[sje2081]

Just bought the Panasonic 60LCX63 from Costco...


I think I am happy, but got some questions....


1) Why is it 1.85 anamorphic movies (say Shrek or Toy Story) are showing black bars?? Not to sound like a total newb, I know 2.35 movies will do this but my 1.85/1.78 movies are as well unless I zoom/stretch the picture. The FULL setting is letterboxed (the 4:3 setting is like a window, STRETCH and ZOOM fill the screen but are obviously distorted). What is wrong? I have an older non-progressive DVD player (Panny RP-31) and I am using component inputs (I tried svideo as well). The black bars are pretty big, about what a 1.85 movie would look like on a 4:3 tv.


2) I checked the status settings and DVDs are showing as 480i. Is there anyway to make them 480p without buying a new progressive DVD player? I read that some TVs can do this for you, making progressive DVD players unnecessary. If its not possible, how much would progressive help the DVD display? Right now it looks alright, but I am not floored like I was hoping to be.


3) Is there a way to get an antenna to work inside to receive HDTV signals? Where would I buy something like this? I wanted to try OTA HD before going to my cable company but I do not want to stick anything on my roof or put holes in my ceiling. The TV is upstairs near some large windows that face west into town if it matters (Houston, TX).


4) How much would a DVI input (if I have to buy a new DVD player) help a Panny LCD tv over component? Would the average person notice a difference?


Thank you!

 

[Danabw]

No answers...but can you tell me if your photo slideshow works?


I've tried two different SD cards from two different HP cameras, and I can not get the slideshow or single image view to work - I can get to teh thumbnails, but when I make th selection to show the image or slideshow, the screen text and other "gui" disappear, and the thumbnails just sit there. Same results on a floor model at Costco.

 

[sje2081]

Afraid not, I do not have any SD card devices.


Do your DVD movies play correctly aspect ratio wise? I am guessing its my old DVD player, guess I will maybe buy a new one.

 

[rhillius]

.

This is cut out of an earlier thread about aspect ratio modes on the Panasonic PT-50LC13


Normal always displays the image in a 4:3 aspect ratio regardless of the input. If it’s 16:9 material then it’s squeezed together to fit.


Full always displays the image in a 16:9 aspect ratio. If it’s 4:3 material then it’s stretched to fit. Stuff that’s higher the 16:9 like 1.85:1 or 2.35:1 has black bars top and bottom.


So as long as your DVD is set to 16:9 Full should be the right mode. 1.85:1 will display black bars top and bottom, 1.78:1 (16:9) should not.


As for 2,3 and 4


2. Maybe but I wouldn’t think you gain anything by doing it.

3. Try your local electronics superstore or Radio Shack they carry them. Just be sure you can return it if you don’t get good reception.

4. I wouldn’t use the DVI input for a DVD player. Current DVD’s don’t realize any real gains over 480p. IMHO I would buy a progressive DVD player with component outs and use the money you save for other things. I definitely notice a difference in quality of the DVD’s between 480i and 480p.

 

[sje2081]

Ok, my DVD player was not setup for 16:9 . Guess its one of those "my first widescreen TV" owner mistakes.


Looks better now...but I am still curious about whether the Panny can upconvert 480i from an old cheapie DVD player to 480p. I could not find anything in the directions, but the Panny 50 LCD ads always seem to list this in their feature set.


I think I will look for a cheapie indoor antenna and see what happens. Thanks all!

 

[icaruso]

Quote:

Originally posted by sje2081 3) Is there a way to get an antenna to work inside to receive HDTV signals? Where would I buy something like this? I wanted to try OTA HD before going to my cable company but I do not want to stick anything on my roof or put holes in my ceiling. The TV is upstairs near some large windows that face west into town if it matters (Houston, TX). 4) How much would a DVI input (if I have to buy a new DVD player) help a Panny LCD tv over component? Would the average person notice a difference? Thank you!

Congratulations on your new tv!



