[DoogyDawg]

I thought it would be much better to have a sticky for all panasonic PD30 problems, instead of having to look through each thread to gain whats good or bad on these TV's, so please post,
lets see what These TV's have going for them or not.

Many thanks to Lynx for this sticky thread.
steve.

[davej]

Well for starters:
- "Black crushing" when viewing DVDs via RGB, where all shadow detail is lost and replaced by black. Noticed by large numbers. Doesn't appear to happen if the DVD player is capable of progressive scan (PD30 RGB problems thread has more detail). On some (earlier?) sets this is more extreme than others and can affect component input, and on the sets where it is at its worst overall colour/brightness stability seems poor as well (dull scenes too dull, colourful scenes too colourful). 5 mins into Attack of the Clones is a prime test for this.
- Overall green colour cast, seen by large numbers, fixable via service menu
- PAL progressive scan images off centre resulting in an white band, seen by several, fixable via service menu
- Pink stripe on side of screen, reported by one person
- Lack of sharpness, reported by one person
- Dirty screen effect highlighted when watching sport, seen by me on two successive sets (awaiting third!) and one other person
- "SVM" cannot be deactivated, reported by those who know what SVM is
- some reports of horizontal banding when brightness is set very high
- a report of banding from an HK25 dvd player when in progressive
- a report of a buzzing noise

owt else?

[davej]

To balance things it might be an idea for someone with a healthy one of these sets to summarise the good things about the PD30.

I'm not qualified for that role as I'm still at the wanting-to-throw-a-brick-through-the-screen stage with mine....

[katalyst2k]

Has anyone tried a Scart to Y-U-V Convertor?.

I recently purchased one from Maplins, and have acheived great results.

Might be the answer to many peoples problems. (Hopefully )


Kat

[NinjaKi11a]

So would the basic message be: don't buy one as they're a pain in the arse?

Do similar problems happen with all sets?

What kind of comeback go I get if I start noticing these problems after a couple of months? Are they faults under warranty or are they 'features' of the set.

Many thanks,

Pete

[lynx]

Originally posted by SansSouci
What kind of comeback go I get if I start noticing these problems after a couple of months?

Have a look at some of the older threads such as Sony TV Scrolling Bar Problem - Official Response from SOny UK at last !!! , for an idea.

I've had my 32" PD30 now for a couple of weeks and in the main I'm impressed. Most people who have seen it have commented very favourably on the picture quality - to the untutored eye it is sometimes, as has been said elsewhere, more like looking through a window than looking at a screen. I wonder if any domestic TV would meet the demanding requirements of the users of this forum? Incidentally I use NTL via Pace set-top box and Panasonic DVD-S75 through component leads. Contrast is set to about 50%, brightness 60%, colour 50% and sharpness low.

I may be about to join the ranks of the critics now that my Avia test disc has arrived and I'm able to be objective, but the first problem that concerns me is new to this forum (I think).

Geometry tests (grids and chequerboards) reveal a considerable horizontal stretching at the sides, such that a square is elongated by as much as 50% near the screen edge. There is also significant bending of vertical lines near the corners. What I'm not clear about is what is normal for a widescreen CRT. Comments from the experts would be welcome.

[bazzae123]

I've had my 32PD30 for eight hours now and it is Sh*t. It replaced my three year old Toshiba 32" and hasn't come no where near matching it on picture quality. The main faults are.
A constant buzzing that drove me mad last night when the volume had to be lowered.
The colours can't seam to make up there minds. One minute its dull, the next it looks like the contrast is set at 100%.
Playing my copy of "Saving Private Ryan" loses all detail on the beach landing scene. I now its has a grainy effect to enhance the scene but now its completely washed out with black detailess scenes. Before on my Tosh it had substance, now its all lifeless.

My main terrestrial test is on the footy, with especially the BBC studio commentary team. Before the quality was outstanding but last night things only got worse.

I've just phoned the retailer and demanded my money back. There are sending a engineer to look at it but I'm afraid he may say there's nothing wrong with it. It could be all subjective. All I know is it's a lot worse than the set it replaced so therefore I'm not satisfied. Should that be enough?

Oh, one last thing, The wife doesn't give a dame about what TV I purchased but last night she did make one comment on it. All she could say was "the pictures not very clear is it".

Don't you just love it when that happens.

Bazza

Just spoke to JL and their going to get another set for me to try, If I'm still not happy, it's either a full refund or a different model. Boy am I clad I went to JL, service to date is excellent.

[kwangomango]

Originally posted by lynx
In a short space of time, quite a number of individual PD30 threads appeared and at the time i felt it would better serve the board members to draw them into one thread rather than have lots of individual threads. Hopefully this one can sumarise and bring a bit of clarity to the topic.

