Rear Projection TV + Video Games = Burn-in?

[EyeOfThe]

I'm about to get a rear projection tv.... but I'm getting conflicting info about burn-in. At one store the guy said after 10 minutes, you're burnt. At another store the guy said it's hours.

I took a closer look at the video games I've got and realized that they always have your stats on the screen (health, ammo, etc) and these graphics don't move.

So can anyone comment on this? Is it ok to play video games on a RPTV? What's the burn-time?

Thanks

 

[KC5AV]

I don't know what the time is, but 10 minutes sure seems on the low side. I used to do support for Phillips-Magnavox, and they said it wasn't a good idea to play them on projection screen sets. I think they even had something in the owners manual about it. Of course it was just there for a cover your assets on their part. I really don't think there would be any problem with it. Just don't play for hours and hours on end. Pause every now and then. YMMV. (Another cover your assets disclaimer on my part).

 

[0roo0roo]

from what i remember it takes hours.

i've seen arcades with projection screens, so why not

 

[spidey07]

There is no set time it takes. Could be an hour of play or a couple of hours. There have been numerouse reports of folks having status bars burned into their TV after one week of their kids playing video games on it.

So with that said, I have a 65" TV HDTV projection. I play video games on it all the time, but I turn the contrast down and limit my play to say an hour..take a break with some TV playing on it.

 

[mpitts]

The key to preventing burn-in on an RPTV is keeping the contrast and brightness down.

You can play as long as you want without issue if you keep the contrast under 50. I have had a 57" widescreen RPTV and I play video games on it all the time. I have ZERO screen-burn.

The only thing I would recommend is if you are going to pause the game and leave it for a while, switch the input or turn the TV off.

 

[Chadder007]

Originally posted by: EyeOfThe
I'm about to get a rear projection tv.... but I'm getting conflicting info about burn-in. At one store the guy said after 10 minutes, you're burnt. At another store the guy said it's hours.

I took a closer look at the video games I've got and realized that they always have your stats on the screen (health, ammo, etc) and these graphics don't move.

So can anyone comment on this? Is it ok to play video games on a RPTV? What's the burn-time?

Thanks

Get an LCD based rear projection TV. They do not burn in like the CRT based ones do.

 

[LikeLinus]

Originally posted by: mpitts
The key to preventing burn-in on an RPTV is keeping the contrast and brightness down.

You can play as long as you want without issue if you keep the contrast under 50. I have had a 57" widescreen RPTV and I play video games on it all the time. I have ZERO screen-burn.

The only thing I would recommend is if you are going to pause the game and leave it for a while, switch the input or turn the TV off.

Yep I do the exact same thing. No problems here.

I have heard that you might be able to correct slight burn in with leaving a set on a Snow signal for about 6-8 hours. This was posted over at hometheaterspot.com Worth a try if anyone ever has burn-in.

 

[EyeOfThe]

Originally posted by: mpitts
The key to preventing burn-in on an RPTV is keeping the contrast and brightness down.

You can play as long as you want without issue if you keep the contrast under 50. I have had a 57" widescreen RPTV and I play video games on it all the time. I have ZERO screen-burn.

The only thing I would recommend is if you are going to pause the game and leave it for a while, switch the input or turn the TV off.

Contrast under 50. Now that's the kind of hard data that I was looking for. Good response.

Here is another question: How long of a "rest" is ok? If you have a static image and you switch it to something else for X amount of time....
how great does X have to be? 1 second? 1 minute? 1 hour? That is, when playing a game with on-screen static info, does the few seconds of looking at menus, load screens, etc "heal" the (potential) burn? Does only the color black "heal" the screen? Or does any change of color do the trick?

 

[DWray]

Just keep the settings (contrast/brightness) down and you will be fine. I put in well over a hundred hours on Morrowind (health/mana bars) and it didn't phase it one bit. The newer models don't have near the problems the older sets have.

I'd worry more about people that watch a lot of news channels (CNN, MSNBC, Fox, ESPN). The static logos and tickers will cause more problems than anything. Plus, who hasnb't fallen asleep watching the news? I've never fallen asleep playing video games.

 

[EyeOfThe]

Originally posted by: DWray
Just keep the settings (contrast/brightness) down and you will be fine. I put in well over a hundred hours on Morrowind (health/mana bars) and it didn't phase it one bit. The newer models don't have near the problems the older sets have.

I'd worry more about people that watch a lot of news channels (CNN, MSNBC, Fox, ESPN). The static logos and tickers will cause more problems than anything. Plus, who hasnb't fallen asleep watching the news? I've never fallen asleep playing video games.

Dood - I'm playing Morrowind too and those health bars were scaring me. I'm glad it's working for you.

I wonder if the new generation game consoles (xbox, gamecube, ps2) might be designed to prevent burn-in.... like maybe every X amount of time it gives a pixel a rest... but the rest is so fast that it's invisible to the naked eye. That would be nice.

 

[rudeguy]

one thing they are doing now is that the tv's automatically move your picture (somewhere around a milimeter at a time) to avoid that problem...i have a 53" that i play all kinds of games on and even use as a montior...i wouldnt worry too much

 

[EyeOfThe]

fyi... the TV I'm looking at is the Hitachi 65" HDTV-Monitor (heads up - Sears sale price will be 3324.99 this coming week)

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: Chadder007

Originally posted by: EyeOfThe
I'm about to get a rear projection tv.... but I'm getting conflicting info about burn-in. At one store the guy said after 10 minutes, you're burnt. At another store the guy said it's hours.

I took a closer look at the video games I've got and realized that they always have your stats on the screen (health, ammo, etc) and these graphics don't move.

So can anyone comment on this? Is it ok to play video games on a RPTV? What's the burn-time?

