Don't dump your CRT RPTV! - Page 387

Bob,

Available to come by, or talk me through it?

Cruddy, fuddy-duddy...my 'buddy' broke the front glass while installing it, but we got it in, and I set it up over the last 2 days or so...it's pretty nice.

Again, it's a Mitsubishi WS-65517 RPT; it does 1080i only, not 'p', but 720p fer sure...I'm adding pics to this post later today, because I do wanna show how the '360' looks on it through the [single] HDMI connection, compared to the S-Video (seen 'em both, notably better HDMI, of course).

The speakers inside it must weigh over 60lbs--I'm guessing, but it's really weighty, and the sound is the best I've heard from any floor model set I've ever owned (there have been a few).

Setting up the external audio was 'bugger all over', though, since all I have is a Sony STR-K650P, which I'm using directly connected to my HTPC's mobo optical-out to get the best/loudest sound out of the system (and through that cheap little Sony A/V unit) I possibly can (or currently know-how to).

As with previous setups using this A/V unit, the thing puts out double the sound using the optical in connector over RCA-types, from any source (XBox 360, other HTPCs, a Sony 400-disc carousel, several DVD players). Sadly, only one of those on the Sony A/V, as well, so I'll probably be looking for a better A/V (Harman Kardon most likely) in the future, one that will be able to process/monitor 3+ HDMIs itself.

After I Googled to find Sony's specs, I found out the thing weighed nearly 300lbs. Even though I opted to leave it downstairs in the LR for this setup, my buddy still managed to bop it into the front door knob, breaking a 1"x4" bit of the front glass near the left side frame.

He got off easy, partly due to him being such a good guy, but also because (unbelievably!) he also happened to have the actual OEM remote (he told me he somehow got shipped two when he owned the same set, but one size smaller). Imagine the odds (when I imagine this, it comes out pretty spectacular).

The PiP in the thing is pretty damn impressive; with sound for each source! My GF's Samsung LCD 46" flatscreen doesn't even have that!

It's PiP features may be the TV's strongest suit--I think there are around 8 different formats of PiP, including regular side-by-side (unformatted, with frames around them), stretched (too tall--Spaghetti Western-style), and 5 or more modes with the 2nd screen in split frames (like 3 and maybe even 9 copies of it, so I'm wondering about more sources for this mode, as well, and how many audio sources it'll do).

After I took the time to teach my universal remote all the stuff the OEM one does, and velcro'ed (I'm admitting it--heck, I have a cat problem!) my game consoles on top, and set my monolithic Sony VGP-XL1B on one of the big ole Pioneer tower speakers to the right on the mess...

It sounded great, except for the very 1st movie I cue'd up--leave it to me to choose the ole stand-by, THX-based-sound Star Wars (which I will always call 'Star Wars' to the chagrin of...everyone). The sound reeked--couldn't ply true surround sound out of it for over an hour (girlfriend present, thankfully had Nook w/games!), until I finally remembered that unless your A/V has a little THX logo somewhere on its faceplate, you don't have THX decoders...maybe I'll look around for a Windows Media Player codex or plugin, seeing as how I'm using the K-Lite Mega Pack (safe so far for me, but I don't recall seeing any THX settings in it). After that hour of hearing everything 'approaching' proper dialogue volumes, and every kind of sound effect levels, messing the character track up, I gave up and chose a few other movies, all of which were NOT Lucas-produced, and so, everything peachy, LOUD, and unimpeachably crisp, as for my own hearing.

The one HDMI is still a concern, because my 360 gaming using it gave me so much better definition than the dumb S-Video, so like I said above, it's about time to find a better A/V unit that will solve that problem for me, and also offer matching optical inputs, too.

The breakage was a little more tolerable for several reasons--it's just the front glass (which--Wow, pretty thick, around 1/4"!), up against the left frame of the set (see pic), not as bad as it could've been (considering the size of the doorknob that did caused it!)...around 1.5"W x 4"T, and also, with the HTPC, if the screen-size hasn't already left a bit of a frame, then I can easily set it to be that way in WMC. Also, it's not fresnel, right? If not, then it's possible I'll find an acceptable, optically-appeasing, replacement glass someday.

