Summary: I've been viewing our ST50 for the past few days I have not noticed any green blobs or fluctuating brightness. I've enjoyed watching this TV with quite a bit of varied content, DIRECTV, BD, and lots of streaming. Today I invited my very good friend Ed Johnson to do the calibration and take all of the measurements.
Regardless of the reliability of this review I'm anxious to do our Shoot-out so we can compare all of the panels next to each-other and determine who truly makes the best display. Mid April we're doing a mini pdp 2012 Shoot-out event with Samsung's E8000 series, Panasonic's GT50 and LG's PM9700. Let the games begin!
Hope you enjoyed my review. Any questions or comments?
I agree with Icaillo, we don't know for sure if the one on the right was calibrated so the store can show its customers the advantage of calibrating a tv by putting a non-calibrated tv alongside a calibrated tv to show the difference that it can give in picture quality.
But if they are both non-calibrated, I definitely like the picture on the right. More detailed, especially in the one picture with all those trees, you can actually see the shapes of the top of trees better compared to the left which look a bit more washed out due to the little extra brightness.
Thanks to natsume for the postings of those pictures!
65 VT50 is now available from Panasonic according to its website (not that I would ever purchase direct from Panny due to past issues with camera purchases).
Great news! Luckily, for all of us, Panasonic is bringing in its new models on time for a change as it is finally time for me to upgrade my 58 inch V10. Looking forward to reviews and a new VT50 thread here and elsewhere.
The timing of your review was perfect. My old Syntax-Brillian Olevia 747i very recently developed a light thin vertical line down the left side of the panel. It was over four years old, it was an excellent unit for its time. Fortunately the egg's extended warranty gave me over 90% of the original purchase. I just set-up my newly purchased TC-P50ST50 and I'm very grateful to you for the very informative review. Just happened to discover your post as I was getting ready to pull the trigger.
Let tell you, after researching the vast amount of choices available, I feel confident I made the most informed purchase decision ever.
I would be very interested in the calibration settings for it, step by step as I am a complete novice to the videophile arts.
Thank you, she was high on my candidate list, but your review cinched it for me.:wave:
Let's split off discussion of the V series to another thread. It makes it very hard to sort out opinion and experience with the various sets when the thread subject does not match the discussion.
I was at the Best Buy yesterday to eye the ST50 that's set up next to a LED Samsung.
Granted the LED is expected to be brighter due to the technology and its vivid is way out of normal, I found that the Panasonic just wasn't quite bright enough. I entered the ST50's user menu and did various setting in the custom mode (including those DNice poste) but the picture still didn't look bright enough.
I have been using a 6070 Pioneer plasma for the last 5 years and am just wondering if it's to be expected that the newer Panasonic plasmas are just not going to be as bright and maybe I should be looking at LED but I hate the off angle drop in picture quality so I'd rather not go there.
The lighting in the store was definately not causing this issue as it was fairly dim in that part of the store.
Additionally, I recently recalibrated my 6070 so it's close to being right.
Can someone comment as to the relative brightness of the ST50 compared to plasmas of say 5 years ago.
IME, the ST50 is every bit as bright as the 6070, but I did not live with the 6070, only serviced them. I have the ST50 and it seems to be very much bright enough for me. I have it turned down well from max contrast and visually calibrated. I have not had a chance to put a meter on it.
If you are comparing LCD sets to the PDP, the PDP will look less bright. Particularly in showroom settings, where you can't get black anyway.
I am very pleased with the ST50 that I got from Robert, and can't wait until I have time to calibrate it properly. We have enjoyed it greatly even with just visual adjustment.
Thanks for the great write up on the ST50, I will be replacing our Sony 55", and the finance minister (wife) here has set a budget cap, leaving me two panasonic choices, and i picked the 65ST50 as my first choice, as a bigger TV would be really nice, but the second choice a 55VT50 is also very tempting because its in the kings family. We watch mostly digital iptv with HD channels and 1080p movies from the HTPC via WDLIVE so PQ is the top priority, and on weekends daytime sports and soccer, so motion clarity is important too. I actually wondered what Robert thought about the picture on the ST50 vs. his VT30 for example, and is the VT50 picture so much better that i should stick with 55", or should I just go for it, and get the big 65" ST50?
