Just got a Toshiba 50HX81 - What Next?
03-20-02, 11:01 AM
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Just got a Toshiba 50HX81 - What Next?
Can anyone point me to a "new user" setup guide so I can get my Toshiba 50HX81 working great with my system.
I have a Toshiba 5700 DVD player - and the picture quality on the TV out of the box is OK, not fantastic.
What steps can I do on my own to tweak the picture?
I have a Toshiba 5700 DVD player - and the picture quality on the TV out of the box is OK, not fantastic.
What steps can I do on my own to tweak the picture?
03-20-02, 11:39 AM
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First thing to do is lower the contrast!!! Lower it to around 45 or so. Do this now, not tomorrow, not next week 
(the TV is shipped with contrast set to "torch mode")
Then obtain a copy of Avia or Video Essentials and run through your picture settings (contrast, brightness, sharpness, color, and tint). When making your picture setting changes, select Movie under preferences (you will see Sports, Standard, Movie, and Preferences) to software-disable SVM. When you save the settings, save as Preference, and the settings will be retained
After a few hours use, do a 9 pt convergence (manual has instructions). Don't bother with the automatic touch-focus - it is useless
After about 100 hours usage, do the 56-point convergence. Once you have done 56-pt, do not do a 9-point again, always do the 56-pt. This is also a good time to perform the whole series of tweaks, such as electrostatic and mechanical focus, overscan, and geometry, in addition to the 56-pt convergence. If you do elec & mech focus, you should retweak your picture settings, as this typically changes contrast et al
Visit www.hometheaterspot.com and check out the Toshiba forum and the Toshiba tweaks forum for full instructions on doing the above. It all seems pretty complicated, but it's actually quite easy to do these if you are technically inclined. To do your geometry and convergence, you might want to consider obtaining a convergence grid template - there is a print shop in Knoxville TN which sells these, they run about $50 inc. shipping for the Tosh 50h/hx81 models. Alternatively, you can use string, but the grid template is more accurate
To obtain a copy of the service manual, follow this link: http://www.john-oliver.net/video/50H81.pdf
Here's another useful resource: http://www.keohi.com/keohihdtv/index.htm
BTW, if you go into the service menu, make sure that you write down the current parameters before making any changes!!! If you think you have screwed up, power off the TV to void the changes
And if this is all too intimidating, there is always ISF calibration, which can run anywhere from $250-1000
(the TV is shipped with contrast set to "torch mode")Then obtain a copy of Avia or Video Essentials and run through your picture settings (contrast, brightness, sharpness, color, and tint). When making your picture setting changes, select Movie under preferences (you will see Sports, Standard, Movie, and Preferences) to software-disable SVM. When you save the settings, save as Preference, and the settings will be retained
After a few hours use, do a 9 pt convergence (manual has instructions). Don't bother with the automatic touch-focus - it is useless
After about 100 hours usage, do the 56-point convergence. Once you have done 56-pt, do not do a 9-point again, always do the 56-pt. This is also a good time to perform the whole series of tweaks, such as electrostatic and mechanical focus, overscan, and geometry, in addition to the 56-pt convergence. If you do elec & mech focus, you should retweak your picture settings, as this typically changes contrast et al
Visit www.hometheaterspot.com and check out the Toshiba forum and the Toshiba tweaks forum for full instructions on doing the above. It all seems pretty complicated, but it's actually quite easy to do these if you are technically inclined. To do your geometry and convergence, you might want to consider obtaining a convergence grid template - there is a print shop in Knoxville TN which sells these, they run about $50 inc. shipping for the Tosh 50h/hx81 models. Alternatively, you can use string, but the grid template is more accurate
To obtain a copy of the service manual, follow this link: http://www.john-oliver.net/video/50H81.pdf
Here's another useful resource: http://www.keohi.com/keohihdtv/index.htm
BTW, if you go into the service menu, make sure that you write down the current parameters before making any changes!!! If you think you have screwed up, power off the TV to void the changes
And if this is all too intimidating, there is always ISF calibration, which can run anywhere from $250-1000
Last edited by Illinois Enema Bandit; 03-20-02 at 12:50 PM.
03-20-02, 01:48 PM
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Toshiba tweaks
Note: on the h/hx81 models, the service menu does not contain the VLIN and TRAP parameters. VLIN is actually LIN, there is no TRAP
If you decide to do elec focus: remove the front speaker grille, then unscrew the big panel you see. Down to the lower right, you will see 2 rows of knobs after removing the panel. DO NOT TOUCH THE TOP ROW OF KNOBS! You will use the bottom row of knobs to adjust the elec focus, the order corresponds to the lens order (red, green, blue)
Toshiba RPTV convergence grid templates:
AEC Print Shop
201 Center Park Drive
Suite 1150
Knoxville, TN 37922
Phone: 865-966-9600
Fax: 865-966-7216
E-mail: [email protected]
Ask for Lisa at AEC Print Shop.
Note: on the h/hx81 models, the service menu does not contain the VLIN and TRAP parameters. VLIN is actually LIN, there is no TRAP
If you decide to do elec focus: remove the front speaker grille, then unscrew the big panel you see. Down to the lower right, you will see 2 rows of knobs after removing the panel. DO NOT TOUCH THE TOP ROW OF KNOBS! You will use the bottom row of knobs to adjust the elec focus, the order corresponds to the lens order (red, green, blue)
Toshiba RPTV convergence grid templates:
AEC Print Shop
201 Center Park Drive
Suite 1150
Knoxville, TN 37922
Phone: 865-966-9600
Fax: 865-966-7216
E-mail: [email protected]
Ask for Lisa at AEC Print Shop.
