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Plasma Break-in: How To Properly Break-in Your New Plasma Display

157K views 96 replies 35 participants last post by  Dixon Kuntz 
#1 ·
This thread will help explain the best methods to prepare your new Plasma Display Panels (pdp) for a long life of service.

It's common knowledge that a good break-in period should be done to prevent image retention and stabilize your plasma panel. Most video experts and calibrators recommend running your new pdp for a minimum of 150 hours with full motion video content running the TV for 24 hours per day for at least 6 days straight. Many experts say pdps can take up to 1000 hours before they are stabilized to a point that is safe to run content with static images, like gaming and CinemaScope 2.35:1 - 2.40:1.

Many folks have used Evangelo's break-in slides to age each sub-pixel evenly. Evangelo made a file of alternating full screen solid panels of Red, Green, Blue and White colors that change in intensity as they continually rotate in a non-stop loop. Choose the right media for your display, USB thumb drive, SD card or DVD and set-up the slides to run on a continuous loop. For example, if you have Panasonic's Viera Connect TV you can use a USB thumb drive. Once you have the file loaded on the USB insert it into one of the three available USB slots in the side/back of the TV and follow these instructions:
  • Power the TV on
  • Press the "Viera Tools" button
  • Use the left/right navigation buttons to select the "Media Player"
  • Then select "Photos"
  • Then select the "Red" button (Slide Show). This will make the slides loop continuously
  • Select "Start Slide Show"

Before Evangelo made this brilliant RGB & White solid panel slides I had recommended running the HD Discovery channel as it stays on 24 hours a day in full 16:9 aspect ratio with only occasional translucent logo ID. Since 2008 we have been aging pdps with Evangelo's slides to prepare our clients' pdp for our professional in-house calibration with great success.

Sample of the slides:



Here's the link to download Evangelo slides, which can be burned onto an SD card, USB thumb drive or a DVD.

No special settings are required, however, some schools of thought are to lower the brightness to break-in the panel slowly while others believe setting the brightness higher will break-in the panel faster and since 150 hours is possibly not enough time to fully stabilize the panel they justify the brighter break-in settings to escalate the time required to more thoroughly stabilize the panel.

Enjoy the slide show!

-Robert
 
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#29 ·
Hey Robert... thanks for the reply.

I hear that. She'll only run 15 minutes per application.
I do it after every viewing session which in some cases is only 20-30 minutes. Very short viewing in the morning before heading to work and maybe 3-4 hours viewing at night after work.

I'm very cautious to not leave the channel being viewed on any ticker tape and channel logo channels.
Man those channel logos just tick me off! I've contacted my Direct TV provider and the channels themselves, their Logos) about my concerns with burn-in when it comes to Plasma TV's. So far... it's all fallen on deaf ears. I even started a small petition, to forward to the networks, that I distributed to immediate family and some friends who wouldn't think I'm not a total idiot.

On the weekend however, that's a different story.
I really enjoy this new Panasonic and I do take full advantage of that on the weekends. Making sure I do the 15 minute wipe afterwards. Religiously!

I'm a little, make that very, short on the tech savvy applications.
Is there any way, or anyplace, that I could buy one of those RGB & White Panel programs that's available for purchase on a disc?
I at least know how to put my players on repeat to play the disc continuously.

I apologize in advance if this is extremely basic to you but I am in the learning stage when it comes to video.


Skip
 
#30 ·
Hello - Also a newbie to this group and have just installed my new UT50 Saturday (G'Hog day). I've been reading these posts and have downloaded the slides. I realize the importance of the break-in, but we are watching our new TV since Saturday (~ 10 hours viewing time already). I read the post from 4/18/12 by Leonard Caillouet about intermittent calibration exercises, but am still not quite clear on how best to combine both operations. Our viewing habits so far are: a news program for an hour or so in the a.m., evening prime-time dramas for an hour or two. If someone could provide an example of when and how to squeeze the calibration slides in between our viewing I would really appreciate it.
Until I stumbled upon this thread I never knew the benefit of the calibration or that it was even possible or recommended (thanks Best Buy sales-person). I have to wonder if non-calibration had anything to do with losing our 2008 46" Vierra to what appears to be a power supply problem.
Thanks to all for your help.
Babio
 
#31 ·
Hi everyone -- site looks great and helpful. I am a newbie.

