Plasma Image Retention Opinions Required

[Deleted member 2457]

I don't game on this tv, I wouldn't dare. I used to use the Kuro to play Wii golf, and never had a hint of a problem, even if I played for hours.

If the op is correct about getting IR after just 5 minutes of use, there's something seriously wrong with the GT

Is the GT series simply not fit for purpose then if you can't or wouldn't dare use it for gaming? The tv has a game mode and there is no warnings in any of the documentation that says you shouldn't use it for gaming just a very vague warning about not having static images on the screen for a long time.

I agree, my GT30 had IR after just 5-10mins use...that surely isn't right and must be pointing towards some sort of inherent fault? It's strange that not all users are affected though as many have never reported any IR, as far as I know gel for eample has had no issues with his GT50 :?

I am on my third!

First one buzzing, and line down the screen only visible on football, second was buzzing really loud, third is pretty perfect, just got to be extra careful with image retention from what I have seen with all three.

 

[Oldboy]

Rather sad really that the TV almost dictates which channels you can or cannot watch.

Exactly...that can't be right for anyone affected by the issue and must be considered faulty imo.

[/quote

I was seriously considering getting a GT50 but after doing some online research on various sites including this one I have shelved the idea.

I really cannot be asked to go through 2 or 3 sets in the hope of getting one that performs as it should, it should not be to much to ask surely that the set performs correctly.

I'm afraid if I had bought one that was faulty the retailer would have had one chance to put it right.

I don't really want to be the QC department for a TV manufacturer.

All of which were the exact reasons why i never went from my 3rd faulty GT30 to a GT50, after that experience of in effect being a member of the Panasonic QC dept I was concerned the same would be true if I got a GT50 and it would seem as though I done the right thing as I have had just 1 Sony 46HX853 and it's still going strong with no sign of any issues which is how it should be with every tv really.

It shouldn't be forgotten that a GT50 tv is a premium tv and as such issues such as these simply shouldn't exist on a product like this, if you have paid £400 for a budget supermarket tv then you could perhaps understand it a little but at this level it's unacceptable imo.

 

[laserman16]

It shouldn't be forgotten that a GT50 tv is a premium tv and as such issues such as these simply shouldn't exist on a product like this, if you have paid £400 for a budget supermarket tv then you could perhaps understand it a little but at this level it's unacceptable imo.

Exactly.

 

[Oldboy]

as far as I know gel for eample has had no issues with his GT50 :?

He doesn't play games on it.

That was my point.

 

[Oldboy]

I don't game on this tv, I wouldn't dare. I used to use the Kuro to play Wii golf, and never had a hint of a problem, even if I played for hours.

If the op is correct about getting IR after just 5 minutes of use, there's something seriously wrong with the GT

Is the GT series simply not fit for purpose then if you can't or wouldn't dare use it for gaming? The tv has a game mode and there is no warnings in any of the documentation that says you shouldn't use it for gaming just a very vague warning about not having static images on the screen for a long time.

I agree, my GT30 had IR after just 5-10mins use...that surely isn't right and must be pointing towards some sort of inherent fault? It's strange that not all users are affected though as many have never reported any IR, as far as I know gel for eample has had no issues with his GT50 :?

I am on my third!

First one buzzing, and line down the screen only visible on football, second was buzzing really loud, third is pretty perfect, just got to be extra careful with image retention from what I have seen with all three.

I was aware of that but none of your issues have been IR related have they gel? Yes it's common sense to be careful when running the tv in but to get serious IR issues when you are 6 months into the life of the tv isn't acceptable, I went through the same with my GT30...that was 3rd time lucky as my 1st had a grey shadow line down one side of the screen and the 2nd had loud buzzing then my 3rd got the IR and cloudy screen issue after 6 months use. Does sound very familiar to what is being reported on this thread.

 

[strapped for cash]

It's worth noting that the Game preset is very bright out of the box (there's actually little difference between this preset and Dynamic in terms of contrast/brightness).

I'm guessing you've all calibrated the Game preset anyway. I don't even use the Game mode with the PS3, as I find the images too garish. I haven't had any concerns with input lag using other picture presets.

