Panasonic VIERA Plasma. Worth it?
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Panasonic VIERA Plasma. Worth it?
Thinking of getting the inlaws a new TV. They've been helping out quite a bit with watching our son who has been sick quite a bit as of late.
Anyhoo, saw this deal at Costco. Decent deal? Good TV?
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product...at2341&topnav=
Anyhoo, saw this deal at Costco. Decent deal? Good TV?
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product...at2341&topnav=
S E L L
Joined: May 2007
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From: Modesto, CA
Panasonics are widely regarded as some of the best plasma tv's around. I'm on the fence about them because the picture quality doesn't seem as good as the Samsung plasma I saw at BB.
Maybe it just needs to be calibrated?
Maybe it just needs to be calibrated?
Pioneer used to be the best plasma tv maker. But, they've fallen in quality recently. I'd say if you want to go plasma, you'd be hard pressed to find a better manufacturer than Panasonic these days.
With Pioneer going, Panasonic is pretty much your only choice when it comes to plasmas. That being said they don't look their best under showroom lighting, they will look dull compared to everything else. Take one home, adjust it to your viewing conditions and voila!, prepare to be floored. To this day, I am still amazed how well my 4 yr old 720p Panny still looks.
is in Honda heaven
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From: Gainesville, VA
I got a 40" Panasonic Viera about a year ago and still love it til this day. Granted I haven't taken advantage of the Viera feature but HD and Bluray are really impressive in my eyes.
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Im really iffy about panasonic plasmas now after reading this.
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/p...a-hdtvs-but-q/
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/p...a-hdtvs-but-q/
Panasonic cops to rising black levels in its plasma HDTVs, but questions still remain
By Richard Lawler posted Feb 4th 2010 9:37PM
Over the last several months complaints that Panasonic's plasma HDTVs experience sudden adverse changes in their black levels after a certain number of viewing hours have been piling up in an AVSForum thread, and now that behavior has been confirmed, though not very well explained, in a response the company sent to CNET today:
In order to achieve the optimal picture performance throughout the life of the set, Panasonic Viera plasma HDTVs incorporate an automatic control which adjusts an internal driving voltage at predetermined intervals of operational hours. As a result of this automatic voltage adjustment, background brightness will increase from its initial value ... The newest Viera plasma HDTVs incorporate an improved automatic control which applies the voltage adjustments in smaller increments. This results in a more gradual change in the Black Level over time.
Especially considering many buyers purchased their televisions specifically for those deep black levels, you can see why a TV suddenly going Sammy Sosa overnight would be upsetting. One of the reigning theories in the thread indicated by poster & calibrator D-Nice has been that this is by design, but a flaw in the settings caused the large jumps (around double the brightness, as measured by several owners light meters) instead of a much more subtle change. So what now for owners or potential buyers? Without more details about what is going on and whether or not anything can be done about it, like CNET's David Katzmeier, it's hard to see how we can continue to recommend these HDTVs for purchase without knowing what they will do months or years down the line. The ball is in Panasonic's court now, a speedy response could do a lot to assuage the concerns of current and potential owners.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
By Richard Lawler posted Feb 4th 2010 9:37PM
Over the last several months complaints that Panasonic's plasma HDTVs experience sudden adverse changes in their black levels after a certain number of viewing hours have been piling up in an AVSForum thread, and now that behavior has been confirmed, though not very well explained, in a response the company sent to CNET today:
In order to achieve the optimal picture performance throughout the life of the set, Panasonic Viera plasma HDTVs incorporate an automatic control which adjusts an internal driving voltage at predetermined intervals of operational hours. As a result of this automatic voltage adjustment, background brightness will increase from its initial value ... The newest Viera plasma HDTVs incorporate an improved automatic control which applies the voltage adjustments in smaller increments. This results in a more gradual change in the Black Level over time.
Especially considering many buyers purchased their televisions specifically for those deep black levels, you can see why a TV suddenly going Sammy Sosa overnight would be upsetting. One of the reigning theories in the thread indicated by poster & calibrator D-Nice has been that this is by design, but a flaw in the settings caused the large jumps (around double the brightness, as measured by several owners light meters) instead of a much more subtle change. So what now for owners or potential buyers? Without more details about what is going on and whether or not anything can be done about it, like CNET's David Katzmeier, it's hard to see how we can continue to recommend these HDTVs for purchase without knowing what they will do months or years down the line. The ball is in Panasonic's court now, a speedy response could do a lot to assuage the concerns of current and potential owners.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
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Thinking of getting the inlaws a new TV. They've been helping out quite a bit with watching our son who has been sick quite a bit as of late.
