View Full Version : Dire need of help - Panasonic PT53TW53
:headb: Hi all
I am in dire straights here and need some help. I hope that this is the correct place for this posting, I am a nooby – as I am sure you will tell for the following.
I have the Panasonic pt-53tw53 and a couple of days ago my genius son decided that his computer games/ xbox etc were not showing on the screen like they should. Of course he took it upon himself to find the service menu codes on the internet and started playing around. Now all the modes (component, video etc) are all messed up. The convergence is off. The picture is “bowing” on the sides and the clarity is way off. To save my son some anguish and not have him pay for a technician to come out, I was wondering if someone could please, please jot down the correct settings in the service menu. I know that this may take some time but I would be greatly appreciative of this. If that is not possible, is there a way to set everything back to factory defaults? If that is not possible is there someone out there that could perhaps get me a service manually so that I could try and get this thing sorted out. I have had the TV for about 3 years, there is no warranty left on it either.
Forgot to mention that while in one of the menus, the one where you can have multiple lines across the screen, the middle of the screen is straight but the sides and the bottom are angled. I think the problems would be solved if I knew how to adjust the lines near the edges.
Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
DougRuss
09-17-2006, 10:55 PM
Have you tried Unplugging the Set from the wall for awhile? If when those Service Menus were change they were not saved to memory,sometimes it will go back to the Factory settings?
Thanks for the reply - yes, I have tried unplugging it, was only for a few minutes but will try it again for a longer period of time.
See the HDTV FAQ on "Service Codes". Due to the varibility of components that go into the TV, each TV comes from the factory with different settings. Although the default settings MAY get you in the ballpark, they will likely be a little off for your TV and require further tweaking.
57U - Maybe I am looking in the wrong place but I did check that out and did not find anything that would help - I only found a link to where it shows you how to get in to the service menu. I am able to get into the service menu but don't know how to fix the screen. I did however find a posting somewhere showing me how to adjust the grid (coarse menu) the only problem is I can adjust the green lines but it seems almost impossible to match up the blue and red lines to the green ones. Any other suggestions?
The reason I directed you to the FAQ was so that you'd know that the settings that WERE on your TV are not "default" settings. Service menu "defaults" will likely get you in the ballpark, but you'll also likely need further tweaking.
As far as convergence goes, perhaps your convergence ICs are shot. See the Sticky at the top of the Hitachi forum on Convergence Problems.
57U - Please don't missunderstand me - I do appreciate any help/advice that you have provided. I have looked at the FAQ and have tried adjusting what I can. The TV was perfect before my son decided to start taking it upon himself to become a technician and mess around with the settings. That is why I don't think the IC's are shot.
One other thing, I just found the receipt for the TV and I still have a warranty - it states "ULT 5YR P&L" - does this mean that the service technicians should fix it for free - is this something that would be covered?
I bought the TV from Brandsmart and took out a five year warranty.
Thanks again for your help
Ratman
09-18-2006, 01:08 PM
...does this mean that the service technicians should fix it for free - is this something that would be covered?
I bought the TV from Brandsmart and took out a five year warranty.
Yes... as long as you don't tell them someone was "messing" with the service menus.
Ah yes, definitely will not tell them what has been done.
I actually just ordered the service manual - should have the link to download it in an hour or so. The technician will only be here on the weekend so I have some time to play and see how much more damage I can do.
d6500k
09-19-2006, 01:12 AM
Koga, the forums section to the site below is dead, but the information section is still working. It was "the site" for panny owners a few years back and there is a wealth of data there.
http://www.panny.tv/
I've owned a display like yours (sans glare shield) since new. While I cannot rebuild your display long distance, any ISF tech can do the job if the service tech costs too much, and your son doing some homework cannot.
He is not the first and will not be the last to enter the service section and get in way over the their heads.
