Plasma TV's assistance

byfthalone

I was just going to ask how many of you had a calibration done on your plasma tv's. I've heard is makes a remarkable difference. I know the demo units at work are awesome looking but would like to know how much you noticed if you had it done.

billbillw

steveinaz wrote: »

Get a DVE (Digital Video Essentials) bluray disk and calibrate that pup. "Cinema" will be your most accurate mode.

Good advice on DVE (AVIA is also good), but Cinema may not be the most accurate on that TV. Out of the box, THX mode is probably the most accurate, but you may think the image is too dark unless you watch in a completely darkened room.

I recommend searching for professional reviews of your model (usually different sizes don't matter much). Look for reviews that include calibration to find out the recommended settings, then tweak from there to fit your system using calibration discs.

If your viewing habits are always the same (ie: at night) then one calibration for a dark room is all you need, but if you watch in mixed conditions, you may want to calibrate one setting for night and another for daytime. You could use Custom for daytime and Cinema for night or something like that.

Also remember, calibration must be done for each input. Cable/satellite boxes are tough though because you can't play a calibration disk. There are ways around that though. If you have HDnet, they play some calibration screens at various times through the week. Another option is if you have a box that can stream video files from USB or network, you can find some simple calibration screens over at AVS forum and play them back. Good luck.

steveinaz

You'e right Bill, I forgot that model has a "THX" mode. My bad.

steveinaz

byfthalone wrote: »

I was just going to ask how many of you had a calibration done on your plasma tv's. I've heard is makes a remarkable difference. I know the demo units at work are awesome looking but would like to know how much you noticed if you had it done.

Honestly, I got such good results with DVE, I'm not even considering a pro calibration. The settings I got also work very well with my DirecTV HD box. On my TC-P58S2 I ended up with (understanding each set should be calibrated):

Mode: Cinema
Contrast: 72
Bright: 60
Color: 46
Temp: Warm
Tint: +10
Sharpness: 12

These settings were done through a Panasonic DMP-BD30 BluRay player, via HDMI.

tonyb

You have to play around with the modes to see whats to your liking. One thing though, keep it off the torch mode for extended periods. Will shorten the life span. I only use it sparingly like on a Harry Potter bluray, it's frickin' awesome in torch mode.
I googled the settings for my TV and compared a few from different reviewers as a starting point. One had it spot on to what I liked and it stayed there.

billbillw

tonyb wrote: »

You have to play around with the modes to see whats to your liking. One thing though, keep it off the torch mode for extended periods. Will shorten the life span. I only use it sparingly like on a Harry Potter bluray, it's frickin' awesome in torch mode.
I googled the settings for my TV and compared a few from different reviewers as a starting point. One had it spot on to what I liked and it stayed there.

To my eyes, nothing looks good in 'torch mode'.

Nothing beats a properly calibrated set. Black should be black (not gray), shadows have some detail, bright screens don't hurt your eyes, hockey ice should look white, green grass should not look neon, skin tone should not be red. There should be no color cast to the image. It should look natural, not 'eye popping'.

steveinaz

You should only use the mode with the closest 6500 kelvin/and most accurate color. High contrast modes (Game/Dynamic, etc) are typically waaay too blue, and crush white levels--losing bright light detail.

Exactly Bill, neon green grass is a sure indicator, as well as bleeding reds of either too much contrast and/or color over saturation. Colors should not "glow."

Sometimes a set that has been calibrated, will at first seem a little too redish/orange--stick with it for awhile, you're actually seeing white at it's correct level; it's just that most of us are used to cool (blue) whites.

Think of it like this, you can either use tone controls to get the sound you want, or you can leave them bypassed to hear the performance the way it was intended. Same with HDTV's. A set is either properly calibrated, or it's not.

cheddar

tonyb wrote: »

One thing though, keep it off the torch mode for extended periods. Will shorten the life span. I only use it sparingly like on a Harry Potter bluray, it's frickin' awesome in torch mode.

