Panasonic UT50 (2012 model) Owners Thread

[rajatk]

Dear All,

Opening up this thread for the proud owners of Panasonic UT50 Plasmas (both 42" & 50") to share their buying experience, initial settings/break-in period (if any), calibrations suggested etc etc.

I was actually looking for a 46" LED & ended up buying this 50" beauty, this forum also helped in decision making and I am glad with my purchase. Here is snapshot of my story for anyone interested:

Background - Own multiple CRTs, 2 LCDs (Philips 2009,LG 2010 models)& 1 LED (LG 2012) (all 32") in my 2 houses.
Budget - approx 70K (+5k max)
Initial Choice - 46" LED (Sony, Samsung, LG), was getting discounts of 25% on MRP
Updated Choice - 50" Plasma (Panny, Samsung, LG), 20-25% discounts again because of local connections.
Reasons - Enlightenment on PQ, Better Blacks, technologies etc etc especially for large screen TVs, better VFM etc. Refer any discussion on Plasma vs LED for the same.
Final Choice - Panasonic 50UT50 with 2 3D glasses (free gift: Panasonic HT - XH170)
Reasons - Panasonic brand name, backing for Plasmas & stunning 2012 Plasma range. 3 yrs warranty, Full HD & 3D for BD & to be future ready, 2500 Hz, internet ready (LAN enabled) etc. Also liked the HT free gift since I was not planning to buy it separately but now realize its importance as most flat display TVs have averagish sound quality.
Other (close) worthy Contenders - Samsung 51E550, 50XT50, LG 50PA6500 etc.
Price (1st week of Aug 2012) - MRP was 90K & Market price was 75-77k (I got further discount owing to local connects) .

It was delivered within a week and got installed alongwith HT on same day. I have also upgraded my Tata Sky STB to HD and connected it with HT as well.

Have been using it for almost 3 weeks now with all settings (Contrast, Brightness, Colors etc) reduced by 15 value (i.e. 35, -15 etc) and zoom 2 to avoid channel logos appearing on the screen. Have also seen few movies and not experienced any IRs so far - planning to keep the same settings for 200 hours now as I am kinda liking them .

Will share more details on my experience in future posts and would request other owners to come up and share theirs...

 

[arnprasad]

Congrats man - you got a thread all your own!!

Mr Kix ST50 thread although has less posts but has crossed 10K views.

My XT50 has more posts but 9K views only.

Lets see which model wins after one year:clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping:

 

[rajatk]

Congrats man - you got a thread all your own!!

What to do - no one else started it and I was unsure about it for last 2 weeks and finally went for it :yahoo:

lso the fact that even my UT50 traffic was getting diverted to you guys

Mr Kix ST50 thread although has less posts but has crossed 10K views.

My XT50 has more posts but 9K views only.

Goes on to prove that quality matters more than quantity (in lighter vain) Also ST50 is such an appreciated model all over the world that people from outside India would also be viewing the thread. Also we know that j4k is a much experienced /veteran in this field, we all learn from his posts and gain - not to forget his awesome writing skills too

Lets see which model wins after one year:clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping:

Hehe never thought about it but I know its not gonna be UT50 since its sandwiched model bw XT50 (will have more buyers) & ST50 (more aspiration) & also disadvantage of starting late... :indifferent14:

 

[arnprasad]

its sad that XT50 is not reviewed anywhere. Am sure it might not get the highest ratings but at 50% of the price of ST50 - atleast on value for money it will get good marks:clapping:

 

[krish199]

To all UT50 owner, got a doubt.Whenever I am watching movies it looks like as if watching a tv serial as the FPS(frame per second) seems too high. What setting do you need to adjust to make the movie look like movie(I mean less FPS). International UT50 do have different setting option which Indian models lack.

Also how good is XH170 HT and how long does it take to deliver to your house ?

Hehe never thought about it but I know its not gonna be UT50 since its sandwiched model bw XT50 (will have more buyers) & ST50 (more aspiration) & also disadvantage of starting late... :indifferent14:

Don't worry about the outcome, as its pretty much sure that UT50 will give tough compitition to the others(XT50 and UT50). Threads like this would help making decission and tilt numerous other towards UT50.

 

[just4kix]

Congrats man - you got a thread all your own!!

Mr Kix ST50 thread although has less posts but has crossed 10K views.

My XT50 has more posts but 9K views only.

Lets see which model wins after one year:clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping:

Is there some kind of competition? I was not aware of that.

There are expected to be more owners of X/XT50 and hence there will be more queries and posts in such as thread, regardless who starts it. The ST50 is desired by many and hence there will be more views than posts there, once again, regardless who starts it.

