Ask the Experts: Entertainment Electronics

I have been trying to get rid of some burn-in that has occurred on my plasma TV – black bars down each side.  I was never told of any break in period, so I am trying to reverse the burn-in process.  My plasma does have the burn-in protection feature such as white wash and pixel shifting, however when I run the white wash screen I noticed that about a third of the screen (in the middle) has a reddish pink hue – it isn’t absolutely white.  The manufacture (Samsung) said that the pinkish hue or tint present in my TV set is not a defect, it’s normal to the plasma and conforms to specifications, and this symptom is occurred by front glass of PDP module. It’s thick and some portion of glass is looked pinkish color on white color pattern according to direction of watching.  So even when I am watching something like hockey, parts of the ice look reddish pink.I am looking for another opinion, I was told by one technician who does work for Samsung that the panel needs to be replaced, but Samsung does not agree with this. Any information you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Robert

Hi Robert

The “B” word!  A situation usually caused  in a couple of ways. Very common on cheap, no-name big box units…you know the story, you get what you pay for and lesser priced units do not have the right gas mixture (usually just neon) and are therefor more susceptable to this issue. However, the main causes are poor initial set-up and lack of information from the store where it is purchased. Since Samsung is a quality brand I have to assume the latter is the culprit in your case. 

I would have hoped that the store where you made your purchase would have explained a few things at the time of purchase. First, watching a 4×3 on a 16×9 screen will eventually cause uneven wear of the phosphors which is what caused the bars on either side of the screen. Your Samsung has various modes to make the 4×3 picture fill the screen, using these modes would have prevented the problem from occuring. 

The other issue is the importance of a proper set-up when you first install your panel. Here’s the story…when a panel (plasma or LCD) comes out of the box it is in what we call “torch mode”. That is to say that the colour is usually set too intense and the brightness and contrast are too high. They may look good in a showroom in this state where one brand is competing with the next for the supreme picture as the most intense colour and brightness tends to catch your eye, but this is not how you should watch your set at home.  A flat panel that has been properly adjusted by a well trained technician will offer a more pleasant viewing experience and will reduce the risk of “image retention”(our industry’s more market friendly term for burn-in). There is no “break-in” period for plasma or LCD TV’s. The pinkish hue on bright white backgrounds may be caused by the gas mixture (primarily neon) and it’s reaction with the phosphors (neon tends to glow red after running for awhile). It may be able to be adjusted (slightly) in the service menu for primary colour alignment, this may also affect the colour of fleshtones so without seeing your PDP I cannot accurately comment.

As for solutions…The “orbital” mode in this case would not have helped, it is designed for smaller items on the screen like the network monacker, etc. White wash may reduce the “image retention” but it sounds like you have already run it several times. We have a device that will generate a pure white signal that may further reduce the bars, you can contact me to discuss this should you wish.

I understand Samsung’s position, on one hand the actual panel is now “defective” but on the other hand this is not a manufacturer’s defect.  Has the store where you bought it offered any assistance?

I hope this helps

Mark

I have a Dual turntable which is about 20+ years old. I am likely to still find a stylus or needle for it?Thanks.

Hi

 An older Dual turntable is likely better than a moderately priced unit you would buy today. In your case if the stylus was no longer available we could replace the cartridge. (the part that holds the stylus) I would suggest that you bring in your Dual and we will check it over. If it is a belt drive model you will likely need to replace the belt as well. We would also re-balance the tone arm to ensure proper tracking. We stock an assortment of styli, cartridges and belts and may be able to have a look at it while you wait.(provided you come in when the service techs are here)

Mark

11apr08

Hey there Mark,

Is there anyway to restore CDs and LPs that are scratched, that skip, or are just plain dirty? I’ve heard of ‘miracle liquids’ that fix CDs, and that if you wash LPs with dish soap and warm water at least it will clean up some of the hiss from years of dirty fingers etx.

What’s the word on the street?

Thanks,

jimme

 Hi Jimme

There is a device called CD or DVD Doctor that can restore scratched discs. It’s an odd looking widget that spins the disc via a crank and sands then polishes it. Works very well.  If there is a small scratch on a CD that is making it not readable, some people use toothpaste and a very soft cloth to polish out the scratch. No guarantees on that one.

As for LP’s…there are many wives tales. Finger prints are usually the least worry. Small scratches, dust/debris particles and static build-up make more crackles and pops than anything else.

Cleaning the LP helps but find a special solution. Tap water and soap will leave tiny mineral deposits in the grooves, if you insist on using water, use only distilled. Use a very fine record brush for the dust etc. that will also draw static electricity from the vinyl.

Hope this helps keep the snap, crackle and pop to your breakfast cereal.

Mark Stoakes
Kromer Radio Ltd.
Where Entertainment Begins
www.kromerradio.com