Panasonic TH-50PX60U unacceptable picture quality / Options?

[DigiPaul]

Two days ago I returned a 3 week old Panasonic TH-50PX50U
and purchased a brand new TH-50PX60U. I decided to do this after reading
the impressive specifications for the new model, plus the additional HDMI
input it offers, huge contrast ratio improvement, etc.

Now I wish I had a time machine to go back, listen
to my wife’s advice, and leave the “old” TH-50PX50U hanging on my
entertainment room wall : (

The TH-50PX60U turns to be a nightmare, as I can’t watch
the distorted and unreal “clay faces” anymore. Faces
look cartoon-like most of the time, reminding me of some Photoshop paint
effects.

I tried all possible picture adjustments to fix this, even trying different
video sources, but I can’t. ( I watch mostly HDTV programming via Direct-TV).

From what I have read on postings, this problem must be related to some newer
digital process like the “Samsung DNIe Vision”. I don’t like it, and I cannot
believe Panasonic does not include a control to deactivate this setting.

Questions:

1= Can the service menu be accessed to disconnect or adjust the digital
(whatever digital) process this model has?

2= If I can’t fix this and have to return the TH-50PX60U, what other 50’ plasma
brand / models should I consider ? (with not fixed digital “correctors”, of
course)

Before purchasing the Panasonic, some people recommend me the Fujitsu
saying that the circuitry design and picture quality are the top (also their
price). Any experiences?

I’ll appreciate any help regarding how to solve this problem.

Thanks in advance,
Paul

[scherer326]

first off, dont watch it on vivid. the difference is like night and day.

[NathanC]

Nope, you're doing something wrong. Either you left it in vivid, have the settings way too high, or are using bad sources.

[TyTimp]

Maybe a defective unit? If you were happy with the PX50 PQ then you should be happy with the PX60. Just return it for the PX50 then.

[assJack1]

Sounds like someone is watching VIVID mode. This is a leading cause of quantization (or clay face as you call it).

[RandyWalters]

I use Vivid on my 42PX50U and i never get Clayface.

[plazman]

[QUOTE=DigiPaul]Two days ago I returned a 3 week old Panasonic TH-50PX50U
and purchased a brand new TH-50PX60U. I decided to do this after reading
the impressive specifications for the new model, plus the additional HDMI
input it offers, huge contrast ratio improvement, etc.

Now I wish I had a time machine to go back, listen
to my wife’s advice, and leave the “old” TH-50PX50U hanging on my
entertainment room wall : (

The TH-50PX60U turns to be a nightmare, as I can’t watch
the distorted and unreal “clay faces” anymore. Faces
look cartoon-like most of the time, reminding me of some Photoshop paint
effects.

I tried all possible picture adjustments to fix this, even trying different
video sources, but I can’t. ( I watch mostly HDTV programming via Direct-TV).

From what I have read on postings, this problem must be related to some newer
digital process like the “Samsung DNIe Vision”. I don’t like it, and I cannot
believe Panasonic does not include a control to deactivate this setting.

Questions:

1= Can the service menu be accessed to disconnect or adjust the digital
(whatever digital) process this model has?

2= If I can’t fix this and have to return the TH-50PX60U, what other 50’ plasma
brand / models should I consider ? (with not fixed digital “correctors”, of
course)

Before purchasing the Panasonic, some people recommend me the Fujitsu
saying that the circuitry design and picture quality are the top (also their
price). Any experiences?

I’ll appreciate any help regarding how to solve this problem.

Thanks in advance,
Paul[/QUOTE]
-----------

Are you still seeing clay face? did you get it on the 50U as well?

[DigiPaul]

Thanks to all you, but I am not watching on Vivid mode, and it is not
my particular unit since I went to Best Buys and the display unit does
the same.

I am very used to watching video signals in my job, but I still do not
know how to fix this (or if it can be done). I am sure it is a digital
process causing this that I see and the only solution is to disengage
it (if the unit allows it). Let me also make clear that for the first
3 days we did not notice a problem, we watched a movie and a documentary.
Then we tuned to Jay Leno and his face looked like a plastic mask. Started
changing channels and saw the same effect on similar programs or news
reports.