Anyhoo, saw this deal at Costco. Decent deal? Good TV?
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product...at2341&topnav=
Anyhoo, saw this deal at Costco. Decent deal? Good TV?
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product...at2341&topnav=
Panny plasmas are top notch. You cant go wrong.
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From: Lenexa, KS
The TV still has better blacks than the best LCD after it rises...
This years V series (2010) has even deeper blacks as well. It uses new phosphors and a new screen design. (single sheet of glass)
Everyone is like "Wow my pictures is still great" but "F" Panasonic it's not as black as it was day one. While true the picture is still amazing none the less.
Get a 2010 model if you can... they're starting to come out now.
There is definitely an issue with the way they programmed the ramp for the voltage adjustment. The 2010's are still suppose to see the same rise albeit slower, but the 2011 models are suppose to be 100% fixed and even better than the Pioneer Kuro's in terms of PQ.
Last years Samsung has more accurate color out of the box; and even down the road a bit until Panasonic fixed the THX mode; then the edge went to Panasonic. This year the Panasonic wins all around. Color, Brightness, Black level and contrast. Plus if you get a V series they have improved phosphors in the screen.
p.s.
Also if you note a few people are trending their displays getting darker as time goes (lol, yes the guys who measure their black levels weekly). The voltage increase was suppose to be there to compensate for the panel wearing in during the 1st 3k hours. Panasonic made the voltage changes a bit too quickly. Time will tell if the display settles back.
Last edited by SiGGy; Mar 8, 2010 at 11:46 AM.
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From: Lenexa, KS
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It is overblown.
The TV still has better blacks than the best LCD after it rises...
This years V series (2010) has even deeper blacks as well. It uses new phosphors and a new screen design. (single sheet of glass)
Everyone is like "Wow my pictures is still great" but "F" Panasonic it's not as black as it was day one. While true the picture is still amazing none the less.
Get a 2010 model if you can... they're starting to come out now.
There is definitely an issue with the way they programmed the ramp for the voltage adjustment. The 2010's are still suppose to see the same rise albeit slower, but the 2011 models are suppose to be 100% fixed and even better than the Pioneer Kuro's in terms of PQ.
Last years Samsung has more accurate color out of the box; and even down the road a bit until Panasonic fixed the THX mode; then the edge went to Panasonic. This year the Panasonic wins all around. Color, Brightness, Black level and contrast. Plus if you get a V series they have improved phosphors in the screen.
p.s.
Also if you note a few people are trending their displays getting darker as time goes (lol, yes the guys who measure their black levels weekly). The voltage increase was suppose to be there to compensate for the panel wearing in during the 1st 3k hours. Panasonic made the voltage changes a bit too quickly. Time will tell if the display settles back.
The TV still has better blacks than the best LCD after it rises...
This years V series (2010) has even deeper blacks as well. It uses new phosphors and a new screen design. (single sheet of glass)
Everyone is like "Wow my pictures is still great" but "F" Panasonic it's not as black as it was day one. While true the picture is still amazing none the less.
Get a 2010 model if you can... they're starting to come out now.
There is definitely an issue with the way they programmed the ramp for the voltage adjustment. The 2010's are still suppose to see the same rise albeit slower, but the 2011 models are suppose to be 100% fixed and even better than the Pioneer Kuro's in terms of PQ.
Last years Samsung has more accurate color out of the box; and even down the road a bit until Panasonic fixed the THX mode; then the edge went to Panasonic. This year the Panasonic wins all around. Color, Brightness, Black level and contrast. Plus if you get a V series they have improved phosphors in the screen.
p.s.
Also if you note a few people are trending their displays getting darker as time goes (lol, yes the guys who measure their black levels weekly). The voltage increase was suppose to be there to compensate for the panel wearing in during the 1st 3k hours. Panasonic made the voltage changes a bit too quickly. Time will tell if the display settles back.
i am still saving up for one.
i think i want to go all out and save up for a V series.
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