DarthMarklar

I've read the threads about preventing burn-in, but I haven't read any solutions about what to do if it happens to your tv.

Basically, I figure, I'm screwed. I have a 41" Mitsubishi Widescreen rear projection TV and I have a slight burn in of the Fox logo. It's really unnoticable while watching tv. The only time I really see it is when there's a flat bright color on the screen (i.e The blue screen when there's no DVD in my player, any commercial that has a white background, menu pages on the DVD's, etc.)

It's not so bad that I'm willing to put all my efforts into contacting Mitsubishi and fight, but has this happened to anyone, and does anyone know of an easy/cheap solution?

This might be ignorance on my part, but is it possible to have the burned phosphers cleaned or replaced. Probably not, but it's worth asking.

DVD_O_Rama

The simple solution? Get a new TV.

I am aware of one case in particular where a consumer tried to sue the manufacturer of his 16:9 set due to burn-in issues, and not sure how it turned out, but I will just say that I'd consider it a lesson learned. Expensive lesson, yes, but if I am making a major ($2000+) purchase, I'll do as much research on the subject as possible before I plunk down the cash.
Of course, YMMV.

huzefa

Was just about to post on this subject when I saw this thread. How do I prevent burn-in? Is it better to have gray bars on the sides (or top) or is it better to have black bars? I know I can just stretch the image, but sometimes I just don't like to. Any ideas?

DVD_O_Rama

The best thing to do, regardless of what mode you watch in, is to calibrate your tv with something like Avia or Video Essentials. Too high brightness and contrast levels are a sure-fire way to achieve burn-in faster, and lowering these will slow the process down.

das Monkey

Along that topic, I've lowered my Contrast to about 30%, and after a day or two at that setting I adjusted to it fine. From what I've read and heard, your two best bets to prevent burn in are to vary the picture and keep the contrast down.

For me, I watch a LOT of ESPN, so I'll watch half an hour in Narrow mode (4:3 with gray bars), then switch to Stretched (16:9 with progressive stretching at the edges), then switch to Expand (4:3 zoomed to 16:12 with top and bottom trimmed), and then back to Narrow.

And rumor is Gray is better than Black, but both will do harm if you're not careful.

das

DarthMarklar

GULP! I think you've been watching too much SNL (refering to the disposable toilet commercial) Hee hee!

Unfortunately I bought mine over a year ago (spending close to 4G's) and thought I did enough research. I guess I'll be more aware of how I watch things now. Plus, there's always stuff that your research never tells you.

joyride11

I don't know if this would help...

At my job we have plasma tv monitors where we run, practically everyday, both video and powerpoint presentations. After awhile we do see burned images of our company logo (from powerpoint presentations). What we do to get rid of it is by running a white powerpoint presentation until we don't see the logo at all.

It does do the trick, but we don't know if it will damage the monitors in the long run.

Movie_Man

Stop watching so much FOX?

DarthMarklar

But THE SIMPSONS!, FUTURAMA!, FAMILY GUY!, Those series of "When X Attack!" how does a guy live without it!

I've already gone through Simpsons withdrawls since I stopped taping the 3 daily shows. I don't know if I can make it 'till the 2nd Season comes out on DVD! (even if it is right around the corner)

Give me the entire Simpsons Series on the 30 or 40 DVD's it'd take (along with the $500-700 price tag)...get a giant multi-DVD player to put them all in...hit shuffle play and I'd give up Fox altogether......."I'd give up Fox" - sorry, bad Airplane joke.

DarthMarklar

That sounds like your burning in the phosphers of the other pixels to make it even. I'm sure that works, but all of your pixels are now slightly dimmer.

Does anyone know if phospers stay burned forever? Do they completely burn out like a lightbulb or do they overheat like an engine? If they're overheated, then could I just leave the TV off for a while until they "un-Burn"?. It's probably hopeless, right? Once thier damaged, they're damaged...

Xytraguptorh

DarthMarklar, what has your contrast been set at since you've had the TV? Setting the contrast too high (factory settings, for example) is almost always the reason for burn-in. I've had a couple of projection TVs and watch a LOT of sports with constant score boards on the screen, but I've never had a trace of burn-in. I set my current TV's contrast at 33% for regular TV. On my previous RPTV I set it about 45% and still had no trouble. I was just curious if you had left your RPTV's contrast at the factory settings, which are sometimes 80 or 100% unless you change them.

DarthMarklar

I just checked and my contrast was a bit high. I just turned it down a lot so hopefully it won't get worse.

Thanks

Ginsu

If your set has PIP you can place an open pic over the Fox logo to help prevent it from worsening. Dont leave it on all the time though as you can get a PIP burn as well.

Keep you brightness and contrast low.

Bitch to your Fox affiliate about these solid logos!

They are the ones that should be sued. Every stinking channel now has to run their logo all the time. I HATE IT!

