[C.Wolf]

Ive recently bought a toshiba 36ZP46P from currys. Ive noticed what I think is dirty screen syndrome. When the camera pans across light scenes it looks like there is dust on the screen. Is there anything that an engineer can do about this, or if not, is this a common problem on this model?
Thanks in advance for any help you can give me,
Clyde.

[Sgt Steiner]

Also noticing this at times on my 36ZP46 set sometimes very faint others times more noticeable (mostly when playing Dvds).
Can it be fixed to any degree via service menu or ?


Cheers

[C.Wolf]

Any advice would be greatly appreciated by both of us

[Sgt Steiner]

[Sgt Steiner]

My 'dirty screen' now seems to be getting worse each day with more areas of screen exhibiting this horror.

Looks like I am going to have to test Currys guarantee/after sales service

Hi
This can be made worse by any magnetic source nearby-speakers ect.
Do you use the main switch when turning the TV on/off or do you leave it in standby? When cold, if you switch it on using the main switch it will demagnetise the TV, the clunk you may hear is the degause coil.
Nigel

[Sgt Steiner]

Hi nig28

I have a set of Yamaha surround speakers (left, right and centre) close to the set but they are suppossed to be magnetically screened and never affected my old 28W33 Tosh ? also I dont have them on constantly (usually only for 5.1 Dvds) but I guess I should try moving them away (damn no 5.1 !!).
Cant think of any other magnetic source nearby and certainly nothing new in my setup other than the ZP46 itself and a set of JVC Component Leads from Dvd to TV ?

I do switch off the set only goes into standby occassionally for short periods and never overnight.
I do indeed hear a mild clunk when switching on but the 'dirt' is there immediately from switch on.

Thanks for your reply.

[MidnightOwl]

Hi, I've notice the same on my 36zp48p. So you are not alone. I didn't notice it the first week or so. When I did it seem to get worse and then better I've tried adjusting the contrast etc (another AV thread pointed me to some recommended settings) and this has helped a little. The only speakers that I have near the set are those that came with the set. I've yet to try the degaussing exercise, when I do I'll let you know of the results.

[Sgt Steiner]

Hi

Have tried Contrast/Brightness adjustments and whilst it helps a tad the 'dirt' is most definately still there both the irregular patches and the vertical bars I am experiencing. I find my eyes are constantly drawn to this fault now.
So ended up phoning Currys/Mastercare and an engineer is due next Wed (my next day off) to have a look and I have been assured (hmm.....) that if he cannot fix a replacement will be supplied.

Damn shame as with my new Tosh 340 Dvd player the PQ on the TV is superb in every other respect

Cheers

[Battlestar]

The dirty screen effect can be seen on a number of 100hrz televisions from many diferent makes. As far as I know it is something to do with the shadowmask of the televison and beam deflection. ( I dont know for sure) There are some who would advice that an external demagnatising from an engineer may help, but I do not think it will cure it.
My advice is to use the warranty if you have one, or if it is still very new, ask for a replacment.
However a new tv may be just as bad. I had a thosh picture frame 2, panasonic pd30, and 2 loewe televisons which suufered from this affect.

[Sgt Steiner]

Hi David

My set is only 12 days old so still under basic guarantee so replacement should not be a problem (I hope !)

Bit depressing to hear that so many sets suffer this malady

[Battlestar]

Its all down to not enough time given to the set up in the factory and lack of decent quality controll I am affaid. You may find it near impossable to get a tv with out any trace of this, although you should be able to get one that you can hardle notice the effect on it. I have a feeling that there are a great deal of tvs with this problem but because a lot of people dont notice it , it goes unsorted. The trouble is , is that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing and once you know what problems to look for you cant help but find them. Trust me ,I was at a point of real depresion trying to sort out a crt televsion that did not have any noticable defects. Even then I bought a plasma in the end

[Sgt Steiner]

Hi all

Quick update

My dirty screen issue seems to be curing itself at present in that over past 2 days it has become virtually invisible only manifesting itself on very few occassions. I used to see the 'dirty' areas as faint patches on bluescreen backgrounds but even here it is now very faint.

I wonder if the screen being so new (still less than 3 weeks) it takes a while to burn in/settle ?

Of course Engineer is due on Wed and now not much to show him ! but I bloody bet it re-appears as soon as he leaves

Cheers

[Paul Cooksley]

All I can say is "Good Luck" with Mastercare. Even if your set is under 28 days old and Mastercare diagnose a fault (I had exactly what you describe on a Panasonic from Curry's) - they are a nightmare to try and a) get your money back and b) arrange collection when they say they will come.

If the dirty screen issue returns or Mastercare diagnose a fault - definately go for the money back option (if you can get it out of them) - then go somewhere decent and buy a set with much better customer care/service.

