[jahesh]

Hi all,


With my ever-increasing use of my RP TV to play music and send e-mails and surf the net, I'm becoming concerned about damage to my set.


Are there any guidelines about how long one can safely have static elements of the screen image stay there without it causing permanent damage? After I surf for a while, I tend to switch to a television show and leave it on for an hour or so, because I've heard that can alleviate burn-in problems.


Are there any background colours or settings that are less harmful? Is there anything else that can be done? How upset should I get if someone leaves my TV on the Windows screen for an hour or two? I was considering getting violent, is that the answer?


Thanks in advance!

 

[helzerr]

You have a very valid concern. Try to limit your sets exposure to static images, such as the Windows desktop, as much as possible. Use Windows power management to blank the screen and set it to it's lowest setting, usually one minute. You may have to set a BIOS option to tell your PC how to manage your monitor (TV), usually the choices are DPMS (Display Power Management Systam for PC monitors), disable synch, or blank screen. Chances are blank screen is your best option for a RPTV.


If the screen blanking conflicts with DVD / TV watching, you can also use the power applet in control panel to set up a "power scheme" that doesn't blank the screen and tell it to put an icon on the taskbar... This way you will easily be able to switch schemes.


Brightness is the enemy of CRTs, so using a color scheme and wallpaper that is not bright or made up of one primary color (red, green, or blue) will help reduce the chances of burn-in.


Violence is never the answer... Sell the offender into slave labor to pay for new CRT's ; )

 

[jahesh]

Thanks for the reply.


One clarification: Did you mean to use wallpaper that is made up of 1 primary colour, or one that is not? I can't quite tell.


Finally, I did choose to go the violent route. It was very cathartic, and I highly recommend it.

 

[helzerr]

Choose a color scheme and wallpaper that is not made up of primary colors... Each of the primary colors are reproduced by one CRT instead of a combination of the three CRT's, putting more stress and a greater chance of burn-in on that one CRT.

 

[falltime]

Use Gray - it is a bit hard to get used to BUT it is the best - you'll notice that many of the TV manufacturers are now using that as backround color for PIP or 16:9 (on 4:3) or vice versa.