Demo of Plasma looked 'jaggied'

[Jon Weaver]

I have just spent the day trying to get a demo of the Toshiba/Panaonsic 42" Plasmas.

I wanted to try a lower quality DVD, to simulate watching "normal" TV (as opposed to a high quality movie).

Unfortunatly, the best I could find was the 43" Pioneer.

I was hoping for something special, but I was very dissapointed.. Whilst the picture was very good, diagonal lines were very blocky/jaggied.

I am sure that from a distance, the overal impression would be very good, but from 6 feet, I wasn't particularly impressed.

Is this what all Plasmas are like (Specifically the Toshiba 42WP16) or is the Pioneer especially bad.

 

[lynx]

Moooooveing .

 

[baileych]

A line scaler - in my case the IScan Pro - is highly recommended. While DVDs look even better I find that live TV (via my VCR) benefits as much - perhaps more - turning unwatchable into a more than adequate picture. A 'poor' DVD doesn't really simulate real TV though.

Charles.

 

[England100]

Like Jon I looked at plasmas yesterday. I was in the new Dixons in the centre of Cardiff who have an amazing 10 on display. Although DVDs are very impressive I do watch broadcast TV and it's the quality of studio pictures that make me wonder if I would be disappointed with a 42" plasma.

It's the jaggged edges that are the problem. Dixons had a 50" connected to Sky and live pictures of football and news we not that good.

Richer Sounds in Bristol have 3 plasmas working (LG 42", Toshiba 42" and a 50") and even DVD subtitles did not diplay well.

What's the answer to getting a good (or excellent) picture?

Everwhere is selling the Toshiba 42WP16 but the Toshiba web site and catalogue only mention the 42WP27. Toshiba say 'The model numbers 42/50WP27 were the very first Plasma TV set's we brought out. The new ones are numbered 42/50wp16's. There is no difference what so ever in specification and performance.' Seems strange!

 

[Jon Weaver]

Seems we might have been in Dixons at the same time...

I spent over an hour yesturday battling through the traffic trying to get to Dixons in Cardiff, but I was VERY disappointed with what they had on display.

There was loads of LGs all over the shop and their DVD area didnt' have any of the popular (Tosbiba/Panasonic) models.

I was trying to get to R.S Bristol on Friday night on they way back from Heathrow, but as usual, the M4 delayed me and I wouldn't have got there till after 7.

I am going to pop over one night next week to have a good look at their Toshiba (which is the one I want)... But from what I have seen so far, I am not convinced that a Plasma will make a good alternative to a CRT.

With regards to the 42WP16 and WP27, the WP16 is the older model and is a re-badged version of the highly aclaimed Panasonic (Gen 4) models.

THe WP27 is the new one and is based on another manufactuer (NEC I think).

The WP16/Panasonic has had rave reviews which is why they are very popular (and surprising that RS are selling them for under 3K).

But the WP16 is the old model, which is why it doesn't appear on their web site.

 

[Dixie]

If you keep going to all those shops you mentioned I am not suprised the pic quality you saw was poor via Sky etc. LOOK I bought my 37"panny months ago and have a sony dvd5.1 which controls my Sky box etc.I just plugged it all up and away we went.Pic quality is fantastic ,yes Sky not quite as good as the dvd but as yet no one has complained in our house.If you are going make your choice of which make of Plasma through a shop who probably have their display models all wired up through one sky box then you WILL end up either NO plasma or the wrong model! Trust me go and get a Panny Plasma of any size.Wire it up PROPERLY and sit back and just enjoy it.Stop messing about worrying about what this shop/that shop had on display,battling through trafic etc,order it online.
Good luck

 

[Jon Weaver]

Dixie,

I would agree if I was looking in Dixons/Comet/Currys etc.

But the place that I got my Pioneer demo was Severnoaks.

Its was done on a properly setup system, interconnected with Component.

Infact, the demo that they were running when i got their (an offical Pioneer Slideshow on a DVD) looked nothing short of amazing.

But when I tried my DVD, I was far from impressed.

The output of the DVD was split, so that the same could be seen on a 32" Loewe next to it and the 'jaggied edged' that could be seen on the plasma, were in no way evident on the Loewe!

