Setting up Hitachi 32udx10s (1 Viewer)

[john webb]

I just got my new hd and I have a couple of questions. One is I have read on this forum about changing the settings to get the best picture, can someone tell me how? I can't judge what to change to make it better. (sorry I'm don't know anything about it) Second when I hooked up the component video from my dvd (it's not a progressive scan) my picture has a VERY blue tint and I have set the component signal in the tv's menu to the dvd and tried to change the color and tint with no success.Third, I have the digital cable box and I am running s video from it and I am not getting the picture I expect, I know its not going to be as good as the dvd but I thought it would look as good as they had a circuit city but it's not. Any help? Thanks

 

[James Zubb]

Change your color temp to warm to see if this fixes the blue problem (not sure how blue it is, you should use warm for everything anyway as this is the proper setting). This is only with DVD though right? It could be your DVD player or cables, have you used the component out on it before (almost sounds like one of the component outputs isn't working like the red)? Try borrowing someone elses player. If all else fails get it exchanged for a new one.
Picture quality for standard def material depends on the source. Some channels look OK for me, others look horrid. Everything looks horrid when compared to HD and DVD.
Get VE or AVIA and run through that to get everything nice looking.
Adanced things (service menu - press & hold power+input on TV): Write down settings before you change anything as it is painful trying to fix something you screw up. Turn off VSM by changning VSM GA to 3 in the service menu. Adjust the overscan, etc. Haven't found a service manual for this TV so it is trial and error and there are a lot of settings.

 

[john webb]

I've changed the setting from warm to cool without much of a difference. The blue is very blue! I haven't used the component from this dvd player before so it could be the problem. The cables themselves are new but I know that doesn't mean their good. What is the avia/ve? I've seen that mentioned several times but I never knew what it was? Sorry for the stupidity about this.

 

[James Zubb]

VE is Video Essentials. Avia is Avia. They are DVDs you use to adjust the picture and sound of your system. They both do the same thing so you can use either. They will go through explanation of the various settings, give examples, then put up a test pattern for you to adjust your set. Absolutely essential. You can get them oline or at some stores. Here are the websites:
Link Removed
http://www.videoessentials.com/
Sounds like there is something wrong with the component input of the TV or the component out on the DVD player. You may want to see if you can borrow a DVD player from someone or test your DVD on another TV. Try a new set of cables. If all else fails you will need to exchange. CC is pretty good with exchanges if that is where you got it from.

 

[john webb]

Thanks James,
It was the dvd player. I went and bought the sony ns715 progressive dvd player and the picture is great (although I still think it should be better) I'm going to do a search and see what tricks I can do. I wasn't able to find either the avia or the ve dick anywhere around here (New Orleans) most people didn't even know what I was talking about.
If anybody has this set and could give me a base to go on it would help a lot! thanks

 

[James Zubb]

Here are my settings:
Contrast: 70
Brightness: 56
Color: 28
Tint: 1 red
Color Temp: warm

The warm setting may take some getting used to as the majority of TVs are factory set as Cold so that is what people are familiar with.

Also you need high quality component cables. I suggest you get Canare or Belden cable with Canare plugs as they are high quality but not outragously expensive. This makes a big difference as I went from Radio Shack gold components to a set of Canare cables. You can get a set for about $50-$60, from ebay or various small businesses on the net, search around on the forum, there have been several threads on component cables.

 

[john webb]

Thanks again James,
I got the avia dvd today but I won't have a chance to use it until Sunday due to my work schedule. I am using the gold Radio Shack cables so I will upgrade Sunday before I use the Avia. How are the Monster cables?

 

[Jan Strnad]

You'll find quite a bit of disagreement around here as to whether expensive cables make a significant or even a visible difference. Personally I'd stick with the Radio Shack gold, but I'm not a "cable guy."

You have a lot of experimenting to do with settings before high-quality (and high cost) cables are going to make a visible difference. Once everything is set up and burned in (i.e. you've watched 100 or so hours on the set) and you've tweaked until your fingers hurt, then maybe (maybe) you'll see a difference with expensive cables.

That said, the consensus seems to be (I'm sure I'll be corrected if need be) that Monster is overpriced.

Jan

 

[Jon Duke]

John..

I've got the same TV, and I enjoy it. I am currently in the process of upgrading my cables, and after extensive reading on this, and other forums, I'm going with cables constructed by Bluejeans Cable (an ebay store).

They use one of the top quality cables and connectors, and for the price (about 40 bucks for 6-9 ft) you can get a set of cables that are superior to anything Monster has under 100 bucks.

Everyone has an opinion on the cable war, the best thing is to get as much info as you can on what you want, have, and are willing to spend. Bob McElfresh created a great chart on the best interconnects out there. Do a search in the Connections forum for component cables, and I bet you'll find it.

Good luck

 

[john webb]

Okay,
I got the avia and it did make a difference I now have a great picture. I have two more questions, how do you get into the service menu (the power/input didn't work it just turns off my tv) and what exactly does turning off the vsm do? Oh and on the subject of cables, I had the radio shack gold and I bought the monster series 3? about $100 I have the superbit Fifth Element dvd and I froze it and then swapped the cable and I did see a difference although a small one there was difference. My surround system sounds so much better although I need to upgrade it to dts (I have the old Yamaha 3090).
Thanks for all of the advice so far, I've learned a lot from this forum.

 

[Jon Duke]

Glad to see you are enjoying your Hitachi! I know I do...


To get into the Service Menu, you need to do it with the TV off. Then, press and hold input and power (Press and hold input first then the power button). Personally for me, I find that menu more than I am willing to screw around with. I'd rather pay someone to calibrate my set who knows what they are doing, rather than trying to figure out what I changing around. The hard to find Hitachi Service Manual would make this easier, but no one is able to find it.

As far as your cables go I'd have probably spent half that amount and purchased some component cables from Blue Jeans Cable that use Canare connectors and Belden cable. These seem to be some of the best stuff out there, and can be found for much less than the Monster 3. Many on here have argued that Monster is overpriced, and I tend to agree. But, if you are happy with your picture than to hell with all of that. Do what makes your picture looks the best.

 

[john webb]

Thanks.
The only reason I was going to go into the service menu was to turn off the vsm but I was hoping to find out what that did first. I am going off what James had said above.
The only thing I regret is not being able to fit a larger hdtv into my entertainment center!

 

[Calvin S]

I have this same TV (just bought it on Sunday), and haven't managed to be able to get into the service menu by performing the Input + Power. Not sure if I'm doing something wrong, or what. Incidentally, I read on a HDTV sight that the VSM "artifacts" on the Hitachi are not bad at all, so you might just not bother with changing it. I would like to get into the service menu since I'm the curious type, but if I can't, I'm not going to worry about it too much.

Also, to James Zubb -- according to everything I've read, your contrast is much too high. I probably still have my color scheme set to cold, so I'll set to warm, and recalibrate with AVIA, and see what I got. I know my contrast with whatever my warm/cold is set to was much lower, around 40 I think.

 

[James Zubb]

My contrast seems fine to me, I play around with it a bit every now and then I have it at 60 now. 40 seems much too dark for me.

Calvin the remote buttons don't work to get into the service menu, might be your problem.