[Nicksil]

Wow!


First of all, thank you all for the wealth of knowledge you have provided me while I lurked your forums for the last few months.


When everything was said and done I decided to shoot for the Panasonic 46PZ85U. Seemed like a great set and now that I have it in my living room getting all warmed up and comfortable with it's circulating RGB gradients, I am a believer as well.


I had a Sony Bravia LCD for a little under a month before doing some real research and finding what I really was after. There was just too much motion blur and not enough "darkness" to suit me. I basically put a list together of what I really want and I was led to this set. Couldn't be happier.


There's not much too this topic other thanking you all for the wealth of knowledge you provide. It's great!


I have a couple of question if you don't mind, however:


- Right now I have an SD card installed in the set running through just a handful of RGB's. This is basically all that I need for properly break the TV in, correct? Oh, and I also made sure to turn "Picture" down to 0 as well.


- HDMI cables. HA! Wow... So, just perusing the Best Buy shelf I see some 4' cable going for about $100!! Now, I know that Monster cable can be a little over priced, but come on, do these really make the difference? There is a web site out there that does nothing but cables for practically anything you can imagine. They have a 6' cable for a measly $10... How much of a difference in image quality would I see, honestly?


I think that is all I have for now.


Thanks again for all of the great information and I can only hope that one day I'll be half as full of the knowledge you all burden yourselves with that I too will be able to provide vital feedback to newcomers.

 

[sunil6784]

You don't need the monster cable. It's a waste.


Check out monoprice.com

 

[RandyWalters]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Nicksil /forum/post/15557890


- Right now I have an SD card installed in the set running through just a handful of RGB's. This is basically all that I need for properly break the TV in, correct? Oh, and I also made sure to turn "Picture" down to 0 as well.

Actually you should adjust the Picture setting on the high side to excercise the phosphors. Running it all dark just prolongs the break in process.

Quote:
- HDMI cables. HA! Wow... So, just perusing the Best Buy shelf I see some 4' cable going for about $100!! Now, I know that Monster cable can be a little over priced, but come on, do these really make the difference? There is a web site out there that does nothing but cables for practically anything you can imagine. They have a 6' cable for a measly $10...

$10 is way too high - Monoprice probably has a 6ft HDMI cable for half that amount

Quote:
How much of a difference in image quality would I see, honestly?

Zero. A $5 HDMI cable will yeild the exact same picture quality as a $200 HDMI cable, unless the run is really really long. This is the nature of a purely digital signal - you either get the signal or you don't. All my HDMI cables are el-cheapos from Monoprice, and i'm using a lot of em and i've had zero problems.

 

[buylongterm]

Congrats on your new purchase. You will really enjoy that TV.


BLT

 

[mariachi]

pics please

 

[JBDragon]

HDMI is a Digital connection, which means all it sends is Zero's and One's, or Voltage/No Voltage. Your either going to have a picture, or not. The Specs for the Number of Errors allowed for HDMI is so high, it could be 1000 times worse and you still wouldn't be able to see any difference. A good place to buy cables if you can wait a few days in MONOPRICE.COM as you can get nice 6 foot long cables for under $5 each plus shipping. All the cables they sell have a Lifetime Warranty, even though in all my years I've never had a cable just go bad.


With MONSTER and other high end cables, your paying for the NAME, for Advertising Costs, and to get their cables into Best Buy and other stores. Oh and to look pretty. I mean if you want to show off your fancy cables to your friends, MONSTER is the way to go. If you just want something that works and want to get your money's worth. Places like Monoprice.com is the better Choice. Hell I've gotten great Well Made, Lifetime Warranty Philip's Cables for example at Wal-Mart and even though your paying more then Online, if you need a cable right away, why not.


Check out this Link and click on the Video Link. This is one of many Examples.
http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/packing_the_deal/


This is also a good 3rd Party Cable Test.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/12177...able_game.html

 

[volsey]



Quote:
Originally Posted by RandyWalters /forum/post/15558312


Actually you should adjust the Picture setting on the high side to excercise the phosphors. Running it all dark just prolongs the break in process.



