I purchased this TV at Sears about a week ago. The picture on the in -store display model was great. However, it was not in stock and expected delivery is January 6th.
I am likely to cancel my order after reading the Warrantee book. Although the salesman assures me burn-in is no longer an issue for plasmas, the warrantee book states it does not cover burn-in and directs that watching news or financial channels should be limited to no more than 5% of total tv watching or burn-in will result.
For a company that touts its anti-burn-in technology, I find this amazing and unsatisfactory.
Why would I pay close to one thousand dollars for a TV and have to be careful of the amount of time I watch certain types of programs?
In addition, I have read reviews from customers complaining about the burn-in issue.
I have not yet canceled my order and await any relevant comments- especially from Mr. Samsung.
Thanks
Reply 1 : Samsung PN50A450 Plasma Burn-In/ Warrantee
cgbearister,
I can appreciate your concerns, and I'm here to help.
Burn-in, and image retention, is possible with any plasma set you buy. Samsung is one of, I believe 5 manufacturers in the world that makes the gas, glass, and the rest of the panel ourselves. So we have our own quality control on the panels.
We have three screen-burn protections built into the panel, and our panels (improved plasma gas 'recipes'), plus PixelShift, Scrolling Bar and Bleach protections have allowed our panels to get significantly better each year so that these issues are reduced. But to say that "burn-in is no longer an issue" is not true. It is entirely possible if you abuse your panel. CRT burn-in is also possible and have historically never been covered under warranty either. For that matter, burn-in is possible on every single technology with the exception of DLP.
We are industry leaders when it comes to reducing burn-in on our panels. I imagine there are plenty of reviews out there complaining that we didn't replace the panel. We don't cover abuse, and I'd rather be upfront about that than tell you that there's "nothing to worry about". The first 200 hours are critical. After that, it's not as inflexible as the reputation that preceeds it; but it does have limitations.
If you're worried that the recommended restrictions is going to crimp your enjoyment, then plasma may not be the best technology for your purpose.
Something to consider, and I'm happy to discuss everything I know about them.
Perhaps some plasma owners here can add or confirm (or even object!) to what I've posted here. I welcome an open dialogue.
--HDTech
Reply 2 : Samsung PN50A450 Plasma Burn-In/ Warrantee
Hello, I purchased the PN43D50 2 weeks ago and absolutely love the picture. However, a few days ago someone left the TV on overnight at the "Rogers On Demand" logo screen and the logo has been visible ever since. I've tried leaving scrolling on over night, turned on all burn protection features, and still no success.
Is there ANYTHING else I can try? While scrolling is on, should I max out contrast and brightness or keep them low? How about with regular viewing, should I keep color, contrast and brightness high enhance the probability of the ghost logo disappearing?
Thank you in advance!
Reply 3 : Samsung PN50A450 Plasma Burn-In/ Warrantee
rab33,
I'm sorry to hear about your situation.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre">
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The scrolling feature was set in the brightness and contrast adjustment within that feature. As far as I am aware, there is no adjustment that can be done further. Continue using the scrolling feature and see if the combination of that, full screen viewing and time will eventually erase any burn in.
--HDTech
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Reply 4 : Samsung PN50A450 Plasma Burn-In/ Warrantee
What do you mean when you say that the first 200 hours are critical?
I have heard other comments like this, as well, but it is never explained. Is there something you can do to prevent burn-in while the set is new? I do not see any instructions in the manual about this. Please explain.
Also, this unit is said to have a built in audio amplifier. does that mean I can plug in speakers directly to the analog out (L/R) and be able to control the sound functions directly from the tv remote?
Please Reply
Thanks
Reply 5 : Samsung PN50A450 Plasma Burn-In/ Warrantee
cgbearister,
When I say that the first 200 hours are critical, I mean that plasma as a general technology has a break-in period. Just like you wouldn't race a brand new car within the first 3000 miles, you wouldn't want to leave static images (still images) or watch uneven programming (such as black bars) before the unit is broken in. I believe our specs say 50-100 hours, but I always suggest above that to be on the safe side. I know I doubled it, but that's just my personal recommendation. That's what I would do. Realistically is it THAT important? To me it would be.
