Potential problem with Panasonic plasmas..

[Gfreeman]

This is pretty standard, with prices being reduced with the new model year and has nothing to do with so called "black level problems". Last year and the years before that, the prices were similiarly reduced with the introduction of new models. This year the AE4000 projector came in at $2500 compared to last years's model the AE3000, which was priced at $3500 and this was long before any "black level problems" became an issue.

Who said about black level problems having anything to do with prices? Hints about pricing were pretty much given away before black level problems were highlighted by CNET on 26th Jan . S2 prices for eg were available even before this on the US website. Panasonic hardly cared until that time though folks at AVS forum highlighted this months ago.
Also please read the "Panasonic 2010 models" AVS forum link .You will see price approximations were all accurate + or minus 100$ for all models except for the V20/V25. All this was made before the CNET observation was first made.
Japanese G20/G25 prices were released just after CES 2010(indicating a price drop) and were officially released on 5th Feb. So this too was before the CNET article. So obviously prices have not factored the black level issue


I think many of us understand why prices have come down. Panasonic's need to keep plasmas at competitive prices vis a vis LCDs and their need to concentrate on volumes given declining profits .


I think it was my mistake that i quoted Dushie which gave the feeling that i seconded that comment. The comments i made were about pricing in general. I din mean to link it with black level problems at al. I have been following US Panasonic prices for the past few months and I was pretty sure of what the end prices for 2010 C2, S2 and G20/G25 models would have been in the US.
The reason for following US prices was because many Indian models retailed at around an additional 30% of US convertible prices(with 1dollar=50Rs)

I am sorry bout this... But i couldn't quite relate the projector example that you mentioned with the black level problem.

 

[sanjay0864]

But i couldn't quite relate the projector example that you mentioned with the black level problem.

I used the AE4000 price example to make the point that newer models, inspite of having better features generally come in at a lower price and also because the AE4000 came out at a lower price even though there were no 'black level' issues with projectors.

 

[Dushie]

Just spoke to a friend back in US, dunno about the prices but, what one would need to wait and watch is the impact on sales of the Panasonic plasma's. As new models are being currently launched and old ones are being phased out.

 

[thetas]

Panasonic does not plan fix for reported black level increases

one of the users has posted an email that he/she has received from Panasonic in the comments section to the CNET article, which I've copied below.. this suggests that Panasonic is working on a firmware update to correct the black level degradation issue..


Dear MR ********

Thank you for your inquiry.

There is a new firmware out that can be installed to correct the green
tint on the THX mode and there is another firmware coming out soon to
correct the black level issues.

We hope this information is helpful to you. Thank you for contacting
Panasonic.

Thank You,
Panasonic Consumer Support

Panasonic does not plan fix for reported black level increases.
Since the TVs work as designed, there's nothing to fix."

That answer comes from Bob Perry, senior VP of Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company, in reply to a followup question CNET asked in response to the company's February 3 statement addressing reports about its plasma TVs losing their deep black levels over time.

That statement maintained that the plasmas' black levels are designed to brighten over time ("background brightness will increase from its initial value") to compensate for the normal aging process. But it suggested that picture quality was still "excellent" after the compensation period was complete and the "internal material characteristics...stabilize".........

Gray areas - Panasonic does not plan fix for reported black level increases - CNET Asia

 

[Reds4ever]

Re: Panasonic does not plan fix for reported black level increases

Panasonic does not plan fix for reported black level increases.
Since the TVs work as designed, there's nothing to fix."

That answer comes from Bob Perry, senior VP of Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company, in reply to a followup question CNET asked in response to the company's February 3 statement addressing reports about its plasma TVs losing their deep black levels over time.

That statement maintained that the plasmas' black levels are designed to brighten over time ("background brightness will increase from its initial value") to compensate for the normal aging process. But it suggested that picture quality was still "excellent" after the compensation period was complete and the "internal material characteristics...stabilize".........

Gray areas - Panasonic does not plan fix for reported black level increases - CNET Asia

Thanks, thetas.. please checkout my post right after the one which you've quoted.. there i've referred to the same link as you have posted today..

 

[thetas]

Thank you for pointing it out.
I really got mislead after reading the quoted post.

 

[Reds4ever]

Thank you for pointing it out.
I really got mislead after reading the quoted post.

i can understand.. have edited that post since..

 

[Gfreeman]

CNET has now confirmed the rise in black levels after doing a long term testing of a G10 and V10 in their own inventory

Tests point to extent of loss in Panasonic plasma black-level performance | Crave - CNET

I am not sure if this was reported before. Panasonic has now been sued with a class action lawsuit

Panasonic sued over plasma TV picture quality | Crave - CNET

 

[Dushie]

Well guess the fun has just begun for Panasonic now ....

 

[Gfreeman]

The 2010 S2 model which D-Nice from AVSforum has been calibrating has also risen in black levels from 0.006 to about 0.0098 at 303 hours.

 

[Gfreeman]

Some folks at AVS with a theory to arrest/prevent a black level rise by resetting the TV clock

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1242024

As it is late in the night i did not have the patience to read the thread in detail but one person seems to have found some success.

 

[Manu]

Do the Indian G10 sets have the pixel orbiter and whitewash function that are mentioned in the AVSforums for the US version of this set?
I have the 42G10D, and can definitely notice the raised black levels are plague these sets.
Wanted to see what my settings are for the pixel orbiter and check the whitewash function to reduce IR.