Owners Thread - Pioneer Pdp 428xda/508xda 768p

[spalmills]

Pioneer made a big mistake allowing the user to select an appropriate refresh rate for the Kuro, it should be a completely automatic function and has been on every TV and PC monitor since the first TVs over 60 years ago.

All TV’s and monitors should have their refresh rate dictated by the video source.

The displays input circuit’s looks at the incoming video frame rate and synchronizes the display to the incoming rate, there is never any need for user input or choice. 50Hz video is displayed at 50, 75 or 100Hz, 60Hz video is displayed at 60 or 120Hz and 24Hz video (BluRay) is displayed at 48, 72 or 120Hz, it’s dead simple.

When you adjust the refresh rate on your PC video card do you need to tell the monitor what to use? Of cause you don’t, the monitor locks to whatever you send it, no user input required it just works.

The only time user intervention may be useful is for film source (24fps) encoded into 60i as used in the US for free to air and DVD. Some clever processing is required to figure out if the incoming 60i is true 60i from a video camera or 24fps telecined into 60i with 3:2 pull down, and if the sets processing is not reliable it may make the wrong decision about the input and use an inappropriate deinterlacing scheme and refresh rate.

Obviously Pioneer are not confident their input detection is up to scratch and allow the user to force it. Unfortunately this causes no end of confusion among end users.

Hopefully future Pioneers will not need or allow manual control.

Hello Owen, thanks for the input (no pun intended).

Are you saying that we shouldnt change the Drive Mode?

I tested it this morning and changing it certainly made a difference in scrolling text.

Are we doing something we shouldnt be doing by changing this setting? I wouldnt have thought so if Pioneer allowed this to be altered by the user but who knows. There seems to be so many options and settings compared to my CRT

[Owen]

What I am saying is that the user should never have to choose what mode the display uses, it should be completely automatic and is on almost every display ever made.

[djmm]

So I guess most of the people here leave their setting on Drive Mode 1 and just forget about it, right?

[spalmills]

So I guess most of the people here leave their setting on Drive Mode 1 and just forget about it, right?

I am going to see what difference drive mode 2 & 3 makes when watching the footy. Not that i think mode 1 is bad but just to see what it does.

[wheelz]

I am going to see what difference drive mode 2 & 3 makes when watching the footy. Not that i think mode 1 is bad but just to see what it does.

Mode 2 is the best from my trials

[spalmills]

Mode 2 is the best from my trials

yeah but that is for watching the bulldogs wheelz , i want to see it when a fast team is playing !!

Kust kiddin

[djmm]

I don't watch footy, but do you think Mode 2 is better for general DVD watching, or maybe Mode 1 is better?

I am using Mode 1 at the moment, and I don't find any fault, but if Mode 2 is better, then I'll switch. I tried to switch but I couldn't tell the difference nor do I know what to look for.

[djmm]

I got another question, when your TV is new, the only two things that you have to watch to prevent plasma burn is contrast and brightness right?

What is the recommened maximum value of each in order to be on the safe side?

PS: I set my contrast to 30, and brightness 0.

[diesel]

Excessive 4:3 content, news scroll, channel logos and static images from PCs/Console games are really what you need to be aware of.

[dvduser]

I got another question, when your TV is new, the only two things that you have to watch to prevent plasma burn is contrast and brightness right?

What is the recommened maximum value of each in order to be on the safe side?

PS: I set my contrast to 30, and brightness 0.

Contrast 40 / Brightness 0 - as per out of the box and checked by the installers

[djmm]

Channel logos from HD channels are all transparent, so I assume we don't have to worry much about this - especially during commercial they disappear too?

I don't dare to increase contrast above 30 (midpoint), but I think anything more than 30 is too much anyway.

I also hesitate in watching 2 consecutive DVDs with black bars in a row, now say after I watch 1 DVD movie with black letterbox, I will switch to full screen HDTV to 'even out' the pixels. Do you think it's over careful?

[willchien]

.

Edited May 11, 2008 by willchien

[WhiteGuM]

Have any 508xda owners had any issues hooking a 360 up to the panel via hdmi. I've tried several cables and for whatever reason the 360 keeps sending an odd signal to the Pioneer and not synching. It has no problems sending via hdmi to my Hitachi LCD so its not the xbox or the cables. Got me stumped! I've also tried thru-putting my Onkyo 905 with no luck but I guess thats the tv not synching at the other end.

Edited May 11, 2008 by WhiteGuM

[satz1503559559]

slightly soft image on SD and HD fta

Not sure if this is common to all 508xdas, but I find on mine that backgrounds seem nice and crisp, but foreground, such as faces is just slightly softer than I'd expect.

Is this common with the Pios, or perhaps with Plasmas? Previously I had a Sony CRT, much smaller (34in), but a lovely crisp picture!

