[kylequest]

This is my 1st time calibrating my tv with any equipment other than a DVE disk. I bought the CalMan Color Munki system. Using it on a TH-50PZ800u and seem to be getting pretty good results.


I'm at a point of really getting into the service menu and hitting a snag. I noticed the image significantly shifts in brightness and saturation depending on what sub-menu I'm in. How can I calibrate it if simply going from the White balance menu to the Saturation or tint sub-menu shifts the output so much? Is this normal behavior?


I know it's a very popular set so I'm hoping others might have had some experience with this.


Thank you!

 

[MountainMan10]

What you describe is normal.


Also the TV is probably going into Vivid mode when you enter the service menu. One of the buttons will change the mode back to Cinema. I have a different Panasonic. Don't know if the key is the same. I think it is 7 on mine. Anyway there is a prompt. But it doesn't really matter. The settings are for the temperature not the display mode, and the temperature selection shouldn't change.


Unfortunately, any menu on the screen changes things. So you can't take a real measurement with a menu displayed. It is a slow process. You need to do this:


1. Take a measurement.

2. Go into the service menu. Select the correct screen. Make a change.

3. Exit the service menu.

4. Turn the TV back on. Wait for it to turn on.

5. Take another measurement.

6. Rinse and repeat.


You might try making a very large change and noting the result. Then make a very large change the other way and note the result. After that you should be able to estimate the required change.

 

[kylequest]

Thank you for the insight. I did catch the service menu defaulting to Vivid when entering it. I switched to picture style 1st, then did my calibrating while still in the service menu. Was irked to see the measurements that far off after power cycling.


I have no idea why using the menu should shift the image so drastically. But, now I now why it's such a pita!!

Next bit of fun will come to calibrating the HTPC connected to the set too! I had really poor results thus far. In THX mode I couldn't even get 80cd/m2 out of the tv! The color munki software isn't using a windowed test pattern. I've read using full screen test patterns will be an issue in testing luminance.


After all this will be 3rd party ink on the system, yippee! I know what I'l be doing ALL weekend