[ShadowG4]

Agreed. I've otherwise been very happy with the Panny, but would seriously consider the Pioneer with what I know now (particularly given the digital sound outputs). That said, other aspects of the SD picture are not suppossed to be so good on the Pioneer and much of the time the purple colouration is not a major issue (only darker scenes). Plus I think a 42" would be too big for my room, so basically I'm stuck with a magnificant Panny 37" Plasma, or a shoddy-by-comparison LCD. No contest. That said, it does seem to be worse on some sets than others and we shouldn't have to accept that in these premium products, so I'll keep fighting to get mine sorted out...

[gregh]

Originally Posted by S17ELLY

but it's wrong to say you wouldn't buy a panny plasma because of it.

Why is it wrong? If you had this issue and Panny were saying its within spec, would you be happy with your purchase?

Regards,

Greg

[KinkyAffro]

Originally Posted by gregh

Why is it wrong? If you had this issue and Panny were saying its within spec, would you be happy with your purchase?

Regards,

Greg

Of course not, which is why i posted "i think its horrendous and i hope those affected get it sorted".

I "suggested" you'd be wrong to knock the purchase of a Panny plasma on the head (as you previously hinted) because it's clearly not a fault that affects every single Panny plasma made or to be made!

It sounded like you've read this thread and decided ALL Panny's are no good on the back of reports from a dozen people

Tell you what, do a search for every other make and model of plasma on the forum and you'll get a problem or 10 for each and every one and most will include the manufacturer denying the fault/responsibility.

I'll guarantee you this, you'll "think twice" (as you say) about buying a plasma from any manufacturer not just Panny. Infact i'd go as far as to say you wouldn't even end up buying a plasma if you spent a week or so researching on here.

[weyland-yutani]

well, i didn't think my unit had this issue, but it does. i saw it almost every where i looked, whilst watching 'the rockford files' on itv3. i was however 8" from the screen and the tv was on zoom3 but, when watched from my seating position and with the correct aspect ratio, i really don't notice it.

just to add to this picture problem 'thang'. when brilliant whites/pale yellows(the sun) are shown that should "glare", the colour breaks up and you get this distracting "fizz" as the pixels freak out trying to cope with colour. i've seen it quite a lot. the pic HAS to feature really brilliant whites/pale yellows that really GLARE for it to happen though. it's there in kill bill2 a lot with the desert scenes. just thought i'd throw that in there

[chalkie59]

I have had my 37PX60 for 7 months now and it is only in the last 4 - 5 weeks that this particular problem has manifested itself and has become a real pain? I have had no complaints with this TV for the first six months of use but I have to say I now tend to watch a good old faithful CRT more often!

[gregh]

no m8, your putting words into my mouth, I didn't say I would never buy a Panny Plasma, I said "making me think twice "

And I am fully aware of issues with other products, and from everything I read and seen the Panny was the model of choice for me, however I am in no hurry to buy, so will sit back, watch and wait, hence "thinking twice".

funnily enough I may do as you said and not buy any Plasma, and see what happens to the emerging technologies.

I've had a 32" CRT Panny for years which has been great, and has a fantastic picture. I do not have Sky HD and won't until they drop the £10 a month, so no real reason to upgrade at the moment.

regards,

Greg

Originally Posted by S17ELLY

Of course not, which is why i posted "i think its horrendous and i hope those affected get it sorted".

I "suggested" you'd be wrong to knock the purchase of a Panny plasma on the head (as you previously hinted) because it's clearly not a fault that affects every single Panny plasma made or to be made!

It sounded like you've read this thread and decided ALL Panny's are no good on the back of reports from a dozen people

Tell you what, do a search for every other make and model of plasma on the forum and you'll get a problem or 10 for each and every one and most will include the manufacturer denying the fault/responsibility.

I'll guarantee you this, you'll "think twice" (as you say) about buying a plasma from any manufacturer not just Panny. Infact i'd go as far as to say you wouldn't even end up buying a plasma if you spent a week or so researching on here.

[k_jartti]

Update:

The service contacted me and they told that they couldn't see the colour problem. They used dvd via composite, scart and component (black white glide) and normal tv-broadcast (analog and digital).

