URGENT: help from PD30 owners-NOW

[Anastie]

Please please help. I have just got my pd30. I got some excellent advice from John on here a few weeks ago on how to set it up but....
I have the following problems and dont know were I am going wrong (If I am )

Digi box: from sat tv scart goes direct into tv AV1. The VCR scart from digibox goes in to my svhs av in decoder on SVHS vid

Svhs vid: S vid connection out on vcr to scart AV2 on TV

DVD tosh 220. Will not even bring up a menu or picture either useing componant or scart.

The picture on digibox is very bad. Clothing appears to shimmer as if it was made of silk?? Very uncler.

Please help me with what I am doing wrong eg the idiots guide please. If its the Tv it will have to go.

Thanks for the quick response

[lynx]

Originally posted by Anastie


Digi box: from sat tv scart goes direct into tv AV1.

Is the sat reciever set to output an RGB signal to the tv ?

Edit typo,

[Anastie]

Ok it was I turned this off to pal and the digibox picture has lost the shimmer.
Still cant get dvd to show pic or menu

[Anastie]

BUMP
Got the dvd to work but only by using a scart lead rather than a componant.
cant get my video to work yet.

[dtsrules]

If you are using component for the dvd player are you pressing the av4 button until it shows av4c (c=component), if not you won't get a picture on dvds?

[Anastie]

Excellent thanks almost there. Got the dvd working through componant and sky digibox without rgb enabled. Now sorting my svhv vid.
Just want to thank everyone for their help espacially John M who went to such lengths to give me very clear instructions via email. It was not his instructions that were difficult just my interpretation. Thanks John.

[lynx]

Originally posted by Anastie
Got the dvd working through componant and sky digibox without rgb enabled.

RGB is desirable, perhaps you could have another look at enabling it.

[Anastie]

I would prefer to have the digibox working through RGB but the picture looks very bad unless it’s through PAL. I do not know what else to do to enable RGB to show an improved picture.

However this TV once set up is excellent. As some of you may know from reading my other posts I was very dubious before I got this TV and I went through the same dilemma as many as to if I should get this or a PF2.

Well my mini review shows that yes RGB is a problem so I don’t use it on Sky. Once I changed to PAL in the digibox menu its fine. I have no geometry problems, no dirty screen effect, no black crushing. I can see blacks and whites in great detail. I took the advice of nsutherland and used the following settings: Contrast is set to about 50%, brightness 60%, colour 50% and sharpness low. The picture is vibrant and my DVD’s played through component are almost three dimensional. I am using a Toshiba 220 DVD player. I did budget for a new player but I don’t think I really need one yet and will use the money for an upgrade t Sky+

Mods if you think this reply should be elsewhere please feel free to move it!

[WeirdFish]

Every time I talk myself into getting a 36PD30 I read about a new or recurring problem and look elsewhere,someone then comes along and gives it a good review and I dont know what to do again.

[Anastie]

I was in the same situation and I was very close to cancelling my order. I am glad that I did not. No doubt the sky and rgb are a problem but the picture is still excellent when rgb on digibox turned off.. I can see what people mean by "Its like watching TV through a window at times but I can live with that.
I would not hesitate at this early stage to recommend this TV to anyone I like it.
POINT: I have spent a lot on decent cables so I hope that is what may have made a difference.

[WeirdFish]

Trouble is I know it would bug me not being able to use RGB.

[garydhooper]

WeirdFish - It is not the case that the RGB inputs on the PD30 do not work. It is more that there are problems with certain input devices. I have lots of RGB problems (dark crushing, poor colour range leading to banding, interference if brightness is above 65%) from my DVD player but none from my Sky+ box?? This is despite constantly looking for them/comparing s-video with RGB.

It seems as if the PD30 is very fussy about its RGB input. Many people have no RGB problems with their DVD player. My DVD problem is currently solved by using s-video. A more permanent solution will come when I replace my DVD player with one that uses component outputs for progressive scan rather. The RGB problems are annoying but not significant to me since component inputs were one of its main features top me.
I will solve the DVD problem

[WeirdFish]

Originally posted by garydhooper
WeirdFish - It is not the case that the RGB inputs on the PD30 do not work. It is more that there are problems with certain input devices. I have lots of RGB problems (dark crushing, poor colour range leading to banding, interference if brightness is above 65%) from my DVD player but none from my Sky+ box?? This is despite constantly looking for them/comparing s-video with RGB.

It seems as if the PD30 is very fussy about its RGB input. Many people have no RGB problems with their DVD player. My DVD problem is currently solved by using s-video. A more permanent solution will come when I replace my DVD player with one that uses component outputs for progressive scan rather. The RGB problems are annoying but not significant to me since component inputs were one of its main features top me.
I will solve the DVD problem

See, and now I'm for getting one again as I'll be using components for the DVD


Thanks for the info.

[blindlemon]

Originally posted by garydhooper
WeirdFish - It is not the case that the RGB inputs on the PD30 do not work. It is more that there are problems with certain input devices. I have lots of RGB problems (dark crushing, poor colour range leading to banding, interference if brightness is above 65%)

I also get colour banding via RGB from both my TiVos so currently I've changed to using PAL instead of RGB and the picture is loads better.

Using PAL the picture looks more like my Philips Pixel+ set - much easier on the eye and more "painterly", if there's such a thing for TVs...

It seems more 3D too - as if the PD30's enhancement software really kicks in on a PAL input. Using RGB the picture does look marginally sharper from about a foot away - but more grainy and pixellated too. Fed via PAL the colours blend and flow much better, metalliics (see the jousting scene from Henry VIII) look more metallic, skin tones are more natural. I have also been able to and edge the contrast and sharpness up a couple of notches from what I was using for RGB - with no ill effects.... just a more dynamic, "3D" picture all round.

I's love to know why the RGB inputs on the PD30 are so naff.... anybody from Panasonic care to comment?