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Contrast Issues

#1
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2/4/09 at 11:18am
  • Joined: February 2009
  • Post Count: 4
I recently purchased an RCA CRT RPTV. Immediately from the day I purchased the tv and installed it in my house I noticed that the whites were too white, they are washing out the picture. I turned down the contrast & black levels that seemed to help some but not enough, when I try to play wii the screen is virtually all white I cant see a thing. There were 6 knobs on the inside of the tv 1 screen and 1 focus for green, blue, red. I adjusted down the screen settings for the green and the blue and that made all the difference in the world, there was a bit of a red tinge to the picture especially on the left side of the screen (the side with the red lamp) I adjusted down the red screen setting just a hair, and that seemed to help as well. My question is first off am I on the right track by adjusting these settings or am I just messing things up. Also do I need to adjust the focus on these lamps after I get the screen settings set?

Thanks
Andy
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#2
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2/4/09 at 12:17pm
  • Joined: December 2003
  • Location: Wabash, Indiana
  • Post Count: 182

Re: Contrast Issues

If your not traind to adjust things like that....I wouldn't just go in blindly turning things. Never a good idea.
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#3
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2/4/09 at 1:24pm
  • Joined: August 2001
  • Location: New York City Area
  • Post Count: 3,793

Re: Contrast Issues

Quote:
Originally Posted by BDT 1967
I recently purchased an RCA CRT RPTV. Immediately from the day I purchased the tv and installed it in my house I noticed that the whites were too white, they are washing out the picture. I turned down the contrast & black levels that seemed to help some but not enough, when I try to play wii the screen is virtually all white I cant see a thing. There were 6 knobs on the inside of the tv 1 screen and 1 focus for green, blue, red. I adjusted down the screen settings for the green and the blue and that made all the difference in the world, there was a bit of a red tinge to the picture especially on the left side of the screen (the side with the red lamp) I adjusted down the red screen setting just a hair, and that seemed to help as well. My question is first off am I on the right track by adjusting these settings or am I just messing things up. Also do I need to adjust the focus on these lamps after I get the screen settings set?

Thanks
Andy

YIKES!!! Stop!!!

Don't touch those knobs further, especially the "screen" ones. In fiddling w/ them, you just might've ruined the color balance (ie. grayscale) of the display (not that its grayscale setting was likely ever great).

If you can afford an ISF calibration, I would suggest hiring a good ISF certified tech to give your new RPTV a good tune-up, especially since it sounds like the settings could now be in very bad shape. If not, you need to at least get a good calibration disc -- try the Digital Video Essentials (or maybe AVIA, if you don't have HD sources) -- and learn to (carefully) do as much of the calibration work as possible.

If you've never done any of this stuff before, you've got a lot to learn -- and in the end, you're probably best off paying for the ISF tune-up instead.

_Man_

Just another amateur learning to paint w/ "the light of the world".

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#4
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2/4/09 at 3:14pm
  • Joined: February 2009
  • Post Count: 4

Re: Contrast Issues

Thanks for the input fellas! I would have somebody out to set it but there is no way I can afford it. I made markings where the knobs were from the factory, I will put them back to their factory setting right away. I would like to do this myself it at all possible seems to me that there should be some kind of white balance or brightness setting but its just not in the menu. I have thought about getting into the service menu and seeing if there is something in there for that setting. I have thought about purchasing the AVIA dvd, I hear great things about it. Any clue what is set wrong on this tv?
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#5
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2/4/09 at 3:23pm
  • Joined: February 2009
  • Post Count: 4

Re: Contrast Issues

I can not afford to get this done by somebody else, so looks like I will be doing some reading/reasearch. I marked where these knobs were set before I ever touched them, so it wont be any big deal to move them back. I have heard good things about AVIA so I pick a copy of that up and see where that gets me. Seems like there should be a brightness or white ballance setting but its not in the menu anywhere. Any clues what might be off on this tv, or any suggestions as to where I should start?
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#6
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2/4/09 at 5:28pm
  • Joined: August 2001
  • Location: New York City Area
  • Post Count: 3,793

Re: Contrast Issues

Yes, turn the screen pots/knobs back to the previously marked points and then check to see if your grayscale looks ok. If you don't have a dedicated calibration disc, you can at least try one of the THX Optimizers found on certain DVD titles (eg. many Pixar ones have that) to help you out some. That should at least help you get back to a reasonable ballpark.

I'm not familiar w/ the RCA RPTVs, but I'd think there should be some setting in the service menu for what you want to do (unless something is actually wrong w/ your set). One of the friendly ISF folks who frequent here, eg. Gregg Loewen or Michael TLV, will probably know and might be able to help you w/ that. You should also try looking for a service manual for your RPTV before you do that.

_Man_

Just another amateur learning to paint w/ "the light of the world".

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#7
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2/5/09 at 2:53pm
  • Joined: February 2009
  • Post Count: 4

Re: Contrast Issues

I looked all over for a service manual for this set but its just not easy to find. (RCA Model: P56740BG Chassis: PTK178L2P) I did however find a little snipit about how to get into the service menu. Tonight I will look in there and see if there is anything that sicks out like a contrast setting or a white level setting. I will let you know what I come up with. Thanks again for your help!
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