Anway, after all the hassle I had with Mastercare/Curry's over the same issue, I really do wish you goodluck if it gets worse or returns.

Paul

[C.Wolf]

Well, ive tried unplugging my tv overnight for 3 nights and since doing this the dirty screen seems to have improved (could this be degaussing effect), now only being noticable on the odd occasion. As sgt stieners seems to have improved though I wonder if this is just burn in of the tv.
Dont forget to keep us posted on the engineer visit sgt stiener. Maybe a professional degause will virtually eliminate this problem.

[MidnightOwl]

Coincidentally my ‘dirty screen’ seems to have improved also. I’ve been switching the TV off and on from the mains and this may have helped.

Fingers crossed I hope it continues to improve.

Sgt, keep us updated.

[Sgt Steiner]

Hi all

Mastercare engineer arrived on schedule this afternoon..................
He checked the set and was able to see the dirty screen issue I reported, mind you it was tad embarrasing at first as it is now so faint I could not initially find it myself to show him ! (showed up most with Touching The Void Dvd during a few of its snow and blue sky scenes).
He stated that he had no fix for this and that it was a problem with all 36" CRTs (he said Toshiba sets were best in this regard though) as the technology is really pushing it limits with such sized screeens. He said the dirty screen is down to minor manufacuturing flaws in the Shadow Mask of the tube (hence no fix) but these flaws were within permissable limits (his words not mine).
Whilst offering a fresh set without hesisatation (in his words it was "no skin of his nose" to order one) he stated that there was no guarantee that a new set would be free of the issue (to be sure he reccomended getting a 32" version).
I asked if it was likely to get better or worse and basically he said there was no way of telling.
He did reccomend keeping the TVs Contrast at 75 or below and that a least once a week the set should be disconnected from mains for several hours (eg overnight) so that when re-connected the deguass was purer. This was advice I have read on this forum as well (and indeed have been switching off overnight so it may be factor in the improvement of this dirt for me ?)
No mention of made deguassing wand.
As I am no expert myself I had impression that he was at least truthful and genuine but no way to gauge his knowledge base.

So upshot is that I can get a new set if I wish (and issue was left that that option was still open to me if the fault got worse again or I changed my mind)but I have decided to stick with my current set in meantime as it has most definately improved to point were I no longer notice the dirt except on a very few occassions and its other PQ strengths are enough for me to keep it.
In back of my mind with these 36" sets (of whatever brand) is that getting another may produce a worse or different fault as it seems from reading forum that its a bit of pot luck regarding quality.
A 32" set would now seem a tad pokey (as they say locally ).

One can only hope the fault does not get worse again.............

Cheers

[Paul Cooksley]

If you can live with the feint trace, then I would stick with the set you have. I had the same thing with a Panasonic Set from Curry's - when the new, replacement set finally turned up it was even worse than the original one !

Yes, what the Mastercare engineer said was pretty much spot on (for a change!)

Most 32" CRT widescreen sets (and above) due suffer to varying degrees with this problem - some sets handling the situation better than others. I have a Sony set (CS70) and there are very feint traces of "dirty screen" on it, but so feint I can definately live with it and not really notice it - unlike the Panasonic sets I had!

Mind you, I have been advised that for "dirty screen" issues, deguassing won't necessarily cure this (indeed it did nothing at all for my previous Panasonic set) - Are you definately sure the problem was not caused by something magnetic like a speaker? I only ask because the dirty screen issue (so I have been told and feel free to correct me if you know different) doesn't usually get better, but just stays the same....

Anyway, glad you are now reasonably happy with things - as I say, definately stick with the set you have, otherwise, like me, you could find yourself worse off!

Paul

[C.Wolf]

Thanks sgt steiner, the leave off overnight thing was something an engineer told me years ago to cure a couple of colour patches on my screen. These did not clear with a quick turn off but cleared perfectly with an overnight turn off, hence the earlier suggestion. I think it best to live with it now for a few weeks to see if it carries on getting better, but as it is now, like you, I am inclined to keep the set for fear of getting something worse. As I said before it only seems to notice on bright scenes where the camera pans across quickly, the main culprit on mine being location,location, location on channel 4. Im sure once we stop looking for it and being concerned about it we will not even notice it.

[Sgt Steiner]

Hi CWolf

Im sure once we stop looking for it and being concerned about it we will not even notice it.
Yes I am going to start watching with my eyes closed to cut any chance of noticing anything else !

Cheers

[Sgt Steiner]

Hi Paul

Mind you, I have been advised that for "dirty screen" issues, deguassing won't necessarily cure this (indeed it did nothing at all for my previous Panasonic set) - Are you definately sure the problem was not caused by something magnetic like a speaker? I only ask because the dirty screen issue (so I have been told and feel free to correct me if you know different) doesn't usually get better, but just stays the same....