Overall, not my best moving job, nor even my finest A/V setup, but that PiP and the potential HDMI upgrades make it plausible to keep it a few years and be happy!
Edited by Mike Denney - 2/27/13 at 1:07pm

Thanks...I have Win7 on that HTPC...since I build 'em, I'm way too familiar with trying to make my own custom text size...very helpful on all other connections, but with interlaced TV, you're kindof losing half your vert resolution every video cycle, so it just doesn't compensate enough for having to change to many other things.

I tried every single resolution setting within and outside what Windows recommended (enabled Windows to show non-compatible settings from the screen resolution advanced properties), and even went back-and-forth from Windows' screen res settings to the 'Intel' video settings...nu'in...I even went as far as to try using the Intel settings UI to make some custom screen resolutions (somewhere in-between the pre-existing ones and 'what I wanted', as far as non-interlaced), and still, nothing helped.

Tons of 'net searches to forums kept finding seemingly-knowledgeable guys who were telling people 'So, you learned like I did...it's hopeless', I relented and settled in on a 'really warped', but 'functional', video settings config that basically reads like this:

• Custom DPI Fonts (set at around 145)
• Completely custom icon text and all other menu items settings (Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Personalization\Window Color and Appearance, then 'Advanced Appearance Settings')
• Did what I could with Google Chrome (surprisingly little I found there other than 'fonts' and some 'themes'...but no themes that changed the Chrome UI font sizes much at all)
• I use a kewl little app called 'hidedesktopicons' that will do just that--instantly, and set a custom keystroke to it, to clear up any 'crowded' HTPCs where I just want to watch movies without any desktop clutter, sometimes, so that helps with just the general appearance...esp. since...
• Believe it or not, right now anyway, I caved and went with a HUGE 720x480 Windows resolution setting so that I could get the TV to automatically 'see' it (sadly, using the sole HDMI connection the TV has) with enough definition so I can read stuff.

This 720x480 isn't as bad as it first sounded to me, since it's basically just at 720p TV with an HTPC connected to it.

tbh I'd probably look into a 28" Sony widescreen CRT monitor GDM-FW900, if using as a computer display is important.

Synchronization Range - Vertical 48 - 160 kHz
Synchronization Range - Horizontal 30 - 121 kHz

Last time I had a CRT RP I just used S-Video, so limited to low resolution. I think just used 800x600, as using correct resolution of 576i was out of the ability of the GPU drivers.

TIme to buy that 60" 1080p plasma IMO.

somebuddy pls delete this post...can't get my 'replies' to post correctly...thanks.

It's not at all hopeless. I mean, I wouldn't want to do spreadsheet work on it all day, but for reading email and checking the weather (with Pandora in the background), it's very doable.

post #11568

My screenshots are awful, but I'm willing to take a few of IE open to the page of your choice if you like.

And yes, I built mine, too.

Also did a bunch of work to the Hitachi 57F59, which will probably outlast the HTPC.

And welcome aboard.

Michael

 

 

Edited by LastButNotLeast - 2/27/13 at 2:22pm

Question about my hitachi 57f59

A while back I posted about some problems and new convergence ic's were decided as the culprit. Apparently I can't find the original ic's I need so I tried to resolder each pin on the ic's because I thought some might be cold solder joints. Magic focus never converged the a few points on the right side of the screen. I did 117 pt manually and I actually got it pretty close. Then for giggles I did a magic focus and blam all out of wack again.

My questions are,
Can video settings, video input type and resolution, and dirtiness all affect convergence as to render the mf and 9 point convergence useless? Just trying to weed out all possibilities before I say it's Defiantly the ic's. tv was made in 2006.

