Panasonic 86cm CTV Big problems

[IanR]

After initially being happy with my purchase I am now peeved off with the set and the Panasonic so called after sales service.
My TV is virtually impossible to watch on auto aspect, the screen size keeps on changing size (while watching the same show). Then when it is in reduced size there are white bars across the left top of picture which is distracting.
On other modes the white bands are there all the time. I have contacted Panasonic twice and each time they have advised me not to use the TV on auto mode. What a joke, why have an auto function if it cannot be used. The best screen to watch is in the zoom mode only problem is that you lose too much of the picture.
I really expected more from Panasonic and would take it back to the shop if it didnt weigh 80 kilos.
I dont suppose Panasonic like this type of adverse publicity, but if they had offered me some decent after sales help then I would not be so peeved off.
Ianr

[lhalha]

After initially being happy with my purchase I am now peeved off with the set and the Panasonic so called after sales service.
My TV is virtually impossible to watch on auto aspect, the screen size keeps on changing size (while watching the same show). Then when it is in reduced size there are white bars across the left top of picture which is distracting.
On other modes the white bands are there all the time. I have contacted Panasonic twice and each time they have advised me not to use the TV on auto mode. What a joke, why have an auto function if it cannot be used. The best screen to watch is in the zoom mode only problem is that you lose too much of the picture.
I really expected more from Panasonic and would take it back to the shop if it didnt weigh 80 kilos.
I dont suppose Panasonic like this type of adverse publicity, but if they had offered me some decent after sales help then I would not be so peeved off.
Ianr

Auto mode doesn't work well in australia, partly because different stations, shows and adverts use differerent sized "virtual" widescreen borders, and partly because iti s just....crap.

But to be honest, once your "white edges" problem is fixed (see below), this is such a minor problem. If you want to watch in widescreen, leave the TV set to 16:9 and everything will be fine. Sometimes you will get black bars at the top and bottom but this is only because the show you are watching has been broadcast with these bars included. The auto mode is having to make a guess as to how to display the image. Why rely on that, just set it to 16:9, and leave it there. If you want to move up to "zoom1" because you are watching a letterboxed film and you are happy to lose a bit off the sides, then you can do this. "Auto" is just a helper feature - I agree it should work a lot better than it does, but it's hardly something to get up in arms about.

Same with the "just" mode - it's just a feature that might be handy to some people, but it's not really that useful. Don't be cross with pana for this, just don't use the feature!

As for the white bars - you can get rid of this by going into the service menu (do a search on this newsgroup to get the access code - look for a post by "zenzen") and re-calibrating the geometry of your set. I agree that it's bad that these sets aren't properly calibrated when they are sent out - but the problem is easily rectified. A lot of the issue is due to the local geomagnetic field which differs around the world. So your set might look perfect in Tokyo, but be out of line in Sydney.

I had similar issues with my 76cm one but it's all fixed now. I do agree with you that you shouldn't have to do this. Most non-technical people will just sit and bear it, or just get really p**** off with Pana. Maybe the service mode should be made more user friendly, and provided for all to use?

If you don't feel confident using the service menu yourself, try and persuade pana to send an engineer round to do it for you. I've heard of people having this done.

Cheers,

lhalha

[Chris Runner]

I have the 76cm version and agree the aspect ratio changing is one of the
poorer aspects of this set, especially comparing it to a Loewe. However I
just leave it on 16:9 though, and when I need 4:3 i manually select it.

I agree Panasonic's after sales support is abysmal, and certainly for a
premium electronic goods company it is most disappointing. Ironically,
others have mentioned on these forums that TEAC are excellent with after
sales support, and their sets are a third of the price. The other thing I
would recommend is writing a letter to the technical manager, rather than
dealing with the 13 26 00 number. I have found this far more effective in
resolving problems with Panasonic than their rude, acknowledgeable phone
operators.


"IanR" <IanR.1f62cz@no-mx.forums.eyo.com.au> wrote in message
news:IanR.1f62cz@no-mx.forums.eyo.com.au...
>
> After initially being happy with my purchase I am now peeved off with
> the set and the Panasonic so called after sales service.
> My TV is virtually impossible to watch on auto aspect, the screen size
> keeps on changing size (while watching the same show). Then when it is
> in reduced size there are white bars across the left top of picture
> which is distracting.
> On other modes the white bands are there all the time. I have contacted
> Panasonic twice and each time they have advised me not to use the TV on
> auto mode. What a joke, why have an auto function if it cannot be used.
> The best screen to watch is in the zoom mode only problem is that you
> lose too much of the picture.
> I really expected more from Panasonic and would take it back to the
> shop if it didnt weigh 80 kilos.
> I dont suppose Panasonic like this type of adverse publicity, but if
> they had offered me some decent after sales help then I would not be so
> peeved off.
> Ianr
>
>
> --
> IanR

[Lester Bangs]

I had fantastic After Sales Service from Panasonic.

I has a 80cm 4:3 TV I brought a number of years ago. It played up (basically
P/Supply popped every few months) regularly. After the 3 year warranty was
up and it went "pop" again, Panasonic replaced it for free with the latest
"top of the range" 80cm TV (100Hz etc). They told me on the Monday, and by
Wednesday the TV arrived at my house. They even set it up for me.

That's what I call Service and whilst I feel that in your instance you are
not getting the support you require, just ring the Service Manager and deal
directly with him/her.

Panasonic really stand behind their product !

Happy Customer

--
Regards

Lester Bangs
No [SPACE] to reply
Bored ... Check out what drains my wallet.. consistently
http://www.dvdprofiler.com/mc.asp?alias=ppurcell&sc=C&type=O&ls=D

"Festivous for the Rest of Us" - Costanza Senior



"IanR" <IanR.1f62cz@no-mx.forums.eyo.com.au> wrote in message
news:IanR.1f62cz@no-mx.forums.eyo.com.au...
>
> After initially being happy with my purchase I am now peeved off with
> the set and the Panasonic so called after sales service.
> My TV is virtually impossible to watch on auto aspect, the screen size
> keeps on changing size (while watching the same show). Then when it is
> in reduced size there are white bars across the left top of picture
> which is distracting.
> On other modes the white bands are there all the time. I have contacted
> Panasonic twice and each time they have advised me not to use the TV on
> auto mode. What a joke, why have an auto function if it cannot be used.
> The best screen to watch is in the zoom mode only problem is that you
> lose too much of the picture.
> I really expected more from Panasonic and would take it back to the
> shop if it didnt weigh 80 kilos.
> I dont suppose Panasonic like this type of adverse publicity, but if
> they had offered me some decent after sales help then I would not be so
> peeved off.
> Ianr
>
>
> --
> IanR