Screen burn or image retention and what i can do about it??

[Oldboy]

Hello everyone,

I'm after your advice if you could be so kind......

Back in June of this year i purchased a Panasonic 42G20 plasma after having several problems with lcd tv's and was well aware of the pitfalls of a plasma tv so i made sure i chose carefully. The TV is 4 months old now so over the weekend i decided it should be more than safe to have extended gaming sessions so i had approx 2-3 hours of Fifa11 yesterday with the TV in game mode.

After i had finished playing the EA logo was visible in the bottom left hand corner of the screen (is this IR or screen burn??) despite game mode apparently working with the anti image retention (wobbling) function, i thought no more of it and presumed it would fade but this morning it is still there no matter what i try! I find it very hard to accept that this is just down to plasma tech as i have been sooo careful what i do with the plasma (keeping gaming sessions down and static images to a minimum) and feel that the tv is not fit for purpose, after all i bought the tv for movies AND gaming, the tv has a game mode, but now it's obvious that extended gaming sessions ruin the tv!

Can anyone give me some advice here please?? After the Panasonic guys talked to WHF on friday i was all for keeping the tv despite the issues that are present but this is unacceptable and visible across ALL sources....as you may be able to tell i'm not a happy chappy this morning and would welcome any advice on what i should do next [:'(]

Thanks.

 

[Anonymous]

You could try disabling your antennae, so that all you have on your screen is "snow" let the TV stay on this for a couple of hours and it should "burn" away the EA logo.

It`s not a science, but I have read that quite a few people manage to retain the original screen by doing this unusual procedure.

Obviously, not a very good advertisment for Panasonic articles, maybe it may wake them up, who knows.

greetings,

Steve

 

[AEJim]

While plasma's have improved in that respect it's still going to be an issue. It's probably not screen burn as this is indeed rare, more likely IR - do you not have a screen cleaning mode? (ie. full white screen or moving colour pattern - you can usually select this somewhere and leave it on for 10 mins or more to clear stubborn IR).

Game setting will most likely not help this, potentially make it worse in fact as it's usually a high contrast setting. Try cinema or similar lower contrast mode as this will certainly help.

 

[scene]

Stevefilmfreak:
You could try disabling your antennae, so that all you have on your screen is "snow" let the TV stay on this for a couple of hours and it should "burn" away the EA logo.

It`s not a science, but I have read that quite a few people manage to retain the original screen by doing this unusual procedure.

Obviously, not a very good advertisment for Panasonic articles, maybe it may wake them up, who knows.

greetings,

Steve

You need to ensure that the Panny hasn't got the feature to switch of the display from inactive sources, like the Kuro has - this can be disabled. You need to do this to use this technique.

 

[Anonymous]

i agree that its probably just image retention, shouldnt be anything to worry about imo...

 

[Oldboy]

Thank you very much for all the speedy replies, much appreciated!

I have had a good look through the menu's and there seems to be nothing to reduce the effect or 'clean' the screen? I have just been messing around with other sources and when i show the PS3 xmb or the xmb on my bluray player there is clearly more IR, the menu logo's for photo and music etc leave an image after just a few seconds....that's worrying me!

Going to try the snow technique next and keep my fingers crossed but i have to say i'm not impressed!!

Any more ideas on how i may be able to get rid of this image much appreciated, thanks again everyone

 

[AEJim]

I don't think that ^ will help you Oldboy.

 

[AEJim]

Oldboy:
Thank you very much for all the speedy replies, much appreciated!

I have had a good look through the menu's and there seems to be nothing to reduce the effect or 'clean' the screen? I have just been messing around with other sources and when i show the PS3 xmb or the xmb on my bluray player there is clearly more IR, the menu logo's for photo and music etc leave an image after just a few seconds....that's worrying me!

Going to try the snow technique next and keep my fingers crossed but i have to say i'm not impressed!!