I am a new Panasonic plasma P55VT50 owner as of yesterday, 2/18/13. I downloaded the 20 1080p images from the recommended web site as posted in this forum. Followed the great directions -- no problems with the memory stick in the USB port and using the Panasonic Viera Tools menu to get the slideshow going. The only problem is that I am completely mystified on the following, which is messing me up for using this slideshow.

In addition to the 20 viewable jpgs, I get 20 additional 'slides' that are completely unreadable on this TV. I do not see these unreadable slides on my MacBook Air nor on my digital photo frame -- I downloaded to my MBA twice, and I still get the problem. I thought I'd try the digital photo frame, and it displays the 20 color images perfectly without those extra unreadable files. As soon as I try the memory stick or an SD card on the TV, I end up with the problem.

e.g.:
good file (using the "I" for "info" button on the TV remote):
Name: slide01.-1080p-jpg
Date: -/-/-
Size: 1920x1080

"cannot read file"
Name: ._slide01-1080p.jpg
Date: -/-/-
Size: ****X****

I understand WHY the TV cannot read these files, but I don't understand HOW they got there and why I cannot view these anywhere else to delete them. Of course, I cannot delete these from the TV (or if I can, I will need help on that).

Has anyone else seen this problem? How can I delete these unreadable "bonus" slides so I can loop the 20-image slide show? I don't want to have 20 black images with a small box of text as part of the loop.

Also: What speed should the slide show be run on?

I have been looping 80 vacation slides with "zoom" to fill the screen -- I have only one of these phantom unreadable slides in this folder, and I set the speed to fast. Have been running with that since around 8:30 last night except for some regular TV viewing for 90 minutes last night.

Thank you for any help and advice! Lynne
 
#32 ·
Hi everyone -- site looks great and helpful. I am a newbie.

I am a new Panasonic plasma P55VT50 owner as of yesterday, 2/18/13. I downloaded the 20 1080p images from the recommended web site as posted in this forum. Followed the great directions -- no problems with the memory stick in the USB port and using the Panasonic Viera Tools menu to get the slideshow going. The only problem is that I am completely mystified on the following, which is messing me up for using this slideshow.

In addition to the 20 viewable jpgs, I get 20 additional 'slides' that are completely unreadable on this TV. I do not see these unreadable slides on my MacBook Air nor on my digital photo frame -- I downloaded to my MBA twice, and I still get the problem. I thought I'd try the digital photo frame, and it displays the 20 color images perfectly without those extra unreadable files. As soon as I try the memory stick or an SD card on the TV, I end up with the problem.

e.g.:
good file (using the "I" for "info" button on the TV remote):
Name: slide01.-1080p-jpg
Date: -/-/-
Size: 1920x1080

"cannot read file"
Name: ._slide01-1080p.jpg
Date: -/-/-
Size: ****X****

I understand WHY the TV cannot read these files, but I don't understand HOW they got there and why I cannot view these anywhere else to delete them. Of course, I cannot delete these from the TV (or if I can, I will need help on that).

Has anyone else seen this problem? How can I delete these unreadable "bonus" slides so I can loop the 20-image slide show? I don't want to have 20 black images with a small box of text as part of the loop.

Also: What speed should the slide show be run on?

I have been looping 80 vacation slides with "zoom" to fill the screen -- I have only one of these phantom unreadable slides in this folder, and I set the speed to fast. Have been running with that since around 8:30 last night except for some regular TV viewing for 90 minutes last night.

Thank you for any help and advice! Lynne
Hi Lynne,

Best of luck with your new HDTV, I have a professionally calibrated 55VT30 and still enjoy it very much every day. Every review I've read has said the VT50 easily beats out the VT30 in a number of key areas (black level & light output to name two).

Anyway, the problem you had with the slides is a common one that I've read about and experienced myself when I downloaded the slides onto my Mac. It must have something to do with Macs because every time I read about this issue, the person used a Mac to download the slides. Use a friend's PC if you can or one at work if you have one and its possible.
 
