Philips 42PF9631D HD Plasma - Page 3

Can anyone recommend any stores or links that have options for stands for my 42" 9631? Right now, it's on a stand 35" tall which means I am always looking up.

I usually sit in a couch 18" tall which means straight-ahead eye level is 35"-42" for most people sitting down. With the new stand, the 9631 is 33" tall and the TV glass begins at 8" from the base.

I would ideally like something either wood (with draws) or maybe a transparent glass/lucite stand, with room for other components and maybe some TV manuals.

Thanks !

For my Philips 50PF9631D, I bought this stand:

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Z-Lin...oductDetail.do

It nicely sets off the wide black bezel on the TV and holds my DVD player and DISH ViP622 STB and hides the cables quite nicely. I paid Circuit City to assemble it and it was delivered assembled. On this stand, the vertical mid point of the TV proper is about 42 inches from the floor, just right for me sitting or lounging on my couch.

John Hanley

Using the picture-in-picture feature, is it possible to watch two TV channels simultaneously on the Philips 42PF9631D?

I have just purchased the set but have not been able to make PIP work -- the second screen remains empty. The user guide suggests that a second tuner may be necessary to get a second channel. True?

The Tips/Helpful Hints Summary Sheet is all finished....I just want to get some answers to these questions to wrap it up. Once I get them, I'll incorporate them into the Summary Sheet and e-mail it to all who gave me their email.

(1) OK to watch shows with bars on the side during the break-in period ? I'm talking about smaller bars (usually on top/bottom) from DVD's; 4:3 shows that you don't want to stretch, etc. (This includes shows that your STB box can stretch if you change the output setting, like ESPN-HD, but that AUTOMATIC doesn't stretch).

(2) Why am I hearing alot more static in my portable radio when the TV is on than I did before when I had a CRT ?

(3) My TV takes about 5 seconds from the time I click ON to seeing a picture -- normal ?

(4) Logos -- if you switch the channel for a few seconds/minutes every 20-40 minutes, is that usually good enough to prevent 'logo burn-in' ?? Are the logos and stock-ticker lines a problem mostly when you leave it on for hours on end without changing the channel (assuming the channel doesn't get rid of the ticker or logos)?

(5) Any reason why Super Zoom seems to 'fit' CNBC better than AUTOMATIC (the top ticker bar is too high and partially off the screen).

(6) I hear a buzzing/crackling noise when I go behind the TV and it's on (much much more quieter when it's off) -- is that normal ??

Aside from -- hopefully -- a better picture, does HDMI result in any other changes or losses in features or anything on the set? I thought I remember something about settings being lost on the 9630 or something.

Also, what about Swell's questions on PIP -- I have a DVD and VCR running but no PIP still. How do you folks have things to get PIP functioning ?

Finally, the Philips manual on Page 38 ranks the RGB H/V component inputs under AV1 as BELOW IN QUALITY compared to using the component inuputs under AV3 -- is this true ?

Without buying a $300 Monster surge protector that has digital readouts for voltage and stuff,

(1) Is there any way to verify the signal strength of my cable/HDTV feed either into the house or into the TV ?

(2) Ditto electrical feed (though we had an electrician ID that our line was week months ago so I'm assuming it's fixed right now)?

My picture sometimes 'breaks-up' -- I see big 1" or 2" squares of multi-colored whatevers on the screen and sometimes the picture freezes, the TV tries to 'fix' the picture (I see the STB putting the 1080i identifier back on). Also, sometimes the sound is jumbled.

Someone told me this is a sign that the digital feed is weak or interferred with or maybe even 'dirty.'

Comments ???

Yep, I have one - you need to lay off the caffeine.

USEFUL comments ????

HELP !!!

I've suddenly experience a disturbing loss of brightness even though the settings are the same as earlier. I noticed it first when I brought up on-screen INFO (channel, TV title, description) on the channels through the STB and had trouble making out the TV show description. The transparent channel/time logo in the upper right was indecipherable.

While viewing stuff through the VCR, which was always a bit darker than viewing through the TV+STB, the images are barely able to be seen. Like the black setting has been turned way up.

Yeah, things are easier to be seen if I move from my PERSONAL setting with the contrast/brightness set down. But again, I've had it that way all week and this drop in brightness seems to have just occurred.

Could this be a result of the heavy use of the TV today for football? It's been on about 12 hours straight.

What do you mean the last '6' won't enter? Do you mean it doesn't show up in the upper left corner of the screen? I actually don't think it does.

Ignore the numbers on the screen. Just do the commands 0 6 2 5 9 6 Info and you should be able to get in.

