Bad overscan watching HDTV

[Tygerwoody]

I am getting pretty bad overscan watching anything on HDTV. I would say around 15%-16% bad. Possibly even more than that. If for example I am watching ESPN, on the bottom right corner I only see ES and the rest is cut off. The bottom of the ES is cut off some as well.

Is there a way to fix my overscan? My HDTV is a Hitachi Rear Projection 57F510. It has brilliant quality in my opinion, but the overscan really bugs me. Its alot more overscan than most rear projection TV's I have ever seen.

I went to the AVS forum to ask, but it appears down. Any ideas?

[Ancient]

There's a thread on that subject here (http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=84655).

[Zelda_fan]

I am getting pretty bad overscan watching anything on HDTV. I would say around 15%-16% bad. Possibly even more than that. If for example I am watching ESPN, on the bottom right corner I only see ES and the rest is cut off. The bottom of the ES is cut off some as well.

Is there a way to fix my overscan? My HDTV is a Hitachi Rear Projection 57F510. It has brilliant quality in my opinion, but the overscan really bugs me. Its alot more overscan than most rear projection TV's I have ever seen.

I went to the AVS forum to ask, but it appears down. Any ideas?

There should be an option in your settings menu to turn the overscan off. I personally HATE watching anything other than a 1:1 mapping of the signal to the display. When I bought my TV I did my research to make sure the TV supported this feature.

If your TV doesn't support turning off overscan manually, then the only way to do it is buy a standalone video processor (which isn't cheap).

[Tygerwoody]

There should be an option in your settings menu to turn the overscan off. I personally HATE watching anything other than a 1:1 mapping of the signal to the display. When I bought my TV I did my research to make sure the TV supported this feature.

If your TV doesn't support turning off overscan manually, then the only way to do it is buy a standalone video processor (which isn't cheap).
Could I connect a PC to it and somehow use it to do all the video processing? Would that fix the overscan(without lowering resolution) ?

[Tygerwoody]

There's a thread on that subject here (http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=84655).
no that isnt a thread for what i want. I want to watch TV, not play my computer on my TV. This has NOTHING to do with a computer. It is just HDTV displaying from my cable box. Thats it.

IF however, i need to hookup a computer to fix this issue, I can do that. However, i dont think that would fix it either.

[Ancient]

no that isnt a thread for what i want. I want to watch TV, not play my computer on my TV. This has NOTHING to do with a computer. It is just HDTV displaying from my cable box. Thats it.

IF however, i need to hookup a computer to fix this issue, I can do that. However, i dont think that would fix it either.
Ahhh. I thought you had an overscan issue with a computer running to your TV because overscan shouldn't be that bad coming from your cable box.

There are a couple of potential fixes because this may not be an actual overscan problem but a zoom setting from your TV or cable box. TVs and/or cable boxes often have aspect settings that zoom/stretch a picture to allow you to adjust the picture for the various widescreen aspect ratios, since not all are 16:9. For example, my TV has an "Aspect" button on the remote where I can select from a few different ratio types in widescreen labeled "full, panorama, and cinema." You may want to check if your TV and/or cable box has such settings available.

[betterdan]

My Panasonic rear projection HDTV had this same problem and I googled and found a site with the codes to get into the service menu and fix it. This is what the ISF calibrators do also. Try and see if you can find the code to get into your service menu but just be careful and write all the settings down in case you screw with something and mess the tv up.

[superklye]

EDIT: didn't read the first post. Nevermind.

[betterdan]

Here is a site talking about how to getinto the Hitachi F59 models. Maybe it's the same for yours http://www.hdtvoice.com/voice/showthread.php?t=26531

Be careful if you try it.

[Tygerwoody]

There are a couple of potential fixes because this may not be an actual overscan problem but a zoom setting from your TV or cable box. TVs and/or cable boxes often have aspect settings that zoom/stretch a picture to allow you to adjust the picture for the various widescreen aspect ratios, since not all are 16:9. For example, my TV has an "Aspect" button on the remote where I can select from a few different ratio types in widescreen labeled "full, panorama, and cinema." You may want to check if your TV and/or cable box has such settings available.
hah, It isn't an "aspect" ratio problem :D . This is genuine overscan.


betterdan, i'll look to see if i can get to those "codes" you are talking about when i get home. :)

[Ancient]

hah, It isn't an "aspect" ratio problem :D . This is genuine overscan.


betterdan, i'll look to see if i can get to those "codes" you are talking about when i get home. :)
I just scanned through the owner's manual for your TV. Your remote has an "Aspect" button on it. Are you sure you're not in 16:9 zoomed mode instead of 16:9 standard?

