Panny Plasma Problem

[brett_day]

Hmmm something strange going on here. I have a Panny 50PZ80U had it since 08, in the last couple of days the picture quality has degraded to where hd channels look like upscaled non hd channels.

Everything is.....well it looks like there is a haze across the screen. my video games do not look as crisp nor do my blus. In regards to the cable box, i have gone into the service menus and have checked the signals and i am getting a strong signal on all channels. I have tried recalibrating my tv, changed out HDMI cables but to no avail! Anyone have any clues as to what this might be?

[Blu-dock Saint]

Originally Posted by brett_day

Hmmm something strange going on here. I have a Panny 50PZ80U had it since 08, in the last couple of days the picture quality has degraded to where hd channels look like upscaled non hd channels.

Everything is.....well it looks like there is a haze across the screen. my video games do not look as crisp nor do my blus. In regards to the cable box, i have gone into the service menus and have checked the signals and i am getting a strong signal on all channels. I have tried recalibrating my tv, changed out HDMI cables but to no avail! Anyone have any clues as to what this might be?

This happend to my friend about a year ago, when contacting panasonic he was told that the gasses in the plasma were fading and that it needed to be replaced.......not sure if yours is the same issue but everything on his looked fuzzy and out of focus most of the time, hope its not the same problem.

[brett_day]

Originally Posted by Blu-dock Saint

This happend to my friend about a year ago, when contacting panasonic he was told that the gasses in the plasma were fading and that it needed to be replaced.......not sure if yours is the same issue but everything on his looked fuzzy and out of focus most of the time, hope its not the same problem.

hmmm, yeah thats exactly how i would describe it, kind of fuzzy and out of focus, hmmm. did he replace his set?

[Blu-dock Saint]

Originally Posted by brett_day

hmmm, yeah thats exactly how i would describe it, kind of fuzzy and out of focus, hmmm. did he replace his set?

He just bought a new one, but he's the kind when something breaks buy a new one, not sure how much it wouldve cost to replace.

[brett_day]

Originally Posted by Blu-dock Saint

He just bought a new one, but he's the kind when something breaks buy a new one, not sure how much it wouldve cost to replace.

well if the phosphor are dying out in my set then it is game over, phosphor cannot be replaced or recharged as far as i am aware, i will wait and see what happens in the coming weeks,

I will start hinting around to wifey about the great new tv's that are available! haha! i give myself 2 weeks to live if i mention a new tv, so, been nice knowing ya'll!

[benzgrl]

What do you guys do w/ your old TV when you get a new one?

I've had my Panny for about 2 1/2 years and it's still runs good, I've had no problems, but I don't know if its that I'm just used to watching a lot of Blus or comparing to some of the new TVs I see in the stores or what, but I feel like it's not as sharp/crisp looking as when I first got the TV (not at all fuzzy or out of focus as described here by others).

So I was just curious what to do w/ old TV (not sure if someone would actually buy an old TV for a couple hundred dollars - ?) as I might want to buy a new one in a year or two.

Is it normal to see some degradation in picture with time and use or is it all in my head?

[wafi]

Phospor running out in 2 years seems strange. I'd have a tech come over and check it out. You do have some kinda warranty on it right?

[My_Two_Cents]

Originally Posted by Blu-dock Saint

This happend to my friend about a year ago, when contacting panasonic he was told that the gasses in the plasma were fading and that it needed to be replaced.......not sure if yours is the same issue but everything on his looked fuzzy and out of focus most of the time, hope its not the same problem.

Seriously? That's almost as good as the FUD being spread years ago by folks claiming that plasmas needed to have their gases recharged regularly for optimal performance. Sorry, not doubting what you may have been "told", but this is ridiculous if the set only has a couple thousand hours on it. Even sets made several years ago were rated at 60,000 hours before half brightness was achieved.

Plasma gas does not leak or fade. It definitely sounds like you have a serious problem with your set, and I would contact Panasonic tech support immediately.

[lghaze42]

Originally Posted by brett_day

Hmmm something strange going on here. I have a Panny 50PZ80U had it since 08, in the last couple of days the picture quality has degraded to where hd channels look like upscaled non hd channels.

Everything is.....well it looks like there is a haze across the screen. my video games do not look as crisp nor do my blus. In regards to the cable box, i have gone into the service menus and have checked the signals and i am getting a strong signal on all channels. I have tried recalibrating my tv, changed out HDMI cables but to no avail! Anyone have any clues as to what this might be?

I have a 2008 Panasonic 50800u and the pic looks like the day I got it.Sorry you are having problems with your Panny.

[Blu-dock Saint]

Originally Posted by Ricshoe

Seriously? That's almost as good as the FUD being spread years ago by folks claiming that plasmas needed to have their gases recharged regularly for optimal performance. Sorry, not doubting what you may have been "told", but this is ridiculous if the set only has a couple thousand hours on it. Even sets made several years ago were rated at 60,000 hours before half brightness was achieved.

Plasma gas does not leak or fade. It definitely sounds like you have a serious problem with your set, and I would contact Panasonic tech support immediately.

