Ask S&V

Some LCD TVs appear to emit some IR flicker when the TV is first switched on, which interferes slightly with remote control reception. It sounds like John Thorne's IR repeater is picking up this flicker.When our old Sony LCD TV (CFL backlight) had just been switched on, the remote for our TiVo would only work when it was pointed directly at the TiVo; after about 10 minutes it would become much less picky. Now we have a Samsung TV with LED backlight, we no longer have that problem.Bottom line: I don't think the TV is defective, as such. The IR repeater is just excessively sensitive. It may be possible to shield the repeater's IR sensors from the TV screen with judicious use of black electrical tape on the side nearest the TV, but IR reflected from the walls and furniture may still be enough to trigger the problem.

Pioneer announced that they sold their patents to Panasonic in an annual report in 2009. On page fifty of the following report.http://pioneer.jp/corp/ir/library/annual_reports/2009/pdf/2009e.pdf

Peter, thanks for your story. I had never heard of such behavior before, which just goes to show that anyone can learn something new every day.In fact, I learned two new things today, the other being Jacob's proof that Panasonic did indeed acquire Pioneer's patents. As I said in my response, the Panasonic reps with whom I've discussed this very subject maintained that no such transfer of intellectual property had been conducted, but clearly, they were mistaken, and I will update my response accordingly. Thanks for setting us all straight!

I am so glad to hear that Pioneers incredible Kuro technology is not going to waste! Cant wait to see the new models from Panasonic that employ that technology!

Are you not recommending the Panasonic plasma HDTV's? A big box store is offering the tcp-65s1 for $2399. Will I be disappointed with it's performance? Should I wait to see what Panasonic is going to do? I noticed that the largest display offered on their website, at least for the 2010 models, is 54 inches. Should I stay away from the 2009?

Anyone considering purchasing Panasonic plasma TV should search Google for "Panasonic black level problem" to learn about what's being reported by many owners. It was first reported on AVSForum and then by CNet. To summarize, the black levels in the 2009 TV's are doubling with only 1500 hrs of use. Panasonic acknowledged the problem but will not fix. A class action lawsuit has been filed.

I've written about the Panasonic black-level problem in my blog on UAV:blog.ultimateavmag.com/scottwilkinsonThere are lots of user comments about this issue in the Feb 12 and Mar 1 entries.

I have original Pioneer FHD1 bought 12/2006. Calibrated 03/2007. Has about 4200 hours on-time and had recalibrated last week. Very small tweaks to manual color setting on blue and magenta. Tech said black level was nearly identical to what it was on his first calibration. Very little difference. Mine is not a Kuro plasma, but a forerunner to it. If my black level is basically the same after this many hours, I'd think Panasonic would would "cure" its problems with the Pioneer technology.

As a Kuro owner thats good to hear your FHD1 is still going strong S C Brown. I too think Panasonic owes it to their customers to have a consistent black level reading through out the life of their Plasma panel. Totally ridiculous

Is the home theatre mag going to have an electronic ipad version? Please say yes!!

Ryan, I'm happy to say yes! It's now available using the free Zinio app available at www.zinio.com. However, you must still buy a magazine subscription to read it that way.

I actually have heard about the same problem you are having with the LCD interfering with the IR. The only client that I have ever dealt with that had this problem was because he had jacked up all of the settings on his TV. Turn down "backlight" and "brightness" and it should fix the problem. If turning those settings down helps (and it should) then go ahead and get someone ISF or THX certified out to calibrate your TV and get it dialed in correctly and your TV should look great and your remotes should work great.

Cliff, great advice; thanks!

It still amazes me at the dis-information out there. This is just another example of why people shouldn't put faith in the lack of knowledge at best buy. Pioneer plasmas were always made by Panasonic, they never produced their own inhouse sets, nor did they make their Kuro projectors, JVC did. What is truth is Panasonic Premiere plasmas have always been on par or better than Kuro's, and now that Pioneer is no longer selling plasmas Panasonic is incorporating their Premiere tech into the main line. Pioneer had the inky blacks, but they crushed the detail at the low end, by contrast Panasonic's Premiere implemented the technology without crushing the shadow detail.

