Plasma Break-in Images

mrbiron

Does anyone use these on new plasmas?
I just went out toilet shopping yesterday and ended up with a new crapper and a Panny 55ST30. Very unexpected to say the least.
I've read on a few forums outside of Polk (Don't shoot, I'm unarmed!!) that people were suggesting playing a slide slow for the first 100+hrs with break-in images. Basically, just a bunch of slides with a single solid color each to help the plasma condition itself? Am i way off point with this or do some actually use these?

Any advice on this would be appreciated!

PS. I will post pictures of the new cellphone gaming chair if you all want to see it :cheesygrin:

drumminman

When I bought my Panny plasma 3 years ago, the suggestion was to not have anything on the screen (the the CNN crawling new feed) for more than a few minutes. Also, use just or zoom setting to fill the entire screen with an image, rather than allowing black bars. Also, settings were considered to be important. I got the "ideal" ones for my model from the AVS forum.

Other than that it was watch what you want. Plasma technology has come a long way in the last few years. Image retention (burn in) is not nearly the worry it used to be.

mrbiron

What i've read is that the first couple hundred hours are the most sensitive, then once the screen has properly burned itself in, the burn-in factor decreases. Again, this is all reading and never experienced. By the way, this is my first plasma so bare with me if i'm a little timid. :redface:

heiney9

I bought my Plasma and I "set it and forget it". No issues after a couple years. I wouldn't over analyze it too much.

leroyjr1

It's not necessary but it doesn't hurt either. Just be very careful with black bars and station logos. Use zoom it'll fill in the screen. Alot of people on AVS use the breakin slide to speed up the process so they can get their set calibrated. I've had about 10 plasma's over the years and never had a problem with burnin. I have the VT30 and it has a pixel shifter to help prevent burnin, check and see if your st30 has that same feature. If so make sure you enable it if its not already.

heiney9

I haven't done any of the above and no issues whatsoever

leroyjr1

heiney9 wrote: »

I haven't done any of the above and no issues whatsoever

Everyone else hasn't been so lucky. Plenty of threads on AVS where people have had burnin. Not as bad a previous years but if not careful it definitely still can happen. Panasonic has claimed it being almost impossible to get burnin but there's reports of burnin and other Panasonic related problems. Some company's are better than others.

chumlie

Never had a problem. Just watch like normal. New tv's don't have that burn in problem.

VR3

My old Toshiba plasma from like 5 years ago is still going strong... I have fallen asleep with DVD menu up and no issues - it "ghost" for a bit but then it gradually goes away...

leroyjr1

chumlie wrote: »

Never had a problem. Just watch like normal. New tv's don't have that burn in problem.

Absolutely wrong. Burn in is rare but still possible.

steveinaz

The big thing for the first 100hrs is to watch content that fills the screen completely--other than that, you're simply accelerating aging.

Image retention is a fact of life with plasma--but don't confuse it with burn-in. Burn-in is permanent, IR is not.

mrbiron

Alot of people on AVS use the breakin slide to speed up the process so they can get their set calibrated.

I had read this. i figure i can do this and then use "D-Nice's" calibration numbers to get it pretty close in terms of picture quality. Can't really afford to have someone come out and fine tune for a couple hundred dollars. I'm sure the average user doesn't even bother/know about break-in images OR get their TV's calibrated. We are the 1%! Gotta squeeze every penny.

Do we at least acknowledge a break-in period for plasmas where i should take it easy on sports or that damn TBS logo?

BTW, that VT30 is a boner-ific TV. If i wasn't getting married this year (damn monthly payments!!) that would have been my TV. Maybe if i hold off on my mortgage for a month :cheesygrin:

mrbiron

The big thing for the first 100hrs is to watch content that fills the screen completely--other than that, you're simply accelerating aging.

Basically, "Just watch the damn TV and stop being a p***y"....i get it! hahaha

heiney9

mrbiron wrote: »

Do we at least acknowledge a break-in period for plasmas where i should take it easy on sports or that damn TBS logo?

No, not an issue for me.

H9

steveinaz

Buy the DVE disk and calibrate it yourself. It'll get you 98% of the way there.

steveinaz

Some people "enjoy" their hobbies, other people are insistent on making their hobbies a chore. Skip the OCD slides and enjoy your new television....LOL.

mrbiron

Buy the DVE disk and calibrate it yourself. It'll get you 98% of the way there.