Absolutely. I made a few posts asking people to put there questions/comments on the main thread rather then creating new ones. It really is best keeping all the info in one source despite the fact that it grows to a large size.

[Andrew N]

I mentioned on the other big thread about the green problem. On Progressive mode (set on the HK25 DVD Player)I find it unbearable especially on Buffy Season 6 Episode 10 within the first 5 minutes, one of the characters looks radioactive, every outline to the right side of skin has a green edge to it. When I switch to Interlaced the problem moves to the left hand side of peoples faces but is FAR less pronounced. I watched Phone Booth in this mode and didn't notice it once.
I've tried turning down the green in the service menu and to be honest it made no difference whatsoever.
I've sent an e-mail to Panasonic about it, but I'm expecting to be fobbed off.

Does anyone else have the green problem as excessive as this?
[Long Shot] Does anyone have the same Buffy episode to test this? [Long Shot]

Apart from this green problem I think the Tv is excellent.

[Andrew N]

Oh, and one other problem that was mentioned in a separate thread, previous generation consoles have a problem.

I've had to transfer my Nintendo 64 to another tv because the picture kept juddering every 3-4 secs. I've also noticed it on the Dreamcast, but only on 60hz mode, 50hz seems to work ok.

Gamecube and XBox both work fine.

[DoogyDawg]

I was going to get the panny 32pd30, but have just read the reviews in Home entertainment, the tosh 32-ZP-38 came out above the Philips and the panny, any comments on this tv would be great.
soz a bit off subject, but the tosh v panny for me now.
P.S
yeah I know its a mag review

[EasyTiger]

Well I am returning my PD30 due to:

- Whilst watching Solaris I noticed that bright areas of the scene were brilliant white whilst any black areas lost all detail.
- Using the THX utility on my Terminator 2 disc I noticed I was getting the dirty screen on white areas.
- Certain amount of digital edge problems - this is only to be expected from the processing required for all those extra pixels

Have ordered a PF2 (arrives this Monday). So am hoping the Tosh is a bit better.

As there are a number of people faced with the PD30/PF2 decision I will report back Tuesday after a bit of PF2 time.

[fatbob]

Originally posted by nsutherland




Geometry tests (grids and chequerboards) reveal a considerable horizontal stretching at the sides, such that a square is elongated by as much as 50% near the screen edge. There is also significant bending of vertical lines near the corners. What I'm not clear about is what is normal for a widescreen CRT. Comments from the experts would be welcome. [/B]

If your set elongates objects by 50% at the edges, then its' geometry is at fault. No CRT can produce perfect geometry, some sets being much better in this area than others, but a 50% distortion on any tv is not normal.

This might be a little obvious, and I'm sure that you've probably already tried this, but make sure that you're not looking at test signals with the tv set to the picture mode that configures a 4:3 image to fit a 16:9 screen, as these often work by slightly zooming the image, while stretching the sides of the image to fill out the screen. This would result in a crosshatch pattern showing properly proportioned squares in the centre, while those at the edges of the screen would be elongated.

Cheers.

[davej]

I chose the PD30 over the PF2 because
1) at the time there was no major problems reported with the PD30 on here while there were countless reports of colour purity problems on the PF2 (something that I'd notice and hate)
2) One shop's PF2 was flickering at the edges like crazy
3) The next shop's PF2 had horrendouse geometry (not something I normally notice but this was extreme)
4) The PD30 I saw in a shop didn't have any noticeable problems
5) I wanted PiP etal (watching two footy matches simultaneously this last week was great fun)and the PF2 didn't offer it

At the moment I'm in a dilemma. Do I keep getting the PD30 replaced in the hope of getting a good one? Do I try a PiP-less PF2 instead and maybe start a new sequence of constant replacing? Do I go for a refund and wait to see what October's Sony KV-36HQ100 is like?
Maybe I'll just keep replacing the pd30 until the sony is available, doing my civic duty by causing loads of them to be sent back...

[DoogyDawg]

do your civic duty...give em hell
thats how I was with my philips, and they picked it up TODAY again, for another 24 hour test, they will ring me on monday, funny how they gonna explain a 24 hour test away when they ring me and I say that they were closed sunday ??
hope you get it sorted.

[bazzae123]

Just had a call from JL to see about the replacement PD30. I told them to keep it and deliver a PF2 instead. It arrives on Tuesday.

I must say the comments about the White being to white and the black being to black are absolutely correct. It seems to dominate the whole scene. Some times the whites look fluorescent.

If anybody has read the review in "Home Entertainment" is the most accurate review I've seen on this set. Other reviews that say the experience is like looking through a window makes me think what kind of window they were looking through. It must have needed a good clean.

