Panasonic TH-65VX100U Plasma Monitor Measurements

Measurements

All measurements were made with the Panasonic's Picture Menu in Cinema mode.

Contrast, Overscan, and Resolution

Peak white level

  • 100 IRE window: 31.51ft-L
  • Black level: 0.005ft-L
Peak contrast ratio: 6302:1
Overscan (per side / overall picture loss)
  • 480i/p: 2.5% / 10%
  • 720p: 2.5% / 10%
  • 1080i/p: 0% / 0% (Display Size Off)
Horizontal bandwidth at 1080i
  • HDMI: 37.1MHz
  • Component: 37.1MHz

High-frequency bursts were fully resolved via both HDMI and component at 1080i and 1080p. The highest burst was rolled off but still resolved at 720p and more rolled off in component than HDMI.

Grayscale & Color Temperature

The grayscale was very uniform before calibration, but it tended slightly toward red and green.

The results were better after calibration. This is particularly evident in the delta-E values, which indicate how close each white point is to the desired D65; the lower the delta E, the better, with deviations under 3 or 4 essentially invisible to the eye.

The color tracking (taken in the Warm Color Temp setting) was better than many sets out of the box, but it was still slightly plus red.

The after calibration, color tracking was much closer, and while not the best I've seen, it should be subjectively equivalent to an ideal result with all three colors overlapping completely.

The pre-cal color temperature tended rather low in the Warm setting, which is to be expected.

Post-cal, it was much closer to 6500K.

Color Accuracy

The set's color gamut is shown by the white triangle in the CIE chart, and the REC 709 HD standard is indicated by the black triangle. Both green and red were oversaturated. I was able to get a better gamut (not shown) by dramatically reducing the Color control, but this resulted in unacceptably washed-out colors. The only way to fix the color gamut, apart from a more accurate setting at the factory, is with a good color-management system, which the Panasonic Premiere lacks. Fortunately, the visible effect of the wider gamut shown here were much less obvious than you might expect. In fact, very few will find the 65VX100U's color less than superb. Still, the curmudgeon in me can't help saying that exceeding the standard HD color gamut makes for at least subtly distorted colors on current consumer program material.

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