Panasonic TC-P65VT50 3D Plasma HDTV Settings

Settings

Unit-to-unit sample variations, the viewing environment, and the source might render these recommendations less than optimum. They are provided only as a potentially useful starting place.

The settings here that are most likely to translate reliably from one sample to another are those involving specific features with only a few selections, such as Gamma and Noise Reduction. The ones most likely to be subject to sample variations are video controls offering a wide range of adjustment, such as white balance (grayscale) and color management (where available). Even relatively small differences in the common control settings, such as Contrast, Brightness, and Gamma, can shift the white balance, though the resulting visible change may be innocuous. Production line tolerances can do the same.

We do not provide settings or access codes for service menus. Random alterations of such controls without detailed knowledge of what they do may corrupt a set's firmware. This will likely require extensive in-shop repairs not covered under the warrantee. Service menu calibrations should be attempted only by an experienced calibrator familiar with the specific brand of set and a clear understanding of which controls to use and which to avoid.

We strongly recommend that you find the optimum basic video settings for your sample by using one of the many available display setup DVDs, such as Digital Video Essentials (DVD) or DVE HD Basics (Blu-ray). These will help you to set the basic controls correctly, brightness, contrast, sharpness, and sometimes color and tint. Experimenting with the more complex color calibration and other controls in the user menus will do no harm; the changes may be easily reset. But tuning a set "by eye" is no substitute for a full calibration, which is best left to a trained and properly equipped technician such as those certified by the Imaging Science Foundation (ISF) or THX.

2D 3D
Picture mode Custom Custom
Contrast 79100
Brightness 5757
Color 4543
Tint 00
Sharpness 1010
Color temp. Warm2 Warm1
Color mgmt. Off Off
C.A.T.S.: Off Off Off
Video NR Off Off
Pro settings
Color space NormalNormal
W/B high R -2-7
W/B high G +10
W/B high B+5-7
W/B low R+6+15
W/B low G-4-5
W/B low B+30
W/B Detail Adjustment *(*)
Hue, Saturation, Luminance **(**)
Black extension 00
Gamma adjustment 2.42.2
Panel brightnessMidHigh
Contour emphasis OffOff
AGC00
Gamma detail adjustmentt DefaultDefault
Screen format As needed As needed
HD Size As needed-See textAs needed
HDMI/DVI RGB Range AutoAuto
Advanced picture
3D/YC filterOffOff
Color Matrix (component only) As neededN/A
Block NROffOff
Mosquito NR Off Off
Motion smootherOffOff or Weak
1080p pure direct Light Light
3:2 pulldown Auto Auto
24p Direct in 96Hz 60Hz
Pixel OrbiterEnableEnable
4:3 side bars MidN/A
3D menu
Auto detect 3Dt Auto 1
3D signal notificationt On
2D>3D deptht Medium
3D adjustmentt Off
Left/Right swapt Normal
Diagonal line filter t Off

* W/B detail adjustment (3D settings in parenthesis)

IRE 20 30 60 70 80 90 100
Red gain 0 (5) 0 (2) 0 (-1) 0 (-1) 0 (-1) 0 (3) 0 (4)
Green gain 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (-1) 0 (0) 0 (0) 1 (0) 2 (3)
Blue gain 0 (0) 0 (-1) -2 (3) 0 (2) 0 (1) 0 (1) -1 (-5)

**Hue, Saturation, Luminance (3D settings in parenthesis)

R G B C M Y
Hue 0 (-5) 8 (-5) 3 (0) 2 (-44) 2 (-15) 2 (30)
Saturation -11 (3) 2 (-15) -1 (0) 1 (0) 2 (25) -1 (0)
Luminance 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0)
COMPANY INFO
Panasonic
ARTICLE CONTENTS

COMMENTS
figuredmaple's picture

I have been waiting for this review since the 2012 CES! Also, thank you for the comparisons with the Kuro models.
Although I was ready to buy this set this year, hopefully the 2013 VT60(?) will perform better than the previous Kuro Elite and be the new black level champ, especially without the black level crush that this model has. I'll be waiting for your review of the 2013 models before I finally buy one.

aleksandr's picture

Great review Tom. Now waiting for the first OLED review...

true audio's picture

Thanks for stroking my ego and my Pro-141FD !

Fosgate MC220's picture

Wow T.N. your review seems to be having a negative effect on the sales of this T.V.
What power your pen wields (but then you know how your opinion affects us).
I too have been waiting (impatiently) for your review... but I have not yet had the chance to
experience/audition this set for myself.
I for one missed out on the Pro-141FD (loved it... but I'm an over the air kind of guy, so the no tuner thing did not work out). Oh... and then there was the fact that I couldn't afford it anyway.
I will not be able to afford an OLED either, so I am looking for the best bang for the buck. I do appreciate the caveats, but I'm not sure about waiting for the next generation either. Will Panasonic keep improving their plasmas' at this price point or will we see a dumbing down of quality because they can't sell this model?

etrochez's picture

"The darkest scenes on the Panasonic weren’t quite as enticingly rich, a result confirmed by the two sets’ measured black levels (0.001 foot-lamberts on the Kuro after three years of use; 0.002 ft-L on the Panasonic after an estimated 200 hours of operation)."

So, you could tell the difference between 0.001 and 0.002 ft-L (that's one thousandth of a ft-L) even before the test? Mmm... I don't think so. Lost interest in the article after that comment.

mzaborowski's picture

I'm an avid fan of your column and Home Theater Magazine in general, and I'm glad the review of the TC-P65VT50 was finally published because I was waiting on your opinion before I finally fall of the fence and make a purchase.

I'm still hesitant because I've very interested in Panasonic's TH-65VX300 professional display but I've yet to see any meaningful reviews of it. Several forums praise it and several damn it as not being worth the premium price over Panasonic's consumer models.

Personally, I can leave features such as Viera Connect because I'm more interested in picture quality and color accuracy.

So, if you had your choice between the TC-P65VT50 or TH-65VX300, which one would you choose?

jerryyng's picture

Under the advanced picture settings, the recommended setting for 1080p pure direct is "light". I believe the only choices for this setting are either "on" or "off". I believe the recommended "light" setting is for Black Level which is not listed here. Hopefully Mr. Norton will update this review and correct his recommended setting for 1080p pure direct.

kent harrison's picture

Good review on this television,but im going to wait on Vt whatever next year it probably will be 4kby2k one that will be nice,that would be my last tv in the basement for at least 5 years if the price is right.

mlepito's picture

This TV definitely has burn-in issues. I watched only full screen tv on it for 200 hours at 50% contrast, then on game mode only set the contrast to 80% instead of the 100% set by Panasonic and it still burned the score from Modern Warfare IIII permanently into the screen. I'm even starting to get some Black Ops II sore on there too. I think maybe we need to look at permanent image retention again and not just assume the pixle warble will take care of it. This also happened on the VT30.

juanseva_2's picture

hello.
I am very happy with the purchase of my tv panasonic GT50, but I have a concern about the image retention. Although I have been very careful with these first months, not yet complete 100 hours of use, but I've noticed especially that with only two hours of use on channel foxhd, the logo has been printed on a little screen ... and has been declining, but what do you recommend caution to avoid these problems in the future? ...
Thanks !!

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