Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

macfantn · Jul 23, 2006, 12:38 AM

I am starting to get burn in on my 42" toshiba from watching 4:3 shows without stretching the picture. you can see the side bars very faintly on widescreen shows. Anything I can do? or am i screwed?

mduell · Jul 23, 2006, 12:51 AM

Rear projection CRT or LCD?

macfantn · Jul 23, 2006, 12:53 AM

not lcd, and not a crt (i don't think) just regular rear projection.

Velocity211 · Jul 23, 2006, 12:55 AM

Same thing is happening to my LCD Projection TV. Although I can barely see it, I can only see it when I'm about once inch away from the screen.

macfantn · Jul 23, 2006, 12:57 AM

mine is only noticeable on a lighter image, when I watch hockey against the white ice you can really see it, other things not so bad. nothing i can do?

ibookuser2 · Jul 23, 2006, 02:49 AM

Originally Posted by macfantn

not lcd, and not a crt (i don't think) just regular rear projection.

Regular rear projection *is* CRT. Most rear-projection sets work by having three small (around 6-9 inches) CRT screens, one for red, green, and blue. They display images that are several times brighter than a standard (directly viewed) CRT, which are combined and focused onto the screen via lenses. That's why they're so much more susceptible to burn-in; the images they're displaying are quite bright in order to produce bright images when they're projected full size.

In some sets, you can replace the CRT tubes when they wear out, but that can be a costly and tricky repair (getting them all aligned again isn't always easy.)

You can't reverse the burn-in, nor can you really prevent it from happening (short of not using the TV.) You could try making an image that was black for the 4:3 portion of the screen and white where there's normally no image and display that on the set for a long time to try and burn the sides to match the center of the screen, but you risk overburning the sides, or not getting your new burn pattern lined up right, leaving vertical unburned stripes or overburned stripes where it overlaps.

It's just something you have to deal with on CRT projection sets.

Same thing is happening to my LCD Projection TV. Although I can barely see it, I can only see it when I'm about once inch away from the screen.

LCDs don't typically burn-in, and when they do, it's usually temporary. You could try not watching 4:3 stuff for a while (a few days) and if it's really an LCD, the burn-in should go away. Are you sure it's not really a CRT set?

thirsty · Jul 23, 2006, 09:24 AM

Ahhh the Joys of buying a Widescreen TV. We all want the latest widescreen yet those a**hole broadcasters still believe were watching 4:3. Why can't they get their **** together and start using Widescreen cameras, for the DIgital Braodcasts, and then crop the sides of for analoge 4:3 conventioal TV's.
Being forced to watch programs in 4:3 mode so you can maintain the correct aspect ratio sucks.
That said this issue is not isolated to Rear Pros CRT and LCD.
Plasma's and Panel LCD are just as suseptible if used in the 4:3 mode for extended periods.
The only cure in the long term is the broadcasters solely broadcasting in WIDESCREEN!

Velocity211 · Jul 23, 2006, 11:16 AM

Originally Posted by ibookuser2

LCDs don't typically burn-in, and when they do, it's usually temporary. You could try not watching 4:3 stuff for a while (a few days) and if it's really an LCD, the burn-in should go away. Are you sure it's not really a CRT set?

Yeah, it's LCD. I mean, you can never really notice it anyway. I have never watched any widescreen shows on it. I'll try watching some DVDs to see if that goes away. Also I got it used from somebody else so it might not be that good.

Dark Helmet · Jul 23, 2006, 11:29 AM

If it is CRT you are screwed.

tooki · Jul 23, 2006, 12:38 PM

I don't think that most rear-projection TVs are CRT any more. In fact, I doubt if many consumer widescreen/HD rear-projection TVs ever made, nor any rear-projection TVs made in the past 5+ years, were CRT. Why? Because a CRT projector, be it front or rear, costs a lot more money than LCD. LCD is also what permitted rear-projection TVs to shrink substantially in size. Of course, these days, besides LCD, there are also DLP and LCoS rear-projection TVs.

In all likelihood, the TV in question is LCD, and its burn in could thus be cured by displaying a moving full-screen image.

tooki

Dark Helmet · Jul 23, 2006, 12:52 PM

Originally Posted by tooki

I don't think that most rear-projection TVs are CRT any more. In fact, I doubt if many consumer widescreen/HD rear-projection TVs ever made, nor any rear-projection TVs made in the past 5+ years, were CRT. Why? Because a CRT projector, be it front or rear, costs a lot more money than LCD. LCD is also what permitted rear-projection TVs to shrink substantially in size. Of course, these days, besides LCD, there are also DLP and LCoS rear-projection TVs.

In all likelihood, the TV in question is LCD, and its burn in could thus be cured by displaying a moving full-screen image.

tooki

Are you ****ing kidding me? CRT-RP still sell very well especially 5 years ago.

tooki · Jul 23, 2006, 01:03 PM

I disagree.

I still believe that CRT projection is a near-dead, certainly marginalized technology. Take a look at what's on the market: it's hard to even find them.

tooki

awaspaas · Jul 23, 2006, 01:04 PM

You can pretty much tell if it's a CRT or something else by the TV's size and weight. Is it huge and does it weigh a ton? (And, perhaps, does it sit right on the floor instead of a stand?) If yes, then you have a CRT. Still plenty of those sold at Best Buy, although most are microdisplays nowadays.

LCD burn-in can be cured by tuning it to static for a little while, I believe.

awaspaas · Jul 23, 2006, 01:10 PM

Originally Posted by tooki

I disagree.

I still believe that CRT projection is a near-dead, certainly marginalized technology. Take a look at what's on the market: it's hard to even find them.

tooki

The Circuit City I was at yesterday had two of them. They were huge and ugly, but adequate for somebody that wants >50" for <$1000. There's still a whole lot of cheap bastards out there willing to haul a 300lb TV in their pickup to save a couple hundred bucks. So yes, they're still around.

Dark Helmet · Jul 23, 2006, 01:11 PM

Originally Posted by tooki

I disagree.

I still believe that CRT projection is a near-dead, certainly marginalized technology. Take a look at what's on the market: it's hard to even find them.

tooki

Today, yes.

2 years ago, ,no.

mduell · Jul 23, 2006, 06:11 PM

Originally Posted by tooki

I disagree.

I still believe that CRT projection is a near-dead, certainly marginalized technology. Take a look at what's on the market: it's hard to even find them.

tooki

I agree with you.

A quick survey of the TVs at Newegg:
* LCD TV (153)
* Rear Projection TV/DLP (48)
* Direct View CRT TV (52)
* Plasma TV (68)

Rear projection breakdown:
* CRT Technology (4)
* D-ILA Technology (4)
* DLP Technology (35)
* LCD Technology (1)
* LCoS Technology (2)

So CRT RP makes up about 10% of RP and 1% overall.

I'm sure someone will point out that Newegg isn't the entire market; you're right. But it's quick and easy and probably not that far off.