Panasonic PT-47WX49 Available (1 Viewer)

[Carlo_M]

Will,
The problem is that a 56" would just fit into the room. But it pushes the speakers about 5" closer to the front door. So while the door doesn't hit the speaker, anyone coming in who was in the least bit NOT CAREFUL would risk hitting the speaker with a bag/box/etc. Granted if I were the only one who lived there then I could be sure that everyone knew to be careful coming in. But I do have a roommate and she can't be held responsible for every single thing that could happen upon entry (I don't want to subject her to that anyway). So I will pretty much go with the 47" for sanity's sake.
Plus, I've cardboard cut-out the dimensions of the screen (pretty sad, I know) and looked at it from my viewing distance of about 6-6.5 feet. It's pretty enveloping. Sure a 56" or larger would be nice, but at that distance the 47" is still a pretty good-sized screen.

 

[JohnnyG]

Actually, I think I might have been wrong about the red push fix. If we are 'allowed' into the engineering menu, I believe the RYaxisAngle and BYaxisGain registers will fix it!
Stay tuned folks!
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John Golitsis
Next Big Thing Electronics

 

[Brett W]

JohnnyG - you rule Not to harp on the bandwagon that has not rolled for a while but All our Panny's are belong to you

Keep us posted, Brett

 

[Ron-P]

Wow, talk about a TV thread growing at the speed of light. Too much to read, so I just scanned until I came across this:

I will beg and plead Ron to help me make an attenuator (which he did for his Mitsu) since he's local here the area if it comes to it. I've got two left thumbs and no tools so I don't know if I can successfully make one...I might have to bribe him with dinner or something!

No begging or pleading needed Carlo, dinner

Ha!, just kidding. Even with two left thumbs you can screw parts together to make the red push attenuator. Remember though, it is for component connections only. If you need part #'s give me a yell and I will get them for you. All parts were from Radio Shack. The one from Radio Shack is adjustable which I like vr the one sold at the Spot that has a fixed setting. As sets age, colors change, the adjustable attenuator will be more flexable if needed.
SVM I cannot help with. I was able to go in (thanks to the HTSPot) and turn mine off via the service menu on my Mits 46807.
The newer models on the Mits are going to be tougher to get into from what it sounds like, that is why I jumped on this years model before they disappeared. There is an abundance of info and tweaks on this thing.
Carlo, that sucks about the 3rd week in July!

Peace Out~

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http://home.earthlink.net/~peregrinefalcon/

 

[Massimo N]

This is killing me!!! They Panasonic Service Technician came by on Friday on time (very good in my books).
I showed him my issues and he noticed the SVM right away. As he started he complimented my HT System (hey ... off to a great start).
He went into the service mode and the codes he had didn't match. Apparently he had the codes for the (4x3) model and they are slightly different than the 16x9 models.
He appologised and touched up the convergence and grey scale (by eye

). The grey scale correction (reduce the Red Gain) helped a lot.
At first he didn't understand the RED push issue. I had to explain that the grey scale and colour decoder were 2 differnt beasts. I think he understood when he left. He told me he would report to the service supervisor for a follow up.
Later that afternoon I got a voice mail from the Service Supervisor asking if I can wait until Wednesday next week when they are suppose to receive the service manual.
Looks like a little bit longer but the set is definitely looking better not that the red hue is taken out of the grey scale.
For those that have the set I figured out my S-VID issue. The colour saturation is different on the component. I have Component set at colour=39/Tint=35 and S-vid+other set at colour=33/Tint=35. Brightness=37 and Picture(contrast)=20 across the board. These setting will probably vary set to set, but I suspect that everyone will need 2 different colour setting, possibly 3 with HD.
I'll follow up next week with the second visit. I'm hoping that armed with the correct service manual, I'll have this set humming in no time.
I'd love to keep this set and have the extra cash set aside for the Panasonic Progressive DVD Player (RP91?)
Cheers!
Mass
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[Massimo N]

For those interested, Panasonic Canada is offering a $150 digital rebate (print off form from site and you get cheque in mail). Just log onto thewww.panasonic.ca and a rebate window will appear.
Signing off to get away for the long weekend.

 

[Robert Bergman]

Mass and Brett,
How are the "stretch" modes when viewing 4:3 material. I really want to like 16:9 sets but from what little I've seen, the stretch modes on 4:3 material makes everything look wrong. I am especially concerned with sporting events.
For me it's this or the 50HX70 and the stretch modes make all the difference. Thanks!

 

[Brett W]

Rob,
Get in touch with Tim - grab some beer, and come round next week (He told me you and him were mates).
Anyway the documentation I got was very poor, so really the only justification would be for you to see them first hand. For the record though, anyone who says they get used to 16x9 mode for normal 4x3 viewing are crazy. Yasmine B. from Nash Bridges should never be subjected to stretch

- Brett

 

[RyanL]

Can't wait to hear how this goes, Mass . . . trying to decide between this and a mits.

