Actually, Plasma does not hide Astro's artifacts. Most Plasma TV have better engine to scale-up 480i signal into the Panel's Native Resolution.

LCD's engine so bad that it create lots of artifacts, in conjunction with the Motion Blur effect, it looks worst.

Tranditional CRT TV looks fine just because it display 480i exactly what it get from Astro.

So, technically, a very good up-scaling device will make Astro PQ better but not much because Astro give you high compression data already which is so bad. (G-I-G-O)

Oh! Right, you are correct.
Almost forget that Plasma has better color/black level, which show smooth color/black tone where LCD not able to reach this level.

Maybe can explain in this way:
Plasma almost able to reproduce all the colour whatever the source is, but LCD's 8bit/10bit panel that had very limited color/black level range. In order to display the whole picture which had too much colour, it will try to round up/down some of the color pixel to the nearest one, which make the color looks obvious. Some more LCD always use dynamic contrast to sharpen the picture which make it 'WOW' in some case but make it worst if the source is so bad.

BTW, peoples keep saying that LCD is not fast enough that's why has Motion Blur effect. But what I heard is, it is not the problem of the speed, it is because LCD do not have screen-door effect, which keep the whole picture on at every moment. So, the problem is human's eye. When the picture light stay too long in your eyes, you will have some kind of image memory effect in your brain, that's when the picture frame change to next, you have both frame in your mind which cause the blur effect. Is is true ?
And that's why lot of LCD now start implement 100Hz, which is either insert a 'calculated' image or a black image to shorthen the time of each frame on the screen to prevent memory effect.

Quick question for Panny PV80 owner.

Can you find 'AV Colour System' setting in Setup?
I found it in manual, but not available in my TV, no matter in AVx, HDMIx or TV.
The reason I ask is because I suspect my TV is always stick with PAL.

I have a LG DVD Player, previously connect to a CRT TV, I'm able to see my DVD in original signal, NTSC -> NTSC, PAL -> PAL.
But now after connect to PV80, it always output as 576p/i (PAL). The problem is, the conversion of NTSC->PAL in the DVD Player is so bad. I can see those jerky jerky scenes every few seconds/minutes.
There is no option to set the output system in DVD Player. Although I can switch to 720p/1080i, but still has the same problem. Which means it will convert NTSC to PAL before upscale to 720p/1080i.

If you are a PV80 owner, can test if your TV can accept NTSC signal?

BTW, is DVD Player able to detect what signal your TV accept and output accordingly? Or else why I'm not able to switch my DVD Player to 480i/p (and my DVD movie is confirm NTSC).

Thanks for help!

The weird problem is, previously when connect to CRT TV, playing NTSC will output 480p, PAL will output 576p.
Now no matter what disc I play, it always output 576p. And there is no option for me to force my DVD player output as what format. (I know Pioneer/Philips can, but just my LG cannot, it is auto)
Because it only happen after connect to PV80, so suspect the TV is preset to PAL system, I want to change it to Auto, but cannot found the option (which is available in the manual, pg.23).
I'll try to get another DVD player to test if possible....

2009 will be a great year for new stars.
Panasonic+Pioneer+Hitachi => NeoPDP
Canon (Toshiba?) => SED
Sony => FED & OLED











Say bye-bye to LCD TV....
(But maybe LCD TV price will drop dramatically, so prepare your wallet)