Bazza

[chrisjoanne]

Thought I'd better add my post onto this thread. My post was made in September 2003 under "Major help neaded"

Having read most of the posts concerning the PD30 I thought I was getting an extremely good quality TV for the £1000 I paid.
However having spent the last 4 days trying to get the picture quality anywhere near my Sony is impossible.
I have heard of picture noise and digital blocking effects but this just does not seem right.
Firstly the picture is nowhere near crisp enough. Is not detailed. You can actually see a very small ghost effect. (This should not be happening as I'm viewing through digital). The picture looks quite blurred and is a strain on my eyes if I view for long periods of time. - I'm very annoyed with this. Surely this cannot be right.
I have changed setting for contrast, brightness, sharpness, even changed the scan mode which changes the quality (what cr*p). There is no or very little improvement going from 100hz to 100hz + to 75/833. The screen also looks "dirty" as though it needs a quick wipe.
If I'm spending a grand on a TV I want a superb quality picture to watch; have I got the setting totally wrong? What is the best viewing setting?
I read in What Video magazine that this TV "is like looking through a window rather than watching a TV !!!!" and "impressive fine detail" and is also "unaffected by digital nasties like smearing and lag" but...........it says there is shimmering around moving objects and very harsh edges can glimmer - maybe THIS is what I am seeing.
If this is the "norm" for the TV then I do not want it and will go for the Tosh ZP38.

I believe I may never be happy with the Pan, unfortunately.

Just a little note the Panasonic got slagged off by What Entertainment mag. Maybe I should have waited until I had read taht article.

Hope this thread makes Panasonic sit up and listen........ye teles are [inappropriate wording removed - lynx], pull ye finger out and get them fixed!!

I feel sorry for all everyone who has got the Pan on order. They must be so cheesed off reading this.

Cheers
Chris

[Anastie]

So people would you change your order from a 36" PD30 to a 36" PF2. Mine is on order from sound and vision but I am getting cold feet what do you advise? Is it worth getting the TV delivered and seeing if mine has any "Faults"? I cant test it with delivery people there as I will be at work and could not set it up until that evening. Or do you STRONGLY advise changing my order to a PF2?
As ever help is valued.

[JohnG]

I don't have the PD30 but have 2 Panasonic TVs.

I get the shimmering around moving objects (football in particular). For me ITV through the Sky receiver is always terrible for this sort of thing and it happens on my old Panny TX25 and my 2 year old 32" widescreen Panny. I don't get this happening on terrestrial though.

[bazzae123]

Anastie M8

Have it delivered and see, you may like it.


I must say in its defence that some programmes look really nice when it feels like it. I still have problems with RGB on Sky, to me the picture is not very sharp and its the same for component DVD. I watched "Shrek" last night on Sky and the picture was good but didn't seem so sharp, and the picture was a bit dull looking. The other thing that you may read about is the white and black levels being excessive at times. Again last night watching the footy highlights on terrestrial ITV showed the problem with the white level. In one of the London games every time the sun shone on the players faces the white level seemed to go through the roof, very off putting.

If the set could decide how to consistently show a good picture, then Yes, it would be a good TV but I find myself keep going into the "Picture" menu and forever changing the settings trying to get a happy medium, but can't.

I hope this helps.

Bazza

[lynx]

Can we keep this thread on the topic of problems/faults rather than chat. OT posts face being deleted. Thanks.

[davej]

I had 36PD30 number 3 delivered this morning and this is by far the best one so far. There's still a touch of the dirty marks in the bottom right but compared to its predecessors its nothing - I have to look for the marks rather than have them poke me in eye as they used to do, I might not have noticed them if I wasn't checking for them. I can now watch footy with no bother. There's seems far less shimmering, noise etc. as well meaning a vastly improved picture - at times its almost like looking through a window as the reviewers like to say (though I won't be tipping the window cleaner as he missed a bit).

Maybe signifigantly the serial number has gained a digit. Previous TVs were in the format 320xxx - the new one is 3320xxx. New batch perchance?

I might keep this one, just need a few more matches to test it on before I decide - today's match had a lot of lens flare softening the picture so it may not have been a fair test.

[davej]

Ok, the follow up to that one after 48 hours. Unfortunately I think I must have blinded by the optimism of the desperate.

In many ways it is the best of the sets I've had - the black crushing is the most tolerable, there's very few problems with digital artefacts compared to its predecessors and there's less dirty window marks than its predecessors.

But - after two days my eyes are absolutely killing me from it, I can't put my finger on a particular factor for that but its not good, and the mark near the lower right can't be ignored as its in the shape of "N", plus there's also a central dirty stripe.

