Vp50+hdmi+50ph9

Chris5

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Hi Everyone :hiya:
I've just bought a Pany 50PH9 and have some questions

1. should I set the VP50 to output Video levels or PC levels.

2. I can no longer see Blacker-than-black level output from DVE disk using a Pioneer 868 DVD HDMI player (through VP50) when I could before with my old DLP tv. is this correct?

3. The picture is softer than my old 720P DLP tv. Is this because (a) i'm using the tv to scale from 720P to native 768, or (b) because the DLP does not have sub RGB pixels, but just 1 all colour pixel mirror, or (c) some other reason?

:offtopic:
These should be asked in the plasma thread, but while I'm here :D

4. how long do I need to run it in before it can be ISF calibrated (colour balance looks bad at the mo).

5. can anyone pm the info to access the engineering mode.

Thanks
Chris
 
Hold down Vol- on front of display then while still holiding it down press INDEX button three times. Then OK to enter the I2C menu.

Give it a couple hundred hours.
If going to HDMI input then I'd go with VIDEO levels myself.

Gordon
 
Thanks Gordon, I'll be contacting you soon for a visit :)
 
I think I've sorted a lot of my problems out last night by forcing the VP50 to output Component colour space instead of RGB that it was set to for my old DLP RPTV. Colour now seems acceptable, and the picture seem much sharper? Why?
 
The colorspace should in theory make no difference but you normlly find that the colour decoder in the display has some sort of screw up that makes it better to output RGB from the processor.

Can you define your meaning of sharper? As I am sure you know there is sharper thanks to a cleaner signal and then "sharper" thansk to excess edge enhancement. Think it would be good to know what we were talking about here before going further!

Neil
 
I find quite the opposite RGB is worse.

with RGB, best settings
Contrast = 6
Bright = 3
Input level = -9
G=2.2
DVDO VP50 colour = -5 (colour still too strong really)
SkyHD Contrast = MEDIUM

with YCbCr 444
Contrast = 5
Bright=6
IL = -9
Colour = -5 (set by DVE colour filter)
G=2.2
DVDO colour set back to 0)
SkyHD Contrast = HIGH

1. with RGB, colour was far too bright, REDS stood out like a sore thumb, and flesh could have a green tinge. no menu option is present to adjust colour down. Colours ok when switched to YCbCr 444
2. The picture was very soft and low res, like watching and old CRT tv. you couldn't tell any difference between SKY HD HD and skyHD SD, certainly not on a par of my old trusty Optoma RD50 DLP-TV which is clean and razor sharp. When I looked closely there were lots of swerling noise in grays. I only found the improvement before I went to bed last night, so will double check my findings when I get home tonight. My first plasma experience is not impressive
 
The greyscales in the display will be set up differently for the memories for each input -- RGB vs YUV.

ISF calibration will sort you out. ;)

StooMonster
 
Stoomonster, all this is with HDMI input only, just changeing the VP50 colour space output from RGB to YCbCr 444
 
Oops.

Although the HDMI YCbCr should be at VIDEO levels, perhaps the HDMI RGB needs to be at PC levels?

StooMonster
 
yeah, I tried that without success. Anyway, I think I'm happy now. I was just wondered why the picture looked so awful when set the RGB colourspace.

I'm thinking of buying a HDMI -> component black box from avsales, and going in via component to get 1:1 pixel mapping. It'll cost about ÂŁ200 with comp. cables which is about 15% of the cost of the plasma. will I see an improvement over non 1:1 hdmi I wonder?

I'l probably will get it calibrated after 200 hours (about 6 weeks viewing)
 
When I had Panny 50-inch plasma that was how I had it set up, and used the BNC blade for best possible analogue connection. The picture quality on checker-board test pattern was indistinguishable from digital connections. In addition to 50Hz support, the display also handled 48Hz with no frame-rate conversion. :)

Do some research first, though I read that later Panny plasmas can be a PITA to get 1:1 mapping over analogue -- whereas it used to be the simpliest thing in the world to do.

StooMonster
 
Chris5,

I have exactly the same equipment as yourself, with the exception that I use a DC-DA1 digital/analogue converter to achieve 1:1 pixel mapping via VGA. It is not difficult but, unlike earlier models, the PH9 insists on continuing to process a little even when you have perfect pixel mapping. This results in horizontal banding on the test patterns but, according to Gordon and other knowledgeable members, has no noticeable effect on PQ. Ihan has found that changing the vertical timings can eliminate the problem if you are really bothered by it.

If you are in Essex at any time you are welcome to view my set-up.

Regards, Oblomov
 
Thanks Oblomov, that 's very kind of you. Unfortunatley, I can't drive, so it is unlikely that I can take you up on you kind offer.

I'm still undecided whether or not to invest in the analog route. Is there an improvemnt in the picture quality by going 1:1 mapping over component instead of HDMI with 10% panel scaleing?

Chris.
 
I have my 50PHD8 setup with the VP50 for HDMI and RGBHV analogue.

I find the RGBHV route the best for me as i can send the display pixel mapped or 1080P@50, 60, 24, 25 hz and everything else, with HDMI you are extremely tied to what you can send and not as good for tweaking the best out of the display.

1080P @ 48 and 24hz etc..is excellent and so i have set my VP50 to send 1080P to the display for all sources, which looks better than the pixel mapped resolution IMHO.

The Panasonic really seems to shine downscaling.
 

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