ST50 Owners' Thread - First impressions, Reviews, Tweaks, etc.

[just4kix]

Anyways....I think I am going ahead with the purchase.
5k here and there should not matter I guess.:beer:

And I recommend that you wait a little. Just as 5k here and there should not matter I guess, waiting for a month is not going to bring much harm either. It is possible that Panasonic may drop prices to match Samsung.

So if you wait and prices drop, you are the winner. And if you wait, but prices don't drop, you don't loose out much other than not having a TV for a month or so.

 

[Dirac]

And I recommend that you wait a little. Just as 5k here and there should not matter I guess, waiting for a month is not going to bring much harm either. It is possible that Panasonic may drop prices to match Samsung.

So if you wait and prices drop, you are the winner. And if you wait, but prices don't drop, you don't loose out much other than not having a TV for a month or so.

Thanks. Just now I called up TMC banjara hills guy.He was saying that he is the biggest dealer of panny in AP.I just told your price of 1.03l and asked whether he can better that.He immediately said that he can give it for less(he said much better than 1.03).So I am going to him tommorrow morning.May be settle around 96k-98k and carry the "maestro" home.
What do you say!!

 

[miniwarmth]

I had some time to kill today and wandered into a Giria's Electronics @ Bangalore/Indiranagar 100' Rd -- or should i say 30m Rd

Anyway, the sales guy gave me these prices:
42ST50: 81k
50ST50: 98k
42GT50:99
50GT50:114

Re, waiting for lower prices, my rule is to wait until you really need it then buy and don't look back. Someone will always get a lower price and while waiting will usually get you lower price but at at what 'cost' and for how long; your enjoyment. Pretty soon the new models will be 'just around the corner' and you will freeze your decision.

 

[just4kix]

Re, waiting for lower prices, my rule is to wait until you really need it then buy and don't look back. Someone will always get a lower price and while waiting will usually get you lower price but at at what 'cost' and for how long; your enjoyment. Pretty soon the new models will be 'just around the corner' and you will freeze your decision.

Pretty much with you, mate. I waited for two our should I say two and a half years and ultimately ended up spending the same amount. The only thing maybe is that, I may have saved on interest on the amount and probably a better (????) Tv - 50ST50 instead of 50V20.

Sent from my GT-I9100G using Tapatalk 2

 

[cyberraj]

cyberraj,
You can check out Kohinoor showroom in andheri(W). I did check with them about ST50 and they have in stock.

Thanks,
Myzus

Myzus - checked wid kohinoor .... no stock .... i m thinking then going for hx 850 46" - thry quoted 1.1 .... but not sure .... as i think st50 would be better .... shud come under a lac n 50" .... guys if u know some1 in mumbai having stock of st50 .... do lemme kw .... or finally i may pick up the sony

 

[Dirac]

Guys..I have done it.....
Booked st50 for 99k.Also got 2k for scratching the prize card.Printer would be couriered by panasonic in a week.:yahoo:
Will be receiving the unit late evening.


Thanks to all of the guys in the thread.

 

[rangan]

Hi ST50 owners,

I am posting this message again just to see if we can get some thing done on the calibration part. My point is when ST50 has the capability (only after post calibration) to provide the PQ on par with any of the high-end reference models of any make, are we exploiting it ? Why not having ST50 properly calibrated and see the the best in class ? I am sure every ST50 onwer will feel proud and happy with that !!!:yahoo:

So my question is - do we know any professsional calibrators who can do the actual calibration ? Is it worth doing that exercise ? I feel so, but I want to know your thoughts as well. In case if there are well know calibrators, can we get to know a list of calibrators in places like Bangalore, chennai, pune, etc .. ?

Please pass on your thoughts and I am just very much curious on this issue.

 

[just4kix]

Guys..I have done it.....
Booked st50 for 99k.Also got 2k for scratching the prize card.Printer would be couriered by panasonic in a week.:yahoo:
Will be receiving the unit late evening.


Thanks to all of the guys in the thread.

Congrats.

Sent from my GT-I9100G using Tapatalk 2

 

[just4kix]

Hi ST50 owners,

I am posting this message again just to see if we can get some thing done on the calibration part. My point is when ST50 has the capability (only after post calibration) to provide the PQ on par with any of the high-end reference models of any make, are we exploiting it ? Why not having ST50 properly calibrated and see the the best in class ? I am sure every ST50 onwer will feel proud and happy with that !!!:yahoo:

So my question is - do we know any professsional calibrators who can do the actual calibration ? Is it worth doing that exercise ? I feel so, but I want to know your thoughts as well. In case if there are well know calibrators, can we get to know a list of calibrators in places like Bangalore, chennai, pune, etc .. ?

Please pass on your thoughts and I am just very much curious on this issue.

I am not aware of local professional calibrators and I am also not sure whether what they would do would end up to my liking. I have just done one (very tiny and quick) exercise for 'True Cinema' setting.

Sent from my GT-I9100G using Tapatalk 2

 

[Dirac]

I am not aware of local professional calibrators and I am also not sure whether what they would do would end up to my liking. I have just done one (very tiny and quick) exercise for 'True Cinema' setting.

Sent from my GT-I9100G using Tapatalk 2

Can you please enlighten us on it please.Does it increase the brightness of true cinema mode?
Thanks.

 

[Audiodoc]

Professional calibration with get the ST50 to the THX calibrated GT50 standards or even slightly better. Copying a calibration setting from the net will get you close however it may be far from perfect.