 

[frosts]

This tv with 42 inch fits in my budget but in reviews in youtube by cnet says that the pictures gets washed out in day sunlight conditions but its looks great in night when the lights are switched off is dat so.. I am really keen on buying this TV but since direct sunlight will be falling to the TV so this issue is a main concern for me..

 

[just4kix]

This tv with 42 inch fits in my budget but in reviews in youtube by cnet says that the pictures gets washed out in day sunlight conditions but its looks great in night when the lights are switched off is dat so.. I am really keen on buying this TV but since direct sunlight will be falling to the TV so this issue is a main concern for me..

Unless the daytime light cannot be dimmed (via drapes, etc.), do not think of a plasma, and especially not if the time used during day is high. And you will suffer from severe reflections also.

At night time, no such issue. But you should not watch in complete darkness. There should be some low ambient light. I switch on my bedside table lamp and turn it away from the TV, shining on the wall.

 

[rajatk]

CNET E550 Review & comparison with UT50

CNET finally reviews Samsung E550 and has put it directly against UT50...

Samsung PN51E550 Review - Flat-panel TVs - CNET Reviews

Here are the key excerpts from the article:

Panasonic and Samsung plasma TVs have run very close in our comparisons this year, with a slight advantage in picture quality going to team Panasonic, and a slight features advantage to camp Samsung. That's again the case in the midrange category, where the 3D- and Smart TV-equipped Samsung PNE550 series faces off directly against the similarly specced and priced Panasonic TC-PUT50 series.
I give the nod to the Panasonic by virtue of its deeper black levels and slightly better bright-room picture, but the Samsung is still very good. The PNE550 gains an edge in the sophistication of its Smart TV platform -- especially if you don't mind sacrificing Amazon video for HBO Go -- and its inclusion of two pairs of 3D glasses. If you're like me you'll value the UT50's merits a bit more, but the Samsung E550 is still a very good television that should please plenty of plasma fans.

Design
Not much separates the unadorned PNE550 from the ranks of me-too black-clad TVs out there, but the accents it offers are tasteful enough to place it in the same league as the Panasonic UT50, if a notch below Samsung's higher-end plasmas like the PNE6500.

Features
The E550 is Samsung's least-expensive plasma for 2012 to offer Smart TV and 3D, putting it on a features par with the Panasonic UT50, for example.

Picture quality
Although very good overall, especially compared with just about every 2012 LED TV, the images produced by the PNE550 can't quite beat those of its closest plasma competition, Panasonic's UT50 and U50 televisions. Its black levels are solid but not in the same league as the Panasonics, and unlike the UT50 it can't properly convey 1080p/24 film cadence. Color is its strongest suit while bright-room picture is weakest, and its mediocre 3D picture won't distinguish it much in this category

Black level: While lower-end Panasonic plasmas like the U50 and UT50 deliver black levels as deep as the company's flagships, that's not the case with the E550. I set it up directly next to the PNE6500 and the difference in depth of black was obvious. The spacescapes from chapter 4 of Tree of Life provided one of many examples, where the void between the stars and nebulas didn't look nearly as deep. Compared with the other TVs in our lineup the E550 split the difference: darker than the Toshiba and the LG, but lighter still than the Vizio and the Panasonic UT50. That's not a bad performance by any means, just not on the same level as the tough competition.

Details in shadows looked good on the PNE550, although the UT50 held a slight advantage in this area.

Color accuracy: Here's where the PNE550 held a slight advantage over the Panasonic UT50, although it couldn't quite reach the accuracy of the PNE6500.

Video processing: Unlike higher-end Samsung plasmas like the PNE6500, the PNE550 is incapable of reproducing correct film cadence. Whether or not I engaged the CinemaSmooth setting -- a setting ostensibly designed to deliver proper film cadence -- my panning test clip showed the subtle jerky, chugging motion of 2:3 pulldown, not the smoother, correct film judder of 1080p/24 material. The PNE6500 and UT50, among others, passed this test.

Bright lighting: Like the U50 I reviewed previously, the PNE550's Achilles heel is its relatively poor handling of bright room lighting. Both TVs were about equal in their failure to maintain deep black levels and hence good contrast with the lights turned up, although I'd give the E550 a slight advantage because its image was slightly brighter. Both screens looked gray under moderate lighting, and as a result the image washes out to an even larger extent than on the UT50. It doesn't help that the U50 and E550 can't be "turned up" bright enough to really compensate, nor that both created bright reflections of in-room objects.

3D: The E550 is an average 3D performer at best. Once I substituted the Samsung UN55ES8000, my reference active 3D TV, into the lineup for the 2D-only Toshiba, the Samsung E550 rated second-worst overall at delivering 3D images, besting only the LG.