$10 is way too high - Monoprice probably has a 6ft HDMI cable for half that amount

Zero. A $5 HDMI cable will yeild the exact same picture quality as a $200 HDMI cable, unless the run is really really long. This is the nature of a purely digital signal - you either get the signal or you don't. All my HDMI cables are el-cheapos from Monoprice, and i'm using a lot of em and i've had zero problems.

Don't mean to be an ass or anything. But there can be a difference. It's not simply a "works or doesn't work" deal. I had a cheap hdmi cable, under $30, and noticed alot of ghosting on my LCD. Got the highest end Monster cable (cost plus 5%, so ended up being around $50) and noticed a world of difference. Not only was the ghosting noticeably reduced, but my colors seemed alot more vibrant. It was as if the colors before had been washed before.


Now it was most likely just a bad cable, and don't get me wrong I don't really see a need for $100 plus cables, but I'm just saying there can be a difference.

 

[Calcvictim]



Quote:
Originally Posted by volsey /forum/post/15559112


Don't mean to be an ass or anything. But there can be a difference. It's not simply a "works or doesn't work" deal. I had a cheap hdmi cable, under $30, and noticed alot of ghosting on my LCD. Got the highest end Monster cable (cost plus 5%, so ended up being around $50) and noticed a world of difference. Not only was the ghosting noticeably reduced, but my colors seemed alot more vibrant. It was as if the colors before had been washed before.


Now it was most likely just a bad cable, and don't get me wrong I don't really see a need for $100 plus cables, but I'm just saying there can be a difference.

what you are describing is a difference between a broken cable and a fully functioning one, the hdmi signal is digital....there is no distortion.


Off course sometimes zeros become ones and that is called signal to noise ratio but on a digital connection you would not experience this phenomenon, it's the equivalent of getting a very expensive ethernet cable and claiming that it makes your connection faster.

 

[Nalow]



Quote:
Originally Posted by mariachi /forum/post/15558690


pics please

2nd

 

[RandyWalters]



Quote:
Originally Posted by volsey /forum/post/15559112


Don't mean to be an ass or anything. But there can be a difference. It's not simply a "works or doesn't work" deal. I had a cheap hdmi cable, under $30, and noticed alot of ghosting on my LCD. Got the highest end Monster cable (cost plus 5%, so ended up being around $50) and noticed a world of difference. Not only was the ghosting noticeably reduced, but my colors seemed alot more vibrant. It was as if the colors before had been washed before.


Now it was most likely just a bad cable, and don't get me wrong I don't really see a need for $100 plus cables, but I'm just saying there can be a difference.

Well i'll be an ass and say you are a fool to (A) buy an overpriced $30 HDMI cable in the first place, (B) replaced it with an even more expensive and overpriced Monster cable, and (C) not doing even a minutes worth of research on how a digital HDMI cable works which would have revealed that your $30 cable was simply defective

Seriously, i have a large collection of the cheapest HDMI cables you can buy in varying lengths like 3ft, 6ft, 12ft, and 25ft on my own systems and have given several to friends and relatives and customers and none of us have ever had a single problem whatsoever. There is absolutely no difference in performance between cheap and expensive cables.


And there have been a few posters here in the past who had gotten grossly overpriced Monster cables that were defective so it can happen to even the most expensive brands.

 

[mpotturi]



Quote:
Originally Posted by RandyWalters /forum/post/15561624


Well i'll be an ass and say you are a fool to (A) buy an overpriced $30 HDMI cable in the first place, (B) replaced it with an even more expensive and overpriced Monster cable, and (C) not doing even a minutes worth of research on how a digital HDMI cable works which would have revealed that your $30 cable was simply defective

Seriously, i have a large collection of the cheapest HDMI cables you can buy in varying lengths like 3ft, 6ft, 12ft, and 25ft on my own systems and have given several to friends and relatives and customers and none of us have ever had a single problem whatsoever. There is absolutely no difference in performance between cheap and expensive cables.


