OK, as a first foray into plasma from CRTs, I have just bought myself a Samsung 42" HPR4252X, and have some questions. Firstly, I noticed some extreme pixellation even on DVD pictures. I also notice it looking at a still photo from my laptop, transmitted via the VGA interface - some of the pixels even twinkle a little. The pixellation is not apparent on my laptop screen. Should this be the case? Should I take the TV back to the shop? The effect is very noticable especially in the darker areas with a gradual gradation in brightness across the screen in any direction. Looks like some kind of digital noise, and I find it annoying. (The phenomenon is also visible on normal TV transmissions, but the I got blinded by the poor picture quality of most of the channels in general anyway!) I went back to Frys and looked at the plasmas in the shop - and lo and behold - on closer inspection, they all also seemed to be doing it, although I didn't notice it when I excitedly purchased the TV in the first place! Is this just a factor of playing standard definition stuff into a hi-res TV like this? Is it just that the problem has always been there on all CRT TVs, but is more noticable on this TV in comparison to what we all know and have learnt to tolerate? I have not seen HD on this TV yet. Will the phenomenon disappear when I try this?
Should I try investing in a digital source rather than analogue (if there is such a thing - ie not VGA or normal video cable from the DVD player) In which case, what are my options?
Also, I am new to the US and have got Time-Warner to install a standard cable receiver box. I now learn that I can get a cable card from them to insert into the TV . Will this give a better quality picture than the cable-box for standard definition transmissions? (Forgetting HD for a minute, since most material is still Standard def). What are the other advantages?
Well..... Hmm. You are addressing a LOT of topics so lemme see if I can make sense of all of them for you.
Remember, you are going to a flat panel. You are in a whole new realm. The older TVs were using a magnet to bend the information to the screen.... not very accurate. But that is why analog information is so good for that. It is a wavelength. Now a flat panel display is by definition binary. You will have a screen that is like a graph. Plotted out similar to X & Y coordinates. The benefit here is that the information is placed EXACTLY where it should be. When you look at these screens they have more "depth" because the picture is displayed correctly.
To address these issues one by one.
The Twinkle: This is actually your computer's fault. The refresh rate is to blame. The second problem is the VGA cable. You SHOULD use DVI or HDMI. (yeah, I know laptops don't have it)
Pixelation: This could be from a couple of things. You are ALWAYS supposed to spend a fortune on analog cables. If you signal is not as perfect going into the tv as is it coming out of the cable box you are losing quality. I'm sure you have listened to the radio when you drove in a tunnel of in a storm. You have prolly heard static on the radio.... well this is similar. Distortion in the line. Make sure you are using RG6 coax cable. Monster for componet cables. Make sure that your cable box is outputting in 480i resolution so your TV can de-interlace for you.
Hmm. Well I have a different perpsective. First, if you can return the SAmsung and get a Pnasonic or a Pioneer. Sorry. Do I have to go into detail?
Your plasma probably came with ferrite cores. Place them on your cables as directed. It may not make any difference but it might. Also, simplify your set up as a test for a moment. Just DVD player directly to display. Lets make sure the display can actually give a decent picture under better circumstances and with less interfaces. Also, the de-interlacer in the SAmsung, as with most plasmas, does not function as well as a decent DSVD player chipset. You actually MUST set your player to progressive out ( 480P) but that should NOT be related to true pixelation. Cables- Monster is not recommended. Please visit bluejeanscable.com. cobaltcables.com, heartlandcables.com or any other number of sites.
try a simple composite connecton fro the puter if you can for grins, see what happens. Or buy a switcher box and run the computer to the switcher box, many feet away from the display itself, and run cxomponent or HDMI from the switcher box to the display. You can run all of yourdevices to the switcher, with only one video output to the display from the box. Cheers!
Marc, again. STFU. You really sound like a sales guy who doesn't know what he is really talking about. You obviously don't own a plasma tv. You also do not know how to troubleshoot. Not everyone wants panasonic or pioneer. WTF are you saying? Your tv sucks and is causing the problem? Seriously, find a new hobby.
I own a plasma. I am not a sales guy. And you appear to be spreading really bad info. I very much know what I am talking about as well. Samsungs are problem ridden in the QA department and if a new purchase could be returned for a better quality product. Its just that simple.
biglark
Unregistered guest
Posted on
New Philips 42" Plasma(42PF9630A/37). I've had it for three weeks now, and i just noticed a very small frozen dot (bad pixel) on the screen. You would have to know were it is to notice it, but it is always there and will not go away. Now that i found it, I am always focused on it. Is there any way to get rid of this?
You have either a dead or stuck pixel. If on an all white screen its a black dot its dead. If its red blue or green its stcuk. Where did you buy it from? try and get a return if you can. If its in a corner it may not be a big deal to you. if its dead center it would bug me personally.
