long-term test

Update: Long-term plasma TV tests enter second 'year'

You asked for it, now you got it. After a few delays I've updated the results from my ongoing long-term testing of five 2011 plasma TVs by adding a sixth and publishing a new round of numbers.

One of the models tested has now accumulated nearly 3,000 hours of "on" time, equivalent to about a year and a half of normal TV watching, and a couple of others are also well into their second simulated year. New for this round I've also included measurements of the LG 50PZ950, the only 2011 LG plasma I've … Read more

Long-term plasma TV tests show color, black-level changes but no major issues yet

Update January 19, 2012: See the latest test results here.

After a year in the lifespans of five 2011 plasma TVs that I've subjected to new long-term tests, all have shown some fluctuation in black level, light output, and color, and in some cases those changes are significant.

A few changes have been for the better, others can be fixed in calibration, and overall none is a "deal breaker" that radically changes my initial opinions of these TVs--all of which scored an 8 (Excellent) or 9 (Outstanding) in the Performance section of the reviews.

Before you read on, know that I aged these TVs in a controlled albeit accelerated process, leaving them on for basically six days a week for up to four months, so far. The charts below encompass a bit more than a year of normal use, assuming the average daily "on" time rate of 5.2 hours. When reading the charts, keep in mind that not all of the TVs have been aged for the same amount of time. See below for more details.… Read more

Panasonic's 2010 G20/25 plasma has excellent initial picture quality

A lot has changed since we gave the Panasonic TC-PV10 series our Editors' Choice award last year. The most relevant development to the review you're reading now can be summed up with the eminently Google-able phrase "Panasonic black levels." The short story? Testing revealed that 2009 Panasonic plasmas lose their excellent black-level performance--the crucial capability to produce as dark a shade of black as possible--over less than a year of typical use. They become, literally, grayer, and lose the very edge that made them stand above the pack in the first place. As a result we lowered … Read more