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443 of 446 people found the following review helpful.
*IMPORTANT* SETUP INFO! PREVENT HEADACHES
By Nbot
Read Here! Important Setup Info to ensure you don't ruin the screen, picture calibration (default is for energy savings, not good pic), $19 Active 3D glasses, $30 wall mounts, removing ads & youtube settings.Hey all, if you are reading this, means you already want this plasma, or started off like I did, confident that you were looking for a new edge-lit LED tv, but after days of research shocked to see yourself purchasing a plasma! The better picture, for 1/2 the cost, with plasma-ish issues (heat, burn-in, etc) now mostly a thing of the past, makes you wonder why people are snapping up LED's (I got this for $699 at a local box shop, would've done Amazon at same price but didn't want to wait).Note: *3D GLASSES* You do NOT need to spend $50 each on glasses. Last year the major brands agreed on a universal active 3d standard via bluetooth. You can buy the new $19 Samsung SSG-4100GB glasses here on Amazon(Samsung SSG-4100GB 3D Active Glasses 2012 Models - Black), and they work great on this TV (I have 2 pairs). If you don't believe this, google "3D active glasses CNET" and find their article confirming this. I'm sure other active glasses will soon be available as well. CNET has a good article on the difference between Active & Passive pros & cons as well if you're still on the fence; IMO, the 3D on this TV with the $20 Samsung's is awesome.Anyways, you know the pros/cons already of this TV (if not, I put my PROS/CONS as a comment/reply below); this article is to save you 10 hours of reading on how to set it up and enjoy it. The following suggestions should apply to any UT50 or Panny Viera plasma (except the calibrations are only for the 50" I would assume).1. BREAK-IN PERIOD: Even though this is mostly a thing of the past with newer plamas, you'll see everyone with an opinion on this topic, yet its clear that plasmas are still *NOT* yet IDIOT PROOF (just use easy rules below & you'll be fine). You'll see the plasma gurus of years past insist that you need to run a video file of "slides" repeatedly for 100 hours minimum to evenly break-in the screen, or you'll end up with "IR" (image retention) & "burn in" images on your display. Even though newer plasma tech is now much more forgiving, for the first couple weeks (100 hours) you should *not* play the same video game (fixed icons/menu), or watch TV in a 4:3 format (that has black bars on the side) or wide-screen(black bars on top) or the same TV station (NBC with their logo on the bottom right). There's a pretty good chance you'll end up with something burned into the screen, and you won't be happy, and your dog or wife will hate you. You'll hate yourself. Google "Cnet Do I Need to Break In New Plasma" for a more informed article on this, but basically, stick to 16:9 video (fills the entire screen), if it doesn't, hit the "FORMAT" button on the remote to FILL the screen so you don't have black bars, and don't stick on channels with static logos (ESPN with the news ticker! NG with their logo, etc) for hours on end. ALSO, apparently a good idea to keep your CONTRAST settings below 100% for the first 100 hours or so (80 or below is the word, I'm a risk taker, think I'm at 85). Just watch full-screen content without stationary logos during the break-in period as much as possible, or don't stay stuck on any one channel/logo/ticker. Me, I just put a DVD/on-demand movie on repeatedly when I was doing other stuff around the house (find the longest movie you've got). If you are reading this after the fact & already hate yourself, go to Youtube and google "fix plasma" etc there are some videos that may be able to burn it out, or apparently Disney made some "WOW CD" that is a plasma staple, google it, lots of people useit, I can't comment on it not having used it.2. BREAK-IN PERIOD (2nd): There is a built in "Anti-Image Retention" scrolling bar (under Menu>>Setup>>Anti Image Retention). I run this after watching a movie or say at halftime & afterwards of watching an NFL game (just being paranoid probably, but its easy so why not). At least initially...if you go onto Youtube there is a 5 minute video clip called "Plasma HDTV Burn-In Clip" (starts with pink spirals). There's a link on that page you can download the video & put it on a USB stick and then tell