Thanks

Get an LCD based rear projection TV. They do not burn in like the CRT based ones do.

LCD has serious problem displaying black (it looks light gray in a dark room). If you want to eleminate burn in fears AND have a good display, go with a DLP based rear projection TV. No burn in woes, no convergence woes, no washed out image and bright enough to use in a room with windows. Best bet on the market today.

 

[EyeOfThe]

Originally posted by: Amused


LCD has serious problem displaying black (it looks light gray in a dark room). If you want to eleminate burn in fears AND have a good display, go with a DLP based rear projection TV. No burn in woes, no convergence woes, no washed out image and bright enough to use in a room with windows. Best bet on the market today.

I've heard of DLP but never seen one in a store.... who makes them?

 

[slag]

I have a 60 inch Mitsubishi, purchased in May of 2002 that I play games on Constantly, for 3-4 hours at a time, and there is absolutely no burn in at all.

They say its a possibility, but i think you would have to have it on for like 10 hours or so very bright to notice burn in.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: EyeOfThe

Originally posted by: Amused


LCD has serious problem displaying black (it looks light gray in a dark room). If you want to eleminate burn in fears AND have a good display, go with a DLP based rear projection TV. No burn in woes, no convergence woes, no washed out image and bright enough to use in a room with windows. Best bet on the market today.

I've heard of DLP but never seen one in a store.... who makes them?

Samsung is making some good units. The Best Buy website is showing the 43" and 50" units for sale. You'll probably have to check out some Home Theater stores to find the 61" unit. The 50" is going for around $3900.

BTW, have you measured your viewing space yet? These TVs look SO much bigger once you get them home, it isn't even funny.

 

[Amused]

EyeOfThe,

Do you have a Tweeter store near you in NJ? They carry the 43", 50" and 61" Samsung DLPs.

 

[Mutilator]

I saw something last week that actually said it doesn't matter if you have a static image on the screen for 100 hours non stop or 100 hours over the course of a week (with other programming inbetween) the burn in result would be exactly the same.
I had always thought that if you changed the channel for a split second so something new was displayed and then changed it back your "burn-in counter" was reset. Apparently not.
I believe my CircuitCity extended warranty covers burn in though so I don't worry about it. I rarely play my Xbox anyway.

BTW get yourself a copy of the AVIA calibration DVD. It'll help you get your contrast & brightness right... along with a lot of other settings that will make your TV look much better.

 

[EyeOfThe]

Originally posted by: Mutilator
I saw something last week that actually said it doesn't matter if you have a static image on the screen for 100 hours non stop or 100 hours over the course of a week (with other programming inbetween) the burn in result would be exactly the same.
I had always thought that if you changed the channel for a split second so something new was displayed and then changed it back your "burn-in counter" was reset. Apparently not.
I believe my CircuitCity extended warranty covers burn in though so I don't worry about it. I rarely play my Xbox anyway.

BTW get yourself a copy of the AVIA calibration DVD. It'll help you get your contrast & brightness right... along with a lot of other settings that will make your TV look much better.

Hey if you remember where you saw that 100 hours story, give us the URL.

I'll have to do that AVIA DVD thing... anyone know where to get one?

 

[Mutilator]

Originally posted by: EyeOfThe

Originally posted by: Mutilator
I saw something last week that actually said it doesn't matter if you have a static image on the screen for 100 hours non stop or 100 hours over the course of a week (with other programming inbetween) the burn in result would be exactly the same.
I had always thought that if you changed the channel for a split second so something new was displayed and then changed it back your "burn-in counter" was reset. Apparently not.
I believe my CircuitCity extended warranty covers burn in though so I don't worry about it. I rarely play my Xbox anyway.

BTW get yourself a copy of the AVIA calibration DVD. It'll help you get your contrast & brightness right... along with a lot of other settings that will make your TV look much better.

Hey if you remember where you saw that 100 hours story, give us the URL.

I'll have to do that AVIA DVD thing... anyone know where to get one?

Same place I got my copy. Onecall.com

 

[Antisocial Virge]

Originally posted by: EyeOfThe
fyi... the TV I'm looking at is the Hitachi 65" HDTV-Monitor (heads up - Sears sale price will be 3324.99 this coming week)

I have a 54" Hitachi (pic) and I wouldn't be worried by burnin. I know there was alot of people worried about the station identification icon in the lower right corner because they can stay on there for hours. When we bought ours the guy told us they had probs with some sonys so he showed us one in the store and it had HORRIBLE letterbox burn-in. Thats why Hitachi uses a grey background I guess.

EDIT:

BTW, have you measured your viewing space yet? These TVs look SO much bigger once you get them home, it isn't even funny.

The guy at the store warned us about that He said that is the major reason why they get TV's returned to them.

 

[Mani]

DLP Projection is the shiz. We have a 53" and 65" TV for evaluation at work - the image quality, convergence, uniformity, and contrast are all great. Just make sure you do your homework in buying one and make sure you are getting a good scaler and deinterlacer (progressive scan IC).

 

[AUMM]

like everyone said, as long as you have the proper settings and dont just pause the game and go off for an hour or something, you should be fine. ive been playing my xbox on my 57 inch for hrs and have no problem. my tv has a built in feature, that will automatically shift the view after a certain time, but it shifts it such a small amount that if you're watching you cant even notice, just helps prevent burn in.

 

[spidey07]

Just be careful really is the best advice. There are many, many, many people who said "I won't get burn-in, my contrast is low, I'm fine". then they post over at hometheaterspot.com or avsforum.com about how they have burned in video games on their TV.

The samsung 507 DLP set is simply jaw dropping awesome.

 

[Mutilator]

Here's a question I havn't seen asked.
Let's say you do get burn in.. what do you replace? The lenses right?