Anybody in the service business knows how Panasonic calls this process in
order to identify it in the menu?

BTW: here is a link to a video process by Samsung that seems to be similar
to what I see:

Thanks again,
Paul

[DigiPaul]

Sorry...here is the link to a video process by Samsung:

http://www.samsung.com/in/products/tv/technicalinfo/index.htm

[westa6969]

Some of the Sharps had clayface last year and I believe it was fixed via firmware and I bought the version after the clayface issue but that has been history since Sharp resolved it last Fall. Perhaps it's something similar but I don't think you are the only one that has reported the event but I do not recall it being reported on the 50/500 series. Hopefully you can do an exchange or a firmware fix is similar to Sharp's fix. Can you reset the panel? Perhaps a bad setting has been defaulted in the menu that you aren't seeing. Seems as if a reset should be avaible to default to it's original settings. Good Luck! :)

[plazman]

[QUOTE=DigiPaul]Thanks to all you, but I am not watching on Vivid mode, and it is not
my particular unit since I went to Best Buys and the display unit does
the same.

I am very used to watching video signals in my job, but I still do not
know how to fix this (or if it can be done). I am sure it is a digital
process causing this that I see and the only solution is to disengage
it (if the unit allows it). Let me also make clear that for the first
3 days we did not notice a problem, we watched a movie and a documentary.
Then we tuned to Jay Leno and his face looked like a plastic mask. Started
changing channels and saw the same effect on similar programs or news
reports.

Anybody in the service business knows how Panasonic calls this process in
order to identify it in the menu?

BTW: here is a link to a video process by Samsung that seems to be similar
to what I see:

Thanks again,
Paul[/QUOTE]
------------------

Panny does not have anything like Samsung's DNie processing which cannot be turned off. Usually, in the picture setting itself you should be able to see all enhanced digital processing options that you can turn off.

Perhaps it may be helpful if you posted your settings and compare it to others. I am 100% sure there are folks on this forum who own an Panny 60U series and have set it up so as not to see clay face.

I have a friend who has one and on one of the threads I mentioned that despite my initial reservations about the 60U, once I saw it in action in a home setting I was extremely impressed. I have spent a fair deal of time looking and evaluating various plasmas and the fact that I now find myself liking the Panny picture is because they don't show the artifacting or un-natural colors that I see in plasmas from other vendors. Now what is un-natural to me, could easily by natural and preferred by someone else.

In your case it looks like you will probably need to return your Panny and get another set with an image quality more in tune with what you prefer. My advice that after removing the 60U from Vivid to standard and cinema mode, if it did not improve the clay-face that you see I would be fairly certain that there is no setting that will impress you!

I would have said it may be your source, but you say that everytime you have seen the 60U you have noticed it. I have read others who have also said the same about the 60U. Appears to be a love-hate relationship between the 60U and the owners (with more love I assume :))

Sorry to hear that the 60U did not work out for best. Best of luck with whatever else you do end up with :D

[Oliver Dubin]

DigiPaul would you be willing to trade your 50PX60U for my 50" 8UK? It's practically brand new plus we live very close to each other.

[Isochroma]

I'm starting to get suspicious about Panasonic's new 60U series. About two weeks ago I was at the local Compusmart viewing their 42PX60U, and despite turning the sharpness all the way down, vivid mode off, etc. I couldn't decrease the clayface by more than about 25% from torch mode - it was still there in a very obvious way.

It seems the new 60U series has non-defeatable hardware sharpening. So if I was in the market for Panasonic plasma, I'd stick with the 50U or 8UK series. Looks like the 60U has jumped the shark (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jumping_the_shark).

[RicheyPoor]

[QUOTE=DigiPaul]Thanks to all you, but I am not watching on Vivid mode, and it is not
my particular unit since I went to Best Buys and the display unit does
the same.

