Comments on: Panasonic's plasma pusher

With company on comeback trail, Yoshi Yamada, CEO of Panasonic North America, is making plasma TVs its biggest focus.

[rcrusoe]

Don't plasma's burn?

The biggest complaint against plasma's I've heard was that they burn, especially when watching non-HD programming. I've seen two plasma screens with permanent burns in the lower right due to the station logos. (these sets are always tuned to the same news stations)

Has that been fixed? Until it is I wouldn't think of buying a plasma.

[Earl Benser]

Plasmas are vulnerable...

Burn-in is a problem if brightness is set too high. Brightness
also can limit lifetime significantly. And once the plasma tube
goes, you're left with nothing worth salvaging. Maybe the eight
generation plasma is a way of saying that they are finally getting
it right?

I like DLP, now in 10080i format, but even 720p format looks
good. No burn-in problems. Lamp is replaced every few years
for about $100. DLP chip can be replaced if needed. Excellent
picture, no visible pixel structure, fast response, etc.

LCD projection is a remote possibility- but the LCD turns blue
with time.

LCD Direct View may be a winner but, as noted, display size
limits are a problem now.

[Kalsank]

Panasonic products vs service

If Panasonic needs to get back their credibiity in any new business, they need to beef up their customer service and really empower them to do what's right for customers. I had to write all the way upto the President for them to agree to fix my video camera's "dew detect" error at their expense.

[El Kabong]

Is half-life a problem?

I was told by a TV technician that plasmas have a half life of 5-7 years. Has anyone out there had one that long or longer that can dispute that? I can't imagine how those folks feel that paid more than $10,000 for this gizmo and now it's faded to the point of being unwatchable.

[Earl Benser]

At specified brightness levels....

.... for plasma tube of two year ago or so, that was the report.
Higher brightness levels shortened the life. But at the half life
point, the plasma tube would be just noticeably not as bright as it
was originally. Visually, this is a very minor loss. So a reasonable
plasma lifetime of at least 15 years was highly probable for the
average user.

Now things may be even better. Just don't over drive the
brightness!

[jjii]

Life

read a few of the Plasma comments and seems each is relaying old news and/or lingering myths about this technology. Facts are simple 1.Plasma tv's will last longer, with greater than 50% brightness, than most users will want them. Some tests outpreform tubes; 2. Burn-in, or aging, may have been a sympton of old, old first units, but not a problem as any imaging fades, just as in a tube; 3. Advantage-Plasma exhibit no motion artifacts like other flat panel tv's; 4.Advantage- Plasma's horzizontal and vertical viewing is better than any new technology on the market and as good as any tube, including Sony; 5. Advantage-Plasma contrast ratio and black level make it the best big screen home entertainment choice available.....enough said