Plasma Break-In

[sarnell2]

So today's the 3rd day I've had my plasma and I didn't realize that I should break it in. I did some research and found the following:

"Plasma Break-In
Like a fine new automobile, the performance of a plasma TV can be optimised by allowing a break-in period. By properly following these simple break-in instructions, you should be rewarded with long-term enjoyment of your plasma TV. Plasma phosphors are most susceptible to image retention in the first hundred hours of use. The panel becomes considerably less sensitive to burn-in after this period. Very often, televisions, including plasma, are shipped from the factory with the contrast control at a high setting to provide a bright picture under typical dealer showroom lighting conditions. In your home, the room light levels are usually one half or less than that in retail showrooms. The contrast control may need to be lowered in your home for comfortable contrast levels that do not induce eyestrain. When the plasma is initially installed, videophiles say it is best to do the following:

-Make sure the display is in a viewing mode (aspect ratio) that completely fills the screen (there are often three or more settings from which to choose). The panel is shipped in this condition, in what is called the“Just” mode.
-Turn down the picture control (contrast) to 50% or less.
-Briefly engage the 4:3 mode to confirm the side bars are set to mid-grey (there is usually an adjustment in the Set Up menu that takes the sidebars from black to grey) to minimise the chance of burn-in.
-Return the set to a “full screen” (Just, Zoom, Full) position during the first hundred hours of use.
-During the first hundred hours of use it is best not to view the same channel for extended periods. This should prevent channel logos and other fixed images found on some channels from being retained.
-Avoid any static images (video games, computer images, DVD title screens, etc.)
during the hundred-hour break-in.
After the hundred-hour break-in period, during the next nine-hundred hours:
-Continue to retain the picture setting at 50% or less.
-Limit the use of 4:3 aspect ratio mode (traditional picture size that does not fill the entire screen) to 15% of viewing time.
-Limit the use of static images (computer, video games, etc.) to less than 10% of viewing time.
-After one thousand viewing hours, panels are much less likely to experience image burn-in.

I don't know how much I'll be able to stick to this especially because I'm showing off the TV to everyone and I don't want it to be on crap settings...Hopefully it doesn't matter too much

[Magic]

Originally Posted by sarnell2

So today's the 3rd day I've had my plasma and I didn't realize that I should break it in. I did some research and found the following:

"Plasma Break-In
Like a fine new automobile, the performance of a plasma TV can be optimised by allowing a break-in period. By properly following these simple break-in instructions, you should be rewarded with long-term enjoyment of your plasma TV. Plasma phosphors are most susceptible to image retention in the first hundred hours of use. The panel becomes considerably less sensitive to burn-in after this period. Very often, televisions, including plasma, are shipped from the factory with the contrast control at a high setting to provide a bright picture under typical dealer showroom lighting conditions. In your home, the room light levels are usually one half or less than that in retail showrooms. The contrast control may need to be lowered in your home for comfortable contrast levels that do not induce eyestrain. When the plasma is initially installed, videophiles say it is best to do the following:

-Make sure the display is in a viewing mode (aspect ratio) that completely fills the screen (there are often three or more settings from which to choose). The panel is shipped in this condition, in what is called the“Just” mode.
-Turn down the picture control (contrast) to 50% or less.
-Briefly engage the 4:3 mode to confirm the side bars are set to mid-grey (there is usually an adjustment in the Set Up menu that takes the sidebars from black to grey) to minimise the chance of burn-in.
-Return the set to a “full screen” (Just, Zoom, Full) position during the first hundred hours of use.
-During the first hundred hours of use it is best not to view the same channel for extended periods. This should prevent channel logos and other fixed images found on some channels from being retained.
-Avoid any static images (video games, computer images, DVD title screens, etc.)
during the hundred-hour break-in.
After the hundred-hour break-in period, during the next nine-hundred hours:
-Continue to retain the picture setting at 50% or less.
-Limit the use of 4:3 aspect ratio mode (traditional picture size that does not fill the entire screen) to 15% of viewing time.
-Limit the use of static images (computer, video games, etc.) to less than 10% of viewing time.
-After one thousand viewing hours, panels are much less likely to experience image burn-in.