Any more ideas on how i may be able to get rid of this image much appreciated, thanks again everyone

I think most screens have the "black screen" mode nowadays when snow is displayed but hopefully you can get around this - Have you tried looking in other menu's for the IR removal functions? On the LG they aren't in the picture settings but the "Option" one under a separate "Option" mode if I recall correctly, called ISM function.

 

[Oldboy]

Any ideas how i get the snowy signal up on the tv? If i unplug the aerial i just get a message saying 'no signal' and it would seem i can't get the snowy interference pattern, unless i have missed something of course which is quite possible this morning lol.

 

[scene]

Oldboy:
Any ideas how i get the snowy signal up on the tv? If i unplug the aerial i just get a message saying 'no signal' and it would seem i can't get the snowy interference pattern, unless i have missed something of course which is quite possible this morning lol.

Hence my comment above - check in the menus, there's probably an option controlling this...

 

[Anonymous]

you could try the snowy screen on the analogue tuner? should be able to get it there..

 

[Oldboy]

seems to be no control to get the snowy screen up, i've been through the manual to make sure and i can't find a single mention of it. I have gone through every menu on the tv and there is no option to clean the screen either, any ideas what to try next??

 

[professorhat]

Oldboy:Any ideas how i get the snowy signal up on the tv? If i unplug the aerial i just get a message saying 'no signal' and it would seem i can't get the snowy interference pattern, unless i have missed something of course which is quite possible this morning lol.

Yes, you'll need to switch to the analogue tuner to get the snowy screen - there won't be an option for it, just unplug your aerial and switch to the analogue tuner and you'll get it as it won't detect a signal. My older Panasonic plasma also suffers from image retention - it only takes a few minutes of white text and it's then visible on a black screen after it has gone. Short bursts of IR like this disappear after just a few moments of playing something else. For worse cases like your FIFA logo issue, playing standard Freeview channels for 10-20 mins gets rid of it for me, though I've heard from others with Pannys it can take slightly longer.

The main thing is, it's never, ever been permanent so it shouldn't be a worry.

 

[Oldboy]

professorhat:

Oldboy:Any ideas how i get the snowy signal up on the tv? If i unplug the aerial i just get a message saying 'no signal' and it would seem i can't get the snowy interference pattern, unless i have missed something of course which is quite possible this morning lol.

Yes, you'll need to switch to the analogue tuner to get the snowy screen - there won't be an option for it, just unplug your aerial and switch to the analogue tuner and you'll get it as it won't detect a signal. My older Panasonic plasma also suffers from image retention - it only takes a few minutes of white text and it's then visible on a black screen after it has gone. Short bursts of IR like this disappear after just a few moments of playing something else. For worse cases like your FIFA logo issue, playing standard Freeview channels for 10-20 mins gets rid of it for me, though I've heard from others with Pannys it can take slightly longer.

The main thing is, it's never, ever been permanent so it shouldn't be a worry.

Thanks Prof,

I got myself confused there between DVB and analogue, DOH...feel quite stupid now as you might imagine! I had the tv flicking between sources for a good hour or so last night and it never faded ATALL....which is why i am worried this morning as it still hasn't faded with the tv being on for at least another hour

I've got the snowy image up now and will give that 15mins to see if it helps, got to admit to having fingers crossed but i don't expect a miracle. Out of interest, i know screen burn is rare but it must still happen and if it does who picks up the bill??

Thanks again to Prof and all who have replied!

 

[professorhat]

As I remember, the worst case I had was when I fell asleep in front of a game of Civ Revolution so it had the same screen on for 8 hours. I had a picture of one of the lady advisers up on the screen for all that time and it retained a ghost of this for quite a while. Eventually, using the snow screen method (can't remember how long I left it on now), this cleared it.

If it is screen burn (and I seriously doubt it is), then ultimately they'll be some vague waiver in the manual concerning it. Mine said that it was covered under warranty so long as fair usage of gaming / static screens was carried out. What represents fair usage is hard to determine, but personally I would say a 3 hour gaming session easily falls under the category of fair usage at home. It's much more likely this waiver is meant for business usage where Sky News etc. can be left on for days at a time.

