ST50 Owners' Thread - First impressions, Reviews, Tweaks, etc.

[Kartik]

42 indeed, so your heart is safe
Planning to pickup over the next week, will try and check some more Bangalore shops over this week

Did you check Devi International? 82K for 42 is not THAT far from 104K for 50 so I'm wondering.

 

[just4kix]

That's a good price and lowest that I found in B'lore. I believe that the glasses on the 2011 models are different and will not work with 2012. I read it somewhere but can't locate the link just now.

You don't have to worry. You will get compatible 2012 models only. Else you can simply return them and get the correct ones. But I doubt that, that will be necessary.

Sent from my GT-I9100G using Tapatalk 2

 

[just4kix]

Here are crappy pics of remote ... umm till something better can be uploaded.

Left: Normal
Right: Backlit with reddish orange. (Yuck! Why couldn't it be blue or green or just white?)

 

[anandmatthew]

Here are crappy pics of remote ... umm till something better can be uploaded.

Left: Normal
Right: Backlit with reddish orange. (Yuck! Why couldn't it be blue or green or just white?)

Were the remotes placed on Mars????

 

[just4kix]

Ha! Ha! On my bed.

 

[just4kix]

Streaming HD mkv files to ST50 via DLNA

Weekend before last, I was trying out DLNA streaming. I have my Samsung Galaxy S2 and on its SD card, I have some AVI files (Everybody Loves Raymond). Using the phone's media player, I started playing it. Went to options and selected "AllShare". The Samsung AllShare application detected the ST50 immediately and I could send the output to TV very easily.

OK. First test passed. No issue of streaming over wireless network.

Last weekend, I shifted the TV to the bedroom and here the wifi signal is weak. Only one bar was shown. The stream started stuttering and sputtering. Not good. Fortunately, I have one more wireless router with me. So I connected that and created another wireless network (with different IP subnet and all that). This wireless router was placed on the glass shelf above the TV (see pictures in the previous posts). Now there were no problems.

As I stated in my earlier review, the ST50 is pathetic when it comes to reading large size HDD. My HDD is Seagate 1TB. I deleted all contents from it and now it contains only 6 or 7 3D HD MKV's. But the TV takes 10+ minutes everytime it reads the disk. This was extremely frustrating. So I copied all MKVs to my laptop and decided to stream it via Windows Media Player.

Source played: Avatar 3D mkv (about 17.4 GB)

Problem 1: WMP would not play MKVs.
Reason: Missing codecs.
Solution: Downloaded codecs; installed them
Result: MKVs started to play.
--------------------------
Problem 2: Tried to stream MKVs to TV via DLNA. Error displayed: "Cannot find media player server" or something like that.
Reason: It appears that MKVs cannot be streamed by WMP.
Solution 1: Found many solutions on the internet. All said download this, or download that. On closer inspection, found that many (all good and recommended ones) were paid software or trialware. I hate cracked software. So rejected this solution.
Solution 2: On one forum, one guy said that he just renamed the .mkv to .avi and it started playing. I tried the same.
Result: Viola!! The .mkv renamed as .avi started to stream perfectly. Isn't this amazing?
--------------------------
Problem 3: Huge stuttering on the 3D movies.
Reason: MKVs or any 1080i/p HD rip (and probably 720p rip too) require very high bandwidth. The 54mbps wireless network is not good enough to receive the stream from source and transmit it to the destination at the same time.
Solution 1: Most solutions suggested going to 8.11n range. Even here, some said that stuttering cannot be eliminated altogether.
Solution 2: Go wired. I decided to adapt this solution. I connected the TV to router by ethernet RJ-45 cable.
Result: MKVs (or rathe HD AVI) started to stream.
--------------------------
Minor problem: There is still some minor stuttering. But this usually happens if I FF or jump to a particular point suddenly. During normal playback, I did not observe this much. Needs thorough testing though. Also, my laptop was still on wireless mode.
Solution: Try full wired mode
Result: Not tested as yet.

I hope this post helps many other people.

 

[lcdfreak]

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Oyg-lOiBArA/T0F7nyoHpLI/AAAAAAAABOM/1Xbo7CDTBow/s800/tn_1.jpg

 

[Audiodoc]

I don't use DLNA. I have an asus Oplay air which can receive mkv content over wifi. My belkin n+ router has a USB storage port to share it over the network. Works smoothly for 720p and 1080p with mild to moderate stuttering with very high bitrate / uncompressed blurays (more than 15 gb).

 

[lake1988]

Audiodoc actually this stuttering is nothing but dropping frames...it occurs due to limited bitrate playability of these media players..some player has upper bitrate level of 15-20 Mbps which they don't put in the manual..so better to get a bluray player/media player which can play bluray iso i.e.wdtv media player,popcorn hour etc and others..

 

[lcdfreak]

Hi While playing PS3 , when a black screen comes, my plasma screen is white ...Its is a dark room,,,its like my other LCD....is this normal
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Oyg-lOiBArA/T0F7nyoHpLI/AAAAAAAABOM/1Xbo7CDTBow/s800/tn_1.jpg

I have XT50...This is like backlight bleeding in LED/L:C

 

[lake1988]

Is that phosphor afterglow..not sure..

 

[BLASTO]

Hi While playing PS3 , when a black screen comes, my plasma screen is white ...Its is a dark room,,,its like my other LCD....is this normal
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Oyg-lOiBArA/T0F7nyoHpLI/AAAAAAAABOM/1Xbo7CDTBow/s800/tn_1.jpg

I have XT50...This is like backlight bleeding in LED/L:C

Wow.. Very wrong..
I will post my VT20's black screen in a moment for comparison.

What is your contrast and brightness settings?