Sorry if I'm stating the glaringly obvious...

 

[GSB]

For now a quicker way of getting rid of IR is to turn the brightness and contrast up to the max,then run the scrolling bar....worked for me.

 

[strapped for cash]

I went through the same with my GT30...that was 3rd time lucky as my 1st had a grey shadow line down one side of the screen and the 2nd had loud buzzing then my 3rd got the IR and cloudy screen issue after 6 months use. Does sound very familiar to what is being reported on this thread.

And we're talking about award winning televisions; not just in this mag, Panasonic plasma televisions receive the highest praise wherever you look.

I'm rapidly losing faith in reviews, which as stated on another thread, is not necessarily the fault of reviewers. It's fine to use reviews as a rough guide, but fail to conduct wider research at your peril.

 

[Oldboy]

Yep calibrated the game mode on my GT30 as you are right that out of the box it's set to ridiculous levels, if I remember correctly I ended up reducing all the levels by at least 2/3rds to get it at a more accurate level. I even used the AVS HD calibration disc for game mode to get it as accurate as I could to avoid any issue caused by inaccurate calibration.

I even used the calibration options on every game I owned that had them to get the brightness and colour levels correct for every game I was playing but alas none of it helped in the long run

 

[Deleted member 2457]

I don't game on this tv, I wouldn't dare. I used to use the Kuro to play Wii golf, and never had a hint of a problem, even if I played for hours.

If the op is correct about getting IR after just 5 minutes of use, there's something seriously wrong with the GT

Is the GT series simply not fit for purpose then if you can't or wouldn't dare use it for gaming? The tv has a game mode and there is no warnings in any of the documentation that says you shouldn't use it for gaming just a very vague warning about not having static images on the screen for a long time.

I agree, my GT30 had IR after just 5-10mins use...that surely isn't right and must be pointing towards some sort of inherent fault? It's strange that not all users are affected though as many have never reported any IR, as far as I know gel for eample has had no issues with his GT50 :?

I am on my third!

First one buzzing, and line down the screen only visible on football, second was buzzing really loud, third is pretty perfect, just got to be extra careful with image retention from what I have seen with all three.

I was aware of that but none of your issues have been IR related have they gel? Yes it's common sense to be careful when running the tv in but to get serious IR issues when you are 6 months into the life of the tv isn't acceptable, I went through the same with my GT30...that was 3rd time lucky as my 1st had a grey shadow line down one side of the screen and the 2nd had loud buzzing then my 3rd got the IR and cloudy screen issue after 6 months use. Does sound very familiar to what is being reported on this thread.

Nope, no major problems at least, and nothing sustainable, slight glimpses of it at times, soon cleared up, major careful ever since. Definitely not a gamer.

 

[beater]

I no i have the VT50, and this topic is about the GT50, but my 9 year old son likes playing fifa on the wii, i have it set on game mode but have turned down the contrast and brightness a fare bit just to be safe, and limit him to about an hour at a time.

 

[Oldboy]

I don't game on this tv, I wouldn't dare. I used to use the Kuro to play Wii golf, and never had a hint of a problem, even if I played for hours.

If the op is correct about getting IR after just 5 minutes of use, there's something seriously wrong with the GT

Is the GT series simply not fit for purpose then if you can't or wouldn't dare use it for gaming? The tv has a game mode and there is no warnings in any of the documentation that says you shouldn't use it for gaming just a very vague warning about not having static images on the screen for a long time.

I agree, my GT30 had IR after just 5-10mins use...that surely isn't right and must be pointing towards some sort of inherent fault? It's strange that not all users are affected though as many have never reported any IR, as far as I know gel for eample has had no issues with his GT50 :?

I am on my third!

First one buzzing, and line down the screen only visible on football, second was buzzing really loud, third is pretty perfect, just got to be extra careful with image retention from what I have seen with all three.