The gas in the panel is dormant. So the best way to break in a panel, in my unofficial opinion, is to run the Scrolling feature (p. 32 of the manual) for a few hours. This makes every panel go to the brightest white, and the darkest black. It essentially "exercises" the picture, which allows you to get the best picture down the line.
People who choose not to do that aren't going to experience a notiably worse picture necessarily, but it's my recommendation based on my knowledge of the technology. That said, we have technology such as pixel shift, bleach screen and scrolling in the event that you do see some image retention to get rid of it.
I hope I'm not scaring you wtih the technology. Plasma does have a reputation for burn-in; however, as one of the manufacturers of the actual gas and glass panels, we've improved the technology in the past few years substantially. Consider it a "Pro Tip".
The built in audio amplifier is for headsets. If you're looking to connect either RCA or 3.5mm outputs, you will need an additional amplifier for the signal. Powered speakers, such as computer speakers, are definitely a good choice, and there are some great systems out there for both RCA and 3.5mm inputs. If you already have a tuner, this would be your best option.
Let me know if you have any further questions.
--HDTech
Reply 6 : Samsung PN50A450 Plasma Burn-In/ Warrantee
HD_Tech,
I just purchased the Samsung Plasma PN42A450 today and have a few questions.
1) Within the first 200 hours is it ok to play PS3 (Madden 09, MLB The Show, NBA Live) as long as the game is active. Meaning, not pausing the game excessively and leaving static images.
2) Can the scrolling feature be run through the night, say 8-hours non-stop while I am sleeping, in order to exercise the pixels and speed up the break-in period?
3) I have read some CNET reviews and other forums where people have posted recomended settings for optimal viewing (Cell Light, Brightness, Contrast, etc...). Before jumping to the optoimal settings, what are the advised settings to have during the break-in period. I see the TV came with the Contrast at 95, which I have since knocked down to 65 in order to run the screen cooler during this phase.
Thanks,
Randy
Reply 7 : Samsung PN50A450 Plasma Burn-In/ Warrantee
rehr22,
Thanks for purchasing a PN42A450!
What I'm discussing here are preferred details. When I say that, what I mean is that if you don't do what I list here, it's not a big deal in most cases. But in explaining the technology several times, I've found that these are common questions people have. So keep in mind, these tips are for people who are interested in the technology and starting their unit off on the best foot (so to speak), and not so much suggesting that these are "manufacturer recommendatons". They're not. They're my suggestions inspired by the questions people ask.
It's the people who come home, turn on CNN for the first 200 hours without reading the manual first and then wonder why there's a big ticker-bar line retained in the panel that suffer the worst. The mere fact that you're interested enough to ask questions shows that you're probably going to enjoy your panel for a long time, and at worst have minimal or temporary image retention.
Again, 200 hours is my obsessive compulsive recommendation. It's what a TV geek like me would insist on if it were mine because I'm... well.... a geek. Most people will never read what I write and do just fine.
1. Most games have a static image in the form of a scorebar. While you may see some image retention after flipping on the bleach screen, I'd still shy away from it, at least until you run the scrolling feature for a few initial hours first. Play an hour of the game, and then flip to White Screen in the Burn-In Protection Menu to see if those images retain; if they do, back of a little. If they don't, game on and check later.
2. You could run the scrolling through the night. Personally, I'd just do it for a few hours initially, and then exercise your colors by watching regular television like you normally do. Don't feel like scrolling is a feature you have to constantly use.
What I wouldn't do is leave it on with no input overnight, or a black screen overnight. That's part of the 200 hours, and it leaves the pixels dormant, which trains them to be dormant. If that panel is on, it should be full screen and moving for 200 hours, ideally.
3. The higher the brightness, the more apt you are to get retention. If you're going to play games like Madden, knock that setting down to movie or standard settings and adjust up a little. I wouldn't really recommend Dynamic for two reasons; It's color brightness and saturation for rooms with tons of ambient light or surrounded by windows, and those settings increase your chances of getting retention.
Finally, there's a difference between burn-in and image retention. You may see some inconsistencies in the bleach screen, and that's considered normal. Most people won't even see those inconsistencies unless they look for them. But if you can start to make out network logos in the bottom part of the screen, or see your "Rock Meter" in Guitar Hero or see scores where the Madden 09 bar normally is, then you might want to change your habits a little for the initial break in period.
