Help with my first LCD - How bright should the backlight be?

[weiland555]

Hey all - I have a Samsung LN52A650 on the way and would like some help with my picture seetings given that this is my first LCD.

Specifically I was wondering how bright to make the "backlight". How should this setting with my "contrast" and "brightness". I had all this just the way I love it on my DLP, but the addition of the "backlight" setting has confused me. Thanks in advance for any help.

[kaitoe]

I personally don't have that TV, but I'm sure that Cnet.com has okay settings for the TV.
http://help.cnet.com/LN52A650/9602-1...94&kw=LN52A650

[weiland555]

Originally Posted by kaitoe

I personally don't have that TV, but I'm sure that Cnet.com has okay settings for the TV.
http://help.cnet.com/LN52A650/9602-1...94&kw=LN52A650

Thanks a lot. I had seen that. "3" just seemed kinda low.

[Deciazulado]

If the backlight control is a true backlight control it's just a dimmer of the backlight, meaning it just darkens or brightens the overall picture (like a lamp dimmer) So I would adjust everything proper (white levels/contrast and black levels/brightness) (these patterns can be used with the PS3. By the book, make the white level the brightest without losing the 99, make the black levels dark enough that the 4 is 1200 times darker than the black background :P) with the blacklight very bright; and then afterwards dim it under your normal viewing coditions if nescesary, if the image is too bright or black bars look grey, etc.

If you had a lightmeter the max white level (100) on a theater is about 10-14 footLamberts or for SMPTE calibrated CRTs it was 30-35 footLamberts but with LCDs and DLP projectors people now set them up brighter..

[weiland555]

Originally Posted by Deciazulado

If the backlight control is a true backlight control it's just a dimmer of the backlight, meaning it just darkens or brightens the overall picture (like a lamp dimmer) So I would adjust everything proper (white levels/contrast and black levels/brightness) (these patterns can be used with the PS3. By the book, make the white level the brightest without losing the 99, make the black levels dark enough that the 4 is 1200 times darker than the black background :P) with the blacklight very bright; and then afterwards dim it under your normal viewing coditions if nescesary, if the image is too bright or black bars look grey, etc.

If you had a lightmeter the max white level (100) on a theater is about 10-14 footLamberts or for SMPTE calibrated CRTs it was 30-35 footLamberts but with LCDs and DLP projectors people now set them up brighter..

Thanks so much for the tips and links. Also, should I be at all concerned about lowering the life of the bulb if I run it at a high setting?

[Deciazulado]

Higher outputs tend to dim bulbs faster, so some people start with a dimmer setting and as years go by increase the dimmer (You would have to check the half-life spec of the light - the time in (usually thousands) of hours it takes to go down to half the light output (that's a 1 f-stop in a camera)

I would think that unless you watch in a room with open windows during the day, you might be able to dim the backight for pleasant viewing in a home setting. That's another use for a dimmer too, if your room has windows and daylight comes in, during the day you can increase the backlight and at night bring it back down.

One minor side effect of watching dimmer images (like in theaters) is that the eye perceives the motion of grain a little less too

In any case, the backlight should be adjusted to your surrounding viewing conditions.

[Toptube]

run the backlight at whatever setting looks good to you and is comfortable for your eyes.

I typically run my Panasonic at just "7" with my PS3 because much brighter than that and its like looking at a small sun. My PC has a brighter output than my PS3 so I run it at -5 for PC use.

[JasonR]

The lower the backlight, the better black levels you're going to get. I usually say turn it down as low as you can get while still allowing the picture to be watchable. Mine goes from 1-10, it is set at 5.

[weiland555]

Thanks everyone for the tips. The people on this board are always very helpful.

[Toptube]

Originally Posted by JasonR

The lower the backlight, the better black levels you're going to get. I usually say turn it down as low as you can get while still allowing the picture to be watchable. Mine goes from 1-10, it is set at 5.

My backlight has no effect on black levels. Istead, it determines overall intensity of the picture as a whole. If it gets too low, colors start going out of true and you lose a lot of depth and detail. Everything starts to sort of greay over. The black level on the Panasonic is determined by the black level setting itself (light or dark) and the brightness setting. The picture (contrast) setting probably also factors into it as well.

[ixlegitballinxl]

www.tweakmytv.com ?

[Deciazulado]

Originally Posted by Toptube

My backlight has no effect on black levels. Istead, it determines overall intensity of the picture as a whole. If it gets too low, colors start going out of true and you lose a lot of depth and detail. Everything starts to sort of greay over. The black level on the Panasonic is determined by the black level setting itself (light or dark) and the brightness setting. The picture (contrast) setting probably also factors into it as well.

That's all true, but if the backlight is very strong compared to the surroundings it may make the dark tones of the image be perceived as milky dark greys in contrast to the illumination in the room, (hypotetical example: the dark tones through the backlight are at 10 footLamberts while a white sheet of paper in the room is reflecting 50 footLamberts and black objects in the room are at 1 footamberts. The shadows or dark scenes in the image might look like dark grey to the observer) so dimming the backlight to make the shadows on the image be as dark or darker than black objects in the room might be perceived as "better blacks", even thought they are still the same blacks in the panel.

[mustang-gt-2002]

hi I have the LN46A650 haven't changed anything yet. well changed the 120Hz to high. thats it. going from a 47" 1080p westinghouse (one of the first 1080p LCD out). it's like going from night to day or like going from standard to HD all over again. I LOVE IT. try a DVD in a 1080p DVD player "WOW" jurassic park looks great.