I assume i should wait to do this after i get some 100+ hours on the TV otherwise i'd be doing it twice?

No, not an issue for me.

Wanna trade TV's? This will take a lot of the guess work out of it and yours seems to be well established. I'll even include an S-video cable for good measures!

mrbiron

Skip the OCD slides and enjoy your new television....LOL.

I'm glad i left it in the box for the Pats/Giants game. Otherwise i would of had a broken new tv.

I could probably start another thread for this but i'm not going too.
Do any of you use an upgraded cord on your tv's? The only reason i ask is the stock cord is too short by 2' and i figured if im going to buy a new cord, then maybe i could put some balls behind it?

heiney9

Dude, do whatever makes you feel good. I was just relaying my experiences. It's a TV, not a piece for the Space Shuttle :cheesygrin:

Want to hear more blasphemy. I calibrated the picture to how I like it with my own eyes, not even using a disc or any other chart or color concoction. Imagine that :twisted:

Lol.....do whatever you feel is necessary.

H9

steveinaz

I'd do the DVE cal right away, if for no other reason than to take it out of torch mode. Cal is easy, do it again after break-in. My settings didn't change at all after a 100 hrs.

mrbiron

It's a TV, not a piece for the Space Shuttle

Son of a B*tch!....STOP YELLING AT ME!! :razz: LOL!!
Just covering all of my options. When you bought your first brand-spankin-new car, did you take it off the lot and tack it out as soon as possible?!?!...Probably not, baby steps man....baby steps :cheesygrin:

heiney9

mrbiron wrote: »

Son of a B*tch!....STOP YELLING AT ME!! :razz: LOL!!
Just covering all of my options. When you bought your first brand-spankin-new car, did you take it off the lot and tack it out as soon as possible?!?!...Probably not, baby steps man....baby steps :cheesygrin:

A Plasma TV is FAR, FAR, FAR from the mechanicals in a new car.

Again, gather your info and do according to what gives you a good nights sleep.

H9

mrbiron

I grabbed D-Nice's calibration settings

You wouldn't happen to have those readily available to send over do ya? Sorry, I'm lazy.....not gonna sugar coat it. :cheesygrin:

Joe08867

I have had the Same Panny Plasma for 4+ years with no burn in whatsoever. And I watch the same channels all the time with there little logos in the bottom corner. I do have it zoomed to eliminate the black bars unless I play a letterbox movie.

mrbiron

Again, gather your info and do according to what gives you a good nights sleep.

A hummer and couple of tall boys takes care of that.......exit to the woman i must!!!!...haha

steveinaz

Keep in mind, using someone elses settings is only going to "ballpark" it. Every TV is different. Spend the "whopping" $18 and buy the DVE calibration disc, and do it right. Just saying, why fumble at the 1yd line?

My assistant here in the warehouse was complaining about "neon colors/dark picture" on his Sony LCD. I took my DVE disc over to his house and hooked him up (BTW, the Sony has very good color decoders) and he is happy as a clam with the difference. It took me like 15 minutes. His brightness was way below cal standards. Remember, until contrast/brightness are right---color will never be right.

mrbiron

So to sum it all up....
-Don't worry about break-in images.
-A little calibration can't hurt anything.
-my eyes are going to be the final verdict.
-watch the TV!
-use zoom to remove black bars. Most common suspect if burn-in can occur.

Damnit Heiney, this will help me sleep at night and i just checked Amazon and "your own eyes" is not listed as a calibration DVD so i can't use that. How do i know you're not color blind????

Digital Video Essentials or Spears and Munsil or just D-Nice settings?

mrbiron

Digital Video Essentials
Fine!!.....ordering

heiney9

I don't use zoom to remove the black bars either...........I am such a heretic.

In all seriousness, I should get a calibration disc just to make sure I am not missing out on anything. But so far after almost 3 years I have no complaints about my Panny Plasma.

H9

heiney9

Probably just jinxed myself by mentioning that.

steveinaz

Only use zoom when necessary, for the first 100hrs. You're just trying to avoid bars for the first 100hrs. After that, set your aspect ratio properly.