 

[Oldboy]

UPDATE: 20mins with a snowy picture has done nothing to help the image....i'm now starting to think this is a permanant image! Think i will give it one more day with trying all the methods suggested then i will be on the phone wanting a new tv as there seems to be no other fix....gutted.

 

[tvspecv]

ring panasonic the tv should still be under warranty dont panic

 

[Oldboy]

That's exactly what i intend to do but i may leave it untill tomorrow to give it time to clear by itself....if it doesn't clear then it will be calls to Panasonic and my retailer.

Thanks for the advice however

 

[professorhat]

I remembered seeing someone else who had a similar issue before - here's the thread. Basically, 20 minutes might not be enough to clear it. As I said in that thread though, if this does happen often, it may well be worth a call to Panasonic as it's unusual behaviour.

 

[Oldboy]

Once again many thanks prof!!

I read through the thread so i plan to give the tv constant runs of the snowy anologue picture for at least 1hour each time as my tv does not have the PixelProtector mode that is mentioned in that thread. Hopefully that will reap some rewards, i will keep you posted on the outcome....if the problem persists i will be getting in touch with (presumably) my retailer as it's within the first 6months of ownership and asking for a replacement. I will also talk to Panasonic to let them know the problems i have encountered but i doubt they will listen or take the comments on board but fingers crossed it doesn't come to this!

Thanks again prof, your help has been invaluable

 

[professorhat]

Most welcome, hope you get it sorted

 

[Anonymous]

ey oldboy.

I have seen a 42g20 in tesco with terrible screen burn on a white screen but I put this down to wrong settings and very long periods of static image i.e freesat demo!

You could try connecting your computer to your tv and try this free program

http://www.jscreenfix.com/

I really hope you get this sorted mate

 

[Oldboy]

Snakey,

Hello mate....back to having tv problems again, for a change lol! I think the image on my tv may be permanant as after trying the snow method for a total of 4hrs it's not budged atall or even faded so i've been looking at this as a possible solution: http://www.pixelprotector.com/PixelProtector_Blu_Ray_p/ppbrv2.1.htm.

The wording on my manual gives me no hope what so ever that Panasonic would do anything about it so i'm looking at that dvd/bluray as my last hope as i simply can't afford a new tv (again!). I've got to say it annoys me that i seemingly can't play Fifa11 anymore and in my opinion the tv is not fit for purpose, and if that disc doesn't work then that will be my argument when i go back to the retailer....at least i have had experience in that area already eh.

Good to hear from you again...have you put an end to your tv troubles yet?

 

[D.J.KRIME]

oldboy if your Plaz has suffered from perminant image burn after only a 3 hour gaming session than your incredibly unlucky as perminant burn would normally only occur if a static image was left on for days on end not after a couple of hours, personally I think it will clear but this can sometimes take quite a few hours of useage.

If the damage is perminant I doubt you will get much joy out of Panasonic.

 

[Oldboy]

D.J.KRIME,

I'm of the firm opinion that it is there for keeps now....i had a 4hour session with the snow signal today and still no hope so i have given up on that method entirely but i noticed today that the problem is getting worse, just a few mins of looking on the BBC text service via the red button left ghost images that are clearly visible across all sources and the same goes for the menu on my Sony bluray player as the XMB does exactly the same.

I'm at the point now where i'm scared to use any of my consoles or leave any static image on the tv, i'm even flicking tv stations so that the channel logo's don't do the same. After 4 months of being problem free this suddenly happens last weekend and it's left me confused,annoyed, disappointed and at a total loss for a solution...i know Panasonic won't want to help that's for sure so i've ordered that disc i linked to above as at £20 it's not alot to lose if it doesn't work and cheap if it does (which i doubt).