65" VT50 has arrived

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I've been tinkering with window sizes, because as many now, the more on screen, the more a plasma behaves differently. The big argument right now is 5% windows, 10% windows (most commonly used IMO by calibrators), or even the new APL patterns (there is some contention about these). On my Samsung D7000, the APL patterns never produced an appealing image IMO, so I dont use them.

I did calibrate the VT50 a week ago, from scratch, with 6.5% sized windows. Friday night I went from scratch again with 10% sized windows. For me right now, the display is gorgeous, I watched Aliens on MaxHD and POTC now on StarzHD. Flesh tones are spot on IMO, dark scenes look great, I just think maybe the 10% sized window better represents whats on screen than a smaller window.

Anyways, here are the results, granted pretty charts dont always transfer to on screen, and I had pretty charts with 6.5% patterns.

VT50Grayscale050313_zps783fa9aa.jpg


VT50Gamut050313_zpsb58e2c67.jpg


VT50Gamma050313_zps14254014.jpg
 
Thanks, its taken some practice and reading to get the right gist of what patterns to use; I can do a from scratch cal now in about 2.5 hours. The advanced color modules that the calibration suites now has really lets you know what the color decoder is doing. The VT50 for instance, if you calibrate to 100% saturation (farthest point out), it will be spot on for the primaries and secondaries, but all the rest (25,50 and 75%) will be out. If you calibrate to 75% saturation, the 3rd point from the center is spot on, mostly 25 and 50% are spot on, its just that the 100% points are a little in. Unfortunate compromise, but hey, no set is perfect :)

To me blu-ray looks pretty good even on some uncalibrated sets, the bigger place to notice is regular HD content. POTC on Starz just looked awesome yesterday, and of course Life of Pi on Blu-ray was outstanding.
 
So now that the 2013 VT has been named the new reference set are you upset you didn't wait for the new version?
 
Nope. They rename it as the new reference every year, I expected that lol. For the actual differences, it isnt worth the $700 it would have cost me :)

I made the right move by grabbing a VT50 for $2500 shipped.
 
The VT50 was better in most things, other than black level. it was a "reference" display in 2012. The VT60 still does not top it in MLL. ZT60 will be even better in MLL.

My VT50 blacks are excellent in a dark room, and as you can see from the charts, it's highly accurate. MLL from 0.002 to 0.001 is not worth $700 to me. Going from 0.0044 to 0.002 (GT30 to VT50) was not that special, I just notice overall contrast ratio being better between the two. If I had not sold my GT30 for $1300 to a friend, I would have called the $2500 spent on the VT50 an unnecessary upgrade.

The hype drives the whole thing, as well as the fanboyism. Truth is, GT30 to VT50 was not much at all, and if you read reviews everyone disliked a GT30 which is amusing at best. I've owned 4 Panny plasmas since 2008, marginal improvements every year regardless of what Cnet or Value Electronics want to sell you. You waste your money if you buy a Panasonic every year, or possible every 2 years, and I speak from experience. Gregg Loewen said it best. They are very nice tv's, but they are just milking the tech with minor improvements.

I see the same hype every year this time, and I used to buy into it. Not anymore. the paper awards do not translate to what you see on screen, and they surely dont make Dish or Direct HD look any better. VT50 also passes all video tests on spears and munsil, and two calibrators so far have said the calibration controls and reactions are WORSE on the VT60 than the VT50. Its more like the VT30 which was a pain in the ass to calibrate (VT50 takes about 2.5 hours and is quite easy). One calibrator has even noted the panels shifts more in the early stages and they are recommending that you dont even calibrate a VT60 before 300 hours. All stuff these online reviewers dont report as much of.

It has also been found the VT30 blacks are rising as they get into 2500-3000 hours, even though Panny said they would not. I can only hope the VT50 is past that issue.
 
Looks like after the shootout the F8500 and VT60 are the two plasmas to get this year. ZT60 doesnt warrant xtra pricing IMO.

It was also nice to see it reinforced that if you have a VT50, no real need for a VT60 "upgrade" unless you just have money laying around you need to spend.

Im still very happy with the VT50 after calibrating with 10% sized windows and 75/75% patterns for color. I'm over 400 hours now and buzz is not an issue, and IR has not reared its ugly head either.
 
Im really liking the "Day" mode, never thought id use it. Decided to pop it on today while watching some DVR's with all the blinds open. the extra fL output helps over come the light in the room, and the lower gamma he calibrated around 10-20% helps out with darker details not getting crushed in a well lit room.
 
He found 0.002fL roughly in 96hz mode which is quite good. Since I never used Day mode and wanted to try BT.1886 gamma he made my Day mode like the old night mode with 36fL and a standard gamma. Just in case. He then made my Night mode meet BT. 1886. In a little over 5 months the panel had not shifted a lot, but it had shifted some.


BT 1886 Charts
http://www.mediafire.com/view/7rfur0w4fpbobdq/Pan 65VT50 ISF Night bt1886.pdf

Power Curve Gamma Charts
http://www.mediafire.com/view/jcjke8sisoal4za/Pan 65VT50 ISF Day power curve.pdf

I always liked the higher gamma (2.35 or so) but had some problems on the low end with displays I tried it on. The way BT 1886 aims and creates the curve based on your MLL is interesting, and makes sense. Since this is actually a standard now, and their are rumors some production houses are/will be using it now maybe we can actually view a movie at home with the gamma standard they are using in post production. Currently monitors range from 2.2 to 2.4, but more calibrators are atleast doing 2.4 for a night mode.
 
Updated calibration by Chad B. After some use and consideration, 1886 was a little too dark for me. Looked good, I just preferred the power law roughly 2.27 gamma power curve he had done previously as a night mode. Since I used it all the time and not the day mode, this go around he did "Day" mode and "Night" mode as basically the same cal, one being for 96hz input and the other being for 60hz input.

Day mode is what Ill use most of the time, 60hz, and Night mode will be for 24p blu-ray. The difference between each hz input is only 2-3 delta E, but since he always does two modes I figured calibrating them both to the same gamma I liked and tweaked for a specific frame rate was a smart move.

The other difference is, with basically the same settings 96hz is roughly 36fL and 60hz is roughly 38fL.

http://www.mediafire.com/view/u29861mh9hu44lk/ISF_Night_96_Hz.pdf
 
Chad B Touchup update:

  • Almost 6 months since last visit
  • VT50 is 22 months old
  • 3,553 hours
  • MLL in 60hz mode 0.002 (as expected)
  • Slight yellowing that showed up has now gone away;chad saw same thing on his GT50


WhiteBalance_zps767138f6.png


colortemp_zps2c2349da.png


Gamma_zps7163ae6b.png


color_zps385e0423.png
 
Yeah, it really only would need to be done every 12-18 months I'd imagine, Im just OCD.

Really looking hard at the 2015 65" LG 4K EF9500 OLED. I figure MSRP will be around $6000, hopefully much less 10 months from now... If not, I'll be on to 2016 models unless my VT50 unexpectedly dies.

Chad has done 6 LG oled's so far and loves em. Great image after calibration and the contrast ratio is insane.
 

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