hr20 SD

[miedwards72]

What format do most people use when watching SD programming. The installer recommended stretch but it looks horrible. I keep it on pillar box now which is better but will the bars burn my TV? My old tivo box looked so much better when it filled the screen in SD.

52 Widescreen Hitachi
HR 20

[macEarl]

If it's DLP, no burn marks, if it's LCD, you can get stuck pixels that look like scary burn marks but are actually fixable by you, and if it's plasma I have no clue.

(edit - ps, I use pillar-box with the side panels set to black on my DLP and LCD - I switch back and forth between that and widescreen content (either HD or letterbox shows (Battlestar Galactica, TCM SD movies) so I don't worry now about stuck pixels - I find stretch on SD nauseating. Stretch does have occassional use when a broadcast screws up letterbox and sends a scrunched-looking signal - then stretch looks great - or in other applications for some PC applications when you're feeding s-video into your computer, etc.)

[miedwards72]

It is a projection LCD without DLP

[hambonewd]

i am almost certain that LCD has no image burn in regardless of whether is projection or not. can anyone back me up on this?

[gabe23]

LCD projection TVs don't have any burn-in issues. I have a Sony SXRD rear projector and I keep the pillar bars turned on and set to black. I really can't stand stretched or zoomed SD content.

[macEarl]

It is a projection LCD without DLP

My LCD is direct-view type, so I'm going to stand back for someone more knowledgeable for your situation, rather than project a conclusion. Post your TV model number, you might find someone with your same model to help.

[Michael D'Angelo]

i am almost certain that LCD has no image burn in regardless of whether is projection or not. can anyone back me up on this?

LCD will burn. It takes a while but it will burn. DLP is the only one that you do not have to worry about.

[macEarl]

LCD projection TVs don't have any burn-in issues. I have a Sony SXRD rear projector and I keep the pillar bars turned on and set to black. I really can't stand stretched or zoomed SD content.

LCD TV can suffer from stuck pixels, however. On my first LCD HDTV I watched so much in pillar box that I had two vertical black lines where the SD borders were. Sent me into panic. Found out that TV techs use an alternating slide show of all black then white screens to unstick those pixels - and others say any alternating will fix 'em. Turned out to be true for me. Search the forum for "LCD burn in" or "stuck pixels" and so forth, you'll find the posts with the more accurate info. (Or wait, someone may provide a link or two for you....:) ... but not me today, too slammed.)

hth!

[hambonewd]

LCD will burn. It takes a while but it will burn. DLP is the only one that you do not have to worry about.

are you certain of this? this is contrary to everything i have heard.

[bonscott87]

What format do most people use when watching SD programming. The installer recommended stretch but it looks horrible. I keep it on pillar box now which is better but will the bars burn my TV? My old tivo box looked so much better when it filled the screen in SD.

52 Widescreen Hitachi
HR 20

So it sounds like you let your TV do the stretching for your Tivo signal.
So do the same on the HR20.
2 options:
1) When watching SD manually change the format to 480i which will then let your TV do the stretching/upconverting based on your preference
2) Turn on Native ON which will automatically switch between formats (but is slower to change channels) and again will let your TV do it's thing with 480i.

In either case you need to setup what formats you want your HR20 to output and it should match what your TV can do. Typically you'd allows 480i and then whatever your TV's native resolution is. 480i and 720p or 480i and 1080i.

[veryoldschool]

LCD will burn. It takes a while but it will burn. DLP is the only one that you do not have to worry about.
Having asked about this before [I have an LCD]. The makers of it say there is NO burn in. What can happen [I'm told] is that the LCD elements can have a persistence where it looks like "burn in". This can be [again I'm told] fixed by running various colors to the full screen. Basically "exercising" the LCD elements, as they will return to their "natural" state. The liquid crystal windup & unwind to show color & doesn't have phosphors to burn [in or out]. CRT & plasma displays do. FWIW

[RBFC]

I've been told more than once that setting your pillar boxes to a lighter color (gray) will greatly reduce the "burn-in" effect. That's how I have my plasma display set up.

I'll agree that the pillar boxes look better in black, though.

Lee

[macEarl]

VOS, I was counting on your for the search links! :D

OK, here are a few to elaborate on mine and VOS' comments:
http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=74411&highlight=lcd+stuck+pixels
http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=75617&highlight=lcd+burn-in

[gabe23]

Having asked about this before [I have an LCD]. The makers of it say there is NO burn in. What can happen [I'm told] is that the LCD elements can have a persistence where it looks like "burn in". This can be [again I'm told] fixed by running various colors to the full screen. Basically "exercising" the LCD elements, as they will return to their "natural" state. The liquid crystal windup & unwind to show color & doesn't have phosphors to burn [in or out]. CRT & plasma displays do. FWIW

I concur. I've seen LCD 'burn-in' with computer screens that run 24/7 with the same display on all the time. There are utilities that you can run to unstick the pixels and restore them to looking like new. I assume that LCD TVs would work in a similar manner.