Edit: Here you go..
http://www.flickr.com/photos/45354014@N07/6281117815/in/set-72157627854318307/

 

[miniwarmth]

LCDFreak: Is it a new set? How many hours has it been used?

Blasto,

In your screen shot, I see that the 'PC' input is shown. Have you figured out a way to get that label to go away after a sometime. For example, if you have finished watching your content from your PC or game box and it switches off, will the display of 'PC' go away? While I posted this as a question in another thread, your image got my attention.

Feel free to reply to that thread.

http://www.hifivision.com/television/27981-input-source-display-panast50.html

 

[just4kix]

Hi While playing PS3 , when a black screen comes, my plasma screen is white ...Its is a dark room,,,its like my other LCD....is this normal
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Oyg-lOiBArA/T0F7nyoHpLI/AAAAAAAABOM/1Xbo7CDTBow/s800/tn_1.jpg

I have XT50...This is like backlight bleeding in LED/L:C

This is not normal. It does not happen with my set.

Suggestion: For the said picture setting, RESET to default. Try it again at the place where you see the scene where whitish gray is displayed instead of black. Please report.

 

[VMJ]

Hi just4kix,
Congrats on your plasma TV.

I have shortlisted Sony HX850 LCD and Panasonic GT50 plasma. I will be using this TV in my living room and there is lot of natural light in living room, will plasma work fine? Also, heard that plasma TV power consumption is very high compared to LCD. Just wanted to know about the power consumption and the heat issue in the ST50?

 

[just4kix]

Hi just4kix,
Congrats on your plasma TV.

I have shortlisted Sony HX850 LCD and Panasonic GT50 plasma. I will be using this TV in my living room and there is lot of natural light in living room, will plasma work fine? Also, heard that plasma TV power consumption is very high compared to LCD. Just wanted to know about the power consumption and the heat issue in the ST50?

Thank you.

If there is a lot of light in the living room and it cannot be controlled, then I will advise you to go for HX850 instead.

Plasma TV consumption is on the higher side; nearly double of LED. Plasma TV typically consumes 60% of its rated power. The rated power is for full white mode. In the full dark mode, the consumption is only about 20%. LCD panels always consume the rated power. Having said that, let us assume the following:

Average running time of TV per day = 6 hours
Panasonic 50FT50 consumption (rated at 425W) = 255W
Sony 46HX850 (rated at 120W) = 120W
Rate per kWH = Rs. 5
Service Tax = 12.36%

GT50 consumption units per month and monthly amount with tax = 46 kWH ==> Rs. 258.43
HX850 consumption per month and monthly amount with tax = 22 kWH ==> Rs. 123.60

So, if power consumption is as issue to you, you should (once again) go with HX850.

Heat Issue
Heat generated from plasma is very much overstated. My ST50 is very new and at the moment is running for nearly 7 hours every day. It was purchased on 22-Jul and installed on 25-Jul. It has completed 97 hours till yesterday. If you go and stand next to the TV, and TV has been running for a considerable period of time, it feels a bit warm. Can it replace as a room heater on the cold wintry nights? Sadly, no.

 

[VMJ]

Hi just4kix,

First of all, thanks for the detailed explanation. It was very helpful. Regarding the lights, I can control the lights using the curtains; should be manageable. I wasn't aware of the fact that Plasmas use around 60% of rated power. So the power consumption difference between LCD and Plasma is not much then.
My viewing distance is around 10 feet, will the 50" be too big or should go for 42".
I have noticed one thing that Plasma doesn't suffer with off angle viewing, however LED/ LCD TV's have narrow "sweet spot" viewing area. However, Sony HX850 is comparatively better compared to other LCD's in that area (off viewing angle) but I guess it still can't match plasmas.

 

[lcdfreak]

LCDFreak: Is it a new set? How many hours has it been used?

Blasto,

In your screen shot, I see that the 'PC' input is shown. Have you figured out a way to get that label to go away after a sometime. For example, if you have finished watching your content from your PC or game box and it switches off, will the display of 'PC' go away? While I posted this as a question in another thread, your image got my attention.

Feel free to reply to that thread.

http://www.hifivision.com/television/27981-input-source-display-panast50.html

I have used it for just 30 hours...Setting are in mid 20;s for all except brightness which is around -30

 

[BLASTO]

Blasto,

In your screen shot, I see that the 'PC' input is shown. Have you figured out a way to get that label to go away after a sometime. For example, if you have finished watching your content from your PC or game box and it switches off, will the display of 'PC' go away? While I posted this as a question in another thread, your image got my attention.

Feel free to reply to that thread.

http://www.hifivision.com/television/27981-input-source-display-panast50.html

Iam not using PC mode at all.
I used this for photograph because, the foto was just fully black otherwise.
Did not figure out a way to make it go away.

 

[just4kix]

Hi just4kix,

First of all, thanks for the detailed explanation. It was very helpful. Regarding the lights, I can control the lights using the curtains; should be manageable. I wasn't aware of the fact that Plasmas use around 60% of rated power. So the power consumption difference between LCD and Plasma is not much then.
My viewing distance is around 10 feet, will the 50" be too big or should go for 42".
I have noticed one thing that Plasma doesn't suffer with off angle viewing, however LED/ LCD TV's have narrow "sweet spot" viewing area. However, Sony HX850 is comparatively better compared to other LCD's in that area (off viewing angle) but I guess it still can't match plasmas.

1. If you can control ambient light, there is nothing like a plasma.

2. For 10', 50" is good. My viewing distance is like 9.5' and I am ok.

3. LED/LCD do have a sweet spot while plasma has almost none. But HX850 is still good for nearly 170. Nobody is going to watch a tv at that angle.

4. However when it comes to 3D, there is a sweet spot for all tv's.

Sent from my GT-I9100G using Tapatalk 2