I don't know how much I'll be able to stick to this especially because I'm showing off the TV to everyone and I don't want it to be on crap settings...Hopefully it doesn't matter too much

You would have to have some serious patience to follow through with this. And like you said...a new plasma tv has to be shown off to everyone when you buy it. That won't make it any easier. Good luck with this and I hope you enjoy your new tv!!

[Sonny]

You will love your Plazzy I love my 4 & have no problems with them at all except for a perfect picture All my Plazzy's have custom settings.

[mikenike]

Neat info, although the process is daunting. I may have to follow through on it though since the image retention is such a nuisance. I always thought the image was being permanently burned it or something, which leaves me paranoid (as the TV I use isn't mine).

[Solowist]

I think I'm on about 1500 hours on my Plasma and I did the break-in period and actually I'm still using the crappy settings from the break-in period and it still looks great

[crackinhedz]

Plasma Break In DVD


...simply download the .iso file and burn to a dvd+/-r disc.

[davidPS3]

These sound like reasons to stay away from Plasma?????

I am a gamer, so this does not sound like a good match for me. Enjoy your new set though.

[PS3LUVSBLURAY]

That was a good how to for plasmas. I didnt know it was for 1000 hrs tho. Damn. When I bought my plasma I tried breakin it in for like a week, about 4-5 hrs a day. I guess it wasnt enough, but I love my Pio.

[blubullet]

Does the break-in period also help with image retention? When I go to an all black channel, I notice some stationary images remain, although they go away after whitewashing or watching a different channel. Does this issue get better and go away with time, or is it something that comes along with owning a plasma tv? Thanks.

[GreenMotion]

These break-in procedures are quickly becoming outdated as newer generations panels are being used that are much less seceptive to image burn-in, now often refered to as image retention.

When I purchased my Panasonic Plasma a year ago, it did not come with any break-in instructions, even though I stumbled (by accident) on a Panasonic webpage that listed the break-in procedures for Plasma TVs. I did follow the instructions to the letter and I do still have occasional temporary image retention. At first I freaked out, but after doing further research I learned most plasmas have occasional temporary image retention.

What does this mean? Well, it means that if I leave my TV on CNN all friggin day long and suddenly pop in a DVD or BD with blackbars, I can see a ghost image of the CNN logo in the lower right corner. However, this does dissapear again, especially after watching a full-screen image for a short amount of time.

Panasonic's website states this may happen but also mentioned that PERMANENTLY image retention is really nothing to worry about anymore nowadays.

This ofcourse was a year ago, which brings me back to the beginning of my email. Considering Plasmas do not come with printed instructions on any necessary break-in procedures and the fact the newer panels are even better than the older ones (aren't we up to generation 10 or so right now), you really shouldn't worry too much!. Things will be fine and by Plasma manufacturers's own admissions, PERMANENT burn-in truely doesn't happen anymore. Except perhaps if you leave a static image on your screen for weeks at a time, but this will be the case with LCD as well. (once again, if you do see image retention -- it will only be temporary).

So, No worries. Just enjoy that beautiful Plasma!

Newer cars don't need to be broken in anymore and newer Plasma's truely won't need that anymore either. If they did, you would have instructions with bold and bright warning labels all thru your TV's manual.

And for those that insist on breaking it in anyway ... by all means go ahead. It definitely won't do any harm.

[Sonny]

Originally Posted by GreenMotion

These break-in procedures are quickly becoming outdated as newer generations panels are being used that are much less seceptive to image burn-in, now often refered to as image retention.

