42PZ85 - 4 bumps on bezel....thread

[acerick22]

Hi all,

I have had my tv for about a month now and still very impressed with it. However, I have read on the 42pz85 thread that some are complaining about the 4 bumps on the bezel which can be seen during the day mainly....

My screen to has this but not too affected by it. What is surprising though is some people have actually taken their screens back because of this.

Some people have also contacted Panasonic who seem to think this is not normal. As most know, those panels seen in shop displays also seem to have this effect on the bezel...

so my question is, who has a totally perfect flat bezel with no bumps (in daylight) ? or if you have returned yout tv, has your new one had the same or not?

also if u have owned the tv for a month, will John Lewis (who i brought from) take it back...?

 

[alex f]

I have 46pz85 with optional bumps in certain places. It doesnt bother me enough to go through the hassle of swapping it over, I look at the screen rather than the surround

 

[Cream]

Same as above, I have the 4 bumps, the two at the bottom are easier to see but that may just be the angle. It's certainly not enough for me to take it off the wall and as for a replacement.
Like alex f said I look at the screen not the surround, So as long as it's not distracting or clearly damaged I don't really see what the problem is

 

[Goenie]

Hi, I have this also on my 46"(PZ85) and was having doubts whether to call Panasonic.
Firstly, if you really focus on it, then yes you will notice it, but it's like the paint of a car really...ANY SMALL bump will be seen because of certain light angles during the day.
I'm not 100% sure, but pretty sure it has to do with the assembly of the panels....has to be some kind of internal clicking thing which slightly pulls that part of the panel inwards.

One thing I am sure about....go through all the hassle of swapping it, and you'll probably find the same thing over and over.

John

 

[pulp58]

Well, some interesting responses to this topic and as the initiator of this topic here's my view

1. Panasonic sell this TV as a premium product and as such I expect the quality to be high.

2. A check of all the other TV's on display, in say John Lewis reveals no other TV or product like it.

3. If I was paying ~ £700 for a product I might just accept this minor imperfection, but at £1300 I expect much more.

4. Panasonic UK say it should not be like it and it is the result of an assembly defect.

5. Agreed at most angles the problem is not visible, but in our location where the screen is subject to a lot of incident day light they are most pronounced and the eye is drawn to them.

My view is this is a personal thing and time will tell when the replacement arrives to see if that is the same, yes it is a hassle returning the product, but for me it's a matter of principle, just like the car analogy, if it's got dents, then don't accept it. Plastic being fluid in varying temperatures I wonder how it will fair over time, I don't know and am not prepared to find out.

 

[Goenie]

@pulp58, I've read your post in the other thread...
Just to create a picture in my mind: they would assemble the actual screen by bolting from the front and then (probably) clicking on the bezel, which would then result in 4 outward bumps, right?

If that is the case, then I have to agree with you....that would not be ok/acceptable.
I have not detected that on my 46PZ85 yet.

John

 

[kedge]

Have them on my 42pz85, sure they wasn't there last week Can't be asked with sending back though.

 

[pulp58]

@pulp58, I've read your post in the other thread...
Just to create a picture in my mind: they would assemble the actual screen by bolting from the front and then (probably) clicking on the bezel, which would then result in 4 outward bumps, right?

If that is the case, then I have to agree with you....that would not be ok/acceptable.
I have not detected that on my 46PZ85 yet.

John

What's surprising is the 46PZ85 does not suffer from this problem (I checked in John Lewis) and yet they must be made to same drawing/construction standard but larger parts and therefore would suffer from the same problem, like you I thought this must be 4 click-in points to keep the bezel on - but I just don't know for sure, for me it just adds more weight to it being a manufacturing problem of screws that are too long.

David

 

[acerick22]

so what is the latest regarding this bezel thing.

anyone have a totally clean/straight bezel? or are the majority not bothering with the swap, i know i am not...........

 

[Cooney]

so what is the latest regarding this bezel thing.

anyone have a totally clean/straight bezel? or are the majority not bothering with the swap, i know i am not...........

I had one delivered Thursday 8th May which had a flat bezel but with picture faults. Returned it and my second has these bezel issues as well as one noisy (clicking fan). John Lewis are to bring my third one on Friday.

The problem looks as though a screw has been overtightened on the with the point of the screw touching the rear of the bezel. This gives the appearance of a point (though you cannot feel anything) which defracts the reflected light into a sort of 4 pointed star. As you move your head the reflection moves and distorts around these points.

Like a previous poster I tried to ignore it and get on with watching the screen. Unfortunately during daylight I notice it too much.

Having paid £1030 (although JL have refunded me £41 as I requested another PM at £989 - S&V), I feel that I am entitled to a fault free TV. I am glad I bought it with the 5 year warranty - Panasonic build quality (usually excellent) seems to be slipping!!

 

[punkymunky]

This is not a new problem, it happened on the Panasonic PV500 series back in 2005 and was caused by a machine overtightening screws on the bezel. Back then a 42" cost around £2500 with discount and many people including myself didn't bother to get it replaced, it's still apparent in daylight but I don't notice it and it does not affect my viewing, it's still fabulous 3 years on and I have to say better than the soft orangy picture I have seen on the latest Vieras.

 

[Dave Knight]

I've got the 42PZ85 and haven't noticed it, can someone take a picture and show exactly where the issue is, cheers

Dave

 

[thornton]

I have the 46PZ85 and if you shine light on it in just the right way you can just about see that the surround is not perfectly flat in some places. I can only see it at all because it so shiny. I won't be taking it back - more concerned about PQ than BQ.

 

[pulp58]

I've got the 42PZ85 and haven't noticed it, can someone take a picture and show exactly where the issue is, cheers

Dave

Look at the TV from the side in day light with a fair bit of light relecting from the bezel, they are located top and bottom on the horizontal parts of the bezel at about 300mm from the edges. All the PZ85 suffer from the same problem.

 

[JJTye]

It depends on how severe these bumps are. On my Samsung plasma and LCD, the bezel - under certain lighting conditions does show slight 'uneveness' here and there, but to me this is normal and I am usually very picky about perfection, and it is not noticeable in normal viewing. You only really see it if you closely scrutinise the bezel.

What you have to remember is that, if it is a piano black bezel (like on my TVs) , it will easily show up any kind of flaw such as a dust, hairline scratch etc. Its like a black car that easily shows up road muck on it.

 

[pulp58]

Hi,

Yes, but these are relatively large bumps, that appear to be from screws in the rear panel protuding too far, they are not comestic defects. My TV has been replaced, this second variant is not so bad as the first, which tells me it is a screw torque problem rather than the moulding or anything else. Panasonic asked me to swap the TV and said if the second is like it too, they will send one of their engineers to check it.
At the moment I can't be bothered, because it took a month to swap and that's with a more than excellent service from Empire Direct, the PZ85 TV's sell out so quickly. ED sold 40 in a day!