With the marks being fainter and the black crush being lesser its going to be a pig convincing the engineer but I've got to do it, I can't live with this set.

Does anyone have experience of getting refunds from Comet? So far they've only offered exchanges. Will it be a fight? (sorry Lynx, bit of a diversion but it is kind of relevant, if you can't get a refund easily due when you find the PD30's faults I'd say that was another problem with it!).

[EasyTiger]

Have now had my PF2 for a couple of days and I can say it is a success. The panny is a better picture, and on certain discs (mainly animated) can be so detailed that I don't think it can be surpassed, however the PF2 has good PQ all around.

This is the big win for me, I have set the picture up, chosen the 100Hz mode, and now I watch. Discs vary, however the PF2 plays all well.

As with other posts, I was always fiddling with the Panny picture, getting annoyed that it was losing detail in dark sections of a scene (I found the too bright problem was easing a little after a week's use), and the digital problems were a little too evident. This was not practical and the wifey was even complaining about it (so it must have been bad!).

I will now drop out of this thread and leave you PD30 owners to your compromises (hi-res vs picture setting fiddling).

BTW it's not all sweetness and light in the PF2 world, the geometry is absolutely awful.

[DpM]

It's very anoying that the TV has problems with old consoles, I tried my Dreamcast lastnight and was very anoyed at the constant jumping onscreen with 60htz games. Most of my games are US and are 60htz as defalt. I find it hard to belive that the new consoles are OK and that the old ones have problems. The Dreamcast isnt that old I cant understand why this happens. My Xbox works fine. Has anyone addressed Panasonic with this one?

[BrianC]

I've had my TX-36PD30 for about a month and half now and I've not been happy with:

The crappy performance of RGB Scart
poor picture, particluarly with Sky (I have a sky+ box). This is worse with poor quality feeds like Ceebies.

Switched Sky+ to component and its much better. I am now considering getting a Netgem box for the BBC channels (I mainly watch Sky one, BBC2, BBC1, Ceebies and Sky Sports/Moives) as freeview has a better feed.

My consoles (Chipped PAL xbox, Chipped JPN dreamcast, US gamecube, Chipped JPN PS2) where hooked up via RGB scart, but I switched these to component as soon as I could to improve the picture quality and take advantage of prog scan.

Geometry
This and the colour settings where very poor out of the box. I had to spend a couple of hours with various setup disks to get this right. I still have a slight dip on one of the hoz bars.

Overal the picture quality of my set is excellent as long as I use component.

[perka]

I have now owned the pd30 for 2 months.

I agree with one of the previous spokers that the review in Home Entertainment is the most accurate one.

They mention a thing that for me means that I can not use my fine dvd player (denon 3800 uses SIL504 only in progressive mode) with this tv: Feeding the tv with component inputs and pal progressive scan makes the image flicker so much that after some times its too tiresome for the eyes. The alternative is interlaced through component and 100hz or 75hz or progressive scan with 60 hz Reg 1 dvds.

I also agree with the person that said the white is too strong. I have not experienced any blackcrushing though. This may only exist on the first batch.

In general for digital telivsion this tv beats all loewe and philips and toshibas earlier models (haven't seen the pf2).

I have had several philips (including pixel+) and evaluated many other sets (loewe,sony, panasonic,toshiba....).

All complaints about bad geometry (which is really the best on the market for crt don't beleive other comments), digital artefacts, bad colours and many other comments may be true but you forget to mention or don't realize one thing. With one or maybe two exceptions (philips has got better skin colours), all other brands and models does this worse. Only after owning several sets in your living room and many demoes you can understand how good this tv is (but not for pal progressive scan).

[BrianC]

How do you get to select which 100 Hz mode when using the component inputs? I thought that it defaulted to progressive mode and that you couldn't switch it?

[perka]

BrianC, you can feed the component inputs with whatever signal you like. If you feed it with a progressive signal you can not alter the picture mode (100hz, acuity or..). If you feed it with a interlaced signal through the component inputs, you can choose whatever picture mode you like (acuity, 100hz, internal progressive scan).
Press the button with a "+" sign in a square to get the information what kind of signal you are feeding the component inputs with and if you have choosen (not available for external progressive scan): 100hz, acuity (75hz) or internal progressive scan.

I'm not sure if the sky+ box has got component outputs, but if not:
If you want the best quality with the sky+ box (or digital tv as we say here in Sweden), use the scart out from the sky box, connect it to a scart to component converter for 145 pounds (the JS Technology http://www.rgbtosvideo.com/ converter is said to be one of the best) and feed the tv with interlaced through the component inputs. Then choose acuity or whatever picture mode you prefer.