I was aware of that but none of your issues have been IR related have they gel? Yes it's common sense to be careful when running the tv in but to get serious IR issues when you are 6 months into the life of the tv isn't acceptable, I went through the same with my GT30...that was 3rd time lucky as my 1st had a grey shadow line down one side of the screen and the 2nd had loud buzzing then my 3rd got the IR and cloudy screen issue after 6 months use. Does sound very familiar to what is being reported on this thread.

Nope, no major problems at least, and nothing sustainable, slight glimpses of it at times, soon cleared up, major careful ever since. Definitely not a gamer.

That all sounds like exactly what you would expect to happen really, some slight IR is acceptable and for it to clear up quickly.

I was very careful when I got the first instances of it but it seemed to spread like a disease and there was nothing I could do about it, Pixel Orbitor was on all the time and I adjusted the contrast and brightness down to levels well below calibration but none of it worked just as has been reported here.

The only difference was that i'm a gamer too which i'm sure is the problem with the GT series, if you love the GT for movies and tv then I would advise anyone to have a seperate tv for gaming as the GT just doesn't seem to like it.

On a more positive note it's great to hear your GT50 is still going strong and does go to show that good examples are out there, I hope it serves you well for many years to come

 

[Deleted member 2457]

I don't game on this tv, I wouldn't dare. I used to use the Kuro to play Wii golf, and never had a hint of a problem, even if I played for hours.

If the op is correct about getting IR after just 5 minutes of use, there's something seriously wrong with the GT

Is the GT series simply not fit for purpose then if you can't or wouldn't dare use it for gaming? The tv has a game mode and there is no warnings in any of the documentation that says you shouldn't use it for gaming just a very vague warning about not having static images on the screen for a long time.

I agree, my GT30 had IR after just 5-10mins use...that surely isn't right and must be pointing towards some sort of inherent fault? It's strange that not all users are affected though as many have never reported any IR, as far as I know gel for eample has had no issues with his GT50 :?

I am on my third!

First one buzzing, and line down the screen only visible on football, second was buzzing really loud, third is pretty perfect, just got to be extra careful with image retention from what I have seen with all three.

I was aware of that but none of your issues have been IR related have they gel? Yes it's common sense to be careful when running the tv in but to get serious IR issues when you are 6 months into the life of the tv isn't acceptable, I went through the same with my GT30...that was 3rd time lucky as my 1st had a grey shadow line down one side of the screen and the 2nd had loud buzzing then my 3rd got the IR and cloudy screen issue after 6 months use. Does sound very familiar to what is being reported on this thread.

Nope, no major problems at least, and nothing sustainable, slight glimpses of it at times, soon cleared up, major careful ever since. Definitely not a gamer.

That all sounds like exactly what you would expect to happen really, some slight IR is acceptable and for it to clear up quickly.

I was very careful when I got the first instances of it but it seemed to spread like a disease and there was nothing I could do about it, Pixel Orbitor was on all the time and I adjusted the contrast and brightness down to levels well below calibration but none of it worked just as has been reported here.

The only difference was that i'm a gamer too which i'm sure is the problem with the GT series, if you love the GT for movies and tv then I would advise anyone to have a seperate tv for gaming as the GT just doesn't seem to like it.

On a more positive note it's great to hear your GT50 is still going strong and does go to show that good examples are out there, I hope it serves you well for many years to come

Cheers buddy.

I plan to keep it for years.

 

[Deleted member 2457]

I no i have the VT50, and this topic is about the GT50, but my 9 year old son likes playing fifa on the wii, i have it set on game mode but have turned down the contrast and brightness a fare bit just to be safe, and limit him to about an hour at a time.

Sounds like a sensible way to go about it.

 

[Anonymous]

Ahem. I seem to recall on a recent thread advising not to game on a Plasma, and getting castigated by BB for giving "strange advice", on the basis that Plasmas had better motion and response times than LEDs.

That may be the case, but I stand by what I said. As much as you should be able to use a modern PDP for gaming without getting IR, in reality you cant.

That is not to say that the OP has done anything wrong, and no, I do not believe that he should be experiencing the problems that he is. I would report the issue straight away to the retailer and get a replacement.

