Panasonic's response on shifting black levels in plasma HDTVs: 'There's nothing to fix'
Owners of Panasonic's recent plasma HDTVs have continued to push for more details on the "automatic control" the company cited as the cause of suddenly elevated black levels and it has revealed a few more details in an email exchange with CNET. Those hoping for some kind of patch or action in response to the changes will likely be disappointed however, as Senior VP Bob Perry put it, "there's nothing to fix." Citing trade secrets and a lack of a standard measure for black level performance, he also was unable to give any specifics about when the changes are designed to happen or by exactly how much. The company is promising technology in its 2010 models will offer a more gradual adjustment thanks to design adjustments, but that doesn't help current model owners left wondering if their set has, or will have in the future, degraded picture quality either by design or some software glitch. He did close by offering the olive branch of the VIERA Concierge Program for dissatisfied customers -- we'll see if a happy resolution for all is still within reach.
[Thanks, Chris]
