Break in period ?

[PaxumBud]

i have read that with an hdtv, there is a period of time that is concidered the break in period. i was wondering what you hdtv owners have done to properly break in your new sets. this is such a big purchase for me, i just want to make sure i do everything exactly right. thanks in advance.

[57U]

Here are some suggestions.

1. Don't turn your TV on and off a lot - ever. If you're going to be away for several hours, OK but turning it on and off 10 times a day does more harm than good. I say this with some dread, being an environmentalist and always looking to reduce energy consumption - run your dishwasher and laundry late in the evening to compensate.

2. Run Avia or similar product fairly soon after you get the TV. Remember to turn off all the "automatic" settings because they do more harm than good in an HDTV. You should run Avia again a few weeks later - the second time should take only about a half hour. Write down your settings each time.

3. Once the set has been used for a month or so, after the second Avia, then you can do the "professional" setup, convergence, colour, etc.

4. Never leave a RPTV on a "static channel" like HN, etc for long periods. Could cause burn in. Never leave a widescreen RPTV with a 4:3 image on it for long - causes burn lines.

[PaxumBud]

57u, as for #3 on your suggestion list, do you mean after a month of use, it is time to call in a pro tech to do the tuning on the hdtv? also, is it important to keep contrast and brightness down during the break in period? thanks.

[57U]

Originally posted by PaxumBud
57u, as for #3 on your suggestion list,

1. do you mean after a month of use, it is time to call in a pro tech to do the tuning on the hdtv?

2. also, is it important to keep contrast and brightness down during the break in period? thanks. 1. Yes, or you could venture into the service menu yourself if you are a knowledgable amateur.

2. Yes, always. The Avia tune-up mentioned in my original item 2 will bring these down.

[TheBigE]

Pax
The brightness and contrast do not need to be turned down any more during the break-in period than they should be after the break-in. ALL TV's seem to come from the factory set in what is refered to as "torch mode". This over-bright and saturated setting SEEMS to be set to catch the users eye in the store and at home...as in "ooh, wow, it is SO bright and colorful!!!". All the while overdriving the CRTs and putting undue strain on the power supply. And on a personal level, I am not so sure that this is not done to accelerate wear and burn on sets used by the unaware...causing premature need for repair and replacement. I don't say this maliciously to the manufacturers, but the settings are so grossly exagerrated that I can not imagine why else this would be. So, they should be turned down in MOST cases regardless of the break-in period. Amazingly, what will initially seem like a dull, lifeless, color-faded picture (as opposed to what you might be used to) will soon be seen by you as an accurate picture, with good flesh tones and smooth color transitions. Trust me, when you go to most peoples houses later you will ask for a pair of shades :D

As for the calibration, it seems that this will be more important for some and less so for others...depending on how much your pic quality is worth in terms of money. I think a full scale ISF calibration can cost generally between $250 and $500.
Now I do NOT have HDTV yet but have seen the before and after...and I've got 5 words for ya - DO IT!!!! The difference is incredible. You will not be able to believe how that great picture on your HDTV could ever get THAT much better. I even had a friend of a friend of a friend's friend do some tweaking on my SDTV Panasonic 32" Superflat...and my jaw literally dropped. People come over and are in disbelief at the quality, tone and soothing viewing now.
Jeez, I'm rambling...but like I said it will depend on what the picture is worth to YOU. My view is...after ~ $3K for a TV how could you pull up short and NOT spend a few hundered that will make the original HDTV seem like a rip off??!

[PaxumBud]

thanks for the info guys, i really appreciate it. im sure once i actually get the tv:D, i will have a huge list of new questions. thanks again. I'll Be Back:cool: