Would any of you use this plasma TV with an HTPC? Is it easy to mitigate against image retention and the dreaded burn in with TV settings?
587148
No reason not to use an HTPC: it is simply the source of your signal. Modern Panasonics are far less susceptible to burn-in, not to be confused with image retention (IR), a temporary condition. The key is not to have a static image for long periods of time, as might be the case if you're a gamer or with certain TV feeds etc., esp during the first 100 hours. There is an interesting thread discussing presumptive IR and it's elimination for the Panasonic P50U50 (an economy model line compared to the UT50 series) on AVSforum: http://www.avsforum.com/t/1443422/panasonic-50-p50u50-burn-in-help
587149
These Panasonic plasmas are not image retention prone. Look at your HTPC as the conduit/plumbing and the Panasonic as the faucet. If you don't consider the HTPC the problematic component you'll be delighted by the Panasonic: their support people are forthcoming.
587150
No reason why you can't use it for HTPC, though image retention is pretty likely. The anti-image retention options on the TV itself aren't that strong, though the scrolling black and white bars does work. Your HTPC should be able to dim/blank the screen when idel though...
276197
Pretty much. Like others have pointed out, you can get some 4k content from YouTube, but to really see what the tv can do you'll need to get something like this. I'd wait for the next generation server which should be out soon.
17183
I am thinking of buying the plasma 8000, but am concerned about the reviews that mention how warm the tv gets. The plasma I am replacing sits behind a built in entreatment center. While there is some air circulation, it is definitely not the same as having a fully exposed tv. Does anyone know if this is a legitimate concern? I want to avoid future problems possibly stemming from over heated circuits.
75781
We haven't noticed any burn in. Don't know what else to tell you. We never had an issue with our old Panasonic Plasma.
1825562
I just ordered the 52V4100 as well. Was this close to getting the Panasonic Plasma, but after reading last week Pioneer and Toshiba are dumping Plasma technology, and next year Samsung and Vizio are phasing it out, I am led to think Plasma is losing the battle for some reason. Perhaps it's all the rumors of burn in, break-in periods, excessive heat and energy usage. I don't know. I went with the Sony. The price I got was too good to pass up ($1250 with free shipping).
922291
Haven't had that problem. In general, I'm still very happy with the TV. The only disappointment is that it isn't on amazon's list of recognized "HD" TVs and therefore can't receive HD streaming via. Fortunately, Vudu provides an option for that purpose.
410289
I've heard this models great with HD. But I'm not planning on updating the box or getting a newer generation gaming system quite yet.I currently have no TV. My goal is to find the most cost efficient TV I'll be happy with for years. In other words, one that handles SD well for now, but handles HD good enough that when I switch to it I won't feel like I should buy a newer model.
1143347
I just got them and hooked them up. My plasma is causing interference when bright as well. Does moving the unit away from the tv help? Would like to explore fixes before returning.Thanks
1821109
I haven't seen any blurring. Big thing is probably the lack of display controls - the TV is not feature rich, but, then again, plasma's tend to not have too many features. Also, not alot of HDMI inputs either.
901707
To the best of my knowledge, there are no input lag concerns for plasma televisions. Burn in was a common concern in the past, but that no longer remains an issue. I game on a plasma and whenever I have any ghosting on my screen, all I have to do is change the channel (or input) and it immediately goes away. Hope this helps. S.L. Madden
170673
Well one thing to consider is if you play vidoe games. I have done some research myself and there has been a lot of talk about "burn in" with the plasma tv's. If you play video games and there is something on the screen that doesn't move or change very much then that image could burn into the tv screen. Just something else to consider.
1637936
While we don't use it to game it has a much higher refresh rate (600Hz) than a comparable LCD and due to the nature of Plasma there is no motion blur. I have not read any reviews specific to gaming but based on my experience I think it would work well.
622734
The "burn in" problem with plasma sets has been much improved over the years. You'd probably have to leave the same image on screen many hours for their to be any danger of burn in. Better hurry if you want this set. Panasonic is getting out plasma production and closing that factory early next year.
1262700
I have 3 plasmas (will have 4 soon). My oldest is 5 years old (480p). If I go to a blue screen I can see a slight burn from [MUTE] flashing in the same spot. With normal content on the screen it is not noticeable at all. The newer panels are so much more advanced and burn-in or IR is a thing of the past. Turn on the "pixel shift" and don't worry. Just don't fall asleep with a still image on any technology.
1240233
I am utilizing the image burn in protection, which is set to "on" as the default setting anyway for this tv. I haven't seen any burn in issues even though i have watched movies close to 2 hrs long with the black bars on the top and bottom of the screen.
789142
I believe that while this TV has less of a burn in sensitivity than the first plasma TV's, it still has some sensitivity to burn in from long term display of a stationary image. The manual for the TV states:"If a fixed image displays on the TV screen for a long period of time, it will be imprinted and become a permanent disfigurement on the screen. This is "image burn" and not covered by the warranty."In my case I have seen no evidence of burn-in, but I do not play electronic games - some of which can be problematic.
1316429
Hi Michael,burn in is pretty much a thing of the past now.Panasonic tvs move the image slightly a row or two of pixels (you can't notice it) to keep burn in at bay anyway.Just don't pause the game for hours on end and you should be right.If you notice the effect put the tv on an analogue station that's untuned and the snowy picture will clear it .Mpst tvs have a widget called an orbiter that puts a small image on the screen and it moves around if it detects a paused picture after a certain amount of time.I hope this helps and enjoy your new Plasma.