CliveW
Unregistered guest
Posted on
OK guys,
Thanks for all your replies, and I think the answer lies in a combination of your ideas (he said democratically), although I have still not been able to put my finger on the issue yet.
I have already returned one set to Frys (BTW good on them for coming, seeing the problem, agreeing it was no good, and arriving the next day with a replacement (same model - yes I saw the old one leave and the new one being taken out of the box next to it.... no funny games by Frys). However, I have found the same problem with this set (having watched it for hours), and finally I have decided I will replace it again with a new manufacturer's model (probably Panasonic but I'm open to suggestions...)
Firstly, it is NOTHING to do with the cables - I am now running HDMI from my TWC Scientific Atlanta 8300HD set top box. To be quite honest, I think this has actually made it easier to see the problem, and I have reverted to using analog component.
Secondly, there are some free HD cable channels, and yes I see the effect on this too - especially in darker areas. Anyone know any reason why these free channels might not be up to the same standard as the subscription channels? Anyway, it appears to occur on more than one free HD channel.
Speaking digitally, it looks as though quantization is not linear - ie fewer bits have been allocated to darker areas, but more bits have been allocated to brighter areas where (arguably) more concentration of the luminance detail is necessary. Hence, a single LSB change in the darker areas becomes visible - don't know if I've explained this well or not, but I guess this would be invisible if the quantization were linear.... any comments?
Well, I hear you say... why don't you try changing the brightness/contrast until this effect is invisible? Well, I have tried this, and calibrated my set too according to a calibration DVD given to me by Frys. No good. In order to make this quantization effect disappear, I need to make the dark areas almost invisible, and this makes for unpleasant and unnatural viewing.
I have to say, I think I have a good setup, but the TV itself appears to be letting me down, and I think I will opt for a non-Samsung. That said, I think I mentioned in my first communique that the other sets in Frys (including other manufacturers) seem, upon close inspection, to be doing the same....
I will keep you posted on my next move. Meanwhile, keep comments coming.
I have a Sony Plasma KE-42m1 and i now have a loud buzzing sound from the back of the TV especially when bright colors are displayed. does anybody know whether this can be fixed or whether this is "normal" draw of power, any help would be appreciated.
Plasmas at high altitude can BUZZ- where do you live?
AS far as CliveW- HMM. This happens with component cable directly connected DVD player to display?
Try using a different outlet in a different room.
DVD direct to Display is critical in this. WE have to get the cable signal out of the equation to evaluate the display. Two displays doing the saem thing usually uis NOT a display issue.
No. Why dont you try a Sony service center or maybe a phone call to their tech support. Or perhaps a question to your origianl vendor. It sounds like a power supply but with the association with changing images of brightness I am not sure.
CliveW
Unregistered guest
Posted on
Thanks Marc, but I know now that this effect is purely digital. If it were an analog/noise/interference issue, then it would be a pretty dynamic effect I would be seeing. As i have elaborated, the most annoying effect is that of apparent over-quantization. On a still image, this effect does not move. For example, on an image of a bright thing in the middle of the screen, as the brightness tapers off towards the edge of the image, it appears to take on a "stepped" effect. this is not interference. When I finally replace my broken digital camera, I might post a picture of this effect.
What I am really interested in is if anyone has experienced this effect with any other sets (Samsung/not Samsung), and how they dealt with it.
CliveW
ferrantelaw
Unregistered guest
Posted on
Thank you Marc, I will contact Sony, unfortuntely it is not still under warranty. Is it possible that the tv needs its own circuit??
CliveW- If you are trying to watch and SD signal via HDMI connect on an HD plasma-- thats the worst case scenario for picture quality. This may actually be normal functioning for your plasma. My guess is viewing an HD signal this would improve. But I dont know that. I dont have this at all on my Plasma but I only watch DVDs and the components and set are very high quality. BTW- One idea- can you set your set to display a lower resolution? NAd does this change the effect? Just a thought.
Ferreantlaw- I have been thinking on this. When bright signal is handled by pixels-- more electricity is required- this has been measured and reported in many posts on avsforum.com. If then buzzing increases as power use increases- this is likely a power supply issue. I cannot say if it's a resistor, capacitor, or transformer- my knowledge of circuits is long gone. But I had a subwoofer that did this ( I have two identical ones in my HT) and it was a power supply issue- I just got another one sent to me and sent back " The Hummer". However, the good news is that a power supply should be the easiest replacement of the three general parts of a plasma- glass/electronics/ and power supply. Hope that helps.
Kevin073
Unregistered guest
Posted on
Hey guys, The noise he is reffering to is called white noise. It is caused by a defect in the main motherboard. The reason I know is I had the same problem and the service guy came out and said it was a common problem with the samsungs especially.