Panasonic TX-P50GT50 Plasma TV - Vertical Banding

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

gel, I think that amp is a little too good for my speakers, I was thinking about the RX-A1020, but that's probably too good too.

My decision will be between the RX-A810, AVR2113 and the STR-DN1030.........probably.

Strapped, I've inputted your settings, and it looks quite similar to what I had in CINEMA mode, maybe slightly less bright.

Can I ask you both about settings for watching blu rays?

There are two settings I wanted to check, 1080p Pure Direct, and 24p Smooth Film. What do you have yours set to for these?

 

[strapped for cash]

1080p Pure Direct: On

24p Smooth Film: Off (there's no need for motion processing with 24p content).

My settings for Blu-rays are identical to my settings for normal television viewing.

How do you have the Cinema preset set up? Does the colour balance look the same as Professional now to your eyes? In my view, you should always start from the most accurate base when calibrating. The higher gamma setting (2.4) will produce a slightly darker picture. You can set this to 2.2 and crank the colour up a couple of notches for a slightly brighter (if marginally less punchy) picture. I have the second Professional preset set up this way for daytime viewing, though I also set brightness at 29, otherwise the picture looks a little washed out. To be honest, I prefer the greater punch of the 2.4 gamma setting, which is plenty bright enough in my room, but may not be in your case.

The Cinema and Normal presets have an excess of blue, which produces images closer to many old CRT televisions (which were typically set up this way). The resulting pictures are of course further away from D65 and have other notable inaccuracies as well. I'm not basing these comments on subjective evaluations by eye, but on measurements from various technical reviews I've read.

Obviously, the THX preset is designed to be most accurate out of the box, but has very limited calibration options. For this reason, I start using the Professional presets, which are identical in terms of white and colour balance to THX, but allow extensive calibration. I genuinely don't understand WHF's preference for the Normal preset as a base for calibration.

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

Thanks Strapped.

I'm going to go with your settings for a while, but with gamma at 2.2 instead. Ill possibly tweak them a touch, but they look pretty good to me, and I especially wanted the greens changed, as grass just didn't look right with my settings.

I do have Intelligent Frame Creation set to minimum, as there was a small problem with really fast camera pans, but the same as you for blu rays.

 

[LanceyBoy]

Guys,

Here is an update from my recent experience.

I see a lot more discussion has taken place about DSE or vertical banding. My second set is very good, but I am now starting to spot very minor issues with fast pans of green pitches when watching sport - football, rugby and cricket, although the rugby doesn't tend to pan as quickly.

The second set is far better than the first, but it is niggling that I know there is a slight problem, but I too am loathed to swap for a third set in case I get one that is worse. As others have said you can watch for hours without an issue then it just becomes noticeable, because I know it's there! Day to day TV is stunning, it's just occasionally when watching sport that is raises its ugly head.

My wife didn't see it at first, and the parents and in-laws couldn't see it at all.

I'm going to stick with this one, unless it gets noticeably worse.

Good luck to those who are looking to swap, as clearly certain units are a lot less affected than others.

 

[strapped for cash]

BBB, I wouldn't suggest for a moment that those settings are anything approaching the final word in terms of accuracy, but they look as close to the real world as I've seen on any TV I've owned. Of course there will be variances from panel-to-panel, while colour balance shifts most dramatically during the first few months of use.

As I say, I plan to really get my geek on in the near future. I need to decide how much I'm willing to spend on a colorimter or spectro. The way I see it, you can pay £300 for a professional calibration, or buy a colorimeter, do it yourself, do the same for friends and family, and maintain your TV over time. I'm hoping it'll be fun!

LanceyBoy, sorry to hear that, though I suspected you'd spot the dirty screen effect eventually. I now plan on enjoying my new TV after a month spent agonising. It's not perfect, but then no television is.The GT50 is a stunning TV in most regards and a fantastic performer with the overwhelming majority of content. Perhaps the solution is to use the Normal preset with a higher contrast setting when watching football and the like, and use more accurate settings for everything else. That's my solution, anyway...

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

I think LanceyBoy's is very similar to mine, and I'm happy that I've made the decision to stick with it.

The Kuro is the longest I've ever kept a tv, so it's unlikely I'll have this more than 2-3 years, and it's most definitely good enough for that period of time.

Unless something else happens, I'm going to stop moaning about the GT, and start enjoying it.

 

[Deleted member 2457]

I think LanceyBoy's is very similar to mine, and I'm happy that I've made the decision to stick with it.

The Kuro is the longest I've ever kept a tv, so it's unlikely I'll have this more than 2-3 years, and it's most definitely good enough for that period of time.

Unless something else happens, I'm going to stop moaning about the GT, and start enjoying it.

Sounds like a plan batman. :cheers:

 

[Deleted member 2457]

gel, I think that amp is a little too good for my speakers, I was thinking about the RX-A1020, but that's probably too good too.

My decision will be between the RX-A810, AVR2113 and the STR-DN1030.........probably.

Strapped, I've inputted your settings, and it looks quite similar to what I had in CINEMA mode, maybe slightly less bright.

Can I ask you both about settings for watching blu rays?

There are two settings I wanted to check, 1080p Pure Direct, and 24p Smooth Film. What do you have yours set to for these?

Is a bit of a beast - shame would have been ideal then for an upgrade then.

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

I think LanceyBoy's is very similar to mine, and I'm happy that I've made the decision to stick with it.

