I know this is out of date, but has anyone been able to get 1:1 pixel mapping at 1080P with PC-> HDMI input on the 42HL196? I am using a Radeon HD2400 Pro. When I use the resolution 1920x1080 @ 30Hz or 60Hz, I cannot get the image to be full screen. The picture size option on the TV for "native" is greyed out. Is there a limitation to the video card, or the tv?

I'm not familiar with Radeons but what sort of cabling are you connecting from the pc to the tv ?

component video & HDMI will give you 1080. I am not certain about other cables.

Al

Might be your card. I get 1:1 mapping at 1080i with no overscan using the native mode via HDMI, but that is using a Mac with integrated graphics chip (Intel GMA950?). The computer autodetected the correct settings. Since it is a mac, I'm not sure if that info is very helpful, but the TV should be able to handle it.

I am connecting my PC to the tv with a DVI to HDMI adapter. No idea why there is a 2" border around the screen.

Also, when I am watching tv, the picture size will adjust to Normal, and then stay there for some reason. Is there a way I can lock it on to Native?

I am connecting my PC to the tv with a DVI to HDMI adapter. No idea why there is a 2" border around the screen.

Again, this is my experience with a Mac, but the info might be useful: I can select an "Overscan" option in my display preferences, which shrinks the output so the full desktop can be seen on overscanning TVs. The problem is, it assumes the TV has like 10% overscan, so enabling it results in about 2" borders all around the screen. Most digital TVs (including the REGZAs) don't have anywhere near this amount of overscan, thus the large black borders. It also kills 1:1 mapping and I think disables the Native view mode. So even though in the primary display settings, I've told it to output a true 1080i signal, it is doing something under the hood to shrink the image and the result is crap. If I uncheck that overscan option, everything is perfect.

On my XP computer (which is just hooked up to a regular monitor), the Display Properties->Settings->Advanced dialog has video card-specific options. You might find something about overscan buried in there.

Also, when I am watching tv, the picture size will adjust to Normal, and then stay there for some reason. Is there a way I can lock it on to Native?

Forgot to address this question in my first response: Disable the "Auto Aspect Ratio" option in the TV's Picture or Advanced Picture menu.

i originally started with a 42HL196 back in 2006 that had the banding issue about 6 months into ownership. (2 faint bars, one on either side of the screen. in the same place as a 4:3 image, even though the image filled the whole screen. the image was a different shade of color in these "ghost bars"). toshiba agreed to replace it with the 42LX196 model instead. so far, so good.

i've had the LX for about 14 months, and it recently developed a very faint, vertical black line in the direct center of the screen. it almost appears as if one half of the screen is now faintly darker than the other.

unfortunately for me, i didn't buy the ext. warranty on this. i called toshiba and they said if i paid for the $100 service call, they'd see what they could do to help out with the problem.

service guy said "bad LCD panel, you need a new one." the repair is gonna be a whopping $2180.00, of which toshiba said they'd pay half. so i'm stuck with a repair bill of $1090 on my second toshiba set to have issues with the LCD panel.

unacceptable, i told them. if you're going to spend $1090 on the repair, why not just give me a $1090 credit toward a new set. "we can't do that" they said.

this set is 2 months out of warranty; not 2 years. they simply won't stand behind this and admit that they've produced a crappy product. it's my second set that had an LCD problem and they still won't do anything for me.

i think toshiba has 3 options to keep a customer happy:

1. pay for the entire repair
2. give me a credit toward a new set; or
3. send me a refurbished model of the same size

i don't think i'm asking them to do anything extraordinary considering that this my second experience with their crappy products.

i've written a letter to the consumer affairs division of the state attorney general's office and i'll see if i get anywhere with that.

i've purchased a samsung because the toshiba is basically un-watchable. i'll NEVER buy another toshiba product of any kind.

bluemax, don't accept a refurb. I'm on my third 196 set. I started with a new lx196. Then accepted a refurb, which one month later had the lines. I now have a lz196 that had the lines days after delivery. I have a warranty from Toshiba till Jan '09. I think I'll wait till later this year and then finally accept a new tv. (I had turned down two newer models due to them not having cablecard). I'm now ready to conceed that these sets had a design flaw and that most of the refurbs were due to the same issue that they can't fix anyway, and they are just putting them back into the market and taking a chance that people won't notice.

is this possible? I bought my unit 18 months ago and have never updated it. Also, is there a proper calibration tool I can use? I want to maximise my PS3 on it. Many thanks to those whom reply

quattroG:

thanks. at this point i'm just so p.o.'ed i don't know what to do. basically they took $2000 from me and i'm stuck with a 14 month old set that i can't watch.

i don't know, where i'm from, that's called stealing.

the absolute worst part of this whole mess is that toshiba simply won't admit there's an issue. this, despite the number of posts here and elsewhere on the internet addressing this exact same problem...they insist that mine is an extremely rare and isolated case.

B.S.!!! BOYCOTT TOSHIBA!!!!

is this possible? I bought my unit 18 months ago and have never updated it.

what do you mean by update it? i don't think there is a firmware update (i've searched for quite some time)

By the looks of the long thread, maybe this question has already been asked. Toshiba is probably the only brand I know of that does not reveal the contrast ratio on their tvs. I e-mailed Toshiba's customer service and asked why they don't list contrast ratios. A representative replied within 2 days and simply said that contrast ratio does NOT necessarily mean you get the best picture. He said it only tells a small percentage of the picture quality that you will be getting from a tv. Does anyone own theToshiba 46XF550 or the older 46RF350U?

I have the 46RF350U. the contrast is stunning with proper calibration. the blacks are as black as an lcd with wide gamut CCFL can get. works best with DynaLight turned off. i have the dynamic contrast turned on but only with the HDMI pc input and it works wonders.

FYI, contrast ratios have no standariztion in terms of capturing the measurement and thus, have no real bearing on what the set can actually attain.

We purchased this model Regza 42HL196, in September of 2006. In June of 2008, 20 months after purchase, the set failed totally, with a diagnosis of a bad lcd controller board. Toshiba does not sell this part separately (estimate cost $200-$400), but requires a full replacement of the panel which was quoted at $2789.70. This is $600 more than the original price of the television. After waiting for customer service and a supervisor for 30 minutes, I was told that due to the age of the set, nothing could be done. Diagnosis cost $160 dollars as well.
Given Toshiba’s unreliability, and exorbitant part replacement strategies, I would run, not walk, to their competitors. They seem not to want repeat business. Avoid these guys if you want your set maintained!!!

Any suggestions. It hurts to throw the set out....

We purchased this model Regza 42HL196, in September of 2006. In June of 2008, 20 months after purchase, the set failed totally, with a diagnosis of a bad lcd controller board. Toshiba does not sell this part separately (estimate cost $200-$400), but requires a full replacement of the panel which was quoted at $2789.70. This is $600 more than the original price of the television. After waiting for customer service and a supervisor for 30 minutes, I was told that due to the age of the set, nothing could be done. Diagnosis cost $160 dollars as well.
Given Toshiba’s unreliability, and exorbitant part replacement strategies, I would run, not walk, to their competitors. They seem not to want repeat business. Avoid these guys if you want your set maintained!!!

Any suggestions. It hurts to throw the set out....


HEY!! nice to meet you! welcome to the toshiba hater's club...this is the exact run-around i got from toshiba. see my post above.

they really make poor quality products, don't they? fortunately, as consumers, we have a choice. unfortunately for you and me, we made the WRONG choice when we bought from this manufacturer.

as i said, i will NEVER buy another toshiba product of ANY kind, EVER again.

i just bought a samsung LN46A550, and couldn't be happier. what a difference in picture quality between the 2...it's amazing.

I have a 42hl196 bought from bestbuy in sept 06. The picture has been great up until last week when I started to see verticle lines on either side about 3 or 4 inches from bezel, and one in the middle. I had purchased the psp from best buy and called for a service appointment. Has anyone got a refund from bestbuy for the purchase price? I've never used an extended warranty before. Has anyone had any experience with them? Any tips on how to successfully deal with them would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Puglsy

Well the service tech was just here and insisted it was burn-in. He even pointed out in the owners maunal a paragraph about static image retention. Thats about all he did wasn't here more than 10 min. He said that he would see if they would allow him to order a panel but wasn't that confident about them saying ok. I rarely watch 4x3 images most of my viewing is hd material. When I do watch 4x3 shows I use theater mode 3. He said he would let me know in 7 to 10 days if everythig goes ok. I must say that I am a little disappointed in what just transpired. Almost 3k for tv and extended warranty and now to be told I have a burn-in issue. I just hope that they let him get the panel. Thanks for letting me vent alittle.

Pugsly

Well the service tech was just here and insisted it was burn-in. He even pointed out in the owners maunal a paragraph about static image retention. Thats about all he did wasn't here more than 10 min. He said that he would see if they would allow him to order a panel but wasn't that confident about them saying ok. I rarely watch 4x3 images most of my viewing is hd material. When I do watch 4x3 shows I use theater mode 3. He said he would let me know in 7 to 10 days if everythig goes ok. I must say that I am a little disappointed in what just transpired. Almost 3k for tv and extended warranty and now to be told I have a burn-in issue. I just hope that they let him get the panel. Thanks for letting me vent alittle.


I have zero experience with extended warranties, but in my mind anything short of a replacement or refund would be unacceptable. You paid a big premium for that add-on warranty, for the sole purpose of protecting yourself in this situation. It is a total disgrace if BB doesn't stand behind the warranty. Burn in is BS, do the lines even match up with 4:3 ratio? Make sure they know this.

They are probably hoping to brush you off and you'll give up. You might need to make some noise, but stay on top of them...the web is full of horror stories regarding poor extended warranty service, but it seems like eventually many of them get resolved in a somewhat satisfactory manner. It might take time, though. Good luck.