your TV to run it in a loop overnight for a few nights (if you were motivated) as others suggest, I decided I'd just run the scrolling bars in between viewings, from what I've read the new plasma tech is forgiving enough as long as you don't push it too far.3. CALIBRATION: I would put this 1st, but figure its more important not to screw up the screen. The TV comes in an "Eco" friendly setting so they can get that $21/year energy cost sticker. This is a garbage picture. You'll end up spending $46/year or so according to CNET in reality once you adjust the TV for a good picture (and I'm assuming your getting the plasma for a good picture, not to save $25/year on electricity). You can google "CNET TC-P50UT50 CALIBRATION" and find their suggested calibration settings, or if you really want to get into it, google "AVSFORUM TC-P50UT50 CALIBRATION" and there's a 20 page thread titled "The Official Panasonic UT50 Settings/Issues Thread", and the 2 main contributors (PathofNeo & anikun07) suggest similar but slightly different settings than CNET. If you jump to Page 9 (post 250) of that thread, you'll find anikun07's settings for both CINEMA mode and also 3D MODE. If you want to know "why" these settings are best (including why you should use CINEMA mode, not CUSTOM mode for better blacks), read the first 9 pages. I'll cheat & post anikun07's current settings below for you, but if he changes them in the future I wouldn't know, you'd have to check the thread. I didn't bother getting into the custom RGB color settings, just the main easy-access settings.4. REMOVE ADVERTISEMENTS / DISABLE ADS (seen on startup & in the Internet menu): For the ads displayed on startup, go to MENU>>SETUP>>ADVANCED SETTINGS>>VIERA CONNECT BANNER (and set to OFF). For the ads displayed as one of the apps, just unselect that app from being displayed in the app/store settings (uncheck it). If you are confused how to move an app from the 1st screen to the 3rd, there's a FAQ on Panasonic's site for this TV that explains the steps in detail.5. YOUTUBE: The app allows you to link your phone or tablet to your TV (so you don't have to painfully type in search terms using that remote from the 90's). It gives you a PIN to enter into your device, then whatever you type into the device & hit play, ends up playing on your TV, pretty neat.6. VIDEO SETTINGS FOR 3D, NORMAL TV & INTERNET APPS (NETFLIX ETC) ARE ALL SEPARATE: These are all controlled separately, so once you find the right settings for your cinema mode, you have to play a 3D movie, then open up the picture menu again and make the settings per below, and same for Internet Apps, go into youtube or netflix & edit the picture settings there as well (I used same settings for both TV & internet apps). I guess each input has its own setting, so HDMI1 & HDMI2 you have to make the different picture settings (see comments below page 3)7. MOTION SMOOTHER (Soap Opera Effect): Everyone will tell you the first thing you need to do is disable the digital manipulation of the video, turn off the "Motion Smoother" (see full settings below). Basically, you'll turn off all digital manipulation, as they (according to the experts) just bog down the picture quality. This is confusing to me; why would *all* of the TV manufacturers spend money adding digital manipulations of the picture that no experts want? Perhaps the features fluff up some settings/images, while ruining others, I don't know enough to speculate, however even on LED's everyone says to turn off these digital "enhancements" as well.8. WALL MOUNTS: You do *not* need to spend $100-200 for a wall mount! Only $28! Check out "Cheetah Mounts APTMM2B Flush Tilt Dual Hook (1.3" from wall) Flat Screen TV Wall Mount Bracket for 32-65 inch Plasma, LED, and LCD TVs Up To VESA 700x400 and 165lbs, Including 10' Braided High Speed with Ethernet HDMI Cable and 3-Axis Magnetic Bubble Level" here on Amazon, $27.99 (Prime) and its 1.5" from the wall & includes tilt (my old mount had swivel but I never used it). Holds up to 165lbs, nearly 5 stars from 2,000+ reviews, nice (remember to drill into a stud!). Also, if you tilt the TV downwards a smidgen, then the overhead room light doesn't reflect on the screen when you are sitting down, if glare's an issue at night, cheap fix.1/21/13 Updates:9. Android App: There is a Viera droid app in the Play store (can't comment on Apple IOS), works on tablets & phones. However, as of 1/21/13 its pretty annoying that you can't use the app to "type" into the search bars on Netflix or Hulu (why else would I use the app over the remote?). Youtube's sync let's you type in the search bar, hopefully they fix this bug. I note that there are bluetooth mini-keyboards that you can buy for ~$40, I haven't looked into this yet though. For now I'll probably make due with the clunky non-qwerty remote.10. I really wish the remote could be programmed to control my cable box as well; I'm not sure I want to spend $100 for a Harmony remote, and I'm not sure if a Harmony remote would handle all the custom internet functions anyways (navigating the Viera Netflix & Hulu apps etc), looks like I might be stuck with a few remotes for now at least; the Android app & non-programmable remote are really my only (minor) complaints on this TV, which is still a 5-star bargain at the price I got it at though.1/23/13 Update:11. Wireless Dongle: if you don't have an ethernet cable nearby, instead of buying the Panny wireless adapter Panasonic TY-WL20U Wireless Adapter for Panasonic 2012 Internet Ready TVs, something to consider instead would be one of these "Powerline" adapters that are slightly less in cost, but something you could use for other purposes later on, and/or be able to add other adapters to your house for other internet devices (I did a very QUICK search, these ZyXEL adapters seemed the best bang for the buck (Logitech's HD Powerline 200a is $105), there could be a better brand/price you'd have to check but these are $43 on Prime currentlyZyXEL PLA401v3 HomePlug AV 200 Mbps Powerline Wall-plug Adapter (Starter Kit - 2 units):Here are Anikun07's 2D & 3D calibration settings from the AVSforum thread I mentioned above (apparently these settings target a neutral D65 coloring, you may find you like TV's with unnatural heavy red hues, to each their own?):***2D CINEMA MODE*** (not custom, not vivid, not standard)______________Contrast: +90Brightness: +49Color: +48Tint: 0Sharpness: 0Color Temp: Warm 2Color Mgmt.: OffC.A.T.S.: OffVideo NR: Off______________Aspect AdjustmentsScreen Format: FullHD Size: Size 2H Size: Size 1______________HDMI Settings (*edit, CNET says the following, which is what I did as well: -- HDMI settings: [no change from default]. Don't change to 16-235 or the other option unless you are positive which color settings your video source sends the signal in, example if you know your PS3 sends in 16-235 then sure you can select that, but otherwise just leave it at default)HDMI/DVI RGB Range- HDMI 1 & HDMI 2: Standard 16-235Content Type - HDMI 1 & HDMI 2: Off______________Advanced Picture3D Y/C Filter: Off (Grayed Out)Color Matrix: HD (Grayed Out)Block NR: Off (Grayed Out)Mosquito NR: OffMotion Smoother: OffBlack Level: Light3:2 Pulldown: Off24p Direct In: 60 Hz (edit, you won't be able to edit the 24p unless you are using a video source sending a 24p signal)***3D CINEMA MODE***______________Basic SettingsContrast: +85Brightness: +57Color: +48Tint: 0Sharpness: 0Color Temp: Warm 2 (Calibrated to D65)Color Mgmt.: OffC.A.T.S.: OffVideo NR: Off______________Aspect AdjustmentsScreen Format: FullHD Size: Size 2H Size: Size 1______________HDMI Settings (*edit, CNET says the following, which is what I did as well: -- HDMI settings: [no change from default]. Don't change to 16-235 or the other option unless you are positive which color settings your video source sends the signal in, example if you know your PS3 sends in 16-235 then sure you can select that, but otherwise just leave it at default)HDMI/DVI RGB Range- HDMI 1 & HDMI 2: Standard 16-235Content Type - HDMI 1 & HDMI 2: Off______________Advanced Picture3D Y/C Filter: Off (Grayed Out)Color Matrix: HD (Grayed Out)Block NR: Off (Grayed Out)Mosquito NR: OffMotion Smoother: OffBlack Level: Light3:2 Pulldown: Off24p Direct In: 60 Hz (edit, you won't be able to edit the 24p unless you are using a video source sending a 24p signal)______________System Menu Settings =>3D SettingsAuto Detect 3D: Auto 13d Signal Notification: On2D => 3D Depth: Medium3D Adjustment: 0Left/Right Swap: NormalDiagonal Line Filter: OffI'm sure I missed something, but tried to condense hours of reading for others, or at least a jumping off point. Google is your friend if you have any other questions.Enjoy! PS, hit "Yes" if this review was helpful, "No" if not. Pros/Cons of the TV are below in the comments.
