Small Glare on HDTV
 

After moving back my HDTV to my new shelf, I noticed two small, minor but nontheless noticible spots on the top left corner of the screen. The spots only show during bright, blue-ish colors (ie a sky), but I see them, and I'd like to find out how to get rid of them.

You should be able to make out the two spots on the top left screen in this photo.



One possible problem I read was that there might be a magnet or two on the screen. I took a pic of how my systems and players are currently set up...



But I don't notice anything too different about the placement of my things than how it was before. About the only thing touching the TV is the speaker wire, but I'm not sure if that's causing the problem.

Please give me all the ideas you have. This TV is probably past its warranty and it cost a bundle. Thanks.

Is it an LCD or a Plasma-based set?

This is it right here.

http://cgi.ebay.com/PANASONIC-CT-30W...em330048176176

Ok, so it's a CRT, and yes CRTs are susceptible to changes in magnetic fields. Changes and irregularities in the Earth's magnetic field can cause slight abberations in picture quality, so it might be that. If your TV has a degaussing circuit (if it makes a twanging sound whenever you turn it off and on again) then it should rectify the problem; if not immediately then over time. It could also be that you have some strong magnet near the screen, in which you'd need to move it away. The other possibility is that at some point during the move, a magnet came in close proximity with the tube for even just a few moments; that's all it takes to magnetise the metal mesh at the front of the glass screen, and the resulting magnetisation causes colours to appear distorted.

If none of those is the case, you should buy an electrical demagnetising device. It's basically just a powerful coil with alternating current. The constantly changing field created by this coil (caused by the AC oscillating back and forth) scrambles the magnetic particles in the metal mesh, neutralising the overall magnetic field they are creating. I'm not sure where you could get one though.

Yeah, it does make a sort of twanging sound (basically like turning a lamp switch on), 4 of them in fact. So you're saying the problem should fix itself over time? It's been about a day so far, I noticed it yesterday.

So the electrical demagnetising device is something you hook up to the TV? If you think that could fix the problem, I'd like to know where I can get one. Best Buy? Circuit City?

Also, for those of you who couldn't make out the glares, I circled them here. They look sort of like grayish fingerprints, and they are present in other games and TV shows (under certain bright colors).

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...IMG_0760-1.jpg

No, it's a separate thing, like a tape-head demagnetiser. An electrical specialist shop might have one, or a TV repair shop. I say it could fix itself over time because I have magnetised CRTs in the past (just messing around) and the colour distortion does slowly fade after a while. On the other hand, it could also simply be a manufacturing defect that you just didn't notice before. I have a small portable TV by Samsung and the picture is normally great, unless you display 100% white on it (say from a PC). Then I notice a large dull brownish smudge on the screen.

Hey, look at this... look dangerous but effective:
http://www.madville.com/link.php?id=123683&t=23

Heh, not likely I'll try that (I don't even know what kind of magnet that is, or how to even get one). Based on yours and Metal's ideas, what I should do is move the Home Theater receiver away from the TV (it's on the top left of the HDTV, which coincidentaly is where the smudges are), then give it a few days in which the problem should fix over time, according to you.

I'll still try to find that device you mentioned, though hopefully I won't get some odd stares if I ask around Best Buy or Brandsmart USA.

How many times have you power cycled the TV?

I've magnetised screens before too (playing around) and power cycling them a couple of times makes it go away until I can't notice them any more.

The degauss circuit (from what I have read) takes time to recharge. Therefore you can't simply turn the TV on and off several times in a few minutes, it just won't work - which is why I said it might take a few days. It should help though; or you could as you say remove the receiver away from the screen. At least you'll know pretty quickly if it is the culprit or not. You didn't mention the set top box at first, or that it was near the smudges >_<.

Power Cycling is rapidly turning the TV on and off? I did do something similar to that once, when I was experiencing a far uglier shade of purple while playing God of War. It went away pretty fast.

By the way, slightly off topic, but I've had this doohikey connected to my Receiver for a while, but I was always wondering exactly what it was for.



Anyway, the receiver is likely the culprit since it's at the top left of my TV (where the smudges are), so I set it on the floor. I'll post if there's any change.

EDIT: Nothing immediate, though I was told I had to give it a few days. Maybe the shades are a little duller, but who can tell. The only other devices on the top left of my TV are my home theater speakers, but it isn't likely that they are the culprits since they're even further away from my set then they were originally (the center speaker was placed right on top of my TV).

That looks like an antenna to me, one of those cheap loop aerials.

Funny story. As soon as I wake up (which was about 10 min ago), I suddenly remembered that my TV had an option called "Geomagnetic Correction".



I've seen this before but had no idea what to make of it, but your theory of magnetic interferences made me recall this feature. First I tried setting it all the way to the right...



