Panasonic ST30 Owners Thread

[BLASTO]

hey blasto
I thought faster phosphors help to reduce IR by making the phosphor age quickly!! am i getting something wrong??
Also since the st30 is a 2011 model it will have better SD scaling than the vt20 right? or have Panasonic have kept the same pic engine???

You are confusing two different things. One of the main aims of plasma manufacturers is to increase panel life. Or in other words, decrease phospor aging. If phospor ages quickly, it will only elevate the burn-in. Not decrease it - Reason being, the difference in ages between different areas of the panel becomes evident if the areas displaying white ages 'more quickly' than areas with black which do not age.

Faster phospor is a completely different concept to tackle 3D. It just means that the phospor is more 'responsive' to changes in signals.

The 2D TVs display 50 frames every second. Inconsistencies in creation and display of the image are masked as the images are 'almost' same between two consequent frames. Few inconsistencies are evident in fast moving scenes though if the panel is not able to cope up. Thats about it.

But in 3D TVs, the TV has to alternate between two different images (one for each eye) 50*2 times a second. Any inconsistencies will be blown up and show up as blurs or artifacts or ghost images and screw up the 3D experience (which is already screwed up even if done perfectly) if the phostpor does not react to the 3D signal fast enough.

Theoretically though, if you watch only 3D content all the time, you will not get burn-in at all as, no two times the TV displays the same image (but alternating image always). Problem comes only when you watch 2D content in the 3D TV (as in 95% of times).

This change to fast phospor has reset 2-3 years of innovation in making the slower phospor more burn-in free. So the 3D TVs will become as roburst as the 2009 2D TVs in probably the 3rd gen 3D plasmas. ie next year ones. Thats just a speculation though.

 

[Naveen_Reloaded]

The Audio out through optical just gives 2 ch... or am i missing something ?

 

[andre19]

This change to fast phospor has reset 2-3 years of innovation in making the slower phospor more burn-in free. So the 3D TVs will become as roburst as the 2009 2D TVs in probably the 3rd gen 3D plasmas. ie next year ones. Thats just a speculation though.

So your saying the st30 is more susceptible to burn in than a gt20 or a vt20 or even a samsung d550?? if you compare among 3d tv!

 

[BLASTO]

So your saying the st30 is more susceptible to burn in than a gt20 or a vt20 or even a samsung d550?? if you compare among 3d tv!

GT20 and VT20 are gen1 fast phospor TVs. ST30 has a fast'er' phospor according to panasonic. Theoretically IR should be lesser in ST30 as it is gen2 but Iam not sure.

The 2009 V10 model for example is when IR avoidance was at peak.

The fast phospors are introduced in 2010 3D models itself. It is being advertised only now in ST30.

 

[Naveen_Reloaded]

BLASTO , so far from what i read

1.) You need to equally age the phosphors to get a overall good PQ and also avoid static images ,etc during initial t1/2 of phosphors to avoid early image IR

2.) But soon you age them , the IR problem creeps in .. also overall brightness and contrast reduces as time passes ..
Am i right in what i understood ?

D-Nice method for panel prep is an intensive method to age the phosphors equally and to get his setting(color)

So apart from usual precaution , is it absolutely necessary to break-in the plasma`s ?

If you dont mind can i c n p your reply in the PM you sent me for benefit for other members?

 

[Reds4ever]

Yesterday, I noted the black level is high with much brigter gray. Did the above and observed that the brightness will not reduce for full black below +15!!

Something crazy is going on.. Can you guys post the numbers from your TV?

I did the firmware upgrade recently and Iam not sure if it has to anything with this.. Hold on for the moment and dont do the upgrade..

It's the same for me. No reduction in brightness from +15 down.. anything over it also introduces colored pixels if you look up close.

I also have the latest firmware, upgraded soon after i installed it. Was the black level much better for you before the upgrade?

 

[BLASTO]

It's the same for me. No reduction in brightness from +15 down.. anything over it also introduces colored pixels if you look up close.

I also have the latest firmware, upgraded soon after i installed it. Was the black level much better for you before the upgrade?

Are you guys doing the brightness check in night times in absolute dark?

As I mentioned, it was 0,-5 and -15 for me sometime before.. I set the brightness only using this method and with no tools involved.. The day(s) that it was -15 was like the hell broke. Can't distinguish the TV with all lights off mostly even with eyes settled to dark and it was like the pic vramak posted some months ago..

0 to -5 was very very good too..

But with -15, I can literally see the light coming out of the TV and falling on the nearby wall creating shadows.. It looked like same as my samsung plasma blacks.

Did not have much time for late night viewing after that.. Will post my observation during the weekend..