We live in Denmark, so i unfortunately cannot buy it broken in and calibrated, so i will run the slides and follow the instructions here on HTS forums, but there is no way the family will let me run slides 6 days in a row, would it be ok to let them see tv, and run the slides the rest of the time to build up the break in hours?
well, some good questions, and i hope you gurus can help us out...
thanks in advance,
Mark (my first plasma soon!)
ps. Samsung was also considered, but i read way too much about them making a buzzing sound
I just received this set from Amazon and thought I would pass this along. I haven't even connected it yet but started off with a very noticeable problem, which may be very common with HDTV's but was unexpected on my part: The set wasn't sitting level after they installed it on the stand.
I had to get out the directions and remove the stand, then put it back on. There is definitely some "play" in the angle of the stand when you attach it to the TV. Whoever assembles it has to carefully measure the distance between the base of the stand and the TV on BOTH sides before tightening the 4 screws. The measurement has to be about 1-11/16" exactly on both sides before full tension is applied to the screws, or it will tilt slightly. The CEVA installer in my case didn't pay attention and just tightened them and left. A handy person can correct it, but it took about a half hour of careful positioning and measuring.
I don't think you have to actually remove the stand. You can probably just loosen the screws with the TV in the vertical position, level the display, and retighten the screws. Probably want to have a helper just so it doesn't get away from you.
I have a similar problem with my 65vt50 or maybe it's my center channel that's uneven. Not sure.
That's 100% correct, but I didn't fully understand that until I took the stand apart. I thought perhaps the screws on the bottom might not have been tightened or the base not seated fully. You would think this would only fit one way with no margin of error, but that's not quite the case. Now I understand that I could have just left it upright with a helper and a level.
Odd that the assembly directions don't mention the need to check this level or anything. These CEVA guys did it in about five minutes and didn't even bring their own screwdriver.
Hi Robert,
This site is a little over my head regarding technical expertise.I was wondering if you could answer a question for me.
What are your thoughts on a Panasonic TCP50ST50 "buzzing" that can be heard 8ft away from the TV?
There seems to be many references to this problem all over the internet. This is my 2nd set in less than a month and no amount of troubleshooting seems to resole this issue.
Your thoughts/experience with this issue would be greatly appreciated!!
Hi fretsey, glad you asked this question. All plasma displays create a sound wave that has a footprint that radiates directly in front of the panel and is best heard from 6' to 10' and only directly in line with the panel. So if you move just a few inches off center you will be out of the area of sound-wave.
The sound-wave is generated by the plasma panel's normal oscillating. Plasma panels oscillate more when the content is bright so if you are running the break-in slides you will hear the buzz more prominently when the brightest white solid panel is displayed or when watching normal video content the buzz will be louder when you have scenes that are very bright like water or snow skying.
Humans under the age of 35 have the ability to hear this frequency, older folks do not hear the buzz. For those who can hear the fq, moving off center greatly reduces the sound-wave.
Since Panasonic designed the 2012 PDPs to be 50% brighter than previous years, more folks can be affected by this anomaly.
Other recommendations are to have the display calibrated so it's not as bright as the factory has it preset. You will also improve the picture quality. Also for most folks who can hear this fq playing the audio at normal volume usually makes the buzz a non issue.
Thank you Robert,
I must say I am disappointed about the "sour spot" and yet relieved that I am in fact "not hearing things"!!
I am 47 and when listening/watching a program/dvd at a reasonable volume level and still hearing the buzz does not make this a non issue for me as I can easily hear the Buzz over the audio.
The calibration may have to wait as I think I am going to return this second one as well.
I find that moving horizontally off center takes more than a few inches to get out of that "sour spot".
Moving vertically,as in going from a seated position to standing did in fact make a great difference,again needing at least 1' off center.What should be a "sweet spot" (sitting dead center 8' away) is in fact the worst place to view the TV.
I would imagine wall mounting would solve the issue unless the TV is tilted slightly down....is that a correct assumption?
I am truly stumped as to my next step...I love the TV but the Buzz is a real deal breaker for me.
In closing,you have provided the most logical and easily explained cause of this issue that I have come across.
Real results when moving off center (that still blows me away) and other recommendations that may help.
fretsey, wow you are the very first person over 35 that I know who can hear that fq. Congratulations on your exceptional hearing and your very kind reply!
Here's one more tip. Go to the menu and select "Picture", then scroll to the "Cinema" mode and then down to "Contrast" and set the Contrast to 60. Then select "Brightness" and set it to 43 and then "Color", which is best at 46. These settings will reduce the buzz and improve the image quality in low ambient light conditions. For high ambient light conditions use the Custom mode with the setting as the factory set them.
