new viera tc-l32x5 turns off when I play DVDs

That would make sense, except every time I call the Panasonic help line I get the mechanical voice saying I'll be connected, then clicking, then a voice tells me MY phone is off the hook and I have to try again.

I'll stop now before I say something I regret!

And you didn't reveal if this was over HDMI and the phone calls fail, it's time to decide if you want to keep a set you can't get service for.
Bob

It's now clear that some DVDs play OK, others turn the set off once but then work, and one kept turning the set off every few minutes. Got on live chat with Panasonic and they could suggest nothing other than taking the set in for servicing, seemed to have no idea what was going on.

Something is broke but from the details here, it's unclear where it is.

Has this happened to anyone else or is this just a weird tic? Could it be the DVDs? I've also found that I can't program my RCN cable remote to recognize the TV -- have tried entering codes, Point and Press, even Readback (it reads back a code that belongs to Celebrity sets). RCN says that's not their problem. Is that a known issue or another weird thing from my set only?

If the codes are not right, it is possible that the remotes are telling it to turn off. When I suspect that I take the batteries out of the remotes (because some are RF) and them operate everything with the panel buttons to see if that's it.
Bob

Took the batteries out and replaced. Now I can get a Readback of an actual Panasonic code (0043) but it still won't program in. When I tried Point and Press again I can now SOMETIMES get it to turn off, but it never turns back on again no matter what I do. While trying Point and Press I've had to cover up all my other devices (Panasonic DVD/VCR and even my old Technics stereo, whose own remote stopped working years ago) because all of them have responded. Haven't tried another DVD yet but plan to later today. ???

I thought the problem was "shuts off when I play DVDs" which is what I was working on solving.

I may be wrong but now it appears that you are saying that the remote is sending the off code to something. My test does not use the remotes at all.
Bob

I thought you were suggesting that if the remotes were somehow scrambled or confused that might cause the problem. In fact I finally did program the RCN universal recognize the TV -- a step forward! -- but the DVD problem persists, even though this time I didn't use any of the remotes while watching.

Some other observations, fwiw:

*the first few times I had the problem, the TV shut off only once, then worked fine for the rest of the DVD; the last two times, everything was fine for the first 10-15 minutes, but then the TV kept turning off every 2-3 minutes, til I gave up
*every time I've had a problem (5-6 times now) it's been with a different Netflix DVD; the one time I played a new DVD right out of the package it was fine
*when the TV turns itself off, I hear the sort of fizz or pop you'd hear from a set if you jerk the plug from the socket; when I turn it off normally, there's no sound
*the TV is mounted on a swiveling arm inside a big cubbyhole; when I pull it out to watch, the DVD player is above and *behind* the TV (it faces the back of the TV)
*the TV continues to work fine when I'm NOT using the DVD player

Sorry but most of this cause heat to build up. The TV tech I know will walk out (after noting this) if they find the set in any hole or enclosure.

I'm unsure if the NO REMOTE test worked or not. Again, to do this I pull the batteries from remotes.
Bob

It's never in a hole or enclosure when I turn it on. And it works fine EXCEPT when I am watching a DVD. So it can't be overheating. I did pull the batteries from the remotes. No difference.