Jumping into the plasma pool! (Panasonic 65VT25) (1 Viewer)

HI all, first-time poster here! Not a total AV noob but not a hardcore expert either. I've been very happy with my Samsung 61" DLP for the past few years but over time I've started to get tired of the limited viewing angle and washed-out image in anything less than perfect lighting conditions so I figured it was time to get something new.


After some research I decided to go with the Panasonic 65VT25. It's being delivered on Tuesday. Very excited! I've been reading up on other peoples' experiences and trying not to let some of the hardcore obsessives' posts on certain other AV forums make me feel too paranoid or insecure about my new purchase. Half of what they're complaining about is all greek to me anyway.


It seems like burn-in is pretty much a thing of the past, although the consensus seems to be to avoid letterboxed content or black boxes of any kind or any static images (like videogame HUDs and network logos) on-screen for too long for the initial 100 hours or so. I'm gonna try to do that.


Is is worth running the color slides that are available online to help condition the set during the first 100 hours? Also if any existing users have any tips or advice for me those would be gratefully received!

 

[JoeCool6972]

I love my plasma! So far as the letterbox goes, I hate that crap, I usually zoom the TV to screen fill on those. or non HD broadcasts.

 

[DaveF]

Originally Posted by Gary Whitta

Is is worth running the color slides that are available online to help condition the set during the first 100 hours? Also if any existing users have any tips or advice for me those would be gratefully received!

Gary, welcome to HTF. I did the color-slide "conditioning" on my plasma last year. I don't know if it's useful. And it's also been observed that if you want to do this, you can simply display a solid white screen. I don't know if any of this is really useful or just mystical incantations to the Home Theater Gods but I did it after reading what others did.


Regardless, I've got no issues with burn-in, and I watch HDTV, older 4:3 TV, movies, videogames, whatever. I think the key thing is to not have it display a single static image 24/7 for days on end. So don't leave it displaying CNBC with the stock market scroll on the bottom for the first week...

 

[Charles Smith]

I love my 50" VT25, and I envy you the 65". Enjoy!

 

[Dennis Palla]

I've got the TCP65V10 and have been enjoying for a year. It is a phenominal television right out of the box, and with calibration, imo the best display available pre 3D (and I'm not convinced 3D sets are better, but another story..). With its size, clarity and overall picture rendition, it gives the viewer a "you are there" experience that still ceases to amaze me. I sit about 8.5 to 9ft from the screen in a very dark dedicated theater room resulting in a very unforgiving examination of the sets merits. The TV is at its best with blu-ray presentation (from a Oppo 83). I have a 46in Sony XRB LCD in my living room which is used mostly for viewing satellite broadcasts. Again, imo, the Sony does a better job for viewing TV broadcasts but falls short of this Pana plasma for viewing digital discs. If I was a few feet further away from the plasma, it might be a wash. As it is, the Sony is a bit sharper ONLY for TV broadcasts. But back to the Panasonic, it is simply stunning on blu-ray material (especially on Avatar and Alice In Wonderland, both SOTA). It is subject to burn-in (not as bad as older models) with static bright images. The OPPO players white letter screen displayed when ejecting a disc is especially problematic. It will ghost display for several minutes on the screen if you leave it displayed as such for as little as a minute or less. It's a good habit to just select another unused input to blackout the screen while doing anything but viewing. So far it hasn't been a permanent imprint, but it is an issue to be aware of. I don't know how to explain others not experiencing this, other than possibly my room is darker and this is more noticeable? I haven't had any issues with black letterbox retention thankfully because I would not change the format (zoom, etc.) to avoid this. I don't watch enough other sources besides dvd/blu-ray to notice any other burn-in issues. You will be thoroughly pleased with your purchase of the Pany, I have no doubt.