Toshiba 42" RPTV & Xbox

[Shirow]

I just picked up a 42" Toshiba HDTV (http://www.toshiba.com/tacp/tv/current/42HDX82.html) and am pretty excited about getting it delivered today.

I currently have an Xbox with the HD A/V kit that I'd like to hook up.

HOWEVER.. not all Xbox games work in 16:9 - some are 4:3 only. In a normal gaming session, I'd probably play for 2-4 hours at a time, and I'm pretty worried about burn occuring if I'm playing a game that only supports 4:3 ratio.

Other than using a regular TV rather than my HDTV to play Xbox on, are there any suggestions to eliminate the risk of burn in? I know about reducing contrast etc, but is there anything else, especially for console games?

Or is (sadly) the best idea to just not play console games on an RPTV at all?

[Shirow]

As a secondary note, I just got it - hooked up my progressive scan DVD player and started watching a movie.

Two questions:

In 16:9, I still have black bars on the top and bottom of the image. I assume this is normal.. but isnt' there a risk of burn in because of this? I have contrast at 30 and brightness at 70.

I have progressive scan mode enabled on the DVD player, but the image isn't quite as good as I thought it would be (or it seemed in the store.) Am I doing something wrong, do I need a new DVD player, or is there something I'm missing?

This is the DVD player I have:

http://www.toshiba.com/tacp/dvd/current/SD3900.html

I'm using monster component cables for the connection from dvd -> tv.

[jlegge]

Did you set the DVD player to know your tv is 16:9? They come default as 4:3. You can find this option in the DVD players setup menu. Also, not all movies are a true 16:9 aspect. Hell, some aren't even close. More than likely you will have some black bars in most movies, easily alleviated by using the aspect reforming capabilities built into the TV. I think this will work for your X-Box issue also.

[Shirow]

Yeah, I have the DVD player set to 16:9. When I set the picture size to 'Full' I get the black bars at top and bottom.

I tried using the other 'stretching' modes and they made the picture look worse. I'd rather run it in 'Full' if the black bars aren't an issue - I'm just scared of burn in problems.

With contrast set so low (30 con, 70 brightness) do I even need to worry about burn in? is it only an issue at high contrast?

[Mike Sura]

Set to the aspect ratio to full, the only way to get the Toshiba tvs to not show black bars on a DVD and Xbox. Works great on my 57HDX82.

[Shirow]

Set it to full where?

I have it set to 'Full' under 'Picture Size' on the television.

I have it set to '16:9' on my DVD player - the only choices are 4:3 Pan, 4:3 letterbox or 16:9.

Just to clarify, I can live with the black bars as long as it's not going to damage my television at 35 contrast.. just wondered if someone knew if it would or not.

[Mike Sura]

picture size should be full, is the DVD wide screen? If not select one of the other picture sizes, I usually use Cinema 1.

[Shirow]

Yeah, it says it is.. it's 'The Matrix'

This is the one I have:

DVD Features:

    * Commentary by Carrie-Anne Moss, editor Zach Staenberg and visual effects supervisor John Gaeta
    * Isolated musical score with comentary by composer Don Davis (I)
    * Production notes
    * Theatrical trailer(s)
    * Behind-the-scenes documentary "HBO First Look: Making the Matrix"
    * Take the red pills to view two hidden special effects documentaries: "What is Bullet Time?" and "What is the Concept?"
    * Follow the white rabbit to nine behind-the-scenes featurettes
    * Widescreen anamorphic format

Says it's Widescreen anamorphic...

I can live with the black bars.. I don't really like Cinema 1 either, it looks somewhat stretched.. will the black bars damage my television? If they won't (at 35 contrast) then I can live with them.

[Shirow]

Well before doing all that I guess I really should've tried another DVD. Just tried a Disney DVD (Lilo & Stitch) and it fills the screen perfectly in 'full'

Guess I just gotta live with the ones that don't... still curious if anyone can answer the tv damage question.

[Mike Sura]

the black bars could leave a shadow if they're on long enough. I don't know what long enough is and when you turn the settings down it will take longer. My opinion is that if I watch something with bars once in a while it won't hurt. If you always have the bars you will have shadows.

[Shirow]

Fair enough. Thanks for the advice.

[Snard]

Originally posted by Shirow
Well before doing all that I guess I really should've tried another DVD. Just tried a Disney DVD (Lilo & Stitch) and it fills the screen perfectly in 'full'

Guess I just gotta live with the ones that don't... still curious if anyone can answer the tv damage question.

I'm surprised that someone else didn't already post this, but you've discovered that there is more than one "wide screen" format for DVD's. A 16:9 HDTV corresponds to approx. 1.77:1, and many Hollywood movies are filmed in 1.85:1 or even 2.35:1, which will leave a smaller set of black bars at the top/bottom of your set.

I used to have a bookmark for a site that explained all of the aspect ratios, but I can't find it now.

[Shirow]

Yeah, found that out the hard way

Everything else I've tried seems to work great in 'full' mode.

[The Law]

Here's the link:

http://www.thedigitalbits.com/articles/anamorphic/

-r

[Shirow]

Does anyone have a recommendation for time periods that it's safe to watch stuff in an aspect that's not full screen?

For example, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon has subtitles in the 'letterbox' so I can't blow it up (unless I learn Mandarin.) Movies like this I'd like to watch but I'm somewhat scared of burning my TV.

I know you can't really say 'it's safe for 3 hours but not 4' but is there a ratio of time it's safe to watch non-fullscreen stuff for, like 10% non and 90% full?