Thanks for the reply. I'm going to give him the 7 to 10 days and then call bestbuy again and ask for a second opnion. I put the tv in 4x3 mode and the lines did line up but I also see one down the middle its faint but there. The service tech would hear none of it. I understand that he is probably not making much money on a warranty service call but I expected more. Who knows maybe it will all work out. No use worring until I hear back. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Pugsly

Hi Guys,
I just joined the forums after purchasing the Toshiba 42RV530 and I'm not real happy with the clarity. I'm not sure if it is comcast or the set. It seems the people if not close to the camera are kind of fuzzy. I read a thread here where all raved about this panel and never complained about blurring as many were gaming with no problems. My comcast cable box doesn't have an HDMI slot, could that be the culprit? Can anyone recommend any other possible causes to the poor picture? Also there are many here with older Toshiba's and are having problems. I had one of there crts for 12 yrs. Rock solid so I thought they a good name? What is reliable out there?
TIA steve

Hi Guys,
I just joined the forums after purchasing the Toshiba 42RV530 and I'm not real happy with the clarity. I'm not sure if it is comcast or the set. It seems the people if not close to the camera are kind of fuzzy. I read a thread here where all raved about this panel and never complained about blurring as many were gaming with no problems. My comcast cable box doesn't have an HDMI slot, could that be the culprit? Can anyone recommend any other possible causes to the poor picture? Also there are many here with older Toshiba's and are having problems. I had one of there crts for 12 yrs. Rock solid so I thought they a good name? What is reliable out there?
TIA steve

Welcome, Steve. Just one thought for a comparison to your Comcast feed. Can you get an OTA HD signal from one of your local stations? Hook up an external antennna and bypass the Comcast box. OTA is the purest form of HD.

Not having an HDMI out from the cable box shouldn't be a PQ issue, as long as you are using component cables. Fuzzy background images may not be a panel problem but a matter of focus from the source.

if you have comcast, just connect the raw feed to the back of your HDTV....they send about 10 HD stations in the clear....you can just tune them without any box at all.

Pugsly, believe me, you don't have burn in. That's the dreaded banding that EVEYONE has seen on these 2006 196 models from Toshiba. Look at these pics I posted of one of my "three" sets that have all had this issue.
http://picasaweb.google.com/glennstrouse1/ToshibaLCDProblem

That is the exact same problem I have. Thank you very much. This puts my mind at ease. I still have not heard back yet from the service tech but it has only been 2 days. If you don't mind me asking did they replace your tv or try to repair it and are you still trying to get the issue resolved? I really like the picture the tv gave especially when watching the Mets on SNY the picture looks almost 3 dimensional. If they can fix it properly I would be happy but I just went back and read some of the posts here and it appears that the refurbs are just as bad. I'm hoping they just give me store credit for the purchase amount and buy a new set. By the way I also use a cablecard(io cable) but have had alot of issues with mine. I have to reboot alot and the hd channel almost always disapear. I also have a hd dvr so I can record 2 hd shows and watch a third live. We watch alot of tv here.

Thanks again for the link to you pictures'
Pugsly

I just got off the phone with best buy and they are going to give me store credit for the purchase price of the tv. I am very happy with the outcome. I never expected it to go so easily. Now comes the hard part what to replace it with. For the money I spent I could get a 52 inch tv. Any suggestions?

Thanks to all who replied,
Pugsly

Pugsly, that's good news. Here's my "opinion". I think, if you're going larger than 42" in size, I think Plazma is the way to go. The LCD tv's in the larger sizes still appear to be problematic. Again, just my opinion. In answer to your prior question. My original 42lx196 was purchased new and was still under warranty when the initial banding issue showed up. So they replaced it with a refurb (it was my choice, new or refurb. And I chose refurb because of the cable card). That refurb started to show the banding after about a month. I'm now on yet another refurb, this time a 42lz196, and it also has the banding. Each time, I was able to get Toshiba to agree to a 1 year warranty to cover the refurb. So this one is covered until January of '09. I'm going to swap it out before then. But I'll wait as I still like and prefer a set with cable card, and none of the new sets have them. In my case, the cable card works great and I never really had any issues with it.

I am now watching tv on my new Samsung LN46A650 and loving it. After some debate over what the extended service contract covered, and my conversation with the manager, we walked out with our brand new tv. I could not be happier with the the way they handled the whole affair. Everyone was very professional. The only thing I paid for was a new service contract since the first one paid for itself. The tv is elegant looking with the touch of a deep red around the bezel. I'll tell you I thought the picture on the toshiba was beautiful but this is simply unbelievable. Lets just hope it lasts longer the the toshiba.

Thanks again to all who responded,
Pugsly

I own a 32hl66. I'm mainly using it for Xbox 360 through Component. I'm wondering if anyone has a list of calibrated settings for this or a similar HDTV?

Also, I've heard it's possible to do some tweaks in the service menu. Is there a guide or list around with that information?

Just purchased a 47lx196 refurbished for less then 900 dollars. My main interest was in the cable card. I had my eye on getting a new Pioneer but they have dropped the cable card option like everyone else. I will report later with a quick review when it arrives.

Just keep your fingers crossed that it doesn't have the banding issue. check my link to see what it looks like.

Just received it and so far no banding issues. Black levels are not the greatest but not the worst that I have seen. The set has some uniformity issues though. Also the set does not resolve all 1080 lines of resolution. Comparing it to my Samsung 5265f which does resolve all lines, it seems to fall between 720p and 1080i. Compared it to my LG 42pg20 and it is a bit sharper but not by much. Waiting on a cable card from Comcast. Did a Qam scan and picked most of the channels that my Samsung does. Tuner is a little flaky though. Channel delete is worthless. My Samsung would delete all scrambled automatically and you could scroll through each channel on the edit screen and delete that channel with one touch of the enter button. It appears that there is overscan in the native mode. This set was refurbished by Toshiba. Picked up the set at a warehouse and the set was filthy. Took ten minutes with a bottle of 409 to clean it up. I called Toshiba and registered and did complain about the condition. It was noted on my records. My main interest was in the cable card. I have not lost any in the PQ department since this replaced my LG 42pg20. That set had better black levels but a less punchy picture so I figure a wash. Will keep a eye out for the banding that folks have been complaining about. Anyone know if there is any firmware updates for this set? I just updated my Samsung. Downloaded a zip file and unzipped to a usb card and stuck in the set and 2 minutes later my set was up and running minus the clouds that I had before the upgrade.

Good luck with it. The banding doesn't always show up right away. The longer the set was without power, the longer it may take to show up. In fact, that was one of the suggestions was to unplug the set for a period of time. I just didn't have that long of a time to wait:)

Hopefully the problem will not present itself. So far I am pleased with the set. My main interest was the cable card. The TV Guide is now updated but only gives me information on the analog channels but not the QAM stations. Does anyone know if the TV GUIDE will add the digital channels once Comcast installs my Cable Card?

Does anyone know if the TV GUIDE will add the digital channels once Comcast installs my Cable Card?


Yes, once the Cable Card is installed, you'll get all the information even for premium channels, on the TV Guide screen. I love that about my Toshiba 42lz196. (I've had two 42lx196 and this last refurb is a 42lz196). All had the Cable Card and on screen TV Guide. My wife wouldn't know what to do without it. Unfortunately, Toshiba dropped the TV Guide as well as the Cable Card on all their sets.

Thanks. Nice set. Only real weakness is the black level performance.

Anyone know if any adjustments in the service menu can improve the black level performance on this set? If so can you pm me with step by step instructions. Thanks in advance.

my 42HL196 has developed the banding issue also. i bought an extended warranty with the tv at the time of purchase last year. i called the number that is on the contract, but that is for G.E. appliances, they gave me the number to the consumer electronics department. they told me that my model number is invalid and she finally asked what the brand name of the tv is and i told her "toshiba" and she said they only service hotpoint and g.e....

so i ask you people, what phone number are you using to get service?

my 42HL196 has developed the banding issue also. i bought an extended warranty with the tv at the time of purchase last year. i called the number that is on the contract, but that is for G.E. appliances...

Most extended warranties are purchased from the retailer, not the manufacturer. Call the main customer service number for the store that you bought it from; they should be able to put you in contact with the right people.

just did that...video only gave me the number to the local shop that will be doing the service call. i called and explained what it looks like and the guy said it is burn-in and it is not covered. i go back into video only and they said lcd's don't get burn-in. i called the repair shop again and did not explain what the problem was in detail and set up the service call for tomorrow.

the ghost line is more apparent on the right side as a fine darker line...the left is more subdued and harder to see. you can see it on the ps3's operating system menu and when you change inputs and get the blue screen

the ghost line is more apparent on the right side as a fine darker line...the left is more subdued and harder to see. you can see it on the ps3's operating system menu and when you change inputs and get the blue screen

Sam, that's classic banding. Look further up the page on this thread. I have a link to pics of my banding. Your's may not be that bad yet, but it will be. They all start out with the right side line showing up first. Good luck and you have this entire thread to back you up if you need it.

This thread seems only have discussions regarding the ghost issue and service issues. I was hoping more would be discussed on recommended settings, service menu tweaks and overall impressions of these sets. I have read every post and from early on this thread has been mostly about the ghost issues and service issues. I was hoping to hear from fellow LX196 owners on there impressions of this set.

the technician calls it image retention...he said he will forward this to the warranty people, but no guarantees on the claim.

he says it's from watching 4:3 content for long periods of time. i have the coax cable hooked up directly from the wall and i do watch the local hd channels whenever i can and everything else shows up as sd in 4:3. the tech says i should of been stretching it, as the manual says to.

i'm going to take a look at the manual.

does anyone know what the tech is talking about not watching the tv in 4:3?
i asked him if he would watch it stretched and he said yes, if it meant eliminating this image retention.

