Panasonic VT30 (TX-P50VT30) 3D Plasma Review & Comments

Thanks for the excellent review. I love my one day old vt30. I also find the screen doesn't buzz at all compared to my vt20. The vt20 had a definite buzz that got louder when bright material was shown on screen. My hunch is the one sheet glass design has sorted this. Id echo the findings in relation to 50hz. Much better than the vt20. Also find thx a little washed out looking. Be keen to see what settings you ended up with post calibration. Also how do you get isf day/night? I just have professional 1/2 cheers mick

Mick, you say much better than the VT20 re: 50hz, however do you still notice it?

Phil - can you confirm how many ISF settings there are available per input please? i.e. is it day/night or is there an option for a third?
 
Thanks for the excellent review. I love my one day old vt30. I also find the screen doesn't buzz at all compared to my vt20. The vt20 had a definite buzz that got louder when bright material was shown on screen. My hunch is the one sheet glass design has sorted this. Id echo the findings in relation to 50hz. Much better than the vt20. Also find thx a little washed out looking. Be keen to see what settings you ended up with post calibration. Also how do you get isf day/night? I just have professional 1/2 cheers mick

Mick, you say much better than the VT20 re: 50hz, however do you still notice it?

Phil - can you confirm how many ISF settings there are available per input please? i.e. is it day/night or is there an option for a third?
 
Hi Phil, thanks for the review.

Does the louvre filter only filter light from above? Will it filter light from a table lamp or window to the left or right of the screen?

Roger
 
Hi Phil, thanks for the review.

Does the louvre filter only filter light from above? Will it filter light from a table lamp or window to the left or right of the screen?

Roger
 
Just one more question about reflection.
I think you are stating that it's very good on facing top and side ambient light but .. "Indeed, the VT30 is quite reflective and when I placed it opposite one of my living room windows all I could see during daylight viewing was the window and me sitting on the seat opposite"

Does it means that it is reflective as other plasmas or is actually much worse when ambient light comes from behind?

It is about the same as other plasmas in terms of reflections. My point was that you will get reflections even though the ambient light rejection is present. It was to address some confusion I have seen where users think the filter makes the screen non-reflective.
 
Just one more question about reflection.
I think you are stating that it's very good on facing top and side ambient light but .. "Indeed, the VT30 is quite reflective and when I placed it opposite one of my living room windows all I could see during daylight viewing was the window and me sitting on the seat opposite"

Does it means that it is reflective as other plasmas or is actually much worse when ambient light comes from behind?

It is about the same as other plasmas in terms of reflections. My point was that you will get reflections even though the ambient light rejection is present. It was to address some confusion I have seen where users think the filter makes the screen non-reflective.
 
Thanks for the review Phil, as ever extremely thorough, though I did note the "go see it for yourself" comment several times ;)

Oh what to do :rolleyes:

Go and see them for yourself :laugh:

We are trying hard to get hold of a Samsung 2011 Plasma model. It can be a hard task!!
 
Thanks for the review Phil, as ever extremely thorough, though I did note the "go see it for yourself" comment several times ;)

Oh what to do :rolleyes:

Go and see them for yourself :laugh:

We are trying hard to get hold of a Samsung 2011 Plasma model. It can be a hard task!!
 
Mick, you say much better than the VT20 re: 50hz, however do you still notice it?

Phil - can you confirm how many ISF settings there are available per input please? i.e. is it day/night or is there an option for a third?

Per input. i.e HDMI1 can be different from HDMI2 and each input has day and night.
 
Mick, you say much better than the VT20 re: 50hz, however do you still notice it?

Phil - can you confirm how many ISF settings there are available per input please? i.e. is it day/night or is there an option for a third?

Per input. i.e HDMI1 can be different from HDMI2 and each input has day and night.
 
Hi Phil, thanks for the review.

Does the louvre filter only filter light from above? Will it filter light from a table lamp or window to the left or right of the screen?

Roger

Looking at it, it filters at the side and above. See my other post regards confusion of what the filter does.
 
Hi Phil, thanks for the review.

Does the louvre filter only filter light from above? Will it filter light from a table lamp or window to the left or right of the screen?

Roger

Looking at it, it filters at the side and above. See my other post regards confusion of what the filter does.
 
Excellent review Phil, very informative, many thanks.

A quick question regarding the reflectiveness of the one sheet glass design. I'm one of those with a fairly bright living room but I have had the opportunity to test the GT30 in situe and whilst there are issues with reflections during certain parts of the day, I feel I can live with this particularly as most of my viewing will be in the evening anyway. In your opinion, having now reviewed both the GT and VT30, would you say the VT30 desgn makes it more reflective than the GT or they both largely the same.
 
Excellent review Phil, very informative, many thanks.

A quick question regarding the reflectiveness of the one sheet glass design. I'm one of those with a fairly bright living room but I have had the opportunity to test the GT30 in situe and whilst there are issues with reflections during certain parts of the day, I feel I can live with this particularly as most of my viewing will be in the evening anyway. In your opinion, having now reviewed both the GT and VT30, would you say the VT30 desgn makes it more reflective than the GT or they both largely the same.
 