Meanwhile if there is anyone who has NOT done firmware upgrade, please post your min brightness value?

 

[Reds4ever]

Are you guys doing the brightness check in night times in absolute dark?

As I mentioned, it was 0,-5 and -15 for me sometime before.. I set the brightness only using this method and with no tools involved.. The day(s) that it was -15 was like the hell broke. Can't distinguish the TV with all lights off mostly even with eyes settled to dark and it was like the pic vramak posted some months ago..

0 to -5 was very very good too..

But with -15, I can literally see the light coming out of the TV and falling on the nearby wall creating shadows.. It looked like same as my samsung plasma blacks.

Did not have much time for late night viewing after that.. Will post my observation during the weekend..

Meanwhile if there is anyone who has NOT done firmware upgrade, please post your min brightness value?

I checked mine in absolute darkness at night..

btw, does anyone know the no. of previous version of the firmware? The present one is 5.606. Also, is it possible to revert (factory reset or something)?

 

[Naveen_Reloaded]

I checked again with all blinds and doors closed. I am on firmware 2.113 , fir which the description read as "pal11's peaks soft update contents"

again the -5 is the lowest dark i can get , beyond that there is no considerable difference.

and around +15 I get something like static image.

 

[satan]

@Blasto and Reds4ever

Guys can we move the VT20 talk over to the VT20 Owners thread. The conversation is getting confusing and mixed over the ST30 and the VT20.

It would be nice if you guys could replicate the same posts in both threads if they are common to both models.

 

[BLASTO]

I checked again with all blinds and doors closed. I am on firmware 2.113 , fir which the description read as "pal11's peaks soft update contents"

again the -5 is the lowest dark i can get , beyond that there is no considerable difference.

and around +15 I get something like static image.

That is correct behaviour. It was like that in my VT20 most of the time. My VT20 gives only +15 (actually +13) black at anything less than that. I doubt the firmware.

 

[Naveen_Reloaded]

That is correct behaviour. It was like that in my VT20 most of the time. My VT20 gives only +15 (actually +13) black at anything less than that. I doubt the firmware.

Thanks.

Also BLASTO , my current cable connection is very grainy and almost like a static display when zoomed in , can i just keep watching my TV with cable connection for break-in ? also you said me to use the static of cable for break-in , but there are only two colors involved , black and white , wont it affect all other colors ? just curious ...

 

[BLASTO]

Inline.

BLASTO , so far from what i read

1.) You need to equally age the phosphors to get a overall good PQ and also avoid static images ,etc during initial t1/2 of phosphors to avoid early image IR

[Blasto] Yes.

2.) But soon you age them , the IR problem creeps in .. also overall brightness and contrast reduces as time passes ..
Am i right in what i understood ?

[Blasto] No. As I mentioned earlier, the phospor ages much slower starting from 100-200 hours. So you need not worry much after the panel has ages as much.

D-Nice method for panel prep is an intensive method to age the phosphors equally and to get his setting(color)

So apart from usual precaution , is it absolutely necessary to break-in the plasma`s ?

[Blasto] It is not.

If you dont mind can i c n p your reply in the PM you sent me for benefit for other members?

[Blasto] I thought I replied all replies. Could have missed some or my inbox could have been full. Its hard nowadays with the PMs.

All the above is theory. As I mentioned earlier, Iam not gonna worry much and start watching the 'content' rather than the 'TV'.
But thats only me.

 

[BLASTO]

Thanks.

Also BLASTO , my current cable connection is very grainy and almost like a static display when zoomed in , can i just keep watching my TV with cable connection for break-in ?

Lol.. Why do you want to watch that?? hyeah:
Do yourself a favour and get the HD DTH faster.

also you said me to use the static of cable for break-in , but there are only two colors involved , black and white , wont it affect all other colors ? just curious ...

Colours have nothing to do with break-in. Atleast I dont know of anything useful they bring in. The idea is to keep the phospors working so that they age. It is more like displaying a grey screen at an average but the phospors keep working all the time.

 

[Naveen_Reloaded]

Inline.



All the above is theory. As I mentioned earlier, Iam not gonna worry much and start watching the 'content' rather than the 'TV'.
But thats only me.

Thanks a lot BLASTO for clearing things up..

Lol.. Why do you want to watch that?? hyeah:
Do yourself a favour and get the HD DTH faster.



Colours have nothing to do with break-in. Atleast I dont know of anything useful they bring in. The idea is to keep the phospors working so that they age. It is more like displaying a grey screen at an average but the phospors keep working all the time.