Its biggest issue was crosstalk, which I consider the most annoying artifact associated with 3D. During "Hugo," my favorite crosstalk torture test with Hugo's hand reaching toward the mouse (5:01) showed the ghostly outline of crosstalk more prominently on the E550 than on any set save the LG. The next-best were the UT50 and PNE6500, which both showed less crosstalk in this and other scenes, like those showing the tuning pegs on the guitar (7:49), the struts, railings, and the pendulum inside the shaft (11:47) and the word "Films" from the GK Films logo before the movie starts. The passive Vizio and the Samsung UNES8000 showed the least crosstalk in the lineup.

 

[rajatk]

3D Experience

To finally test the 3D on UT50, I downloaded "Despicable me" 3D Animation movie last night, the file size was about 1.5 GB. Got up and charged the 3D glasses 1st thing in the morning. Played the movie through USB to find SBS images, left and right as expected. Was wondering how to view it properly and then pressed the "3D" Button on UT50 Remote and the familiar blurred image (Naked Eye) appeared. Finally had the eureka moment through viewing with 3D Glasses, oh I am so happy that it works :yahoo:

Must confess there was this initial headache kinda feeling that went away after 5 mins or so.. saw the movie for about 30-40 mins and simply loved the experience. Now downloading more 3D movies (Avataar etc) and the fun should continue...

Amprasad - Thanks again for your suggestions. :clapping:

 

[fang]

rajatk, can you please share some pictures of your tv? I am interested in learning about your experience with the ut50 in the following areas -

1. All reviews point out that the ut50 is a dim tv, low on brightness but with high black levels. What do you feel? Any direct comparison with any other tv you own? (Refer to the CNET calibration settings, 100 brightness used!)

2. What is your typical viewing distance? How is regular SD content playback?

3. Any luck with measuring power consumption? Between all the reviews and the Panasonic india site, the tv consumes b/w 120w to ~330w?

 

[just4kix]

@fang,

Dim TV panel can be set bright by adjusting brighness & contrast but it is extremely difficult to get black levels that display shadow details when working with bright TVs. Besides, more than 50% of viewing is done at evening/night. So too much brightness could be hurting.

When I will get the electricity bill this month, I shall be able to measure the difference in units. Not much has changed between power consumption patterns between last month and this month, except that plasma TV is now added while old 21" CRT has retired.

 

[rajatk]

rajatk, can you please share some pictures of your tv? I am interested in learning about your experience with the ut50 in the following areas -

Will try over the weekend - have to look for my data cable to transfer pictures from camera to Laptop & share. I would not suggest someone to just look at pictures to decide as they can depend on individual picture setting on Plasma, camera quality, photographer's ability etc etc.

It would also be interesting to know your other choices to compare them via reviews/experience.

1. All reviews point out that the ut50 is a dim tv, low on brightness but with high black levels. What do you feel? Any direct comparison with any other tv you own? (Refer to the CNET calibration settings, 100 brightness used!)

I am not having any such problem with UT50, did you go through the E550 review on CNET Samsung PN51E550 Review - Watch CNET's Video Review. It has also been called washed out in bright light etc as well but people would tell you otherwise. In case your room is bright, you should look for LEDs or high end Plasmas like ST50, GT50 etc. If the light can be controlled, UT50 will do well like most of the plasmas.

2. What is your typical viewing distance? How is regular SD content playback?

Viewing distance is 10-14 ft usually (mine is a 50UT50) and the SD content is better than what I was expecting it to be after reading reviews etc. Some SD channels come quite close to HD quality and all HD channels are themselves a treat to watch. However please note SD quality overall cannot be awesome for any large screen display (46" LED/ 50" Plasma) but is still good enough.

3. Any luck with measuring power consumption? Between all the reviews and the Panasonic india site, the tv consumes b/w 120w to ~330w?

Not done yet neither planning to do so as I dont have to bother about electricity bills :clapping:

 

[fang]

@rajatk, thanks for your response!

I have gone through the e550, UT50 and U50 reviews and review videos on CNET. There may be a slight positive bias towards panasonic there

Your feedback on the UT50 is comforting and i will keep it in mind! My hall has about ~10-11 ft viewing distance. No bright lights shining onto the tv area, direct sunlight is from an off axis angle and can be controlled.

TV viewing is currently on a regular cable connection (non set top box). I will eventually pick up a HD DTH connection, but not right now. My budget can stretch to ~75k for a full HD 50" , but i am worried about that being an overkill for my hall.

TV choices now are as follows -

42" - 42xt50 or the samsung e490/e470. The e470 is only about 36k and i dont mind sacrificing the smart tv and 3d for the lower price. Bit disappointed with Panasonic's pricing at the lower end.

