Toshiba 50H81 - now what? (1 Viewer)

[JodyB]

Just bought a Toshiba 50H81 - my first RPTV and it will be delivered on Wednesday. What are the recommended settings for best picture? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Matt Stone]

Do you have Avia or Video Essentials?

 

[JodyB]

I do have Video Essentials

 

[SteveA]

The first thing you need to do is turn the contrast down to 40 or lower - immediately. This will protect your set from screen burn-in. The constrast is set to 100 at the factory - or "torch mode" as some people like to call it.

Although every set is different, here are my settings for the 50H81 that I ended up with after an Avia calibration. This should at least get you in the right ballpark:

Contrast: 40
Brightness: 59
Color: 60
Tint: -9
Sharpness: 23

Make sure that you select "Movie Mode" at the top of the menu before you make your changes. This will disable SVM in the set.

One last thing: You'll need to duplicate your setting for each picture source (CATV, DVD, etc.)

 

[CameronS]

One last thing: You'll need to duplicate your setting for each picture source (CATV, DVD, etc.)

As far as I know, I only have to set mine once and it applies to all modes (ANT1, Video1, Video2, etc).

 

[JodyB]

Thanks so much SteveA! Once I get the set, I hope I can find in the directions where to make these changes. Since you have one, do you have something to lift the set up to normal viewing position? I am looking at a small (7" high) black two shelf unit that would fit underneath almost perfect (1/8" off on sides and 1" bigger in the back).

 

[SteveA]

I have my 50H81 sitting directly on the floor. The screen height seems ideal to me that way.

 

[JasonKrol]

i too have a 50H81 and i can tell you for a fact that the color/contrast/brightness settings are specific for each input device. I know this is true because I have individual settings for DVD , Video Games, and regular cable. Which makes sense. I have video games set similar to DVD, with a bit more brightness. And Cable is set to higher numbers than the others, since the cable image quality isnt that good..I had to do a bit more tweaking to get a better picture.

once thing that we cant stress enough is to keep contrast levels as low as possible. Expecially if you are planning to be playing games on this set. Screen burn-in can be a real problem with high contrast..especially with video games, as most have static areas of the screen (like huds, health, score, inventory, etc) that after long hours of play could cause a problem.

i absolutely love my set beyong belief!! I hope you are happy with yours!!

Welcome to the forum too!!

 

[JodyB]

3 day update: make no mistake, we both love this set! I have done the initial stuff and waiting till 100 hrs of use for more fine tuning. Heres my initial 25 hr viewing notes: cable TV - avg, as others have stated, the screen shows basic cable flaws; DirectTV (using S connection) - much better than expected; DVD (using component connection) - uhmmmmm one word - EXCELLENT!
The set itself looks nice, no glare problem whatsoever. Everything is easy to use (from plugs in the back, to remote control). As a consumer, I'd rate this a solid 9 on a 10 scale so far. Next update after the 100 hr tune-up.

 

[Jack Briggs]

And, of course, you might want to start thinking of a high-def STB!