70 of 72 people found the following review helpful:
My first true HD set and it is outstanding!
I spent the last couple of years researching televisions looking for the replacement for my Toshiba 50" widescreen rear projection set. It was starting to have shudder problems on certain inputs and I was not going to go to the trouble of replacing parts on this older set.
Since I am a film junkie I have always leaned toward plasma sets due to their more...
6 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
Beware of Panasonic (flashing red light)
I bought this tv on amazon, and within a couple weeks, the screen went blank and the red power light would blink 10 times. The picture was great, although customizing the color was really limited. Before you buy any Panasonic plasma, please read up and Google the blinking power light and see all the problems people are having. I read all the reviews on here, and people...
This review is from: Panasonic VIERA S1 Series TC-P54S1 54-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV, Black (Electronics)
I spent the last couple of years researching televisions looking for the replacement for my Toshiba 50" widescreen rear projection set. It was starting to have shudder problems on certain inputs and I was not going to go to the trouble of replacing parts on this older set.
Since I am a film junkie I have always leaned toward plasma sets due to their more accurate blacks and generally better handling of movement on screen. The drawbacks have been the glare issue, potential burn-in and power consumption versus LCD.
When I saw that Panasonic had addressed the burn-in and power consumption issues with their current series of plasma sets, I decided to look closer at the S1 series which is more attractively priced than their higher level TVs but with most of the same features.
My Toshiba died the day before Father's Day (lucky me) and I bought the Panasonic TC-P54S1 on Father's Day - an unexpected but appreciated gift to myself.
First impressions:
- Outstanding build quality. I sold electronics for about 5 years and Panasonic/Technics products were always well-built and very reliable. This set appears to continue that legacy. Panasonic is a large industrial manufacturer and builds their consumer products in the same way - well designed and well thought out with high quality components.
- Nice non-glare screen when off. I have two windows behind my viewing area that let light right onto the screen during the daytime. I can watch shows and movies without closing the curtains but their is a little noticeable glare. The set shows this less than my old projection set and with the curtains pulled it's no issue.
- Cable viewing with component cables - generally good on non-HD channels and very good on HD channels with Charter cable. Cable viewing with HDMI (just got the new box yesterday) - noticeably improved over component input. HD channels are very clean - better than DVD on my old set. Go for HDMI to get the full benefit of this set.
- Nintendo Wii with analog cables - actually worse than the old set. With a new component cable the Wii image becomes much more solid and enjoyable. It's not the best videogame for resolution anyway, but a component cable and this TV bring out the best in the system.
- Blu-ray DVD via HDMI - I bought the Panasonic DMP-BD60 Blu-ray player along with the TV. With this player (or, I imagine, any other blu-ray player) this set shines. I should re-phrase - this set is spectacular. I have seen Blu-ray demos in Best Buy and other stores, but in your own home, with direct connections and normal lighting, it is absolutely the best picture I have ever seen on a television. I ran Kill Bill 1 Blu-ray as my first movie and was floored. The quality is very film-like - clean, clear, vibrant, without a hint of grain or motion blur. I also watched Dirty Harry Blu-ray and GoodFellas Blu-ray and both were the best video images of these two movies I have ever seen.
- Regular DVD - there have been some reviews of this television on the web that stated it has trouble with upconversion. I could not tell this from my experience. Older DVDs were noticeably better looking than they were on my old set with a non-Blu-ray player. Some are so good that I won't have to re-purchase as Blu-ray which is nice, since I have a sizeable investment in older DVDs.
The remote is as complete as it needs to be and easy to use. It is not backlit, but this is not an issue as I use a universal remote and put the regular remotes away as soon as I program them into the universal one.
I cannot speak to the picture settings yet as I have not fiddled with the manual settings or the presets. I will say that the pictures seems slightly dark on some DVDs and this makes sense as the factory settings are set up to reduce power consumption compared to older plasmas. I will definitely run a couple of set up discs through the set and alter the brightness and contrast a bit.
When I have really tuned the set, I will update this review. Suffice it to say that out of the box with no altered settings this set is outstanding. And the discounted price at several retailers is around $1700 so that makes it all the more attractive.