[Tygerwoody]

I just scanned through the owner's manual for your TV. Your remote has an "Aspect" button on it. Are you sure you're not in 16:9 zoomed mode instead of 16:9 standard?
150% sure :)

The overscan in zoomed mode would be more like 40%. It zooms in REALLY close. :D

[Ancient]

150% sure :)

The overscan in zoomed mode would be more like 40%. It zooms in REALLY close. :D
OK. Just had to make sure. If that were the problem it's far easier to cure than mucking about in the service menu.

Looking online it seems there are quite a few complaints about the overscan on your model. Reportedly, adjusting the horizontal and vertical screen size in the service menu will throw off your RBG convergence, so be prepared to recalibrate that as well in the service menu.

[Zelda_fan]

Could I connect a PC to it and somehow use it to do all the video processing? Would that fix the overscan(without lowering resolution) ?

Yes but that's a lot more expensive then you might think. A capture card that's capable of accepting a HD signal is VERY expensive. Plus you run into issues like audio-delay timing etc.

[Tygerwoody]

Yes but that's a lot more expensive then you might think. A capture card that's capable of accepting a HD signal is VERY expensive. Plus you run into issues like audio-delay timing etc.
psst, i dont want to do that then :D

I just want to watch TV without missing a large portion of the screen. :o

[Tygerwoody]

If i got my TV professionally calibrated, would it fix my overscan?

[Ancient]

If i got my TV professionally calibrated, would it fix my overscan?
Yes. A professional will adjust the overscan as part of the basic calibration process.

[Tygerwoody]

Yes. A professional will adjust the overscan as part of the basic calibration process.
Sweet :)

This pro calibration doesnt sound like such a bad idea anymore.

One more problem, my TV is getting kinda dark. Could it be that my bulb is getting old and needs to be replaced? I am having to put my contrast on 100% to make it look good(which it does, but when i first got the TV 50% was bright enough).

Will calibration fix this? Or should i get a bulb replaced before getting it calibrated?

Sorry for the millions of questions. I'm an RPTV noob. :p

[Ancient]

Sweet :)

This pro calibration doesnt sound like such a bad idea anymore.

One more problem, my TV is getting kinda dark. Could it be that my bulb is getting old and needs to be replaced? I am having to put my contrast on 100% to make it look good(which it does, but when i first got the TV 50% was bright enough).

Will calibration fix this? Or should i get a bulb replaced before getting it calibrated?

Sorry for the millions of questions. I'm an RPTV noob. :p
You have a CRT RPTV. The CRT provides the light so there is no bulb. What you're seeing is a sign that dust is reducing the output of the CRT so it's definitely due for a cleaning and calibration.

[evilchris]

You have a CRT RPTV. The CRT provides the light so there is no bulb. What you're seeing is a sign that dust is reducing the output of the CRT so it's definitely due for a cleaning and calibration.

..or his CRT's are just dim

[Tygerwoody]

..or his CRT's are just dim
Which means... what?

[evilchris]

Which means... what?

CRT's wear out. They are replaceable items on a CRT RPTV.

[Tygerwoody]

CRT's wear out. They are replaceable items on a CRT RPTV.
after one year? Like i said, its not bad at all. The lighting of the picture is perfect. However, i'm having to set it at 100% contrast to get it that way.

[evilchris]

after one year? Like i said, its not bad at all. The lighting of the picture is perfect. However, i'm having to set it at 100% contrast to get it that way.
How is your room lighting. RPTV's generally need a darker environment

[Tygerwoody]

How is your room lighting. RPTV's generally need a darker environment
lighting is good. Nice and dark. It still looks GREAT, i just dont like leaving the contrast at 100%....