[Nick] tipped us off about a guide to unlock extra features on Panasonic televisions. The hack works on the G10 models of plasma TVs and uses the service menu to gain access to the EEPROM memory. With a few quick steps you can change some data with a built in hex editor, unlocking several new settings menus, or bricking your entertainment centerpiece. We’ve seen some Samsung TV hacking in the past and hope that with increased processing power in today’s models we’ll someday see consumer TVs available with open-source firmware so that we can integrate of our favorite entertainment software.
Holy shit.
a built-in hex editor in a plasma TV?
Did I just read that right?
damn… all these hacks for the G10 series, and not nearly as many for the G15’s :(
Looks more like a function editor, that uses HEX.
LOL. That would be a mighty big brick.
I was just thinking the exact same thing.
A build in hex editor just calls for problems when customers do stupid stuff with it.
I can’t believe I actually own one of these – what are the chances??!
There is a built-in oscilloscope in the Pioneer Kuros, I was quite surprised when my friend showed it.
Philips tv sets have open source firmware. At least mine does!
Panasonic TV’s run Linux. if you dig enough in the manual or even the set’s menus you can find the GPL license.
thats the worst looking tetris i’ve ever seen.
Man, I would hate to get something wrong on that, expensive paperweight would be expensive, and effective.
what are the menus?
The link doesn’t seem to be working –
Anybody know a) how to get the menus and b) what is actually possible via accessing them?
Is it really high spec AV calibration stuff or things that the layman (like me) would find useful, like unlocking internet capabilities or similar??
well I have a Panasonic TX-P42S10E and it has an 11 at the relevant place…
@peanut just wait for it, it is probably under some strain of all people accessing it…
I need some help from you guys, I try to root my philips tv: https://www.neophob.com/serendipity/index.php?/archives/182-Root-my-TV-Hack-Philips-PFL9703.html
I’m stuck trying to decrypt the firmware…
Hmmm…what codes to poke for unlimited ammo? :)
Which codes to I enter to keep the government from watching me thru my TV
Can someone explain the menu additions? I find it kind of silly that all this work would be published and the results are kept a secret. I would like to know the benefits before taking a risk like this. Anyone care to share?
@lovro amazing!!
I can’t believe i didn’t bork my tv…..
@Peanut GREAT! nice to hear that!
so write what everyone wants to hear, what are the extra menus ? :-D
@xistenz I managed to change the settings, but didn’t really notice any ‘new’ menu settings…. there were a few I couldn’t remember seeing before, but I may well have just forgotten about them!
I have a TX-L37G10 which isn’t a plasma, so maybe the new menu options only affect the plasmas G10s… Just glad my set still works!!
What no. did you put in for the tx-l37g10b? Do you just change value no. 6 on the 0000040 line, or do you change the 7th value as well?
What is point of messing around with the tv. I know it fun but why take the chance of screwing up and being able to see your favorite show or game.
I’ll second the “link not working” complaint. Also, like a few others, I have this TV, but have no idea what this will actually net me for my potentially disastrous meddling. I’d like to know what exactly this unlocks!
Sounds abit iffy, I have one of these and would love the extra calibration options but there’s no screen shot of the new menu options. Anyone got the nerve to try this on a G10!!!!! its alot of money to risk for a menu option!!
Well as I say, the link works, I had to leave it to load up for about 60 seconds tho! :-)
And yeah, can’t really tell if there’s any new menu bits as i can’t remember 100% what was there before…but one thing I didn’t think i’d seen before was a network settings menu (probably something to do with the ethernet port on the back…)
Although, like I say, it may have been there all the time, i just haven’t noticed it!
The main thing is – it didnt b0rk my tv.
Hi , just done this on my G10, gives the full gamma and other colour settings but knocks the built in freesat off – so no bbc hd etc. Not really worth it for me as I like the freesat.
It works ok though all it does is set the region code to a non uk code so you get the full menu’s.
Hmm…strange…. I still have all my Freesat menus (although I think my set is faulty as it never managed to tune any channels in, even with perfect dish alignment etc…..!?)
a self hacking tv, awesome
To G15 owners – this works on your Tv’s too but you need to change the value to 0F (zeroF)instead of 20.
You lose the sat tuner at first but if you restore to factory conditions and set your country to either Germany, Switzerland or Austria then you will regain the tuner but there will be no EPG for it or for Freeview. Channels still work though.
@dgtal daz – it works, that’s pictures of my TV!
This reminds me of Joe cell followers. Only a few people are able to get it to ‘supposedly’ work. No one else can replicate it. Those who do swear it’s awesome and sing it’s praises but never offer any help or useful info to those who can’t.
I’m not saying this is bogus, but I urge people to be wary since hardly anyone has come forth with any actual ‘new menu’ info.
@ Pouncer
It unlocks the advanced picture controls that are present in the European sets, namely Gamma and white balance high and low for blue and red. It also unlocks the ability to display xv colour not that anyone needs that!
It loses the EPG’s for Freesat and Freeview.
Anything else you want to know?
So you loose some shit you need and gain some shit you don’t need?
Nice mod!
@smoker_dave
lol, you clearly have no understanding.
why would they even make a tv with more menu options for europeans? Do they have especially good eyes compared to us or something?
link dont work
It would be nice to be able to make some tweaks to the display on my Panasonic PX50U model TV – for instance, reversing the pre-programmed gain boost that drops contrast ratios into the toilet.
I’d like it if it opened up some menu options that average joes (like me) who don’t know their contrast ratio from their luminance levels could benefit from. Like, uh, I don’t know, letting you use the audio input from one channel with the hdmi video from another? (which this set can’t do….bummer if you wanna get sound from your hdmi video only laptop into the thing……)
Every time i see a hex editor i’m like FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUU
So… he says that you need to change the position “6” pair, then he says that it’s the 6th pair from the left… which is it? the position 6 pair (7th form the left) or the 6th one from the left?
Don’t try this on a TC-P42G10. Just sayin’.
Bricked mine.
@ anonymous
Right at the top of the page there was this clue in large letters that it wouldn’t work on a US Set and besides you already get the controls so why would you try it?
A Guide To Modifying A UK Panasonic G10 Plasma Television
I am now loving the 2.5 gamma, just a quick question to anyone who has done this – how do you get BBCHD back as the scan does not pick it up.
Good hack though!!
Dazz – i don’t use the sat tuner but you can definitely get it back by manually scanning. Join up to AVForums and ask in the G10 thread, someone will know!
2.5 measures between 2.2 and 2.3 btw, i.e. cock on
“letting you use the audio input from one channel with the hdmi video from another? (which this set can’t do…”
I think you can use another audio source on the usa model somehow, go to the avsforum if you need
The nkb.me.uk link has stopped working. It just appears as a blank webpage. Does anyone have an alternative source?
Gah, if I’d known it was going to go I would have hosted it myself…
Yes its gone off, anybody know of another site that has this guide? I get my tv tomorrow aswell!
H
@ peanut. I wrote the guide but obviously dont want to give my email address here. Is there any way we can communicate through this site?
Actually link appears to be working for me