The Kuro is the longest I've ever kept a tv, so it's unlikely I'll have this more than 2-3 years, and it's most definitely good enough for that period of time.

Unless something else happens, I'm going to stop moaning about the GT, and start enjoying it.

Sounds like a plan batman. :cheers:

You weren't supposed to say anything.

 

[Deleted member 2457]

I think LanceyBoy's is very similar to mine, and I'm happy that I've made the decision to stick with it.

The Kuro is the longest I've ever kept a tv, so it's unlikely I'll have this more than 2-3 years, and it's most definitely good enough for that period of time.

Unless something else happens, I'm going to stop moaning about the GT, and start enjoying it.

Sounds like a plan batman. :cheers:

You weren't supposed to say anything.

Oops.

 

[strapped for cash]

Further to my efforts to calibrate by eye and using basic test patterns, I found the following settings toward the end of the Flat Panels HD GT50 review:

http://www.flatpanelshd.com/review.php?subaction=showfull&id=1337671783

Again, copying settings from a different panel won't provide the final word in terms of accuracy, but grass now looks the right shade of green on my set. I've stuck with the higher gamma and contrast settings, and knocked the colour down a couple of clicks as a result. Short of using equipment to perform advanced calibration, this is probably as good as it'll get.

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

Looks good Strapped, well found.

Can you clarify a couple of things for me?

Brightness +1, what do they mean by that?

Colour Remaster: Off, again, not sure what this means?

 

[strapped for cash]

Hi BBB

"Brightness +1" = 31 (i.e. one click above default).

"Colour Remaster: Off" presumably means no alteration to colour management settings, since only white balance adjustments are provided. Full colour management across the luminance range would result in greater accuracy (and a far higher number of settings to list). I'm guessing this was as far as the reviewer was willing to take things in terms of advanced calibration. I think you can disable full colour management by turning off the ISF calibration option in the system menu (I'm not near my TV at the moment). Perhaps the reviewer never turned this on.

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

Thanks Strapped

I took it to mean Colour Gamut (which is below sharpness ), and within Colour Gamut there is 4 options: Remaster / Rec. 709 / SMPTE-C / EBU.

I can't really see any difference between options, and default is set to Rec. 709, so I've left it on that for now.

Quite impressed with the picture, seems very natural. Well found.

 

[strapped for cash]

I took it to mean Colour Gamut (which is below sharpness ), and within Colour Gamut there is 4 options: Remaster / Rec. 709 / SMPTE-C / EBU.

I think you're right, though this option isn't available when using the Freesat or Freeview tuners. Anyway, the most important thing is that you have a picture you're happy with!

 

[festing11]

Sorry to jump in but where are the options for 1080 Pure Direct and 24p Smooth Film? Cant seem to find them. P.s really happy with my GT50 but now cant help looking for vertical banding!!

 

[bigboss]

Go to Picture --> Advanced settings. You'll find it there.

http://www.avforums.com/reviews/Panasonic-GT50-TX-P50GT50B-P42GT50B-P50GT50-P42GT50-42-50-Inch-Full-HD-3D-Plasma-TV-Review_301/Review.html

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

Sorry to jump in but where are the options for 1080 Pure Direct and 24p Smooth Film? Cant seem to find them. P.s really happy with my GT50 but now cant help looking for vertical banding!!

Those options are only available when playing a blu ray.

Don't look for vertical banding, it'll drive you insane. just don't think about it.

I'm absolutely loving the picture on my GT since I decided to ignore it. It's there, but if you don't look for it, it's not.

Strapped's settings are excellent, really happy with them, as good, if not better than my Kuro.

 

[Alantiggger]

.... but that vertical banding IS there... should have bought a Samsung like Paul and I

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

.... but that vertical banding IS there... should have bought a Samsung like Paul and I

Floating blacks, brightness pops, frame skipping in 3D, and mild banding. I'm sticking with the GT thanks.

 

[strapped for cash]

It's a somewhat sorry state of affairs, but it really is a case of picking which flaw you find least objectionable.

I've "upgraded" my television three times in the last four years in the hope I'd find a set without a problem that really bugged me. I'm not willing to play this game any more. I've spent enough. Give it a few months and forums will be buzzing with discussion of issues with 2013 televisions from all manufacturers.

For what it's worth, you can almost eliminate vertical banding using the normal picture preset on a relatively high contrast setting, though the picture looks too bright and unnatural to my eyes.

I'm visiting family this weekend and watching an LED TV with far more prominent screen uniformity issues. It helps to keep a sense of perspective.

 

[festing11]

I'm not even sure the banding is there! But the picture quality is amazing compared to my last tv. Blu-ray especailly looks amazing, so sharp and clear.

Love it!!!

 

[Deleted member 2457]

I'm not even sure the banding is there! But the picture quality is amazing compared to my last tv. Blu-ray especailly looks amazing, so sharp and clear.

Love it!!!

Same.

 

[strapped for cash]

I'm not even sure the banding is there! But the picture quality is amazing compared to my last tv. Blu-ray especailly looks amazing, so sharp and clear.

Love it!!!

How long have you had your GT50, Festing?

 

[Alantiggger]

.... but that vertical banding IS there... should have bought a Samsung like Paul and I

Floating blacks, brightness pops, frame skipping in 3D, and mild banding. I'm sticking with the GT thanks.

Can only say I must have got one of the good ones Bernard as everythings seems just fine so far. (touches desk as it is made of wood) 8)