Be keen to see what settings you ended up with post calibration. Also how do you get isf day/night? I just have professional 1/2 cheers mick

1) Settings. It is impossible to get the same results with a plasma screen by just entering someone elses settings. This is why we don't publish the settings as it is pretty pointless. Some say, 'But it is a good starting point' but actually just putting it in THX or Professional will give you a better start than entering worthless settings. ;)

2) Professional 1 and 2 are present on all the ISFccc Panasonic's. The name change only happens when you lock the professional modes by using the ISF code. This is for pro calibrators to use when they finish calibrating your TV so that the calibration you have paid for is not wiped by accident, say by the kids playing about with the remote.
 
Be keen to see what settings you ended up with post calibration. Also how do you get isf day/night? I just have professional 1/2 cheers mick

1) Settings. It is impossible to get the same results with a plasma screen by just entering someone elses settings. This is why we don't publish the settings as it is pretty pointless. Some say, 'But it is a good starting point' but actually just putting it in THX or Professional will give you a better start than entering worthless settings. ;)

2) Professional 1 and 2 are present on all the ISFccc Panasonic's. The name change only happens when you lock the professional modes by using the ISF code. This is for pro calibrators to use when they finish calibrating your TV so that the calibration you have paid for is not wiped by accident, say by the kids playing about with the remote.
 
Excellent review Phil, very informative, many thanks.

A quick question regarding the reflectiveness of the one sheet glass design. I'm one of those with a fairly bright living room but I have had the opportunity to test the GT30 in situe and whilst there are issues with reflections during certain parts of the day, I feel I can live with this particularly as most of my viewing will be in the evening anyway. In your opinion, having now reviewed both the GT and VT30, would you say the VT30 desgn makes it more reflective than the GT or they both largely the same.

Although it was Steve who did the GT30 review, I have seen both the GT and VT together in the same room and they are the same in terms of screen reflection. They are not bad, but if placed in the wrong spot it is likely to annoy some users. Good placement will not get rid of the reflection but will make it less noticable and I haven't had any issues in my room that has two windows.
 
Excellent review Phil, very informative, many thanks.

A quick question regarding the reflectiveness of the one sheet glass design. I'm one of those with a fairly bright living room but I have had the opportunity to test the GT30 in situe and whilst there are issues with reflections during certain parts of the day, I feel I can live with this particularly as most of my viewing will be in the evening anyway. In your opinion, having now reviewed both the GT and VT30, would you say the VT30 desgn makes it more reflective than the GT or they both largely the same.

Although it was Steve who did the GT30 review, I have seen both the GT and VT together in the same room and they are the same in terms of screen reflection. They are not bad, but if placed in the wrong spot it is likely to annoy some users. Good placement will not get rid of the reflection but will make it less noticable and I haven't had any issues in my room that has two windows.
 
I can still notice it bit its not nearly as distracting as it was on the vt20. Also ifc at mid eliminates it but I find its not worth the hassle having to turn it on/off pity its not a direct button on the remote or at at higher menu level. Either way it doesn't bother me much. Cheers mick
Mick, you say much better than the VT20 re: 50hz, however do you still notice it?

Phil - can you confirm how many ISF settings there are available per input please? i.e. is it day/night or is there an option for a third?
 
I can still notice it bit its not nearly as distracting as it was on the vt20. Also ifc at mid eliminates it but I find its not worth the hassle having to turn it on/off pity its not a direct button on the remote or at at higher menu level. Either way it doesn't bother me much. Cheers mick
Mick, you say much better than the VT20 re: 50hz, however do you still notice it?

Phil - can you confirm how many ISF settings there are available per input please? i.e. is it day/night or is there an option for a third?
 
Thx Phil, great review.

I'm kinda disappointed by THX default gamma thou. What's weird is that David get an average of 2.1 with standard size windows on his 42VT30 review. Having Pro/isf modes is great but considering most ppl won't get their set calibrated, such an high end set should IMHO at least have one "good" viewing mode.
Adding this to your feeback for Panasonic seems even more important to me than 50Hz bug and floating whites..

Anyway, thx again and for 55/65VT30 review it would be cool if u could test ARC this time. Apparently, it only passes 2.0 this year (in US).
 
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Thx Phil, great review.

I'm kinda disappointed by THX default gamma thou. What's weird is that David get an average of 2.1 with standard size windows on his 42VT30 review. Having Pro/isf modes is great but considering most ppl won't get their set calibrated, such an high end set should IMHO at least have one "good" viewing mode.
Adding this to your feeback for Panasonic seems even more important to me than 50Hz bug and floating whites..

Anyway, thx again and for 55/65VT30 review it would be cool if u could test ARC this time. Apparently, it only passes 2.0 this year (in US).
 
Phil great work with the review!
Hope your feeling better.

Regards

John
 
Phil great work with the review!
Hope your feeling better.

Regards

John
 
Thank you very much on the complete report on the various black and white levels, along with the measurement equipment. :smashin:
 

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