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Curved Widescreen bars...


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Old 28-10-2003, 10:36
NoEntry2k
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I know im being REALLY picky, and maybe im going mad but has anyone ever noticed how on some TVs the widescreen black bars are curved!
Im talking about when you watch a film that is 2:35:1, so there are still black bars on a 16:9 TV, sometimes the bars look uneven. For example the bottom bar on the left hand of the screen is 0.5cm lower then it is on the right, resulting in a slight slope. Its the kind of thing you only need to notice once and it annoyes you all the time!

Anyone else noticed this or is it just me?
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Old 28-10-2003, 10:41
iain
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is it a Sony?

we've got a 28" sony wega - @ 4 yrs old, when the first silver / grey flatscreen models started appearing.

sony's of this era are well known for this problem unfortunately - it bugs the hell out of me, but my g/f says she doesn't even notice (let alone suggests getting a new plasma set...)

its not the black bars as such - its the screen as a whole - you just notice it most when black bars are visible - or onscreen captions eg News 24.

if you trawl the net you can find info on how to make it a bit better by playing around with the sevice menu - although the general consensus is not to go near it unless you're feeling very brave.

apparently it only really helps with vertical curving anyway, and not so much the horizontal curving. sony say anything up to a 7mm variation falls *within acceptable limits*. *acceptable limits* my arse tho'.

Iain
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Old 28-10-2003, 11:37
NoEntry2k
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No its a Matsui 28" Widescreen. I had a normal 21" Grundig TV and when i watched a programme in 16:9 letterbox the top bar was a full 1cm shorter at the top right than it was at the top left resulting in fairly noticable slope. After 6 months it annoyed me so much i got a new TV.
I thought if i got a widescreen then i would never see black bars on the TV again, but forgot that alot of films on DVD use 2:35:1.
Thanks for replying Iain, its nice to know im not the only one who is driven mad by this. The conclusion ive come to is either watch the film zoomed in (X2) on the DVD or try not to look at the bars, buts its one of those things that you only need to notice once and you cant help but notice every time.

Is there anyway of taking the TV apart and moving the screen slightly?

Im going mad i tell you, mad!
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Old 28-10-2003, 12:44
GaryB
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Unlike vertical correction, this is one adjustment that's not usually adjustable from most Service menus. It's known as N-S (North South) correction. A few high end sets have an adjustment but it requires additional correction coils on the tube so is not generally fitted to cheaper sets. A decent engineer can correct it with small stick on magnets but this is difficult to do without affecting the convergence. It's also affected by the Earth's magnetic field - turn the set through 90 degrees and you will probably find that the distortion will change.
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Old 28-10-2003, 13:11
NoEntry2k
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Thanks for the advice.
So are you saying that if i turn my TV 90 degrees (do you mean put the TV on its side, just move the TV so its facing another direction, lay it on its back?) it may fix the problem?

Can it really be that simple?
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Old 28-10-2003, 15:57
GaryB
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By 90 degrees I mean just turn it so it faces in a different direction. There is an equal possibility this this may have no effect or even make it worse. It depends on the direction that the TV is facing relative to the Earth's magnetic field at the moment, the design of the set, etc. but it's worth a try. If you do find a direction that gives an improvement you will have to rearrange the room to suit so it may not be a practical answer anyway. By the way, TVs should never be turned on their side as this can displace the shadowmask and give purity errors.
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Old 28-10-2003, 16:39
NoEntry2k
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I thought that is what you meant. I will give it a try, but knowing my luck something that simple will not change it.
If it does (and ill be amazed if it does!) ill move everything in the room around.
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Old 28-10-2003, 18:05
kev
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Originally posted by NoEntry2k
I thought that is what you meant. I will give it a try, but knowing my luck something that simple will not change it.
If it does (and ill be amazed if it does!) ill move everything in the room around.
Can you not just make the TV Stand uneven so the bars become level?
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Old 28-10-2003, 19:34
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yes but then the picture would be wonky?
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Old 28-10-2003, 21:15
kev
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Originally posted by ***dan***
yes but then the picture would be wonky?
But the picture is ALREADY wonkey....
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Old 29-10-2003, 09:55
NoEntry2k
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Originally posted by kev
Can you not just make the TV Stand uneven so the bars become level?
Yes i tried this but then the black bars look straight but the TV looks wierd! I think it just draws more attention to the problem.

I think ive solved it the best i can.........ive changed the angle that i watch the TV so that im looking at it from slightly side on, and not straight on.

People, I warn you, if you get out a ruler and measure your widescreen bars and they are just a few mm's uneven you will forever be annoyed by it. Resist the temptation!
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Old 29-10-2003, 10:45
kev
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Originally posted by NoEntry2k
Yes i tried this but then the black bars look straight but the TV looks wierd! I think it just draws more attention to the problem.

I think ive solved it the best i can.........ive changed the angle that i watch the TV so that im looking at it from slightly side on, and not straight on.

People, I warn you, if you get out a ruler and measure your widescreen bars and they are just a few mm's uneven you will forever be annoyed by it. Resist the temptation!
I must be lucky with my TV then

Also, thats why black TV's are good - not such a defined edge
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Old 29-10-2003, 12:58
NoEntry2k
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Very good point about black TVs, never thought of that. Everythings in silver nowadays, looks nice thought!
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Old 29-10-2003, 14:32
flagpole
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If i turned my TV through 90° i'd have to sit in the garden to watch it.

Unfortunately i am also the kind of person that this kind of thing bugs the hell out of.

Fortunately my Sony has the option to fix this.
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Old 30-10-2003, 09:23
Stevejd
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I had this problem with both a Sony set and an older 32" panasonic set. I am really fussy about quality, especially when paying out large sums of money. It seems to be a problem with the setting of the magnets that are located on the neck of the tube. With the Sony set, the field engineer came out twice and fiddled around with the magnets, which had a dramatic impact on the screen geometry. However, he could never get both the top and bottom of the screen perfectly straight. In the end I told the supplier, Moss of Bath, that the screen was not fit for purpose, and after much argument, got them to agree to replace it with a panasonic 32" (which obviously cost more). This had a similar, but not so bad problem. and had to get it replaced for another one (after further arguments), which only had a very slight, but still noticeable distortion along the bottom of the screen. However, after about a further 6 months I gave up on it and bought what was then the top of the range panasonic 36" set (36PF10), which does not seem to suffer from the problem. I think it basically comes down to the care taken when the sets are manufactured and set up prior to shipping.

OK, rant over, it just annoys me how when you pay a lot for a set you don't expect to get geometry problems
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Old 31-10-2003, 13:42
RedEarth
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My Panny TX28PL10 (~£600) has a geomagnetic correction adjustment using the buttons under the flap on the front panel. Apart from the PL1 model, it's one of the most basic in the Tau series, I'd be very surprised if all the other Tau models didn't have this adjustment.

Was having a discussion about this with work colleagues the other day. We weren't sure if the adjustment was put in to compensate for differences in geographical orientation or location (implying geomagnetic field strength )between factory and lounge.
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Old 31-10-2003, 15:16
kev
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Originally posted by RedEarth
My Panny TX28PL10 (~£600) has a geomagnetic correction adjustment using the buttons under the flap on the front panel. Apart from the PL1 model, it's one of the most basic in the Tau series, I'd be very surprised if all the other Tau models didn't have this adjustment.

Was having a discussion about this with work colleagues the other day. We weren't sure if the adjustment was put in to compensate for differences in geographical orientation or location (implying geomagnetic field strength )between factory and lounge.
My £70 PC monitor has an option to adjust the tilt, so i can't see why £600+ widescreen tv's don't?
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