Why do DVD's look better on my 27in. vs. 56in. RPTV? (1 Viewer)

[Dan Huey]

I recently purchased a Pioneer 56 inch RPTV Widescreen set. For the past several years, I've watched DVD's on a mediocre 27 inch set. Both were calibrated with Video Essentials. The problem is, compared to my previous set, DVD's don't look as breathtaking in color and clarity. On the 27 inch the DVD picture is sparkling, bold, and full of rich colors. On the bigger set, the picture seems a little softer in sharpness and definately softer in color reproduction. I would think that the RPTV would surpass the smaller 27 inch by lightyears. I have no idea why this is, and I was hoping some of you could help me pinpoint my problem. The only thing I can think of is maybe the protective screen is hindering the quality. What do you guys think?
Thanks!
(I've been using The World Is Not Enough for my reference DVD)

 

[Jeff Peake]

in general, RPTV's are a bit softer and grainier looking than direct view sets.
And color saturation can be a problem in bright rooms. Try controlling the ambient lighting and make sure you are sitting far enough away from the set. For a 56" set, you should be sitting 7-10 feet away. ( if I remember correctly 1.5 * screen size is the general rule for viewing distance).
Jeff Peake

 

[Keith Mickunas]

First, remove the protective screen. Anything you put between you and the image is going to have a negative effect. Second remember that you're spreading the image over a larger area. So its not going to look as sharp.
The color issue may have to do with the greyscale. Do you have different modes like Movie, Theater, Accurate or something like that? Or some mode that claims to be 6500K? Fiddle with those types of settings if you have them. Then after you've used the set for a while, say in a month or two, get it calibrated by an ISF tech.
RPTVs aren't known for being the best. But they're a good compromise. A single CRT is best, but once you get past a certain size, its just a pain to deal with, and costs a lot. But if you've got a good RPTV, and spend the time tweaking it, you can get it to look pretty damn good.

 

[Dan Huey]

Thanks guys! Will removing the protective screen void warranty?

 

[KeithAP]

While I don't have experience with your particular RPTV, having my TW40X81 ISF calibrated made a world of difference over the standard Video Essentials calibration.
After you get some time on your RPTV to break it in, I would recommend an ISF calibration.
-Keith

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Here's another vote for ISF calibration. This really helped my Toshiba 56H80. While I was able to dial-in a very good picture using Avia on our 27-inch and 32-inch direct-view sets, I really struggled with getting the best picture on the RPTV (it wasn't bad, but I knew it could be better). An ISF calibration made the picture via a progressive scan DVD player come to life.
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My DVD Collection
AFI 100 Films to watch: 40 -> 5

 

[Matt Heebner]

I don't know guys. I've had many, many people amazed at my Mits WS55807 for the detail, color and overall picture. I have had people say that after watching a movie at my house, going home to their 27", 32", 36" Toshiba, Hitachi, RCA, etc. just didn't do it for them any more. These are the same people I've had over when I had a 27" RCA, and they say its a world away from that! One of the people that has said this is the owner of a 27" Hitachi and a 27" Sony.
You should try and pinpoint what the problem(s) are and go from there. If it is a HDTV, even with an interlaced DVD player, it should completely annihilate any regular TV just from the anamorphic aspect alone.
I would put my Mits HD RPTV against any standard direct view TV for picture quality (not NTSC) in a New York minute!
Matt
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....Eat, Drink, and Be Merry, For Tomorrow We Die....--DMB

 

[Michael TLV]

Greetings
Maybe because you are blowing up an image that has a finite amount of detail from 27 inches to 56".
Finite detail ... remember that ... finite detail.
More detail does not magically appear just because you zoom an image.
This is why the zoomed image looks the way it does.
A 20" image will look better than your 27" image.
A 15" will look better than the 20" ...
Regards
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Michael @ The Laser Video Experience

 

[Matt_Stevens]

Dan, did you do any adjustments to your picture settings? Like Contrast, sharpness, color, brightness? If you havea DVD that is THX certified, see if it has a THX OPTIMODE. Use that to adjust your set. It's a good place to start.
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www.deceptions.net/superman

 

[Jerry Gracia]

RPTV sets require more love and care than direct view sets. Perhaps your RPTV needs a cleaning of the mirror and guns. Even a RPTV out-of-the-box from the factory could have some dust settled on the mirror and guns.
I have a 61" RPTV set and I clean it about every 3 months to keep the picture quality at top notch.
A little note, when I first performed a cleaning on my RPTV, I was stunned at how clear and sharp the picture looked when I was done...the black level was much improved too. I had the set for about 1 year and a half when I performed the first cleaning.
Personally, I couldn't go back to direct views. RPTV sets, under the right conditions with scheduled maintenance, beat direct view sets at giving you a larger theater-like projected image.
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LuvLBX

 

[Dan Huey]

How do I clean the inside of my RPTV? Also, how do I remove the protective screen?
Thanks!