When I purchased my Panasonic Plasma a year ago, it did not come with any break-in instructions, even though I stumbled (by accident) on a Panasonic webpage that listed the break-in procedures for Plasma TVs. I did follow the instructions to the letter and I do still have occasional temporary image retention. At first I freaked out, but after doing further research I learned most plasmas have occasional temporary image retention.

What does this mean? Well, it means that if I leave my TV on CNN all friggin day long and suddenly pop in a DVD or BD with blackbars, I can see a ghost image of the CNN logo in the lower right corner. However, this does dissapear again, especially after watching a full-screen image for a short amount of time.

Panasonic's website states this may happen but also mentioned that PERMANENTLY image retention is really nothing to worry about anymore nowadays.

This ofcourse was a year ago, which brings me back to the beginning of my email. Considering Plasmas do not come with printed instructions on any necessary break-in procedures and the fact the newer panels are even better than the older ones (aren't we up to generation 10 or so right now), you really shouldn't worry too much!. Things will be fine and by Plasma manufacturers's own admissions, PERMANENT burn-in truely doesn't happen anymore. Except perhaps if you leave a static image on your screen for weeks at a time, but this will be the case with LCD as well. (once again, if you do see image retention -- it will only be temporary).

So, No worries. Just enjoy that beautiful Plasma!

Newer cars don't need to be broken in anymore and newer Plasma's truely won't need that anymore either. If they did, you would have instructions with bold and bright warning labels all thru your TV's manual.

And for those that insist on breaking it in anyway ... by all means go ahead. It definitely won't do any harm.

I 2nd most of that.

[Brandon B]

Originally Posted by GreenMotion

Newer cars don't need to be broken in anymore and newer Plasma's truely won't need that anymore either. If they did, you would have instructions with bold and bright warning labels all thru your TV's manual.

Because the auto and plasma manufacturers want your purchases to last a really good long time before you need to buy another one?

Cars are still made of mechanical moving parts. Modern machinery does make cars from higher tolerance parts, so breaking in is almost certainly less important, but it is absolutely still a good idea.

Same for plasmas (well, different underlying reasons). Older models had a brightness decay that was pretty steep at first and burn in that occurred in the first few dozen hours could leave some afterimage. Current models have several technologies that minimize this, like small scale orbiting of the image around on the screen by a couple of pixels and others. So the above link is probably overkill, but I would certainly observe the precaution for the first one or two hundred hours.

BB

[Russell_L]

I'll be getting a new Pioneer 5010FD plasma very soon, and I'm planning to follow my own break-in procedure of watching most everything at full screen (sacrilege!). Of course, I could just watch nothing but 'Planet Earth' for the first 100 hours (since it's 1.78:1, it would fill up the screen anyway); that wouldn't be such a bad thing.

Russell

[Kayne314]

It didn't take me too long to break in my Plasma. At about 4 to 5 hours of TV watching a day it only took me a month to cure the screen. You don't have to follow the break-in instructions to the letter, just be aware you don't leave one image on the screen too long in the first while. This doesn't rule out showing off your new purchase with an awesome Blu-Ray movie for your friends.

My new Panasonic 42PZ700 did indeed come with instructions on the first page of the manual, warning about image retention. I followed the instructions, and now if I have any image retention, it only lasts a couple of seconds while the screen is black, and disappears as soon as something appears on the screen. As newer models come out, this will be less and less of an issue.

Lowering the brightness when you first get the TV to a calibrated level will also help prevent Burn in. The brighter the image, the stronger the retention. Plasma TVs are always set with too much brightness and contrast from the factory. Lower those settings down, and this issue becomes almost moot.

[zombieking]

Originally Posted by Russell_L

I'll be getting a new Pioneer 5010FD plasma very soon, and I'm planning to follow my own break-in procedure of watching most everything at full screen (sacrilege!). Of course, I could just watch nothing but 'Planet Earth' for the first 100 hours (since it's 1.78:1, it would fill up the screen anyway); that wouldn't be such a bad thing.

Russell

Dude there's a ton of full image blurays. I think there was even a thread on here listing them all