And there have been a few posters here in the past who had gotten grossly overpriced Monster cables that were defective so it can happen to even the most expensive brands.

Everything that Randy said is spot on. I have a bunch of monoprice cables and been using them for the last two years without a single problem so far. A friend of mine came over to my place to compare his player (Blu-ray) with my HD-DVD player few months back and he brought his super expensive monster HDMI cable. Just out of curiosity we swapped cables and compared the picture. There was absolutely no difference in either video or audio performance. He was so embarassed for paying thru his nose for the stupid cable.

 

[Nicksil]

You all are great! Just great. Thanks again for all of the outstanding information. I kind of need a cable for this weekends game or otherwise I would be shopping online. I don't know, maybe where ever I purchase said cable from will allow me to return it later?

Either way, It's clear now. I had my doubts on the more expensive cables. I'm glad I referenced AVS once again before making another purchase.


As for pics... I did take a few with my DSLR while unpacking/setting up, but nothing as far as action pics. The images are still in the RAW format and I've yet to install my editing software on this new rig I just built, but as soon as I have all my ducks in a row, you all will have the pictures

 

[tspinning]

When I needed a cable for the first weekend w/ my new PZ85U and PS3 I went to Rento Shack and spent $40... returned on Monday when my Monoprice.com package arrived! 3 HDMI cables, 6 ft. each, total cost.... $35.00! (Shipped, from CA to Boston Ma in less than 5 days!)


Also, the Monoprice cables I got are AWESOME because they have a bit of stiffness to them so the can be routed at 90 degree angles in any direction and they don't go limp which made hiding cables around my stand so easy... anyway congrats on the new TV, enjoy it!


Here are the details on the cables I got:

High Speed HDMI 1.3a Category 2 Certified CL2 Rated (In-Wall Installation) Cable (24AWG) w/ Net Jacket - 6ft (Gold Plated Connectors)

 

[albert0373]

Lucky!


I just ordered my 46PZ85u yesterday off of amazon, got to wait a week for that beauty to come

 

[Nicksil]



Quote:
Originally Posted by albert0373 /forum/post/15565710


Lucky!


I just ordered my 46PZ85u yesterday off of amazon, got to wait a week for that beauty to come

The wait is well worth it, my friend. I've been breaking mine in for the past few days and last night I just couldn't take it any longer. I hooked up the cable and HD content for a trial run and it was amazing. I've very happy with this purchase.

 

[sunil6784]

IIRC, I didn't want to wait for an online order, so I bought a 3 ft HDMI from Walmart for like 10 bucks or 15 bucks... just in case you're in a bind.

 

[albert0373]

I meant waiting for the TV

I was at Fry's though oggling at the TVs for a while...was trying to decide between the 46PZ85u and the LN46a650. 120Hz looks horrible in movies and animation (takes away the 'movie'-feel IMO); only thing it's good for is sports.

 

[RandyWalters]



Quote:
Originally Posted by albert0373 /forum/post/15578254


I was at Fry's though oggling at the TVs for a while...was trying to decide between the 46PZ85u and the LN46a650. 120Hz looks horrible in movies and animation (takes away the 'movie'-feel IMO); only thing it's good for is sports.

Actually it's not even good for sports. Plasma is better for sports.

 

[albert0373]

Just got my 46PZ85u from amazon with white glove, my finishing touch to my bedroom HT!


Only one guy came but I was able to help him, so no matter. He helped me wall mount it too and allowed me to test out my PS3 on it.

46pz85u

Sony 7200dh

PS3

PS2 Slim

Sci. Atl 8300HDC

Screw those break-in images, I popped in Planet Earth in as fast as I could. Looks like my cables need some organizing too

 

[rob316]

I have had the the 46 85u for about 6 months and I love this tv, you will not be disappointed. I used the settings from this forum , I think it's called 85u settings thread. I used the settings for a month and then adjusted it to my lliking. I really did not change to much from my break in settings and the tv looks fantastic. I also buy all my HDMI cables from Monoprice and they are rock solid.