Adaptive Backlight Control on or off? Seems more vivid ON

TV: Panasonic LED TX-L39B6B (UK)

OK, this is confusing me, do you guys have the auto backlight control on or off? I thought it was better off, but I tinkered around for ages and slowly realised that the picture seems a bit more vivid on (i.e. slightly better contrast, and a bit brighter on darker pictures/scenes). So what does this setting actually change? I think it affects more than just the backlight.

I put the backlight onto 100% manually (with auto backlight OFF), then I turned the adaptive backlight ON, and the picture got brighter! How can this be if the backlight was already on 100%?? Seems like something else is going on, like increasing brightness or contrast aswell. Either way I have decided the auto backlight improves the picture and makes it look slightly less washed out. What do you guys think on your own tv's? Thx

I think you're referring to the feature called C.A.T.S. (Contrast Automatic Tracking System). It adjusts the brightness and contrast based on room lighting. During the day and in a well lit room it will increase contrast substantially beyond what you have manually set, making it look "vivid". At night it can fall below that value and look rather dull. I only have it enabled when the sun is shining in the room.

Hi, well no because that setting on my tv is called "Ambient Sensor"! That's ANOTHER setting to contend with lol! That also affects the picture like you say, but it gets on my nerves as it keeps changing according to weather changes, night/day etc. So I turned that off as it has unpredictable effects on the picture. Whereas the adaptive backlight changes the picture based on the scene (apparently) not the ambient surroundings, but in all cases it is definitely increasing the luminance of light on the tv. It's like someone has turned a light on in the tv! I prefer it because it makes light sources glow better in games/pictures etc. But I don't understand WHY Panasonic do this, why not just have the best picture possible without all these stupid settings?

OMG, and if those 2 settings weren't enough, there is a THIRD setting - Adaptive GAMMA control!!! This has a similar effect to the adaptive backlight (on 15 the maximum the picture is alot brighter but contrasty aswell). But turning this off (to zero) the picture still seems good enough, so I think I will leave it off. Sheesh! It just annoys me though because these settings have a drastic effect on the overall picture, and I'm sure alot of people think their tv is bad or disappointing because they haven't got the best settings. My picture now looks so much better than at first (I nearly took the tv back).

Honestly this tv has amazing blacks for an edge lit LED, no clouding, no light bleed, no dead pixels, no motion blur, no input lag (that I can notice anyway). Just slight dirty screen effect when watching football (like lots of tv's today, but not noticeable in games or general tv viewing). Overall a bargain at £360.