Potential problem with Panasonic plasmas..

Here are a couple of links to consumer reports on significant black level degradation after 1000 hrs of use on panasonic plasmas..

Are Panasonic plasma TVs losing their dark black levels? | Crave - CNET

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1167339

Those looking to buy, please do go through these.. existing users can comment on their experience..

Both 12 Generation, 2009 models and 11 generation, 2008 models seems to be having this problem.Nothing of this sort is expected from a brand like PANASONIC.

This is really discouraging for all wanting to buy Panasonic plasma TV.
 
Both 12 Generation, 2009 models and 11 generation, 2008 models seems to be having this problem.Nothing of this sort is expected from a brand like PANASONIC.

This is really discouraging for all wanting to buy Panasonic plasma TV.

Couldn't agree more..

especially disturbing is the fact that Panasonic has not handled the genuine user concerns positively.. every company goofs up once in a while but wat really differentiates the best is how they deal with it.. Toyota is an excellent example.. the fact that they are admitting to their problem and willing to recall such a huge number of their cars at such great expense just shows their commitment to consumers.. Panasonic needs to wake up too..

black level is the single most important selling proposition of plasmas.. Panasonic being the plasma market leader, one would expect them to be genuinely concerned if their USP is thus degraded.. i'm very surprised by their neglect of this problem..

Forum members who've bought Panasonics which have clocked more than 1000 hrs, r u seeing a difference in the black levels?
 
Well i guess problems like these surface only after a certain time period and can not be found out in initial tests or new setups.

What will be interesting to watch is Panasonic's stand on the same?

Another factor will be how many people will be actually able to realize or make out the difference in blacks when the unit was new and after it has been run 1000 hours.
 
Another factor will be how many people will be actually able to realize or make out the difference in blacks when the unit was new and after it has been run 1000 hours.

very true.. while a side by side comparison with a new set is said to reveal the difference very easily, not many have the luxury of being able to do so..

one way would be to visit the homes of the other members of the forum (who've recently bought their sets) and play the same content there (assuming similar ambient light conditions and settings) to check..

many users have also said that increase in IR usually accompanies the change in the black levels.. this should be easy enough for folks to see on their sets..
 
while it is disturbing,one can only see those deep blacks when its dark or with well thought about lighting.so for those people who watch tvs in the day or have significant ambient light in front of the tv ,its irrelevant nevertheless it would piss the owner of the tv once he knows.
 
The said websites seems to be dishonest and I suspect conspiracy by rival plasma TV makers to malign Panasonic.
 
The said websites seems to be dishonest and I suspect conspiracy by rival plasma TV makers to malign Panasonic.

Bobby, i'd respectfully disagree.. i don't think the credibility of CNET or avsforums can be questioned.. as for the individual plasma owners who've raised these concerns, there seem to be far too many of them to disregard the issue.. D-Nice, one of the best known and respected calibrators has also acknowledged the problem..

individual perceptibility to the problem would, of course, vary.. though if IR levels increase, i don't think it's that hard for average consumers to notice it..
 
I also second reds on the same as both Cnet & AVsforum has been there for ages. I am myself a member of avsforum and know the customer responses and queries there are genuine.

Plus they really go in deep into issue resolution and problem solution mode for helping the members out.
 
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I may be wrong but presently I dont like panasonic products much....I bought a Portable DVD Players with screen .....and the screen resolution is just awful......:sad:
 
Panasonic has admitted to the rising black levels problem (refer below link) but it doesn't look like they are going to work on a solution to this problem...

Panasonic admits plasma TV black level change but says picture quality still 'excellent' | Crave - CNET

really bad news, in my opinion.. it makes Panny plasmas much less attractive a proposition as a superior black level was their single most important USP over LCDs and other plasmas..

buyers now need to keep this aspect in consideration before making their decision..
 
This is crap, expected a better response from them ..

The sales in US are already impacted and a price drop is starting to happen on their models
 
The said websites seems to be dishonest and I suspect conspiracy by rival plasma TV makers to malign Panasonic.

I respectfully disagree with your statement. I'm a member of AVS forums from way back when and the guys out there are extremely helpful. This is NO conspiracy, this is a goof on Panasonic's part and they had better do everything they can to fix it.

I have an Sony LCD and was wanting to supplement it, in time, with a Full HD Panasonic plasma. I'll simply wait until they fix the problem - even if that may take years.
 
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This is crap, expected a better response from them ..

The sales in US are already impacted and a price drop is starting to happen on their models



The new G20,G25,S2,U2 and C2 plasmas are all priced lower than last year on the US website
The G20 and G25 are known to incorporate Pioneer's technology yet are priced lower than last year's G10. If released in India the 42 inch G20/G25 should start off at the same price level or lower this year. The C2 and S2 should also be lower or start off atleast at the same level in India as the C10 and S10
 
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When is the new series of panasonic plasma likely to be launched?
TIA


The G10 was released around the last week of May- 1st week of June i believe last year here.

The US S2 and other models are already out for pre-order(which means they should hit stores by sometime in March) and by April the rest except the Zseries and bigger sized V20/V25s. Looking at this trend May-June seems to be ideal time for a new release here like last year. Higher end models like the V20/V25 should come much later. The V10 was available here starting late Sept/early October 09.
However this year there is a much bigger shortage of 2009 models considering this is just Feb and Panasonic hardly has anything noteworthy to sell apart from the C10 and X10. So we need to see if they prepone their releases here.
 
The new G20,G25,S2,U2 and C2 plasmas are all priced lower than last year on the US website
The G20 and G25 are known to incorporate Pioneer's technology yet are priced lower than last year's G10.
This is pretty standard, with prices being reduced with the new model year and has nothing to do with so called "black level problems". Last year and the years before that, the prices were similiarly reduced with the introduction of new models. This year the AE4000 projector came in at $2500 compared to last years's model the AE3000, which was priced at $3500 and this was long before any "black level problems" became an issue.
 
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