Professional calibration involves a sensor system applied to the screen while the video parametaers are set up within the service and settings menu. White balance, color temperature, color gamut etc are set up to optimun levels. This can be saved for dark room and bright room settings and permanantly locked.

 

[rangan]

I am not aware of local professional calibrators and I am also not sure whether what they would do would end up to my liking. I have just done one (very tiny and quick) exercise for 'True Cinema' setting.

Sent from my GT-I9100G using Tapatalk 2

just4kix,
I believe the profesional calibrations (ISF and THX) are meant to optimise the picture settings so that the images produced are as much natural and provide the exact (at least closer to) details what a movie maker intended to. Also I believe we all purchased the Plasmas to see movies without loosing any of the original details. So I think you would not only get used to the post calibrated images, but also enjoy watching them more than before on your ST50. I may be wrong in assuming this on your behalf and correct me if so.

In other countries, people pay to get professional ISF calibrators and get the calibration done just to enjoy the movies on their HDTVs. So I some how believe we would also enjoy the images better than before. In my case, I am using some of the settings that you suggested before and I got used to it. For example, with the reduced contrast/brightness settings (for the first 200 hours), I got used to it and I still enjoy the beauty of the ST50 performance. At the same time, I some how get a feeling that with professional calibration, we will get used to the new settings and also enjoy much more than before. Again, some one might say that it is all about individual preference rather than a mere calibration. If that is the case, I myself would not push for professional calibration, but what if the other way ????

Even if we don't get a professional calibrator, would it be okay to simply copy the calibration settings from net even if that doesn't get us to the perfection ? At least will that not be better than the current settings that we use ?

 

[just4kix]

just4kix,
I believe the profesional calibrations (ISF and THX) are meant to optimise the picture settings so that the images produced are as much natural and provide the exact (at least closer to) details what a movie maker intended to. Also I believe we all purchased the Plasmas to see movies without loosing any of the original details. So I think you would not only get used to the post calibrated images, but also enjoy watching them more than before on your ST50. I may be wrong in assuming this on your behalf and correct me if so.

In other countries, people pay to get professional ISF calibrators and get the calibration done just to enjoy the movies on their HDTVs. So I some how believe we would also enjoy the images better than before. In my case, I am using some of the settings that you suggested before and I got used to it. For example, with the reduced contrast/brightness settings (for the first 200 hours), I got used to it and I still enjoy the beauty of the ST50 performance. At the same time, I some how get a feeling that with professional calibration, we will get used to the new settings and also enjoy much more than before. Again, some one might say that it is all about individual preference rather than a mere calibration. If that is the case, I myself would not push for professional calibration, but what if the other way ????

Even if we don't get a professional calibrator, would it be okay to simply copy the calibration settings from net even if that doesn't get us to the perfection ? At least will that not be better than the current settings that we use ?

I would agree that professional calibrators would do the proper job. What I meant earlier is whether such people are available here, and if they are really professionally trained.

I tried blind copying of some setings from the web and did not find them to my liking. One site said, set contrast to 65, brightness to +12, colour to something, etc. I found those a little overwhelming.

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[avmaxfan]

Isn't our forum member aakashr a THX certified ISF calibrator ? At least that's what his signature says

 

[rangan]

I would agree that professional calibrators would do the proper job. What I meant earlier is whether such people are available here, and if they are really professionally trained.

I tried blind copying of some setings from the web and did not find them to my liking. One site said, set contrast to 65, brightness to +12, colour to something, etc. I found those a little overwhelming.

Sent from my GT-I9100G using Tapatalk 2

I agree with you on copying the settings from the web. I have also started feeling that we may not have good certified calibrators in India. Let me search in the web to see if I can get some details.

Mean while, yesterday I saw "Planet Earth" (Bluray version) for a couple of hours (still 7 more hours are left to watch) and I was awestruck !!! Simply because of the way the documentary was made and also by the way ST50 reproduced it. I guess most of you might be having this documentary. If not, it is worth having that.

 

[akasmarty2003]

I agree with you on copying the settings from the web. I have also started feeling that we may not have good certified calibrators in India. Let me search in the web to see if I can get some details.

Mean while, yesterday I saw "Planet Earth" (Bluray version) for a couple of hours (still 7 more hours are left to watch) and I was awestruck !!! Simply because of the way the documentary was made and also by the way ST50 reproduced it. I guess most of you might be having this documentary. If not, it is worth having that.

try "BBC Life" even better

 

[just4kix]

Isn't our forum member aakashr a THX certified ISF calibrator ? At least that's what his signature says

Certainly. Thanks for reminding. We should use his expertise. I am willing to pay for services also.

 

[Kartik]

I wonder if it would be possible to calibrate an HDTV using a PC monitor calibration tool? Maybe it would require some external software but might be worth a shot. Or else calibrate the TV using the Spears and Munsil DVD/Blu-ray or the Disney WOW disk or similar. There is also a ColorHCFR software that can be investigated.

Don't know how much in real world terms this will help with non-movie content (TV channels primarily).

 

[just4kix]

Certainly. I did my own crude calibration. [post=424864]See post # 409[/POST].

 

[hfvtush]

Hi,

I am planing to by 50" FT50 this diwali.

Most of viewing will be SD on dish tv, and I will upgrade to HD on dish or d2h videocon.
So 90/95 % will be DTH, and rest movies.

As I am reading through posts for plasma tv, what I understand is that for SD/HD dth viewing plasma tv (GT50 or ST50) is not good and one should go for LED tv (sony nx750)

Is my assessment valid? I have almost made my decision to buy 50 GT50.

Please advice me as per my usage