Gregg answers your questions LIVE!

[Scott Greczkowski]

Thanks for emailing your questions to askgregg@satelliteguys.us, they have started to roll in!

So lets answer some questions!

How did you learn how to calibrate televisions

Gregg had 3 different calibrators at his house working on his TV's Gregg liked the third guy (Michael Chen) and became friends with him and purchased some calibration gear and learned from him.

He has picked up some things of his own over the years and now teaches others his calibration style.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Hello gregg! I am in the process of buying a
projection TV HD Ready, have about $2000.00 to invest
in a 50 Inch monitor, any brands you can suggest, what
TV sets have more flexibility to calibrate, if you
were buying a tiv whcih one you will but with
$2,000.00

thanks,

Ed

Answer to question - Greg wants to know 1) Is it in a dedicated room and do you have controlled lighting?

2) All TV's are flexable to calibrate.

3) Again is the lighting in the room controlled or not?

Please email in your answers back to us at askgregg@satelliteguys.us

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

What can an average consumer do at home to get his or her hdtv looking good. what do you recommend on doing? also how did you get started doing this and how can some one get into doing what you do?

thanks,
Goaliebob99

Read Greggs article he wrote called "5 Steps to Video Nervana" which can be found at koehitv.com (Gregg will give us a copy to post at a later date)

Step 1 - Remove Glare Screen
Step 2 - Converge
Step 3 - Spend an hour with Digital Video Essentials or AVIA
Step 4 - Putting a back light behind your TV set
Step 5 - Making a mats to cover the letter box black when watching widescreen shows of moves, this improves your colors above.

Question two, see the first question above.

 

[cdru]

Read Greggs article he wrote called "5 Steps to Video Nervana" which can be found at koehitv.com (Gregg will give us a copy to post at a later date)

Your site above is wrong. It's keohi.com. The actual link to the article is here.

 

[gutter]

Are DLP sets harder to calibrate and do you have to change proceedures or eliminate some steps from what you do with other rear projections?

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Hi Gregg,

I've been considering having my HDTV professionally calibrated, can you tell me what the advantages are, other than, say, improved picture quality? Can we assume all new HDTVs need calibration (not done at factory?). Also after a period of time can calibrated TVs slip out of calibration?

Hope these aren't stupid questions but I'm relatively new to all this.

Best regards,
Steve

No such thing as a stupid question.

Color that is accurate to the directors intent. What you are seeing is what the director wanted you to see. Greyscale is very important.

2) Yes for accurate color all HDTV's need calibration.

3) Yes a CRT set should be adjusted every year, a projector should be adjusted after every bulb change.

Thanks for writing!

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Gregg,
I have a MiMits8413 and use my DTDTVcocompenentn)
input for my Dish 921, my COMP 1 for my prprogvdvdand
my INPUT 1 (svsvideofor my Dish 721. Should I have
all inputs calibrated or will 1 calibration work for
all inputs? If
all inputs need to be done, what would the cost be?
Also,
do you recommend lining the tvtvith dudutyne

Thanks,
Robert

On most Mitsubishis each individual scan rate must be calibrated.

Avg cost is around $400.

Yes lining the set is highly recommended.

Thanks for the question!

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

What TV setting is most "out of adjustment" on the average TV set you encounter? (Brightness, Contrast, etc.)
Tom Barclay

Contrast is usually way to high. While contrast is a user preference there is only one black level setting) Brighness (which also a black level adjustment) is also too high.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Greg:

I am in the process of finishing my basement and need to move my Toshiba 57" one piece RPTV down there. In order to fit down the steps, I need to rotate my TV counterclockwise 90 degrees and lay it on its side prior to sliding it down the steps.

Is this acceptable for a few minutes to lay a TV completely on it left side? It would then be lifted up and slid down the steps.

It would go down the steps in a similar fashion the way they are moved on a cart, 45 degrees or so.

Thanks Gregg.

Peid

Do what you got to do.

In shipping these guys never keep "This end up" up.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Are DLP sets harder to calibrate and do you have to change procedures or eliminate some steps from what you do with other rear projections?

Jack Tirak

DLP are basicly the same except there is no mechanical work needed. They still need color calibration.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

What type of rear projection or flat panel technology do you think gives the most bang for the buck? CRT? DLP? LCD? LCOS (and related technologies)? Plasma? Other?
I'm looking at getting a RPTV later this year for a relatively long narrow family room that typically is bright due to a large sliding door. I think that a CRT based set would be too dim for daytime viewing along with it's narrower field of vision and plasma is still to pricy as I'm trying to stay under $2K. Any thoughts?

DLP or LCD if you don't care about exact reference colors. Gregg says ultimately CRT is still the best way to go if you can control the lighting a bit.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Hello,
I noticed in your chat answers room lighting was brought up a couple of times. Why is that important?

Black is the absense of light, when you add room light you can't have black. That is why it is important.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I have a RCA 52” RP set.

After about a month of owning it I noticed what looked like a hair in the upper left of my screen… well after a few more weeks I noticed one on the right of the screen. Then about 3 weeks ago I noticed a very small dot right near the middle of the screen… the only times these are visible is bright backgrounds.

I had a person come and service it and he cleaned it really well. It turns out these “Hairs” are in the Green CRT tube. The only way to fix it is obviously to switch out the tube.

Should I have this done (Still under warranty) or will it cause more problems than it fixes?

Chris Van Leuven

The problem may be in the tube between the layers. Since the set is under warranty have it fixed. There is no reason not to have it fixed.

Gregg wants to know what state your in, please email us back.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Your site above is wrong. It's keohi.com. The actual link to the article is here.

Thanks I am just typing this as Gregg is talking.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

What would be your recommendation on cleaning or dusting, if any, the screen
after removal of glare screen.

Feather dust only would be Greggs Recomendation.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Gregg, is ISF working with HDTV manufactures to include a "calibration" with
purchase, or even have ISF assist in the "factory adjustments" before
shipping? As we know, the factory adjustments aren't even close. Doing this
would also help with Quality Control (bad guns, boards, chips, etc).

You can't calibrate a set in the factory it needs to be done in the home (due to shipping, lighting conditions etc)

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Gregg,
I saw that you recommended removing the glare screen.
I have a 1 year old collie that likes to put his nose
up on the screen. If I remove my screen, how much
can the regular screen take?

Thanks,
Robert

Remove the Collie is the answer. Gregg does not recommend removing the glare screen in this case.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Gregg,

Thanks for the opportunity to ask you questions. Is there a way to disable the Auto 16:9 mode on the Sony 40XBR850 when viewing sources connected to its Component or DVI input?

The reason is that when using a DISH 921 receiver, the SD channels come in a 16:9 window and has black bars to the left and right. This can't be defeated in any shape or form because the 16:9 mode is automatically invoked when using the component or DVI inputs.

Can this be done by going into the service menu? If so, where can I find a guide or manual to do this? Thanks a bunch!

-Dan

Try 4x3 mode 1 in the Dish 921 setup screen if that does not work the, best way to do it is use SVideo and switch input when watching SD.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I noticed from the video that some of the diagnostic displays are present on
the screen for some length of time. Would this cause a problem with burn in?

Yes it can cause burn in, however the length of time these tests are on the screen will not harm it.

 

[cdru]

Remove the Collie is the answer. Gregg does not recommend removing the glare screen in this case.

I have a few toddlers and was going to ask the same question. I guess the same applies to them. I propose the solution to the wife...but I'm sure her answer will be different then what I would choose.