Toshiba XF550 series calibration service menu access and usage

Here's the way to enter the service mode on the Toshiba XF550 (U) series.




* Turn the TV on.
* Press the {MUTE} button on the remote and hold. Edited 4/4/08: As you stand close to the TV, make certain that you hold the remote low enough so that the TVs infrared receiver (located near the lower right corner of the front bezel) is able to see the signal from the remote.
* Then press the {MENU} button on the TV's side panel.
* Release both buttons.
* There should be a red letter "S" on the upper left of the screen, with the Service Menu adjustment box next to it.

* Use the {CH+} and {CH-} buttons to select the parameter of interest. (You can use the side panel buttons or the remote buttons.)
* Use the {VOL+} and {VOL-} buttons to change settings. (You can use the side panel buttons or the remote buttons. You can also use the up and down arrows on the remote's menu/channel selection circular control pad. Take care not to accidentally use the volume buttons or the up and down arrows in the central control pad before you write down all the default Service Menu parameter settings.)

* Use the {EXIT} button on the remote to temporaily make the Service Menu adjustment box disappear. (The red letter "S" stays visible.) You can now adjust volume, change channels, freeze, etc.
* Use the {MENU} button (remote or side panel) to show the Service Menu box again. You'll also be returned to the first selection (R-CUT).

* To exit, turn the power off.

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There are 22 service menu parameters available:

R-CUT
G-CUT
B-CUT

R-DRV
G-DRV
B-DRV

BRTC (BRIGHTNESS CENTER)
COLC (COLOR CENTER)
UVTT (BASE BAND TINT)
CNTX (CONTRAST MAX)
SHRC (SHARPNESS CENTER)
VBIS (VERTICAL BLANKING INTERVAL SETTING)
CC (CLOSED CAPTION)
ID1 (VBID)
GG (GEMSTAR GUIDE)
OPT1 (SET OPTION 1)
OPT2 (SET OPTION 2)
OPT3 (SET OPTION 3)
OPT4 (SET OPTION 4)
OPT5 (SET OPTION 5)
SETID
VOLX (VOLUME MAX) - Typically used to set a maximum volume level for a hotel room

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Also, when in the service menu you can press the {9} button on the remote and get a series of elaborate menus showing a great variety of dynamic system parameters and self-check codes. One of the parameters is the number of hours the set has been used. You can press the {EXIT} button on the remote to return to the "S" only (the red letter S in the upper left of the screen) level of the Service Menu...that is, you then have to press {MENU} to get back to the regular Service Menu parameter screen.

Edited 3/22/08: There are two hidden openings on the back of the XF550 series. These openings are accessible after removing a metal plate next to the HDMI ports (one phillips screw). Neither opening is a USB port, and the actual purpose of these hidden access points is unknown at this time (but, see edit 3/26/08 and 7/25/09 below). One is a round hole with a recessed connector or adjustable mechanical device inside the set. It may be an optical port. The other opening is a narrow rectangular slot, but without an obvious connector visible. The openings are rather hard to see even after removing the metal cover plate.

Edited 3/23/08: Another service menu setting control was found...All the menu parameters which show an actual hex code address (not just "----") allow that address to be changed in its most significant digit (MSD) position. The address can be changed from 0XXXH to 3XXXH by depressing the {CH RET} remote control button. Each depression advances through the 4 possibilities and then returns to the starting address of 0XXXH. The data at the 4 address for each parameter is the same...at least it is on the factory default settings on my set.

Edited 3/24/08: When cycling between the service menu parameters R-CUT and VOLX, you may experience a considerable delay in the TV screen update. Just be patient as the computer inside "does its thing". The delay can be up to 8 seconds or so.

Edited 3/26/08: I guess it pays to read the manual. I just found this info on page 11 of the user's manual. Note item 10...it's identified as a service port for updating the TV's firmware. This is one of the hidden connectors I mentioned on my 3/22/08 edit above.



Edited 4/6/08: While adjusting the three drive settings (R-, G-, & B-DRV), the internal processing does take a bit of time to respond to the new setting. There can be a three to four second delay before the screen will adjust itself to the new setting.

Edited 7/25/09: The narrow rectangular service slot has an SD card connection port inside. The SD card will be inserted vertically into the internal connector. The SD card goes in with the printing on the top of the card facing towards the rear of the TV set. The card goes in (upwards) only about half the length of the card. The insertion is very easy and smooth...no significant pressure need be applied. See posts later in this thread for a link to the upgrade firmware available in a zip file. (Post #301 has the link... http://support.toshiba.ca/support/ce...oads/index.asp ...Thanks, Italiano) You will have to unzip the file and load the program onto an SD card (a 1 GB card works fine). The newer firmware (October '08) does allow the R-, G-, and B-Cuts to be adjusted. Prior firmware would not allow these adjustments even though the numerical value of the setting was changed.

I am having a procedural difficulty with the XF550 service menu.

