Panasonic plasma black bar is brighter than expected

[admin_exported]

When watching a film with a black bar, in "ambient" conditions on my TH37PX80, I have noticed that the black bar is not as black as I would expect. There seems to be a little light coming in from around the sides and the area is slightly illuminated. Has anyone else experienced this? Is it a fault?

 

[Anonymous]

Turn the brightness down a notch ot two. Dont expect the black to pitch black, as the bezel - that's a £2500 pioneer.

 

[Anonymous]

Could this have anything to do with the side panel being set to high?

 

[Anonymous]

le_vicar:Could this have anything to do with the side panel being set to high?
Side Panel settings is for 4:3 films. Set to "high" and you get grey bars down the sides, not black. Set to "off" for black bars.

 

[Anonymous]

le_vicar:
When watching a film with a black bar, in "ambient" conditions on my TH37PX80, I have noticed that the black bar is not as black as I would expect. There seems to be a little light coming in from around the sides and the area is slightly illuminated. Has anyone else experienced this? Is it a fault?
could it be that the black bars are slightly greyish so when a very dark scene is being shown the perimeter of the image is discernable from them ?? just a thought ..

 

[digigriffin]

If you are talking about letter box or post box bars ie top and bottom or left and right and they are not black enough this may be down to the side panel setting?

I seem to remember something along the lines that making them black might cause image retention?
That is why there is the option for off, low, mid or high?

However I have noticed this on my P42V10B as not being 100% black although the blacks in the paper specification are specified as 'Infinite Black: over 2,000,000:1 dynamic contrast".

It would just seem that this does not apply to the bordering.

 

[Anonymous]

It is the bars accross the top and the bottom (when you are watching films) that are lighter than expected and seem to have light seeping in from the edges. Sounds like the side panel thing could be a bit of a red herring. I have applied the calibrations settings for the Panasonic TH42PX80, as recommended by HD TV Test.

***Picture Menu***

Viewing Mode: Cinema

Contrast: 2 clicks left

Brightness: 1 click left

Colour: 3 clicks right

Sharpness 3 clicks left (HD); 1 click left (SD)

Colour Balance: Warm

Colour Management: Off

P-NR: Off

***Setup Menu***

Power Save: Off

Side Panel: High

Picture Overscan: Off for HD, On for SD