Does that help?
--HDTech
Reply 8 : Samsung PN50A450 Plasma Burn-In/ Warrantee
I Am 17 Yrs old and just bought myself a Samsung 50 Inch PN50A450 and i was wondering what you would recommend to help me keep my tv and its screen in great condition without getting any burn in'S?? please reply?? my Tv arrives On Wednesday 25, 2009 since where i bought it from had to order it for me.
Reply 9 : Samsung PN50A450 Plasma Burn-In/ Warrantee
Civic_Tuner,
Thanks for purchasing a Samsung.
I've outlined the break-in period for the television in the post above yours (above this one). I would recommend following those guidelines, and after that, just avoid long-term static (still) images on the panel.
Let me know if you have any other questions, and I'll be happy to address them.
--HDTech
Reply 10 : Samsung PN50A450 Plasma Burn-In/ Warrantee
Okay ill be sure to read those guidelines and i have another question. My Main purpose for buying this big tv was for gaming purposes only?? Do you think that by playing alot of video games on this tv will increase my chances of creating a burn in?? I wont play 24/7 due to the fact that i have to work. Probably about 6 to 7 hrs a day max??
Reply 11 : Samsung PN50A450 Plasma Burn-In/ Warrantee
Civic_Tuner,
I wouldn't recommend primarily playing video games for long periods of time, particuarly games that have static images (images that don't move). Examples would be car racing games where the spedometer stays in one place, or even guitar hero where the "Power Meter" doesn't move.
I would pay close attention to the panel (check the All-White screen to see if any retention is progressing) when using it, particularly for that application.
--HDTech
Reply 12 : Samsung PN50A450 Plasma Burn-In/ Warrantee
HD Tech,
I appreciate your comments. I must say that I am extremely happy with this PDP. Now that I am well past the burn-in period. What settings do you recomend for optimal TV viewing (PS3 settings I always tone done, especially on games with static images). Right now I have the settings pretty dull since I wanted to keep the PDP running cooler during the break-in period, I believe both Brightness and Contrast are at 55 with Dynamic and Black Adjust OFF. When watching movies at night I often turn Dynamic and Black Adjust to their low settings and really feel the deep blacks are picture are much more crisp. It really all depends on what I am watching. I find I am always tweaking the picture daily for whatever program I am watching (Movies, Sports, Sitcoms and PS3).
Reply 13 : Samsung PN50A450 Plasma Burn-In/ Warrantee
rehr22,
More than happy to help!
If you're referring to calibration settings, that's a hard call to make. To truly calibrate a television, you have to consider how much ambient light is in the room, as well as when you'll be watching it most.
Totally off the top of my head, I'd leave brightness where it is - somewhere in the 50's, and maybe bump up the contrast a little to bring out the colors.
Each input does hold the settings. So if you watch TV with a cable/sat box through HDMI-1 and your PS3 through HDMI-2, those settings will be for that specific input. So if your contrast is 50 on the PS3 and 82 on the cable/sat, they will remain that way as you change inputs. So you should only have to adjust each input once. So hopefully you'll be able to cut down on your tweaking time and enjoy your viewing time.
Glad to hear it's working out. Let me know if we can help with anything else.
--HDTech
Reply 14 : Samsung PN50A450 Plasma Burn-In/ Warrantee
My PN50A450 seems to be running very hot, I recieved it on 2/3/09 and have been watching it since. Since day 1 it has been kind of hot on the top (looking @ the back) left. I watch alot of TV, and play alot of Ps3.
My fathers Sammy is very similar in model - I believe the earlier version of the 50inch 720p, and it does not run hot at all.
I don't know how to fix this problem, and would also like to know if this may be the cause of some of my image retention when playing MLB 08 (1st base line on right when batting stays after the game is played, as well as certain figures in the outfield or in the stadium stay on the screen after the game is finished.)
Thanks,
Dale
Reply 15 : Samsung PN50A450 Plasma Burn-In/ Warrantee
Hello cgbearister i am 17 yrs old and was wondering if you still own your plasma tv?? because i just bought the same model yesterday and dont expect to receive it until the 25 of this month because they had to order it for me but i wanted to know if yours turned out fine after reading your reviews which really did help me alot. please reply back
Reply 16 : Samsung PN50A450 Plasma Burn-In/ Warrantee
Civic_Tuner, let me see if I can assist here as I bought my PDP for the same purpose.