On my set, granted not a Hitachi, convergence and geometry had to be done one each aspect, and resolution type, plus whether it was PAL or NTSC. Pretty sure inputs too. You should notice it straight away, do geometry and convergenece for your main input, then switch to S-Video or the tuner. If it looks out, then you know you need to do it for that as well. Change aspect modes too. Probably best to just do aspect modes you use, normally full/wide and 4:3.

I wouldn't do spend too much time with geometry and convergence tweaking until I knew the electrical and optical focus is spot on, otherwise after all that you might find those are out, so have to do the whole lot again. Check state of mirror, mine had palm prints all over it. Lenses had smudges, and bits of chipboard lying on the lenses.

Magic focus is garbage, only good for ruining a perfectly good manual focus. Don't ever touch that button again (I actually removed the mirrors and wiring harness).

Find out from Bob (hi, Bob!) what ICs replace the ones in the set. The newer ones will last forever. If you did the job yourself the first time, you'll be able to do it again. I pulled my board and sent it to Bob.

Lots of info here and on the Hitachi threads about cleaning and other tweaks. Do them, keep the set in top shape. Still better than most of the junk that's out there now.

Michael

So I just got the 117 pt convergence good. Picture is fuzzy and not vivid because I know it needs a very good cleaning. But I was able to get convergence ok? Does that mean the ic's are good? The red was very wavy in 117 pt and I had to go back and forth on points to make corrections.

Also I hooked up my ps3 via hdmi and the picture turned a red hue for about 20 seconds randomly and the picture went blank another time, I'm assuming this is that hdmi problem I have read about?
Edited by langless28 - 2/27/13 at 6:43pm

well i got my ps3 and it wont show thru hdmi. i set it up on composite then hit the option for hdmi and switch inputs and it wont work..sigh...i bet i have something wrong with handshaking..sometimes on my tivo the thing just goes all snow on me and i have to restart the tv to get a pic again

when you hit the power button and you hold for 5 seconds, it beeps...then you cant see it but it asks you to choose HDMI and so i hit the left arrow to say yes..then i see the screen change to 1080i but there no pic..i'm so lost

too late to run to the store but i'm gonna just try to buy the component cables tomorrow...that should definitely work..i hope???
Edited by newsposter - 2/28/13 at 6:11pm

OKay, then...now, that looks peachy-fine, to me...yours, that is...specs please!
Firstly, what resolution is that screenshot at?
2ndly, do you have 'p' or 'i' on that Hitachi?
Windows 7? (didn't look like new Outlook on '8', so I'm betting '7')
Connection type? HDMI?
Re: utility being for 'email' and 'weather', what about WMC? (of course, right? I mean, mine at 720p looks acceptable, like I hope I mentioned).
Also re: that...it sure beats the hell out of Microsoft's long-awaited (and for those w/o Kinect to control the clunky UI, disappointing) IE browser (Microsoft--will they ever learn?).
Or WebTV, right? haha.
For me, making any browsers look--and act--anything approaching 'ok' was the hardest part of this setup. Under mouse settings, I had to set the wheel scroll action at '1 line', or else I was losing half the page, even with all the custom settings I used.
Maybe I should try switching back to IE...I mean, IE9 actually performed better on Youtube and other graphic-intensive, streaming sites, as soon as it came out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXLXPMEkId8
Thanks for the reply and attention, I sure would like to know more about how you did all that. I'm no dummy, but I have lapses to rival Charlie Sheen's, I swear.
BTW, anybody see Sheen on Letterman tonight--he's looking quite well...considering.
Made this up while watching it:
"What do Charlie Sheen and a blonde woman at a Coke machine have in common?"
"They're both winning".
Thank you...I'll be here all night apparently. Lots more yuks where that came from...my dad taught me.

Another problem, older devices have HDMI hand shaking issue. I wonder could you buy some kind of box that the PS3 connects into with updated EDID, and once that syncs it passes video along without any hand shaking problems? I do remember seeing HDMI switch boxes that ignore the displays EDID.