I am very used to watching video signals in my job, but I still do not
know how to fix this (or if it can be done). I am sure it is a digital
process causing this that I see and the only solution is to disengage
it (if the unit allows it). Let me also make clear that for the first
3 days we did not notice a problem, we watched a movie and a documentary.
Then we tuned to Jay Leno and his face looked like a plastic mask. Started
changing channels and saw the same effect on similar programs or news
reports.

Anybody in the service business knows how Panasonic calls this process in
order to identify it in the menu?

BTW: here is a link to a video process by Samsung that seems to be similar
to what I see:

Thanks again,
Paul[/QUOTE]
Paul,
Turn the sharpness to -15 on Standard mode (lower if need be). I set my friends there and he has no clayface on a 50PX60U. BYW: When I was first shopping for a plasma (I have a 500U) I saw clayface on every 50U/500U Panasonic I saw. I couldn't believe everyone (on this forum) was so thrilled with this set. I even posted something about it (one of my first posts) but no one replied. Finally I got hold of a remote at CC and saw how good they could look. Give this a try...

[Shinraven]

turning the sharpness to -15 should solve a ton of clayface issues. I once ask the BB guys why are the tvs on the floor not tweaked to show them in the best light, he replied they try to leave all at factory default.

pany factory defaults are horibble.

try these settings.

Picture +12
Brightness +5
Color -2
Tint -5
Sharpness -3
Color Temp: Normal
Color mng.: On

Video NR: Off
3D Y/C filter: greyed out
Color matrix: greyed out
MPEG NR: Off
Black Level: Light

these were posted by a another user from this forum and I used them on my sister in law new pany x60U. she loves it

[DigiPaul]

Many thanks to RicheyPoor, Shinraven, and to all you.

You are right RicheyPoor, turning down the sharpness to -15 and lowering the contrast
help a lot. And after visiting Costco and Best-Buy this past weekend and seeing that
ALL HDTVs display some sort of “clay face” effect at some moment, I have changed
my mind about returning my 50PX60 :rolleyes:

I may still need to get used to Direct-TV sometimes changing the compression ratio and
overall video equalization (for better and for worse…). Last weekend I grabbed
my photo camera to shoot some pictures to upload here (to better show what I called
my “clay face” problem) but I couldn’t find any program on Direct-TV
showing a picture as bad as a few days ago when I first
watched my 50PX60. My wife and I could not believe how much
better this Friday’s Jay Leno looked when compared to the same show the day before!

I believe this new 50PX60 contrast ratio,
color and sharpness surpass all other plasma
displays on the market today. The video response and the fact that it displays
more colors and far better gray tones linearity must create some sort of new
challenge to the not always perfect HDTV programming available today, and
because of this (like several people advised me here), picture values must be lowered
to extremes we are not used to.

I’m uploading 2 pictures I took during the last Friday Jay Leno show, as I believe
they show the big difference when lowering just the sharpness and contrasts parameters.

When tweaked, this 50PX60 displays an impressive quality picture. I watched a Discovery HD
documentary and an ESPN soccer game and it was better than being there.

My indicial disappointment was product of the high default video settings
(I still can’t believe the *Vivid* one!) and the uneven quality of DirecTV lately.

I have a couple of weeks to return my 50PX60 if I decide to, but I’m happy with it now.
There is still something about the black level adjustment that I can’t figure out, the
“light” seems sometimes too light, and “dark” goes to the other extreme to my taste.

I’ll also order the service manual, just in case there is any tweaking available
and buried under names or codes impossible to identify by now.

Thanks again to all you, and Ill let you know if I learn something new to share.

Regards,
Paul

[IamAnoobieCheez]

That picture you posted looks like the Panny 60 series are displaying like Pioneer! I certainly don't mind "vividness". Black levels are ultimately important, but I like vivid colors more than natural color. It's very refreshing. Are you still working on the blacks? How are blacks on default? It should be good, no? Or maybe you can't tell because vividness is bothering your eyes. Turn down the vividness and check out the blacks. Once you confirmed the blacks are good, jack up that color!!! Stong colors and brightness gives more "life".