112 of 118 people found the following review helpful.
Awesome TV for the $$$
By btuck
I have had this TV for about a couple weeks now and so far it has been amazing! The plasma picture quality is FAR better than LED or LCD in this price range; the only problem is the screen glare in bright rooms (you will see refections if you are viewing during the day if the curtains are not closed). In my opinion the picture quality is well worth the trouble of getting off the couch and closing the curtains.I read previous reviews of the screen being dim. For one thing, the worst thing you can do while shopping for TV is to look at multiple display TVs. The reason behind this being, most TVs that are on display are in something tech geeks call 'Torch Mode' (basically the brightest and prettiest TV gets the most attention). This is deceptive because when you view the TV in your home you will not have another TV in the room to compare the picture to. But if the picture on this TV is not bright enough for you, go to settings and simply change the picture mode to 'Vivid' or 'Custom'.One more thing you MUST do to get the best picture out of this TV is: go to advance settings and find 'Motion Smoother'. When you've found it, turn it OFF! This feature makes the picture look fast and as if it were filmed by a cheap camera. To get the full cinema experience it is imperative to turn this OFF.Overall, this TV is the flagship in its class for picture quality and is an extremely good deal.
73 of 78 people found the following review helpful.
Very nice, for my first HD/Plasma, but....
By NscaleMike
Purchased this in May of 2012, after reading numerous reviews, mostly here on Amazon from fellow consumers and a few from CNet.com . It's been a really nice TV...best one I've ever owned, wonderful colors and sharp images. Watching Blu-ray movies has been a real treat, using a Sony PS-3. The built in sound from the TV is perfect for the size of our living room. I will probably upgrade at some point to a better sound system such as a soundbar or similar. We use the preloaded Netflix all the time, great feature. I still don't know why Panasonic did not build in a wireless(WiFi) feature to this TV...most other brands like LG do....I had to purchase one separately from an online retailer in NY, they were extremely fast and cheap too. The "White Glove service" provided that delivered the TV was great...they'd call the day before the scheduled delivery date. They set it up and removed all the packing material.Now the "but"....After almost of 5 months of watching...roughly 6-8hrs a day, Sunday night during the fourth quarter of the Packers Saints game the TV stopped working....The red LED in the front of the TV started to blink...so I unplugged the TV...waited a few mins...plugged it back in...Nothing but more blinking....in this case it blinks 8 times, pauses, then blinks 8 times, pauses..etc etc...Looked this up online..and apparently this is a problem that has occurred before...other have noted such online. Panasonic was closed on Sunday...I did purchase an extended warranty through Canopy, but they said to contact Panasonic first. I did Monday the 1st of October...they seemed helpful and understanding...but It won't be until Friday the 5th before someone locally here in Vegas could fix it.S I G H...I will update as necessary...***Update....Ok the TV went out on Sunday night the 30th of September. Monday the 1st, 6 a.m., I contacted Panasonic customer service, I spoke with a Technician, who gave me a case# and arranged to have a local (Las Vegas)TV repair place come out and fix it on Friday the 5th. I called the repair place on Thursday to confirm they were coming out as scheduled, they said they weren't, because on the 1st, Monday, after I called Panasonic, they notified the local repair shop of the repair order, but the needed part was on a "3 week" back-order!! My blood pressure started to get a bit higher at this point. I called Panasonic right away, trying to find out why wasn't I notified of this delay. I got the usual "We're sorry"..."I apologize" etc etc...Inserted within the owners manual for the TV is a welcome letter, welcoming the new customer to the "VIERA Concierge" program. It's for owners of 46" and larger