4:3 looks better than stretched...not all channels are hd

i went through the manual and i could not find any warnings about extended 4:3 viewing, so in my defense, how am i suppose to know not to do that and when i get contacted by the repair shop or warranty service, i will tell them that.

Comcast came today and put in a cable card. Was a long process since the tv had a time recognizing the cards. Up and running now and quite pleased with the HD pq. I did notice that while on the cable card input it loses the progressive settings(natural, full, theaterwide, etc) On 1080i stations it reverts to natural but can be changed to native but that is lost when you change stations. On 720p stations, native is greyed out. Just wish I could get better blacks out of this set. This model the 47lx196 does not have a gamma option or a black level option. I believe the later Toshiba Regza models included such options. I took a peak into the service menu but did not dare change anything. Hope to hear from any 47lx196 owners.

i went through the manual and i could not find any warnings about extended 4:3 viewing, so in my defense, how am i suppose to know not to do that and when i get contacted by the repair shop or warranty service, i will tell them that.

I did look at several pictures that were posted by other owners which showed the ghost bars. They sure looked like they were in the same spot that 4:3 programming ends and the black bars start. I do stretch the 4:3 programming. I have always done that. Have owned CRTs, LCDs and Plasmas and every owners manual still warned of burn in. Even my old Sony 36xbr960.

the technician calls it image retention...he said he will forward this to the warranty people, but no guarantees on the claim.

he says it's from watching 4:3 content for long periods of time.


Sam, your technician is wrong. He's obviously never worked on Toshiba sets before. Please take a look at this link I have below. This will show the same thing that you have, but worse. And believe me, they all start out with the right side line showing up first, then the left, and finally the center will show. Yes, I also first thought that it was due to watching 4:3 content. But look closer and you'll see that this line, in not at the same location as the end of the picture when in 4:3 mode. It's a problem with these panels and their back lighting. It's commonly know as banding. The issue has been covered to death in this web site and others such as highdefforums.com.
Print out these threads, show him the pictures and have him actually contact Toshiba about this. Each time a tech came to my home, (tv's were still under warranty), they called Toshiba tech support, and was pretty much told right away that the panel was bad and it needed to be replaced. (but there really aren't any panels available, so Toshiba offered a replacement of the set). Don't take no for an answer. You paid good money for that warranty, and they are trying to get out of it. Or the tech just doesn't know what he's talking about. How can the center line be from picture retention.

http://picasaweb.google.com/glennstrouse1/ToshibaLCDProblem

i'm waiting word from the shop and they are supposedly waiting for word from G.E., my warranty service. if i don't hear from them soon, i'll call GE myself to find out if the shop actually called.

i will challenge that shop to show me where it says to stretch the 4:3 picture and / or not to watch 4:3 for extended periods of time in the manual.

on mine, the right line is easy to see..it's well defined and narrow...but on the left side, it's not so easy, it's kind of a wider blurred line and not so easy to see. also on mine, the lines do match up with the 4:3 left and right borders...nothing in the center yet.

just got a call from the shop, telling me my claim has been declined.
just called G.E. and they repeated that the claim was denied and they called toshiba and they said it's not covered, because it's considered consumer neglect. they said to call toshiba.

It's not caused by watching 4x3 tv. There's a defect in the panel. I had a tech come in and say the same thing about my tv, and I watch hd and 4x3 only in theater 2 mode. The only thing that comes in in 4x3 are the commercials(on the hd channels!). There are many tv sets on this board with the exact same problem. Mine even had a faint line down the center of the screen(now how is that image retention?). I had the BestBuy warranty and they replaced my tv. By the way in the owners manual there is a paragraph about image retention, but it says it should disappear after a few hours. It's on one of the first few pages(I don't have the manual anymore but I saw it). You could try to get a second opinion from a different repair service although others on this board dealt with Toshiba directly and had success with getting a replacement. So don't despair. Just hang in and don't give up.

Good luck,
Pugsly

Sam, good luck with this, but by all means, don't take no for an answer. This is such a common and well known issue, I think GE is just trying to get out of replacing your set. I'm sure they've seen a bunch of these claims.
As far as image retention. Just this past week, my grand daughter had a kids video playing, it was left on one frame for over an hour. Well sure enough, I could see the image retention of some of the very bright images that were on that frame. But here's the thing. Within an hour after that video was turned off, the image retention was gone. If you look very close to the image, you should see the following. (right most line). The right side of this line, is sharp, but look at the left side of the line, and it extends inward and fades off. This is the back lighting issue that is causing these bands. The way in which the back lighting is done, causes these lines where are really shadows being cast from the right side to the center. On my recent set, the area just to the right of the right most line, you can actually see is slightly lighter in color than the rest of the screen. Again, back lighting. I wish you luck, like I said, with all these issues being so heavily documented here on the web, I can't see how GE can refuse your claim. This is a design problem with this set, and they're trying to get out of the claim.

i called toshiba and they said the warranty service is out of their hands and into G.E.'s. the lady from toshiba did try to help by telling me to fax over a copy of the sales receipt, some info and what action is requested. she said they would look into it. the lady from toshiba did point out in the manual about not letting a static image show for an extended period of time aka ghosting. but, it did not say anything about 4:3 content. that is my ammunition. how am i or anyone suppose to know not to watch 4:3 for long periods of time, if we don't know not to do it in the first place. the lady from GE said she wouldn't watch 4:3 on a 42 inch lcd and would stretch it. no offense to females, but she did not sound like the type who would know on her own. the manual is very vague on the subject.


talk about a run around. i am going to call GE again on tuesday.

The cable card on this set is not working correctly. Many of the stations are pixelated and some have audio issues. Some are the same stations that the set was able to pull on a Qam scan and were perfect on that end. I had Comcast change out the card 4 times with the same problems and then ran a direct line from the tap to the set and no change. I finally got a HD box from Comcast and all is well. I have a 90 warranty but the closest center is 45 minutes away and the only other option is to pack it up and send it back to Toshiba. Not worth the hassle. Other then the cablecard issue I am happy with the set.

HEY!! nice to meet you! welcome to the toshiba hater's club...this is the exact run-around i got from toshiba. see my post above.

they really make poor quality products, don't they? fortunately, as consumers, we have a choice. unfortunately for you and me, we made the WRONG choice when we bought from this manufacturer.

as i said, i will NEVER buy another toshiba product of ANY kind, EVER again.

i just bought a samsung LN46A550, and couldn't be happier. what a difference in picture quality between the 2...it's amazing.

I own the 52a550... but what do you expect? The samsung 550 is a brand new television that came out this year while the 196 came out two years ago. Guaranteed our a550's will be trashed by the televisions 2 years from now.

On a side note, this whole thread is dominated with the banding issue of the the 196 model televisions... But what I wanted to know was what settings you are using for your sets? Im more interested in the hl66 users since I have the 32" for my bedroom. Do you use preference on sports, normal or movie and then calibrate? Because they do make a difference.

What I mean is, I could calibrate all 3 settings to the same and they would look different if they were changed on sports, normal or movie. What settings do you guys use? If i use sports, I get more pop and intense picture but its not really "realistic".

i called toshiba and they said the warranty service is out of their hands and into G.E.'s. the lady from toshiba did try to help by telling me to fax over a copy of the sales receipt, some info and what action is requested. she said they would look into it. the lady from toshiba did point out in the manual about not letting a static image show for an extended period of time aka ghosting. but, it did not say anything about 4:3 content. that is my ammunition. how am i or anyone suppose to know not to watch 4:3 for long periods of time, if we don't know not to do it in the first place. the lady from GE said she wouldn't watch 4:3 on a 42 inch lcd and would stretch it. no offense to females, but she did not sound like the type who would know on her own. the manual is very vague on the subject.


talk about a run around. i am going to call GE again on tuesday.


Sam,

From my experiance I would find it hard to believe the lines are caused by 4:3 viewing for extended time. I too encountered the banding lines, and I had my 4:3 signal stretched from day one. Plus I had one show up in the middle, similar to the other posters pic's.

If you get no luck from the tech's GE, Toshiba, or other ... try to unplug it for a couple of weeks. This actually did work for a while for me. I found out completely by accident as I always unplug my electronics before I go on holidays. As luck would have it the lines were gone when I returned. They slowly started to creep back in over time, at which point I had my set replaced. If you can't get it replaced, and you can deal with no tv for a while it might provide a work around solution.

the lines seem to have disappeared. at least i can't readily see them and i have tried to look for them. i have been watching sd content stretched.

Has anyone figured out a way to get DirecTV's new 1080p support to work on these TVs? From what I can tell, the DirecTV 1080p support may only work using HDMI and the Toshiba may only support 1080p via Component?? Is this correct?

Depends on which model you mean. If you are talking about the 42HL196, it does not accept a 1080P input. You will get a black screen if you try. It will accept a maximum of 1080I input.

Depends on which model you mean. If you are talking about the 42HL196, it does not accept a 1080P input. You will get a black screen if you try. It will accept a maximum of 1080I input.

Yes, that is the model I have. Sure glad I have a 1080p TV that can't accept a 1080p input. Add that to the vertical lines on my screen, this has to be the worst TV I have ever seen...

Has anybody in the Niagara Region with the 42HL196 purchased from Best Buy had to deal with a warranty claim?

I just called them about the banding issue and they will have the Service Company call me tomorrow.

I'm not looking forward to this and was just wondering if anybody has dealt with BB warranty and how it went.

Just to update if any body's looking.