3 - Before my cable company started to carry hidef, I used to have an ota hdtv setup. I used a radio shack bow tie antenna and connected to an old radio shack video switching box that had a built in video amplifier. I think the antenna was about $18. And we had it inside the house on the first floor.

I didn't get any reception with the antenna until I hooked it up to the video amplifier, after that it worked great.

I think a lot depends on your location. We were lucky, we did'nt need to put anything on the roof. I got the recommendation on the bow tie antenna from the hdtv forum here. So you might want to check that out.


4. - First of all, does that tv have dvi??? I thought it didn't. It has hdmi instead.

But anyways, there's a thread in the dvd section about a zenith player that upscales to 1080i and supposedly give you a great picture with a component hookup. The model is the dvb318.


I'm going to be getting one of these sets too. I think they're awesome.

 

[59wayne]

Quote:

Originally posted by Danabw No answers...but can you tell me if your photo slideshow works? I've tried two different SD cards from two different HP cameras, and I can not get the slideshow or single image view to work - I can get to teh thumbnails, but when I make th selection to show the image or slideshow, the screen text and other "gui" disappear, and the thumbnails just sit there. Same results on a floor model at Costco.

For what it's worth, the slide show feature works great on my PT-50LC13 from a CF card in a PC card adapter.

 

[savagexp]

Your TV automatically does the progressive conversion for you. If you don't have any issues with your image quality, there's no reason to get a different player.


Ask some of your friends if they have a newer player and if they can bring it over -- hook it up and see if there's any discernible differences.

 

[Danabw]

Thanks, Wayne.


I've sinced narrowed it down - images from my HP cameras won't work, images from a Pentax camera (on the same SD card) do. Images from a Canon camera copied from my hard drive to the SD card also work fine...I'm going to track down what's different w/the HP camera images to see if I can figure it out.


Anyone else w/these sets feeling like these sets have a "red push?" I'm wanting to tone down the reds and don't have a way to do that - all my inputs are Svideo right now...if I switch to component in will I be able to tweak the reds directly?


Dana

 

[sje2081]

Thanks Andrew, confirmed what I was thinking. Maybe I will just hold out for HD DVD....though I am curious what that 1080i player would look like. In the meantime its time to work on my surround sound!

 

[NVboy]

Quote:

Originally posted by Danabw Thanks, Wayne. I've sinced narrowed it down - images from my HP cameras won't work, images from a Pentax camera (on the same SD card) do. Images from a Canon camera copied from my hard drive to the SD card also work fine...I'm going to track down what's different w/the HP camera images to see if I can figure it out. Anyone else w/these sets feeling like these sets have a "red push?" I'm wanting to tone down the reds and don't have a way to do that - all my inputs are Svideo right now...if I switch to component in will I be able to tweak the reds directly? Dana

1-What image format do your HP cameras capture? If you are trying to view something uncompressed, such as the "raw" setting on my Canon, it won't work. It doesn't matter what camera the images come from as long as they are formats supported by the set, such as .jpg. Have a browse through your manual for the supported image formats.


2-There is red push. There are a number of threads here on the subject & how to get into the service menu to change some of the settings to correct this. I've toned mine down quite a bit that way.

 

[mossie]

Quote:

2-There is red push. There are a number of threads here on the subject & how to get into the service menu to change some of the settings to correct this. I've toned mine down quite a bit that way.

I've searched and haven't found any service menu threads specifically for the 60lcx63. There are some for the 50lc13, which may apply??


After lowering the brightness and color, my 60lcx63, looks good to me. I probably don't need to be poking around in the SM anyway and screwing something up.

 

[NVboy]

Quote:

Originally posted by mossie I've searched and haven't found any service menu threads specifically for the 60lcx63. There are some for the 50lc13, which may apply?? After lowering the brightness and color, my 60lcx63, looks good to me. I probably don't need to be poking around in the SM anyway and screwing something up.

