Plasma Burn-in

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

sed wrote:
> I have a Pioneer HD5050 which was recently installed. The installer who is
> completing the home theater installation tells me that I should never have a
> picture with bars either on top-and-bottom or sides.
>
> But, a 4:3 picture stretched out to 16:9 looks horrible as does a 4:3
> picture zoomed to fit the 16:9 aspect ratio.
>
> Are the bars subject to burn-in?
>
> How long can they stay on teh screen without burning in?

The installer was wrong. You can burn-in a modern plasma, but not
easily, at least for the better brand names. Once you get past the
break-in period, you won't burn it in by watching 4:3 material unless
you do so all the time. As long as you mix in full screen 16:9 HD
material with the pillarboxed and letterboxed material you will be fine.
Both Panasonic and Pioneer have significantly reduced the sensitivity to
burn-in the past few years. During the break-in period, generally
considered to be the first 100 hours of use, stretch the 4:3 material if
you watch a lot of it. Same goes for letterboxed 2.35:1 OAR movies.

I watch a lot of 4:3 SD shows as well as letterboxed 2.35:1 movies
with no stretching/zooming on my Panasonic TH-42PHD7UY without a hint of
burn-in. Reports of burn-in for plasmas in normal household use are
rare in the plasma & LCD forum at www.avsforum.com.

Alan F