Think twice before you return the TV... This TV "could" turn out to be better. There's old saying "Good things happen to those who wait", which is similar to "Good things happen to those who have pain now".

[RicheyPoor]

[QUOTE=DigiPaul]Many thanks to RicheyPoor, Shinraven, and to all you.

You are right RicheyPoor, turning down the sharpness to -15 and lowering the contrast help a lot...
...When tweaked, this 50PX60 displays an impressive quality picture. I watched a Discovery HD documentary and an ESPN soccer game and it was better than being there.

There is still something about the black level adjustment that I can’t figure out, the
“light” seems sometimes too light, and “dark” goes to the other extreme to my taste.

I’ll also order the service manual, just in case there is any tweaking available
and buried under names or codes impossible to identify by now.

Thanks again to all you, and Ill let you know if I learn something new to share.

Regards,
Paul[/QUOTE]Paul,
I'm glad you're now happy with the set. To properly adjust your Brightness (black level) and Picture controls I'd invest in a DVE or Avia DVD. With those set properly I think you'll be even more impressed. Good luck with your new TV!

[soncomet]

I just saw a 42PX60U at my local frys. I had previously seen the 50" model at best buy, and thought it looked awful since it was in vivid mode and I couldn't change it. After playing around with the 42PX60U I managed to get a picture that I thought looked very nice. I turned off all the color management and noise reduction and used cinema mode with all the other settings adjusted to what looked best to me. Vivid looked horrid to me, Standard looked ok, but cinema looked by far the best to me (atleast on the smallville they had playing). I could see the clayface and extreme graininess issues in Vivid, but once I set up cinema mode things looked great to me.

[Shinraven]

its a real shame that panasonic sends out these tvs in this default crap +15 sharpness. My sister in law was shocked how good the tv looked once i tweaked.

glad it worked out for you. if you find any new cool settings, please share.

[Elemental1]

Man...my 500u blows that away. You must have a terrible quality feed. Even Pioneers don't look that bad ;)

[gmwedding]

Form time to time, I see clayface on analog SD channels with a poor signal. In our case, it usually seems to be the quality of the feed that Comcast receives from the channel-provider...

[optivity]

[color=magenta]Panasonic made significant changes to it's video processor for the PX60U series, perhaps an improperly adjusted display has an increased propensity to render a clay face like picture?[/color]

"Viera's V-Real Technology

V-Real is the collective name for Panasonic's innovative picture-enhancing technologies. Proud to produce Viera's key devices in-house, from processor to driver to panel. Panasonic ensures the very best in plasma performance. The V-Real processor processes the raw video signal it receives, outputting an incredibly high-quality signal recognised by the driver.

Crisp and Clear images made possible with V-Real

The PX60 range includes a new digital processing chip-set which processes the HD video signal in its original condition, without down conversion. Meanwhile, the Digital Re-Mastering Processor up-converts standard definition video signals to provide highly expressive images with exceptional detail.

Thanks to V-Real Gamma Control, maximum 11.5 bit video processing makes it possible to reproduce an outstanding 29 billion colours with 3,072 equivalent steps of gradation. The picture noise and black blocking that occur with insufficient gradation is suppressed even in scenes with intimate detail, resulting in rich texture to even the finest movie details.

Bright and beautiful colours made possible with V-Real

Panasonic's V-Real technology offers vibrancy and richness to blacks and colours. The Advanced 3D Colour Management System achieves precise control based on 3D management in the colour difference plane and brightness directions. Colour, brightness and luminosity are independently detected to produce the optimal quality in each, resulting in reproduction of colours that are bright and beautiful.

Panasonic's Contrast Management System optimises the contrast by matching it to the images in each scene. Instead of losing gradation by making part of the image too bright or too dark, this new technology applies just the right amount of contrast correction for each part of the scene."

[Aloy]

[QUOTE=Elemental1]Man...my 500u blows that away. You must have a terrible quality feed. Even Pioneers don't look that bad ;)[/QUOTE]

Hey Elemental, can you tell me the settings you watch tv at with your 500u? (i.e. picture, brightness, color, sharpness, tint).

You're like my forum buddy here since you're the only one that I know that has this tv other than me. :D

[Elemental1]

[QUOTE=Aloy]Hey Elemental, can you tell me the settings you watch tv at with your 500u? (i.e. picture, brightness, color, sharpness, tint).

You're like my forum buddy here since you're the only one that I know that has this tv other than me. :D[/QUOTE]

Sure. I turned down most of the settings for break-in. Check my photos in the photo gallery. I changed them a little since then because I am almost out of the first 100 hrs. I think I like cinema best @ +5, +5, 0 , 0, 0. By no means am I done with optimizing the settings but it does seem to look pretty nice even at these settings.

Edit: I think we should have a more detailed thread with only settings from users.

[scherer326]

please post that thread will the settings once it is made and only for settings.

[RandyWalters]

[QUOTE=Elemental1] . . . . I think we should have a more detailed thread with only settings from users.[/QUOTE]Someone already started such a thread several days ago but nobody has responded yet . . . .

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=672072

The master PX60 thread is also supposed to cover settings among other things so the topic is getting scattered among three threads now. :eek:

[Elemental1]

[QUOTE=RandyWalters]Someone already started such a thread several days ago but nobody has responded yet . . . .
[/QUOTE]

That thread is specific to the 42PX60 though.....maybe general 50/500 & 60/600 setting threads would be nice sticky's :)

[retlawv]

hello paul

I purchased a th50px60 on the weekend and had a concern of "clay" looking faces that I saw on a unit in a bb store. I connected on the weekend and am totally astounded by the picture and have no problems with clay looking faces on either regular definition sources or on hdtv sources. I am very pleased with my purchase. I am using the tv on its default settings and am connected to bell expressvu in canada which is the same as direct tv. Facial features look natural and I would have to examine my tv to see what the settings are but they are basically factory default settings. I currently have it connected via the component inputs. i will be connecting via hdmi soon so I will see what it looks like then.

[RandyWalters]

[QUOTE=retlawv]I purchased a th50px60 on the weekend . . . . . I am using the tv on its default settings . . . . I would have to examine my tv to see what the settings are but they are basically factory default settings. I currently have it connected via the component inputs. i will be connecting via hdmi soon so I will see what it looks like then.[/QUOTE]The factory default settings are way too punchy and intense to use during the panel's first 100-200 hours of life. You need to break it in properly by going into the menu and taking it out of VIVID mode (use Standard or Cinema) and turn the Picture setting and Brightness settings down considerably during break in. And avoid black bars completely, or limit them to very short periods until the panel has several hundred hours on it. This is kinda important.

[WhiteStallion]

In my store we've had upwards of 8 returns based purly on PQ! A couple I've personally saved, most have been swapped into a Pioneer unit. Something went a little wrong!

[plazman]

[QUOTE=WhiteStallion]In my store we've had upwards of 8 returns based purly on PQ! A couple I've personally saved, most have been swapped into a Pioneer unit. Something went a little wrong![/QUOTE]

Which store is this?

[Elemental1]

[QUOTE=plazman]Which store is this?[/QUOTE]

Hehe.....did you want to get one there? ;)
You would think that after a few returns, they might check into it being setting related. :p

[plazman]

[QUOTE=Elemental1]Hehe.....did you want to get one there? ;)
You would think that after a few returns, they might check into it being setting related. :p[/QUOTE]

They probably have a bunch of open-box deals :p

It's hard to believe though :rolleyes:

[cirob]

8 returns that's hard to believe :eek: IT JUSTY CAN"T BE :rolleyes:
The good Lord Him/Herself watches tv on a panasonic :D

[Elemental1]

[QUOTE=cirob]The good Lord Him/Herself watches tv on a panasonic :D[/QUOTE]

Didn't you mean Pioneer ;)

[plazman]

[QUOTE=cirob]8 returns that's hard to believe :eek: IT JUSTY CAN"T BE :rolleyes:
The good Lord Him/Herself watches tv on a panasonic :D[/QUOTE]


Ahhh. that was the store where they did the Panny v. Pio shootout. I'm wondering if the Pannys were brought back before or after the shoot-out :rolleyes:

[optivity]

are they for sale?