Sorry, my mistake. There are threads that discuss the PT-50LC13's service menu & the PT-50LCX63's. I got all my info from the PT-50LC13 threads(I have the 50LCX63). Same procedure to get into the service menu. Here are some snippets/quotes from others:

Quote:

With the set completely powered-up, press and hold volume down on the set while holding RECALL on the remote. About 5 seconds later, a menu will appear, this is the same as the normal menu you'd get by pressing the action button, but it has some info about bulb life in it and adjustments occur in rougher increments. To access the REAL service menu, press and hold volume down again on the set while holding MOVE button. About 5 seconds later you'll see the service menu. You navigate it using the remote's arrow keys and action button. As usual, RECALL takes you back a menu. Holding RECALL for 5 seconds in the service menu takes you back to the "rough" service menu and holding it for 5 more seconds from there takes you back to the set's normal mode. ............................... Now, I also entered the factory service menu. Hold down RECALL for 5 seconds to get into the first mode which doesn't seem to let you adjust anything. Then hold down MOVE for 5 seconds to get into the factory menu, where you can adjust things. I used the factory menu to center my picture (still overscan since apparently adjusting overscan is only available on DVI or VGA input, neither of which I have tested, but I could if I attach my PowerMac) and to do something to the red level. On VIDEO 6/6 there is a R LEVEL value which I lowered and this seemed to decrease red push using the color decoder test screen on Avia to 10%, without negatively affecting the green and blue which are now at 0%. But the Saturation and Hue test screen remains perfect; in other words I am not decreasing the saturation to reduce red push anymore. I could not get the red push lower using R LEVEL because that just started removing red from the picture all together. All the other VIDEO values didn't seem to affect anything.

 

[Danabw]

nvboy:


Thanks very much for your reply. All images are JPGs - tried both medium and low compression JPG images from the cameras capture settings. Neither HP camera supports RAW. My G3 does RAW, but all the shots from the Canon were JPG as well. The Pentax images were also JPGs.


That's the weird part - all images are the same format, of varying sizes (4 and 5 MP) and compression levels. No matter how the images from the HP cameras get to the card (either captured on the camera, or copied from a hard disk to the SD card) they aren't readable. I even tried playing w/card formatting (in the camera, on the PC sd slot) to see if that would have any affect. Nada - same results regardless of how/where the card is formantted and how the images get on it - the HP JPGs won't display.


I've actually tried images from three different HP cameras (two different models), and same result - no ability to view individual or slideshow of images w/all of them.


I would LOVE it if someone else w/an HP digital camera could give it a try w/images from their camera and let me know what happens.


On the Panasonic service menu - can you point me to the original thread - I'd love to ask the author how much he reduced the reds in the service menus (assuming there are numerical values) so that I can simplify my tweaking a bit...


This forum is amazing...


Dana


Thanks

 

[Danabw]

Quote:

Originally posted by NVboy Sorry, my mistake. There are threads that discuss the PT-50LC13's service menu & the PT-50LCX63's. I got all my info from the PT-50LC13 threads(I have the 50LCX63). Same procedure to get into the service menu. Here are some snippets/quotes from others:

Thanks - my results w/my PT-60CLX63 and Service/Factory menus:


- Press Vol down on set, Recall on remote


Green text appears in bottom left of screen:


"C--COR/GAM/W-Bal

PUSH RECAL 5SEC

WORK MODE"


- Press Vol down on set and Move on remote


Secondary (Factory) menu appears - Voila!


Select the Video option from the Factory menu and it lists the following on the first page (1/6) of the sub-menu:


Bright R 46

Level R 61

Bright G 4C

Level G 58

Brignt B 49

Level B 56


When you move to the Level choices a vertical white bar appears to the right of the column of choices, but it doesn't appear to change sa value change. When I began reducing the Level R value, it progressed as follows: 61, 60, 5F, 5E, 5D, 5C, 5B, 5A, 59, 58, 57, 56, 55, 54, 53, 52, 51, 50, 4F, 4E, 4D, 4C, 4B, 4A, 49....


