Plasma TV Settings

[darth2222]

I just got my new plasma TV. I have heard about people keeping their settings a certein way to prolong the life of the TV. Are there any certein settings guidelines i should use to get optimal performance. Opps the TV is the 42 inch Hitachi Ultravision with Max of 1080

[edtyct]

darth,

Congrats on the terrific plasma. To protect it from uneven screen wear (images--like station logos--etched permanently into the bottom corner; the center losing luster faster than the sides; etc.), turn the brightness and contrast settings down right out of the box. Halfway is generally a good starting point. You'll also want to use the zoom function to rid the screen of black bars on the sides when watching broadcasts in 4:3 to maintain the integrity of the screen while it ages. Don't get all wiggy about these caveats; it takes dedicated abuse over a prolonged period these days to do a plasma harm, but a little consciousness raising will make sure that you don't ignore the risks completely. The manual will probably contain its own advice, as well as an explanation of how to minimize unwanted artifacts. If I haven't made the point clearly, just ask.

To get the picture aesthetics (color, tint, sharpness, and greyscale, as well as brightness and contrast) correct, you might want to invest in some method of TV calibration. The Digital Video Essentials and AVIA disks are inexpensive, popular, and effective ways to adjust the user parameters of your set via your DVD player (not to mention the sonic fields in your audio system), as close to pro specs as possible without performing elaborate measurements and entering the service menu.

I also feel obliged to mention Datacolor's Spyder TV colorimeter and software, which purports to do the same job without the risk of human fallibility. You may have noticed the project over at the Audio Review's Home Theater forum, in which various members tried out a Spyder system and compiled data about their experiences, eventually to be used for a formal review at AR and to be organized/sent to Datacolor, which has been waiting patiently for it. Though I haven't collected the information from the project yet, the thread itself might have some telling comments if you have any interest. This system is available for around $200+. Datacolor also has a more elaborate and versatile system for enthusiasts and installers, called the Spyder TV Pro, which sells for $600 to $700, and a higher-level system, Colorfacts Pro, for measuring and illustrating color data, for professional calibrators, that runs about $2500.

[darth2222]

Thanks Edtyct a best buy installer is supposed to come today but he hasnt called to confirm. So i just wanted some info just in case i have to do it myself. No matter what happens it cant sit in the box another day. Thanks again

[AVMASTER]

i shall assume your model is the 42HDS69 ? I have the Directors series that has been ISF calibrated; I don't sell your model so i'm not familiar with menu settings but you should be able to adjust the following:
picture mode: night color management ( do not mess with it)
contrast 69% -------- noise reduction low
brightness 48% ------- auto movie mode off
tint 50 ------- color decoder red 50%, green 48%, color 38%
sharpness 30%
color temp medium --- auto color off
black enchancement middle ----- white balance ( don't mess with it)
contrast mode dynamic
turn off any other auto setting

[Dougcho]

A salesman in Best Buy showed me the new Pioneer 40" plasma,
which has only been on display for a month, and it has a burned-in
banner of about 5" high along the bottom where the Best Buy loop
appears for a few minutes (10?) every hour or so. He quietly said,
"This isn't for you", especially since he knew I will be viewing
VHS tapes in the 4:3 format (even only for 2 hours at a time).

[edtyct]

Pioneer probably has a pixel-shifting process to minimize such threats, as well as other strategies to compensate for screen burn. But you can bet that the BB staff ignored these precautions and that they had the plasma that you saw in torch mode from the outset. The combination of the banner shown at long intervals, high brightness/contrast for showroom display, and neglect of all offsetting functions was responsible for the damage that you saw. Nonethess, your new Hitachi was a good purchase. Pioneer would have been good, too.

Edit: Sorry guys. I mixed up dougcho with darth.

[darth2222]

i read about pixel movement in the Hitachi manual is that a setting or is it something it automatically does. What i have tried to do is anytime theres a static image on the screen i change the channel which i do alot anyway, and i will use zoom to get the banner off the screen especially if im watching something like the news or something. I turn it off unless im really going to sit down and watch something too. I used to leave my other TV on all the time.

[edtyct]

Automatic and imperceptible.

[floirdabreeze]

Buyer beware, BUYER BEWARE! Hitachi Tv's are lemons, (Junk).
They look good at first, price is good but after a month or 2 they die. So if you do not want to waste your good hard earned money run from Hitachi. Boycott Hitachi Products. If it is too good to be true then it is. That should be Hitachi's slogan. (Sounds like a duck, quacks like a duck, it is a duck).
I bought a brand new 42 inch Hitachi 42hds69 Plasma tv and it just died after a month. It has been serviced 4 times already in 9 months. Replacing digital boards, power boards and other internal circuitry. Remember this is a brand new tv but you would never know it. 3 of those months we were unable to even use it because it was out of service.
I called Hitachi and spoke with senior manager RON JOHNSON 1-800-654-7013 who said he would look in to my complaint about my tv being a lemon and call me back. After a week, what a shock he never called back. After going to pick up my tv from Industrial Electronic Repair 407-855-7214 on Sand Lake Rd in Orlando Florida for the 4th time (They are clueless idiots) and seeing that they damaged my tv even further by putting a 3 inch gouge in the front.
I call Hitachi just to be told by customer service that RON JOHNSON said that having the tv serviced 4 times and the service center putting a 3 inch gouge in the tv did not fit the bill to either replace the lemon or even provide an extended warranty. Hitachi said there was nothing they could do and RON JOHNSON did not even have the courtesy to tell me himself but have customer service screen and flag my call. So now I am out all this money, Hitachi Tv is a LEMON and to add insult to injury the tv is damaged on the front as a reminder every day what a piece of junk Hitachi products are. Hitachi products are made poorly, customer service is non existent, Senior manager RON Johnson is a Yes man who does not believe 4 repairs in 9 months plus damage by Industrial Electronics Repair warrants any action by Hitachi for this tv being a LEMON. BUYER BEWARE, Stay away from Hitachi products. Unlike cars that have Lemon laws electronics do not so it is big business who will win every time. Do not learn the hard way like I did. Once again Boycott Hitachi products or you will get burned the hard way as I did. Hitachi products are Junk Lemons with a quick expiration date. Send a message to Hitachi and boycott their products! And make sure you post your bad experienced about Hitachi on the boards and reviews so people know the truth about Hitachi. Anyone including hitachi can let me know directly about their bad experience at floridabreeze@gmail.com