I called BB for warranty on the 25th.
Service company diagnosed the problem on the 27th. Said it needed a new panel and that and that more than likely I would just get a replacement TV as the cost of repairing it was above BB limit.
BB customer service called this morning (30th) and said the replacement of the TV was approved and which store did I want to deal with?
Went to BB today and walked out with a new 46" for $300 after they credited me all but $400 of my original purchase price from 2 years ago.

Very impressed as they were far easier to deal with then I had anticipated.

Just to update if any body's looking. IWent to BB today and walked out with a new 46" for $300 after they credited me all but $400 of my original purchase price from 2 years ago.

Wallee, why wouldn't they give you 100% of the original purchase price? You paid an additional amount for the extended warranty, and you still had to put out more money on an exchange? What did the warranty cover? I don't normally take out extended warranties, and this is one of the reasons.

P.S. I just called Toshiba today. My third, and final attempt at sticking with a 196 (2006 model year) is coming to an end. The warranty that Toshiba gave me on the previous replacements is coming to an end in Jan 09, and the banding has gotten worse. Add to that the fact that TVGOS has bit the dust (apparrently TVGuide has some problems acrosst the country recently, causing many of us who have it, to no longer get any listings), leaves little reason to stay with this any longer. Cable card or not, I'm moving on. I have to again have a tech come out to the house to look at it and say, yes, it has a problem. Then I guess Toshiba will have to decide what they want to do. The last two times, I had the option of a new model year tv, or a refurb, and I went with the refurb due to Cable Card and TVGOS in the older model. But three strikes, and I'm moving on to hopefully better product

Wallee, why wouldn't they give you 100% of the original purchase price? You paid an additional amount for the extended warranty, and you still had to put out more money on an exchange? What did the warranty cover? I don't normally take out extended warranties, and this is one of the reasons.


BB said they would either replace it with an equivalently featured model, the 42LG50, or give me credit, based on the last selling price of the HL196 which is far less then the current price of the xv545, towards a larger TV.

I told them I wanted to stick with Toshiba and the only 42" they had was the xv545 which has far better features then the 196. They would have given me that one or the value of that one if I wanted to upgrade.

I don't normally go for extended warranties either, but this was my second TV. I returned the first one within the 30 period and got another and the warranty just in case. Glad I did. The first one had two bands but the second one was developing 5 bands. Every time I turned it on it seemed to be worse.
Interestingly, I called Toshiba Tech service before I called BB and the tech guy said that this was not flagged as a known issue with this model. :rolleyes: Can anyone say asscovering?

Good luck with Toshiba. I hope it all works out for you.

Well, I can't believe it. I'm on my third 42xx196 model tv. In the past, they offered me newer models as replacement. If you've been reading this thread, you'll know that I turned down the newer tv's and went with refurbs. But after three attempts, I've given up hope. So, I was ready to accept a new model this time. But guess what, this time, they actually have replacement panels, and they will not offer a new tv. They will only replace the panel in this one. If this would have happend last year, after the first tv, I would have been happy. But after all this, I've lost faith that the banding issue was a manufacturing issue. I believe it to be a design flaw. So a new panel, would still have the same problem. :(

Sorry man.
After so many issues with it I would have run away screaming to anything but a Toshiba specially this model.

Good luck.

Since it looks like I'm going to end up with a lcd display panel replacement, I'd like to know from those who've also had the panel replaced for the banding issue, if this fixed the problem, or if it ended up coming back on the replacement panel.

Thanks.

Anyone? Has anyone had the panel replaced for banding, or just a tv replacement?

Howdy folks....its been quite some time.
I am writing now because I have recently started having some issues and I am close to end of warranty. It seems that now I have to reset the television (hold down the power button until it clicks) on random occasions to get the TV to respond. I may even have them look at the minor banding I have seen since the TV was purchased. (It didn't bother me all that much, it is by far not as bad as many of you have experiencd.)
I was just wondering if anyone else is having this power issue and what it might be.

Thanks in advance!

Well, I can't believe it. I'm on my third 42xx196 model tv. In the past, they offered me newer models as replacement. If you've been reading this thread, you'll know that I turned down the newer tv's and went with refurbs. But after three attempts, I've given up hope. So, I was ready to accept a new model this time. But guess what, this time, they actually have replacement panels, and they will not offer a new tv. They will only replace the panel in this one. If this would have happend last year, after the first tv, I would have been happy. But after all this, I've lost faith that the banding issue was a manufacturing issue. I believe it to be a design flaw. So a new panel, would still have the same problem. :(


WOW! I can't believe it. Toshiba just called, and decided to not fix or replace my tv. They will issue a refund. They would only state that "the engineer looked at your file and decided that another tv or panel replacement would not fix your problem." I think what they are saying is that I'm the problem. I don't know how to take this. I mean, I really like Toshiba products, and most likely I'll end up buying another Toshiba TV with the refund. (this time I'll be able to by a larger tv for what I paid back in Feb '07).
So, I need to start looking at new tv's. ......

WOW! I can't believe it. Toshiba just called, and decided to not fix or replace my tv. They will issue a refund. They would only state that "the engineer looked at your file and decided that another tv or panel replacement would not fix your problem." I think what they are saying is that I'm the problem. I don't know how to take this. I mean, I really like Toshiba products, and most likely I'll end up buying another Toshiba TV with the refund. (this time I'll be able to by a larger tv for what I paid back in Feb '07).
So, I need to start looking at new tv's. ......

Are you insane?

1) You are on your third Toshiba each replaced due to failure.
2) The Toshiba rep told you replacing your Toshiba set with another Toshiba set would not fix your problem. This is due to two reasons I can think of. a) They really don't have a replacement for that set that will not fail.
b) They think you are too demanding of a customer and cannot perform up to your "elite" standards. Essentially they are telling you they no longer want you as a customer.

They have every right to do this, you are just costing them too much because you will not settle for a poorly performing product.

Now you are saying you are so disappointed and you still want to get a Toshiba because you love their products.

In the words of Amy Poehler and Seth Myers:

"REALLY?!?!"

I need a picture of you so I can edit the Wikipedia entry for masochism.

If you really want to give your money away that badly, can I just send you a self addressed stamped envelope?

One more time:

"REALLY?!?!"

Zoo, I understand what this looks like. But I've had other toshiba tv's over the years that have performed flawlessly. And from looking, I have not been able to find another brand that offers the features I like, in a styling I like, at a price I like, other than Toshiba. Believe me, I got it, they think I'm too picky. But the thing is, it's not just me saying I have a bad set, it's the tech each time he comes out to the house. He also sees the issue and confirms for Toshiba, that there is an issue with the set. But from reading these forums, there doesn't appear to be a banding problem on any toshiba lcd sets since these 2006 my 196 series. So that's why I was thinking of staying with toshibe. In fact I'm looking at the 46XV545U as a replacement. But I have to admit. I'm concerned that if by my horible luck, I get another Toshiba that has a problem, I'm not sure what Toshiba would do if they saw my name pop up again. I mean, if I purchase a new set via an authorized retailer, I don't see how they can balk. But, it's a consideration I must keep. The only other set that I'm thinking of is the Mistsubishi lt-46244. But it's at least $400.00 more than the Tosh. And I can't see it in person before purchase as the closest retailer from me is about 60 miles away. I'd be purchasing based on specs and pictures.
Thanks for your very kind words though.

Zoo, I understand what this looks like. But I've had other toshiba tv's over the years that have performed flawlessly. And from looking, I have not been able to find another brand that offers the features I like, in a styling I like, at a price I like, other than Toshiba. Believe me, I got it, they think I'm too picky. But the thing is, it's not just me saying I have a bad set, it's the tech each time he comes out to the house. He also sees the issue and confirms for Toshiba, that there is an issue with the set. But from reading these forums, there doesn't appear to be a banding problem on any toshiba lcd sets since these 2006 my 196 series. So that's why I was thinking of staying with toshibe. In fact I'm looking at the 46XV545U as a replacement. But I have to admit. I'm concerned that if by my horible luck, I get another Toshiba that has a problem, I'm not sure what Toshiba would do if they saw my name pop up again. I mean, if I purchase a new set via an authorized retailer, I don't see how they can balk. But, it's a consideration I must keep. The only other set that I'm thinking of is the Mistsubishi lt-46244. But it's at least $400.00 more than the Tosh. And I can't see it in person before purchase as the closest retailer from me is about 60 miles away. I'd be purchasing based on specs and pictures.
Thanks for your very kind words though.
Hey,

My words could have been kinder, but I hope you know I wasn't trying to be harsh.

I hope you get everything you want from yoru future TV.

Quattro, I've had my 46xv545 for a month and a half and don't for a second regret going with another Toshiba.

Have you considered an extended warranty just for peace of mind?

Quattro, I've had my 46xv545 for a month and a half and don't for a second regret going with another Toshiba.

Have you considered an extended warranty just for peace of mind?

Well actually, if it wasn't that I got Toshiba to extend the warranty when I excepted the first Refurb as a replacement, I'd be using my Credit Card's warranty extention. But this time around, I'm thinking about it.
I went and looked at a Samsung 46A650 tonight. I though it looked very nice. I just don't know about the shiny screen and if I'd get glare in my room where I have the TV. So, here's what I'm considering as of now. Tosh 46xv545, Sammy, 46a650, and Panny, 46pz85u. I can actually get the Panny cheaper. I'm just not totally sold on Plasma yet. So, any suggestions or opinions?

I have a Toshiba Regza 46RF350U LCD TV that started displaying 2 thin vertical red lines on the right side of the screen. They seem to disappear after the television stays on for about 30 minutes or so but it seems as if it is taking longer and longer for them to go away each time I turn the set on. I am still under warranty and called Toshiba. The rep there said that it sounded like the LCD panel was bad and I have a tech coming out today to take a look. I'm not sure if this is the banding issue everyone is speaking of here. I don't believe it is burn in as the line is not lined up with the 4:3 line (the red lines are further to the right of where the picture stops on 4:3 display).