I am also amazed at the dis-information. Pioneer bought NEC's plasma panel facility some time ago. For many years Pioneer plasma TV sets where made of almost all internally made Pioneer parts. Shortly before Pioneer decided to leave the plasma TV market they decided to source their raw plasma panels from Panasonic. The entire rest of the TV set (all of the display control electronics)was still made by Pioneer. In professional HDTV shout outs in which the best from many brands (Pioneer, Panasonic, Sony, Samsung, etc.)of both Plasma and LCD sets that were professionally calibrated and viewed under optimal conditions in which I have participated in both 2008 and 2009 the hands down winner both years was Pioneer. This is not to say that Panasonic does not make very good plasma TV's. Their TV's finished second to Pioneer. I sincerely hope that in the near future they find a way to equal and hopefully better the performance standard that Pioneer has set.

I'm using the BriteView BV2500 Wireless HD to provide HD signals to a new 42" Panasonic Plasma TV from a Directv receiver located about 20 feet away in another room. The carrier is an adjustable 5GHz. The setup works fine. Image quality is HD as far as my old eyes can tell. The only small problem I had with this arrangement concerned a long delay when switching Satellite Receiver channels. An RF Remote is used to change channels on the Satellite Receiver. BriteView recommended changing the HDMI input on their Transmitter to Component Input. The delay in changing channels is minimal now.

As to who makes what Tony is the hands down winner. I have been fortunate enough to have been to the factories and Pioneer made Pioneer until very recently.As to some of the comments about Panasonic Plasmas becoming to dark that has been a problem since their first units back in the 90's. They just do not but in some of the circuitry neccessary to keep them going over a long period of time. Maybe that's why they were always just a little less expensive.

I missed getting a Pioneer Kuro when prices plummeted months back. Now it's dead. Hopefully, we'll see it reborn as the Panasonic Kuro by 2011. If it does, I would dread that they would house it in the same bezel as the ugly Vieras. It should have a new design of its own to reflect the Kuro tech. In fact, it should look exactly like the Pioneer Kuro which is one beautiful set. I hope they also bought the patents to the name and the chassis.The new sets by Panny this year have some Kuro tech in it but not all of it because the black level still doesn't quite match the Pio's, but it's very close.

JT, from what we've seen, the 2010 Pannys' black level isn't all that close to Kuro's. Tom Norton measured a black level of 0.008fL on the G20, which is eight times higher than the black level of the Kuro. Now, 0.008 isn't bad by any means, but it's clearly not in Kuro territory.

Good Day,I am an employee of retailer that specializes in performance HT products. I know for a fact that panasonic has purchased and has employeed kuro technology in their vt-25 for 2010....I have a direct connection from panasonic and this was confirmed. Not only was panel technology purchased but internal technology (which shall remian nameless) was also purchased and is being used inside of the unit. There is also another manufacture that is using kuro technology and that is samsung in the c8000 plasma. This was also confirmed by a samsung rep. All information comes direct from reps of these brands

And you believed those factory reps? You must also believe what your congressman tells you too. :^/I have a Sharp LCD and I also experience "IR blackout" for a few minutes immediately after turning on the TV. Tho not always, oddly. The TV is CFL backlit. I was told that the CFL tubes sometimes emit Infra-Red as they "warm up" (Cold Cathode Fluorecent tubes "warm up"?)

Anonymous, my contacts at Samsung—who are a lot higher up than factory reps—insist that the company has no access to any Kuro-specific intellectual property, so what the rep told you is untrue. Of course, some plasma technologies are universal among all makes and models, including Kuro, so maybe that's what he was talking about. But Samsung is not using Kuro-specific technology in any of its plasmas.As for Panasonic, my info comes from the VP, Technology Liaison and Alliance Group, who told me that Panasonic has indeed acquired the Kuro-specific intellectual property, and a small portion of that technology has been incorporated into the VT25. But he said it takes 18-24 months to fully implement new technologies into commercial products, so much of the Kuro technology has yet to appear in Panasonic's plasmas.Tom Norton measured a black level of 0.004fL on the VT25, which is better than the G20 (0.008) but not as good as Kuro (0.001).

, Да, все может быть