Philips 28PW6006 - Need help on the service menu!!!

[SithLordSi]

I [stupidly] started messing around with the settings on my Philips 28PW6006, in an attempt to (a) reduce horizontal and vertical overscan, and (b) straighten out the edges of the picture in 4x3 mode.

It seems that I've succeeded in both areas, but I'm confused as to where the center of the image should be. When I set the position of the image for RF mode (broadcast), it throws off the image position in RGB SCART mode, and vice versa. Also, after I centered a 4x3 image in RGB mode, the widescreen setting seems off - as if to prove my point, the TV's onscreen menus and text are also off center.

Is there some way to set the center position for each mode independently, so that they don't conflict with one another?

[Jimmyboy]

I don't think there is anyway to set each position individually, at least not in the service menu.
The standard 4:3 image as seen when watching TV should be slightly more to the left in order to get a centered RGB WS image.

How did you get on with correcting the overscan btw, which settings did you have to mess with ?. Did it increase the black bars at the top and the bottom of the screen ?.
The biggest thing I'd love to change with my set is the virtical geometry when in 2.35:1 WS. The screen dips slightly from left to right while the tops of the screen bows a fraction.

[SithLordSi]

Yeah, I kind of knew about the RGB shift thing already, but I was sure that before I started messing with it, both my DVD and broadcast images were centered. I guess I must have imagined it. Oh well, I suppose I'll just have to live with it. After all, I primarily use the TV to watch DVDs, so that should be my primary concern.

I had three main problems with the TV: overscan (both horizontal and vertical), slightly wonky vertical edges and a slight tilt up from left to right. Using the geometry calibration solved the first two problems, but I found nothing that "tilts" or rotates the image.

The geometry menu is broken down into horizontal and vertical. In the horizontal submenu, you can adjust "pincushion", upper image width, lower image width, overall image width, horizontal position and "trapezium". In the vertical submenu, you can adjust overall image height, vertical position, a setting which I can't name (it squashes a particular part of the image, keeping the rest the same, kind of like the "Smart" setting on some Sony TVs), and a bunch of settings which appeared to do nothing.

To reduce the overscan, I simply reduced the image width and height (in proportion). Don't overdo it, or you might start to see the edge of the image on some movies. To center the image, I put the TV in 4:3 mode, and zoomed in until the picture was almost touching the edges of the screen; then I tweaked the horizontal image position until the black bars either side were exactly the same width. For the vertical position, there are two ways: either watch a 2.35:1 movie and compare the upper and lower bars, or get a disc with the traditional THX logo at the beginning and use the white box around the edge of the logo as a guide.

As for the edge straightening, that's a tough one to explain. I'm constantly tweaking it. There must be a 'perfect' setting somewhere, but I've yet to find it. As it is, mine is hugely improved over how it was. You have to mess around with a combination of settings (pincushion, upper and lower image width etc.) to try and achieve a straight line on either side of the picture. Again, zoomed 4:3 mode (or 14:9 mode) can be useful for performing the tweak, as you can use the straight edges of the screen as a guide.

One tip: when saving the settings, always go into 'Wide' mode first. Otherwise it will apply the 'Wide' settings to 4:3 mode, the 4:3 settings to 14:9 mode and so on. It looks awful, and freaked me out when I first saw it. Oh, and on my TV I've found that it always adds a value of 5 to the horizontal position when you save it. So I just find the position I want, move it left 5, then save. When I turn the TV back on, it's perfect.

Happy tweaking! :)

BTW, the code for the Philips 28PW6006 is: 0 6 2 5 9 6 i+

[Jimmyboy]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by SithLordSi

I had three main problems with the TV: overscan (both horizontal and vertical), slightly wonky vertical edges and a slight tilt up from left to right. Using the geometry calibration solved the first two problems, but I found nothing that "tilts" or rotates the image.

I too had a fiddle with the service menu and couldnt find anything to alter the 'tilt'. It's extremely annoying how such an important feature could be left out. Im having difficulty coming to terms with the horizontal slant, even though it's only slight my eyes keep getting drawn to it.
Did correcting the over scan make any noticable improvement to the horizontal straightness ?.


One tip: when saving the settings, always go into 'Wide' mode first. Otherwise it will apply the 'Wide' settings to 4:3 mode, the 4:3 settings to 14:9 mode and so on. It looks awful, and freaked me out when I first saw it.

