Panasonic 42PZ80 Settings Thread

CH_Peter · 23-05-2008, 9:33 AM

Template for posts.

I will check mine later and post them up, perhaps we can come to some consensus (ish) and I will make this post the "best" - even if that means some settings are marked as "in the range of".

Please post by device. I'll add as many as you like, but we should at least get common ones in here. Feel free to add notes about compromises made (e.g. brightness / detail for games / film).

PS3
Mode Cinema
Overscan off
Brightness Clicks from left
Contrast Clicks from left
Colour Clicks from left
Sharpness Clicks from left
PNR Off Min Mid Max
Other tweaked settings (24p)

Sky / Freeview
Mode Eco
Overscan on
Brightness Clicks from left
Contrast Clicks from left
Colour Clicks from left
Sharpness Clicks from left
PNR Off Min Mid Max
Other tweaked settings (24p)

Heavysalad · 23-05-2008, 10:15 AM

Don't forget that if you are running Overscan 'ON' then you can reduce the amount of zoom in the service menu in the same way that you can with the PZ70 ... here

Also... with limited menu settings like these on the PZ80 there is no way to agree on what is the 'best' ... what is looking good in one room will need entirely different settings in another room depending on lighting etc.

vipergrm · 23-05-2008, 12:51 PM

Has anyone managed to calibrate the set anywhere near D65 standard? Any chance of sharing with us how you did it?

Joey2oo8 · 23-05-2008, 1:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vipergrm

Has anyone managed to calibrate the set anywhere near D65 standard? Any chance of sharing with us how you did it?

Can't check in work as the site is blocked, but i seem to remember that the review on hdtvtest said the closest to D65, without breaking into the service menu, was the default Cinema and Warm settings

**RottenFox** · 23-05-2008, 6:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vipergrm

Has anyone managed to calibrate the set anywhere near D65 standard? Any chance of sharing with us how you did it?

Yeah,would be good to get some D65 calbrations,as mine arrives next week(46".)

diogoperas · 28-05-2008, 10:56 PM

No one with settings

Jeek · 08-06-2008, 9:35 PM

I've had mine a few weeks now and well chuffed with it. Have it attached to a Vista Media Centre (self built) HTPC via hdmi.
The pc is set to output at 1920 x 1080 so the telly hasn't got to do any scaling.
I've currently got it set to (100% being max to the right):
Mode: Cinema
Colour: 50%
Brightness: 30-40%
Contrast 50%
Warm

Picture seems very good to me with the above. The way I "calibrated" it was to turn down the brightness until the borders in a 2.35:1 film appeared to my eyes to be proper black. If I turned it down further then it seemed to lose shadow detail at times. I still play around with it now and again. At this setting, I don't really notice the slight difference in the bezels black and the border during movie playback.

CH_Peter · 09-06-2008, 7:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeek

I've had mine a few weeks now and well chuffed with it. Have it attached to a Vista Media Centre (self built) HTPC via hdmi.
The pc is set to output at 1920 x 1080 so the telly hasn't got to do any scaling.
I've currently got it set to (100% being max to the right):
Mode: Cinema
Colour: 50%
Brightness: 30-40%
Contrast 50%
Warm

Picture seems very good to me with the above. The way I "calibrated" it was to turn down the brightness until the borders in a 2.35:1 film appeared to my eyes to be proper black. If I turned it down further then it seemed to lose shadow detail at times. I still play around with it now and again. At this setting, I don't really notice the slight difference in the bezels black and the border during movie playback.

Above sounds fine, just make sure Overscan is off.

100%WHU · 09-06-2008, 8:12 AM

Why do we need to turn overscan off?
and how do we do it??

JeffB · 09-06-2008, 9:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 100%WHU

Why do we need to turn overscan off?
and how do we do it??

I think I'm correct in saying that basically if your TV is overscanning it is stretching the image it is fed beyond the borders of the TV (so you can’t see it).

You can turn it off in the "settings" menu.

100%WHU · 09-06-2008, 9:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeffB

I think I'm correct in saying that basically if your TV is overscanning it is stretching the image it is fed beyond the borders of the TV (so you can’t see it).

You can turn it off in the "settings" menu.

Sorry I know I am being dumb, but how do I do that???

CH_Peter · 09-06-2008, 9:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeffB

I think I'm correct in saying that basically if your TV is overscanning it is stretching the image it is fed beyond the borders of the TV (so you can’t see it).