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This review is from: Panasonic VIERA S1 Series TC-P54S1 54-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV, Black (Electronics)
My choices were between the 58 inch Samsungs and the Panasonic 54G10. The Samsungs were too heavy and were said to have annoying "buzzing" sounds at certain volumes coming from their televisions. When I looked at the Panasonic 54G10, from a television-broadcast persepective, I was quite disappointed. The 54G10 looked somewhat jittery and blurry (I must admit, though, that from a blu-ray perspective that this tv looked very nice). On the other side, in a not so obvious part of the showroom was this other 54 inch Panasonic. The picture was very stable and the colors were vibrant. I looked at the model and saw that it was the TCP54S1. I asked about this televsion and not long after, decided to order it online, as I got a better deal.
When it was finally shipped, I examined it very carefully. To my eyes it looked good, but needed to be tweeked. On the cable tv side, I like how this panasonic looks in "game" mode. I watch the television solely in 1080i and 480p as these resolutions appear to look the clearest. I watch my Panasonic blu-ray player dmp60, in conjunction with the TCP54S1 in "standard" mode. EVERYTHING that I look at is FLAWLESS! Our family and friends are also taken aback as to how everything looks and sounds. For those who hate black bars while watching DVDs, the "Format" button on the remote allows you to zoom the picture without any noticeable picture degredation. I hope that this helps you make your decision on this very nicely made 90.4 lb. flat screen.
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This review is from: Panasonic VIERA S1 Series TC-P54S1 54-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV, Black (Electronics)
I researched TVs extensively prior purchasing this TV. Both plasma and LCD have their respective strengths and weaknesses. I went with a plasma TV vs a LCD TV based the room the TV was going to be placed in and my viewing habits. I went with Panasonic after comparing various models in store and reading reviews.
In my opinion, this is the best TV at this price range. It is lacking some features of other Panasonic models (G10, Z, V Series) such as THX mode, more robust picture settings, and Viera Cast. However, these features were not deal breakers for me since I was going to be primarily using this TV for sports, tv shows and gaming. And from my understanding, the S1 series uses the same panel as the G10, Z, and V series. My non-videophile eyes could not tell a difference in picture quality between the G10 and S1 when I compared them at the store.
The picture quality was good initially, but got even better after the TV was broken-in. I did not get the TV professionally calibrated but got valuable tips on the proper settings for this TV from the AVS Forum website (as another reviewer pointed out). The picture quality is excellent, the colors are vibrant and accurate and the picture using a Hi-def source is sharp. I noticed that this TV is able to provide more details in dark scenes compared to my friend's LCD TV and other plasma TV. The picture quality out the box is good, but superb after some setting changes and time.
The sound is adequate, but I recommend hooking it up to a surround sound system.
The bezel on the TV is a nice piano black but is a fingerprint magnet, but that is not a problem since I don't touch the TV bezel on a regular basis. The anti-glare coating is effective. I don't notice glare while watching TV during the day, in fact the only glare that I really notice is from the piano black bezel.
The bottom line is if you can't afford the high-end TVs such as the Pioneer Kuro Series and just are looking for a TV with an excellent picture just to watch TV, you won't be disappointed with the S1 Series.
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This review is from: Panasonic VIERA S1 Series TC-P54S1 54-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV, Black (Electronics)
I am one of those guys that have spent a lot of time researching, reading reviews and seeing a lot of sets. I have half been in the market for the last year or so for a new TV and was waiting for a good deal and prices to drop. I was originally going to get a 46", then decided I'd wait a little longer and get a 50" for the same price until this came along and I saw I could get a 54" for an awesome price. I never thought I would go plasma (especially a new-to-the-market series) but after reading the reviews I discovered that all the problems they are known for are gone with this TV. The "burn-in" effect is no longer with the advanced technology to scan the screen for burn-in. The energy consumption problem is solved with this being Energy Star qualified and consumes half the energy of previous models. Also, there is no buzzing and barely any heat coming off this TV (much less than my 3 year old 37"). I do admit, I only had this TV for 3 weeks before I found a better deal on the exact same model in the 58" version on Amazon so I decided to take the hit on returning it and size-proof my TV for hopefully a few more years down the road. It did take 27 days to get the refund in my account when their policy is within 28 days in case you are wondering. I was completely satisfied with the 54" but I sit fairly far away from the set and it just wasn't quite enough.
The set up is as simple as a few button hits, you might want to adjust the standard color/brightness a little but I thought it was barely needed. The Viera feature is good in theory but you have to have other Panasonic Viera products in order for it to all work and have just 1 remote. I ended up getting the Viera Blu-Ray, but I still have 4 remotes (TV, Blu-Ray, Surround, Cable) laying around even though I don't really need the actual TV remote because the Blu-Ray one will control the Power and Volume of the TV. I initially thought I would be able to program the Viera remote with any receiver but I was wrong.