How would you like to watch Citizen Kane on DVD with a solid WB logo in the corner? I fear it may be coming.

Chip718

I am a novice on this subject. Are you telling me that if I watch a lot of widescreen DVDs on my projection TV the black bars on the top & bottom can possibly burn-in the screen?

Ginsu

Well it is possible.

Get a disc like Video Essentials or Avia and do the calibrations.

Also it does help if you do get a constant image for a while(fell asleep on pause) dont just shut off the TV. Run some programming for a bit.

The different aspect ratios of WS DVD's help prevent demarcation.

I have had RPTV for years and have never had burn-in. I play video games and lots of films with no problems.

Just don't leave the kiddies alone with it.

Johnny Zhivago

Xytraguptorh (how do I pronounce this?) is correct... The first thing you should always do with a RPTV is kill the contrast and picture settings. This is almost always the reason for burn in... You don't need AVIA to set this, just knock it down to roughly 30-ish odd % for contrast, you can set the picture settings a little higher... That said, AVIA or VE is highly recommended... You should be OK if you do this and do not watch a ton of static image programming...

Doesn't help now however... Once the damage is done, it's done. In the future I would suggest not using your 16X9 for 4X3 material unless you zoom it... If you watch a majority of 4X3 programming, stick with a 4X3 set, learn to like zooming the pic or get another tele for that purpose... This transition (from 4X3 to 16X9 HDTV) time that we live in now really has no perfect solution, you'll have to compromise for both....

Jason

Saw a 47 inch Panasonic at Sears this weekend with burned-in side bars. Very distracting, and immediately obvious even to my mom, who usually doesn't notice these things until I point them out.

I don't think the white screen plasma trick would work for a projection TV. The plasma has the image burned into the screen material, and the white just 'resets' it, while the burn in on the projection guns is permanent.

Bruce910

Although one writer suggest you buy a new set, there is a somewhat more economical solution.

If the burn in is distracting enough to bother you (and this one sounds as if it might be borderline, at the present), you can simply have Mits fix it.

Obviously, it is not covered under warranty. But, they WILL replace the lenses, should you be willing to pay for the repair.
Probably, what you have is ONE of the lenses which NEEDS replacing. That is probably in the neighborhood of $200 to $350, for the lens assembly. However, be aware that most technicians recommend that you go ahead and replace all three (these are constantly getting dimmer, and dimmer, and most suggest a brand new lens stacked up with two that are much older could cause some noticable differences). Is your set very new? If not, you should go with all three. So, are you willing to pay, perhaps, $900 to $1300 to make this completely go away? (Now, I am including some labor costs in the mix).

Not fun, I realize. However, it is cheaper than a new set. AND, in essence, you may be getting an essentially new set, since it is this part precisely which starts out strong, projecting that image, and then it is constantly growing weaker and weaker, and dimmer and dimmer, every hour that you use it. You would be "setting the clock back" on the most crucial part of the set.

And, in case you were not aware of this, you NEED to set that contrast down to roughly between 30 and 40% of full. This is imperative. At first, you may rebel and say "this seems too dim, or too dark." Resist. Adjust the brightness, if you need to. But leave the contrast there, wait at least a week, and you will begin to see that it actually does look BETTER, anyway. You will begin to see detail, which is what you see in a movie theater. And, the contrast at that level will 1.) significantly reduce the risk of burn-in and 2.) extend the life of those lenses before they finally get so dim you cannot see any image) by untold tens of thousands of hours. No kidding.

The above should be done immediately. And, leave it there. Then, get an Avia or Home Theater Essentials and see just how good that image CAN look.

-Bruce

djbrown

What he, and others, have said. The SECOND thing you should do after getting an RPTV (the first being turn the thing on) is to turn down the contrast and brightness settings. The default factory settings will ruin your TV. It'll take a few hours to adjust to the new contrast etc.. but you'll soon realize the picture looks BETTER with these lower settings....

Chip718

I have a Sony RPTV and there are different viewing modes like Standard, Movie, Vivid, Sports. Does anyone know if one mode is better then the other? Also, there is no contrast on my menu..but there is PICTURE is that the same thing?

Johnny Zhivago

Chip - I don't have a Sony, can't help you on your modes.. But, yes, picture is contrast. Crank it down, like yesterday...

DarthMarklar

I have CONTRAST & BRIGHTNESS on my tv, but what about SHARPNESS? I'm sure that's gotta be turned down as well.

das Monkey

Sharpness needs to be calibrated with, as others have said, Avia Guide to Home Theater or Video Essentials. It's not going to damage your set, but proper Sharpness settings will yield a better picture.

das

Chip718

Where is a good place to pick up Avia Guide to Home Theater or Video Essentials?

skar

www.deepdiscountdvd.com has Avia. Also if you have a nice local DVD rental shop you may be able to rent one.