[caeguy]

I went to 2 stores yesterday looking at the new 60 series with the exact same results. I was very disappointed in the clay faces seen on both units. I'm really shocked that Panasonic lets these sets go out when they look so bad.

I currently have a 25 series Panasonic. No matter how hard I try, I cannot get clay faces on my set.

Is it truly just settings or is there something else going on here? Has the increase contrast ratio exposed a weakness in the circuitry?

[retlawv]

hello randy the display I bought has the factory settings at standard mode.. I do not know what you mean by vivid mode as that is not an option on my set. The contrast colors and brightness are all set at "0".. I know that there is this big controversy that sets should be set at certain level during break in mode but I am carefull that there are no static images for too long on the set, besides I think this is all hype as most of the stores abuse the sets by showing 4x3 images for half a day or stuff like that with no ill effects. i went to a costco that showed images at 4x3 for weeks and could not see any burn in.. in any case I am careful what I display on my set within reason.. It is a tv that is to be watched and not to be looked at not on.

[h00ligan]

well guys - i've got a wee bit of a problem. I have the 42 and i am seeing clayface. Of course it is worse with higher settings but i want to mention a few things.

First off, i'm not watching everything in cinema, it's just not bright enough, and doesn't show the benefit of the plsama with the popping image.

Second - yes the set is new

Third - I REALLY hope after i calibrate with DVE this gets better, or it will be retuned.

I've hesitated throwing the huge ass box away from my studio apartment due to this. The clayface seems noticable even with the settings down, although not as much.

Is this a trend with the new panny's? 42px60u is what i have.

sharpness of -15 did make a huge diff :)

[scherer326]

hooligan, switch out of vivid and clayface will disappear.

[blakjaks]

[QUOTE=retlawv]hello randy the display I bought has the factory settings at standard mode.. I do not know what you mean by vivid mode as that is not an option on my set. The contrast colors and brightness are all set at "0".. I know that there is this big controversy that sets should be set at certain level during break in mode but I am carefull that there are no static images for too long on the set, besides I think this is all hype as most of the stores abuse the sets by showing 4x3 images for half a day or stuff like that with no ill effects. i went to a costco that showed images at 4x3 for weeks and could not see any burn in.. in any case I am careful what I display on my set within reason.. It is a tv that is to be watched and not to be looked at not on.[/QUOTE]

This is interesting because I was thinking a lot about this recently.

I am refraining from 4-3 mode and have my bars set to light grey or whatever it is when I do use it, but for the most part I am using Crop or Stretch through DTV receiver (similar probably to zoom or fill through the panny?)

So yea I watched some basketball last night and the TNT logo with the scores is static, but at least every few minutes there were commercials and I would switch the channel around a bit too.

But what about movies? They all have bars on top and bottom. Can I not watch movies for the first 1000 hours? Because I have to tell you, with the limited amount of HD channels that I plan on watching, I can get through 100 hours but not 1000.

And I started thinking... if the first 100 hours is the real break-in period... why wouldn't the manufacturer plug the darn things in and run em for 100 hours before packaging? I am sure they test them at some point anyway but I wonder if they have some sort of anti-burn-in-screen-saver that varies the colors in all the pixels and just run em for awhile. If they don't do this, they really should because it probably would not cost must (electric) and they would have happier customers.

On another note - is there any way to turn the top and bottom bars on DVD movies to grey instead of black? I won't watch ONLY movies, but I am not gonna just not watch DVDs for the next couple months waiting to get through the 1000 hours.

[WhiteStallion]

[QUOTE=plazman]Ahhh. that was the store where they did the Panny v. Pio shootout. I'm wondering if the Pannys were brought back before or after the shoot-out :rolleyes:[/QUOTE]


LOL Most of you guys are pretty hard headed. Panny sells more then any Plasma in our store actually. And in actuality I like the PQ very much, I also do not tell a customer they are wrong when it comes to PQ.

