Plasma TV Question

[Jason Christenson]

I'm in the process of building shelves that will house my new Plasma TV :D. (It's a Panasonic TH-42PX75U if anyone cares.) Here is my question: How much space needs to be left around the TV before I need to put in a fan for ventilation. I'm sure the answer is in the users manual but I don't pick the TV up until Thursday and I would like to have the shelves all in place by then.

Thanks,
Jason

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

couple inches

[Glenn Clabo]

I have a 50 inch and all I can say is...they get hot! I believe I would put a fan in if I put anything around it at all.

[Pat Germain]

Your TV already has cooling fans in it. As long as there are a few inches of space on the top and bottom for the air to move in, up and out, you should be fine.

[Roy Hatch]

Jason, We bought the TH-42PD50U about a year ago and love it. I suppose it is an earlier version of the one you are getting. I have on occasion held my hand above the unit and the amount of heat is impressive. So take heed and give it some breathing room.

Out of curiosity I looked at the manual on the net and found:

Do not cover the ventilation holes.
• Doing so may cause the Plasma TV to overheat, which can cause fire or damage to the Plasma TV. If using the pedestal, leave a space of 3 15/16” (10 cm) or more at the top, left and right, 2 3/8” (6 cm) or more at the
bottom, and 2 3/4” (7 cm) or more at the rear. If using some other setting-up method, leave a space of 3 15/16” (10 cm) or more at the top, bottom, left and right, and 3/4” (1.9 cm) or more at the rear. Avoid installing this product near electronic equipment that is readily affected by electromagnetic waves.
• It may cause interference in image, sound, etc. In particular, keep video equipment away from this product.

Roy

[Tom Godley]

I have an older 42 inch plasma -- it was when they first came out -- the thing was over 4k.

I was shocked at how hot it got -- and not too happy when I overheated the power supply board.

It was installed in an opening that allowed about three inches around the unit in the front with a small vent in the upper shelf at the back.

It took about two years to fry the board -- by that time the cost to fix it was more than half the cost of a current unit. I was able to fix it by finding the problem on a forum. I now use it in another area out in the open - still going strong.

I happen to like the picture in the plasma units -- but they really get hot. I would wait to see how the fans pull and exhaust ports are before I built anything.

[Jason Christenson]

• It may cause interference in image, sound, etc. In particular, keep video equipment away from this product.

Does that mean I have to keep my new TV away from my VCR? Yes, I still have a VCR.

By the way, where did you find the manual on line? I looked at panasonic.com but had no luck.

Jason

[Jason Christenson]

One more thing, did any of you have your plasma professionally calibrated? It's supposed to make them look better, run cooler and last longer. I've already paid for the service but have 30 days to call it off. At this point, based on everything I've read about it, I'm planning to go ahead with it.

Jason

[Tim Morton]

One more thing, did any of you have your plasma professionally calibrated? It's supposed to make them look better, run cooler and last longer. I've already paid for the service but have 30 days to call it off. At this point, based on everything I've read about it, I'm planning to go ahead with it.

Jason

I had my 56" samsung DLP professionally calibrated and I would say it was WELL worth it. I used avical and eliab is the gentleman who came out and did mine. Not cheap...but in my case it was just what i needed to make the TV watchable.

[Jim Becker]

Plasma's generate a lot of heat, so erring to the conservative relative to providing ventilation will be a good idea.

On the professional calibration thing, I've also heard it's worth doing, but haven't decided on that yet relative to the 52" LCD that's going in the addition.

[Tim Morton]

Plasma's generate a lot of heat, so erring to the conservative relative to providing ventilation will be a good idea.

On the professional calibration thing, I've also heard it's worth doing, but haven't decided on that yet relative to the 52" LCD that's going in the addition.


I asure that noone is better than these guys Jim:cool:

http://www.avical.com/index.html

[Jim Becker]

Thanks, Tim. They are actually viable given the Northern NJ location of one of the associates. I'll check with them once I have the gear installed in about a month. (you-know-who willing and the creek don't rise....)

[Pat Germain]

One more thing, did any of you have your plasma professionally calibrated? It's supposed to make them look better, run cooler and last longer. I've already paid for the service but have 30 days to call it off. At this point, based on everything I've read about it, I'm planning to go ahead with it.

Jason

If it's done by a true, knowledgeable professional it's worth doing. However, based on what I've seen and heard, the folks who show up with the calibration "add-on" from BestBuy and similar stores are just Beavis and Butthead who crank up the brightness and color and expect you to be impressed. :rolleyes:

By perusing videophile forums you can get learn how to make the picture look very good by yourself. Your results will not be as good as someone who really knows what he's doing and has specialized calibration equipment.

[Tim Morton]

Thanks, Tim. They are actually viable given the Northern NJ location of one of the associates. I'll check with them once I have the gear installed in about a month. (you-know-who willing and the creek don't rise....)
I'm not proud of what i am going to tell you here, but I kind of told a lie in my house. I said that Samsung was sending out a repair technician to service the TV. I told this to eliab when he arrived and he laughed and said i was not the first or second or third to use this same story line:D I believe LCD calibrations are $300.

[Tim Morton]

If it's done by a true, knowledgeable professional it's worth doing. However, based on what I've seen and heard, the folks who show up with the calibration "add-on" from BestBuy and similar stores are just Beavis and Butthead who crank up the brightness and color and expect you to be impressed. :rolleyes:

By perusing videophile forums you can get learn how to make the picture look very good by yourself. Your results will not be as good as someone who really knows what he's doing and has specialized calibration equipment.

This is very true..you could buy the DVE disk and follow these instructions:

http://www.avical.com/articles/avicals_dve_user-level_video_calibration_tutorial.html

[Rick Gooden]

You should make sure that the technician is "ISF" certified, this will insure you get the real deal. Any top quality organization will have an ISF certified tech.

http://www.imagingscience.com/

[Jason Christenson]

...Beavis and Butthead who crank up the brightness and color and expect you to be impressed. :rolleyes:

My understanding is that these come out of the factory with the color and brightness cranked up, calibration is supposed to correct that. Anyway, in a month or so I'll be able to tell you how Beavis and Butthead do.

Jason

[Roy Hatch]

Jason, Here's the link for your unit. Click on the download for the 54 page manual in English and Spanish.
http://www2.panasonic.com/consumer-electronics/support/Audio/Home-Theater/Televisions/model.TH-42PX75U

I had forgotten about the calibration. I rented a disk from Netflix and did it myself. I couldn't compare this with a professional calibration since I've never paid for that service. Netflix offers this http://www.netflix.com/Movie/Digital_Video_Essentials_NTSC/70027257?trkid=222336&lnkctr=srchrd-sr&strkid=1558666471_1_0

If you Google tv calibration you will find lots of info

Roy

[Jason Christenson]

Thanks, Roy.

[Mitchell Andrus]

My plasma used to heat the den. No kidding, we had to open the door to let the haet out after a few hours. Allow for plenty of circulation... my power supply quit after 21 months. A larger LCD is markedly cooler.

[Tim Morton]

My plasma used to heat the den. No kidding, we had to open the door to let the haet out after a few hours. Allow for plenty of circulation... my power supply quit after 21 months. A larger LCD is markedly cooler.


I'm pretty sure even the new plasma's run much much cooler than the old ones.