However, they changed all the components that have something to do with picture processing: processor card, LVDS cable, graphic card and Scan Drive card.

Let's see how this effects to picture. I think I'll get my tv back tomorrow (friday) or on monday.

[CharlieH]

Thought I'd brighten up this thread with some pics I took while watching CSI:NY last night. As well as the usual purple lines I've been experiencing, I seem to have acquired some additional green ones in the last week or so, although these photos don't show them too well. This is typical of the picture I'm now getting with the 37PX600, so once Panasonic admit this is a fault and not what I should expect from an SD source, I can get this fixed under warranty.

[lasereraser]

CharlieH

Those are exactly the type of problems I get- I just assumed it was because of the limitations of plasma technology and also the fact that bigger screen shows up problems more clearly.
I previously owned a 37PV500 and it also demonstrated the effect you show in pic. 1.
Never any purple fizzing though.

Originally Posted by CharlieH

Thought I'd brighten up this thread with some pics I took while watching CSI:NY last night. As well as the usual purple lines I've been experiencing, I seem to have acquired some additional green ones in the last week or so, although these photos don't show them too well. This is typical of the picture I'm now getting with the 37PX600, so once Panasonic admit this is a fault and not what I should expect from an SD source, I can get this fixed under warranty.

Attachment 40333

Attachment 40334

Attachment 40335

Was this an over the air transmission or were you playing an Xvid file?

[CharlieH]

These were from DVD playback through RGB Scart and I get exactly the same picture through component input. Freeview broadcasts are not as bad but the problems are still noticeable. When I first purchased this panel back in August the picture was stunning from all sources and it was only around a month ago that I started to see these problems and they seem to be getting worse.

I've not seen this problem yet on a freeview program, but saw it for the first time yesterday when watching a badly compressed Xvid file. The effect was exactly the same as in the bottom photo, purple band on a wall.

I've watched many Xvid files but they have been better quality & this was the first time i've seen it.

I'm surprised you say it's a DVD through RGB, as the face of the woman in the bottom pic appears to be fairly blocky.

Originally Posted by mpmickhall1

I have got Sky HD and I have occassionally seen it on a few HD broadcasts, although it is not nearly as noticeable. I get it on my Panny DVD player and watching normal SD pictures - only during 'dull' lighting scenes. Usually I can live with it, but in sometimes it is terrible and ruins whatever I am watching.

Hi

I have a panasonic th 42 px60 b and have the same problem with purple lines on the screen. They seem to snake accross the screen especaily on Dvd .

How did you get on with Panasonic, did repair the set.

Many thanxs

Jerry

Hi

I have the same problem with my th 42 px 60b. Waiting for a service engineer to look at it. It seems worst on dvd(denon 1920) via hdmi set at 720. Purple snake like effect on the screen on dark scene, bad on I Robot... Phoned Panasonic UK who said get a service engineer to look at it. Said they had not heard of the problem before!!!! I wait to see what the local engineer says..

Jerrysutty

[NAfreelance]

if Panasonic would just admit that some of their panels have this issue, then I would forgive all the trouble and time I went through with mine, and maybe even give another one a try. However, the post just added saying that Panasonic have recently said they had not heard of this colour band problem is absolute rubbish. There are at least two of us on this tread alone who have posted replies we received from Panasonic customer service stating that in their opinion this is not a fault.

[ShadowG4]

FYI my persistance in email communications with Panasonic Customer Service have led to them offering to arrange a credit note to the store I bought my 37PX600 from for a return or exchange (with the panel going back to Panasonic for testing). I'm taking them up on the offer and have requested an exchange on the basis that otherwise I was very happy with the TV and expect a replacement to be most likely free of the problem. Now admittedly this was after I pointed out info from this forum that shows that not all TVs are affected, that it would have been raised in technical testings and reviews from the major mags, and advised I'd be in touch with Which? legal dept if they were'nt more cooperative. Still, credit to them that they've offered this. Will post again when I have details on the (hopefully positive) result...
[I am however increasingly intregued with posts suggesting that TVs were fine for months and then 'went bad' as it were - this to me would suggest some sort of component failure, but could it be simply a change in the viewing material quality?]