I had a 62" DLP TV with Toshiba that blew a light engine and Toshiba replaced the entire TV with an upgraded model because the light engine was on back-order. Just wondering if anyone has a similar experience with this Regza 46RC350U TV as I'm starting to think my Toshiba TVs are cursed! I was also wondering if anyone knows if Toshiba is replacing LCD panels (if that is what I do in fact need) or if they are replacing sets. I would hope they would not send me a refurb as I would prefer to have the panel replaced or receive the same model new from the factory.

Here are a few example pics...

http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc316/stp24core/100_3455.jpg

http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc316/stp24core/100_3457.jpg

http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc316/stp24core/100_3458.jpg

that doesn't look like the banding issue.

game mode does not stay on after i turn off and on the tv

Techs came out today and identified the problem as the LCD panel. They took the TV off of the wall and brought it to the shop and are calling Toshiba for a replacement panel to be sent so they can install it. I hope it's not on back order like my light engine was on my 62hm195 (that ultimately was replaced with an upgraded model after a month). I don't want to have my TV gone for Super Bowl Sunday! I love the Toshiba product...when it's working.

game mode does not stay on after i turn off and on the tv

GAME MODE doesn't stay on for my Toshiba 62HM196 or the Regza 46RF350U. It's not malfunctioning as they are not programmed to stay on so don't worry. It's more of an inconvenience to remember to turn it back on each and every time.

Techs came out today and identified the problem as the LCD panel. They took the TV off of the wall and brought it to the shop and are calling Toshiba for a replacement panel to be sent so they can install it. I hope it's not on back order like my light engine was on my 62hm195 (that ultimately was replaced with an upgraded model after a month). I don't want to have my TV gone for Super Bowl Sunday! I love the Toshiba product...when it's working.

Sorry for quoting myself but I was informed yesterday that the LCD panel is on BACKORDER without an ETA. I knew that was going to happen. I'm completely puzzled as to why Toshiba doesn't seem to have the parts to repair their televisions. So no TV for me for AT LEAST a month.

Just as a follow up... I was supposed to have received a call from Toshiba early last week to update me on the status of the LCD panel (estimated availability). Unfortunately I never received a call. I contacted Toshiba to speak with Marna (works with backordered parts) yesterday and I was informed that she was not picking up her phone and to expect a call back yesterday or today. They followed up by saying that if I did not receive a call then attempt to contact her again on Wednesday. I wish I didn't have to do all of the leg work here as I still have not received a call back. Looks like I will be calling Toshiba again tomorrow morning.

Anyone else having any luck regarding Toshiba backordered parts?

Anyone else having any luck regarding Toshiba backordered parts?

Well, from my experience, back order means it's not ever coming into stock. These older panels are no longer available, I'm not sure why they still even tell customers that they are on back order. Most likely, you'll be offered a replacement set after some amount of time that this panel has been on back order. Good luck.

Sorry, I just looked and saw that you are refering to a 350u, that's a much newer series than the 2006 Regza models that this thread is in reference to. So you may still be able to get a panel.

Spoke with Toshiba CS today and was told that the part is still on backorder without an ETA. They said they will be exchanging the tv. Someone is supposed to be contacting me within 2-3 business days to make the arrangements and to tell me what is available for the exchange. I don't think this LCD panel is every going to be "available."

So Toshiba has agreed to exchange my television (46RF350U) with the an upgraded "Cinema Series" model (46XV545U). They honored my current warranty and extended it for the amount of time it took them to wait on the backordered part and deliver the new TV. That leaves me with a warranty on the brand new television until mid June of this year.

The television is being delivered today. I am going to check that it powers on and then put it up on Ebay and/or CL as "like new" since I will not have the box (they will be placing my old television in the new box for return shipping). Hopefully I can get $1200 for it as it is brand new but doesn't have the full one year warranty. I think it's time for me to switch brands and go to a 52" LCD (maybe Aquos). I am happy that they replaced the television but I have decided that Toshiba just doesn't seem to be a lucky brand of television for me and I really don't need a "Cinema Series" television.

Just wanted to give you the final update on this.

Glad they (finally) did right by you. After reading about all the troubles people have been having, I'm kinda glad I never put much effort into getting my set replaced because 1) my bars weren't as bad as some people's, and 2) I know I'm too inherently lazy to have continued to follow up enough to actually get a new set. I know lazy consumers that don't hold companies to a high enough standard are part of the problem. I've done that song and dance in the past and it is a pain, probably by design. Good for you for fighting the good fight.

Give the Cinema Series a shot, as you'll have to sell it at a huge loss relative to the price of an identical in-box new TV. If you do decide to sell, CL is probably a better bet than EBay...just swap the cash for the TV and wash your hands of it. Although dealing with that amount of cash in person is a little intimidating. If you aren't a big fan of wheeling and dealing, I'd state in the ad that the price isn't negotiable. If you don't get any bites you can always try again in a few days/weeks without the anti-haggle disclaimer.

stp24core, I don't think they are going to take your old tv back in the new box. They can't. they are not the same and your old set will not fit in the new box. I know. I had Toshiba buy back my old set, and then I went out and bought a new 42xv545u set. They used to box the tv with the stand already mounted on the set. Which required a much bigger shipping box. But they now have the stand unmounted. So they can get away with a much smaller box. Also, I sent back three of the 196 series sets (I tend to keep the original packaging just in case), but each time, the shipper was surprised that I had it all packed up in the original box. they were not expecting that. So I don't think you'll need to worry about that. But, I agree, I really like the new set's picture, for the exception of some missing options that I had on the older set. But recently, Toshiba announced the new 2009 models and the 545 series has already been discounted online. I bought my 42" in late Jan 09 and less than three weeks later, is was down under $1000.00. The 46" has also dropped. So you may not get what you think you'll get for it. So I agree with the other poster. Since you're already going to take a hit on it, keep it and try it out. (keep the original packaging), and you can always sell it "used" later.

Good luck. I was lucky in that I really wanted Toshiba to give me a new 545 for my older 196. They decided to refund my original purchase price of the 196. So I ended up pocketing over $400.00 and still getting the newer set. And it could have been more had I waited those three weeks :). I was very happy with Toshiba's customer service. And I've been very happy with other Toshiba products that I have had for years. So I didn't think twice about trying another Toshiba product.

HEY stp24core im sorry you didnt have as much luck with toshiba as you would of liked. Many ppl get tvs no matter what brand and have good luck or bad luck. I can tell you one thing before you change companies do some research on what every brand you are changing to i believe sharp is what you said. many companies have terrible terrible customer support. i dont know how sharp is i know toshiba has been good to me with a laptop and seem to have done good with you for a tv. so think about that before you pick your new brand

stp24core, I don't think they are going to take your old tv back in the new box. They can't. they are not the same and your old set will not fit in the new box. I know. I had Toshiba buy back my old set, and then I went out and bought a new 42xv545u set. They used to box the tv with the stand already mounted on the set. Which required a much bigger shipping box. But they now have the stand unmounted. So they can get away with a much smaller box. Also, I sent back three of the 196 series sets (I tend to keep the original packaging just in case), but each time, the shipper was surprised that I had it all packed up in the original box. they were not expecting that. So I don't think you'll need to worry about that. But, I agree, I really like the new set's picture, for the exception of some missing options that I had on the older set. But recently, Toshiba announced the new 2009 models and the 545 series has already been discounted online. I bought my 42" in late Jan 09 and less than three weeks later, is was down under $1000.00. The 46" has also dropped. So you may not get what you think you'll get for it. So I agree with the other poster. Since you're already going to take a hit on it, keep it and try it out. (keep the original packaging), and you can always sell it "used" later.

Good luck. I was lucky in that I really wanted Toshiba to give me a new 545 for my older 196. They decided to refund my original purchase price of the 196. So I ended up pocketing over $400.00 and still getting the newer set. And it could have been more had I waited those three weeks :). I was very happy with Toshiba's customer service. And I've been very happy with other Toshiba products that I have had for years. So I didn't think twice about trying another Toshiba product.

They did end up using the new television packaging to ship the old television. It did not fit correctly in the packaging so I used a knife and cut the foam inserts so that the shipper could SQUEEZE it in. They have used the new box to ship the old television on both of my sets now.

I ended up keeping the CINEMA SERIES as I saw them online for around $1250 shipped. The picture is the best that I have ever owned up to now. Hopefully this television lasts longer than my last two Toshibas!

just a recap...the image retention lines went away and i decided it was time to upgrade to a real 1080p.

3 weeks ago, i sold my 42HL196 for $650.

$1250 delivered for the toshiba 46xv545u. i do not regret going with another toshiba. my bro and i are in agreement that this set has one of the deepest blacks we've seen.

in the other xv545 thread, there's reports of the "green" push, clouding and flashlighting. i don't see any of that.
build date is november 2008.

besides, the sammy and sony are about $400+ more.

So I calibrated my tv myself awhile back and have been loving my tv. Everything has been great until about 2 weeks ago I started to notice a line running right down the middle of my tv. To my girlfriend and friends they dont really notice it right off the bat but I can see it whenever there is a white screen, and it seems to be more noticable whene there is movement going on in the movie or game. The line seems to be getting worse or it just gets more apparent when the tv is on for awhile.

Anybody else have this problem? luckily I have a 4 year warranty I bought, but I called best buy and they said I needed to put all my settings back to normal, because I voided the warranty(of course the warranty people wont know as long as i put the settings back). Anybody know the cause of this line? Do i need to go through the trouble of getting a new tv? or is there a setting fix?

