.

Minge.

Struggle no more...in the NEC "stadium" aspect the stretch is virtually indistinguishable (IMO) from 4:3. I check for 'flaws' or "hints" all the time by flipping from "stadium" to "4:3" quite a bit--especially when I'm sure that I will see a difference (example, vertical telephone poles on the far edges of the screen)...but I am constantly amazed at the precision with which the NEC performs the stretch. According to their literature, they only stretch outside of a large centered-circle and then gradually and proportionately stretch to the edges. Just no not know how they do that!!! Some sort of complex algorithm no doubt, but the end result--no short fat people. no "curved" vertical lines at the outer edges of the screen--looks close to perfect to my eyes.

FWIW,
Jack

Yep, the Stadium mode is quite amazing on my VR5!

Another question for you VM5 owners. I am looking into stands and would you say the bezel is closer to charcoal or black?

First - let me say that this is my first post here on AVS. All I can say is ... this place ROCKS! I usually frequent another Cdn forum but I think I've found a new home here - you folks are great!

I am about to order a VM5 and table stand from Cendirect. I've done a TON of research on this panel vs the panny 7UY and I've decided to go with the NEC. One key factor in me is how the manufactures seem to stand behind their products wtih NEC winning hands down IMHO.

I'd like to thank JohnnyC and everyone else who contributed to this thread as it is - bar none - the most informative and comprehensive thread I have seen on any piece of equipment. I actually printed this thread out and spent most of the weekend reading through it. That said, I do have a couple of questions:

1. All: I want to purchase the input terminal cover as you will see that side of the panel from a chair in my HT room. I am having trouble locating this piece on the net [P/N PX-CVU2]. Can anybody point me toward a source for this cover?

2: Desjars: Sorry to single ya out bud BUT you are running the EXACT same cable inputs I will be [Rogers 8300HD box]. Can you please elaborate on what connections you are using on the panel and what type of cables you are using?

I can't wait to get my panel and get it up and running so I can start the tweaks and start contributing to this awesome thread.

BTW - if ya know anybody who wants to buy a gently used Toshiba 51HX83 drop me a PM or an e-mail - gotta move mine to make room for the VM5 lol!

Looks like charcoal to me. I have the Bell'O AVS 422T which is glass and dark (mat) silver. It is also about 1" wider than the PDP.

Bello website

Everything blends in very well, black center speaker, black receiver, black CD player, silver STB...

Nice stand Silvio . Bell'o has some amazing furniture all be it kind of pricey. The one I am going with is the AVS-4201A. I liked it as it is close in colour to the VM5's black frame AND it has three shelves so I can put my CC on the first one and components on the bottom two.

Only place I could find mine was from NEC direct. If you call them up, they should be able to hook you up. I got mine shipped for $55 from them. I am in the U.S. though.

Is there a way that you could post a picture of this cover. I plan on making mine in the shop I work at and it would be helpful to see what one actually looks like. Thanks, Wade

Thanks for confirming what I feared. I'll see if NEC Canada can hook me up.

I liked the 4201, but that first shelf isn't tall enough for my center speaker which is 8" tall. I really liked the AVSC-2103 (it has wood accents) but I couldn't find it in Montreal, even the distributor (in Toronto) didn't have any... All in all, I can't complain because the one I got was half the price, btw you have enough room to put components side by side on the shelves of the 422T.

Boardman, a store here in Montreal had a floor model 4201 to sell. Let me know if you need more info.

For anybody interested in the input terminal cover [p/n PX-CVu2] for these panels I have confirmed the only place it is available is from NEC Visual Systems @ 1-800-NEC-INFO. Price is U$50 / C$63 plus shipping which goes from U$5 for 5 day to U$20 for next day before noon. I'll be gettin'mine in 5 days .

I have my NEC coming next week. In an effort to squeeze as much performance out of it as possible I have considered purchasing an outboard processor. I have a couple of questions for you owners.
First, am I putting good money out for no return? Second, i will be running a D* HD Tivo and a Pioneer Elite universal player both through the component outputs. If I run these outputs to the scaler and then to the NEC will it be scaled twice or is there a analog pass through? If a scaler is a plus and will add performance which scaler would you suggest? It must be an easy to use type set it and forget it as this is going to be my wifes primary room. I have looked at the DVDO HD+ or the Pixel Magic Plasma Enhancer.

Thanks folks, I look forward to you input.

Minge
I have been using my VR5 with an older non-interlaced DVD player (Toshiba SD-1600) through component cables for the last two months. Replacing this DVD player was the first thing on my list after purchasing the VR5, but the picture was so good that I decided to wait for the new DVD recorders now just coming out. We watched Finding Nemo last night and I was looking for the artifacts that have been mentioned in other posts, but was extremely happy with the picture as the on-board scaler of the NEC is doing a fine job.

We have a Motorola 2XXX STB with S-Video cable that I was also planning on replacing and it looks just fine with SD material. Jeopardy is really a pleasant surprise as the set appears three dimensional, there is no geometric distortion, the lettering is crisp and facial features are well defined. As HD content is sorely lacking in this neck of the woods, I am content to stay with this STB for the time being.

IMHO there is no need for an outboard scaler, as the NEC seems to handle everything nicely by itself.

BTW, in answer to an earlier post of yours, I was concerned about the Stadium stretch mode as I am very sensitive to distortion, but can assure you that with few exceptions I do not notice it. If there is action or a face close to the edge of the screen it will sometimes draw my attention if the exaggeration is bad enough.

Boardman, sorry for the slow response. Haven't visited recently - too busy watching my panel.

On the 8300HD, I use relatively cheap Ultralink cables (Challenger series) for both my component and S-video connections. I use S-video for all SD programming. I've switched back and forth between component and S-video many many times, and while I would give an edge to component for colour vibrancy, the S-video connection just looks smoother on SD, with less video noise. Basically, as soon as the PVR starts outputting 480i (which is indicated on the 8300HD's front display), I switch to the S-video input. For HD programming (1080i), I use component. One thing I haven't done yet is try the NEC HDMI to DVI cable. I've been meaning to, but the picture is so good on all but a few channels, so there hasn't been any real urgency to do so.

Thanks for the response and the input desjars - much appreciated! Good news is my panel is due to arrive today . Bad news is I've been called out of town on business [leaving in a couple of hours] and won't be back until Sunday AND the Bello stand I ordered won't arrive until this coming Monday . No Plasma for me before I go away BUT what motivation to get home lol!

Thanks again to to everyone for the input and insight. Give me another week or so I'll be contributuing to this great thread big time. FWIW the DVE disc is on the way as well - it's gonna KILL me to wait 100 hours before I calibrate.