#33 ·
Robert,

Thanks a LOT! This is awesome, I'll me running my PD tonight. It's probably already fully broken in, but can't hurt to run clean slides once in a while. I usually run the 'anti-burn' moving white bars once a week on our Panasonic PD, not sure if necessary, but I like to make sure there are no artifacts forming.
 
#37 · (Edited)
Those unreadable files on your USB drive are actually Mac OS "desktop" files. I ran into the same situation. Just keep hitting the "Ok" button to scroll through the individual files or, as you've done, format the USB drive on a Windows machine.

I'm a plasma newbie too, and almost burned my TC-P60UT50 with the "Fox News" logo. I just ignored how much these plasmas need some TLC while new. But thankfully I was able to return the UT to Best Buy and exchanged for a TC-P60GT50. Awesome images! And yes I am breaking in with the slides. I'm also using the "Pixel Jogger". Anyone have any thoughts about that break in video? :huh:
 
#38 ·
So I've been reading up on using Evangilos slides to break in my panny 65" VT50. Question is, I assume the following slideshow settings:

Frame: Off
Photo Effect: Off
Transition Effect: Off
Photo Size: Normal
Burst Playback: Off
Display Interval: Slow
Repeat Playback: On
 
#40 · (Edited)
Often when watching longer than 5-6 hours of a television program to receive the imprint of the logo / burn / and 'footprint' is because phosphorus is outdated uneven. In the case of the logo, it is steady, and the rest of the panel -> where is stood logo phosphorus is more outdated. Printing is more pronounced in the early hours of the tv-it (200), because then, phosphorus ages most intense. After this aging process slows down and hence reduces the chance for the fingerprint. White / because of the intensity of the color / prints the most.

In the early Plasma TVs tended to "burn" on the screen. This problem has largely been eliminated in the new models, thanks to built-in safety systems against the "burn" / Automatic reduction of contrast over a period of time / phosphoric and improved technology. Otherwise GAME mod there, but also to change the picture settings and you count how many times you play (every 30 minutes a message appears), nothing else does.

All modes in which determined the same part of the screen remains lighter or darker than the rest is a prerequisite for this effect. There was often music channels before start using translucent and moving logos for devices working in restaurants.

Manufacturer does not accept defects as a guarantee! Will not reimburse or replace the panel or labor technique.

Pixel orbiter - a security feature of the burn. It makes sense to hold on for any content or conditions of examination. This function is constantly slightly moving picture in different countries (to a few pixels), which allows to avoid IR. Does not work during THX! There was a post here that its use in game mode nothing is printed menus, etc. This is the severest test. There is another function skrollbar (screen wipe), including with the OK button, but it makes sense to be used in serious damage.
Protection from burning, PIXEL ORBITER appears as an option only when you run the signal from other sources over HDMI). Via DLNA and USB there is no such option in the settings.

Package picture (toppings) for the development of the screen.
http://tvcalibration.ru/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/BreakIn_Images.zip

Development technology is simple, just save salad of USB media and play them as a slide show with the built image software the TV it. It does not matter how much time will change slides. These pictures are placed in the first days of operation of the TV until 200 hours. No matter if you play them in a flash drive or DLNA.
After 100-200 hours of such development, you will get the most stable in its characteristics Plasma panel remains to calibrate it and enjoy it.

Settings for the first 200 hours of development after purchasing.
Attention during this risk period, the TV should be watched more than two hours in the following cases:
- Do not look at the dynamic picture mode
- Do not look picture in other than 16:9,
- With black bars top and bottom
- On the same television channel, a logo thereon
- Display any static image for longer than this period.
- Should not be used as a computer monitor or Blu-ray player!
- It should not be used as a game screen for more than 30 min
- Avoid using the Wallpaper / use Screensaver - one is static and the other is dynamic (moving)

Rules to avoid Image Retention
1. Do not increase kotrasta picture more than 50%.
2. When watching TV in a bright logo - change the program every 2 hours.
3. If possible, use key aspect of the picture, so give Zuum1 the logo to go beyond the boundaries of the screen.
4. Avoid looking picture with black bars on the sides / top longer than 3-4 hours.
5. Do not use your plasma TV as a monitor for games longer than 1 hour per day.
6. Menu - Settings - Other Settings - Automatic standby - 2 hours
Thus, if the TV does not operate with the remote / or exit sleep / turns off itself after 2 hours.
7. Do the following and setting the black level of the black bars on the sides of the picture
Menu - Settings - Display Settings - Side Panel - Medium

Current status of the display you can check in the following way:
In a totally dark room
Menu - Picture - Panel - off
In this mode, turn off the signal to the display, but the display itself remains in standby mode - with minimal stress.
You look around the screen for bright areas.

