Re: THX Calibrator available for Savannah, GA

[Gregg Loewen]

hehe….you have to love tire kickers.
On a related note…always put your best foot forward…you never know when the investment will come back to you. Here is an example of some of that which I received in an email a couple of days ago:

Hey Gregg,

Thank you for the quick response. I almost called you back instead of emailing, but as it is a long weekend I thought this better.
Yes the last week of June works very really well, I will do as you suggest to book a spot.

I am very familiar with your name. It’s somewhat interesting how I came across it. Years ago,1984 to be exact, I purchased a Kloss Nova Beam, model 1A. After a few years I happened across a gentlemen who ‘tuned’ up these sets (I remember he started with grey scale, then went on to do a number of adjustments which took several hours). His services weren’t near what calibrators do now a days . But I vividly recall how incredible the display looked after he was done.

Years later, I purchased a Toshiba 65H80. A few years after that purchase, I recalled how incredible my Kloss looked after it was adjusted. So I did some online research and came across a number of articles regarding calibration, ISF and the like. While doing this research I kept coming across your name. The other name I often came across was Michael Chen. I believe you’re familiar with him as well? 😉 I read a number of posts, mostly customers whose TV’s you calibrated. To say they were very positive would be quite an understatement. All in all I became quite familiar with your name and services.

Fast forward about six years or so to early this week, at which time I took delivery of that sammy, I thought why not have the best possible picture? This lead to me to do a search for a calibrator in my area. Much to my surprise your name popped up. I felt like I had hit the jack pot!

I do have two questions regarding my TV and would like your opinion. I’ve been following an online forum regarding this set as well as a few other sammy DLP’s (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=971265&page=117). A number of the posts have dealt with a bowing issue some of these sets seem to have. When I received mine, I accessed the service menu and brought up a white horizontal line pattern. On this set the very bottom horizontal line, in the middle, it is 8/32″ from the bottom bezel of the set. At the both the left and right end it is 14/32″ from the bezel. So about 6/32 or really 3/16 of an inch of bow at the center of the screen.

Also, those white horizontal lines, the closer the line is to the top of the set the more red you see just below the white (very similar to convergence being off on my old set). The lines at the bottom you see only white. About 1/4 of the way up you start to see a bit of red. As mentioned above the further up you go the more red you see.

My two questions are; is bowing something that can be adjusted? Many a post at that forum say no, but so far I have not seen an expert comment on it. Not being an expert I wonder how much of a problem it really is? That is to say, how often while actually watching a program or DVD, are horizontal lines going to be displayed, and displayed long enough that one would be able to notice it? I only noticed it when I got close. But on the flip side, I also wonder with the present bowing, and if it can’t be adjusted, might that negatively affect other adjustments?

My second question; the red I see just under those white lines, same question, can that be adjusted as well?

Reason I ask these, I bought this set from crutchfield, and they have a pretty good return policy. Of course I’d rather not, but if it is necessary I have no problems returning it for a replacement set.

In closing, my apologies for the long email, thank you for your time, and I look forward to meeting you.

Mike