 

[Brett W]

Rob (and anyone else interested in this stuff )
I have finally got the Web site updated, and on my page about the TV itself, I have gone into some brief detail about the squeeze modes, along with my impression on the picture from various sources (DVD, DBS, OTA, and Cable).
You can get to the site from here - bookmark that, as thehttp://change.to/panasonic seems to be rather sketchy - it works, does not work etc...
Take care folks, Brett
PS: Mass how are things going for you and this set now?

 

[Robert Bergman]

Very nice site Brett and thanks for the invite. Looks like the mode "just" is the one I'll be most interested in. These specialty sites can be very cool.www.harmonicdiscord.com/forums is a favorite new haunt for Norh, Hsu and some other manufacturers. Looks like I'll be adding yours to the list!

 

[Carlo_M]

Cool web page. When I get my TV I will definitely add what I can to it.
Enjoy your sets, guys!
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I know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve - Bilbo Baggins

 

[Lou Sytsma]

Keeping this thread going.
Massimo/JohnnyG - any updates re: Red Push & SVM?
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Every man is my superior, in that I may learn from him.

 

[JohnnyG]

Mass, this'll make you laugh! My Toshiba rep was just here and Steve's TV is one of his accounts. He knew all about your issues with this set! Apparently, the guys at Steve's are very proud of themselves for selling one of these!
Small world, ain't it?!
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John Golitsis
Next Big Thing Electronics

 

[Don]

are you able to turn the speaker's off on this set. and if so how ?

 

[Brett W]

You can turn them off via one of the main menus, very easy to do actually - just a shame the SVM/Red issue was not on the same page

Talking of the speakers though, they sound quite good actually, would not replace an HT by any means but for TV and Dish (unless I choose to listen via my receiver) they are good.
Can't wait to get my service menu.
- Brett

 

[Massimo N]

I thought I'd update everyone on what I decided. I thought about it over the weekend and decided that I wanted to return the set for the Toshiba (50H81) when it comes out in the next couple of weeks. Even if the Panasonic tech could fix the red push and svm (I didn't follow up for the answers), there were just a few other things that bugged me about the set. Spending this kind of cash on a tv, I wanted to make sure that I had the best set. I didn't have the tech over, so I still don't know if there is a fix.
To summarize, the reasons for not keeping the set are:
1. Red Push: This was big for me. When you set red using the AVIA red colour bars, Blue drops to below -25% (Colour was set at 39 out of scale of 60, to get blue right, colour needs to be cranked at 60). I wasn't comfortable with the service technician just fixing the 480i input (that's all I have to input at the moment) and not have the ability to fix it for 480p and more importantly 1080i. The 1080i I though would be difficult since I don't own a scaller to output the AVIA patterns.
2. Agressive SVM. I actually got used to this one after a few more days ... it still was noticable and distracting.
3. Only 1 memory for the video settings. This one is a real bugger for me. The things that changed by just changing inputs were the colour, picture and brightness. DVD had one setting (component), TV had another and the Dreamcast has yet another setting. I didn't realize how frustrating this would be. On my current set, I just have to change brightness when I play dreamcast.
4. Slow to change between video inputs and stretch modes.
5. Very reflective screen. The set here in Canada only comes with the large mirror.
As I mentioned in my previous posts, the set does produce a very crisp image with very good blacks. The focus and geometry appeared good and the doubler worked great (my first exposure to a doubler ... at least at home).
Sorry to dissapoint guys for now sticking it out, but I'd rather be sure that I'm getting the best set for my money. The Tosh is a little more than I wanted to spend, but what is $400 for peace of mind. I wanted to return the set while I had the oppotunity, rather than wait and potentially regret my decision.
John, small world! I wonder if Steve's is cursing my name now that I returned the set.
I should have the Toshiba in the next couple of week (given that it performs better than the Panasonic).
Mass
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[Don]

ok anyone else have this set. is it worth keeping or should we get something else. Don,

 

[Lou Sytsma]

That's too bad Massimo.
I'm in the waiting line with you to see what the word will be on the Toshibas.
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Every man is my superior, in that I may learn from him.

 

[Brett W]

Sorry Mass, at least you tried it out. As far as the extra money, at least you have an extra month to save so at least you could justify it that way

But here is my 2pence:
To be honest I cannot be happier with mine. I got it from OneCall.com (The _only_ place I would deal with online for non-PC type electronics, every time I have bought from them = GREAT service) for $1899, no tax and free delivery.
I mainly watch DVDs via a Skyworth progressive scan player and the picture is truly amazing, with Dish the picture is also great (although I do have to crank colour and tint up a couple of notches, so Mass is right when he says a single setting is a very bad idea on Panasonic's part). There are some pics of the TV at my little site here:http://63.249.150.205/panny
With OTA TV however I am a poor person to ask this due to my aerial (antenna) is very cheap and not a good giver of signals.
Cable TV did look about 85% of the Dish picture (but that is the source not the TV).
As far as saying whether you should get this TV or not, well I am not about to tell you how to spend your money. I know I have had to save for about 7mths for a large portion of the payment, and I will spread a couple of hundred over next months credit card bill. However with that said I would recommend this site for people to short list. Call me crazy, but you have to believe me when I say that I did get this set w/out seeing it. But I would not trade this for anything.
I do not regret buying the 47wx49 one minute.