Panasonic VT30 green blob fault

[bigboss]

The problem is, I've been put off every manufacturer at the moment, with all these reported faults. I don't expect much improvement with the 2012 range as well, with them losing money on every TV they're selling.

 

[laserman16]

The problem is, I've been put off every manufacturer at the moment, with all these reported faults.

Bigboss.

Thats exactly the position I find myself.

Just really thinking about giving up on the idea completely at the moment.

 

[Oldboy]

The problem is, I've been put off every manufacturer at the moment, with all these reported faults.

Bigboss.

Thats exactly the position I find myself.

Just really thinking about giving up on the idea completely at the moment.

I can understand that, i've been through 11 tvs in the last 2-3 years as all have had issues. Even the GT30 i have now was a case of 3rd time lucky! Before that i had 2 G20 plasmas and 6 LCD's before that, 3 Sony ones with severe backlight issues (W5500 i think) which was the year it became a widespread issue reported here on WHF then i tried Samsung and had 2 with backlight issues and one with dropped pixels....phew!

When i see it written out like that i may aswell bought a 2nd hand Kuro....would you not consider that??

I'm sure bigboss would agree that they are still fabulous tvs although still quite expensive for a 2nd hand tv.

There is also an argument that you have to get your feet wet at some point and remember not every GT30 or VT30 plasma will have the tinge as i can testify, there is only one way to find out i'm afraid and that's buy one but i can well understand your reluctance to do so when you read threads like this.

It's a tricky situation but if you don't want to take a risk with this years tvs or in indeed a Kuro then you may be better off just waiting for a tv that grabs you no matter how long you may have to wait.

The continued silence from Panasonic on the green tinge is bound to lose them customers and as this thread has shown the issue is not limited to the UK and their continued silence is not making the issue go away, if anything it's just fuelling the fire!!

 

[sonycentre]

So that says it all then,its all down to people wanting the best and cheapest price but then you want the performance of a pioneer kuro costing the best part of six grand!!!!!.as bigboss has already stated that all the big players are losing money on the tvs they are making you cant have it all.the major problem we have now is that with tvs at such low prices its going to be very hard for the big companys to make high end tvs that will use better components panels etc. |(

 

[bigboss]

So that says it all then,its all down to people wanting the best and cheapest price but then you want the performance of a pioneer kuro costing the best part of six grand!!!!!.as bigboss has already stated that all the big players are losing money on the tvs they are making you cant have it all.the major problem we have now is that with tvs at such low prices its going to be very hard for the big companys to make high end tvs that will use better components panels etc. |(

That's true. TV manufacturers have tried to entice customers with cheaper TVs during the economic downturn resulting in eroded profit margins, which is further worsened by the rising Yen. Not to forget Samsung & LG flooded the market with a huge surplus of LCD panels, driving the prices down further.

Not sure we can entirely blame people who were affected by the financial crunch themselves.

 

[emptage]

I have read this thread with interest as I want to buy a tv to replace my 28" Sony CRT. The Panasonic GT30 42" or VT30 42" was top of my list but I am concerned at the green blob problem. It is putting me off plasma completely. Am I correct in thinking that this problem only seems to affect 46" or larger and that 42" are relatively unaffected ?

 

[Anonymous]

So that says it all then,its all down to people wanting the best and cheapest price but then you want the performance of a pioneer kuro costing the best part of six grand!!!!!.as bigboss has already stated that all the big players are losing money on the tvs they are making you cant have it all.the major problem we have now is that with tvs at such low prices its going to be very hard for the big companys to make high end tvs that will use better components panels etc. |(

That's true. TV manufacturers have tried to entice customers with cheaper TVs during the economic downturn resulting in eroded profit margins, which is further worsened by the rising Yen. Not to forget Samsung & LG flooded the market with a huge surplus of LCD panels, driving the prices down further.

Not sure we can entirely blame people who were affected by the financial crunch themselves.

Then the manufacturers should not produce a "cheap" tv and call it it's flagship model! (VT30).

 

[Oldboy]

I have read this thread with interest as I want to buy a tv to replace my 28" Sony CRT. The Panasonic GT30 42" or VT30 42" was top of my list but I am concerned at the green blob problem. It is putting me off plasma completely. Am I correct in thinking that this problem only seems to affect 46" or larger and that 42" are relatively unaffected ?

Yes that is correct. The issue has been widely reported on sizes 46" and over of both models with very little issues reported on the 42", of course i can't guarantee that you won't get one with the issue but you can feel safer with the 42" than the larger screens. My 42GT30 has no issues with the green tinge effect.