TrAcEr_x90, this is the banding issue showing up on you set. I'm surprised though, as most have seen it start with a line on the right side of the set, then the center line would show up. Yes, it's more noticable when there is panning from one side to the other. Just search for banding and you'll find a ton if responses. And yes, this will get worse and you'll need to replace your tv. What model do you have? here are some pics I took when the sets I had displayed the banding issue. http://picasaweb.google.com/glennstrouse1/ToshibaLCDProblem#

TrAcEr_x90, this is the banding issue showing up on you set. I'm surprised though, as most have seen it start with a line on the right side of the set, then the center line would show up. Yes, it's more noticable when there is panning from one side to the other. Just search for banding and you'll find a ton if responses. And yes, this will get worse and you'll need to replace your tv. What model do you have? here are some pics I took when the sets I had displayed the banding issue. http://picasaweb.google.com/glennstrouse1/ToshibaLCDProblem#


Thank you for the quick reply. Yeah I went back and started on thread 50. Mine has seemed to start right in the middle, and currently its noticeable to me, but its not like horrible quite yet.

I bought my tv about two years ago I would say and its the HL167. Luckily I still have the best buy receipt. I thought maybe calibrating it in the facotry settings caused it. I do believe i have the original settings written down somewhere. Ill probably print out or have your images on a laptop in case i need to show that alot of people are having the same problem. Do you think they will replace it even though I only have one? seems everybody has gotten two bars. Since its with best buy I wonder if I have the option of trying to get a newer tv for equal price or something.

this really sucks because I am so close to having the damn thing paid off.

TrAcEr_x90, like you, I was the first to notice the lines. But then as they got worse, even my wife noticed them. Depending on how long of an extended warranty you have, you may want to wait a little longer. But then on the other hand, why wait. I say get the ball rolling and see where it goes. There are others who've posted pics on the web as well with these same banding issues on not only Toshiba models, but Sharp and Westinghouse as well. All have been from sets from the same 2006 time frame. So it's assumed that they all used similar panals and there was a problem with the panels used.

TrAcEr_x90, like you, I was the first to notice the lines. But then as they got worse, even my wife noticed them. Depending on how long of an extended warranty you have, you may want to wait a little longer. But then on the other hand, why wait. I say get the ball rolling and see where it goes. There are others who've posted pics on the web as well with these same banding issues on not only Toshiba models, but Sharp and Westinghouse as well. All have been from sets from the same 2006 time frame. So it's assumed that they all used similar panals and there was a problem with the panels used.

Well from the reciept I got a 4 year warranty. Its only been 2 years so far. I was sort of thinking I'd let the line get a little worse, just for when the best buy guy comes to check out the TV theres no possibility he can say he doesnt see it.

Also has anyone dealt with best buy? Were they easy to deal with, or was it a fight to get them to take the tv back? Was it a lenghty process or quick because it would suck to have them pick up the TV but then take forever to get a new one back.

Should I make it a point that it seems all regzas get this problem so I do not want to exchange for another regaza, i want a different brand? So far the only brand I have read about that doesnt have this banding issue are samsungs? I looked up sony bravias and even they get this issue.

thanks for the replies so far!

I dealt with Best Buy Canada and had no problems what so ever. From my original phone to the time I had my new set was five days. Ask the customer service desk at which ever store you are going to deal with how much of a credit they will give you if you want to upgrade and also check there stock before you deal with them. Some people have gotten full purchase price credit towards an upgrade. I got a credit for the lowest amount they had sold my particular model for. I upgraded to a Toshiba 46xv545u for $250.00.
The new Toshiba's do not have the banding issue, so don't be afraid to go with another one.

Just posted this in a different thread but this goes pefectly with what you guys are currently discussing.

Stay away from the 42LX196. I purchased mine 2 years ago and during the first year I was having issues with ghost lines/banding and Toshiba's "wonderful" customer service set me up with a Toshiba authorized repair center who let me know there was nothing they can do. Now the warranty is up and things have proceeded to get much worse with lines being everywhere in the screen and I have now been told on 2 seperate occasions that despite this issue being documented while under warranty, it is my responsibility to pay to have it repaired.

TOSHIBA'S CUSTOMER SERVICE IS ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE!!! Also they insist that besides the lines that cover my television on all inputs, that LCD TV's do not suffer burn-in. If anyone would like a picture of some additional lines burned in now for over 3 months due to the edge enhanser feel free to contact me.

TRACER- At least you only have 3 vertical lines. I have at least 6 horizontal lines as well besides the 3.

Whats the model number for the new toshibas that dont have any problems?? I was thinking of trying to get credit for my 42inch and get the samsung 52 inch because it is about the same price.

Bought a 47LX196 in 2006. I have the vertical banding too. It's been there for awhile now, exactly when I first noticed it I forget. Warranty is long done so I can't return etc. This is a real problem for sure. What I want to know is if the Manufacturers have amitted this to be a problem and if the new models...Toshiba or Samsung Sony etc...have solved this?\
I'd hate to buy another one and have the same banding show up. Its ********e, but next time I get an extended warranty!

looks like more people are starting to see the banding show up from those 2006 model xx196 series sets. I think the only way those of you who are out of warranty can get any satification, is first contact Toshiba and see if they will do anything for you. If not, then a class action suit needs to be filed. There was a problem with either the manufacturing or the design. These posts prove it. I would think you might have some luck.

As far as your question on what newer sets don't have this banding issue. I don't think the problem with the distinct lines like were on this series (http://picasaweb.google.com/glennstrouse1/ToshibaLCDProblem#) is there any longer. But there still are other issues with this technology. I now have a 42xv545u. I can tell you this set has the flash lights in the corners. And on light blue sky shots, and the camera panning. I can see very slightly darker bands. This is NOT anywhere near the problem like the 196 sets. But it just shows that this technology is still not perfected. IMHO. But I still love the picture in HD over anything I've ever seen in SD.

I wonder if the new LED lighted LCD TVs will have this banding issue?
I saw a new Samsung with LED lighting...it's only 0.6" deep.

Maybe I'll contact Toshiba, but I don't think it'll do any good. I paid 3K Canadian for this, and banding aside, I've enjoyed it for the past 2.5 years.

does anyone know what panel 42HL196 used? 8bit or less?

looks like more people are starting to see the banding show up from those 2006 model xx196 series sets. I think the only way those of you who are out of warranty can get any satification, is first contact Toshiba and see if they will do anything for you. If not, then a class action suit needs to be filed. There was a problem with either the manufacturing or the design. These posts prove it. I would think you might have some luck.


I agree completely. Just as an update I was told I must bring it back to an authorized dealer at my own cost. They confirmed the vertical banding as well as ADMITTED that there is in fact an image burned in. (Imagine that - something customer service keeps telling me is impossible yet there dealer admits to despite only ever seeing this on my TV and 1 other LCD ever)

He also stated that all the horizontal lines were from the florescent bulbs getting too hot. Even having the television on 35-40 hours a week for the past 2 years this should have NEVER happened.

I called back Toshiba with the news and all of a sudden they have now lost my history. Luckily, the dealer gave me the date/invoice number from this same issue back in 2007 that was never fixed. Toshiba will now escalate my ticket and get in touch with the authorized repair center and do "their best" to help me although they cannot guarantee anything now that it is outside of the warranty. They think as if I'm just going to let them steal my $1800 and get away with it or something.

does anyone know what panel 42HL196 used? 8bit or less?
I'm pretty sure it has an 8 bit panel.

So the best buy repair guy is coming next saturday to check out the TV. The guy on the phone said most of the time they are able to fix it at the home?? by just switching boards or something? Is there anything I should know for when the repair guy comes? should I try to show my dissatisfaction with the tv and tell them i want a new replacement? If he says they will need to take it somewhere for repair(which i dont want because then i wont have a tv to watch for however long) sould i argue for getting a new tv?

Yes, if they try to tell you this issue is burn in, don't buy it. In fact, before he gets there, take something and make a small mark on the set where you see these lines. Then switch to a 480i channel and check where the edges of the 480 signal fall. I think you'll see that these don't line up exactly like they think they do. Which would blow away the idea that these lines are caused by burn in from running 480i signals without streching them.

Yes, if they try to tell you this issue is burn in, don't buy it. In fact, before he gets there, take something and make a small mark on the set where you see these lines. Then switch to a 480i channel and check where the edges of the 480 signal fall. I think you'll see that these don't line up exactly like they think they do. Which would blow away the idea that these lines are caused by burn in from running 480i signals without streching them.

dude, thank you so much for the tip, im going to try it out tonight when i get home. so i know what im doing to show him on saturday.

Toshiba apparently lost all my history with having them come out to fix it the first time which was within the 1 year warranty when their authorized repair center had said they could not fix it and left it at that. After some arguing with Toshiba they will now cover the cost for the part but not the labor. The repair center tells me it will cost me $200 for them to install the new panel. This seems crazy considering they should have done their job the first time and who's to say that the same thing won't just rehappen. I have no clue what to do.

hi guys just got a 42" xv540U and was wondering if i should get the extended warranty as alot of people seem to have this banding issue?
any advice for this model would be appreciated
thank you

Toshiba apparently lost all my history with having them come out to fix it the first time which was within the 1 year warranty when their authorized repair center had said they could not fix it and left it at that. After some arguing with Toshiba they will now cover the cost for the part but not the labor. The repair center tells me it will cost me $200 for them to install the new panel. This seems crazy considering they should have done their job the first time and who's to say that the same thing won't just rehappen. I have no clue what to do.
If it's the same service company, get them to send your history to Toshiba. Then start the battle with Toshiba. Remind them this is an ongoing problem with this model and firmly request that they make some sort of assurances that they will fix it again when it happens again in another year. Because from what I've read on these boards, it will happen again. They will more then likely deny it is an ongoing problem but they know it is. Don't be afraid to escalate it to above the minimum wage flunky that answers phones at the call center and gets paid to shut you down. Request to talk to a supervisor and send emails as well. The more annoying you are the better your chances of results. Remember though, don't be rude or ignorant. That will get you shut down faster then anything.
Good Luck.

hi guys just got a 42" xv540U and was wondering if i should get the extended warranty as alot of people seem to have this banding issue?
any advice for this model would be appreciated
thank you
So far no one is reporting this banding issue on any of the newer model of Toshiba's, including the xv series. I have a 545u with no issues.