Good Luck and good viewing,
Doug k
Doug
Thanks for the information - I have looked at the site before - tried to do as much research as possible. Although the tech is coming out on Saturday and I ordered the manual, I decided I cannot mess up the TV anymore than it already is so I started playing around with it. I found out how to adjust the indvidual lines in the coarse/fine menu and was able to make it somewhat straight again. The picture is far better than it was before. I now have to figure out how to get the color right. There is too much color and I cannot adjust it from the regular display menu. I saw some RGY settings that I will play with tomorrow. Spent too much time on it tonight.
One more question I have if you have any suggestions - the grid that comes up in the 'fine' menu has multiple lines both vertical and horizontal. While I am able to adjust the lines up and down, skew etc, I am also able to adjust the individual colors of the lines which seems to clear up the picture. My question is this, I can see that some of the lines are too close while others are too far apart, is there a template I can make to fit over the screen and adjust the lines/grid accordingly? I was thinking that worst carse, I could just put some painters tape on the screen and built a grid that way - only problem is, I don't know what distance each line should be - if you know of the distances, please advsie.
Again, thanks for all your help - I really appreciate it.
Stuart
d6500k
09-19-2006, 03:10 PM
I'll send you a copy of the overlay in your email, copy the file and either have it printed by a large format printer, (kinkos or sub) or print it yourself and tape it together. Time consuming, but cheap.
Your son most probably adjusted the "color" and "tint" controls in service.
Put up a blue bars smpte pattern, use a blue filter and set the color/tint controls in service. Previous to doing this, center all of your user controls to about 30,
Here are some ballpark setings for your display. Keep in mind that these calibrated results are made after using my spectroradiometer on my displays in my environment. They will not be accurate for your situation as your display is probably running different DVD players, cables etc.etc.
Here are the service settings for 480i, compensated for the 480p grayed out uncontrollable settings when feeding the component inputs a 480p signal, and corresponding 1080i settings as well....
480i 1080i
color 33 18
byg 18 1a
tint 78 83
rya 70 90
bright 2/13 2/18
contrast 75 75
red cut 9a 9d
blue cut 6f 5c
red drive 63 na
blue drive 67 na
Please keep in mind that to truly achieve accuracy you must have the display professionally calibrated. These numbers will only work as approximations for yours,
Doug k
Thanks Doug
I will give it a try and see what happens - I really do appreciate all the effort and time you have spent with me.
I am amazed by all the setting available on the TV and how messed up one can make things.
Nevertheless, the challenge is on and I will persevere
I think I am getting closer. I almost have it working except for the slight “wave” type look near the top and bottom of the picture. I am sure that the way I did this was not orthodox but it is the only way I could figure out what to do:
I brought up a picture and try to make the adjustments using TRAP – PCC, V-height etc. Tried to make the picture as straight as possible. Then went into coarse menu and made the green line as close to the edges as possible. The line seem a lot more straight due to the fact that I first used the PCC- TRAP etc settings. After setting up the green line in coarse menu, I matched up the blue and red lines to the green one. Save the settings and went into fine menu. Then placed the template on the screen and set up the green line in fine menu according to the template, followed by red and blue. The picture then looked quite nice. Saved the settings and then changed from TV to video 1, the picture was a little off – too high up on the screen so I used the V-amp etc to move it down and adjust it – I think that one of those settings needs to be changed so that it is not as wavy when watching TV.
Have not done the 1080i settings yet and the color is slightly off but that is a work in progress.
One thing I cannot figure out, (well there is a lot) and that is while in fine menu, if you hit 4 on the remote, it changes the grid, you have double the lines on the grid. Once I set the grid and hit 4 on the remote to see more lines, I cannot move the cursor to each individual square – don’t know if that is possible or not. I have to set up the grid with only 6 and 8 blocks. If I could use the finer grid, I think that the picture would look even better but the cursor seems to jump over one block when having so many lines on the grid.
Anyway I just want to thank all of you for your feedback and help – especially Doug. You guys are great and have been very helpful.