I can successfully adjust all parameters except the R, G, and B "CUT" settings. In the case of the three CUT settings, although I can visually adjust the binary/hex code value showing in the on-screen service menu box, the coded value always reverts to the factory's setting after I select a different parameter. That is, when I return to look at any of the CUT codes, they are always reset to the original factory setting.

Also, adjusting the CUT parameter values does not appear to have a visible affect on the screen image as the codes are changed. This differs from the three DRV settings...the screen image changes while adjusting those parameters.

Is there some special trick to setting and maintaining new R, G and B-CUT codes? As I mentioned, all the other parameters can be successfully adjusted.

BTW...

All three CUT parameter settings are shown to reside at memory location 0D00H. This seems very odd to me.

Further, the R, G and B-CUT factory codes return to either a setting of 0FH (00001111B) or 00H (00000000B) depending on how I move about the service menu, use the {EXIT} and {MENU} buttons, etc.

I'm wondering if the CUT parameters on the XF550 are simply not adjustable via the standard service menu.

If you can shed any light on this subject, I'd sure appreciate it. Has anyone seen reports of such a service menu adjustment limitation elsewhere?

I've not seen any noise of any sort while fiddeling with the ColorMaster's RGBYCM colors. None!

I'm still using the standard setup but for the Contrast and Backlight settings. This is my only "preference" difference. Essentually, I set the controls to a point midway between the Sports and Standard picture modes. The other mode is Movie.

I'm very pleased with the set (a 40XF550). And I believe that the lack of the CUT adjustments might be overcome with some other procedure...maybe with the ColorMaster adjustments (Hue, Saturation, and Brightness) for each of the colors. Along with Gamma, overall Brightness, Color, Backlight, service menu DRV settings, etc., I bet that the CUT levels are redundant. We'll see. Obviously, Toshiba has some way of adjusting the dark end of the intensity level.

I continue to highly recommend this series.

Here's an easy to read description of gray scale "Cut" adjustments.

http://www.stevelarkins.freeuk.com/tv_grey_scale.htm

This image is from that site:



The discussion seems to be referring mostly to CRTs, but the general definitions and examples are very informative for LCD and Plasma screen adjustments, too.

Note that the light gray bands are not tinted. Tinting of the light gray would [usually] be adjusted with the DRV (drive) settings.

EDIT 3/28/08 - See post #36 for my latest settings. http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...5#post13500975

As of 3/22/08 these settings are what I like. The signal source is via the antenna. (Note that the settings for each input can be different.)

Contrast 90
Backlight 71
Dynalight ON
Brightness 50
Color 50
Tint -10
Sharpness 10
Dynamic Contrast OFF
Gamma +3
Color Temp Medium
Bdrv -2
Gdrv -7
ColorMaster ON

The six ColorMaster colors are all at 0 for Hue, Saturation, and Brightness, except for the following:

Green Saturation -3
Green Brightness -6
Yellow Saturation -5
Magenta Saturation -1
Cyan Saturation -5

All service menu settings are at their factory defaults. (EDITED 3/24/08: I just remembered that I had changed my 40XF550's Service Menu G-DRV from 77H to 70H.)

FYI...my G-DRV factory setting was 77H. I changed it to 70H. This is the only service menu parameter I changed.

Sorry, I can't recall any of the other settings. I'll have to check tonight on my golden slip of paper with the factory settings and report back.

Toshiba warns you about this in the user's manual. There is sometimes a vertical line on the extreme right or left, too. These anomalies are in the broadcast information of some stations. The native mode shows everything, so you see this data. If you have ever looked at analog sets in a studio, they, too, show such information.

On my 40XF550, the factory service menu settings were: (NOTE: YOUR MILEAGE MAY VARY!!!!!)

R-CUT - 00H (sometimes the data shows 0FH)
G-CUT - 00H (sometimes the data shows 0FH)
B-CUT - 00H (sometimes the data shows 0FH)

R-DRV - 6BH
G-DRV - 77H
B-DRV - 7FH

BRTC - 7CH
COLC - 9DH
UVTT - 70H
CNTX - 7FH
SHRC - 0AH
VBIS - 00H
CC - 90H
ID1 - 88H
GG - 40H
OPT1 - 00H
OPT2 - 00H
OPT3 - E2H
OPT4 - 6EH
OPT5 - 00H
SETID - D0H
VOLX - 64H

BTW...the VOLX setting of 64H equals 100 Decimal. So I guess it's safe to assume that lowering the VOLX setting to, e.g., 32H will limit the maximum volume to the "50" loudness on the volume scale's 1 - 100 range. Edited 4/11/08 - This has been confirmed, but you can still move the volume level indicator mark in the 1-100 scale beyond past "50"...it's just that the volume doesn't increase beyond the 50 loudness level.

The TV's microprocessor decodes information transmitted in the vertical blanking interval.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VBI and http://www.itvdictionary.com/teletext.html