 

[Oldboy]

So that says it all then,its all down to people wanting the best and cheapest price but then you want the performance of a pioneer kuro costing the best part of six grand!!!!!.as bigboss has already stated that all the big players are losing money on the tvs they are making you cant have it all.the major problem we have now is that with tvs at such low prices its going to be very hard for the big companys to make high end tvs that will use better components panels etc. |(

That's true. TV manufacturers have tried to entice customers with cheaper TVs during the economic downturn resulting in eroded profit margins, which is further worsened by the rising Yen. Not to forget Samsung & LG flooded the market with a huge surplus of LCD panels, driving the prices down further.

Not sure we can entirely blame people who were affected by the financial crunch themselves.

Then the manufacturers should not produce a "cheap" tv and call it it's flagship model! (VT30).

Sorry sonycentre but thats a sweeping statement you made there, firstly, it's not the customers fault that manufacturers are losing money on every tv sold that is just a consequence of the market at the moment as the bigger companies flood the market with ever cheaper tvs during a time when finances are tight for the majority of consumers. Also i think consumers have a right to expect a tv that functions free of faults such as the green tinge which certainly is a fault, i don't beleive for one second that anyone buying a relatively cheap tv today expects Kuro levels of performance but it should at least work correctly.

There are still a few companies making high end tvs like Lowe and B&O so consumers looking for a high performance tv still have that option but there was a time when even the likes of Sony produced a high end tv to top their tv range but now those tvs are ever bigger in size and features at ridiculous prices but this is not the fault of the consumer, thats the fault of the manufacturers.

I for one would love the major manufacturers to produce a true high end tv once again that is priced sensibly with good quality components, it's that level of quality and innovation that will drive the tv market going forward. Cheap tvs have their place but not every consumer out there wants that as this forum is proof of and i'm sure that most people on here would gladly pay that extra price for a tv that lives up to the hype rather than be beset by issues after purchasing.

As a customer that's just how i see it and i do beleive that the major manufacturers are losing out as there is a market for a top of the range tv that is brimming with quality and innovation and priced accordingly but of course they won't sell in the sort of numbers that they may be used to but the margins would at least be healthier.

 

[laserman16]

So that says it all then,its all down to people wanting the best and cheapest price but then you want the performance of a pioneer kuro costing the best part of six grand!!!!!.

I'm not expecting "Kuro" quality on these sets nor do I think anyone else is , but I do expect them to be manufactured correctly and consistently. Sony for example have not been without problems this year and reviews here and elsewhere point to inconsistent panel lighting along with Samsung, as well as the problems mentioned for the Panasonics on this thread.

Surely, sonycentre people have a right when they purchase something to have it working correctly and not be having problems as outlined above, or are you saying that these sets is as good as it gets.

 

[laserman16]

So that says it all then,its all down to people wanting the best and cheapest price but then you want the performance of a pioneer kuro costing the best part of six grand!!!!!.as bigboss has already stated that all the big players are losing money on the tvs they are making you cant have it all.the major problem we have now is that with tvs at such low prices its going to be very hard for the big companys to make high end tvs that will use better components panels etc. |(

That's true. TV manufacturers have tried to entice customers with cheaper TVs during the economic downturn resulting in eroded profit margins, which is further worsened by the rising Yen. Not to forget Samsung & LG flooded the market with a huge surplus of LCD panels, driving the prices down further.

Not sure we can entirely blame people who were affected by the financial crunch themselves.

Then the manufacturers should not produce a "cheap" tv and call it it's flagship model! (VT30).

Exactly.

 

[Anonymous]

If a tv had just minor processing issues, I think people would live with it. Because like with most software it's a compromise i.e being great in one area might make it not so great at something else. But with the green blob, it seems more like a basic manufacture issue that really should not be there.

 

[emptage]

[/quote]

Yes that is correct. The issue has been widely reported on sizes 46" and over of both models with very little issues reported on the 42", of course i can't guarantee that you won't get one with the issue but you can feel safer with the 42" than the larger screens. My 42GT30 has no issues with the green tinge effect.

[/quote]

Thanks for this. Does that also apply to the VT30. I haven't yet decided whether to go for the GT30 or the VT30. 3D is not important to me, 2D picture quality is.

 

[laserman16]

Yes that is correct. The issue has been widely reported on sizes 46" and over of both models with very little issues reported on the 42", of course i can't guarantee that you won't get one with the issue but you can feel safer with the 42" than the larger screens. My 42GT30 has no issues with the green tinge effect.