How to check for screen burn?
Burned-screen is noticeably plasma screens when showing pure white paintings. Burned areas are a little darker than their neighboring areas.
1. Clean the screen with a dry clean cloth.
2. Click on the link and choose to open the white box.
JScreenFix - Fix stuck pixels and image persistence
3. Press F11 to enable full screen mode or window slowly stretch the edges of the screen.
4. Mirror screen carefully where dark spots are visible.
If you find dark spots, use JScreenFix Deluxe to reduce screen burn and prevent future splits.
http://www.jscreenfix.com/deluxe.php

Plasma TV Logo Removing DVD - fix burn-in pixels
http://beginwithsoftware.com/videoguides/plasmatv/

Image retention - Green edition
http://www.avclub.gr/forum/showthread.php/97122-anti-IR-green-edition-2012
http://www.avclub.gr/forum/downloads.php?do=file&id=100

http://www.avclub.gr/forum/showthre...anti-image-retention)-mpeg-for-plasma-screens
http://www.avclub.gr/forum/showthread.php/90629-Plasma-noise-1080p-DXVA-mp4

This is a program to fix a block of pixels for LCD TV or plasma screens burned
http://www.whitecitysoft.com/sx/screenfix/

Image Retention Test
http://www.plasmadisplaycoalition.org/results/image.php
http://www.plasmadisplaycoalition.org/main.php

Settings for the first 200 hours
Picture Mode - halved brightness and contrast!!
Mode - Profesional1 / THX mode is not possible to change the parameter Pixel Orbiter feature - stand your Auto / (Mode - Profesional 1 and THX mode it is only in the VT series and GT! If you have a model ST or lower your run CINEMA mode )
Aspect of the picture - Auto
16:9 Scan - off / if you have black bars on the side plug
Eco Mode - off
P-NR - off / it is useless to run the filter for P-NR noise of a digital signal. All he does is blur and without smearing the image.
Vivid - off.
Sharpness <5
Settings - other settings - FFD (in older models - Intelligent Frame Creation) - off / not needed - the picture becomes as amateur video /.
Do not touch anything in the settings - will only worsen the picture!
/ during 200 hours videopanel slowly increases its brightness /
 
#41 ·
Just a quick 0.02. As normal, I read the thread and added a little twist. Since it's not an end all be all display for me, I decided to use a thumb drive with the Evangelo slides and added random transition effects. Over time (probably at the 150 hour markish) I did notice that even the transitions are not retaining anything once the screen fills completely... It was really obvious that it was retaining the previous slide/transition in the first 100 hours... Also, the pixel orbiter is not available with a 1080p source, so I am wondering if I can ever really watch a not zoomable source (e.g. 2:35, etc.)

As far as settings, I used calibration slides via the thumb drive to just do the basics, so it wasn't unwatchable when I do watch a little TV on it. It will be interesting once I do the WB to see if it is as stable as I expect.

BTW, it's a F8500 Samsung. That thing can sure put out a lot of light... In some ways it reminds me of my Sony 929 LCD.
 
#43 ·
No, never use vivid. Stick to the movie picture mode.
 
#44 ·
Hi Guys, i've just discovered this great forum googling some information form my new 65st60.

I've got my panel since a week, it's so amazing!

Since now i've followed the recommended settngs i've read in some forum for the good "out of the box" plasma panel.

I'm wondering if it's strongly raccomended to run the 150 hours slideshow of the images, it would be quite a problem for me if i cannot use the tv for a week or so :innocent:

Now i run the panasonic cleaning bar after at the end of the day (2-3hours of tv per day), is it ok?

many thanks and sorry for my english :D
 
#45 ·
Welcome to the HTS John,
It's no problem to watch tv just run the slides when your not around or doing other things.
 
#47 ·
Well the longer you run them the faster it will get broken in correctly. The big thing to avoid is to not watch stations that have a "hot" station identification logo stuck on the screen. (TLC CNN are two that come to mind off the top of my head) for the first few weeks. At least not for more than an hour at a time.
 
