Question Panasonic DMR-PWT550EB picture settings, anyone?

Clem_Dye

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I've just grabbed a Panasonic DMR-PWT550EB PVR to replace an existing Panasonic unit which is starting to show its age. As a bonus, it has a DVD/BR drive built-in. I just can't seem to crack the picture settings though. Live Freeview HD looks fine, HD recordings look a bit anaemic and DVD/BR playback just doesn't look right.

I think that the situation is compounded by the fact that not only can I alter picture settings via my TV (an LG), the PVR also has a range of options. So, for example, I can set Cinema on my TV, and the PVR has a Cinema option too (several Cinema options, in fact). Same for Normal, etc. Both the TV and the PVR have adjustments to cover things like brightness, and so forth. Thus far, I'm struggling to find a balance between the two sets of adjustments.

Does anyone have any suggestions please? I think that for BR/DVD playback, the PVR brightness needs lifting, but the effect range isn't that great, but the Cinema setting on the TV is at 100. You get the drift, hopefully ...

Answers on a postcard please, to the usual address!

Cheers, Clem
 
I've just grabbed a Panasonic DMR-PWT550EB PVR to replace an existing Panasonic unit which is starting to show its age. As a bonus, it has a DVD/BR drive built-in. I just can't seem to crack the picture settings though. Live Freeview HD looks fine, HD recordings look a bit anaemic and DVD/BR playback just doesn't look right.

I think that the situation is compounded by the fact that not only can I alter picture settings via my TV (an LG), the PVR also has a range of options. So, for example, I can set Cinema on my TV, and the PVR has a Cinema option too (several Cinema options, in fact). Same for Normal, etc. Both the TV and the PVR have adjustments to cover things like brightness, and so forth. Thus far, I'm struggling to find a balance between the two sets of adjustments.

Does anyone have any suggestions please? I think that for BR/DVD playback, the PVR brightness needs lifting, but the effect range isn't that great, but the Cinema setting on the TV is at 100. You get the drift, hopefully ...

Answers on a postcard please, to the usual address!

Cheers, Clem
What LG TV?
If the PVR picture adjustment settings are anything like the blu-ray/UHD players they are usually a fine granularity, 2-3 clicks (or more) needed to be equal to one click on an LG TV.

Perhaps don't try changing two or more sets of variables at the same time. Get it as best as you can using the TV settings and then tweak with the player settings. Perhaps look at changing the gamma (if you haven't already done so) on the TV.
 
@doug56hl: TV is an LG 49SM8500PLA. I have picture settings for the TV’s Cinema setting which work well and I tend to use it for most material. It’s a case of knowing which preset to use on the PVR before I try any tweaks. Do I match Cinema on the TV with Cinema on the PVR, or use Cinema on the TV and Normal on the PVR? Too many permutations. Gamma is set to 2.2 on the TV, which seems fine, so I’m just tempted to tweak the brightness settings on the PVR. Changing that many settings is not wife friendly though ...

Clem
 
@doug56hl: TV is an LG 49SM8500PLA. I have picture settings for the TV’s Cinema setting which work well and I tend to use it for most material. It’s a case of knowing which preset to use on the PVR before I try any tweaks. Do I match Cinema on the TV with Cinema on the PVR, or use Cinema on the TV and Normal on the PVR? Too many permutations. Gamma is set to 2.2 on the TV, which seems fine, so I’m just tempted to tweak the brightness settings on the PVR. Changing that many settings is not wife friendly though ...

Clem
As it's simpler/easier to change TV modes on the fly than PVR picture adjustments it may be easier to try the route of picture adjustments using different TV modes.

I'd set PVR on normal and use the best/most accurate TV mode/settings on the TV. Then tweak the PVR normal picture adjustments to taste if necessary. As you note differences between Freeview HD, HD recordings, and DVD/BR playback PQ it may be that one TV mode/settings won't suit all of them.

I don't know that TV but it should have more than one TV mode available. Is the HDMI the PVR uses dedicated or shared i.e. coming from a soundbar or AVR which also has other sources on the same HDMI input to the TV?
 
@doug56hl: thanks for the reply. You’ve echoed my thinking, setting the PVR to normal then tweaking the TV. Connection is via the soundbar, so using the ARC connection in reverse, as it were. I’ve altered the Standard and Cinema picture settings in the TV, and for other inputs they’re fine, but they just don’t seem to suit the PVR. As you say, experimentation is the name of the game ...

Clem
 

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