Wall mounting is an excellent idea and all TVs look best when wall mounted.
Please keep in mind that you purchased the best TV for the buck and it's likely you will hear the buzz from any plasma display.
Thanks Robert,
The best factory setting that gives me the lowest buzz is Standard.I have it set to Cinema as I like that option the best. I have tried to lower the contrast but still hear that Buzz even when the contrast has been reduced by 50% (from 100 to 50) I have yet to try your other suggestions with the color and brightness.
Talk about best TV for your buck...I got an exceptional deal for this TV and am really trying to keep it...having a hard time accepting the limitations (where I can and can't sit to view the TV)
Thanks again,Robert
fretsey
*in addition to the wall mount question. When wall mounted is the TV supposed to be without any forward or backward degree variance (tilt). The reason I ask is if the TV is NOT tilted forward at all,the field in which the buzz is located would now be above you when seated. Alternatively if the TV is tilted forward,perhaps that changes the angle and points the field of annoyance more towards the base of the couch or even directs it towards the ground? Does that make sense?
Thanks Robert,
The best factory setting that gives me the lowest buzz is Standard.I have it set to Cinema as I like that option the best. I have tried to lower the contrast but still hear that Buzz even when the contrast has been reduced by 50% (from 100 to 50) I have yet to try your other suggestions with the color and brightness.
Talk about best TV for your buck...I got an exceptional deal for this TV and am really trying to keep it...having a hard time accepting the limitations (where I can and can't sit to view the TV)
Thanks again,Robert
fretsey
*in addition to the wall mount question. When wall mounted is the TV supposed to be without any forward or backward degree variance (tilt). The reason I ask is if the TV is NOT tilted forward at all,the field in which the buzz is located would now be above you when seated. Alternatively if the TV is tilted forward,perhaps that changes the angle and points the field of annoyance more towards the base of the couch or even directs it towards the ground? Does that make sense?
The Standard mode delivers the worst picture quality, which is why I would not recommend using it. The only reason manufacturers set the TV in the Standard mode is to qualify for the Energy Star's logo.
Yes you do not want to or need to tilt the TV as plasma displays have perfect off axis viewing. But don't mount the TV any higher than 48", measured from the floor to the bottom of the bezel.
Hey there,
I would be interested to know if you can hear your tv buzzing,almost like an overhead powerline buzz,or fluorescent lights when the ballast is about to go.
Now that you are actively "looking" for it I would like to know if you hear any buzzing at all.
Don't expect the vast majority of users to hear the plasma panel buzz.
Must be something that our northern brothers exclusively benefit from, maybe the pure cool Canadian drinking waters that gives them the ability to hear PDP buzz after the age of 35. jk
Hahaha....yes,I suppose it could be the water...my brother just turned 51 and he can hear it clearly from 8 feet away as well.
Much will be revealed today,I have the cable guy coming at 3:00 to test lines and my cable box. I will have him listen for it as well.
I watched the Oasis channel,which is a beautiful HD channel,for about an hour last night,and I could hear the buzzing over the people talking in the program the entire time.
Upstairs the 42" Panasonic plasma makes no sound while watching Oasis (or any program for that matter)
Hi, When i looked at the attached calibration file, i see that only some setting are shown. Would you be willing to share your calibration (day) settings, so i can see what they look like on my tv[55ST50]? thanks!
For those who have been following my drama filled postings I thought I would give you an update.
The cable guys came by and there is no issue with the cable box or lines. Both men could hear the buzz,one man said "that's a Plasma for ya" and the other man said that it was buzzing too loud.
I called Panasonic and received a call back this morning.I am now waiting for a Tech guy to call and make an appointment to evaluate the set.
That's it..I will post results of the Techs findings when I can
My friend has a 50" ST-50 and has no issues. I didn't hear a "buzz", but then again, I'm not putting my ear next to it. I was sitting about 8-9 ft away. It's a great TV especially for the money. Look, people are going to complain about anything. You can't get too wrapped up about it. It's the same deal with my Elite tv. There's always a critic.
Yesterday was day 30 for my warranty exchange window...I decided to return the 2nd 50ST50 to the store due to the "buzz". I don't know what I'll be getting for a TV now...sooo disappointed with Panasonic's QC.
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