PS3 games I am playing are:
NBA Live
Madden
MLB The Show
WipEoutHD
NASCAR
NHL
Now, of those games Madden is the only one that has the persistant scorebar along the top. The other games are either smart enough these days to have them fade out or just make them persistant at certain frames.
When I first took the PDP home, I lowered all the factory settings from torch mode and had Brightness and Contrast around 50. I didn't realize when going to HDMI-2 (PS3 signal) the settings would change (as each input saves its own settings) and it went back to torch mode. With this, I got a little bit of IR from the Madden scorebar. Eventually it went away once I lowered the settings and then runnings the Anti-Burn - Scrolling feature.
Keep in mind the above happened during the break-in (200 hours) period. At this time I have no IR and I am a heavy gamer. So I woul say that you should have NO hesistation on picking up this TV, PDP (IMO) is far superior than LCD, especially for gamers (color, speed and smoothness of framerate).
My suggestion is to lower the settings - for both HDMI inputs (HDTV = HDMI-1 and PS3 = HDMI-2) - and you will have no issues. I suggest keeping the Brightness and Contrast both at 55. Even now I leave the settings on the game low, I just hit use Entertainment Mode and use the game setting.
Lastly, use your head, as long as you take care of your PDP you will have no issues. Meaning, whenever I walk away for extended periods I hit the source button and go back to the HDTV so I avoid any / all static images on the screen.
Good luck, let me know if there is anything else I can assist with.
Reply 17 : Samsung PN50A450 Plasma Burn-In/ Warrantee
Yea its been...A week now since i have recieved my tv i LOVE IT. so far hasn't given me any problems or anything i did what you said about lowering the settings to around 55 but i went a little lower to 50. Another one of my Fears now is the overheating. i try to keep my room as cool as possible i have my windows open each night and have my ceiling fan on Because its cold in the night but i just snuggle under the covers, i care more for my tv than myself catching a cold haha. OH and is it Mandatory to run Scrolling Feature cuz to be honest ive only ran it Once for about 30 Min since i got my tv?
Reply 18 : Samsung PN50A450 Plasma Burn-In/ Warrantee
I think you may be going a tad bit overboard with your PDP. I highly doubt a room cooled at 70 degrees and hours of watching will cause any overheating issues.
As far as Scrolling, when my PDP was new I would let it run from the moment I went to bed until the morning. The way I see it, the faster I got to 200 hours the better. Even now that I am way past the 200 hours, I almost always watch HDTV and never SDTV with black bars on the sides. When I watch CNBC or MSNBC I leave the scrolling feature on since I do not want the stock ticker or news blocks on the screen that are static. There is no need to watch the commentators on these channels, so I leave them on while I work and let the screen scroll or sometimes turn the screen off entirely. When playing PS3 games with Entertainment Mode = GAME, I turn it off when I need to pause and walk away for a few. This way its not static with your contrast at 95.
As you can see, I treat this PDP with much care. For I believe that even monitoring the little things I will have a PDP that will bring me years of pleasure.
Reply 19 : Samsung PN50A450 Plasma Burn-In/ Warrantee
Yea i agree with you on Going overboard with the overheating issue but i get paranoid n stuff about my tv i want to keep it in the best condition that i can because i have not YET got a warranty for my tv. when i first ordered it the total would have came out to about 1200 for the tv with the warranty and i had a budget of 1000 so i asked the lady if i could buy the warranty at a later time and she said yes but that itd cost more which i really didn't mind so on the 9th of this month which is the day i get paid is when i will go to get my warranty
Reply 20 : Samsung PN50A450 Plasma Burn-In/ Warrantee
Civic_Tuner,
The panel is designed to withstand some heat, and that's normal. It's okay if you keep your ambient temperature cool, but don't feel like you necessarily have to.
And no, you don't have to use the scroll feature, but do check the white screen to make sure you're not getting image retention on occasion, and you should be just fine. If you see some, run the scroll feature.
Thanks for posting your feedback!