There were recent articles in the news about plasmas being phased out but with the technology and quality of this TV, I can't imagine why. Apparently Panasonic is one of the last companies making them but they are still putting money into facilities to create the latest/greatest technology. Only if all of those LCD owners knew what they are missing for 2/3 the price! The G10 series adds a much higher price tag and only the internet capable options (which I got with the Blu-Ray anyway) so I would strongly recommend the S1 series, there is no way you will be disappointed.
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This review is from: Panasonic VIERA S1 Series TC-P54S1 54-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV, Black (Electronics)
I was a little hesitant on buying a TV online, but Amazon had it for $150 cheaper than BestBuy, no tax and free shipping. It shipped and arrived at my house via Pilot Shipping in 2.5 days. They were great, set it up, turned it on to inspect, offered to take away box.
Best buy offered to somewhat match but I also had $200 dollars in Amazon credit. So I basically got the 54S1 for close to the 50S1.
I was considering the G10 but I didn't need the Viera Internet as I have a PS3 hooked up and I haven't heard anything great about the THX mode via AVS forums. I'm also not a videophile, coming from a 32" LCD, 720P Westinghouse, but now I may be b/c I just bought and Ideal-Lume backlight from CinemaQuest to help with the eye strain in the dark.
Pre-season NFL games looked great, waiting for good ole College FB to start! Blue Ray and even Comcast HD on this thing is amazing right out of the box. Currently, I'm breaking it in, but am very happy with my purchase and Amazon. I should have done this earlier.
One thing to note, is the price fluctuates frequently, and I paid $1462 where a couple weeks ago it was $1400 and a couple days before it was around $1540.
I bought some HDMI cables for the PS3 and comcast boxes, the only thing I don't like, is if you're going to use TV out to a basic receiver/dvd all-in-one, there's no A/V out. It's digital out which is better, I just don't have a cable lying around.
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This review is from: Panasonic VIERA S1 Series TC-P54S1 54-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV, Black (Electronics)
I shopped for a replacement for our old Sony LCD projection screen, which is a great TV except when you need to replace the lamp! I was torn between the newer LCDs flat panels and plasma. Was a little concerned that Plasmas use more power than an LCD. But in dollar terms not really that much higher per year over a comparable size LCD. What sold me was the price. I waited and pounced on a terrific deal couple of weeks ago. The Panasonics are already way less expensive as everybody knows. I paid about $550 less than a comparable Sony 52" LCD.
I originally was thinking I needed the G10 until reading reviews that the THX mode did not live up to expectations. As I get older I find my hunger for bells and whistles fading - I just want a good picture. All the other stuff is nice but I find myself satisfied especially when the price is so much lower for the base model. One word for those who buy from warehouse clubs: the specs on the equivalent of the S1 which is the S14 are different for the contrast - this set is rated 40,000:1 whereas the S14 in the warehouse stores is spec at 30,000:1. As I've read this can be subjective I don't know if they just put a different number for marketing purposes or use the lesser engine from the x models (bottom of this line). The S1 is an entry level compared to G10 and V10 but this set really kicks serious but for the price.
Also, I had concerns about going with plasma - picture in store not as bright as LCDs, glass panel reflectivity, power consumption, heat disapation, burn-in (still an issue thou not as much), weight of TV for moving. But for the price I could see past all of this and now have a TV with stunning picture quality*
PROs
-Great picture - very warm and brightness is just fine. LCDs are very bright and have their own "quality" but sometimes this intensity makes the image seem animated.
-Great picture - Star Trek blu-ray is awesome
-Great picture - I spend most of my time LOOKING at the screen :-)
-Motion blur not an issue
-Menus are fine. Some will complain. I already have a Pany blu-ray so I knew what to expect.
-Verizon FIOS HD feed pictures are perfect (720p feed)
-Panasonic quality. Nothing perfect in this world but my own experience, plus hundreds of comments I've read on many TVs puts Panasonic (IMO) at the top, Sony second. Korean stuff is nice but they seem to have more issues per 100 than Japanese who can't help themselves when it comes to obsessing over doing things the right way.
Cons
-Verizon FIOS low-def feed picture quality not as good as my Sony projection LCD (which is awesome for low def perhaps because it is a 720p set?) I knew this going in.