You mean like an HDFury that is what I use, I route the HDMI from my cable/dvr, HDDVD player and PS3 through it with no problems.

would you agree that just buying component cables would solved the issue? from what i recall component and hdmi should be about the same PQ?

i admit if i cannot get more than 480 i really would have to think about selling the game., and i dont want a new tv


last night i:

1. i hooked up the machine with composite, it said it senses hdmi, do i want to switch. i said yes. i switched inputs on the tv to the only hdmi on there and no pic

2. i reset the box holding power switch down while booting and then did the trick of left arrow and X meaning that i was again hitting the YES choice which wasnt visible on the screen but was there upon reboot. i do see some flickering and the tv sometimes does change to 1080i, which i see on my onscreen display

3. i tried every combo of turning the tv or the PS3 on/off so every possible combo of turning on something first was tried. i also conected to the web to update software

4. for the fun of it i took out an old hdmi switcher and tried hooking it up thru there. no dice
Edited by newsposter - 3/1/13 at 4:56am

http://www.avsforum.com/t/995926/using-hdmi-vs-component-on-ps3

Any chance you could update the TV? Firmware and EDID? I recall on some displays you could update the EDID

i'm unsure if my 2005 unit can be updated however i did find this and think this is the problem

https://support.us.playstation.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/523/~/change-ps3-video-settings

i played with tons of settings last night

on that page i've played with screens 1 2 and 3 for hours. however i never saw screen 4

how do i get to screen 4

But if you use something like an HDFury and place that Darblett between the HDMI output and the HDMI input on the HDFury it should be able to work for everything you are outputting to HDMI i.e cable/dvr, PS3 etc.. correct?

Quote:

No magic, I'm just one of Bob's apostles.

A clean light path is critical. Electrical and mechanical focus. Meticulous convergence. Tedius, but not impossible.

It's an RPCRT, so it's 1080i. Resolution is 1920 x 1080 reduced, using Intel's control panel, 45% x 45%.

Win 7, HDMI.

Disclaimer: also using a Darbee Darblet, which helps some.

Doesn't matter what browser you're using, the display is either crisp or not.

Your best bet is to have a phone consult with Bob. Actually, your best bet is to have Bob come over. He does tours periodically, which reduces the cost.

We were watching a DVD of CSI: Miami the other night and I was blown away by the picture.

The sound was pretty good, too, but that's another thread.

Good luck.

Michael

Edited by LastButNotLeast - 3/1/13 at 7:45am

general question: on my hitachi if i change the brightness on one of the inputs, is it saved to the other inputs or just valid for that one only?

It's a universal setting.

But you do have day/night, each of which applies to all inputs, so you can use that.

Perhaps the input device has a setting for brightness?

So I cleaned my 51f59, I don't need to explain how much better it looks after 6 years of not being cleaned. I got convergence good, set user video settings and now I just need to improve the sm settings and use dve to get the color and brightness better. I need to do something with the overscan and focus because the edges of the screen are out of focus pretty bad, when I get my dve bluray I ca see where my overscan is. I also have this red problem on screens with "black" in them. Pics are not great, I can put up the beloved 5thE screen shots when I get some time this weekend. But this set is very promising for how good it looks with just and cleaning and not tweaking anything yet!

Going to hijack this thread for a quick public service announcement: is anyone in the Seattle, WA area interested in a free Pro-630HD in good working condition? Mine needs to go ASAP to accommodate some new furniture. Email jmiles (at) pop.net to set up a time, preferably next week.

Specifics on the condition: cosmetically 9/10 with only minor scratches here and there. CRTs are in good shape but the optics will definitely benefit from cleaning, as suggested by Mr Bob and others. No known electrical problems. CRT driver boards were replaced by Pioneer several years ago to address a common complaint with intermittent colored streaks, and operation has been perfect since then.

Apologies for the interruption, we now return you to the regularly scheduled thread. smile.gif