I've just got a new panasonic plasma and was wondering about image burn in.

The instructions warn about it quite strongly, but i wondered just how big a danger it actually is.

Does the problem really only affect TV's used to display the same thing 24/7 like in offices or bars. Or if i play Quake III for a week could i end up with a Rail Gun burned onto the screen.

Has anyone actually managed to damage a plasma through image burn in????

for 8 hours a day, 3 days later a plasma at work had burn in - only parts of the image were static.

So if you watch a logoed channel, stop watching it!

If you ever buy one that might be dodgy - have a look at the corners and see if you can spot a company logo on it. Ours got nicked from work

This one is new, however, should i find one for sale in the Nag's Head i shall check it out for you.

What about, does anyone have a plasma who's done something to it that they thought would have caused some burn in that didn't?
Last edited by flagpole : 27-01-2004 at 13:27

I have burn in on my Panasonic from watching 4x3 pictures at their correct ratio - i.e. with black bars down the sides...have to watch everything in "stretchovision" now - at least until sky get hteir act together and start broadcasting EVERYTHING in widescreen.

In all my experiments with screen burn, the main danger at the moment is the Sky EPG in glorious blue and yellow and always in the same position.

Don't leave it on a moment more than you have to...

This PDF Document from Fujitsu contains some stuff about burn-in cause and prevention. A search on here or over at AV Forums will show several threads relating to this. I have seen several burned plasmas, mainly from DVD menus. I would avoid any stationary objects on screen for the first 100 hours or so as they are more prone to burn then. Every burned plasma I have seen was almost new.

That all very interesting, thanks for the help. Any further comments would also be appreciated.


My Panasonic Plasma has the option to change the colour of the black bars to various shades of grey. I can't remember what this is called.

My Toshiba 42" plasma (made by Panasonic) has the grey sides option for the 4:3 viewing too. I was very very careful what I left on-screen for the first 200 hours or so of viewing. I've had my plasma for about 14 months now and no signs of burn-in at all. I tend to watch the mainly free to air channels which do not carry DOGS. I'm also a bit wary of watching 2.35:1 ration DVD's incase of upper/lower burn, so I tend to zoom them out to 16:9 from my DVD player or use the plasma zoom option. I understand that you can get DVD's that blast plasma screens with colour bursts that can 'correct' screen burn - has anyone tried these?

Would there be any merit to just hooking my plasma up to the PC and blasting it with a plain white image for a few hours and thus accelerating the bun in process?

since it is definetly burn in and not burn out, why don't they just do that at the factory.

You could, but, like a car, they are best run in gently. The reason it isn't done at the factory is simply the cost and also most factories don't have the space.

I'd still be interested to hear from anyone who owns a plasma domestically and has managed to cause some burn-in. Or is it just an urban myth.

15 months gone and no signs of burn it.......

I have had a Panasonic plasma for 2 1/2 years now. My daughter watches Nick Jr . Disney etc and I have not even got a hint of burn in. The screen is on constantly from 4pm to 7pm for the kids. Thereafter it is my time.

My daughter knows to push backup and get rid of the red spot.

See my post above....

Is it also a myth that they need recharging with gas?

Indeed it is.

Since this thread of mine has raised it's head again i guess i should tell you how it turned out.

For the first couple of 100 hours, i was very careful, watched 2.35:1 movies in zoom, turned off the info bar on the cable that sort of thing.

No burn in at all, though i will admit rather than having panic attacks about having left the oven on, i mostly worry that i've left the tv on teletext.

Just go down to your nearest Curries superstore and check out all the expensive Plasmas with the sky EPG burned in

Well quite, sky really need to do somethng about that, it's ridiculous. I read some correspondce some where between a guy and sky, threatening to open their box up and play with it if they didn't get rid of it.