I think my TV has a bug.

If I turn on the TV with my PC (plugged into the HDMI) off, then I get ~36 channels on the auto program scanner (hooked up to my powered antenna).

If the PC is on, however, then I only get 5.

It seems like somehow the PC sending signal to the HDMI port at power on time somehow screws with the TV’s ability to tune the antenna.

Maybe it has something to do with my pretty old Nvidia 7600gt to which I have hooked up a dvi -> hdmi cable. Or maybe it’s just stupid software on Panasonic’s part. I hate how this thing comes with a bunch of embedded features, of which I use 10%. And it doesn’t even make it easy to jump channels.

Anyways, the workaround is to hook the PC in through the VGA port. Lame? yes. But the PC has a hard time pushing 1080P, so it’s probably ok. One odd thing about the VGA input on the TV: it has an explicit setting to tell it whether to expect XGA or WXGA resolution on the vga input. What year is this? If you get it wrong, you get predictable gross results.

I kinda wish Apple designed TVs. I’d probably buy one. Or, 50 inch ipad anyone?

PS. This was a Panasonic TH-50PZ85U, in case anyone is googling.