[newkid]

I just bought a bstock TH-42PW5UZ discounted slightly and want to get feeback from you experts so I can determine if there are problems with it that would prompt me to return it.


(1) Any physical or obvious attributes that would tell me the tv is problematic or damaged?

(2) I hooked up a Sony Compact AV System DAV-S300 DVD (no component outputs) to the tv's A/V inputs, changed the DVD's formatting to a setting called 16:9/4:3 widescreen, tried both "Seven Years in Tibet" and "Notting Hill" (which supposedly are 2.35:1 anamorphic DVDs), and am getting the 2-inch black bar on top and bottom of screen (even after using the different aspect options full & just). I tried the Panasonic Auto option and it flickers randomly between a picture having the black bars and a picture that covers the entire screen. Isn't it true that because the tv is 16:9 widescreen that ALL HD signals and ALL DVDs which preserve the cinematic 2.35:1 WILL take up the full tv screen (no black bars)...wife hates the black bars and asked me what DVD's I can play without the bars? I was told by Panasonic that it's generally not a good idea to use the Panasonic Auto aspect option, don't know why or what the option is used for?

(3) Assuming no problems with tv, is it a good idea to build a standard tuner for the tv this way: plug a "digital antenna" vs "a regular cheapo $30 analog antenna" into a VCR, then route either through A/V or S-Video output to the tv? Don't know if I can even find a VCR with S-Video output? I probably won't be getting any cable or satellite for a while.


Sorry for the long, maybe obvious questions. Feedback is much appreciated.

 

[dswallow]

(2) 2.35:1 will give you black bars on top and bottom. 1.85:1 won't. Well, 1.85:1 technically would, but I guess the tiny amount of lines that would be black just don't matter much since they're not usually onscreen. The screen is 16:9 which comes out to 1.77:1. Experience your plasma screen properly and get a progressive output DVD player with component outputs. The difference will be startling over what you're seeing now. I picked up a Panasonic DVD-CP67 5 disc DVD player for under $200 at a local store. I think there's a single disc version for about $100. The Panasonic progressive DVD players are very good values.


(3) A VCR's tuner is just going to tune only analog stations. Any VCR that's SVHS will have S-Video outputs, and there's lots of really cheap SVHS VCR's these days.

 

[Rysa4]

Hi. I was interested if you could specify what you mean by "bstock."

 

[rmcgirr83]

bstock is usually refurb or grey market. You may find that composite offers you the best PQ, better than S Video. You can do a search to see how many hours have been put on the set, WARNING IT'S IN THE "SERVICE" MENU. If you get into this menu you can really screw up your set if you don't know what you are doing (to the point of rendering it useless).


1.85:1 (anamorphic) will show all DVD's in full frame, with the 2.35:1 you will get the black bars (could use the "pos" button to adjust vertical though at the expense of resolution).


Try to get the Avia Disk and have it, under the advanced screen adjustments, show an all white (100 IRE) signal to look for "dead" pixels and then show an all black screen (7.5 or 0 IRE) signal to look for "stuck" pixels. This is also an excellent/cheap way to get the set to look pretty close to NTSC standards without paying someone $$$ to ISF your panel.


dswallow, I am perplexed as to why you believe a progressive DVD player would be better. If the unit is sent an interlaced signal won't it be upconverted/deinterlaced to progressive by the display? I understand the whole concept of sending the signal in progressive as that gets rid of the progressive to interlace to progressive "artifacts" which would, feasibly if you could tell anyway, improve PQ. Is there any other reason to get a progressive DVD player. I am looking, just for upgrading if nothing else, how is the CP67's PQ and layer change?


PS 2.35:1 is not anamorphic by non-anamorphic, I believe anyway. Could be wrong as this is not my area of expertise. Do a search on "anamorphic" and you will find a lot of information.

 

[Rysa4]

I was thinking bstock referred to grey market. If this is the case, then checking for dead pixels would be key since usually greater than 6 dead pixels doesnt pass QA. Use of the white screen is what I did to check.

 

[dswallow]

Quote:

Originally posted by rmcgirr83 dswallow, I am perplexed as to why you believe a progressive DVD player would be better. If the unit is sent an interlaced signal won't it be upconverted/deinterlaced to progressive by the display? I understand the whole concept of sending the signal in progressive as that gets rid of the progressive to interlace to progressive "artifacts" which would, feasibly if you could tell anyway, improve PQ. Is there any other reason to get a progressive DVD player. I am looking, just for upgrading if nothing else, how is the CP67's PQ and layer change?

Besides eliminating the need to rely on the set to reinterlace, a progressive output DVD player is also delivering the signal via component outputs, avoiding the compression (and loss) of some of the color information. You'll generally see a much more vivid and crisp display with a progressive output DVD player when you use the component output (or RGB or DVI if your DVD player so provides). When you use S-Video or composite outputs, you're still going to get an interlaced signal.

 

[Scotes]

As far as I have always known (and with respect to our company store) "B" stock is merchandise that was returned and has either been fully factory refurbished or just given the once over before being repackaged in what is basically a plain wrapper type box. "A" stock is first production merchandise and "Grey Market" (or "parallel import") refers to merchandise acquired and sold through non-OEM-authorized sellers in a given region.


If you have a "B" stock plasma it almost certainly has some hours on it - I would carefully check through the service menu and give it a run through with the Avia disc as suggested by rmcgirr83. If you have no dead/stuck pixels and there is no burn in of any kind present on the screen I would say you are probably in the clear. With the Sony stuff I buy at our store it is almost better sometimes to get B stock as you know it has then been given a run through at the service center as opposed to just put in a box as it comes off the assembly line.


Vince

 

[newkid]

Thanks for great feedback so far!


QUOTE: "You can do a search to see how many hours have been put on the set, WARNING IT'S IN THE "SERVICE" MENU. If you get into this menu you can really screw up your set if you don't know what you are doing (to the point of rendering it useless). "


Does anyone know how I can see the hours run on this panny plasma via service menu??

 

[rmcgirr83]

I sent you a pm, but be very, very careful as alot of these settings effect the eeprom (chip) in hexadecimal format. IF IT AIN'T BROKE, DONT FIX IT.