Unfortunately the Logos on some channels are a bloody menace and should be banned, there is no need for them. I find the more transparent logos used by BBC HD and sky sports to be fine; it should be compulsory to use this type rather than the solid type.

 

[strapped for cash]

Unfortunately the Logos on some channels are a bloody menace and should be banned, there is no need for them.

From the viewer's standpoint this is entirely true; but in the present mediascape, all channels are competing for our attention. Commercial and subscription channels often feel a need to shout loudest by using the most prominent and unsightly logos, especially relatively new channels; a bit like a bunch of three years olds screaming "look at me" in an effort to gain visibility among established elders.

 

[Son_of_SJ]

Which plasma TV have you now, and which one had you previously?

Hi Son_of_SJ

Recent TV is a Panny 50"GT50, old TV (now in conservatory) is a Panny 42"G20. I've had a few recent issues with IR on my GT50 that frankly I don't recall having at all on my G20

Cheers

Ah, a Panasonic GT50 is the culprit, not really too much of a surprise, alas. As I may have said on another thread fairly recently, I can quote only my own experience with plasmas. I have not noticed Image Retention on my Samsung TV or on either of my Pioneer TVs. However, I have seen it on my LG 60PZ950T, which is now in the kitchen (the Pioneer LX5090 is now in the second bedroom). IR on the LG will occur if a static image is left on for too long. I'm not sure how long is necessary to cause IR, but on a couple of occasions I've fallen asleep while watching CSI on channel 5 +1, to wake about three hours later to reasonably faint but definite IR. It goes after using the Colour Wash option for about an hour, I guess. But again, I've not seen IR on the Samsung or the Pioneers. And yes, I have pixel orbiter switched on on all four of my plasmas. The answer in my case might be that the LG is a decent set, but certainly not a premium model, it is big and was reasonably cheap. But your 50GT50 is a pretty high-end set so you are entitled to feel aggrieved to be getting IR. And someone should tell Panasonic that IR was not an issue with the G20 series of two or three years ago, so in one respect Panasonic has gone backwards.

 

[bigboss]

Ahem. I seem to recall on a recent thread advising not to game on a Plasma, and getting castigated by BB for giving "strange advice", on the basis that Plasmas had better motion and response times than LEDs.

That may be the case, but I stand by what I said. As much as you should be able to use a modern PDP for gaming without getting IR, in reality you cant.

That is not to say that the OP has done anything wrong, and no, I do not believe that he should be experiencing the problems that he is. I would report the issue straight away to the retailer and get a replacement.

Unfortunately the Logos on some channels are a bloody menace and should be banned, there is no need for them. I find the more transparent logos used by BBC HD and sky sports to be fine; it should be compulsory to use this type rather than the solid type.

Well, I've never experienced IR on my Kuro despite playing PS3 games for up to 7 hours at a time. Even Son_of_SJ hasn't experienced IR on his Kuro. This year's Panasonic plasmas have had their share of problems, most likely due to compromise on quality to save costs. You can't generalise all plasmas as being unsuitable for gaming.

 

[hammill]

Ahem. I seem to recall on a recent thread advising not to game on a Plasma, and getting castigated by BB for giving "strange advice", on the basis that Plasmas had better motion and response times than LEDs.

That may be the case, but I stand by what I said. As much as you should be able to use a modern PDP for gaming without getting IR, in reality you cant.

That is not to say that the OP has done anything wrong, and no, I do not believe that he should be experiencing the problems that he is. I would report the issue straight away to the retailer and get a replacement.

Unfortunately the Logos on some channels are a bloody menace and should be banned, there is no need for them. I find the more transparent logos used by BBC HD and sky sports to be fine; it should be compulsory to use this type rather than the solid type.

Well, I've never experienced IR on my Kuro despite playing PS3 games for up to 7 hours at a time. Even Son_of_SJ hasn't experienced IR on his Kuro. This year's Panasonic plasmas have had their share of problems, most likely due to compromise on quality to save costs. You can't generalise all plasmas as being unsuitable for gaming.

I concur. I have never seen image retention on my Kuro. My boys play Wii games on it, sometimes for long periods. Glad I got the Kuro....