flat panel tv's...."As a Panasonic flat panel TV owner you are now entitled to a variety of free privileges that will make owning our new television even more of a pleasure. It's our way to give you the experience and peace of mind you expect from Panasonic. Panasonic VIERA Concierge adds value to your premium TV experience with services like: Expert Toll-Free Hotline and live web chat support from Panasonic's Nationally recognized customer support center. In-home priority service scheduling and follow-up if your television needs to be serviced (Usually fixed in about two days). COMPLIMENTARY LOANER TVs AVAILABLE FOR IN-WARRANTY REPAIRS BY CONTACTING PANASONIC"That last line I put in caps to emphasize my frustrations with these folks. So after several calls....so I could get a clear answer on when my tv will be repaired I started asking for a complimentary TV, since my TV was apparently going to be out of service for at least 3 weeks more....they told me to contact my local tv repair office for one, I said why? They said they will provide one...I called the repair shop, they started to laugh a bit...and said they only repair tv's and don't provide loaners. Called back Panasonic, they stated they didn't have any TV's to loan...I re-read them , word for word the VIERA Concierge program...I expressed to them my extreme dissatisfaction with their department. Once again...I heard how apologetic they were. I told them, I didn't want any more apologies... I just needed to speak to someone here in the USA, who can actually make a decision and either get my TV fixed or a loaner ASAP!....After being on hold for another 10 mins...they finally give me a number to an office in New Jersey. (201) 348-7755...I was able to speak with a "Bill" in their Executive Department. He seemed sincerely concerned about my case. Upgraded it to a Field Service Technician level, and said Panasonic really tries to fix their TV's within the time frame stated in the Concierge letter. They don't always have loaners available, but would have one sent to me by early next week, if the replacement part didn't come in first. I told him, the Customer service center should have got the ball rolling once they discovered the replacement part was on a 3 week back order, they should have called me, gave me an update, got the process in motion to get me a loaner. I contacted my the local repair shop, on Friday the 5th...the manager there said..."I don't know what you said or who you spoke to...but they're overnighting the replacement part". Monday was a holiday, So they came out Tuesday promptly, installed a new "SS Board" as well as replaced several screws with upgraded ones for their boards. The new screws appeared almost identical, but the washers are spring loaded, compared to the factory installed ones.The TV works just great now....It's a shame my blood pressure had to boil a bit...and I had to make so many calls to their CS department and finally a corporate office here in the US. The part was a re-manufactured board, that they used to replace the one I had.
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Fast-Switching Phosphor The use of fast switching phosphors has significantly reduced afterglow duration and reproduced clear 3D and 2D images. Fast switching phosphors are used in all full HD models. 3D 24p Cinema Smoother
VIERA gives you naturally flowing 24p images with the look and tonal characteristics of film, and familiar TV-like quality. This mode optimizes the number of frames of 24p images recorded from film sources onto media such as Blu-ray Disc. Panasonic's advanced source analysis and frame generation deliver smooth, natural, and lifelike images.600 Hz Sub-field Drive and 2500 Focused Field DriveThe UT50 features 600Hz technology which allows for superb full-HD motion and still images. For even greater clarity with motion images, Panasonic uses its own unique image-analysis technology. This technology converts the motion in each scene into dots. And each frame is practically displayed for a shorter length of time than in previous systems, to reduce aftereffects. The UT50 also employs Neo Plasma Black 2500 FDD (Focused Field Drive) to provide a crisp image even when the content shows very fast motion. 
