Medspeaking

Received the Mitsubishi 55909 on Friday. I've watched a handful of DVDs since getting the set, and I'm finding DVDs in general do not look as good as I'd hoped. I know there are a lot of folks with Mitsubishis on this forum, so I sure would like your input.

I calibrated using Avia, although I admit to not quite getting the "sharpness" test. DVDs, on the whole, look good but not great. The exceptions are some scenes *do* look great; phenomenal, in fact. But taken as a whole, they don't look as great as I thought they would. I don't know if I was perhaps expecting too much or if I still don't have the settings just so.

As a for instance, I put in Insomnia. There are a number of Al Pacino close ups, and the close ups are outstandingly good. Sharp, clear, great skin tone and color. Outdoor scenes all look great. But everything else was so-so...scenes in a room with a few people standing around just aren't crystal clear. The people's features look a little fuzzy or blurry, certainly not crystal clear. Maybe they're not supposed to be and I'm being hypercritical?

Many disks look, if not awful, certainly not good, although American Pie 2 looks horrible. The skin tones look like cartoon figures. The walls of a room don't look right. Someone said it was "noise." Is that a problem with the DVD itself or something I can fix? The same problem exists with Last of the Mohicans. It's so distracting it's almost unwatchable. I don't know how else to describe it other than to say it looks "cartoony." Like, you can look at an arm, and it's shaped like an arm and colored like an arm, but there is no inner tendon movements that delineate it as an ARM!

I put in a new DVD tonight that was really awful. Despite the Avia settings and being told,"Don't touch it for a week!" I reduced the sharpness even more, and it looked much better. So I'm thinking perhaps I just didn't do the sharpness test right on the Avia to begin with, as that was the only test I really didn't understand very well.

I've found my regular analog cable channels look quite nice, actually, now that I've made these initial changes and are very watchable...certainly comparable to my old RPTV, and the one channel in DTV I get via rabbit ears looks really good. But the DVDs are really bothering me, as they're NOT wonderful, and I watch 99% DVDs.

My questions:

1. I'm using a Sony progressive scan DVD player. Would there be any benefit whatsoever with getting a Mits DVD player? Maybe they'll complement each other and produce a better picture? I am using component video cables. The progressive scan light on the player is lit.

2. I'll redo the Avia disk again, but if someone can give me a ballpark idea of their settings, that might be helpful.

Peggy

JimRochester

Yours is a newer model than mine. I have the Diamond series 55" from 2 years ago. I don't recall the model number. Certainly the quality of DVDs will vary but just about anything new like Insomnia should look really good. I don't think a new player would make that much of a diference. For some good tweaks try www.hometheaterspot.com One thing you will notice after adjusting is that it will look a little subdued compared to what you are used to. It should not look poor though. These are very rough figures and they may not help but I have sharpness and contrast around 25% with color, brightness and tint at about 55%. I adjusted mine using Video Essentials.

Medspeaking

Thanks for the response, Jim. I guess I'm seeing a combination of factors, and as I skim through some threads I'm seeing it's a fairly common occurrence to new HDTV buyers. I *think* it's a combination of not having the most appropriate settings yet, not giving the TV time to settle in (most folks speak about a 100-hour burn in period), and the vast differences of DVD quality (with the HDTV bringing out the grain more noticeably). No doubt there are some unrealistic expectations here, too. <g> I'll play with the Avia some more tonight, especially in regard to sharpness, which was the hardest test for me to determine, and then leave it alone for a week.

Peggy

Movie_Man

This may or may not help, but when I was first looking at HDTVs years ago, one thing that stood out for me was the film grain. I initially interpreted that to mean "not a clear picture". Of course I am more used to it now, but try looking at something like Toy Story or Monster's Inc. The picture on those should be perfect. If not, then yes, there is a problem.

Medspeaking

MovieMan, good idea...but I don't have any animated movies. Guess I'm not as young at heart as I think I am. <g>

Anyone have any thoughts about whether it makes any iota of difference with getting a same-brand DVD player as the TV? I'm sorta wondering if the concessations that one brand makes in the manufacturing of its TVs (this is not a perfect medium, and we all say things like "x" tv is noted for red push, "y" tv is noted for extra brightness) might also be more in tune with the same-brand player. Are there any players that have been identified as working *better* with HD?