And as you can see, the two blotches I mentioned are much more apparent. So I then set it all the way to the left....



And the blotches seem to disappear entirely. I fired up the same scene from FFXII, and I couldn't notice the spots at all.

So before I celebrate taking care of a problem that may or may not have taken care of itself, are there any disadvantages to having the feature set like that? Should I readjust it later to see if the TV still fixed the blotches, or just leave it that way?

I had a similar problem when I moved with my CRT HDTV. It went away with time. It seemed powering cycling helped some, but the thick distortions can take a few days to go away (a few weeks in my case).

The correction method removed the spots on the top left, but then made a less noticible-but-still-there spot appear on the top right. Hardly visible in FFXII, but pretty easy to spot in Shadow of the Colossus. So I moved it a few arrows to the right to try to balance it out, but you can still spot a bit of the spots if you focus hard enough. But I'm not concerned, since you've also confirmed that they'll disappear entirely in a few days or so.

Thinking back, the most likely culprit for these glares were the power drills the floor guys were using, since my TV was put on the hallway where they did most of the work. I just hope they're gone by the time the PS3 hits.

Ah, a well-engineered Panasonic TV. I have never seen that option but I guess they thought ahead just in case something like that happened. Hopefully they should fade (though this can't be 100% guaranteed of course). Until then I suppose all you can do is play with that option until you reach a certain level of comfort with it.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...c/IMG_0787.jpg

LOL Holy Shit, I guess it wasn't just my eyes when you sent me that thing through AIM.

How's the TV like now? Tell us in a few days time (PS3 release date lol).

Well it's launch day, and the glare hasn't disappeared. Using the Geomagnetic Correction helps to remove it, but then it causes another glare to appear on the top right. It's possible to balance out the two, but I'll still see a little bit of one or both regardless.

Can someone tell me a little more about the electrical demagnetising device, where I can find one, how much they usually go for, and if it would correct the problem instantly, or it's not a guarantee? Or should I still wait it out some more and see if the TV merely fixes itself?

That irregularity does not look like something caused by your geological position. The difference is too sharp. It more looks like a manufacturing defect. I would suggest you call Panasonic and request/demand them to repair or replace the system, especially if it is still under warrantee.

Keep in mind the purple glare in the last pic is when I turn the setting all the way up. The actual glare is more of a fingerprint-like smudge. Now if you are referring to the latter, I'm not sure if calling Panasonic can help the situation since A) I've had it for a little over a year, and B) I purchased the set at Brandsmart USA. I'll give it a shot, but I'm not sure if it'll matter at this point.

EDIT: I contacted my manufacturer, which said that my warranty covers parts but not labor. They gave me the number of a repair shop, but it'll cost $120 just for them to pick it up. The price to fix the problem is undetermined. I'm not fond of this option, so I want to look into the demagnetising device if it's a cheaper alternative.

This is what alot of us electronics repair guys use to degauss picture tubes. He even made a lengthy explaination on it, that saved me a lot of typing.

Yikes 120 dollars just to pick it up? ;_;
If you'd rather not degauss the screen yourself, I'm pretty sure it'll be cheaper to take it to a local repair shop. For a job like that I might even do it for free provided you drag down the tv yourself.

Wait, is that the device Ulysses mentioned? Is it difficult for me to use it myself, or will the instructions make it simple? I'll definetely purchase it if it can fix my TV.

The other alternative is to find an LCD set that's about the same size as my old one (but with 720p as a bonus), but at a price mostly accomodated by how much I can get off the TV (about $500. I'm willing to go as high as $800).

The properties of the device is the same as the one Ulysses provided. But much less dangerous, in my opinion.

Well, if you read his instructions (its in the item description) its a simple process of basically waving the ring in a circular motion around all corners of the tv; just remember to pull the ring away slowly afterwards.
I think its simple enough for anyone to do. Also you have the benefit of not pointing a power drill in front of your tv ;).

I definetely want to give it a try. The set is still plenty good aside from those spots. However, Spatula told me that I could probably buy something like that for a slightly cheaper price at Wal-Mart. Think any stores sell this item? If not I'll buy it right away on Ebay.

Hmm I haven't seen any at wally world myself. But now that I think of it you might find something very similar at radioshack.

Otherwise, yes just get the one on ebay.

(...oh god I just noticed his shipping price is not cheap.)

I'll check in both Wal-Mart and Radioshack tommorow then. If I'm out of luck I'll buy it on Ebay. The shipping is pricey but I'll still save a ton of money and a ton of headahce (I just can't stop staring knowing it's there).

Or if you see the item for cheaper on Ebay, do please tell me. But thanks a lot either way, this could be the solution I need.