This happened on my TV before and I couldnt correct it afterwards. Everytime I changed the settings back the TV refused to save them. In the end I had to get the TV replaced and I've been too scared to go back into the service menu ever since.
I do get a slight 'bulge' on 4:3 material from time to time but most of the time the virtical lines are pretty much straight so I havent felt the need to risk correcting them.
Compared to my previous WS set, the Philips is good when it comes to over scan but I did watch T2 last night and noticed that whenever the film went into the terminators perspective (red screen with computer objectives listed like 'Targeting' etc) the first letter to the far left would be missing offscreen. Again, Im not sure if its annoying enough to make me want to dabble with the settings.
The only thing which I would mess about with would be to straighten the horizonal borders in 2.35:1. I would love a completely straight picture.
Did you experience any problems with the much talked about RGB connection btw ?.

[Peter UK]

Sorry to butt in guys but what are your opinions on the tele? You happy with it?

I'm gonna use my iPoints to get this or the Toshiba 28w23b....

:D

[Jimmyboy]

Yes PeterUK it's a bargain at the price and it was Feb homecinema magazines TV of the year (under the £500 price bracket).
One of the great things about it is the number of options in regards to moving and resizing the screen. Essential for those of us who watch alot of cheap non-anamorphic HK dvd's where the subtitles can get cropped off the bottom of the screen. ('Gil' @ the BnB forum also owns this set btw). ;)

Anyways back on topic - :)

[Peter UK]

Thanks Jimmyboy - I was worried about missing the subs on screen but it doesn't look like I needed to :D

Cheers!

[Jimmyboy]

Sithlordsi - How much overscan did you find ?.
Im considering giving it the once over in the service menu, is there a way of finding out if and how much over scan there is ?.

[Bedford]

great ive been trying to find the service menu for mine since i got it :)

anyone got a good description or guide to what everything means? the 2 and 3 letter abbreviations are somewhat vague.

[Jimmyboy]

If Sithlord revisits the thread he should be able to tell you, he seems to know more about it then me. Be very carefull though, as I mentioned previously you can screw the TV right up by messing around in the service menu.
Do you own the 28PW6006 ?, if so do you have the slanting problem too ?.

[Bedford]

i got a 28W6006 (which is probably the same) i dont have a slanting problem but i was hoping there might be a setting to adjust what the scart sockets can be used as, as only one accepts rgb and becuase i keep having to change over what goes in there (ps2,ngc,dvd ect ect) its pretty much knackered and im going to have to get it repaired but wanted to know if the second scart could be made rgb via a setting.

is there a way to reset the tv to its original settings either? theres a clear function but it seems to do nothing.

has anyone got a list of the original settings for the geometry as i forgot to write them down before i started fiddling, but its pretty much back to normal now but would like to check.

[Jimmyboy]

Originally posted by Bedford
has anyone got a list of the original settings for the geometry as i forgot to write them down before i started fiddling, but its pretty much back to normal now but would like to check.
Each set has it's own unique default settings Im afraid.
Only 1 of the scart sockets excepts RGB but you should be able to pick up a scart splitter to solve the problem.
If your set doesnt slant virtically then I might have to get onto an engineer again and see if he can correct it on my set, I kinda assumed they all did it to an extent.

[Bedford]

Do you have any ghosting problems when using the rgb socket, i get no end of interfence when i use it, its ok when something is plugged in but as soon as i power it up the ghosting comes, its been like it since i first got it, and i hope getting the socket repaired will cure it as its annoying as hell.

[Jimmyboy]

I havent noticed any ghosting problems via the RGB socket.
You could try putting the TV on the VCR channel and setting the VCR to AV as a temp solution until you get it fixed.

[Jimmyboy]

Siths disapeared by the looks of it. ;)

[Jimmyboy]

SithLordSi- If you ever get round to seeing this thread again can you tell me which settings I need to change in the sevice menu in order to reduce both height and width overscan, & which setting to move the whole picture horizontally please. :)

[Bedford]

Originally posted by Jimmyboy
SithLordSi- If you ever get round to seeing this thread again can you tell me which settings I need to change in the sevice menu in order to reduce both height and width overscan, & which setting to move the whole picture horizontally please. :)

I think the setting your after for moving the screen horizontally is under

Geometry---> Horizontal---> HSH