-Panel glass glare is noticable (close the blinds would-ya honey?) but not a deal killer
-Burn in, while less an issue that it used to be, still may be an issue down the road because of the channel logos i.e. CNBC tickers etc
-Heat not an issue in winter but here in Texas it adds to the AC bill in summer
-Sound is not as good as the Sony - a little tinney but again not a deal killer. I use the AV receiver for movies or concert broadcasts.
Overall I am thrilled with this purchase. Plasmas have their issues. I just read that the state of CA will restrict and eventually ban Plasmas on the basis of power consumption. But I don't live there and it just may make plasmas obsolete but also even better deals may emerge soon. If the price were closer to LCD I would go that route although the LCD still has motion blur to conquer. Eventually I think LCDs will be the standard, plasmas will die, and then we'll see the newer panel technologies emerge. Until then I'm happy with the panny.
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This review is from: Panasonic VIERA S1 Series TC-P54S1 54-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV, Black (Electronics)
After I did a lot of research, this is the best 54" TV for $1,000 out of the door after tax. I got it from Sears + 13% bing cashback during thanksgiving day. Some people complain about the color accuracy of this set compared to G10 model. But I did my homework and saved $400. After I did the tweak through service mode, I would say there's no more greenish tint and everything looks great. I also compared it to my calibrated Apple LED Cinema Display that is half of the size (24") and costs almost the same. The accuracy is just amazingly close. To get the service menu, hold down "VOL -" on the TV set, while holding it, hit the "info" button on your remote 3 times. Find the correct settings by searching in google. You can also use spyder colorimeter to calibrate and get the same result.
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This review is from: Panasonic VIERA S1 Series TC-P54S1 54-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV, Black (Electronics)
Got this baby online this week for $1199 shipped, brand new full warranty.
Picture flat out kills the Sony LCD that has now been relegated to the bedroom.
No glare issues, brighter and blacker than the best in LCD. And find me an LCD this size and grade for this price.
You will love this tv--for most buyers it will be the best tv they've ever owned. HD and blu-ray pop and upsampled dvds look great too.
Plus, if you don't have it on for more than six hours at a stretch it stays cool.
XBox 360 plays great on this thing--especially my new Pinball Hall of Fame Williams Collection. I've played most of those tables in real life, and with the HD rendering of the 360 release of this game, the sights are as realistic as the sounds in this game. Dollar for dollar the best video game I've ever seen, and on a good plasma that can do video games, it's fantastic!
I can't recommend this screen highly enough after a year of comparison shopping and in-depth research.
If your priority is inches per dollar spent, you may find better deals after figuring in energy cost--but if you're biased more toward "quality inches per dollar" in a 54-inch class flatscreen, I defy you to find anything approaching this Panny right here.
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This review is from: Panasonic VIERA S1 Series TC-P54S1 54-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV, Black (Electronics)
The picture is great, and the color controls seem pretty basic. I am satisfied with the level of control. The reds and greens are very vibrant, and the blacks are nice and deep.
It only has 3 HDMI inputs, but I don't need more than that, and if you have a high-def home theater system I would think that most of your components are channeled through the receiver.
I was a little suprised to find out that Closed Captions don't work over HDMI. This is a limitation of the HDMI technology, not the television. At the time of writing this review, there is no requirement for [CC] in HDMI specifications. This means that if you want to use HDMI input for cable or sattelite, you have to use the CC features on the set top box.
It's a plasma, so it does get warm. In a large enough room, this won't be noticable. Also, when I was adjusting the connections in the back, I noticed a low buzzing noise. At regular viewing distances it isn't even discernible.
I wish some of the onscreen shortcuts (Viera Tools) were more customizable, and the remote could have included a few more keys for direct access to some of the features, but I have a Logitech 880 which I can use to program any shortcuts or command strings I need.
Amazed at the price for this quality of technology. Glad I waited before taking the plunge into large screen HDTVs.
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This review is from: Panasonic VIERA S1 Series TC-P54S1 54-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV, Black (Electronics)
We purchased our Panasonic VIERA S1 Series TC-P54S1 from Sears during a Black Friday sales event for under $1,000.00, limited to inventory on hand. The S1 will soon be replaced with the S2. For someone who grew up with CRT televisions, the picture is nothing less than amazing, and if in theory theaters have a potential resolution of 4000p or 4k, most experiences I've had, with poor prints and indifferent projection and screen design and set-up do not live up to that potential. In fact, I recall seeing the first X-Files Movie with such poor projection and print quality, including a hair that was stuck, that it was inferior to then Phillips 27 inch CRT we had.