Peg

Htd

shouldn't make a bit of difference

i have a Mitsubishi DD-4030 dvd player and its nothing special, the menu system is plain as hell and most of the time your are looking at a blue screen

just hook your dvd player up to the component video with good cables and view a dvd like "Money Talks" (it has a real nice digital xfer)

also hook your dvd up using the s-video to see what the difference is in picture quality

skar

I would recommend renting one to fully test your new HDTV.

I've never noticed an advantage.

Darthkim

I've noticed that usually the only advantage in buying electronics items from the same vendor is with integration. mits has it. Sony does also..

I had an interesting issue when i had a sony tv, toshiba dvd and mits a/v receiver.

with the sony remote, i could control the dvd player and the tv, but not the receiver.

with the mits remote, i could control the dvd player and the receiver, but not the mits.

netcommand has seemed to ease those issues.


now as far as using insomnia as a test disc, i don't know. I will go ahead and pick it up when i get another tv delivered next week. I do remember when i saw insomnia in the movie theaters, the projectors had a hard time with that movie. Panic room also comes so mind (dark images..etc)

Using a animated disc such as Monster's inc is a great idea.... i am trying to think of a dvd with flawless transfers... for now only the patriot come to mind.

Good luck with your 55909. Its a great tv!

check out the mitsubishi threads at www.hometheaterspot.com They can provide a wealth of information and i know there are quite a few people with the V19 sets from which you can garner more info.

Medspeaking

Thanks for your input, Darthkim. You're right, the netcommand solves a lot of those problems with integration. It works well enough for me, although I find myself grabbing the individual remote for each item, anyway, out of habit.

I believe my hypercritical eyes are settling down now somewhat. While I may not have the adjustments at optimum level yet, they're definitely better.

I thought Insomnia was a good test disk. It looks overall very good, with some scenes looking *spectactular*. Lord of the Rings looked pretty good, too. I haven't tried the Patriot but will do so.

I've also been checking out the hometheaterspot and have posted there, as well. Some folks tread beyond where I would feel comfortable (service menus and the like), but it's a great spot.

Will continue with the Avia and, as the doctors say, add a tincture of time to the mixture....Peggy

JimRochester

I'm sure you checked it but the contrast was probably set to max. Turn that all the way down.

Medspeaking

Jim, yes, contrast was turned down, thanks to Avia. But, you know, last night I played the Spiderman disk. I gotta think that will become one of the new reference DVDs. It was close to gorgeous. While watching, I did turn the contrast down about two more clicks (I've gotta be at approximately 15% at this point), and I thought it looked better even.

I would say (using Spiderman as reference here), the picture was about 97% stunning. The caveat...I noticed in one scene Dafoe was wearing a solid blue shirt. I could see a very slight white line/haze around the outline of it. I could NOT see this same thing around other shirts people were wearing...just this one. And I thought sometimes people's noses had a slight white line/haze down it. Any idea which setting I should concentrate on for that one? But it certainly is getting there!

And, by the way, I gotta thank you personally for recommending many, many notes ago that I *not* get the 65" set. With the distance I have to sit from the TV, I would have seen nothing but imperfections and been terribly dissatisfied. The 55" size is perfect.

Peg

JimRochester

My pleasure. I was actually on my way to buy the 65" set, when I got there I changed my mind at the last minute and am very glad I did. Next time I'm passing through Tulsa I expect to be invited over for a fabulous dinner and a movie. You should be safe though seeing that I've never been to Tulsa and haven't got many reasons to go there. As I haven't seen my Spiderman DVD yet I can't comment on that one scene. Most of the new movies should be pretty darn amazing. Some of the older stuff can be questionable, but reducing the contrast and sharpness should cut down on the grain and be easier on the eyes. If you see anything funky on one of your newer movies and it is on my DVD list. I'll be happy to throw mine in for you and let you know what I find.