White Glove Shipping for Plasmas

[repete66211]

My take on white glove?

If the TV is 100 pounds (as mine is) and you live on the 2nd floor (like I do), paying someone to unbox it and set it on the stand is a bargain as far as I'm concerned. But the real value of white glove is that you see it's working before you sign to manifest. With curb-side you're left with a box. If it doesn't work you have to arrange for the delivery person to come back for it. THAT is the value of white glove delivery.

For all the "peace of mind" rituals and gizmos a/v geeks go through and pay for it amazes me not everyone would drop an extra $50 for white glove delivery. If you started a rumor that white glove delivery improves PQ or life span by 0.0001% you'd have some people paying $300 for it.

[jeff92k7]

Originally Posted by repete66211

white glove delivery improves PQ or life span by 0.0001% you'd have some people paying $300 for it.

Does it really? I'm all over that. I'll pay $500 for it now.







Just kidding.

[repete66211]

Originally Posted by jeff92k7

Does it really? I'm all over that. I'll pay $500 for it now.







Just kidding.

Hehe. I exaggerate, but you know what I mean, right?

[jeff92k7]

Originally Posted by repete66211

Hehe. I exaggerate, but you know what I mean, right?

I know exactly what you mean. I laugh at all the threads on here and at AVSforums where people argue over the minutest of details - and most of the time they argue about things that can't even be backed up by real science.

[Pelican170]

Originally Posted by repete66211

My take on white glove?

If the TV is 100 pounds (as mine is) and you live on the 2nd floor (like I do), paying someone to unbox it and set it on the stand is a bargain as far as I'm concerned. But the real value of white glove is that you see it's working before you sign to manifest. With curb-side you're left with a box. If it doesn't work you have to arrange for the delivery person to come back for it. THAT is the value of white glove delivery.

For all the "peace of mind" rituals and gizmos a/v geeks go through and pay for it amazes me not everyone would drop an extra $50 for white glove delivery. If you started a rumor that white glove delivery improves PQ or life span by 0.0001% you'd have some people paying $300 for it.

you must have gotten a different white glove service than I did, because with that service, they are not required to put it on the stand or hook it up past that point. Which was shown to me when they delivered it to me..

[repete66211]

Originally Posted by jeff92k7

I know exactly what you mean. I laugh at all the threads on here and at AVSforums where people argue over the minutest of details - and most of the time they argue about things that can't even be backed up by real science.

I am glad to see I'm not the only one who's noticed that. Knowing we're of like minds, what can you tell me about breaking in a plasma? I've seen the same recommendations of 100-250 hours of low-light and low-contrast, but where's the data supporting this? All I've seen are uncited articles that all appear to be using the same source and a 5 year old White Paper from Panasonic. Surely technology has improved in the last 5 years, right? I don't want to follow the post hoc ergo propter hoc argument of "I broke it in and my TV is great" because it's possible the TV would be great without breaking it in. And if there's a difference between breaking in and not breaking in is the difference appreciable?

[repete66211]

Originally Posted by Pelican170

you must have gotten a different white glove service than I did, because with that service, they are not required to put it on the stand or hook it up past that point. Which was shown to me when they delivered it to me..

I'm sorry to hear you got shafted like that. I would think white glove service would mean they set it up so it's ready to view.

I bought mine from a local place called Nebraska Furniture Mart. I was expecting to have to attach the stand myself, but when the pulled the box off the stand was already attached.

[jeff92k7]

Originally Posted by repete66211

I am glad to see I'm not the only one who's noticed that. Knowing we're of like minds, what can you tell me about breaking in a plasma? I've seen the same recommendations of 100-250 hours of low-light and low-contrast, but where's the data supporting this?

You're asking the wrong guy. I'm fairly new to this whole display thing. I'm pretty well versed in audio technology and acoustics but know very little about display technology.

I just bought a new plasma after much research, of which this forum was a part, and am choosing to play it safe. I am using the break in images on it and am up to about 55-60 hours so far. After my IR scare from watching the NASCAR race last Sunday, I figured it would be better to break it in.

It may just be my mind playing tricks on me, but after about 50 hours of "break-in" the TV doesn't seem quite as bright as it did right out of the box and I couldn't see any IR whatsoever after watching three hours of TV a couple of nights ago. Based on that, I would have to say that there probably is something to that whole "letting the plasma cells settle down" thing.

[Clark Kent]

Originally Posted by repete66211

Surely technology has improved in the last 5 years, right? I don't want to follow the post hoc ergo propter hoc argument of "I broke it in and my TV is great" because it's possible the TV would be great without breaking it in. And if there's a difference between breaking in and not breaking in is the difference appreciable?

The difference is probably not visible to the naked eye but plasma break-in is real that all the manufacturers follow to some extent. Some manufacturers actually break-in a plasma at the factory for a limited period. It has to do with the phosphors hitting a stable point. It not recommended to perform a final calibration on a plasma until it has been played for 100 to 150 hours.

[repete66211]

Originally Posted by Clark Kent

It not recommended to perform a final calibration on a plasma until it has been played for 100 to 150 hours.

But recommended by who? And why? Is burn-in really more likely if you have conditioned your TV? To what extent? Burn-in is a fact. Unstable "young" plasma is a fact. But why 100-150 hours? Is that just an arbitrary number? I'm not being contrarian here. I am not saying break-in shouldn't be done, I'm just wondering what data the recommendations are based on.

I've searched more than a little and have yet to find anything new on the issue. On the contrary, my Samsung owner's manual says my TV doesn't require breaking in. Granted, they don't want to discourage customers with the appearance that their products are high maintenance, but you'd think they'd want to offer advice on how to keep their sets maintaining optimal performance.

[Clark Kent]

Originally Posted by repete66211

But recommended by who? And why? Is burn-in really more likely if you have conditioned your TV? To what extent?

Professional calibration agencies like the I.S.F. that have extensive experience in the field with all manners of displays from LCD's to plasmas. Go here for a look:

http://www.imagingscience.com/