VT30 series and it's calibration

[IcetomLT]

Hello Everyone,

I didn't find topic about VT30 or it's calibration. Due to this I started my own, if it's ok.

I can share that with latest 1.801 European firmware version, my VT30E measures "2.2" gamma in THX and Proffesional 1/2 profiles with sellected gamma 2.2 value in Picture meniu . No need anymore to change to 2.4 value. Wit latest firmware I also don't see anymore any fluctuations in picture  .

David and other site members, forum members,

First of all I would like to thank you for your another detail review of TV. In this case TX-P65VT30. Due to this I have a few questions :
1) Which AVSHD APL pattern you used during 65VT30 callibration: APL window or APL small? With Calman DYI and iDisplay Pro (retail version) I can't get consistent repetitive measurments of greyscale. I used APL small patterns. I can't find where I do mistakes
2) In the review of 65VT30, you mentioned errors in gamma when you used 10 point gamma meniu. I tried to use ChadB's Panasonic workflow. But when I run automatic 10 point white balance calibration, I saw more dithering during real material watch due to applied automatic gamma correction in 10 all points. Did you avoid this problem with 10 point gamma use? As reference material I like to use Star Wars 5th movie in BD disc with a lot of snow (different type white) scenes - it makes very easy to see (evaluate) how callibration is done.
3) How you calibrate VT30: through Calman's ethernet connection or just through user meniu/remote control?
4) Is there any suitable pattern disc for SD (PAL) signal callibration for Panasonic plasmas?

Offtopic: which AVSHD 709 greyscale pattern would you recommend to use with Samsung and LG plasmas? I have a few requests from friends to try to calibrate there's plasmas too .

I would appreciate if you and others agree to share calibration experience with VT30. I am a little bit pissed of on Panasonic due to permanent green blobs on my 50VT30 and due to so complicated callibration process with there's top plasma model. Recently I calibrated greyscale for stepbrother's totally budget LG 32LV3550 LCD TV. It took only one hour to make white balance and gamma of reference level (as much as Display Pro meter is capable)!

My TV is TX-P50VT30E
Source for callibration: Sony BDP-S350 and AVSHD 1.2b version from Calman webpage
Software and meter: Calman DIY with unlocked Panasonic Consumer Automatic and manual workflow, X-Rite iDisplay Pro (retail version). I set delay in Calman 's "source settings" for 2,5 seconds and in "meter settings" I chose 2 seconds for low light handling.

[tele1962]

Hello and sorry for the late reply.

I use the small APl patterns on my Panasonic GT30.

The inconsistant Greyscale measurement you are mentioning do you have any charts so as we can see exactly what might be going on.

For the Samsung & LG i would use the normal window patterns for Greyscale.

[tele1962]

Hello and sorry for the late reply.

I use the small APl patterns on my Panasonic GT30.

The inconsistant Greyscale measurement you are mentioning do you have any charts so as we can see exactly what might be going on.

For the Samsung & LG i would use the normal window patterns for Greyscale.

PS
Start as many threads as you want mate.

[David Mackenzie]

Hey IcetomLT,

Thanks for sharing your findings. I was surprised to see the same when I reviewed the 64VT30, 2.2 actually does mean 2.2 now.

Your questions:

1. Are you saying that the measurements change each time you take a new reading? One thing I found when calibrating a friend's TX-P50G30 is that if you call up the TV's on screen menu, the Greyscale tracking will change (usually plus red). Going to the TV input then back to the HDMI input feeding the test patterns WITHOUT calling up the menu gave us the previous measurements. Again, it just shows that they aren't too stable with real world footage... I didn't encounter this on the VT30 I reviewed though.

2. I'm not familiar with the Star Wars BDs, and actually, haven't used the auto calibration either (although we tried during the review of the 50VT30). I did the calibration manually. I didn't notice more dither, but did notice a little bit more line bleed.

3. Remote control

4. The HCFR guys made a calibration DVD. However, HDTV (Rec709) and PAL are so similar that you may as well not bother. PAL TV content is generally mastered with EBU colour primaries. For Red and Blue, these are the same as HDTV. Only Green is very slightly different; the error that results from using the HDTV/709 gamut to watch PAL content is tiny.

Offtopic: which AVSHD 709 greyscale pattern would you recommend to use with Samsung and LG plasmas? I have a few requests from friends to try to calibrate there's plasmas too .

I've ended up using the APL pattern on all PDPs lately.

I would appreciate if you and others agree to share calibration experience with VT30. I am a little bit pissed of on Panasonic due to permanent green blobs on my 50VT30 and due to so complicated callibration process with there's top plasma model. Recently I calibrated greyscale for stepbrother's totally budget LG 32LV3550 LCD TV. It took only one hour to make white balance and gamma of reference level (as much as Display Pro meter is capable)!

