From: dwjz@bnr.ca (Doug Zolmer)
Subject: Re: Opinions on Panasonic Gaoo systems needed + surround sound
Reply-To: dwjz@bnr.ca (Doug Zolmer)
Organization: Bell-Northern Research Ltd.
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1992 18:46:38 GMT

In article <1992Aug20.161216.15710@bwdls61.bnr.ca>, jsparkes@bwdls138.bnr.ca (Jeff Sparkes) writes:
|> I've been searching for a new tv, and decided that the Gaoo (is that spelled
|> right?  Should it be all caps like the ads?) may fit the bill.  But...
|> I've heard from various people that there may be problems with the flat
|> screen: burn-in in the centre, and/or pixel spreading near the edges.
|> Anyone have any real info on these things, or oopinions they'd like to
|> voice.
|> 

I've had a GAOO 33" since April '92.  When I first got it, it suffered
from pincushion distortion and the picture was overscanning by quite a
bit.  After adjusting it, the picture is now very good.  It suffers from
two problems that can't be fixed (design flaws):

1) It "blooms".  When there is a quick transition from a dark scene to
   a bright scene, the picture "grows" or overscans more for the bright
   scene.  This normally indicates that the power supply is not strong
   enough.  This makes sense because the SuperFlat picture tubes require
   a higher voltage than most conventional tubes.  All GAOO sets I've 
   seen suffer from this problem.  Matsushita Canada says "live with it;
   we can't fix it."

2) There are two sets of audio outputs on the back of the set.  "Monitor",
   which bypasses the TV's internal tone and volume controls, and "To
   audio amplifier" which does _not_ bypass the tone and volume controls.
   When the PIP audio swap button is pressed, the output from TV's speakers
   and the "to audio amplifier" have the PIP audio.  The "monitor" outputs
   _always_ output the main picture audio and do _not_ play the PIP audio.

I've not heard of any problems with burn-in and I haven't noticed
pixel spreading at the edges.  In fact, I'm quite impressed with how
little distortion there is, considering the flatness of the picture tube.

|> Also, since I don't have a stereo, and won't in the near future, I was
|> thinking about getting a TV with surround sound; preferably with an amp to
|> drive external speakers.  After hearing many conflicting stories from
|> sales-droids about fake surround sound in various tvs (and there seem to be
|> levels of fakeness), I've probably decided to buyu a tv that claims no
|> surround sound at all.  But, to make my search more complicated, can anybody
|> explain surround sound in tvs, or lack thereof?  Or point to an article
|> aimed at a non-audiophile who doesn't want to learn everything necessary for
|> a Ph.D. just to get a good tv.
|> --

I can't discuss what surround systems are like in televisions other than
the GAOO, because I've never played with any.  The GAOO has a pair of
speaker connectors to which you are supposed to connect a pair of rear,
or surround, speakers.  The built in amplifier delivers a max. of about
5 watts to those speakers.  There are two selectable surround modes:
"Movie" and "Music"; I'll be damned if I can hear any difference between
the two.   The surround speakers are supposed to play the difference 
between the left and right audio signals (L-R, or "Left minus Right").  
What actually comes out of those speakers is totally different from what
my Dolby Pro-Logic surround receiver plays out of its rear speakers.

I personally think the surround mode in the GAOO is of dubious quality.
If you want true surround, I suggest you purchase a real A/V Dolby
Pro-Logic receiver, many of which are quite reasonably priced.

BTW, I purchased my TV at Wakid Radio on Parkdale Avenue in Ottawa.

|> --
|> Jeff Sparkes jsparkes@bnr.ca	Bell-Northern Research, Ottawa (613)765-2503
|> "For better gas mileage, do not drive with the parking brake on."
|>   - paraphrased from the owners manual of my Integra.

-- 
dwjz@bnr.ca  Voice: +1 613 763-8217  Disclaimer: my opinions only