Also, regarding the 'drive mode', is this only selectable through the menu/submenu, or is there some shortcut?

I haven't noticed any difference on FTA or DVDs from changing the drive mode.

cheers

S

[Satanica]

slightly soft image on SD and HD fta

Not sure if this is common to all 508xdas, but I find on mine that backgrounds seem nice and crisp, but foreground, such as faces is just slightly softer than I'd expect.

Do you you all Noise Reduction options turned OFF? It makes a bit of a difference.

[spalmills]

Channel logos from HD channels are all transparent, so I assume we don't have to worry much about this - especially during commercial they disappear too?

I don't dare to increase contrast above 30 (midpoint), but I think anything more than 30 is too much anyway.

I also hesitate in watching 2 consecutive DVDs with black bars in a row, now say after I watch 1 DVD movie with black letterbox, I will switch to full screen HDTV to 'even out' the pixels. Do you think it's over careful?

Hi djmm,

The only thing i dont like is the channel 7 logo during the footy (AFL). It is alot brighter than the other channels. Although as you said , the commercials every 10 mins or so counteract that anyway. My contrast is set to 38 which i think looks really good. When i spoke with a Pioneer tech he said to set it to 46 which i think was too high for me so wound it back a little.

I think whilst you are running your new set in you cant be too careful but not to the point of being concerned about everything you watch.

Just try and keep full screen viewing to the predominant (more than 50%) setting to ensure you are wearing in the full screen rather than part of it.

As i had mentioned a while ago, a friend has had his for a few months longer than me and has been watching in all ratios plus also using for gaming without a problem. He isnt too concerned about the IR and burn issues and hasnt seen a sign of either.

He has had a hitachi for 5 years and no sign of anything on that one either.

[spalmills]

slightly soft image on SD and HD fta

Not sure if this is common to all 508xdas, but I find on mine that backgrounds seem nice and crisp, but foreground, such as faces is just slightly softer than I'd expect.

Is this common with the Pios, or perhaps with Plasmas? Previously I had a Sony CRT, much smaller (34in), but a lovely crisp picture!

Also, regarding the 'drive mode', is this only selectable through the menu/submenu, or is there some shortcut?

I haven't noticed any difference on FTA or DVDs from changing the drive mode.

cheers

S

Hello Satz,

in the reviews on this TV this was one of the minor issues with it. (soft pic)

I do find that some programs look a little soft ie the news during the arvo and a couple of others ones but then other programs look great.

It depends on the quality of the program being broadcast.

I previously had a Panasonic CRT 36" and yes the picture is sharper , but thats the quality of CRT for you. I had a big problem trying to convince myself to go for a larger screen when i saw the poor quality pictures on display in most stores.

When i watch a movie on the Pioneer I am glad i made the change. Although the CRT still gets a run as a second TV.

[KOAZ]

Do you you all Noise Reduction options turned OFF? It makes a bit of a difference.

Classic1977

Where would i find this/these NR Option(s), cannot see them in the Pio manual ?

koaz

[dvduser]

Channel logos from HD channels are all transparent, so I assume we don't have to worry much about this - especially during commercial they disappear too? - correct

I don't dare to increase contrast above 30 (midpoint), but I think anything more than 30 is too much anyway. - why, installers recommend between 38-40 during the runnning in period (200hrs)

I also hesitate in watching 2 consecutive DVDs with black bars in a row, now say after I watch 1 DVD movie with black letterbox, I will switch to full screen HDTV to 'even out' the pixels. Do you think it's over careful? - paranoid is more like it

[Satanica]

Classic1977

Where would i find this/these NR Option(s), cannot see them in the Pio manual ?

koaz

Yes they are in the manual on page 33, I'm looking at a downloaded copy of the manual. I'm pretty sure you CAN'T change them if your A/V Selection or whatever it is called is set to OPTIMUM. I use mode USER. There are 4 NR options. Let us know if you can't find them.

Edited May 12, 2008 by Classic1977

[Satanica]

For any TV I have ever owned, turning on Noise Reduction features has always created a softer, less detailed looking image to my eyes.

[wheelz]

Also i have found "color space2" is the best setting,number 1 is too saturated and flesh tones arent right.

[andrew555]

Does the wall bracket that is supplied by pioneer have a tilt facility?

[dvduser]

Does the wall bracket that is supplied by pioneer have a tilt facility?

Yes

[KOAZ]

Yes they are in the manual on page 33, I'm looking at a downloaded copy of the manual. I'm pretty sure you CAN'T change them if your A/V Selection or whatever it is called is set to OPTIMUM. I use mode USER. There are 4 NR options. Let us know if you can't find them.

Classic1977,

Thank you found it on Page 33...

So i take it what you are saying is, have all 4 options (3DNR, Field NR, Block NR and Mosquito NR) turned OFF?

koaz