We are using these settings, calibration to D6500K (perfect gray) modified according to the specific Blu-ray if necessary, provided by reviewer Jack Burden. [You can Google Search "Jack Burden Panasonic Viera" but be aware that you access any other Internet Site at your own risk, including CNET. Make sure your computer has the latest virus software and OS system upgrades; I recommend Firefox browser with Noscript add on for additional protection. Also, you'll have to ask Amazon why it won't allow links to non-competitor sites; I assume it's due to legal reasons, to protect themselves.]
Picture Mode Custom
Color Mgmt: OFF
Color Temp Warm2
x.v.Color: OFF
Brightness +74
C.A.T.S.: OFF
Contrast +75
Video NR: Weak
Color +45
Block NR: Off
Tint -2
Mosquito NR: Off
Sharpness +15
Black Level: Light
3:2 Pulldown: Off
HD Size: 2
Sharpness is usually set higher, and brightness in our darkened viewing environment is lower, sometimes in the 50s. However, personally, I am not obsessive compulsive about such settings. Remember that your home is not lit like a store showroom. For instance, the brightness must be set higher for a shot through dirty ditch water film such as the new Harry Potter, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (+ BD-Live) [Blu-ray] which of course is an exception. On the other end of the spectrum, District 9 [Blu-ray] was washed out, and brightness had to be reduced and color increased; then the picture was exceptional. I am using the Samsung BDP-1500 Blu-ray player with the latest firm ware update Samsung BD-P1500 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player; on its menu, choosing 24fps, and answering yes to retain current resolution (choose 1080p from the player menu) results in a picture of exceptional clarity. I am sensitive to flicker on computer monitors; I do not observe flicker, but the highest end Panasonic Plasmas with the 96fps menu choice supposedly correct any problems. Try the unit yourself first at these settings before purchasing.
The unit has no fan and never gets as warm as the much smaller refurbished Vizio Plasma purchased earlier from Tronicstrading (which still worked well, but can't compare to this set). It's Energy Star compliant.
Right now, the picture quality is exceptional. An LED LCD HD TV, which would have inferior off angle viewing, would have sold for three times the price we paid. I wish the remote were illuminated; it should be for the list price. The sound is adequate, but for most films, the output from the Blu-ray player goes to the stereo system. Interestingly, the zoom feature on the Panasonic is inferior in flexibility to the Vizio 720P plasma that this replaces.
However, there have been recent concerns about changing black levels on Panasonic Plasma televisions; the unit does not have over 500 hours viewing time. I will amend this review if I note any deterioration in black levels.
I would give this television my highest recommendation but I have the following caveat, unless you can find the television for under $1,000 and are willing to take a chance. David Katzmaier has written on his CNET blog regarding Panasonic's reply to his e-mail on the Black Level issue:
"A quote included in my original report accords perfectly with much of Panasonic's eventual statement, enforcing that belief. In it a respected calibrator who goes by the screen name D-Nice, citing sources within the company, called the too-aggressive voltage increase a "goof" on the part of Panasonic engineering. The closest Panasonic has come to admitting as much is contained in its reference to an improved, more gradual change in new models."
He wrote in conclusion on CNET in the above post, which was dated February 4:
"My main job at CNET is to provide buying advice regarding TVs, and Panasonic plasmas were one of my go-to recommendations. The 50-inch G10 was the most popular TV on CNET during 2009, and the V10 series earned the only Editors' Choice award I handed out to any flat-panel TV last year. In fact, after I reviewed the 2009 models, my dad bought a TC-P42X1, two of my colleagues at CNET, Matthew Moskovciak and John Falcone, bought TC-P50G10s and another, David Carnoy, bought a TC-P65S1 (we're keeping tabs on the black levels of those sets, too). It's safe to say that many readers of this Web site did the same thing dad, John, Matt and David did: buy a solid-to-excellent HDTV for a good price, and be perfectly happy with the picture quality. Judging from reader reaction, that happiness may be in jeopardy.
"Nothing halts a shopper's reach for his wallet better than doubt, so I believe it's in Panasonic's best interest to answer those lingering questions. Until that happens, it's going to be hard for me to recommend the company's TVs without a degree of uncertainty."
Therefore, in the interim, I advise caution on purchasing current production units. Google "David Katzmaier Panasonic black levels" for his recent post to CNET and future updates.