You can turn it off in the "settings" menu.

Yes. If you want the image to be mapped 1:1 fromt the original source and pin-sharp, overscan must be off. It should be off for your PC. If the output from it matches the 1080p resolution of the TV, there's no need to stretch the image. Same goes for PS3 games and BR Discs.

The PZ80 will remember whether overscan is on or off between SD and HD sources - not by input, oddly.

CH_Peter · 09-06-2008, 9:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 100%WHU

Sorry I know I am being dumb, but how do I do that???

Press Menu. Go to Settings (it's not in the Picture Menu) and Overscan On/Off is listed there.

100%WHU · 09-06-2008, 9:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CH_Peter

Press Menu. Go to Settings (it's not in the Picture Menu) and Overscan On/Off is listed there.

Now I know I am thick. I can not see overscan at all in setup or picture??

CH_Peter · 09-06-2008, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 100%WHU

Now I know I am thick. I can not see overscan at all in setup or picture??

In Settings Menu, you may have to scroll down off the bottom to see the next page, where you'll find it.

100%WHU · 09-06-2008, 10:16 AM

Ok when I press menu I get

Viera Link
Picture
Sound
Setup

I go into setup and get (and I scroll to page 2)

Link Settings
Child Lock
Off Timer
Power On Preference
Shipping Conditions
Owner ID
System Update
Power Save
Side Panel
Input Labels
Banner Display
Software Licence
System Info

CH_Peter · 09-06-2008, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 100%WHU

Ok when I press menu I get

Viera Link
Picture
Sound
Setup

I go into setup and get (and I scroll to page 2)

Link Settings
Child Lock
Off Timer
Power On Preference
Shipping Conditions
Owner ID
System Update
Power Save
Side Panel
Input Labels
Banner Display
Software Licence
System Info

I'm not at home, so I'll have to go and look. IIRC, the option isn't available on some inputs and maybe the PC input is one of those and you're already getting 1:1 mapping.

100%WHU · 09-06-2008, 10:47 AM

I am using HDMI input! Thanks for you help I will try component input

100%WHU · 09-06-2008, 10:49 AM

Yes that seems to be it, it is not available in HDMI, but I have turned it off in component!

CH_Peter · 09-06-2008, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 100%WHU

Yes that seems to be it, it is not available in HDMI, but I have turned it off in component!

Jolly jolly. Glad you're sorted.

100%WHU · 09-06-2008, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CH_Peter

Jolly jolly. Glad you're sorted.

Yeah thanks for your help and patience

Just made my already good SD PQ even better

Joey2oo8 · 09-06-2008, 12:49 PM

I've also found that if the aspect ratio is set to auto, then the overscan option disappears from the settings menu

RandomGuy · 09-06-2008, 1:30 PM

Following on from this request for SD screenshots/pictures, would someone be so kind to get some up if they have the time?

100%WHU · 09-06-2008, 2:45 PM

Ok this is my 1st time at uploading photos, so please be patient!!

cricket is in SD-Transformers is HD 1080p

Right they are all working now top 2 are HD 1080p-Bottom 2 are SD and the man with green eyes is on ITV (Not bad for a tv that can't handle SD very well don't you think!!)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3011/...13c1128504.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3174/...0e6bc4eba7.jpg

http://http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3068/2565463890_2e778e8d89.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3255/...526efbc854.jpg

holzer · 09-06-2008, 4:37 PM

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3011/...13c1128504.jpg

there ya go

both links were to the same image though afaics?

raptor8 · 09-06-2008, 6:04 PM

Ive got settings set to Cinema/Warm/50% on all others. Cant really notice any improvement with overscan on. I am viewing V+ (Virgin cable 1080i HDMI), 360 games, and SD dvds/HD-DVD player via Component and original xbox via component.

Very happy with TV picture is amazing in all formats.

CH_Peter · 09-06-2008, 6:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by norrishawk

Ive got settings set to Cinema/Warm/50% on all others. Cant really notice any improvement with overscan on. I am viewing V+ (Virgin cable 1080i HDMI), 360 games, and SD dvds/HD-DVD player via Component and original xbox via component.

Very happy with TV picture is amazing in all formats.

Overscan off would make the improvement, not on. On stretches the image, in case there are any rough edges in a broadcast that are best off screen edge.