[weyland-yutani]

Originally Posted by ShadowG4

[I am however increasingly intregued with posts suggesting that TVs were fine for months and then 'went bad' as it were - this to me would suggest some sort of component failure, but could it be simply a change in the viewing material quality?]

this is the most worrying aspect for me. panasonic could have major problems with this if it gets worse.

[CharlieH]

Well there are many on these boards that love these screens and have done so for many months, so I think we're in the minority and have just been unlucky in purchasing a dodgy batch.

As to whether my recent viewing choices have been of a poorer quality, I'd have to go back and revisit DVDs I watched back in August/September to compare, but as I'm fairly consistant in the programs I watch on Freeview, mainly Channel 4 News, Newsnight etc., and I doubt that their broadcast signal has been downgraded, I think this unlikely.

[k_jartti]

Now the tv is back to me but the f***king DHL carriers didn't bind the tv and it was on the floor, screen in horizontal plane. Does panel suffer from this and how much?

I'll post something here tonight, right now I'm very angry.

[k_jartti]

Ok.

The purple colour problem is still there. I think it's even worse than before, now I have two purple vertical lines in black-white glide. Same picture settings. AND I FOUND IT IMMEDIATELY, panasonic servicemen must be blind.

What did I get? Plasma delivered in horizontal plane, one week without tv, even worse colour problem.

[ShadowG4]

This last post makes me rather worried...

Incidently I heard back from Which? and one of their researchers is going to look into the issue - hopefully we'll find out more soon.

[Bumtious @ TPS]

Originally Posted by CharlieH

Thought I'd brighten up this thread with some pics I took while watching CSI:NY last night. As well as the usual purple lines I've been experiencing, I seem to have acquired some additional green ones in the last week or so, although these photos don't show them too well. This is typical of the picture I'm now getting with the 37PX600, so once Panasonic admit this is a fault and not what I should expect from an SD source, I can get this fixed under warranty.

Attachment 40333

Attachment 40334

Attachment 40335

I'm really sorry you guys are having these issue's Pioneer are just as stubbon with people that are having image retention issues.

The pictures that CharlieH has provided show this problem perfectly. It is called solorizing or banding and is caused by the type of processing the panels are useing. The last range of Sony plasmas were worse than this.

I'd like to suggest that these problems have not just appeared, but have always been there. You just may not have noticed them. It is like anything, once you see it and know its there it won't go away.

This banding IS a limitation of the technology, however some manufactures are better at masking it than others.

I've said it earlier in this thread & I'll say it again, as prices drop corners are cut. There reaches a point in the techology cycle when when build and componant quality take a hit to make the product a hit a price that is attractive to the masses. With each generation there is a trade off.

They will make an improvement but cut back somewhere to save money so they can drop the price.

The most obvious with the 60/600 over the 50/500 is build quality. The floor stand on the 60 is IMO is nowhere as solid as in the 50. Neither of these stands is anywhere near as good as the stand of the 30.

Under the bonnet they seem to have cut too far on the processing power of these sets. I am certain that this will be corrected on the next generation, but this doesn't help you guys.

I've just bitten the bullet and have sold my 506 and have ordered a 507, not because of retention cuz I am not suffering from it, but they have made improvements to the colour pallet. However, major cut/cost saving, no more separate media box saving them on manufactureing costs and a couple of expensive cables, and on the smaller set cutting from 43" to 42".

These manufacturers have got us by the b...s, they will not admit to a problem such as this cuz they know the cost of a backlash /recall. It hacks me off that we spend our hard earned cash with them and they treat us with contempt. They bl..dy review mags don't help either.

Sorry for the rant & I hope you can get a resolution, I suggest fighting for a refund/credit and wait for the next generation.

[lgans316]

This seems to be a posterization artifact that is common in plasma and few poor lcd tvs due to poor processing of continous image tone gradation especially when the feed is poor. I had a Samsung that had this problem even with good feeds. I live in Tokyo and now own a PX600. I have seen false-countouring with poor SD feeds. If the banding appears only with few source materials it's better to ignore them. Replacing the TV will be a good option if it occurs with all type of feeds.