[/quote]

Thanks for this. Does that also apply to the VT30. I haven't yet decided whether to go for the GT30 or the VT30. 3D is not important to me, 2D picture quality is.

[/quote]

Think the original poster had a VT30, in fact I think he is on his third.

 

[Anonymous]

Yes that is correct. The issue has been widely reported on sizes 46" and over of both models with very little issues reported on the 42", of course i can't guarantee that you won't get one with the issue but you can feel safer with the 42" than the larger screens. My 42GT30 has no issues with the green tinge effect.

Thanks for this. Does that also apply to the VT30. I haven't yet decided whether to go for the GT30 or the VT30. 3D is not important to me, 2D picture quality is.

[/quote]

Think the original poster had a VT30, in fact I think he is on his third.

[/quote]

Correct I am on my third!

 

[bigboss]

Thanks for this. Does that also apply to the VT30. I haven't yet decided whether to go for the GT30 or the VT30. 3D is not important to me, 2D picture quality is.

Whichever model you choose, just inform your dealer of the reported problems & that you would be returning the set if it shows up any problem.

 

[sonycentre]

Well thats how the markets have shaped up over the last couple of years or think of it this way take 2006 as an example sony kdl40w2000 a 40" full hd tv that won various awards and was given fantastic reviews on this very site no problems with any componets no back light bleed and so on People were more then happy to part with the best part of two grand......2011 try getting the public to part with two grand now for a 40" tv.So yes if people are more blatent in there attitudes now with the "im not paying that" then the big players will churn out tvs using cheaper components will hold off qc to save money and try and make any profit and we all know thats not happerning at the minute.Im not saying get ripped off i just think that we need to see great tvs that are made to a good price point,or you can look at it another way customers will be happy to buy a tv and prob will want to change it every five to six years, so divide £2000 for example over 5 years is £400 per year to be entertained now to me thats value for money. 🙂

 

[bigboss]

But the price of components also keep falling which is reflected in the price of the TV. Laptops keep falling in price. I bought a laptop with blu ray drive, double hard drive capacity, double RAM & faster processor for less than the previous 3 year old laptop. But there's no drop in quality.

Toyota paid a heavy price for compromising on quality. Philips has stopped manufacturing TVs. Sony is thinking about leaving the traditional TV business. Churning out inferior quality products will only accelerate their demise.

 

[laserman16]

Well thats how the markets have shaped up over the last couple of years or think of it this way take 2006 as an example sony kdl40w2000 a 40" full hd tv that won various awards and was given fantastic reviews on this very site no problems with any componets no back light bleed and so on

But that TV did have backlight problems, seen by a reviewer on another site. Can't point you there as site rules forbid it.

But a copy and paste.

CONS
> Inaccurate colour and slight motion blurring
> Average styling considering the price
> Some connectivity issues

Note: Clouding may be specific to our review model.

 

[Anonymous]

Well thats how the markets have shaped up over the last couple of years or think of it this way take 2006 as an example sony kdl40w2000 a 40" full hd tv that won various awards and was given fantastic reviews on this very site no problems with any componets no back light bleed and so on

But that TV did have backlight problems, seen by a reviewer on another site. Can't point you there as site rules forbid it.

But a copy and paste.

CONS
> Inaccurate colour and slight motion blurring
> Average styling considering the price
> Some connectivity issues

Note: Clouding may be specific to our review model.

I had that tv and still use it in the kids room. Not perfect but didn't have an issue as bad as the green blob.

 

[micks_address]

Hi - I had the W4000 as well from Sony and it was a fine TV but it cant compare to the black level on the 42VT30 I have now.. i dont have any problems with green blobs - but from what i've read elsewhere dont they diminish over time?

Well thats how the markets have shaped up over the last couple of years or think of it this way take 2006 as an example sony kdl40w2000 a 40" full hd tv that won various awards and was given fantastic reviews on this very site no problems with any componets no back light bleed and so on

But that TV did have backlight problems, seen by a reviewer on another site. Can't point you there as site rules forbid it.

But a copy and paste.

CONS
> Inaccurate colour and slight motion blurring
> Average styling considering the price
> Some connectivity issues

Note: Clouding may be specific to our review model.

I had that tv and still use it in the kids room. Not perfect but didn't have an issue as bad as the green blob.

 

[Oldboy]

Yes that is correct. The issue has been widely reported on sizes 46" and over of both models with very little issues reported on the 42", of course i can't guarantee that you won't get one with the issue but you can feel safer with the 42" than the larger screens. My 42GT30 has no issues with the green tinge effect.

