Plasma's - re-gasing

[AL_B]

Hi,

Thinking of buying a 42" Plasma TV. I've heard a rumour that they need re-gasing and it costs a far bit, i.e. 200-300 quid.

Anyone know how often the TV would need to be regased? And roughly what the cost is?

Cheers

AL

 

[AL_B]

Cheers mate. That's really useful.

Thanks

AL

 

[K3YMT]

We have been installing plasma screens into locations for the last 6 years!

Plasma screens tend to have a life of 3 to 4 years, but this is based on actual hours of use. usually about 30,000 hrs.

So, for my plasma at home, it is usually on from 6pm - 12 midnight - the expected lifespan is therefore about 12 years!! And I will be replacing it well withing 12 yrs!! And in 12 yrs, plasma will be as cheap as chips or replaced by another technology, so dont worry.

The screens we have installed into say airports running 24/7 all lasted 3-4 yrs before leakage occured (bottom corners started to leak a yellow colour) - We binned them and bought new - even in 3 yrs the plasma we had we old technology!! ie. £8000 new, 6 inch thich and a 400:1 contrast, the replacements were £3000, 3 inch thick, 2000:1 contrast!

So, my recommendations:
If its just a TV used on an evening, and you are happy to replace in say 10yrs - dont worry about re-gassing.
Buying new is better than second hand unless it has done little hrs. If you must get second hand find out how many hrs it has done!!

Hope this helps,

Tim

 

[K3YMT]

A lot of plasma's (at least the ones we have used) have a 'usage' setting in the menu.
Its not the most obvious thing to find, (as brightness/contrast are nearly always on the 1st page of the settings menu), but there should be something there.
I know the Panasonic screens do.

Just one onther thing with second hand - Screen burn.
Screen burn occurs when the same image is constantly displayed for a long period - this image is left kinda 'burnt' into the screen, showing as a ghost image over anything else you display. You shouldnt really get this with a plasma that hasbeen used for TV pictures (as its always a moving image), but stay clear of plasmas used for things like train/airport times as they will 99% of the time have screen burn.
Just another note on screen burn, putting a constant bright white image up on the screen for an hour or so should help remove the burnt in image - depending on how bad it is!!!

Hope this helps too - any other questions, just fire away.

Tim

 

[AL_B]

Tim,

Thats excellent information.

Thanks

AL

 

[neil.c]

Satelite channels with their logos and red dots are a pain in the ar** but i would not be without mine.

 

[StephaneS]

K3YMT,
I tried every menu page and could not find antything on my panasonic: TH-42PW5
I bought it a year and a half ago
Do you have any idea how to find out how long I've used it?
Thanks

 

[ajmackie]

[ QUOTE ]
richy said:
pimp.. please explain your answer with your working outs please...

please note all long divison and any other dicoverys you find aswell..



[/ QUOTE ]

lol!!!!! trouble is brewing /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif

 

[gizze]

[ QUOTE ]
StephV6 said:
K3YMT,
I tried every menu page and could not find antything on my panasonic: TH-42PW5
I bought it a year and a half ago
Do you have any idea how to find out how long I've used it?
Thanks

[/ QUOTE ]

This is from memory and you have to be careful because it takes you into the service menu, so don't go changing anything /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Hold the Volume down button in on the front of the screen, and at the same time press the Status button on the remote (under standby I think) 3 times quickly.

You are now in service mode.

scroll down to IIC and press enter

you should see something like

PT 593

with 593 being the panel time.

To exit the menu press the R (return) button on the remote.

 

[gizze]

Forgot to say that, panasonic reckon their panel will loose 50% of its brightness after 30,000 hours, 75% after 60,000 hours at which point you will start to notice it and will need to change. This is with the contrast set at 0, set it to +5 and you can half it, set it to -5 and you can double it.

Based on 5 hours viewing a day with the contrast set at 0 (which is too much) this will give you 16 years as your main TV and another 30 years if you use it for 3 hours a day in the down stairs loo /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[imported_AudiAuto]

It will last at least another 10-15 years before it starts loosing any brightness if you only use if for about 2-3 hours a day.

 

[gizze]

[ QUOTE ]
StephV6 said:
Right I have used it for 1226 hours over 18 months so that's about 2.3hours/day. Contrast is set at -3 so if I guesstimate right it should go on for another 30 years /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dancing.gif
Even if I got it wrong it is still good for a long while!!!!!

Thanks a lot Gizze

BTW: for my screen Pt is not in IIC menu but in the SC or DC one

[/ QUOTE ]

No problem, just don't get tempted to alter anything in there. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[installer69]

When steph said he'd try it tonight I thought he was going to take the plasma in the loo to watch it!

 

[imported_MattT]

Ive turned my contrast down on my TH42PWD6BX after reading this thread. Had it set to +25! lol. Looked wicked though.

Set it to +5 now. I don't like it any lower then that. Although, as you say, you do get used to it.