From our experience, LCDs are better when it comes to consistent Greyscale and Gamma. This is a point that is mentioned surprisingly little in the LCD vs Plasma wars (if those "wars" still go on anymore). Of course, they only keep this consistency if you watch them face-on, so...

[Panny65vt30]

Hey David

I liked  you review on the 65VT30 as i did the 50 VT30 and even 50VT20 , but the point you made about 65vt30 being a bargain as the 65 VT40 is out soon stuck a cord with me .
So i went out the next day and picked one up for £3300 with 5 year warranty .
This set will replace my 50VT30 which will now go in the bed room .
What I would love is your calibration settings for this set , 3D settings would be amazing as I have not found any for 3D anywhere and i do think the 3D picture needs some help .
I understand that it is not perfect to use settings from another set but I have had good results in the past
As with a 50VT20 I had in 2010 which I used your settings from here .
I do intended to have my 65VT30 professionally calibrated when I have run up 500-600 hrs as I have read the VT30 screens have changed up until this point .
I just need some settings to tide me over till then .

[RobTheWire]

I have never understood the wisdom of using small api windows to calibrate tv's with because you don't watch the tv in a small window do you?

I use full screen to calibrate with always have, because that's how you watch the tv is it not, just my tuppence worth

[Insanity202]

I have never understood the wisdom of using small api windows to calibrate tv's with because you don't watch the tv in a small window do you?

I use full screen to calibrate with always have, because that's how you watch the tv is it not, just my tuppence worth

Because alot of TVs ABL kicks in on full screen colours/white so using windows the ABL wont kick in so you get more accurate measures as most content on tv isnt mainly one colour. If that makes sense...Ive had a few beers. 

[tele1962]

Here goes,

For plasma owners, something known as the Automatic Brightness Limiter (ABL) can't be turned off. This is a protective feature built into plasmas to control power consumption, since on a plasma brightness is directly related to the amount of power consumed. In scenes with a high Average Picture Level (APL) - that is, scenes which have a high proportion of bright elements - the ABL will reduce the overall brightness output of the plasma panel to stabilize power consumption; conversely in scenes which have a lower proportion of brighter elements (low APL), the overall brightness of the scene is allowed to be higher. For example a full white screen is not going to have as much luminance as a small window of white on a dark background, precisely due to ABL.

And thats why we use small windows.

[RobTheWire]

Good job i paid someone to do mine, i gave up with my meter and flogged it, i could use 75% or 100% windows and get it perfect then measure it again and it said something different  .

I have a  isf day and a isf night mode and i only ever use night even in the day, sometimes i use pure though.

[tele1962]

Good job i paid someone to do mine, i gave up with my meter and flogged it, i could use 75% windows and get it perfect then measure it again and it said something different  .

I have a  isf day and a isf night mode and i only ever use night even in the day, sometimes i use pure though.

Much easier Rob LOL.

[RobTheWire]

Good job i paid someone to do mine, i gave up with my meter and flogged it, i could use 75% or 100% windows and get it perfect then measure it again and it said something different  .

I have a  isf day and a isf night mode and i only ever use night even in the day, sometimes i use pure though.

Much easier Rob LOL.

Got it done for a bottle of wine and case of stella ha ha, my mate is a in house technician for a tv editing company, he used to be a cameraman for granada tv anyway he came round got did my tv took about 3 hours got smashed on the wine slept on my sofa and took the crate of stella home the next day  .

[tele1962]

Good job i paid someone to do mine, i gave up with my meter and flogged it, i could use 75% or 100% windows and get it perfect then measure it again and it said something different  .

I have a  isf day and a isf night mode and i only ever use night even in the day, sometimes i use pure though.

Much easier Rob LOL.

Got it done for a bottle of wine and case of stella ha ha, my mate is a in house technician for a tv editing company, he used to be a cameraman for granada tv anyway he came round got did my tv took about 3 hours got smashed on the wine slept on my sofa and took the crate of stella home the next day  .

Tell me if you need it done again, thats my kind of calibration. 

[Panny65vt30]

Some help with some calibration settings for 3D on 65VT30 would greatly appreciated   

[tele1962]

Some help with some calibration settings for 3D on 65VT30 would greatly appreciated   

The best thing for now is set it to THX and adjust Brightness & Contrast with a calibration disc. Then after about 500 hours or so i would seriously consider a Professional Calibration.

[panman40]

Some help with some calibration settings for 3D on 65VT30 would greatly appreciated   

As tele says that is the best option, in the meantime you could ask David if the calibrated settings will be posted on the facebook page . This is not ideal copying settings from another set i'm sure you know but may just look a little better than what you have at the mo