Sonnie Parker
12-11-02, 11:42 PM
I finally got my new Toshiba 65HDX82 Widescreen RPTV set up.
It was a long day as I had to work it by myself. Trying to get that styrofoam out from under that 280 pound set was not as easy as I thought it would be. Picking up one end with one hand (while on my old and weakened knees) and reaching under the set with the other hand to pry the foam out was a trick indeed. Eventually I got to where it would roll and roll it I did right into the sweet spot forcing out my old Sony 61" RPTV to our daughters play room until we can get it sold (which may end up being a hard thing to take away from her.)
Of course I immediately got all the equipment connected to the set. Then I started playing around with it as I was reading the manual, learning how it all worked was fairly easy even for a hillbilly like myself. Although another long drawn out chore awaited me as well..... programming my MX-700 remote. I thought I would never get it finished. But I did!
Next I decided to get out the AVIA DVD and get started with the basic calibrations that I felt like I could handle. After adjusting the settings as AVIA would suggest I found I wasn't too pleased with them and had to do some minor tweaking to my liking. Albeit I think a lot had to do with the fact I couldn't get all the light out of my room during the day. We watch more TV at night than any other time and I knew AVIA was on the money with my older Sony RPTV as I never messed with it once I set it per AVIA suggestions.
My video settings are as follows:
Contrast: 50
Brightness: 45
Sharpness: 15
Color: 50
Tint: +5
SVM: Off
Temp: Medium
With our Dish Network I'll be using the Theaterwide Mode 1 until we get the new PVR921 that will hopefully be available some time in 2003. I was pleasantly surprised that this stretch mode was so tolerable. I could hardly tell the difference between normal and stretch other than stretch was naturally larger. Images did not appear out of whack unless right on the very edge of the screen and then I had to look for it intentionally because my natural vision is to focus more on the center of the screen.
However, I did notice that the quality of the picture in any mode is not always as good as it was with my Sony while watching Dish. I'm not sure if it's a problem with the Toshiba set or if it's just Dish (probably Dish) along with a standard definition signal input into a HD Monitor. Occasionally there are faint uniform horizontal lines noticeable during some scenes. I watched several segments of different shows on different channels tonight and at times I could see them plainly and they are annoying, but at other times I can't find them no matter how hard I look. They seem to come and go. When they are not present the picture is fairly good. These lines are not evident on DVD. I'm hoping it's just the fact that I don't have an HD tuner yet, but if they persist once I do get the 921 then Toshiba will have to make a house call. In the mean time hopefully some others who might have a Toshiba set with Dish Network can tell me if they've had similar problems.
I did get a chance to watch one DVD (other than AVIA). I chose the 1:85.1 non-anamorphic Mission Impossible 2 and used the Theaterwide Mode 3. This basically zoomed the picture to fill the screen. After what I had read and learned about non-anamorphic DVD's I was not expecting anything that good. I was totally shocked. It was a fabulous picture. If anamorphic is better then I'm in for a real treat! It's probably a good thing that I'm no video expert as I'm sure I can't see flaws that others might. I'm tickled pink with the DVD performance and love the widescreen aspect. I can't wait to watch more DVD's.
Edit: That copy of Mission Impossible was actually anamorphic after all. I went back and watched a little on the FULL MODE setting and it was even better.
It was a long day as I had to work it by myself. Trying to get that styrofoam out from under that 280 pound set was not as easy as I thought it would be. Picking up one end with one hand (while on my old and weakened knees) and reaching under the set with the other hand to pry the foam out was a trick indeed. Eventually I got to where it would roll and roll it I did right into the sweet spot forcing out my old Sony 61" RPTV to our daughters play room until we can get it sold (which may end up being a hard thing to take away from her.)
Of course I immediately got all the equipment connected to the set. Then I started playing around with it as I was reading the manual, learning how it all worked was fairly easy even for a hillbilly like myself. Although another long drawn out chore awaited me as well..... programming my MX-700 remote. I thought I would never get it finished. But I did!
Next I decided to get out the AVIA DVD and get started with the basic calibrations that I felt like I could handle. After adjusting the settings as AVIA would suggest I found I wasn't too pleased with them and had to do some minor tweaking to my liking. Albeit I think a lot had to do with the fact I couldn't get all the light out of my room during the day. We watch more TV at night than any other time and I knew AVIA was on the money with my older Sony RPTV as I never messed with it once I set it per AVIA suggestions.
My video settings are as follows:
Contrast: 50
Brightness: 45
Sharpness: 15
Color: 50
Tint: +5
SVM: Off
Temp: Medium
With our Dish Network I'll be using the Theaterwide Mode 1 until we get the new PVR921 that will hopefully be available some time in 2003. I was pleasantly surprised that this stretch mode was so tolerable. I could hardly tell the difference between normal and stretch other than stretch was naturally larger. Images did not appear out of whack unless right on the very edge of the screen and then I had to look for it intentionally because my natural vision is to focus more on the center of the screen.
However, I did notice that the quality of the picture in any mode is not always as good as it was with my Sony while watching Dish. I'm not sure if it's a problem with the Toshiba set or if it's just Dish (probably Dish) along with a standard definition signal input into a HD Monitor. Occasionally there are faint uniform horizontal lines noticeable during some scenes. I watched several segments of different shows on different channels tonight and at times I could see them plainly and they are annoying, but at other times I can't find them no matter how hard I look. They seem to come and go. When they are not present the picture is fairly good. These lines are not evident on DVD. I'm hoping it's just the fact that I don't have an HD tuner yet, but if they persist once I do get the 921 then Toshiba will have to make a house call. In the mean time hopefully some others who might have a Toshiba set with Dish Network can tell me if they've had similar problems.
I did get a chance to watch one DVD (other than AVIA). I chose the 1:85.1 non-anamorphic Mission Impossible 2 and used the Theaterwide Mode 3. This basically zoomed the picture to fill the screen. After what I had read and learned about non-anamorphic DVD's I was not expecting anything that good. I was totally shocked. It was a fabulous picture. If anamorphic is better then I'm in for a real treat! It's probably a good thing that I'm no video expert as I'm sure I can't see flaws that others might. I'm tickled pink with the DVD performance and love the widescreen aspect. I can't wait to watch more DVD's.
Edit: That copy of Mission Impossible was actually anamorphic after all. I went back and watched a little on the FULL MODE setting and it was even better.