I think this is the first time I've seen anyone recommend torch mode as the best mode to view a blu-ray movie in. Torch mode gives up detail and accuracy to compensate for poor lighting conditions on showroom floors. You should never have to enter torch mode to see a properly calibrated picture with good black levels and color reproduction, which is what blu-rays should look best in since they're produced for that standard.

cheddar

steveinaz wrote: »

Think of it like this, you can either use tone controls to get the sound you want, or you can leave them bypassed to hear the performance the way it was intended. Same with HDTV's. A set is either properly calibrated, or it's not.

Too true. After seeing many lesser TVs, a calibrated Kuro can look a little dark with somewhat drab colors. Then you start to notice all the subtle details on the surfaces of objects and dark scenes because the contrast isn't blown out and the colors look more like the colors we see outside of TV pictures, not overly saturated.

ajanzalone

I have read & been told by my salesmen to download from the AV forum, burn in images and run them from the SD card to get a good burn in, for about 100 hours besides regular TV use .... OK ..
I am set up and did a test that it would repeat over & over in slide show mode, set to full screen... done ....

Question:
How long should each image stay on screen ???
I did a test on slow and it was about 40 seconds each graphic color but I have also a very slow & and 2 faster choices ...
any thoughts on image timing?

I will look in to the calibration after burn-in.
BY the way:
The "panny ST30" series has Cinema mode, instead of THX mode.

Tony

cheddar

This is not really "burn in". It's supposed to age the plasma pixels uniformly so they are less vulnerable to image retention. You can get the same results just playing movies that take up the whole screen (no black bars) for the same amount of time. So timing isn't as important as just giving the pixels lots to do with no static images.

However, companies say that modern plasmas aren't so vulnerable to image retention and burn in anymore. Not really crucial unless you plan to watch a lot of content with static images.

steveinaz

Just watch your programming and enjoy. Like Cheddar said, just select an aspect ratio that fills the entire screen for the first 100hrs.

Use "Cinema" then, it's the most accurate mode.

billbillw

steveinaz wrote: »

Use "Cinema" then, it's the most accurate mode.

Yeah, CNET confirms this. They actually reviewed the set.

ajanzalone

Qiuck pic

Yep that is my old polk 10's on the sides ... and my dogs sleeping pad on the floor lol

Tony

apphd

b2k34 reported

steveinaz

Sweet! I'm really loving my Panasonic--and my move to plasma. I miss quoted earlier, my TC-P58S2 was $1099 at Sears. You can see a pic of it in my showcase; the first 3 pics are my old Samsung 50" DLP: http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showcase/view.php?userid=51451

003

Get the Panasonic ST30. I know you're not interested in 3D; however, with the 2011 models (S30, ST30, GT30, VT30), you lose a lot more than just 3D support by going from ST30 to S30. For one, it isn't true 1080p, among other things. Highly recommend the ST30. I've got the 42" model , and it is wonderful.

ajanzalone

steveinaz wrote: »

Sweet! I'm really loving my Panasonic--and my move to plasma. I miss quoted earlier, my TC-P58S2 was $1099 at Sears. You can see a pic of it in my showcase; the first 3 pics are my old Samsung 50" DLP: http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showcase/view.php?userid=51451

Steve:
Thanks for you help
This is m 1st HDTV & Plasma ..... loving it

Tony

steveinaz

Glad you're enjoying it Tony.

ajanzalone

steveinaz wrote: »

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showcase/view.php?userid=51451

Steve... love the man-cave pictures

Tony

ajanzalone

steveinaz wrote: »

Honestly, I got such good results with DVE, I'm not even considering a pro calibration. The settings I got also work very well with my DirecTV HD box. On my TC-P58S2 I ended up with (understanding each set should be calibrated):

Mode: Cinema
Contrast: 72
Bright: 60
Color: 46
Temp: Warm
Tint: +10
Sharpness: 12

These settings were done through a Panasonic DMP-BD30 BluRay player, via HDMI.

Steve:
Other than these setting changes ..... are the advanced settings all default for Cinema mode ?

So Far I am over the 100 hours ... I am still in standard mode with CATS (light sensor) OFF ... and the Picture is very Clear & Realistic ...

I know I still will have to do the Calibrations to get it right ...
BTW: Factory default on my ST30 in Cinema Mode is contrast set to 100 ... a bit spooky ?

