Got a plasma a few weeks ago. I got the Samsung PN50B850. I've read many posts from this website: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1147782&page=70 Quickly scrolled over 2000 posts (yes I know I got a lot of free time), and I've noticed a lot of users complaining about Image Retention with this current model.
I started breaking in this TV about 2 days after I've I got it. Turned the Contrast and Brightness below 50, Cell Light at 5, and mode set at Standard. I've been running this "break-in" dvd from my xbox 360. Got it from here: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=583089
I've got almost 60hrs with just the DVD and probably 20-40hrs of normal TV watching, while trying to avoid content that has logo's or black bars (almost every channel does).
Is this break-in thing over-hyped? Is it really necessary? I'm really paranoid and do not want to get any IR or worse, Burn-In. I've also been afraid to play games on it, and I love playing video games.(Fallout 3, NFS, Halo 3, COD, NHL).
Also afraid to watch some of my Blu-ray's, because almost all of my blu-rays have 2.40:1 ratio (black bars on top and bottom) and I don't want to stretch it to fill the screen.
If anyone who has or has ever owned a Plasma please give feedback or suggestions on this break-in procedure, and how long Video Games and movies with black-bars should be played on them? I know that Panasonic suggests at least 100hrs of break-in. Samsung does not. Most users say to break it in for 150-200hrs? Is that overkill?
I broke my Plasma in for a week solid with that disc before using it for general use, but I know that can be awkward to do, unless you have somewhere to put the TV for the week.
I was also told that it was a totally pointless exercise from a Pioneer enginner, as my TV was almost certainly not going to get any such problems through normal use.
It now has 3000 hours use, a mix of standard/freeview/Sky HD&SD/Bluray/Wii/Xbox360.
I have no issues with image retention, burn in or anything else for that matter.
But it will come down to what TV you have and how good it is, I've never heard anything bad about that Samsung Plasma TV, apart from the likelyhood of buzzing and the price, I did a lot of research, and viewed many TVs until I bought mine, I pretty much knew exactly what I'd get, and it hasn't dissapointed me at all, if anything I still sit back and marvel at just how good the picture is, deep blacks, full colours and crystal clear picture.
From what I've seen, you should have a pretty good TV there, so I would try and enjoy your purchase instead of worrying about it.
