Ask the Editors: Why don't you use the service menu to calibrate TVs you review?
LG's user menu is more-detailed than the service menus of most TVs.
(Credit: Sarah Tew/LG)Q: As an AVS forum member, I have to tell you we really look forward to your reviews. They are often cited when discussing the various brands and models. I am writing to you however to make a suggestion on how to make your reviews even more effective for the videophiles and those thoroughly researching new TVs. I understand you at one time included service menu calibrations, but now you do not. There are those of us who would like you to access the service menu during reviews, enabling you (and us) to gauge what the real potential of what the TV being reviewed is capable of. Why don't you?
--Dean from Oregon
A: Thanks for writing Dean. I appreciate the suggestion, I understand your reasoning, and I agree that calibrating the service menu is often, depending on the model and its available user-menu controls, the only way to fully realize the potential of the TV.
For the uninitiated, the service menu contained on most TVs is typically only accessible by inputting a string of specific button-presses that aren't described in the manual. It usually contains advanced settings that control all aspects of the TV, from color points to grayscale controls to noise filter thresholds to bulb life countdowns. Some of these controls can be tweaked to improve the picture beyond the controls available in the TV's user menu. But for people unfamiliar with service menus, they can be a minefield of potential screw-ups, and in some cases an incorrect adjustment can completely disable a TV. Moreover, most service menus lack a "reset" button to take everything back to the default values.
A couple of years ago, I decided to stop using the service menu for calibrations of TVs I review. I did so for what I consider a few very good reasons.
First, since I publish picture settings with every TV review, I would have to post service menu settings as well. I'm not willing to do that because I think most CNET readers (and 99.9% of humanity as a whole) would be confused by service menu settings, and asking them to access a "secret" menu that has the potential to really mess up their TVs is asking for trouble. That trouble could come from both confused users and irate manufacturers who, understandably, want to restrict service menu access--if only to reduce the inevitable flood of calls to customer service. I consider publishing picture settings an integral part of my TV reviews, because it allows readers to get as close as possible to the picture I'm seeing in my lab. I wouldn't compromise that ideal by not publishing service menu settings, too.
Second, accessing the service menu is something the vast majority of owners would never do, or even think to do. A review of a TV performed without service menu adjustments more correctly reflects how that vast majority of viewers will actually experience the TV in everyday use, after a reasonable number of adjustments to user-accessible controls.
In addition, concentrating on the user menu gives TV makers credit for instituting better settings, and encourages them to make improvements. LG is a very good example. I've lauded the company for including numerous picture settings, and indeed its 2009 Expert user menu, seen on the LH30 series for example, is better than what's available on any service menu I've seen. Samsung, Sony, and recently Sharp and even Panasonic offer white balance gain and often cut/offset controls for grayscale adjustment. TV makers pay attention to CNET reviews, too, and I have been told by more than one engineer that what I write figures into their designs.
Finally, ignoring the service menu saves me time. I'm basically the only one who reviews TVs for CNET. Adding a service menu calibration would increase the amount of time spent for a review quite a bit, not least because I'd feel obligated to review the TV in both user-menu and service-menu calibrations, to accommodate users who don't want to risk accessing that menu. In a perfect world I'd have enough time to do this, as well as institute other, more in-depth evaluations that I'm sure would please enthusiasts. But I just don't have the time.
PS: I'm originally from Medford. Oregon in the house!
David Katzmaier reviews HDTVs for CNET. 
I think that simply accessing the service menu and mentioning what settings are possible to adjust would cover Dean's request. Unless you were paraphrasing, I don't see anywhere in Dean's email that asks you calibrate the set using the service menu, but simply access it so that people who care and are willing to take the risk could know what the possibilities are. This is even more important for the service menu because, as you mentioned, it is not included on any easily accessible documentation. I would say that you don't even have to include directions for accessing the service menu as that could potentially make you liable for a layman permanently messing up his/her TV.
Anyway, just a thought and I totally agree with/understand your reasoning for not factoring service menu calibration into your review and it should stay that way. I think the power users are just asking for the information so they know the real extent to which a set is tweak-able.
Is there a source of Key combinations for the various mfrs?
I happen to own a Westinghouse and a Vizio.
I called Westinghouse about a default speaker setting(internal) that I wished to change to Both.
They offered me A svc call (billed of course) to change it!
Ridiculous!
Thanks for what you do. I am an electronics salesman, when customers ask question about tvs, I always refer to your review for a general idea of what to tell the customers to expect. Reviewing televisions is not an exact science! It is totally subjective! But your review levels the field for every viewer and gives a good starting point of evaluation. The average person does not have the money to afford a professional calibration nor do they half the time know that such a calibration exist. I know that its because we value and respect your opinion, that we put such high expectations on you, but realistically you do enough. Someone else will have to step up to the plate and give a review of tvs accessing the service menu.
I think CNet's job should be exactly what it is doing right now, i.e. more average consumer oriented reviews that can also be helpful for people who know a bit more than the average consumer. Like he said, the vast majority of consumers don't even know about the service menu. So there is a need for reviews targeted for them.
Others should probably wait for Home Theater Mag's review to get an more in depth review with charts and numbers and using service menu calibration as HTM is a bit more targeted towards aficionados.
- by larrfry July 8, 2009 9:12 AM PDT
- I applaud Mr. Katz's decision not to publish service menu settings. There is a common misconception among hobbyists that these settings can be transferred from one TV to the another. That belief is contradicted by every professional calibrator who all state that these settings are unique to each sample of a given model and can not be transferred. Nothing would be gained by sharing service menu settings except to imply erroneously that these settings can be shared.
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(6 Comments)I also believe Mr. Katz is right in that his reviews force manufacturers to further improve their user menus.
However where CNET falls short, is in testing manufacturer supplied samples. I don't think there is much doubt that these sets have already been tweaked, via the service menu, by the manufacturer who is only too aware of what a positive review on CNET means to sales!
CNET needs to test TVs which are sourced from independent retail outlets. Fortunately there are many that surround its test facility. If CNET wants to encourage a higher build quality from manufacturers than it needs to test random samples not the tuned samples it currently receives from manufacturers!