I've had a couple like I said that i saved by adjusting picture settings.

I don't post what store i'm from on the boards it is bad business IMHO, however I will say again that the out of the box comparison we had did put the Panny behind the Pio in PQ based on customer opinion.

What most of you seem not to understand is that when a customer watches these sets, many never intend to go home and change the settings. Many want a better looking cabinet design. Some just want price. I am very comfotable selling either to my customers, both are amazing sets. The new Panny does seem to have a noticable Out of the Box PQ decrease based on last years model. Pioneer is hurting us for stock all year. :confused:

[thebigbezona]

[QUOTE=blakjaks]
On another note - is there any way to turn the top and bottom bars on DVD movies to grey instead of black? I won't watch ONLY movies, but I am not gonna just not watch DVDs for the next couple months waiting to get through the 1000 hours.[/QUOTE]

Unfortunately, no - the DVD is actually outputting a full 16:9 image to the TV, black bars included. The set has no way to know part of it is just black bars and which part is actual movie content.

[blakjaks]

[QUOTE=thebigbezona]Unfortunately, no - the DVD is actually outputting a full 16:9 image to the TV, black bars included. The set has no way to know part of it is just black bars and which part is actual movie content.[/QUOTE]

Bleh. Thats not good.

Guess I will download the break-in DVD. My only fear with something like that is what if I turn it on when I leave in the morning and it is working fine and then I get home and find out that something screwed up in the download and my TV was on bright white for the past 6 hours. I really wanted to break it in just by watching TV, but all the sports I watch have static images and the movies have the letterbox bars.

[scherer326]

I am thinking about getting my 42px60u ISF caliberated. I have definately over 100hrs on it.

Can this tv be caliberated properly or will it be a waste of money. The guy I have been in touch with has alot of references, many reviews and believes it can be tweaked to the proper settings.

I think the HD looks great but I believe I have an over saturation of green because I do see green trails sometimes when looking really quick or in a dark scene.

[dsilver668]

Well I think that having the extra touch if he uses a metter could help. Here are some settings I got off a different post that may help.
Panasonic TH-50PX60U Optimal Picture Settings
Picture Mode Standard
Picture +22
Brightness +8
Color -1
Tint -4
Sharpness -14
Color Temperature Warm
Enhanced Black Level Off

If you think it is worth the money by all means have them adjust it for you.
I don't own one yet. I have been a hold out, but after watching the world cup soccer matches on HDTV I can't live this way any longer!!! :)
Origionally I was looking at the Vizio 50" now don't cring please.. I am interested in price being the desciding factor. however based on price, I can get a first teir unit, the 50" Pannisonic for just a few hundred more. My wife doesn't care about 6.1 surround or how it gets cropped. In fact she probably wont even use my speaker system unless I turn it on for her, so having half descent built in speakers was important. I have an old Sony pre Wega flat screen 300 LB Bohemith!!! It is nice, but any HDTV unit would be better.. After eading reviews, and seeing some at the BB stores, I am siding to go with a Panny. Why?? It is now avalible at $1,899.00 from an online store, or another store for 2,300.00 with shipping. This is right in my price range, I get the panny name, and support that goes with it. Yeh I will pitch for the 3 year warentee, just in case...
I have an Xbox, non 360 I am diying to play Halo2 on.. :cool:
I can almost smell the plasma smoke rising... hehehehe

[snowmoon]

I'm sensitive to clayface, I just purchased a 42PX60U and after minimal calibration it thorws an exceptional picture.

Picture Mode Standard
Picture +18
Brightness +11
Color 0
Tint -5
Sharpness +2
Color Temperature Noral
Enhanced Black Level Off

[dsilver668]

I think that getting it out of Vivid mode and dropping the sharpness seems to do the trick. The settings I posted were from someone with a meter who caliberated it to the standard the color temperature to D6650K. Once you are close to this every other reading can be made. I honestly think for a real test between brands or in general you need to level th eplaying feild and set each one up acording to a color standard. Then you can view the other options and see how they perform. Panny has been in the plasma market from the get go so overall I don't think you can go wrong with them. You just need to remember these aren't tube tvs they need to be setup properly to get the most out of them. I don't have a meter, and probably won't get one, but since someone else did the work for me, I think I will be happy with suggested settings and then maybe tweak it a bit here and there to my liking.