 

[symanski]

One of the problems with Dixons et al is that all the screens aren't set up, and don't have the best interfaces for the inputs connected. It all goes back to how they would demo TVs! So, whatever you did see there, you could probably get more out of the screen.

If you are going to buy one, double check the input connections. Some will have external media boxes, which do help. But even then, you may be able to get more out of them by not going down this route.

Even with the I-Scan device, you might find you can get a better picture if you re-evaluate how it's connected to your source.

All the best,

Dr John Sim.

 

[Jon Weaver]

But, as I said above, this wasn't Dixons.. The Demo I had was in a reputable store with a proper setup, in this case Componant.

All TV demos in places like Dixons always look awful as they split the signal from a single source.

 

[symanski]

Originally posted by Jon Weaver
But, as I said above, this wasn't Dixons.. The Demo I had was in a reputable store with a proper setup, in this case Componant.

Sorry, we're playing ping-pong with posts. How did you connect up your DVD player? Strange that the in-store DVD player was fine. Was one playing US and the other UK discs?

I have heard of this with other screens. Changing to a different input can either help or hinder this, it's difficult to tell. Sometimes a low quality input will mask this effect. It's not something that I can say yes here's the solution.

QUOTE]
All TV demos in places like Dixons always look awful as they split the signal from a single source. [/QUOTE]

Unfortuantely very true.

All the best,

John.

 

[Jon Weaver]

It seems that I might have confused the issue.

Its not htat I have seen a good example of a Plasma.. Its just that every demo I have seen has been running 'high quality' material.

When I did my demo on Saturday, I took a very TV-Typical disk, in order to get a feel of what it would be like to watch 'normal' TV on a Plasma.

Whilst the inital illusion was good, when I got closer (say 2-3 feet) and studied the picutre, I could help noticing that it was very jaggied.

This was especially noticable on diagonal lines.

However, when i stood back (Say 10 feet), there was no doubt that the Plasma generated a clear colourful picture.. But it just doesnt' seem to compare to a Plasma.

I am going to take a few known disks with me to Richer Sounds and give the Toshiba a good testing.

 

But you must make sure that a) They're using good quality cables b) It's connected via Component c) That it's preferably progressive scan and preferably good progressive scan like Silicon Image DVDO or Faroudja DCDi. These displays are capable of fantastic picture quality but they also show up the deficiences in a poor source (or a poorly connected source). Believe me if you get the Tosh and connect the right source to it and use good quality cables you'll wonder what all this fuss was about, I had the 3 series Panny and I haven't seen an image as good since and that's why I'm in the market for another plasma (Panny or Tosh) now. I'd recommend connecting Sky Digital via an RGB -> VGA convertor by the way, makes the world of difference.

Cheers
Andy

 

[encaser]

Agree with zAndy1. I have a pwd4bx and have tried Sky via VGA or component board with an RGB box and the difference from S-video or composite is large - lose jaggies and gain much colour etc. As for dvd, again with a decent player or pc set up and cables those jaggies will vanish in most cases or show up the poorer nature of the disc. What you will gain overall will more than compensate. I found myself quoting Kevin Spacey's Lester Burnham in American Beauty with "I rule" when I played a first few dvds - sad, but true
If you connect a pc to one you'll be amazed, I'm sure, at it looking like a bloody big monitor. I showed a friend its appearance last week and he just sat mouth agape watching bits of dvds/divx etc. stating he couldn't believe it.
People do take on a more 'realistic' look with these which is very sweet.
It will show up Sky's weaknesses but again shouldn't have you feeling like a fool with a more than watchable image.

 

[Jon Weaver]

I think that its worth taking my findings with a pinch of salt.

Last night I double checked the DVD that I was using (Pheonix Nights) on my 36" CRT.

The 'jaggied' edges were there, but they wern't quite as obvious.

But it seems that the Plasma wasn't creating the jaggies, but just showing what was there in the source material.

 

[LV426]

Originally posted by Jon Weaver
.....it seems that the Plasma wasn't creating the jaggies, but just showing what was there in the source material.

Yes, indeed. However, these jaggies will disappear (probably) if you run a progressive scan DVD player into a screen with a progressive-enabled component input.