Thanks, Fly...it worked. THe "6" doesn't show and I missed hitting the little INFO key at the bottom of the remote.

I have 140+ on the hours of use (must include 1/2 hour for each ON cycle) and about 126 overall PDP hours. So I guess I can now safely move to more normal Picture Settings (I'm at 35/37/42/1 since I got the set).

Picture-in-Picture: I can't get it to work so far...I have a STB, a VCR, and a DVD (which I don't think has it's own tuner; the VCR must though so I have used it before to get PIP on a CRT set).

Can anybody help ? I'm using component cables right now for the STB and DVD; video and L/R cables (not component, I don't think) for the VCR.

AV1 is STB; AV2 is DVD; AV3 is VCR. Not using HDMI right now but could use it if it would help.

How long did everybody go with break-in settings? I've put in about 125 hours or so on low settings (35/37/42/1; contrast/brightness/color/sharpness) ????

I have had the 50 inch version of this set (50PF9631D) since about mid July and show about 590 hours of use. I have used only the "Natural" or the "Soft" picture settings during this time. I have no evidence of any permanent image retention.
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This is a resend of the message with my settings as a .doc file. To open this file, you need to right click on the file name and save it locally, then read it from that location. You will get an error message if you try to left click the file name.

 

50PF9631D Plasma Settings.doc 34.5k . file

retexan, I couldn't open that -- it looks like a WORD doc but it's opening weird.

If it's not too huge, can you cut and past directly into a post the relevant sections ? Or just ask the Mods for help in attaching a plain WORD document.

Thanks !

bigtvluvr -- I have reposted the .doc file with my settings just above this reply with directions for how to open it. See if it works for you. Here is the file again:

 

50PF9631D Plasma Settings.doc 34.5k . file

Retexan, can you send me that Word Document via email? Your link doesn't click open right away -- it has that stupid transfer logo from a round planet Earth and nothing was happening after 10-15 minutes even though it's a small file.

I'm going to be calibrating my Philips plasma tonight using DVE.....can all 9631 owners post what they calibrated the PERSONAL setting to ??

I presume nobody changed their other pre-sets.....

bigtvluvr -- I am not sure how to send a file via 'email' on this forum. If you want to give me your regular email address I can try to send it that way. I have uploaded the .doc file again here: note that you have to RIGHT CLICK on the file, then LEFT CLICK on OPEN. Left clicking on the file attachment won't work. I have not been able to simply paste it into these messages as the columns get all messed up.

I have just today received the AVIA calibration DVD and will be doing some calibrating sometime this week. At the moment, all my settings are at the original factory values.

 

50PF9631D Plasma Settings.doc 34.5k . file

Retexan, check your PM box.

Can everybody post their Picture Settings for their PERSONAL setting ??

Also, if anybody knows the default setting for the other pre-sets, post those too, if you have yours unchanged or have an archive. I may have altered mine and want to put it back since I'll be limiting my adjustments to the Personal mode.

FWIW, the DVE disk I'm using to calibrate is very tough to use on the plasma. Can't see all the stripes, the DVD goes too fast with insufficient explanations, and I'm not sure how accurate I am in getting the colors to disappear, etc.

That's why it's good for everyone to post thier (presumably calibrated) Personal setting here for reference purposes.

bump...hey how 'bout it 9631 owners...post those PERSONAL picture settings !!

My personal settings are still at the original factory values. Will get around to calibrating with the Avia DVD this weekend.

Personal Settings
Contrast 85
Bright 46
Color 58
Sharp 3
Color Temp Norm
Dyn Con Med
Dnr Med
Col Enh On
Act Cont Max

Does anyone have experience connecting to Direct TV?

Hey guys...my settings are: CONTRAST 63.....BRIGHTNESS 56.....COLOR 56....SHARPNESS 1.......TINT 6......TEMP: Cool.....PIXEL PLUS....DYN CONTRAST: Medium.....DNR: Medium.......COLOR ENHANCE: On.....TINT 6....ACTIVE CONTROL: Medium

I am going to try and re-callibrate with DVE.

Does anybody have their TEMPERATURE set at Normal or Warm? What would be the reason for that?


BTW, I previousley posted (still might!) as 'bigtvluvr' but figured I could now reflect my Philips heritage.

Anyone noticing any improvement in any mode's PQ utilizing PixelPlus ???

I can't even tell the difference in the demo...and not in SD or HD.

Will check my DVD PQ to see if it shows up there; utilizing component cables for my STB and DVD; coax for my VCR.