--HDTech
Reply 21 : Samsung PN50A450 Plasma Burn-In/ Warrantee
Yes i think i do overreact with the heat situation but im scared because have not yet bought my warranty but still have my 30 Days warranty with the store but i have a question if you can help me with it. Umm The day my tv was picked up, it was picked up by my mom and just the other day i asked her if she had the receipt but she didn't know where she put it....Do i need the receipt to buy the warranty for my tv or can they just look it up on the computer or something?? Also The Pixel Program on the tv what would you recommend this be set too?? i have my set to 3 Horizontal and 3 Vertical every minute?? Is that bad?
Reply 22 : Samsung PN50A450 Plasma Burn-In/ Warrantee
Civic_Tuner,
I would see if the store you purchased it from could issue you another receipt. You'll need that for future warranty issues (proof of purchase with date), and most stores will do that without much hassle.
From personal experience, I had to produce a receipt for one of my Samsung printers that required service.
So yes, I definitely recommend holding on to it.
The warranty company may not ask for it today, but again, it could be an issue down the line when you file a claim.
The pixel shift can be adjusted to your temperance. If you want to max 4 on everything and it doesn't bother you, go for it. I haven't heard of anyone ever uttering "I noticed the picture shift" (knock on wood!), but moving it like that certainly won't damage the panel, and recommend the highest you can go at your tolerance. 3 is not bad at all; if it was, you'd have already changed it.
Keep me posted if you have any other questions!
--HDTech
Reply 23 : Samsung PN50A450 Plasma Burn-In/ Warrantee
After reading replies and upon further investigation, I decided to cancel my order for this TV. I did purchase a 1080p Sharp 42" LCD for $699.00. Although I would prefer a 50", I am satisfied with the purchase. It was less costly, the picture on HD is great and good on sd. And I don't have to worry about what I watch (or play)or running screen burn-in software. The sound was bad before connecting surround sound but the Samsung sound was not good, either. The picture on this LCD is as good or better than the Samsung. I suggest a quality LCD. Remember, the warrantee does not cover burn-in. I have had my Sharp for about 2 months with no problems, so far.
Reply 24 : Samsung PN50A450 Plasma Burn-In/ Warrantee
A poor decision on your part.
There is no way the picture is 'as good or better' than the Plasma we had discussed earlier in this forum. A person with good taste learns to break-in and treat a Plasma with care. Why, for they know with a little extra care they get a suprior viewing experience and do not have to sacrifice on quality. I am sad to read that you have done just chosen the easier path.
Nevertheless, good luck with you purchase.
Reply 25 : Samsung PN50A450 Plasma Burn-In/ Warrantee
Judging from your grammar and spelling mistakes, it appears you may be spending a bit too much time caring for your plasma.
I did extensive research on both price and quality before making my purchase. While I agree that the Samsung has a better picture than most LCD televisions (and most other plasmas), there were a very few that were comparable or slightly better, including the one I purchased. I tweaked every model on display, in my area, at numerous stores, while in TV mode- you can't just judge by the DVD running in the stores. Also, I discovered that some stores turned down the contrast on some of the models to make others appear to have a better picture.
Good Luck "Caring" For Your Plasma.
I Will Use My Time Enjoying My TV.
Reply 26 : Samsung PN50A450 Plasma Burn-In/ Warrantee
I am still upset you went with an LCD, very poor choice.
Reply 27 : Samsung PN50A450 Plasma Burn-In/ Warrantee
Fellas,
There's no wrong technology here.
Every product has an audience - otherwise, that product ceases to exist. I can appreciate the championing of differences between one technology over the other, but this is precisely why we make both technologies.
More choices mean more options and more people can get what they prefer.
--HDTech
Reply 28 : Samsung PN50A450 Plasma Burn-In/ Warrantee
I am getting my new 58B650 tommorrow and I read somewhere to adjust the settings down during breakin. I think it was Brightness and Contrast and mabey some others.
I can't find the thread now so can someone give me some recommended setting for break in?
Reply 29 : Samsung PN50A450 Plasma Burn-In/ Warrantee
HD Tech-- How do you leave the scrolling feature on for a couple hours? Mine shuts off after 10-15 minutes. I am trying to get that done before hooking up on Friday. Thanks
......but that's kinda what I'm thinkin, only right around 160 degrees (as that is what a TB might see unattended in a hot car with direct sun light).
