Panasonic VT20 Owners Thread

[satan]

To give you perspective of black change I was mentioning earlier, do the below.

Keep the TV in PC mode or display a black image and enter the service menu.
In service menu, press 1 two times to select the white-balance adjustment, the TV loses some black in this section due to some post processing.
From this point, if you move back and forth using 1 & 2 keys, you can see the difference.

This is the amount change I was talking about. It may matter to you or it may not.

I just tried it out Blasto. When you land at the white-balance adjustment menu, the TV loses some black as you mentioned, but when you move to a different adjustment menu (like the contrast one) it goes back to the same black level that we get while displaying a black image.

Maybe I am missing something here, but from what I understand this test is only proving that the best black level is what we already have and that is at +12 (+15 brightness for some of you).

Please clarify. Thanks.

 

[prankey]

Blasto - Thanks for the replies. I guess 51D550 do not have any motion judder as I have understood. Are you able to get rid of judder after switching on IFC?

Also, is 2D to 3D conversion mode available on VT20 and do we get extended media player capability like playing mkv off NTFS volumes after upgrading the firmware or is it still the same as earlier?

 

[BLASTO]

I just tried it out Blasto. When you land at the white-balance adjustment menu, the TV loses some black as you mentioned, but when you move to a different adjustment menu (like the contrast one) it goes back to the same black level that we get while displaying a black image.

Maybe I am missing something here, but from what I understand this test is only proving that the best black level is what we already have and that is at +12 (+15 brightness for some of you).

Please clarify. Thanks.

That is only to give a perspective of the amount of black change that will be between 0 and +12 (Not +15, it is +12 only).

 

[crusader]

To my eyes, VT20 has motion judder. Not so much for HD contents. But tatasky hd does seem to have lot of judder. Turning IFC off did help to an extent but, it is present. I see this in some panning shots. If there are letters (like credits of a movie) over it, they get distorted. Recently I saw this in a Bluray movie as well. This was not seen in my previous Samsung led. But then it had other issues...

Blasto - Thanks for the replies. I guess 51D550 do not have any motion judder as I have understood. Are you able to get rid of judder after switching on IFC?

Also, is 2D to 3D conversion mode available on VT20 and do we get extended media player capability like playing mkv off NTFS volumes after upgrading the firmware or is it still the same as earlier?

 

[saurshar004]

how good is the 3D on VT20...its like the number one thing for me...

 

[van]

hi VT20/V20/ST30 owners...
found below thrd on AVFORUMS
"This 1080i test material should help determine whether or not you are going to be put off by false contouring/phosphor trailing on the Panasonics.

Its designed for use with SD cards. Please read the supporting guide and compare my examples.
If you are going shopping then this should help with the decision because this is worst case scenario material. If you can live with it, you'll probably be fine with everything else that gets thrown at the display."

can the PDP owners please download and test on your PDP and share the observations.
1080i test material location : https://www.rapidshare.com/#!download|440|458599907|Motion_Evaluation_Tests.zip|292777.474
Note: Zip file size: ~280 MB
Note: please read thru the PDF guide available along with the download (in case u dont have SD card pls follow instruction in the PDF on how to run the files directly thru USB)

 

[prankey]

hi VT20/V20/ST30 owners...
found below thrd on AVFORUMS
"This 1080i test material should help determine whether or not you are going to be put off by false contouring/phosphor trailing on the Panasonics.

Its designed for use with SD cards. Please read the supporting guide and compare my examples.
If you are going shopping then this should help with the decision because this is worst case scenario material. If you can live with it, you'll probably be fine with everything else that gets thrown at the display."

can the PDP owners please download and test on your PDP and share the observations.
1080i test material location : https://www.rapidshare.com/#!download|440|458599907|Motion_Evaluation_Tests.zip|292777.474
Note: Zip file size: ~280 MB
Note: please read thru the PDF guide available along with the download (in case u dont have SD card pls follow instruction in the PDF on how to run the files directly thru USB)

Downloading. If this is useful, we could compare between Samsung 51D550 and ST30/VT20 and see which one handles motion better.

 

[van]

Downloading. If this is useful, we could compare between Samsung 51D550 and ST30/VT20 and see which one handles motion better.

Hi Prankey,

were you able to download & check this out...?

 

[BLASTO]

To my eyes, VT20 has motion judder. Not so much for HD contents. But tatasky hd does seem to have lot of judder. Turning IFC off did help to an extent but, it is present. I see this in some panning shots. If there are letters (like credits of a movie) over it, they get distorted. Recently I saw this in a Bluray movie as well. This was not seen in my previous Samsung led. But then it had other issues...

