PANASONIC 65" 1080p PLASMA (TH-65PF9UK) Owners Thread - Page 5

It doesn't really help too much, since no current video processor is outputting HD-SDI. We'd need a DVI/HDMI -> HD-SDI converter, which costs quite a lot of money. And the Panasonic HD-SDI blade is not cheap, either.

What we want is a HDMI or DVI blade with native rate in with 24Hz, 48Hz, 50Hz and 60Hz support. For all models, 768p and 1080p.

HD-SDI isn't HDCP compliant IIRC so it's a moot point anyways

Madshi,
Actually this was a question I had. Are you postivie that the Crystalio 3800 does not output HDSDI?

It's not moot if you are going out from your source via SDI, which is already possible with DVD players and starting to be possible with some DSTBs (at least SKY in the UK--I haven't heard about any such mods to US boxes unfortunately).

There is a special edition of the CII available with HD-SDI output - but you can get it only in combination with a high-end projector. PixelMagic doesn't sell this CII special edition seperately, AFAIK. The normal CII 3800 definitely doesn't output HD-SDI.

Hmm. I wonder if I could negotiate with PMS. Is there a thread on this over on PMS? I missed it if it is there. Also do you know if I'd have to swap the entire unit or if it is just a snap in board. thx

But your not. The advantage talked about was having 1080p24 support that will only come in handy with HD-DVD and Blu-Ray. These sources won't output through SDI and even an expensive converter won't negate the need for HDCP compliance.

I don't know for sure but I think that HDCP encryption is only activated if you are outputting via DVI or HDMI, not SDI. So if someone can mod the HD/BR DVD players, I think you can get around HDCP. I know this works for SD. I currently have an SDI-modded DVD player and I'm going into my PDP via RGBVH with no problem. Personally I don't care at all about pirating HD content. I just think that SDI is a better connection because the HDCP implmenetation in HDMI/DVI is often so kluged and inconsistent across devices that it creates all sorts of unnecessary headaches for the end user.

I don't know. Better just ask PixelMagic.


(1) The Toshiba HD-DVD player can be HD-SDI modded.
(2) Even if you don't do (1), you can still use a HDCP stripper box and then a HDMI -> HD-SDI converter box afterwards.

Of course this is all rather expensive.

especially since it makes more sense for panny (or any display manufacturer) to just add in 1080p24 (or 768/24) as a supported input. Of course I'd prefer they could also display at 24/48/72 whatever instead of taking in a 24p signal and then doing 3:2 pullup to 60p. Even though with a 1080p/24 source this should be able to be done losslessly, there are steps in both the player and the TV that could screw this up somehow. I find it very ironic that the goal is to get a less molested signal that should be the easiest thing to output, but the legacy of NTSC 60Hz (and PAS 50Hz) jacks up everything (or at least makes most off the shelf/internal processing circuits be optimized to assume this display rate/duty cycle).

There are a lot of things that we end users think make sense that the manufactuers don't do. For example why do they make us buy external video processers instead of putting really good deinterlacers and scalers in their units? Or why has it taken so long for them to acknowledge that there is a place called Europe with a lot of affluent consumers who need 50hz? I'm sure there are explanations. In any case, don't hold your breath for what you think makes sense to be implemented.

Does anyone know what the MSRP for the TH-65PF9UK will be?

10K. Check out Visual Apex. They are selling them.

- Rich

YOu mean no 1080p over HDMI. I thought it did 1080p60 over HDMI.

This is the commercial plasma thread, this one doesn't have any HDMI inputs.

If I understand correctly, there will be a new HDMI terminal board for the commercial that will handle 1080p. For now the DVI board, which comes with the unit, will handle 1080p60.

Since the DVI blade comes with the set, I thought I'd ask the following question:

Is there any disadvantage to using an HDMI --> DVI converter so that you can just use the DVI blade that comes with the set? Is there any difference between this and buying the HDMI blade that isn't out yet?

-
guys - exciting stuff -
any pics of what your beasts look like out of the box ?

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For now there is no disadvantage since there is no source material in 10-12 bit which only HDMI can handle.

Why does the 65PF9UK cost as much as the 65PX600U?

I think it actually costs more. The question has been raised here but no one seems to know why the pattern has been reversed with the 1080ps (for all the previous generations, the commercial costed less than the consumer).

BTW... is it true the 9UK 1080p series supports a contrast ratio of up to 10000:1 while the 600Us max. is 5000:1, why? Is this because the 9UKs don't have internal tuners? We may be "forced" to buy a commercial monitor, with fewer features but the same price as the consumer series, in order to achieve the best picture.

Well it does say in the specs that the CR is 10k but I think this is dynamic for one thing. So that just means it peaks at that level but I don't even know if any of those advertised CRs are accurate. CR has become such a selling point that everyone is trying to cheat to make theirs look more attractive to potential consumers. There has been some discussion here that the 65s have lower CR than smaller, older models and there has been some speculation that the PF65 probably has CRs equivalent to 7th or 8th gen smaller PDPs. This is consistent with the pattern we saw in older gens where the bigger sizes had lower CR. The basic idea is that there are more pixels and somehow this creates a problem with the pre-charge that affects CR.

But why are the specs different between the same manufacturer's own 1080p PDPs? I remember this blurb from CNET per CES 2006:


"the PRO-FHD1 will not be equipped with any sort of tuning capability... tuners were omitted from the first generation version... to reduce interference that may result from having RF circuitry inside the panel itself"

Sorry but I can't help with that question. One point: Weren't the CRs the same between the Panny consumer and commercial versions in the previous gens? If so, then the argument that somehow the tuner has an effect is probably not correct.

I think we are at the point where the volume product is the consumer version. The professional series is for different markets. Personally, I hope this changes.

Concerning 10000:1, have you seen Panasonic specification with this number or just the VA web site?

- Rich

Depends on which features you consider noteworthy. The commercial has more flexibility in terms of inputs and has more picture controls. The consumer has the tuner but most people have cable so what is the marginal value of a second tuner? Ditto with speakers. Are there really many people who will buy one of these without a surround system? So why do you need two more speakers?

Good point. The manual doesn't list the CR.

Jack can you give more details on this in terms of what picture controls the UK has compared to the 600U? Since the Consumer 65 does NOT come with a stand or speakers it is more like a commercial version with the inputs included. But if one does not need all the inputs...just what is the difference. So, are the added picture controls worth the price difference?

Bob

Claiming a CR for substantially more than 1000:1 for any plasma is more marketing than reality (same is true for LCDs). Extraordinary claims for CR are ususally based on measuring maximum white level when displaying only a few white pixels on a black backgroud and turning the contrast to maximum to produce the maxium white output possible from these few white pixels, then measuring black level by displaying a totally black screen and then turning the brightness and contract settings to the minimum (or the the case of LCD displays, turning the backlight to it minimum setting). Such CR measurements have nothing to do with reality. While the latest generation of Panasonic plasmas may have somewhat better real world CR as compared the 7th generation units, which claimed 3000:1 CR but measured less than 1000:1 CR, I wouldn't get too excited if their consumer marketing dept. claims a CR of 10,000:1 and the professional products dept. claims "only' 5,000:1.

Ron Jones