I have an RCA MM36100. Just switched back to DirecTV. Using a HDC1 transcoder from Petr Jirovec to convert component from DirecTV H20 to VGA (the only HD input).

But I am losing part of the picture on the left side. I saw a thread from 2006 that talked about service settings for the TV on the inside cover. Yes, I see it there, but I am not a service tech, and am not sure what or if I can do anything.

Simple description of my problem is that when tv is set to VGA2 (HD) the DirectV H20 menus are cropped off on the left. When tv is in Vid1 (analog), the menus are fully displayed on the left.

The situation is more complex when it comes to program material, but let me start with simple first.

Is this something to persue with DirecTV, or try to adjust in TV. If TV, is this something I can do myself?

Bill.

I don't know about the specifics of your set, but here is some general advice.

1. Do a Google search on how to get into the service menu of your TV, and how to save settings once they are changed.

2. Enter the service menu and go to the VGA2 input.

3. Find the items HPOS and VPOS (hopefully that's what they will be called) and write down the original setting number.

4. Adjust HPOS and VPOS until the picture is centered properly, and save the setting.

5. Exit service mode and check to see if your other input, Vid1 is still centered properly. If it is, great you're done. If not, go back into service mode and restore your original settings. Or you might try to compromise the settings between the two inputs, but if there is a substantial difference, this won't work.

Another option is to look in the menu of your H20 and see if there is an option for centering the picture.

A third option, if the service menu adjustments are unsuccessful, would be to post your question in the HDTV Reception Hardware forum and see if amyone there can solve your problem. Good luck!

The setting in the service menu that seems to solve the problem is Horizontal Phase. Reducing the value moved the display to the right. Sound correct? Are there any unforseen results from changing values?

There are 45 settings in the service menu. 12 of them have different values when I am in analog mode vs. digital. Looks like one does not affect the other.

Bill.

I have that set but have never adjusted the back - cover protected service settings.

Did the horizontal phase work for you?

In my case the transcoder I used for component to vga (key digital) had a small range horizontal phase potentiometer that I used to center the high def input and it worked for me.

Perhaps your transcoder has such an adjustment as well?

No, my transcoder has no adjustment settings. But adjusting the horizontal phase in the service menu seems to have solved the problem.

Bill.