I played w/the Level R value, but would love some advice as to a number to go to that will reduce the reds w/out throwing the balance off overall.


There are also more color values on the 6/6 page in the video section:


G Level 8D

R Level 8D

B Level 8D

G Level L FA

R Level L 03

B Level L EE

G Level H FE

R Level H FA

B Level H 03


Not sure what this means, or what would happen if I adjusted them. Any Gurus care to chime in?


What I want, of course, is: "Set these values and all will be perfect" instructions.


Thanks,


Dana

 

[Danabw]

Oh - forgot, to get out of the Factory menu you can just press Recall until the Service menu appears.


Then you have to press Vol down on the set and Recall on the remote to clear the Service menu. The Service menu will go away if you just press Recall, but comes back each time you change the channel until you do the Vol down/Recall combo to really exit it.


Dana

 

[NVboy]

Quote:

Originally posted by Danabw nvboy: Thanks very much for your reply. All images are JPGs - tried both medium and low compression JPG images from the cameras capture settings. Neither HP camera supports RAW. My G3 does RAW, but all the shots from the Canon were JPG as well. The Pentax images were also JPGs. That's the weird part - all images are the same format, of varying sizes (4 and 5 MP) and compression levels. No matter how the images from the HP cameras get to the card (either captured on the camera, or copied from a hard disk to the SD card) they aren't readable. I even tried playing w/card formatting (in the camera, on the PC sd slot) to see if that would have any affect. Nada - same results regardless of how/where the card is formantted and how the images get on it - the HP JPGs won't display. I've actually tried images from three different HP cameras (two different models), and same result - no ability to view individual or slideshow of images w/all of them. I would LOVE it if someone else w/an HP digital camera could give it a try w/images from their camera and let me know what happens. On the Panasonic service menu - can you point me to the original thread - I'd love to ask the author how much he reduced the reds in the service menus (assuming there are numerical values) so that I can simplify my tweaking a bit... This forum is amazing... Dana Thanks

Okay, I can think of only 1 other possibility. All the digital cameras are supposed to record pictures using the same directory & naming conventions. I believe the Panasonic manual gives directions as to how the directories should be laid out on the memory card. Maybe you simply can't put .jpg's on a card without the proper file/directory structure. Haven't tried it myself, as I only view & edit photo's on my PC.

 

[Danabw]

I should have mentioned that I checked the directory structure as well...the HP cameras follow the correct directory structure. Also, I tried putting the HP images and the other images at every "level" in the card - root, primary folder, second level folder, etc., and that had no affect on the Panasonic's ability to show the Canon/Pentax images and inability) to show the HP images. I'm going to give HP a call on Tuesday...

 

[NVboy]

Quote:

Originally posted by Danabw I should have mentioned that I checked the directory structure as well...the HP cameras follow the correct directory structure. Also, I tried putting the HP images and the other images at every "level" in the card - root, primary folder, second level folder, etc., and that had no affect on the Panasonic's ability to show the Canon/Pentax images and inability) to show the HP images. I'm going to give HP a call on Tuesday...

That is truly strange. Makes me wonder if your HP pics are really .jpg or not. If you find out anything from HP, please post it here.


Are you simply taking a few shots on your HP, removing the card & inserting it into the set? Have you tried uploading them onto a PC, then moving them onto a card?

 

[Danabw]

Quote:

Originally posted by NVboy That is truly strange. Makes me wonder if your HP pics are really .jpg or not. If you find out anything from HP, please post it here. Are you simply taking a few shots on your HP, removing the card & inserting it into the set? Have you tried uploading them onto a PC, then moving them onto a card?

Yeah - it's strange, I don't get it at all.


I've tried it both ways:


- Insert card in camera

- Format card in camera

- Take pictures

- Insert card in Panasonic - fails


Also tried uploading pics from camera to HD and then downloading to card.


Did above w/both 935 and 945 cameras.


Also used pics from another 935 camera that were about a year old.


Very, very weird. The pics appear to be normal JPGs - don't have any other problems with them.


Dana