Is your bluray player outputting 50Hz or 60Hz? The TV has no (or minimum) issues with 60Hz. Change it to 60Hz and check. Unfortunately, the DTH will be 50Hz only.

BTW, the LEDs smoothout the motion through frame interpolation causing soap opera effect. Some people like it, some dont.

 

[khoj]

After watching the VT20 pdp for nearly 50 hours now, I am seriously considering getting a second one for my parent's room. This is a seriously beautiful piece of equipment. My tv viewing has gone up considerably and all this when I am viewing it on either Zoom2 or 3. I especially like the 'Real juice, flower, paint .... sequences for obvious reasons and the other favourite being Discovery channel's 'World from above' Yummy is the word.

 

[BLASTO]

I especially like the 'Real juice, flower, paint .... sequences for obvious reasons and the other favourite being Discovery channel's 'World from above' Yummy is the word.

My favorite too.. Stored it in the Airtel DVR..
You see the juice in black background and you know you got the money's worth.. hyeah:

 

[giddavr]

i find the pq of this tv amazingly beautiful. especially the grey scale is simply superb.
i am a photographer and i know a beautiful b&w image when i see one.

gorgeous display panel.

thanks to the forum and the members who gave this deal to me.

wouldnt have known i could buy a 50incher at this price if not for the forum

 

[prankey]

Hi Prankey,

were you able to download & check this out...?

I did download and planning to check it at the showroom as soon as I get a chance.

 

[prankey]

Is 2D to 3D mode available after firmware upgrade on this TV?

 

[BLASTO]

Is 2D to 3D mode available after firmware upgrade on this TV?

No. Firmware update only fixed the viera cast -> viera connect.
2D -> 3D is available in almost all bluray players I guess.
You cannot watch DTH contents in 3D though.

 

[prankey]

No. Firmware update only fixed the viera cast -> viera connect.
2D -> 3D is available in almost all bluray players I guess.
You cannot watch DTH contents in 3D though.

Yes, DTH and PC/Games 2D content sometimes look very good in Samsung 2D to 3D conversion. So its another deal breaker for me, though I am tempted to buy the TV particularly for Panel Quality.

How is the speed of Viera Connect? Is it usable?

 

[BLASTO]

Yes, DTH and PC/Games 2D content sometimes look very good in Samsung 2D to 3D conversion. So its another deal breaker for me, though I am tempted to buy the TV particularly for Panel Quality.

How is the speed of Viera Connect? Is it usable?

Viera Connect is slower than Viera cast IMO.

You should probably buy the samsung. It ticks more boxes for you.
Just ensure you dont have any windows in the opposite.

Iam infact planning to buy samsung bluray player for 2D->3D.

 

[BLASTO]

Yes, DTH and PC/Games 2D content sometimes look very good in Samsung 2D to 3D conversion. So its another deal breaker for me, though I am tempted to buy the TV particularly for Panel Quality.

How is the speed of Viera Connect? Is it usable?

BTW, Does PS3 have 2D->3D conversion for games?

 

[prankey]

Viera Connect is slower than Viera cast IMO.

You should probably buy the samsung. It ticks more boxes for you.
Just ensure you dont have any windows in the opposite.

Iam infact planning to buy samsung bluray player for 2D->3D.

Yes, that is what I am thinking. Unfortunately BR player is not useful for PC connectivity. I get great 3D effect from static photos and graphics using Samsung's 2D to 3D conversion.

I do have a wall full of windows/lower glass panes opposite to TV in my living room. Have to buy specialized curtains if I go for ANY glossy TV. Currently only my Matte finish LCD, its acceptable during day time, though black levels suffer due to the disbursed light on the screen.

Have you checked ARC on VT20? Can it output DD/DTS tracks from external sources? Samsung can only pass PCM 2.0 using ARC and that too seems to be missing on 51D550.

 

[disneyschumi]

Hi Guys,

Just Finished my Breaking in Period as posted, i was trying to calibrate, and most of the setting mentioned on D-Nice guide is not visible...

North American TC-PxxVT20/25 Reference Settings

Picture:
Picture Mode: THX
Contrast: 66
Brightness: 50
Color: 45
Tint: -1
Sharpness: 10

(Below Setting are not Present on my TV)
How to access these settings?

Color Temp: Warm2
Color Management: Off
x.v. Color: Off
Photo Enhancement: Off
C.A.T.S: Off
Video NR: Off
Blur Reduction: Off

Advance Options
Block NR: Off
Mosquito NR: Off
Black Level: Light
3:2 Pulldown: On

Service Menu Offsets

WB-ADJ MENU
R-DRV: -1
G-DRV: -11
B-DRV: +4
R-CUT: +1
G-CUT: 0
B-CUT: -3


Or if anyone has better calibrated setting please provide me..