Digital and HD TV on a Pana PZ85 - Claire? Andy? anyone?

[admin_exported]

Morning everyone-

I am about to purchase a Pana 42PZ85, but before making the plunge I have a quick question.

As I am moving I am switching cable/TV operators and will now also be switching to digital television. All posts will therefore be digital, and some will be broadcast in HD. The Pana will only be used for watching TV, regular DVD watching and eventually Blu Ray. No gaming (for now, our son is 3 months old).

I am a complete amateur when it comes to TVs, and was wondering if these different signals from the digital/HD TV decoder and DVD player (eventually Blu Ray) to the Pana TV will require a lot of strange and difficult set-ups and tweaking, or if I will need to change set-up each time I switch between a digital post/source and HD post/source... I am hoping the TV will automatically know what to do when a signal comes in- is that wishful thinking?

Can anyone shed some light on this for me please?

Thanks a million!

 

[Anonymous]

Anyone have anything for me?

Thanks!!!

 

[professorhat]

There shouldn't be any tweaking necessary on a day-to-day basis, but you don't mention what you're moving to. Sky HD has a few different output modes if you're using that, but the general consensus I've seen is to set it to Auto. The DVD player will depend whether it's an upscaling player or not. Again, if it is, your best bet is to try the different outputs (e.g. 576p, 720p or 1080p may be on offer) and see which looks better to you, then stick with that.

If you're talking about the TV automatically switching to the correct input when you switch something on, this seems to work on some sets and not others. However, if it doesn't work on this one, you can always get a remote with Macros built in (e.g. the Logitech Harmony series) which will take care of this. I wouldn't base my choice of TV on this facility!

 

[SpiceWeasel]

Hi there, I have the 42"PZ85 so can help with some of your questions.

It's really easy to set up, all you need to do is adjust the picture settings for each input. But theres also the 4 picture modes on the tv as well,eco,normal,cinema and vivid. On my setup I have sky through scart(rgb) and a ps3 using an hdmi lead.

So I used the THX optimiser found on the star wars dvd to set up the tv. I 1st used "cinema" mode on the tv and turned off IFC and picture overscan. Then once I adjusted the picture settings I used these as a base setting for the other picture modes, well normal,cinema and eco. And then tweaked slightly if needed. I don't use the vivid picture setting at all. So I just used the settings I tweaked on "cinema" and used those for the other picture modes.
You need to do this for all your inputs. But once tweaked the 1st time thats it. No more messing about. I am now about to redo mine now it has over 100 hours on it. The picture is darker then when it was brand new.

I normally use the "eco" mode for normal tv watching. This automatically adjust the contrast/brightness depending on the level of light in your room. This saves on the electric usage as it uses the minimum settings it can get away with. Picture quality still looks very good no matter what mode you use.

If I remember correctly the "cinema" mode is supposed to be used in a dark room. With the lights off and at night time ideally. So make sure to set up this mode in the same conditions.

I did find that the cinema mode was excellent for watching dvd or bluerays. But playing games on the ps3 I found it to be a bit dark. Mind you this was during the day time so alot more light in the room.
So I've set up the "normal" mode for playing games.

As for the input switching, well it does it automatically. I can be watching sky then turn on the ps3 and a few seconds later it switches inputs. Turn off the ps3 and a few seconds later sky comes back on.

Also when you 1st set up the tv you can tell it to start off scart or the tv's digi tuner. I've set mine up to start on sky.

It probably sounds worse than it actually is to set up. Seriously 15 mins tops if you use the THX optimiser on the star wars dvd.

EDIT: Why has all my paragraphs disapeared ? Was working fine up until a few days ago.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks!

I will see how far I get being a complete rookie...

FYI regarding the TV input, I live in Belgium so no Sky but another source of digital tv.... But assume this will work the same way as Sky. Except that some posts are in digital, others in HD...

 

[SpiceWeasel]

Yes it doesn't matter what you have connected. Each input has it's own memory for tv settings. Doesn't matter if thats over a scart or hdmi. Basically watch each input and adjust the settings until your happy. The THX optimiser is deffinately better than judging by eye. And really easy to use as well. It explains exactly what to do before it displays the "test image" to adjust a certain setting. eg the contrast test image is made up of different brightness box's. You then adjust the contrast until the 1st box disapears. Brightness,contrast,colour sharpness and even the digital noise reduction can all be tweaked using the various test screens. Really easy to use.

 

[Anonymous]

SpiceWeasel. Re previous communications, I am shound now be getting delivery on Friday, one thing, you mention the THX optimiser to set ther TV up, does this not come on the TV ?, or is it found on other material RG DVD, Blu-ray discs ?, And if you do not have one of the discs with it on , is the set up then much harder ?

 

[SpiceWeasel]

Hi, the THX optimiser is found only on THX disks. Normally dvd but I would asume on blueray as well.

Here's a list of dvd's with the optimiser on it. Just click on "entire list" under the search bar. Also unless you have a multi region dvd/blueray player make sure it's region 2. http://thx.com/home/dvd/search.html

Also this gives you some idea of the tests you can do. http://thx.com/home/dvd/optimizer/index.html

You can set the tv up by eye if you don't have a disc with it on. It's just that with the THX it easier to get it right by using thier special test screens. There is one test where you need some special filter glass's, but as I didn't have any of these I just skipped it.

You can also buy specialist setup disks like this http://www.play.com/DVD/Blu-ray/4-/3475913/Digital-Video-Essentials-HD-Basics/Product.html on dvd,blueray and hd dvd. Cheaper prices at other stores. This comes with the proper filter glass's as well. I bought mine from play as I ordered 3 bluerays from their 3for 2 offer at the same time. I havn't used this yet though, a job for the weekend. Im not sure how complicated it would be for a beginer though. The THX optimiser is a piece of cake to use and free.

Once I get mine tweaked again I'll try and see if I can get some pictures up of the settings im using. Could be an easier way of getting good settings to start with. Then you could tweak them to suit.

 

[Anonymous]

I have just checked and it looks like the Blu-ray disc of Cars has the THX optimiser, and this comes with my Blu-ray player, so fingers crossed & thanks for the help

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="smeghead"]I have just checked and it looks like the Blu-ray disc of Cars has the THX optimiser, and this comes with my Blu-ray player, so fingers crossed & thanks for the help[/quote]

surely you must have an indy or starwars on dvd?

 

[Anonymous]

No indy, and only an umopened copy of the Phantom M. To busy watching good stuf like, the usual suspects, goodfellas and of course The Matrix,

 

[professorhat]

Don't sweat it, if the Blu-Ray version of Cars has it, use this. I used the one that came on the Blu-Ray US version of Terminator 2 - improved the visuals by a noticeable margin.

 

[Anonymous]

Just got my TV and blu=ray player swt up day, could noy find the THX Optimiser on the disc though, guess i will have to look elsewhere. though the picture is looking good from day 1

 

[Anonymous]

Professorhat, do you know exactly where on the Cars blu-ray disc the THX optimiser is ?, I was going through it yesterday , and cannot find it ? HELP

Thanks

 

[professorhat]

Sorry, not a clue, I don't own it. On the T2 disc, it's just a selectable option on the Features menu. If you've got Phantom Menace though, it's on here on the main movie disc, under the Languages section (possibly it's in the same place on Cars as well?).