Black level update February 10, 2010:
David Katzmaier, Senior Editor, HDTV of CNET posted on his blog dated February 9, 2010 "Panasonic does not plan fix for reported black level increases; that answer comes from Bob Perry, Senior VP of Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company, in reply to a follow-up question CNET asked in response to the company's February 3 statement addressing reports about the company's plasma TVs losing their deep black levels over time..." and that it could take years to see the problem. Again, with minimal hours on this set, I've not seen anything other than an excellent picture. Software will be upgraded on the newer models to be released later this year. Posts to the blog by consumers who have contacted Panasonic contradict Mr. Perry, indicating engineers are actively looking at the issue. My advice if you own any Panasonic Plasma and have experienced the issue is to do as Perry advised in his reply to the below question:
Q: What should owners do who are unsatisfied with the picture quality of their TVs?
A: There is no reason for dissatisfaction with a product that works as it was intended to and provides industry-leading excellent black level performance. However, customers do have access to the Panasonic Plasma Concierge Program, which can provide advice and assistance on all customer satisfaction issues.
Finally, if you can purchase a 2009 at a bargain price and are willing to gamble, you may do so. But it may be wiser to wait for the 2010 models or to continue to monitor David Katzmaier's CNET blog; I can't provide a link due to Amazon's legal policy but be aware Internet searching, as I discussed, is something the consumer can do at his or her discretion. I myself have not observed any issues, but if I'm still around in a few years, or as soon as any issues occur, I will update my review. Right now, I don't regret the purchase. You can consider Samsung plamas, but do be aware some have had buzzing issues, i.e., buzzing sounds from the unit. Katzmeier recommends Samsung PN58B860 58-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV.
UPDATE March 3, 2010
I contacted Panasonic Plasma Concierge online, and like a Blu-ray player, the firmware could in fact be upgraded via use of software downloaded to an SD Card. However, they have no plans to do so. Per the transcript, I got this reply:
"Yes we are aware of the AVS forum posting all of them but the issue was investigated and nothing has been found to be a service issue or firmware upgrade. At this point we don't know if an upgrade will be [made available] in the future".
However, the latest CNET blog post indicates there is an issue. Therefore, I suggest for anyone who has observed black level problems to contact Panasonic. However,I'll give Katzmaier the last word on the topic of black levels:
"Results from two aged Panasonic plasma TVs purchased in 2009 indeed show brighter blacks, and correspondingly reduced picture quality, compared with similar 2009 models with fewer hours.
"The two aged TVs were a TC-P50G10 owned by CNET Senior Editor John Falcone and a TC-P42G10 loaned to us by CNET reader Efrain Perez. Both had approximately 1,500 hours of use, which at the average rate of 5.2 hours per day works out to about 9.6 months of age, at the time testing was conducted. We also measured another 50-inch TC-P50G10 and a 50-inch TC-P50V10, each with about 500 hours.
"According to our measurements, the models with 1,500 hours both reproduced black at 0.023 footlamberts; the 500-hour models measured 0.008.
"Unfortunately we're still not sure about the true extent of the loss in black level performance. The sample size involved in our test is still quite small among the thousands of Panasonic plasma TVs sold last year. In addition, we have yet to observe or measure any substantial change in the models we're testing. The only way to know for sure how these TVs change as they age is to conduct a long-term test using more samples, something that's currently beyond CNET's resources.
"We contacted Panasonic with these test results but the company declined to comment because of pending litigation related to the issue."
I suggest if you have an issue you pester Panasonic; I don't think for them to release a firmware upgrade would be a big deal, unless the litigation has now fouled things up! Right now, the setting I use is the higher black level, not Burden's one; in a bright room, perhaps the black level is better. It also depends on the Blu-ray.
UPDATE 06/09/2010
No black level issues, but I'm using the darkest setting, not the Jack Burden D500K settings, and again, purists will scream but it's my TV and I find it necessary to adjust for each Blu-ray. I watched Avatar (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) [Blu-ray] and Red Cliff International Version - Part I & Part II [Blu-ray] and they were spectacular. Also, The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button: The Criterion Collection [Blu-ray] looked fantastic. If I note poor performance, I'll let you know. In a brighter environment, there are no issues. However, since this product is now obsolete, i.e., the S2 replaced it, consider an S2 or consider that even if there are problems, the performance will exceed a bargain LCD set.
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