Just when you thought you had heard every daft Panny question..................

[lumpsucker]

Firstly, I am a newbie on this forum so I offer my apologies for asking questions that may have been asked elsewhere but I have done loads of searches and many of my questions have been answered. What remains are questions that I still don’t know the answer to or am unclear about.

My Plasma status is that I have just convinced (told) the missus that I am having one of these beasts bloody soon and I have narrowed down my options to either the Panny 50” or the Pioneer 50”.

My first round of questions involves the Panasonic 50 inch option so here goes :

1) What is the difference between the TH-50 PHW5B and the TH-50PHD5BX ?

2) Can you plug in both the new slimline tuner and the optional DVI terminal board?

3) Is there a working VGA input through the tuner and/or directly to the panel?

4) Is it dual or single scan or do the 2 different 50” models differ in this respect?

5) Are there any lip sync problems via the tuner, particularly using the RGB input for SKY digibox and DVD use?

6) ‘What Home Cinema’ currently give a Hertz indication in their buyers guide. It’s either 50 or 100 or not mentioned(there is no reference to Panny 50”) I thought there was no such differentiator when referring to Plasma panels but if there is, then how do the Panny 50 inchers rate?

7) Does the slimline tuner give the panny a picture-in-picture and split picture/Teletext capability. In the new Panasonic Brochure it says that all the T(tau) range has this capability but it didn’t mention the Plasma specifically.

8) Is there any advantage in using an RGB to Component video converter between my new DMR-HS2 Panny DVD recorder and the Panny Plasma (either via tuner or directly to the panel)? Although many online retailers advertise the HS2 as a progressive scan device, I can only assume it is not as it does not have component output.

I feel a lot better for getting that lot off my chest ! answers/comments about any or all of the above would be much welcomed, as indeed would any comments in my Panny versus Pioneer dilemma. (Don’t worry the Pioneer questions will follow soon !)


If it’s any help I’m willing to answer questions on the HS2 but I am still playing with it so its early doors.

Thanks

Simon

 

[KBDVD]

Hi lumpsucker,

Welcome to the forum!

I can help with a couple of these:

1. The TH-50PHW5B is the silver (consumer division sourced) 5th generation model & the TH-50PHD5BX is the grey (commercial division sourced) version. The X indicates that it comes without a video input board fitted & one will need to be chosen & bought seperately.

2. Both of the above use the "Duel scan" technique.

3. IMHO (for what it's worth) the Picture on the Panny's are superior to those on the Pioneer's! (no flames please) Just my own opinion based on my own eyes. The depth of image generated by the superior blacks on the Panasonic's wins it every time for me.

Best Regards,
KBDVD.

 

[Joe Fernand]

Lumpsucker

01. Basically very similar products:
TH-50PHW5B - Silver bezel - RCA Terminal board - Manual screen saver modes - Timer function OFF only - User menu.

TH-50PHD5BX - Charcoal Bezel - BNC Terminal board - Auto/manual screen saver modes - Timer function On/OFF - User and Integrator menu.

02. Terminal Boards:
You can only fit ONE board at a time - there is only one options slot. As indicated above these units are normally supplied pre fitted with the RCA or BNC board (one small advantage you have with the Charcoal display being your dealer can order it without the BNC board if you want a different board - saving you around £200).

03. VGA with the Tuner Terminal board fitted:
NO the PC input on the display is disabled when you fit the Tuner board and there is no PC input on the external TU600 tuner box.

04. See KBDVD's post. These are both Dual Scan displays.

05. Lip-sync:
Do you mean when using the clip on speaker set or when sending the audio out to a separate amplifier?

06. 50 or 100 Hertz:
Pioneer seem to be the only manufacturer that makes any play of this function - I guess its easier to 'sell' a concept that people have already heard of. The Panasonic displays are very stable with little or no visible line flicker on the 50" displays (and I'm not sure if they are 50 or 100Hz).

07. PnP:
Not sure - my barge pole is still stopping me getting to grips with one. Also remember most of these PnP features only let you display two 'same type' signals - so no web surfing and TV viewing side by side.

08. DMR-HS2 connectivity:
As you say this unit outputs RGB and Its going to depend on how you configure your system with regards to your Digibox, DVD player (are you having a separate stand alone player?) and whatever AV amplifier you may be planning. One way or another you will need to add in an RGB interface (VGA or Component) to connect your Digibox/DVD recorder to the display.

Best regards

Joe

 

[lumpsucker]

Thanks Joe. To answer your questions :

5) Lip-Sync

Either via the built in amp or to an external amp. I was wondering whether it suffers from the same kind of problem that occurs when I route my SKY RGB signal through my DMR-HS2. This seems to slow video output down presumably because it is doing some kind of processing in the HS2. It routes fine when the HS2 is turned off and playback is also fine. Its a know problem I believe and I wondered whether either the Panny tuner or the picture proccessing of the panel itself gave similar results.

8) HS2 Connectivity

I may get a dedicated DVD player in the medium term but for the time being I would be looking to get a good a picture as possible from the HS2 presumably through the RGB output.


Lip-Syncing problems aprt, the most worrying thing I take from your reply is your point that I can't plug in my PC if I have the tuner connected. This facility is a must for me so would rule out the Panny. My attention would then turn back to the Pioneer PDP-503HDE which I am able to view at my local retailer but no doubt I can rustle up some questions for you on that one to !

I can think of one immediate question on the Pioneer, that is :

Does the Pioneer show all input source in the Progressive format (as the Panny claims to do) ? My local chap seemed to suggest that this only occurrs through the Component Video input.

Thanks again for your swift and informative reply.

Simon

 

[KBDVD]

Oh & thanks KBDVD too!

Best Regards,
KBDVD.

 

[lumpsucker]

Yes sorry KBDVD, I did have every intention of thanking you but I was going to wait and see how many responses I had and then offer my thanks to all. However Joe had some further questions of me which I replied to.

Now which icon do I pick.........

 

[KBDVD]

Not to worry mate, I was only kidding!

Best Regards,
KBDVD.