I have a Toshiba 26HL86 and I was just wondering roughly how much would I get if I were to sell it?

I'm going insane because the closed captions keep turning on by themselves, someone please help. My cable is directly connected to my 42HL196. P.S. does anyone know how to work the service menu?

I have a Toshiba 26HL86 and I was just wondering roughly how much would I get if I were to sell it?
Probably not a lot.
According to Toshiba's web site it only has a NTSC tuner and one HDMI input. That's a rather limited use TV these days. And they retailed for around $500 three years ago.
Keep it and use it as a computer monitor.

Probably not a lot.
According to Toshiba's web site it only has a NTSC tuner and one HDMI input. That's a rather limited use TV these days. And they retailed for around $500 three years ago.
Keep it and use it as a computer monitor.

I'd love to use it as a computer monitor but it doesnt do widescreen through VGA and it's still a bit blurry through HDMI. I was only hoping to get like $275 Canadian... I just wanted a good opinion on how much pocket change this thing was worth.

Ok so geek squad dude came today. I tried to show him other peoples banding issues and he told me banding isnt even a proper term? He looked at my tv and said its something called a "shadow". I couldnt really argue with the dude, but i did make sure to point out it wasnt burn in, because he asked if i play two player games. He said i need a new panel and they will bring it in two weeks to install. Im hoping they install it and it just happens again.

"Shadow", no I don't think so. My banding problem has gotten even worse. I now have the outline of a large square with a big plus sign in the center. Most disturbing. A game has never been plugged in to this set.

I have the cable box into one HDMI port, a HDMI switch plugged into the other port with a Toshiba DVR, an Apple TV and a computer plugged plugged into the switch. And coax plugged into the two cable/antenna inputs. None of which create a "shadow". None of which are left on the screen long enough for burn in.

I'm so kicking myself for not pursuing this problem under warranty.

Greetings,

Forgive this long description of my problem.


I have the incoming cable connected to a four way splitter. One tap goes to the cable company's digital cable box, second tap goes to a Toshiba DVR, third goes to Input 1 on the TV, fourth tap is unused.

The cable box is hooked to the TV via both HDMI and coax (into coax Input 2).

The Toshiba DVR is hooked to the TV via HDMI.

The Toshiba DVR shows channels 3 - 80 just fine. Both audio and video.

The cable box works just fine and video and audio are excellent.

However the 3 - 80 channels available on the coax Input 1 are missing audio and the color is off slightly. The cable guy thinks the problem is with the TV and it is not tuning properly to these channels.

I have tried everything I can find in the manual. I've changed Input 1 from cable to antenna and back to cable forcing it to relearn the channels. They are all missing audio.

Per the manual instructions I did a complete reset of the TV and went through the channel learning again, still no audio.

So referring to the Toshiba DVR, lets take channel 4 (CBS here). It looks and sounds fine through the DVR. Now switch inputs on the TV to coax Input 1 set to channel 4 video is off-color and no audio. So the DVR seems to be okay, but the TV is not. Reading the manuals the specs look similar if not the same for both tuners of these Toshiba devices.

Okay, now another complication. When the TV learns channels, it picks up channels such as 15-2, 15-5, 19-3, etc. These are digital, non-encrypted channels. Audio and video is fine on these.

Can the TV be "out of tune"? How do you get it "in tune".

The cable guys suggested picking up a cable card from them and I should be set on the coax Input 1.

What do you think?

Thanks,

Well geek squad came this weekend and installed the new panel. Surprisingly I think the picute looks even better. No banding(or shadowing according to that dude). The color and vividness of the tv looks better for some reason. He said they gave me the most up to date panel for the regza I guess.

Hopefully if there is goign to be another case of banding It happens within the next two years, because i still have two years left on my warranty.

He said they gave me the most up to date panel for the regza I guess.

I don't know what he means by this. When I went through this with Toshiba, they stated that there was only one panel that would work with that set. The tech that came out also stated that the panels change from year to year in how they are configured for all the connections to the rest of the set. And that the newer panels from the newer model year sets, would not work with my 42lz196. There did not appear to be any design changes in this panel, from my discussions with Toshiba. Hence they finally offered to buy back my set. I hope you have good luck, but my guess would be that this panel will fail in the same way in the future.

Can the TV be "out of tune"? How do you get it "in tune".


I've never heard of such a thing. It sounds like the analog tuner in your set might be messed up. Can your DVR receive analog channels, or only digital (19-3, etc.)? That is, can you verify that the analog cable channels look good on another source.

You might want to try a three-way splitter instead of a four-way. Unused taps can cause interference.

hey, first post, but i've got an issue with my 42LZ196. it's a little over 2 years old (purchased in Feb '07) and for the past month or so, this has been happening:

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b346/Toilet_Duckus/IMG_0343.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b346/Toilet_Duckus/IMG_0344.jpg

has anyone else experienced this? if you turn the TV off and let it sit for a few minutes, the picture goes back to normal for a bit. it seems to be fine some days and then goes berserk on others, could this be an overheating issue of some sort?

PS: don't mind the outlet haha, it's been there since we moved in and i haven't had the chance to move it yet :p

I think you need to make several posts before you can post an image. Can you post it to any outside hosting services? Or just describe what your problem is?

oops, ya i tried it before with just the link, then with the img tags (worked in preview post though).

i'll try posting it again after this as i should have the 3 post minimum

blarg

edit: do they show up now?

I have never seen or experienced that before and I got mine right around the same time.

Never seen anything like that either. That is messed up. After verifying that there isn't a problem with your input source, call Toshiba.

I'm trying to highlight "4:3 HD" in the pic size area using my remote for the hdtv and it skips that setting along with "native" and will only let me choose the other pic sizes. This has left me with what seems to be a non-compressed picture that cuts the edges off of what I'm viewing. Does anyone know how I can get the "4:3 HD" pic size to work? Thanks

Being somewhat bored today I decided to update myself on this series - I now have that empty feeling in my stomach..... I purchased mine on May 1 / 08 - build date Jan. 08 and so far no issues, other than I should have considered something else perhaps. Only complaint is the narrow viewing angle. At this point only one dead pixel which I never notice from anything over 2 feet anyway. Guess this means I have been somewhat fortunate up until now. I have watched it almost every night for approx. 5 hours (or more on weekends) as I confess to buying too many tv shows and movies on dvd as well as blu ray. Not sure what the percentage of good vs bad is on these sets but I must be in the minority. Oh yes, and no banding issues or green push that could be noticed.

Hi,

Recently my 37" Regza has been giving me some weird problems. The LCD, from what I gathered by looking at the troubleshooting guide, reboots constantly (the yellow light blinks 3 times). In the middle of watching the TV, the picture will become distorted or frozen (mostly frozen), go black (shut down), and then a few second later turn back on.

Oddly, it's worst when doing VGA to TV (reboots every minute), then HDMI from a PC (reboots every ~3 minutes), slightly better with composite (reboots every ~15 minutes), to best when just watching cable directly through the coaxial (reboots rarely).

My only thought was that it may be overheating, but that may not be the case. My only other thought is that the firmware/software is out of date. My TV's info
Software: 2.1.62.0, Aug 17 2006 - 10:52:09
Firmware: 37

Does anyone have firmware/software for these TVs or even how to update them?

I appreciate any help or pointers anyone can provide me.

Hey Guys,

I've read all I could, and don't think this is a banding problem as described in the other threads.

I have a 3 year old Regza 37HL67. Around a year ago, I began to notice grey lines going horizontally across the screen. The first one starts around 4 inches from the bottom, and the others are spaced evenly around 4 inches between. They're around 1/8 to 1/4 inch tall, and extend most of the way left to right. They seem to fade as they approach the right side.

The lines are seen on all inputs. They're pretty faint unless they're on a white background. However, I see them all the time; you can't unsee them after you notice them.

I've done all the troubleshooting I know how including:
Unplugged for an hour
Unplugged everything and moved TV another room

No joy, still there.

Any help/advice is appreciated.

Can you show us pics of the problem?

Hopefully this works...

Okay, here's a few pics, one with a white background, and one on blue, both hooked up to a PC.

On the white background, you can see the lines starting on the left side of the screen, just under the 2nd, 4th, 6th, and 8th icon from the bottom.

On the blue background, you can see the one line best under the text.

Thanks.

http://i32.tinypic.com/zul8bn.jpg

http://i25.tinypic.com/2z5vp93.jpg

that sure looks like a form of banding. Who knows. They may back light the 37" differently than the larger screens.

I have had this TV for 3 years and just yesterday black screen unresponsive. I tried power off for a while, holding power button down to reset. Front panel red light flashes a few times then nothing.

I am assuming its dead, any ideas on what it might be or how much it might cost to fix.

Thanks

when I reset it or disconnect the power for a while it resets. The red led on the front panal flashes in the same way every time: four sets ot three flashes. Then one or two slow flashes. I assume this is a code for the problem?

Hi all,
I know this television is now 4 years old but I've been living 3 of those years with the ghost lines/bars on-screen. They have become so numerous and dark that even my wife says "wow, what's that stuff on the screen?".