No idea I'm no tech specialist lol, I'm still enjoying my 80u with a S2 on the way even tho the s1's are still better.

[brett_day]

Originally Posted by wafi

Phospor running out in 2 years seems strange. I'd have a tech come over and check it out. You do have some kinda warranty on it right?

no, no warranty on this tv. i got screwed over with a bb warranty before, if it kicks the bucket i will just get a new one

[brett_day]

the other thing i forgot to mention is that whites have become super bright! no matter what i do in regards to settings, whites are beyond over powering

[Blu-dock Saint]

Originally Posted by brett_day

the other thing i forgot to mention is that whites have become super bright! no matter what i do in regards to settings, whites are beyond over powering

Has Panny updated you with anything helpful?

[brett_day]

Originally Posted by Blu-dock Saint

Has Panny updated you with anything helpful?

i have not had a chance to call them yet, hopefully in the next day or two i can get a call out to them, it is really annoying, i love my panny!

[brett_day]

so a buddy of mine thinks i might have a ground loop problem! i am not versed on this at all! how would i eliminate this? re-wire everything?

[dobyblue]

Originally Posted by brett_day

so a buddy of mine thinks i might have a ground loop problem! i am not versed on this at all! how would i eliminate this? re-wire everything?

I am no expert on this at all, but have you tried disconnection the power to everything and just hooking up a Blu-ray or PS3 source directly via HDMI to the TV to see if it still occurs? Unplug the power to all other equipment and remove and coaxial cabling from equipment, like the wires that come into a cable or satellite box.

I believe if that fixes it, it would prove a group loop issue. That is certainly how I understand if from a subwoofer-hum group loop issue.

Seems a lot of the time it's coaxial cabling fighting for the ground or something like that, in which case one of the better solutions is outlined here - http://www.siber-sonic.com/electronics/GLoopFix.html

[Blu-dock Saint]

Originally Posted by dobyblue

I am no expert on this at all, but have you tried disconnection the power to everything and just hooking up a Blu-ray or PS3 source directly via HDMI to the TV to see if it still occurs? Unplug the power to all other equipment and remove and coaxial cabling from equipment, like the wires that come into a cable or satellite box.

I believe if that fixes it, it would prove a group loop issue. That is certainly how I understand if from a subwoofer-hum group loop issue.

Seems a lot of the time it's coaxial cabling fighting for the ground or something like that, in which case one of the better solutions is outlined here - http://www.siber-sonic.com/electronics/GLoopFix.html

Hopefully this is all it is, on one hand its always fun getting a new tv but on the other hand its nice to keep the ones we have.

[PSB_Paradigm_HSU]

I think I may have the same issue as you...And it may be related to the raising black level (not as black) issue but Im not totally sure.

A surefire way for me to see it on my G10 is with the PS3. Push the PS button on the controller to get to the black screen where it says "quit game" or whatever. The black screen allows you to see it clearly.

By it I mean it looks like constant and uniform snow, or static, like some kind of interference in the signal or just i dont know what, its hard to explain. At first I thought it was the pixel orbiter since it kinda does look like all the pixels are all moving around or firing randomly. But its not the pixel orbiter since I turned that off and it was still there.

What I found next was interesting: pulled up contrast adjustment and started to lower it one click at a time. Got to a certain number and the snow was gone!!! It was like on/off switch, if I went back up one click, the snow would be back. So now I just leave it one click under the snow setting...

Some one help please since I have no idea what this is or how to fix it. Could it have to do with the decreasing black level issue?

[brett_day]

Originally Posted by PSB_Paradigm_HSU

I think I may have the same issue as you...And it may be related to the raising black level (not as black) issue but Im not totally sure.

A surefire way for me to see it on my G10 is with the PS3. Push the PS button on the controller to get to the black screen where it says "quit game" or whatever. The black screen allows you to see it clearly.

By it I mean it looks like constant and uniform snow, or static, like some kind of interference in the signal or just i dont know what, its hard to explain. At first I thought it was the pixel orbiter since it kinda does look like all the pixels are all moving around or firing randomly. But its not the pixel orbiter since I turned that off and it was still there.

What I found next was interesting: pulled up contrast adjustment and started to lower it one click at a time. Got to a certain number and the snow was gone!!! It was like on/off switch, if I went back up one click, the snow would be back. So now I just leave it one click under the snow setting...

Some one help please since I have no idea what this is or how to fix it. Could it have to do with the decreasing black level issue?

sounds pretty similar. I sold my ps3 but i have a 360 and when i pull up the menu on it, you can see the snow/fuzzy nightmare. I did not think the 2008 panny's were plagued with the decreasing black levels? maybe i am wrong about that??

I am going to start unplugging everything tonight and will follow Doby's suggestion. Hopefully when i hook up the blu ray player to the tv all will be well! I will have everything crossed when i try this! I will repor back and let you know what i find out!

[brett_day]

well panny were no help at all! I spoke to their concierge service and they just kept on trying to direct me to a local repair shop, would not comment on what the problem might be, although when i explained the problem it was like they almost immediately knew what i was talking about but they would not say what it might be.....

Hmmm time has come to take my system apart it apart! I need to do some quality cable management anyway