Keohi HDTV - Brand Specific - Panasonic - Use of Audio Authority Transcoder with Panasonic

[BRAND SPECIFIC][PANASONIC]

Panasonic and Audio Authority Transcoder

Tip from Wayne Harrelson: "The AA 9a60 & DTC 100 combo will require some resizing and convergence work when used with the Panasonic PT56WXF series (I have the -90).

Here are some tips.

Accessing the Service Menu w/ Remote:

in the setup icon, set anntenna to cable
in timer icon, set sleep to 30
exit menus & tune to ch. 124
adjust volume to -0-
press volume down on the set panel & red "CHK" appears onscreen
use tv/video button to change video inputs
use POWER button on remote to toggle menus
navigate service menu with up & down, L&R and action button
Images are tall & skinny. you must adjust the vertical size & position in the NTSC mode, as these are global.
Then set the horizontal size & position for each mode(NTSC, 525p & HDTV).

TIP: Use a dvd that has an aspect ratio of 1.85:1 (I used Starship Troopers) and make it just fit. Don't squeeze too much vertical as the AA9a60 may have some tearing on the top of the picture....this means you will have to cheat and increase horizontal size, cropping some info off the sides.
Try using ch.199 & the HBO logo to adjust...the "O" in HBO should be perfectly round (HTPC owners can use VE DVD and the ANAMORPHIC test pattern: title 20 chapter 5 I think). Now you will find your geometry is bowed & convergence is out of whack.
First do a STatic adjustment, then do a DYNamic adjustment.

Navigating the Dynamic Convergence Menu

cursor buttons- moves cursor postion up& down, L&R
#1 button-cycles thru each color gun & combos
#2 button-cycles test patterns (normal & dense)
#5 button-shows program material in background
#7 button-save data...do this often as the set sometimes shuts down in the middle of your work!
mute button: cursor data..push to adjust current position.
swap button- confirm
power-exit

TIPS:

I'm no expert and don't pretend to be, but here are some tips I've picked up.

#1 PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK!
Start with green only, make this as correct as possible. It will be your template for red & blue.
Work from the inside outwards.
Add red next, then blue.
Run a convergaence test pattern in the background. The default test patterns aren't dense enough for REALLY anal fine tuning.
Then try some real world pictures in the background, like letterbox movies and Directv menus. Watch some stuff letterboxed on the sides also.
You will have to do all 3 modes because of the vertical squeeze.
Get plenty of sleep the night before.
The human eye sucks. Use a yardstick & make some reference marks to guide you.

Color Adjustments

I had the grey scale done by an ISF tech. The test pattern was dead on but flesh tones are TOO RED. I undersatnd this is the result of a not so great color decoder (many push too much red). It could also be the result of the greyscale settings using to much red. I could be wrong. I used that wonderfully entertaining & informative young lady on ch. 199 as a reference. Adjust to your liking. Leno in HD is also a good reference. I also reduced color levels slightly.

Exit Service Menu

press pwr button until red CHK appears,
then press PWR & ACTION buttons to
exit service menu.

I fiddled for about 4 or 5 hours or so with the HDTV input. I'm no expert but I must say my picture looks damn good. Way better than out of the box. If any one has some additional tips...please share. Good luck.

Note to HTPC Users

I use a geforce card & the picture was fairly well overscanned to start with and not much adjustment left. As you can imagine, these adjustments to compensate for using the DTC-100 & AA 9a60 combo results in even more overscan. Sigh."