Now I could have gone out over this past holiday season and snatched up a good deal.. thinking Panasonic Plasma or maybe a Sony but I have a nice install with the Toshiba Regza mounted nicely on the wall over our faux fireplace with the Bose Lifestyle system adorned so nicely around the TV. In other words, I really don't feel replacing the TV.

I do however have experience in electronics repair (although I don't work in the TV repair industry). Over the course of the past few years, watching how these ghost lines intensified, I truly believe that these lines are a design defect, resultant of dust that got in between the LCD panel and the backlight assembly. Now, please keep in mind that this is only a guess!!

What I want to do is pull the Toshiba off the wall, place it face-down on my area rug and disassemble it. I found a $25 service manual to help make sure I don't completely ruin it.

My guess is this: If I could disassemble enough of the panel to reveal the backlighting assembly, I could potentially clean off the back of the LCD substrate where these "ghost lines" have formed from whatever electrical attraction made them want to migrate and create these dust lines, seemingly dulling the transmitted light from the backlight bulbs.

My question for this group (if anyone even cares any more): What do you think? I'm outside warranty and if I ruin the TV then wait for my tax return to find something new. I'm willing to photo-document the entire process and share my repair process if the fix works. ....or this is a dumb idea. :o

Skully, I think this is a great idea. But, I don't believe you'll have any luck. Here's why. I do agree that this is a design flaw in how the back lighting is done. But, from what I understand, they way in which the backlight is dispersed is something that's built into the panel itself. If it were as simple as fixing the backlighting, then I would think that Toshiba and the other manufactures would have issued some technical instructions on doing just that. Instead, the only suggestion was replacing the entire panel. I would think fixing was still less expensive then a new panel. Also, the funny thing about the banding issue is that many times, when the tv was left unplugged for an extended period of time, the lines went away. At least temporarily. I know. I went through three tv's with banding issues. First one was new, the other two were refurb's that ultimately developed the lines a short time after I had the sets. But, I truly hope you do find a fix. I'd still love to have one of these older 196 models with Cable Card. I bet there's a bunch out there with people who just can't afford to replace them.

Thanks for the advice, quattroG. Based on your input, I'm going to try and obtain a service guide to see if it's possible to separate the LCD from the backlighting assembly.. or impossible if it's one piece. If anyone else out there has access to the service manual or an exploded view of the assembly, that would be much appreciated.

Thanks for the advice, quattroG. Based on your input, I'm going to try and obtain a service guide to see if it's possible to separate the LCD from the backlighting assembly.. or impossible if it's one piece. If anyone else out there has access to the service manual or an exploded view of the assembly, that would be much appreciated.

I have the service manual for the 42 inch model.

Thanks ramius. The models are probably very similar. Could you see if there's a blow-out diagram of the sub-assemblies? Maybe you can see if the panel-backlight is considered one assembly or are they separate?

I thought I had the manual, but when I go to open it, it's just a web link that doesn't seem to go anywhere.

My mother-in law's Toshiba has a smudge in the center right of the screen. It looks like somebody rubbed a dirty finger on a portion of the screen. The smudge causes a dark discoloration of the the normal colors on the screen. Anyone know what the problem may be?

thanks,

brettwf

Couldn't take it any longer and bought a new 46" Samsung LED/LCD to replace the Toshiba piece of crap. Anyone want to buy a 42" LCD wih vertical lines :-)

Thanks for the advice, quattroG. Based on your input, I'm going to try and obtain a service guide to see if it's possible to separate the LCD from the backlighting assembly.. or impossible if it's one piece. If anyone else out there has access to the service manual or an exploded view of the assembly, that would be much appreciated.

Skully, have you had any luck with investigating repairing the backlighting?

A couple of years ago, I described problems with my Toshiba 42LX196 & use with a CableCard. Freezing of the system, with multiple reboots were a recurring problem. I recently moved, resulting in a change from Comcast to Cox as provider, and I'm trying to see if a firmware change may improve my situation.

If anyone can provide the most current firmware, pls. let me know. :o

Thnx. Mike H.

Hello
Today I hooped up my macbook pro to my Toshiba 42LZ196 via a dvi/hdmi cable. The computer automatically connected at 1080p, and it looked great. I remember reading in the manual never hook up a computer to the tv except using the vga input. Is the really true? Also I saw another resolution setting called 1600x900 @60hz which also looked good when I check the overscan box. Which would be better?

Hello
Today I hooped up my macbook pro to my Toshiba 42LZ196 via a dvi/hdmi cable. The computer automatically connected at 1080p, and it looked great. I remember reading in the manual never hook up a computer to the tv except using the vga input. Is the really true? Also I saw another resolution setting called 1600x900 @60hz which also looked good when I check the overscan box. Which would be better? HDMI or DVI is greatly preferred over VGA because it is digital vs. analog. In fact my 46" Toshiba has extremely limited display resolutions via VGA. It only gets all the resolutions via HDMI/DVI.

As always with LCD, the native resolution is going to be best. So pick 1080P. Lower resolutions, like 720P can look good too.

I read that warning in the manual but ignored it because the VGA input is so limited. I think they just put the warning in there because Toshiba doesn't want their customer support people to have to waste time helping clueless owners troubleshoot resolution problems that probably originate with their OS or graphics card.

Fortunately, the 196 series Toshibas handshake properly with OS X over HDMI, so any resolutions shown as being available will work safely. My 42HL196 has been hooked up to my mac mini via the HDMI input for years without any problems whatsoever.

With the recent postings on this thread, I thought I'd ask the following question.

I was one of many 196 owners that experienced the dreaded banding lines that showed up after some time on these sets. If you read back in this thread to http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=13632143&postcount=1735, you'll see the pictures I posted of the banding issue. Anyway, I miss those 196 sets. They have better features as far as cable card, and the audio was much better than what is on the latest sets. I wish I still had the set. But Toshiba decided to buy back the set instead of finding a solution to the problem. So I was just wondering how long you guys have owned your sets, and if you've had any problems with them. What was the manufacture date on your sets.

Thanks guys,

Glenn

I've had mine since late 2006, I think it was a July or August '06 manufacture date. My banding was always pretty mild, only really noticeable during pans across a solid color (common in sports programming, not so much elsewhere). I have a thin line in the center and a couple inches wide on the right side.

Everything else about the set has been flawless. Given that the majority of LCD sets from that era have had their share of problems, I've written off the bands up to a cost of being a semi-early adopter of the tech and don't really stress about them anymore. I was fortunately that mine weren't especially bad, though.

My 42hl196 finally started showing the banding or ghosting issue. With the screen constantly panning left and right, really looks bad on most video games, sports, and movies. But that's been discussed, not going to beat that dead horse.

Fortunately, I discovered I bought the extended warranty from Best Buy. I'm still covered until January 2011. I want to get all my ducks in a row before I call or visit Best Buy and try to get this fixed or replaced.

What do I need to know before I start this process?

When mine went bad I thought I was going to have the battle of the century with Best Buy. I was wrong. I had a new TV on my wall five days after my first contact about warranty replacement. I can't say you'll get the same results but this is what worked for me.

Contact Best Buy head office about warranty, not the store you bought from. I think I emailed them and they got back to me the next day. They gave me the name of the local company that did warranty service for them. If you can get the service company to agree that you should get a replacement set, you will have no problems. The guy I talked to didn't even come to see the set, he just asked me questions over the phone and said, yup, you need a replacement panel. I'll write up an estimate that's more expensive than buying a new set and BB will give you a new TV. Head office called back the next day and asked which store I wanted to deal with and a day later that store had all my info and was ready to work with me.

They gave me a credit for the lowest amount they had sold the set for, but I've read where some folks got full purchase price credit. Don't be afraid to politely push a little to get them to give you a better deal.

Be polite, it will get you farther and figure out what TV you would like to get as a replacement before you start to deal with the local store. That way you will have a goal in sight and a price range that you are willing to spend and can hopefully talk them in to giving you a credit in that amount. I wish I had pushed a little harder but at the and of it all I went from the bottom of the line 42" Toshiba (at the time) to the top of the line 46" Toshiba (at the time) for a little under $300.

Good Luck, keep us posted.

I just wanted to check in on a post I made on the previous page. I wanted to take apart the TV and clean the inside panel for I do believe there's a seam where dust enters in between the backlighting and LCD panel.

Did I do this? No, I chickened out without a service manual. Although the black blurs have gotten worse, I try to ignore it and think about my next TV. :)

Anyone know what would be causing the dark smear/stain? Is there a simple fix? It is the 37" w/ DVD. I am thinking it would be cheaper to buy a replacement TV than to send it in to be fixed. Naturally does not show up in dark scenes. The stain is to the right of Jack Elam. Can anyone guess the movie?

I have an issue with the 42HL196, is there any solution.

I recently purchased a Roku XD|S and I have it hooked up on HDMI2 and set to 720P. I've been watching a lot of foreign films and some of the subtitles are right at the bottom of the screen. When I go to the menu on the TV it is always on Natural and I have no option to select Native, Native is what I need the TV set to, but I have no option. Any suggestions on how to get the TV to Native mode?

I don't think that for a 720p signal, that Native (4x3) exists. It just Natural (16x9).

I know that LCD sets like simulate a CRT's overscanning, which might be why some of your CC text gets cut off. My newer Sony has an option they call "full pixal" which stops any such overscanning.

I don't think that for a 720p signal, that Native (4x3) exists. It just Natural (16x9).

I know that LCD sets like simulate a CRT's overscanning, which might be why some of your CC text gets cut off. My newer Sony has an option they call "full pixal" which stops any such overscanning.

I think you're right, after I posted I started thinking native would be the 1920x1080. I think Netflix is really the biggest part of the problem, they shouldn't be putting captions that close to the edge. I played some of the problem videos on the PC and there was actually some clipping of the bottom line of the captions, so any overscan would be just that much worse.