[Jomox]

Originally Posted by bumtious

The pictures that CharlieH has provided show this problem perfectly. It is called solorizing or banding and is caused by the type of processing the panels are useing. The last range of Sony plasmas were worse than this.

Sorry, but that's simply not true. I tried to reproduce this effect on 5 other sets. Tell you what, none of them showed any of this purple line. Even the green and purple tinge on darker areas were barely seen.

The man in the service center said to me, seeing the pitcures above it's clearly a fault. So the technician will come next week and replace some boards in my TV. If it's still there, this set will go back to Panasonic for good.

[Bumtious @ TPS]

Originally Posted by Jomox

Sorry, but that's simply not true. I tried to reproduce this effect on 5 other sets. Tell you what, none of them showed any of this purple line. Even the green and purple tinge on darker areas were barely seen.

The man in the service center said to me, seeing the pitcures above it's clearly a fault. So the technician will come next week and replace some boards in my TV. If it's still there, this set will go back to Panasonic for good.

Fine but the chap who's had everything replaced by the service centre reports that it's even worse.

As for the green & purple tinge sorry its just there. Easily seen on anything white. Just look at white writing!!!

[Jomox]

Originally Posted by bumtious

Fine but the chap who's had everything replaced by the service centre reports that it's even worse.

Then it has to be the panel itself. Replace the whole. There are many Panasaonic plasmas without any of these tinge and line issues.

Originally Posted by bumtious

As for the green & purple tinge sorry its just there. Easily seen on anything white. Just look at white writing!!!

Not on the sets I saw except for my own. It's EVERYWHERE; black suits from people in talkshows, the grey bars in 4:3-mode (yes, even there) etc. And it has this purple line.

I paid the same money as other people. They don't have the effect, so I don't want to have the effect. It's as simple as that.

[yorkyred]

Originally Posted by CharlieH

Thought I'd brighten up this thread with some pics I took while watching CSI:NY last night. As well as the usual purple lines I've been experiencing, I seem to have acquired some additional green ones in the last week or so, although these photos don't show them too well. This is typical of the picture I'm now getting with the 37PX600, so once Panasonic admit this is a fault and not what I should expect from an SD source, I can get this fixed under warranty.

Attachment 40333

Attachment 40334

Attachment 40335

As others have said your third photo is obvious banding. A common problem when any form of bright light shines on a wall leaving a graduation of colour. Mine does exactly the same thing. You might like to know that our local wetherspoon pub has two commercial Panny 42in plasmas on the wall and they both show banding as mine does.

Slightly different to the purple line you mention in fairness but still a common problem.

[lgans316]

I am a ardent fan of Panny and the Pios. I stick on to the panny coz of their pricing. I was able to notice false countouring artifacts in my px600 wth poor feeds. When the time comes I will check-up with the panasonic centre in Tokyo and get back. If this fault is proven then Panny might have to issue recall or replacement like what Sony did in-lieu of their smoking laptop batteries. If this artifact appears in the PZ series it would prove to be a disaster to their brand image.

[yorkyred]

Originally Posted by am1968

You don't have to be on channel 99 to enter service menu.... i didn't on my px600.

I found i was off centre on hdmi1 with my media player...i thought you had to be on channel 99 to enter service menu so changed the horizontal figure while viewing channel 99 and found it only changed the position on the analogue channels

I then had the tv showing the source from hdmi1 before entering the service menu and changed the horizontal figure again...this corrected the problem.

Sorry to bother you again if you're still around. Can't get into service menu 2 with the other imputs, only menu 1.

Tried it again on channel 99 and it works fine.

Any other ideas mate?

Originally Posted by yorkyred

Sorry to bother you again if you're still around. Can't get into service menu 2 with the other imputs, only menu 1.

Tried it again on channel 99 and it works fine.

Any other ideas mate?

Funnily enough i tried to get to menu 2 on the hdmi input a couple of nights ago and couldn't do it.... so switched the tv to analogue ch99 went into menu1 & 2, pressed exit, then switched on device connected to hdmi 1 and managed to get into menu 1&2 again.