I dont know if it made any difference to my dirty screen issues all I can say is that I have done it several times now and the dirt is definately not as prominent as it once was ?
I have a set of Yamaha surround speakers whose manual assures me they are shielded and I think such a magnetic field would cause discolouration/geometary problems rather than this ?

With all this watching Dvds etc endlessly to check all this out I think my eyeballs have gone into 16:9 ratio

Cheers

[Paul Cooksley]

Sgt Steiner

Hi mate

Yes, you are quite right - magnetism usually causes discolouration on the screen (as well as geometery problems as you also point out) - the discolourisation is quite often shown as green or purple patches often in the corners of the picture. Speakers are an obvious example (my old Panasonic speaker - the centre one - was supposed to be magnetically shielded but it wasn't!).... "Dirty Screen" therefore sometimes not cured by deguassing as it's not usually caused by magnetism. I am speaking from experience here, as my old Panasonic set was deguassed for magnetism (purity) problems - the deguass did nothing at all for the dirty screen issue which was awful

[MidnightOwl]

whoops ..spoke too soon .. patches seem to be back .. especially annoying at the middle top section..... hmmmm .. is it worth getting the engineer out I wonder! Tried ruuning my finger along the glass surface ... not sure if its 100% flat .. could this be the culprit? any ideas .. anyone!

[C.Wolf]

Hi midnight owl,
I dont think that the patches ever totally disappear, they just seem to fade so they are hardly noticable. Mine are no longer noticable for most of the time, infact at times I would swear they are gone altogether, but then a program will come on which highlites them and makes them again look like a problem. However this is so rare now that when it does happen its not a problem as I know its a one off, and considering if the set was changed I could end up with much worse problems than this. These sets are apparently now discontinued, so you could end up not being able to get another one anyway, and that would be a disaster, as if youve got an otherwise good one then they are a fantastic tv. Just put a pioneer dv370 dvd player through mine on component video with progressive scan and I can safely say that apart from hi definition that this is the best picture ive ever seen.
Clyde.

[MidnightOwl]

Thanks for the advise CWolf. A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing!! I've got an old panasonic video parked undeneath the TV and this may have some effect?? Plus the Tosh SD240E DVD.

Anyway, that aside, which component leads are you using? I'm currently researching recommendations etc Prices vary from c.£8 to £70+. Recommendations of brands and prices will be most welcome.
M

[C.Wolf]

Hi M, The leads ive used at the moment are the poop they give you with the player, which I dont think are really suitable but the picture is still jaw dropping. I think the leads are supposed to be 75 ohm coaxial, like we use for connecting to a 5.1 decoder. Ive got 2 of these which came with a philips dvd recorder, and my neighbour has a third which I will try to get later to experiment with. Ideally I would like quality leads as these can make a huge difference to picture quality, but havent got that far yet.
Clyde.
P.S.
The dirty screen was very visible last night on location location location on channel 4, but after this it was barely noticable again for the rest of the evening.

[da walrus]

Just a slight digress. from the theme, but I have a 3/4 yr old Tosh. 32ZD09B and suggest that you sell on the supplied Tosh. speakers and upgrade. I did recently and added seperates, by way of misssion M3s speaker package, coupled with a sony STR LV500 AV reciever - all purchased from empire direct for £270.00.

Not class leading however, it is chalk and cheese delivering a suberb audio improvement over the all in one, and interestingly, as all sound is now channeled through the amp the picture quality on the Tosh has noticably improved. Presumably as it now only has to deliver the picture and not handle all the bells and built in TV whistles eg Dolby digital

Try it .... you will be seriouly impressed... it is a great leap forwards..even to my 50 yr old eyes and ears.

Da Walrus.

[C.Wolf]

Hi Da walrus, I have the non surround version of the tosh. You are quite right though about sound quality. The reason I purchased this version is that I already use a seperate surround system and the benefits over a "built in to the tv system" are enormous.
Clyde.

Hi been reading your posts i bought a 36zp46p from currys 3weeks ago and i have the same problem with what i now know to be dirty screen syndrome.its very noticeable when watching football as the screen is mostly green and the camera pans alot! going to switch her on and off at the mains to see what happens, if i was looking for a replacment would i need the box it came in? i don't have that anymore! anyway lets see what switching it off does!

[C.Wolf]

Hi Keith, welcome to the forum. As I said in my earlier posts, with pulling the plug for a few nights it seems to get better but it is still there at times. Football would probably be a prime suspect because as you say there is a lot of panning around on a predominantly one colour light background. I am fussy but even I can live with the degree of dirty screen that I now get and the frequency with which I get it. The picture otherwise is great though, which is why im loathed to change the tv as I could end up with something even worse.
As for the box, I would imagine this wouldnt be a problem. If it was a problem then tell them they can have the box that the new one comes in.

Clyde.