Topic: Plasma owner!

[Ex-airbalancer]

Looking at getting a plasma TV
Did you have to do much calibration or just with the setting out of the box?
Did you have break in period, some forums write that you should wait 100 hrs before do a set up?

[safristi]

  JUST REV the SHIP outta it right from the stealership......................... here's LOOKIN' @ ya BABE.......... .......................change the Plasma every 5,000 "views!" of course........................BLOODY HELL...............

[quadzilla]

If you want the BEST picture any TV can deliver getting it calibrated is the only way it will happen. Out of the box TVs can be horrible to watch and some come out in TORCH mode which is the worst settings you can have it in.

For most people you can get good setting from AVS or C-NET and these will be good enough. For those wanting more, look for a qualified ISF calibrator to set the TV correctly.

[quadzilla]

If you want the BEST picture any TV can deliver getting it calibrated is the only way it will happen. Out of the box TVs can be horrible to watch and some come out in TORCH mode which is the worst settings you can have it in.

For most people you can get good setting from AVS or C-NET and these will be good enough. For those wanting more, look for a qualified ISF calibrator to set the TV correctly.

Maybe mine was calibrated by the tech who installed it and I did not know. Looks really good to me.

If so then that is great. Some TVs come out of the box very close to being correct, others are so bad it isn't even funny.

Not directed at you:
Some people think their tv is correct because they don't know what a properly calibrated tv looks like. When they finally see one they first thing they usually say its how dull it looks because their tv was at max brightness or a colour doesn't look as vibrant as it did before but it was over blown previously.

Saying that, I don't think most people need to go to a full ISF calibration as it won't make enough difference to them for the most part. Just buy a calibration DVD or BD and follow the instructions as they can make a huge difference from the factory settings.

[wing]

I'm totally for calibrating, I use one of those discs but the thing I noticed is most of those are to calibrate for "movie" watching.  And yes then it is not only dull but too dark for daytime TV or sports.  I setup my projector for movie watching because that is all I do, but I crank up my TV from the calibrated movie setting a few extra notches so I can watch hockey and get a tan from the white ice.

[ArticSteve]

You will need to go into your sat box and check all the settings.  Go Panasonic unless you got the dough for a Pioneer.  Although I understand the built in speakers are not what they used to be since Panasonic lightened up the chassis.

[Ex-airbalancer]

CNET has Pioneer, Panasonic and then Samsung
http://reviews.cnet.com/best-plasma-tvs/
I am looking at Samsung PN50A550
http://reviews.cnet.com/flat-panel-tvs/samsung-pn50a550/4505-6482_7-32887581.html?tag=contentMain;contentBody
Pricing on sale is around $1500.00
 Pioneer is around $3000 for a 50"

[curls]

I absolutely LOVE my Panasonic 42" plasma.

I set it to something very conservative, definitely nowhere close to "vivid", but a bit brighter than "cinema".  It works well for hockey, dramas, etc... in my living room.  I flip it to the preset Cinema mode for movies and it works well this way with less ambient light in the room.

Break-in isn't wholly necessary but I took extra precaution upon suggestion from gurus on avsforum(s?).com and ran stretch-screen on SD 4:3 stuff, for about a month.  The Panasonic "JUST" mode actually stretches the edges progressively more than the middle, and this is less "squished" to the eye than a fully stretched 4:3 pic.  Anyhow, the result of this was no chance of black 4:3 bars causing uneven colours (especially whites, like hockey rinks!) where the black bar would begin.  I know the chances of this happening are slim-to-none on recent sets, but my friends' cheaper Hitachi from 3 years ago has problems with this (but he's returning it to The Brick a few months before his extended warranty is up, for guaranteed replacement with the newest TV in that pricepoint... LOL!).

Enjoy your new TV.

[quadzilla]

Some more information on calibration.