Its already 5 days i have ordered ADTV HD DTH.. If i dont get it installed today , they might propably do the installation after diwali .. . Another resaon i watch is there are 5-8 local channels, which are very funny , sometimes they cover all local news , which i cant get it on DTH. also the clarity isnt bad , sun TV , few other channels have 720p(like) clarity ,but that only constitutes 20% ..

As for break-in .. ?I get it.. Its the excitation of each phosphor content rather than producing equal colors...

I will try the static input then..

thanks BLASTO.. one last thing , I cant see a "CUSTOM" color setting , or in which mode does it show actually ?

 

[BLASTO]

Thanks a lot BLASTO for clearing things up..



Its already 5 days i have ordered ADTV HD DTH.. If i dont get it installed today , they might propably do the installation after diwali .. . Another resaon i watch is there are 5-8 local channels, which are very funny , sometimes they cover all local news , which i cant get it on DTH. also the clarity isnt bad , sun TV , and many other channels have 720p(like) clarity ..

ADTV has aditya and isaiaruvi.. Thats mostly enough.
Inspite of whatever you might be thinking, Iam from madurai only..

As for break-in .. ?I get it.. Its the excitation of each phosphor content rather than producing equal colors...

I will try the static input then..

Yes. Even the colour slides average to grey if you measure for considerable amount of time. The problem with that is, if you breakin when you are away from home and there is a powercut, there is chance that actual channel play after reboot of TV instead of slides and cause retention. This problem is not there for static.

thanks BLASTO.. one last thing , I cant see a "CUSTOM" color setting , or in which mode does it show actually ?

I dont know. Is it sprcific to ST30? its not there in VT20.

 

[Naveen_Reloaded]

ADTV has aditya and isaiaruvi.. Thats mostly enough.
Inspite of whatever you might be thinking, Iam from madurai only..

Apadi podu aruvala... :yahoo::yahoo:

Yes. Even the colour slides average to grey if you measure for considerable amount of time. The problem with that is, if you breakin when you are away from home and there is a powercut, there is chance that actual channel play after reboot of TV instead of slides and cause retention. This problem is not there for static.

For past few days the power cut has become erratic and i dont want to risk the TV either.. I am planning to get a stabilizer and then watch TV/Static break-in ...
till then i am just not switching on the TV for accidental static image if unattended.

I dont know. Is it sprcific to ST30? its not there in VT20.

No , i saw in D-Nice setting and he said Profile:Custom and gave all the color settings..thats why i asked..

 

[mandark]

3d Eyewear: TYEW3D2MW

3D: Viewed Tangled 3D Blu-Ray and it was amazing!! Much better than passive 3D IMHO (no flaming please).

2D to 3D: Viewed Paprika Blu-Ray. There was some difference (more so because of the actual content and less due to the 2D to 3D conversion) but nothing like in actual 3D mode. Used The Dark Knight Blu-Ray, but didn't notice any 3D here.

More or less, 2D to 3D is just a gimmick for now. Though, the on-screen menu looks EXACTLY like the 3D in 2D to 3D mode

 

[Naveen_Reloaded]

3d Eyewear: TYEW3D2MW

3D: Viewed Tangled 3D Blu-Ray and it was amazing!! Much better than passive 3D IMHO (no flaming please).

2D to 3D: Viewed Paprika Blu-Ray. There was some difference (more so because of the actual content and less due to the 2D to 3D conversion) but nothing like in actual 3D mode. Used The Dark Knight Blu-Ray, but didn't notice any 3D here.

More or less, 2D to 3D is just a gimmick for now. Though, the on-screen menu looks EXACTLY like the 3D in 2D to 3D mode

completely agree. 2D>3D doesnt do much.. But 3D contents are really great..


--------------------------------

Bad news :sad::sad:.. I saw FBr issue now.. any suggestion to show it really happens..
I might call the service guy and want to show the issue.. any inputs on this would be great ./.
Although i need to say that its very negligible and wont see it if you are into the movie..

 

[Naveen_Reloaded]

On Viera CAST Apps

ShoutCast app is just awesome. Have been a fan of it only recently (few months back). I love the option to add favorites. Also Ability to turn-off the display alone and let aduio play is a nice feature. Those who are shoutcast fan , can enjoy not worrying about burn-in or IR..
Youtube app doesnt seem to have a option to control the quality of the video , ie HD/SD . Also it straightaway stream and no caching seems to be there, if there is , they are only for few seconds.
Weather app doesnt work properly , since i cant change the location, since it doesnt load the screen for location change even after long time i kept it to load..
Dailymotion and Break.tv takes longer loading time.


I have a 512kbps and comparing to the performance of desktop counterpart ,these apps are slow. If anyone have better connection like 2mbps or more , can try viera cast and please report back. Preferred connection is LAN , for stability