[Zoltank]

Assuming the TV has been properly broken in:


Is it safe to watch a lot of TV in 4:3 mode which has the vertical bars on either side? Do you have any danger of IR in doing so? I know watching it in zoom will avoid this problem, but the zoom feature distorts the image.


I've also noticed some plasma displays use gray or white bars instead of black ones. What's the reason for this?

 

[omeletpants]

Here is another thread that discusses the same

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1105879


Plus you could check out the Master Burn In thread at the top of this page where there are thousands of posts discussing the same concept

 

[RandyWalters]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Zoltank /forum/post/15494543


Assuming the TV has been properly broken in, is it safe to watch a lot of TV in 4:3 mode which has the vertical bars on either side? Do you have any danger of IR in doing so?

It depends on the brand and model of TV, and how much 4:3 you'll be watching compared to full-screen content (like HD or zoomed/stretched SD). Some brands are more resistant to IR than others. Panasonic is regarded as the most IR-resistant, closely followed by Pioneer. I don't have nearly as much faith in any of the other brands' IR-resistance. About 25% of my viewing is 4:3 with black sidebars and so far my PZ700U has about 3,600 hours on it and there is no hint of burn-in. IR from 4 hours of 4:3 Speedchannel watching goes away literally within a minute or two after switching to full-screen content. This TV is like a tank.

Quote:
I've also noticed some plasma displays use gray or white bars instead of black ones. What's the reason for this?

It could be because some TVs have a Sidebar setting in user menu where you can set the sidebars colors from black to gray (or to various shades of gray like on the Panasonics), and also because the HD Tivos and some HD cable boxes and DVRs have selectable sidebar color (gray or black).

 

[Zoltank]

Just some information I found which I wanted to dump in here.


I talked to Samsung about the PN42A450, and they said the bars are always light gray and cannot be adjusted. They also said it's not recommended to use their TV in 4:3 mode.


Panasonic said the TH-42PX80U is adjustable from black through three shade of gray, and once the set is broken in, can be safely watched in 4:3 mode.


I will be purchasing the Panasonic this evening.

 

[Slabshaft]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Zoltank /forum/post/15498935


Just some information I found which I wanted to dump in here.


I talked to Samsung about the PN42A450, and they said the bars are always light gray and cannot be adjusted. They also said it's not recommended to use their TV in 4:3 mode.


Panasonic said the TH-42PX80U is adjustable from black through three shade of gray, and once the set is broken in, can be safely watched in 4:3 mode.


I will be purchasing the Panasonic this evening.

I have the 50A450 and the sidebars are adjustable between light and dark grey, but will not go to black. The dark grey is tolerable.

 

[jalmolky]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Zoltank /forum/post/15494543


I've also noticed some plasma displays use gray or white bars instead of black ones. What's the reason for this?

I've never seen white, but I have seen various shades of grey and black.


IIRC on my Panasonic I can choose light grey, medium grey, dark grey, and black.


To me black looks visually best because the bars blend in with the frame of the TV, however if you want to keep all resistors at about the same life, it is recommended that you set the side bars to med grey as this will mimic the effect of moving colors that the center of your screen is showing.


Edit: I just saw your comment about the TH-42PX80U. for what it's worth I have the TH-50PX80U and I really like it. Couldn't beat that bang for your buck IMO.

 

[ZJbrandon]

I doubt my Samsung PN50A450 is broken in yet, (3 weeks old), but after an hour or two in 4:3, I only get a hint of IR, which goes away in a few minutes of HD.

The comcast logo in the On Demand menu will also leave a ghost after only 5 min, however it goes away in a minute or two max.


very happy with this TV so far.

 

[JazzGuyy]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Zoltank /forum/post/15494543


Assuming the TV has been properly broken in:


Is it safe to watch a lot of TV in 4:3 mode which has the vertical bars on either side? Do you have any danger of IR in doing so? I know watching it in zoom will avoid this problem, but the zoom feature distorts the image.


I've also noticed some plasma displays use gray or white bars instead of black ones. What's the reason for this?

About half of what I watch is in 4:3 because I watch a lot of classic movies. I have had zero evidence of IR on my 5-month old Pioneer 151.


Gray (usually of a light to medium shade) is usually used for the sidebars on a plasma because it keeps the phosphors in that area aging at a more or less comparable rate with the rest of the picture. Black would not age the phosphors at all and white may be a little too intense and create greater aging in that area. That was the way it was explained to me, anyway.

 

[gce]

I've always wondered why the manufactures use gray on the side bars to protect IR/BI when on 4.3 but did nothing for the top n' bottom bars when the source was not 16.9?

 

[RandyWalters]



Quote:
Originally Posted by gce /forum/post/15500201


I've always wondered why the manufactures use gray on the side bars to protect IR/BI when on 4.3 but did nothing for the top n' bottom bars when the source was not 16.9?

Because any time you see black bars on top and bottom they have been added by the producers of the DVD or the broadcaster on HD so they are actually part of the image, not something introduced by the TV.

 

[gce]



Quote:
Originally Posted by RandyWalters /forum/post/15500512


Because any time you see black bars on top and bottom they have been added by the producers of the DVD or the broadcaster on HD so they are actually part of the image, not something introduced by the TV.

So can BI/IR be as much of a problem top n' bottom as it is side to side?

 

[StinDaWg]

God just watch your tvs and stop worrying. So sick of these threads.

 

[gce]



Quote:
Originally Posted by StinDaWg /forum/post/15500978


God just watch your tvs and stop worrying. So sick of these threads.

Then why do you post in them?

I am just watching my tv...just asking questions in here. I though this was a forum!

 

[4lpha]



Quote:
Originally Posted by RandyWalters /forum/post/15494865


IR from 4 hours of 4:3 Speedchannel watching goes away literally within a minute or two after switching to full-screen content.

Same with my 50" Samsung 650.


Image retention is not an issue.

 

[StinDaWg]



Quote:
Originally Posted by gce /forum/post/15501218


Then why do you post in them?

I am just watching my tv...just asking questions in here. I though this was a forum!

This same question is posted almost every day, and there is a whole thread dedicated to break in.

 

[JBDragon]

You get the Grey side Bars when watching true SD 4:3 content. If your watching HD content that's 4:3, it'll be black! When watching DVD, HD DVD, or Blu-Ray movies, if they aren't in 1.78:1, or 1.85:1, then your going to have top and bottom Black bars on your Wide Screen movies. Unlike the Theater that can adjust the screen size by moving the curtains, your HDTV is a fixed 16x9 format unless you do a front Projector setup, then you can do the same type of thing.

 

[jalmolky]



Quote:
Originally Posted by StinDaWg /forum/post/15501317


This same question is posted almost every day, and there is a whole thread dedicated to break in.

You always have the option of ignoring threads you don't like and letting people who actually want to help the OP post in them.

 

[sewerdog]

I am new to plasmas getting the Panasonic th46pz80u what is the break in time and what do you do?

 

[jalmolky]



Quote:
Originally Posted by sewerdog /forum/post/15514393


I am new to plasmas getting the Panasonic th46pz80u what is the break in time and what do you do?

You might want to check out the PZ80 owners thread. It is found here:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...ight=th46pz80u


I believe there is a link to the break in FAQ in the first post.

 

[PrimeTime]



Quote:
Originally Posted by zoltank /forum/post/0


]I will be purchasing the Panasonic this evening.

Don't forget: Last day of the exceptional Sears deal.

Quote:
Image retention is not an issue.

Congratulations -- maybe for you, it isn't.


But... Check out the recent owners' poll.