50" - 50UT50 or 51e550.

I have demoed the e550 and it has a bright pleasing picture quality, SD channels look pretty decent on it. Other things in its favor are its styling and in built wifi which i think will prove to be very helpful in the future. Have not seen the 50UT50 in action.

I was asking about power consumption because on paper the Samsung's seem more power efficient, just wanted to see what real world numbers are like.

 

[prosenjit]

for better pictuure we shd give away more money for power.....joking..hehe
anyway just calculate by the specs and ur average tv viewing....it will be hardly maximum 6 units more/less varying from model to model...
6 units=max 30 rs/monthly.
dont just follow more power/less power tags sticked to models....

 

[krish199]

rajatk, can you please share some pictures of your tv? I am interested in learning about your experience with the ut50 in the following areas -

1. All reviews point out that the ut50 is a dim tv, low on brightness but with high black levels. What do you feel? Any direct comparison with any other tv you own? (Refer to the CNET calibration settings, 100 brightness used!)

2. What is your typical viewing distance? How is regular SD content playback?

3. Any luck with measuring power consumption? Between all the reviews and the Panasonic india site, the tv consumes b/w 120w to ~330w?

Could give you my perspective on the above as the TV is with me for a week now. First of all I own a 50UT50 and my tatasky HD connection was only activated last friday. Before that it was local cable SD

1. TV is not that bad on brightness, infact I kept my brightness level at -15 while on tatasky HD where as my with my local cable I needed to keep it +20. So its ought to be the transmission/material you are playing. But 'Cinema' and 'TruCinema' settings are indeed low on brightness.

2. Some SD channel on tatasky HD are quite good while upscaled,Namely TLC,NDTV24x7, my viewing distance is 10-15 feet.

3. I can only confirm that while I will get my next bill.

Whatching HD in this tv is a treat, I wathced repeat of sunday's F1 race and its just jawdropping.Right now also going through breakin period so not playing much with calibration and waiting the said 100-150 hr to get over.

 

[fang]

@krish199 - congratulations! If i remember correctly, you picked it up at the koramangala brand shop right? Please post some pics too

Do you increase brightness while using the 'cinema / true cinema' modes?

What was the final price for your deal including all various taxes and stuff?

 

[krish199]

@krish199 - congratulations! If i remember correctly, you picked it up at the koramangala brand shop right? Please post some pics too

Do you increase brightness while using the 'cinema / true cinema' modes?

What was the final price for your deal including all various taxes and stuff?

Exactly, you got me!

My final deal was 74k including the free HT(Home Theatre) which panasonic was offering last month+ 2 3D glasses.

I am not watching in cinema/true cinema mode (mostly)right now as I want my panny to breakin properly. But I did watched "Avenger" in no light condition (i.e no light in living room and sparse light from bedroom through open door)in cinema mode and it was excellent. was not feeling any strain in my eyes while watching it nonstop for 2+ hrs. Also note that I watched it in 'Aspect 2' to avoid the black bars in top and bottom.

Pics will come latest by today eveing.

Also if you are stuck between Sammy E550 and Panny UT50 then better to demo it personally as both are good on their own terms.

 

[chungs]

Exactly, you got me!

My final deal was 74k including the free HT(Home Theatre) which panasonic was offering last month+ 2 3D glasses.

I am not watching in cinema/true cinema mode (mostly)right now as I want my panny to breakin properly. But I did watched "Avenger" in no light condition (i.e no light in living room and sparse light from bedroom through open door)in cinema mode and it was excellent. was not feeling any strain in my eyes while watching it nonstop for 2+ hrs. Also note that I watched it in 'Aspect 2' to avoid the black bars in top and bottom.

Pics will come latest by today eveing.

Also if you are stuck between Sammy E550 and Panny UT50 then better to demo it personally as both are good on their own terms.

Congrats on your purchase of 50UT50. Please also post pictures of your tv showing sd channels of your tatasky.

 

[rajatk]

I am not watching in cinema/true cinema mode (mostly)right now as I want my panny to breakin properly. But I did watched "Avenger" in no light condition (i.e no light in living room and sparse light from bedroom through open door)in cinema mode and it was excellent. was not feeling any strain in my eyes while watching it nonstop for 2+ hrs. Also note that I watched it in 'Aspect 2' to avoid the black bars in top and bottom.

I have also reduced all settings to 35-40 and watch the SD/HD channels in Zoom 2 mode, infact now liking them so much that willing to keep them ON for some more time.

FYI - I have seen E550 demo yesterday and the brightness looked good. It was playing SD channels in the showroom against all other Plasmas/LEDs playing demo video. Also the aspect ratio was such that the picture looked stretched (may be 4:3 etc).