#49 ·
Yes, run the slides as little or as often as you like.
You want to avoid the black bars particularly for the first month or so of use. Stretch the image or zoom so it fills the screen.

Merry Christmas to you and your family as well. :)
 
#52 ·
Sure, running the slides over night would be ideal.
 
#55 ·
Hi Guys, sorry but i have another question, this is a really new world for me :)

I've used the "auto brightness" in the "on" mode because of a better brightness in the most circumstances.
i've been told that's not good for the first 150 hours , it's better to put it off.

the only problem is that the panel is too dark for me :(

What do you think?

My settings are:

mode True Cinema

contrast 50
nightness p
color 50
Sharpness 30

Thank you all indeed for the support
 
#57 ·
JohnnyUtah, for my VT50 I use PICTURE MODE THX Cinema,
CONTRAST......80
BRIGHTNESS...42
(and in Advanced Picture set up ---> BLACK LEVEL 'Light')

These settings are proper for my living room which can get a fair amount of light. It is bright enough not to look dim during daytime viewing and doesn't look too bright for night time viewing.



When my wife wants to watch something with a bright logo for several hours (i.e. Fox News channel) I switch the PICTURE MODE to Cinema,
CONTRAST......22
BRIGHTNESS...35

This gives a very dim picture but one that can still be seen. It helps to deter long term image retention, but the image retention still happens and so I run the color slides several times a week to get rid of accumulating retention.


I don't have Auto Brightness so I don't know how drastic of a change it makes. It's probably safest to leave it off at least during the break in phase.
 
#58 ·
Gdstupak thanks for your input.

I noticed that the st panels have different mode compared to the vt. I don't have, for istance, "professional" mode.
Whatever, i'd like to play with the settings to find the right balance (especially for the brightness), but i've been told to take it slow in the break in phase.

The point is that my break in phase will be veeerylong, iwatch the tv for 2 hours per day as average :D
150/2=75=2 month and a half!

It surprise me that the last vt/st series still suffer of some kind of retention! :eek:
 
#59 ·
If you watch only 2hrs/day, that leaves many more hours to run the color slides for break in.
For proper picture adjustment you need to buy a set up DVD/Bluray, they are very easy to use. During the break in phase, the TV picture will change a lot and often (mostly the panel will dim noticeably). Keep adjusting the settings according to the set up disc. Also check out the other threads that deal with TV settings.
As far as image retention, it appears that some panels are more susceptible to it than others. Mine is one of the bad ones.
 
#60 ·
thanks once again for the answer :T

Currently i'm running the slides when i'm at home (few hours per day), i don't like to keep the tv turned on at night while i'm sleeping.

i hope that it's enough for the break in.

I'm wondering about the cost of a professional calibration here in Italy, i'm not so confident to do it by myself :blink:
 
#62 · (Edited)
Hi all,
i have a clue related the total amount of usage hour of the panel.
I'read about many cases of old/returnet/demo model sold as absolutely new one.:coocoo:

I have checked the hour in the soft mode, donno how much this trick affordable is, whatever, here's the procedure::

menu > help > system info > status4
the numbers you see after the zero should be the total hour.

I have my panel since 9 days and the check points out 53hours of use...is quite unlikely for me using the tv for 6 hours a day, but not sure, especially last night that i run for 4 hours per night the colored slides.

Is it possibile that they gave me a used panel? The strange thing is that at the arrival all awas perfect; the packaging, the accessories, the film around the chrom border and so on...

Quite confuse :blink:

Well, the tv works great, no issues so far,
I'm in the break in phase so i'm wondering if i hade a returened panel instead of a brand new one, that would be definitly upsetting.

What's your thoughts guys?
please reassure me :D
 
#63 ·
Don't forget they would run the panel through some test cycles in the factory before it leaves.
 
#64 ·
never thought about that opportunity. So it possible the panel leaves for few hours of test insied,
Let's cross my fingers and hope it is so.
I've heard about very bad discovered once the people go deep in the usage time, but we are talking about +100hours.

So Tony you think i should be good now?

Thanks anyway, i was a little anxious about this but with your answer you've made my day :D
 
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