 

[strapped for cash]

I'm glad the Kuro doesn't have problems with IR, but this knowledge doesn't get the OP any further, unless they plan to buy a second hand 5090.

Image retention is clearly a problem with the GT50, along with screen uniformity issues. Panasonic have made backward steps with regard to these aspects of performance.

Panasonic's recent lack of real world form is another reason I'm contemplating a 50" Samsung F8500 plasma, if the price is right and it's as good as the marketing suggests.

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

Panasonic's recent lack of real world form is another reason I'm contemplating a 50" Samsung F8500 plasma, if the price is right and it's as good as the marketing suggests.

The Samsung could be a good shout Strapped, I wonder how much it'll cost? Any idea at all?

 

[strapped for cash]

Panasonic's recent lack of real world form is another reason I'm contemplating a 50" Samsung F8500 plasma, if the price is right and it's as good as the marketing suggests.

The Samsung could be a good shout Strapped, I wonder how much it'll cost? Any idea at all?

Since it's another proclaimed "Kuro killer" and a rival for the ZT65, I'm guessing upward of £2,000 for the 51". At least it's available in a more affordable size, which is one of the attractions for me.

We'll have to wait and see, but if it's as good as the marketing claims and not absurdly expensive, the F8500 will certainly be on my shortlist if my third GT50 isn't a keeper.

 

[rocketrazor]

Can anyone post some pics of the IR problems they're experiencing?

I'm interested to see how severe the issue is. HDTV Test did an IR comparison, pitting 2012 Panasonic plasmas against 2012 Samsung plasmas. The Samsung sets performed better in this regard.

I've had what I would describe as very minor IR on both GT50s I've owned, induced by gaming. I wouldn't describe any of these incidences as alarming and on the occasions IR did occur, it cleared up very quickly.

I'm not suggesting for a second that you're both exaggerating the issue. It sounds like Sky logos induce this problem more often and more severely than Freeview/Freesat channel logos. I guess I've also been lucky, in this sense at least.

I found that bright logos or game HUDs against a dark background caused all manner of issues, playing Fifa for example was a real issue as the EA logo caused serious amounts of IR. Any Sky channel was another culprit as the logos tend to be bright on dark backgrounds and when watching the footie the score cards you get in the top corners of the screen were another major cause of IR...I could go on and on with examples but basically bright logos on a dark background gave me awful IR issues.

Same, I watched 10 minutes of the Everton/Oldham game last night and saw the score for the next hour, thankfully it had gone by the morning, but my EA logo still hung around like a bad smell!

 

[rocketrazor]

It's worth noting that the Game preset is very bright out of the box (there's actually little difference between this preset and Dynamic in terms of contrast/brightness).

I'm guessing you've all calibrated the Game preset anyway. I don't even use the Game mode with the PS3, as I find the images too garish. I haven't had any concerns with input lag using other picture presets.

Sorry if I'm stating the glaringly obvious...

I have contrast and brightness set to 0 when on the menu screen on Fifa now, but it keeps coming back

 

[rocketrazor]

They are a bit sensitive to IR in the first 200 hours, how long have you had the set?

Hi Paul

I've had it 6 months, annoyinly IR only became an issue in the last 2-3 weeks. No problems at all before then with it. I think its well passed 200 hours now

Cheers

If I were in your position, I'd call the retailer and report the problem immediately. I think it's in your best interests to do this tomorrow and get details of the problem on record.

When you say six months, can you be more specific? Technically, under the sale of goods act, within six months of purchase the onus is on the retailer to prove the goods were not faulty at the point of sale. The retailer can offer a refund, replacement, or repair. If you encounter resistance, direct the retailer here:

http://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/problem/what-do-i-do-if-i-have-a-faulty-product/

And here:

http://www.oft.gov.uk/business-advice/treating-customers-fairly/sogahome/sogaexplained/

Where did you buy from?

I took your advise strapped, cheers. Phoned today and they have logged it with engineers to contact me to pick up my set and look into the issue. Purchased my TV from a local electrical retailer that I brought my old one from as well