TH42PHD8 ordered!

[blackeyepurple]

After 3 weeks of waiting for my PV500 i've had enough and cancelled. Got a TH42PHD8 on order from AVSales.co.uk.....will be here tomorrow. Was nice to order from people who 1) know what they are talking about. 2) Call back when they say they will. 3) Have an interest in what they are selling. Its cost me more than the PV but its a larger screen and I dont need a tuner or speakers anyway. Wont be going out for a couple of months now though I'm well excited. Just hope there are no dead/stuck pixels!

 

[UKseless1]

Nice one - you won't regret it. Best change your signature now then

 

[steve-o]

Best change that sig then!

Edit: beaten by mere SECONDS

 

[X6TUS]

Completely agree about AVSales - very good service in this day and age of very poor service from most places.

Mine arrived on Tuesday and after an initial check it is now sitting in the spare room downstairs in its box. The wall mount is up but I've got a whole weekend of sanding down plaster walls before decorating so it isn't going up until the dust has cleared.

Do you know how difficult it is for me to let it sit there in the box in the spare room !! I WANT TO PLAY WITH IT NOW!!

lol

 

[Jim_Fear]

NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! You evil man, thats what I was going to do =(

I cant cancel my order because its on a finance contract and the cancellation period has expired aparently and I cant be arsed to argue it out, i'll probably seel the PV500 as soon as it comes and buy the PHD8, just gotta wait for it to come though...

 

[gIzzE]

That is rubbish. If you have not recieved the goods finance should not have started, they get authorisation at the time but should only put it through when the product ships.

Who is that with?

 

[Jim_Fear]

The company i bought it from was Buyyourav.com

The took the deposit out of my account as soon as they received my signature...THEN rang to tell me it was out of stock. Problem is i'm kind having to depend on this now to get the PHD8, as I ws turned down finance for the PHD8 from the finance company AV-Sales deal with, so my intention was to wait for the PV500, sell it to get cash in hand then go and grab the PHD8, that way I can then slowly pay off the PV500 money over the year before the interest free period runs out AND have the PHD8 at the same time.

I would have been more bothered about it if I was accepted for the PHD8 but as it stands this is currently the only way it can be done

 

[gIzzE]

Tell them that you have read about loads of problems with the PV500, the line, the fluctuating brightness etc. etc.
And that you would rather just go for the panel, if the PV500 is faulty you will just return it for a full refund, I bet they soon get you a panel.

 

[Jim_Fear]

Hopefully they'll stock the PHD8's, I know they do the PWD8's

 

[blackeyepurple]

Anyone have any advise on general set up of this unit? Tips on looking after it during run in? Cheers

 

[theo cupier]

I turned off Cinema mode, onto 'Normal'

Also make sure that you turn it off Panasonic 'Just' mode for each source and set it to 16:9 or 4:3 as appropriate, I got some very odd effects from 'Just', like overscanning of DVDs and horizontal scrolling looking poor.

Do yourself a favour and get DVE and run the contrast, brightness and colour setting features, as well as the geometry test patterns, because I did get improvements from these over 'naked eye' settings from normal viewing.

Right, off to put a few more hours on the screen.

 

[tscotsman]

can you send us some screenshots of the phd8 in action?

 

[blackeyepurple]

Cheers Theo....don't have DVE so will have to slum it with THX optimizer.....started of buying an £830 Toshiba 32WL56 LCD and 8 faulty sets later ended up spending 2.5K on a plasma.....how did that happen???? this forum has a lot to answer for God I hope its good.

 

[blackeyepurple]

can you send us some screenshots of the phd8 in action?

yeah sure.....really hope this set isn't faulty....i'm sure i'm cursed....maybe the god of plasma will smile on me!

 

[Mep]

theo...cinema is usually better......mine is coming tomorrow and I'll be doing cinema mode again...just keep them out of dynamic

 

[av2diefor]

I find "normal" looks good.

Should it save the settings for each input, i never read manuals

I seem to be turning down the contrast every time i turn the panel on?

 

[gIzzE]

Should it save the settings for each input, i never read manuals

Yeah! You lazy b.........

As you have a 506xde in the other room you probably find normal looks better as it is a little brighter.
I always found that every panny panel looks better on Cinema and contrast at -2 or even lower, give it a go and see what you think, may take a few hours to get used to it like that. And definitely set the colour at around -2 or lower too.

 

[Mep]

well i'll try normal...the 7s do save the settings for each input and I can't imagine the 8 doesn't....but I think its quire common after CRT to have settings too high...as you get used to them being turned down you start to realise teh colours are more natural

 

[av2diefor]

Yeah! You lazy b.........


Easy tiger, i'm passing your way soon, might pop in

Just been "messin" with the Panny, jumping around and scrolling on Sky, not good.
Unplugged the JS rgb/component converter and went in s-video, really , really good.
Amp switches audio and video, handy, must read the manual

Anyway John Sim has asked me to send the converter back for a check (great guy)

 

[gIzzE]

He is a great guy, I had a problem with a 2 year old unit, the whole image used to shimmer when you got real close, sent it back and they sent me a new version, can't ask for more than that!

You better let me know when you are coming passed.

 

[av2diefor]

Yeah i'll let you know, cant pass up the chance to see Crystalio in all it's glory

 

[theo cupier]

I find "normal" looks good.

Should it save the settings for each input, i never read manuals

I seem to be turning down the contrast every time i turn the panel on?

It had a MANUAL? Who knew!

It does save settings for each input. Seriously, for an extra £10, I would buy DVE.

 

[blackeyepurple]

Well its here.....and all in one piece Havn't had time to set it up as I just popped home so the delivery guy could drop it of. Its a big mumma though and the stand is pretty heavy too.....hope my poor little Ikea stand can take the strain! If you are going to get one of these AVSALES.COM is the place to go.

 

[blackeyepurple]

Well its all set up now.....brightness and contrast down and set in cinema mode.....picture is stunning on dvd and better than i'd ever have hoped on freeview Only downer is one stuck pixel fairly near dead centre.....have noticed it does most colours bar blue.....looks like yellow on white.....for some reason i'm not too bothered.....AV Sales said it was within spec in zone A and if returned they would not supply another. Would have liked a perfect set but it appears i'm doomed with plasma and LCD in this respect. Anyhoo winge over......the picture is fantastic....much more like CRT and less cold than LCD.....stretching all bordered movies for the first couple of hundred hours to avoid retention. Will post some pics over the w/e for those interested.