[/quote]

Thanks for this. Does that also apply to the VT30. I haven't yet decided whether to go for the GT30 or the VT30. 3D is not important to me, 2D picture quality is.

[/quote]

Yes it does from the research i have done on my own tv. It seems the bigger sized panels on both models are the most affected and consensous would have it that the bigger the screen the worse the potential problem. This is only opinion gathered from this and other sites discussing the issue and from my own experience with the GT30, of course, so do as bigboss suggested and mention the issue to your dealer before purchasing so that you can easily return the tv should you encounter the issue.

If 3D isn't important to you the save a little cash and go for the GT30, i was in the same situation when getting my tv and was looking at the VT30 but when i auditioned both tvs i couldn't seperate them for picture quality but the VT30 is far superior from a cosmetic point of view if that's important to you?

Don't dismiss 3D out of hand though as you may get a good deal when purchasing the tv ie free 3D glasses and bluray player...i got 2 pairs of glasses for free with my tv and as a bonus feature i wasn't expecting i have pleasantly surprised with the 3D content i have experienced so far.

 

[Oldboy]

Hi - I had the W4000 as well from Sony and it was a fine TV but it cant compare to the black level on the 42VT30 I have now.. i dont have any problems with green blobs - but from what i've read elsewhere dont they diminish over time?

Well thats how the markets have shaped up over the last couple of years or think of it this way take 2006 as an example sony kdl40w2000 a 40" full hd tv that won various awards and was given fantastic reviews on this very site no problems with any componets no back light bleed and so on

But that TV did have backlight problems, seen by a reviewer on another site. Can't point you there as site rules forbid it.

But a copy and paste.

CONS
> Inaccurate colour and slight motion blurring
> Average styling considering the price
> Some connectivity issues

Note: Clouding may be specific to our review model.

I had that tv and still use it in the kids room. Not perfect but didn't have an issue as bad as the green blob.

My understanding is that some customers have reported the issue diminishing over time but how long is another question and many customers simply aren't prepared to take the risk that it will as your warranty and right to return is effected by having the tv for an ammount of time that may clear up the issue, like the OP in this thread...he was in exactly this situation and didn't feel comfortable in that situation and i can't say i blame him.

It takes at least 200-300 hours to run in a plasma tv and this sort of usage would then invalidate your right to return with most (but not all) dealers and when you are spending over £1000 on a tv i think you should expect it to be fault free from the day of purchase and not be dealing with the situation that it may diminish over time.

 

[emptage]

Yes that is correct. The issue has been widely reported on sizes 46" and over of both models with very little issues reported on the 42", of course i can't guarantee that you won't get one with the issue but you can feel safer with the 42" than the larger screens. My 42GT30 has no issues with the green tinge effect.

Thanks for this. Does that also apply to the VT30. I haven't yet decided whether to go for the GT30 or the VT30. 3D is not important to me, 2D picture quality is.

[/quote]

Yes it does from the research i have done on my own tv. It seems the bigger sized panels on both models are the most affected and consensous would have it that the bigger the screen the worse the potential problem. This is only opinion gathered from this and other sites discussing the issue and from my own experience with the GT30, of course, so do as bigboss suggested and mention the issue to your dealer before purchasing so that you can easily return the tv should you encounter the issue.

If 3D isn't important to you the save a little cash and go for the GT30, i was in the same situation when getting my tv and was looking at the VT30 but when i auditioned both tvs i couldn't seperate them for picture quality but the VT30 is far superior from a cosmetic point of view if that's important to you?

Don't dismiss 3D out of hand though as you may get a good deal when purchasing the tv ie free 3D glasses and bluray player...i got 2 pairs of glasses for free with my tv and as a bonus feature i wasn't expecting i have pleasantly surprised with the 3D content i have experienced so far.

[/quote]

Thanks Oldboy for a really helpful response. I am still tempted by the Richer Sounds offer of a GT30 with 2 pairs of glasses plus blu ray player plus blu ray films plus a free 5 year guarantee, all for £899. The problem is I am off on holiday tomorrow until Jan and I doubt the offer will still be on then

 

[michael hoy]

Well thats how the markets have shaped up over the last couple of years or think of it this way take 2006 as an example sony kdl40w2000 a 40" full hd tv that won various awards and was given fantastic reviews on this very site no problems with any componets no back light bleed and so on

I have that TV in my bedroom now and it does have clouding issues.

I have had it from new and used to be my main set.