Tony

billbillw

ajanzalone wrote: »

BTW: Factory default on my ST30 in Cinema Mode is contrast set to 100 ... a bit spooky ?

Tony

Don't worry about that. 100 setting in Cinema mode is not the same level of light output as 100 setting Sports mode or any of the other modes. Cinema mode has the darkest look by far and is meant for watching in a darkened room.

As long as your whites are not overblown (and loosing detail) and you can get real blacks with shadow detail, there is nothing wrong with having contrast (white level) at 100.

Systems

you will Luv thie jet blacks on your plasma!

steveinaz

ajanzalone wrote: »

Steve:
Other than these setting changes ..... are the advanced settings all default for Cinema mode ?

So Far I am over the 100 hours ... I am still in standard mode with CATS (light sensor) OFF ... and the Picture is very Clear & Realistic ...

I know I still will have to do the Calibrations to get it right ...
BTW: Factory default on my ST30 in Cinema Mode is contrast set to 100 ... a bit spooky ?

Tony

Your model has some differences from mine, I'd look at the AV forum for more info--I don't want to give you bad advice. You'll need to get a calibration disk to really do it correctly.

billbillw

Tony, I wouldn't go by Steve's settings at all. That is a different set, different model year, different panel, etc. Settings for Steve's set might look terrible on yours.

Go to Cnet and see the settings they used for their review:
http://forums.cnet.com/7723-19410_102-525830.html?tag=rvwBody

Here is the whole review for reference:
http://reviews.cnet.com/flat-panel-tvs/panasonic-tc-p50st30/4505-6482_7-34468791.html?tag=contentMain;contentBody#reviewPage1

ajanzalone

billbillw wrote: »

Tony, I wouldn't go by Steve's settings at all. That is a different set, different model year, different panel, etc. Settings for Steve's set might look terrible on yours.

Go to Cnet and see the settings they used for their review:
http://forums.cnet.com/7723-19410_102-525830.html?tag=rvwBody

Here is the whole review for reference:
http://reviews.cnet.com/flat-panel-tvs/panasonic-tc-p50st30/4505-6482_7-34468791.html?tag=contentMain;contentBody#reviewPage1

Bill
Yes I agree ..... was just curious on the settings ... lol
I am just enjoying the heck out of it with factory settings ....
Thanks for the links ....

BTW:
I tried a .MKV High Res Movie file, (the worlds fastest Indian), on the SD card and it played .....
I guess I need to find a used AV preamp DAC, to feed my vintage Quad & Polk 10's

Tiny

ajanzalone

billbillw wrote: »

http://forums.cnet.com/7723-19410_102-525830.html?tag=rvwBody
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Thanks Bill:
I have tried these settings with the HD 750p Movies I played through the SD Card port using HD movies .MKV files format.
I am sure they will be good starting base settings for BluRay inputs, etc. on the ST30 series.....

Any idea as to what to call the little square "Digital Out" plug on the HDTV?

What would be a low cost way to hook my Vintage analog system to it?
I do not want to spend a ton of $$$$ on a high end AV processor ...

I would rather buy a HT setup at a later date ....

Thanks

steveinaz

It's a Toslink (fiber optic) digital connection. You'd need a DA converter (or a receiver so equipped) to use it.

billbillw

Yep, that's the digital output from the TV. An AV receiver is the best thing to handle that output since the receiver can decode anything that TV would output. Your typical audio DAC wouldn't work for the Dolby signals that come out of the TV. Most of them can only handle PCM audio.

Maybe find an older cheap receiver that has pre-outs, then feed the optical to the reciever, then feed your vintage system. Probably more hassle than its worth eh?

ajanzalone

billbillw wrote: »

Maybe find an older cheap receiver that has pre-outs, then feed the optical to the reciever, then feed your vintage system. Probably more hassle than its worth eh?

Thanks Steve & Bill:

i considered a used AV Receiver but not sure if they will accept a Toslink input ... and of course find a unit with a 2 channel pre out .....

how I long for the days of simplicity & TV's with RCA outs ...lol

Tony