Plasma TV "calibration" (?)

[exboxster]

Looking to get a 42" Plasma, and reckon the LG looks damn good value. I'm not wall mounting it so figured I could do the instillation myself- ie plugging it in. The place I'm going to buy it from are offering me a "calibration service" for £100. They say that you can't just take these out of the box and plug them in. Are they pulling my chain or is this really necessary?

[robdickinson]

Definatly if its done properly a calibrated screen will be a lot better.

[Dave 500]

I've worked with plasma screens for the past 6 years in the AV industry and never heard of that... I think they are pulling your chain mate

[scorp]

Im guessing they come around and mess around with your brightness and contrast settings.

[Einion Yrth]

scorp said:

Im guessing they come around and mess around with your brightness and contrast settings.

Yeah, I'll do it for £70

[Laingy]

They us test disks like AVIA, it takes quite a long time to do properly, you can do it yourself if you buy the test disk (see play.com).

[scorp]

Laingy said:

They us test disks like AVIA, it takes quite a long time to do properly, you can do it yourself if you buy the test disk (see play.com).

That kind of thing is done in the factory though, its nowhere near as complicated as a CRT (rotation, RGB seperation, skew, perspective and all that other malarkay).

[BliarOut]

What model and price? For another £100 you might be able to run to a Panasonic which would have a better picture anyway.

"Proper" calibration involves setting the RGB levels and contrast etc from the service menu's and is supposed to set the screen correctly to your viewing environment.

[mr_yogi]

I know that Rear projection TVs are very sensitive (and if you don't know what you're doing, it's very differcult) to calibration of the geometry so they stay nice n focused. Most high end CRTs also have the ability to adjust the goemetry through serive menus. Mine needs slight adjustment but when I looked at the service menu I got scared. I noted all the values and then started tweaking, got into a awful pickle so just put it back to how it was

However I don't really understand how Plasmas work, I was under the impression they are fixed resolution (like LCDs) in which case there would be no geometry settings

So to me it sounds like they are offereing to set your brightness and contrast for £100.

Which if you can get hold of a DVD with the THX setup on (such as Finding Nemo) it you can do it yourself in about 10mins

Of course I could be very wrong

[rfisher]

Do you need to do this with an LCD TV as well?

[jezza l]

My 42" samsung was not calibrated by anyone. I played around with various settings myself until I got the picture just how I wanted it. Maybe it could be slightly better but I am happy with how it is now.

[scared but happy]

Remember a picture that size looks better without Macrovision

[robdickinson]

www.homecinemaengineering.com/services1.php

www.convergent-av.co.uk/calibration.html

Personaly it depends on how good you are at tweaking the setup but a professional will get it right for your viewing room.

[exboxster]

thanks for the comment. It was the following that I've been looking at.

www.comet.co.uk/comet/html/cache/455_208108.html

I'm aware it's not HD ready but don't care. I've got a big enough room to carry off 42" and I looks to have a fine picture. Anyone out then going to warn me off and tell me I'd be better off getting an etch-a-sketch ?

[robdickinson]

Well the acepted best screens at the moment are the Panasonics but if it looks good to you then go for it.

[deckster]

You've got two days -

http://ws4.richersounds.com/showproduct.php?cda=showproduct&pid=PANA-TH42PWD7

Just do it (and don't get LG, they're widely acknowledged to have the worst picture quality in the business).

[HarryW]

when we bought ours a little while ago we had a good poke and prod around the shops, in particular richer sounds, at that time the best 'looking' picture was always one from the Hitachi.
perhaps it was just better set up than the rest then .
Originally we went in to buy the panasonic but when I saw the picture quality on the hitachi next it playing the same DVD we bought the Hitachi. Hope we didn;t get a pup .

H

[exboxster]

ok- that's confused me. I thought the picture was fine when I saw it, and that comet link quotes the What Video picture quality as 4 /5. Are they really as bad as you say ?

[randlemarcus]

Seconded on the Dont buy an LG. Pub near me had one, and the picture was frankly awful. As always, the more you spend, the better...
Hitachi are rebadged Fujitsu screens for the most part.

As far as buying it goes, I'd use the AV shops/Richer sounds type places to find a model you like (that IS HD ready, trust me), then use the interwebnet to find somewhere to buy it from, several hundred pounds cheaper.

Rules of thumb: buy modern, as they tend to have pixel movers to avoid screen burn from logos etc.
Whatever you do, dont fall asleep watching a programme on Sky + that you recorded earlier. WHen it finishes, it goes straight to a nice angular, white bordered menu. Mate of mine did this about a year into ownership, and it has a lovely Sky menu burnt on now...

[vixpy1]

deckster said:

You've got two days - http://ws4.richersounds.com/showproduct.php?cda=showproduct&pid=PANA-TH42PWD7 Just do it (and don't get LG, they're widely acknowledged to have the worst picture quality in the business).

IS that the one everyone raves about then?

I think i might be having a chat with the local Richer sounds if it is!