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=76161

[Ex-airbalancer]

SO I got the Samsung PN50A550 for $1498 total of $1698 with tax and delivery for the Brick
They price matched  Canex flyer price http://www.cfpsa.com/en/canex/flyers/pdfs/pdfA_e.pdf so it was a $100 cheaper then they had on sale
Got the  delivery free since I printed off an email for the Brick or that would been at least $75
Since the store is 75 km for my house, like the closest FS or BB, and I would have unload 1/2 my truck to get it in the truck I was happy with free delievery
The other good thing is the Canex in Trenton is closed for renovation and they still matched the price
Brick having a RED DAY sale on Friday to match US Black Friday sale, They are going to have some LCD on sale

[quadzilla]

Congrats!  Now do you have a Blu-ray player to go with it?

[Ex-airbalancer]

Congrats!  Now do you have a Blu-ray player to go with it?

No
But I do not have Bluray disks either

[UmroAyyar]

Congrats!  Now do you have a Blu-ray player to go with it?

No
But I do not have Bluray disks either

Now you've got to buy a PS3 with Logitech G25 or even better this Fanatec Wheel. BlueRay player as an added bonus. 


Edit: Fixed Link

[safristi]

Umro linky not working!.........................Gang wot is the BEST "System" fer a 17 Year Old (i look young fer ma AGE!!!).....this Christmas...........

[Ex-airbalancer]

Congrats!  Now do you have a Blu-ray player to go with it?

No
But I do not have Bluray disks either

Now you've got to buy a PS3 with Logitech G25 or even better this Fanatec Wheel. BlueRay player as an added bonus. 

We got a Wii and a game cube, that enough for me ( unless the grandkids talk grandma into new toys)

[DriverJeff]

SO I got the Samsung PN50A550 for $1498 total of $1698 with tax and delivery for the Brick
They price matched  Canex flyer price http://www.cfpsa.com/en/canex/flyers/pdfs/pdfA_e.pdf so it was a $100 cheaper then they had on sale
Got the  delivery free since I printed off an email for the Brick or that would been at least $75
Since the store is 75 km for my house, like the closest FS or BB, and I would have unload 1/2 my truck to get it in the truck I was happy with free delievery
The other good thing is the Canex in Trenton is closed for renovation and they still matched the price
Brick having a RED DAY sale on Friday to match US Black Friday sale, They are going to have some LCD on sale

That's the same TV I got just under a month ago.  So far I love it.  I'm not a movie fanatic or anything, so the subtle differences on spending the big bucks is lost on me for the most part.

Like Wing said above, for a lot of TV viewing (which I do, vs. movies), I like having the colours a little saturated and brightness with a little extra oomph (though I've got to admit, watching something like CSI Miami which has been shot to be over-saturated to begin with, it's a little much).  Getting a tan off the hockey game...   

I've not formally configured mine... same with the surround sound.  One of these days when I have some time, I'll fiddle around a bit. 

Honestly though, it looks good to me and my wife already, so as long as we're happy...

[quadzilla]

We got a Wii and a game cube, that enough for me ( unless the grandkids talk grandma into new toys)

Don't be a tight ass and get the BD. Why else would you buy a HDTV for?  

I found this website today....linked to your tv for settings.

http://www.tweaktv.com/tweak-my-tv/calibration-guide/samsung-pn50a550.html

[Ex-airbalancer]

Thanks
Shhh Wife Bday is just after Xmas, so she may be getting a new player
Where the best place to get BlueRay movies?

[quadzilla]

Thanks
Shhh Wife Bday is just after Xmas, so she may be getting a new player
Where the best place to get BlueRay movies?

Did you mean to buy or rent?

Rent is location specific.

Buy....I use Amazon.ca and if the dollar is doing well, Amazon.com. You just have to watch your prices as they seem to jump up and down a lot.

I just picked up No Country For Old Men for only $9 (on BD) thanks to RFD.
Sin City, Dusk till Dawn, Kill Bill 1 & 2 are all under $15 right now.

[Ex-airbalancer]

I have not rent a movie in about 6 years