Panasonic, I still hate you.
For the first time since I’ve owned my Panasonic PT50LC13 TV, it actually flashed a mesage telling me it was time to change the lamp and reset the hours. That’s historic because the previous three lamps blew out so quickly it caught the television by surprise. I never had any warnings. No warnings when the image engine blew out either. Twice. Or the ballast. So this last bulb actually lasted for a meaningful length of time, though I’ve not yet checked the hours.
What I found interesting when ordering the 200-plus-dollar replacement bulb is that it’s rated for 5,000 hours but guaranteed for 90 days, so what Panasonic tells the customer is far different from what they themselves expect. Their estimate is like a seriving suggestion, the “snow-capped franks” on the back of a box of instant potato flakes.
In the name of full disclosure, I should mention that when my partners decided to buy a video camera, I recommended the Panasonic HVX-200, and it’s been good so far. All I can guess is that Panasonic has professionals running their professional products division and buckets of bozos running the consumer division. Tale of two brands with one name.
