Initial TV settings and Screen Burn

This is probably the best tip you can ever get with regard to avoiding the dreaded screen burn. By default most sets are packed in the box with unsuitable default settings. I have yet to purchase an LCD or a Plasma TV where the contrast, brightness and colour were not set to 100%. This is stupid if you consider who should know the most about this relatively new technology. Of course I am referring to the manufacturers.

Unless the set is going in an extremely bright room you should easily be able to lower the contrast, brightness and colour down to 70% with almost no loss off clarity. I find 60% is almost always achievable and often as low as 50%.

Doing this will increase immensely the amount of time a still image takes to cause any screen burn. I don't want to give a specific time because it must vary from TV to TV and say plasma to LCD but I sometimes use a cheap Samsung with a completely static control panel for around 2 hours and have no problems at all.

The other big benefit with turning down the settings is that it will prolong the life of the phosphors and therefore the TV itself. Now we begin to see why the default settings are at 100%. Damn I'm so cynical!

Also many TVs have a 'Power Saving' setting. This usually works by decreasing the power output overall and hence preserve the life of those precious phosphors still further. Laviva Online Store

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