[optivity]

Owners of PX6... series Panasonic PDPs may be interested in evaluating the merit of the latest firmware upgrades (v. 1.25/1.46) (http://www.pasctraining.panasonic.com/SpecialApplications/ProductFirmwareDownloads/downloads1.asp) that address these issues:

Poor picture details
Faces appear as "Clay Faces"
Excessive brightness with no details in the black level

[pdawg17]

[QUOTE=optivity]Owners of PX6... series Panasonic PDPs may be interested in evaluating the merit of the latest firmware upgrades (v. 1.25/1.46) (http://www.pasctraining.panasonic.com/SpecialApplications/ProductFirmwareDownloads/downloads1.asp) that address these issues:

Poor picture details
Faces appear as "Clay Faces"
Excessive brightness with no details in the black level[/QUOTE]

So then do the 9UK's have the same problems? If so, there is no user ability to upgrade the firmware on those units...

[bwclark]

[QUOTE=pdawg17]So then do the 9UK's have the same problems? If so, there is no user ability to upgrade the firmware on those units...[/QUOTE]

Good question! Maybe connect via a PC, but what FW version does one use? :confused:

[omeletpants]

>>>>Panny does not have anything like Samsung's DNie processing which cannot be turned off<<<

You can turn off DNIE on the Samsung plasmas. Also, it's nice that Panasonic doesn't charge extra for the clayface feature :)

[tysonwetzel]

You should immediately send your set to me for proper disposal.

[optivity]

[QUOTE=pdawg17]So then do the 9UK's have the same problems? If so, there is no user ability to upgrade the firmware on those units...[/QUOTE][quote=bwclark]Good question! Maybe connect via a PC, but what FW version does one use? :confused: [/quote]Good question indeed. I've often wondered how owners tweak their commercial monitors via a firmware update? Panasonic does not offer much in terms of technical/customer support after the sale, and they will only provide a firmware update to address the most glaring deficiencies (e.g. no digital sound out :rolleyes: bad picture quality a.k.a. clayface :rolleyes: :rolleyes: etc.).

[STi]

I will trade you my 50PX50U!!

[Bill McNeal]

[QUOTE=snowmoon]I'm sensitive to clayface, I just purchased a 42PX60U and after minimal calibration it thorws an exceptional picture.

Picture Mode Standard
Picture +18
Brightness +11
Color 0
Tint -5
Sharpness +2
Color Temperature Noral
Enhanced Black Level Off[/QUOTE]

Can these settings be used during the first 100-hour break-in period? It seems like the picture and brightness are high.

[No Fun]

I have used the settings that was posted by dsilver668 since I got my TH50Px60U, 2 weeks ago. The picture is great in HD, as well as, SD from my Sat Receiver. If the break in was a major concern then Panasonic would have it highlighted in the manual, plus do you think that they would send all their Plasmas in the VIVID mode.
At this time, I have about 82hrs on the Plasma and it looks as good as the day I calibrated it.

[PLz50+]

i have a friend who has a panasionic TH50PX60U and for some reason the "color matrix" option under "picture" settings is greyed out thus not letting me switch my component inputs video signal to allow HD. why is this? and how do i fix this?

[RicheyPoor]

[QUOTE=PLz50+]i have a friend who has a panasionic TH50PX60U and for some reason the "color matrix" option under "picture" settings is greyed out thus not letting me switch my component inputs video signal to allow HD. why is this? and how do i fix this?[/QUOTE]That feature is only user selectable with a 480P input, otherwise it's grayed-out and the proper matrix is selected automatically. If you feed it HD through the component inputs it will set itself. This is explained in the manual.