FAQs: FREQUENTLY ASKED TECHNICAL QUESTIONS
Q: I would like to program my universal cable remote so I can have the
capability of using it instead of the remote that comes with the Maxent
Display.
A: The remote control numeric codes you are requesting are not available through our company.
The manufacturer of the universal remote assigns the code you are looking for.
When a cable company (i.e. Comcast) or satellite provider (i.e. DISH Network) orders their
decoder box and universal remote control from a manufacturer (i.e. Scientific Atlanta, Motorola,
etc.); the decoder box manufacturer provides a list of all the possible remote controls this
universal can duplicate. From that list, the cable or satellite company selects which
manufacturer’s products to include on their new universal remote. If they choose not to include
our company on the universal remote, the universal remote will not work with our product.
Possible solutions:
Some universal remote controls have a “Code Search” function. The universal remote will search
through other manufacturers’ codes until it locates a code that will work. There may be other
manufacturers’ codes that will work with our product. This may work but is not a guaranteed
solution.
You may also want to try a “learning” remote from another manufacturer. This type of remote
control can record the information coming directly out of the Maxent remote control. The
“learning remote” then duplicates that information and acts like the Maxent remote control. This
type of remote can also record the signal coming from your other remotes, in which case you can
use this “learning remote” for your entire audio video system. Earning remotes are available from
most electronic boutiques (i.e. Best Buy, Circuit City, and Radio Shack).
Q: I would like the versatility of using another manufacturer’s wall
mount. How can I mount the LCD using another company’s wall
mount?
A: The Maxent LCDs are capable of being wall mounted using a VESA compliant wall
mount. The point of attachment to the LCD is near the top center (near the silver model
information sticker). The compliancy is via a 4in. x 4in. (100mm x 100mm) mounting
point on the rear of the unit. While we do not offer this type of wall mount, there are
various resellers that do offer this type. Sorry, we currently do not maintain a database of
these resellers.
Q: I have an MX-42X1, but the only speakers available from your web
site are for the MX-42VM10. Will these speakers work on my MX-
42X1?
A: The side-mount speakers available from our web site are specifically designed for the Maxent
MX-42VM10 (speaker model MXA-42SK20). They have black speaker grilles and match the
black cabinet of the MX-42VM10.
Both the MX-42V1 and the MX-42X1 are silver faced. The speakers will not match.
Q: How do I clean the screen on my Maxent LCD or Plasma?
A: Use a soft cloth for cleaning. Do not use any harsh chemicals on the screen. You may use a
diluted, mild dish washing detergent applied to a soft cloth if you need additional cleaning ability.
Do not spray the cleaner directly on the screen.
Q: Will more expensive cables improve the video quality?
A: Monster Cables are low-loss, high-quality cables. Generally, they can improve signal quality
over using standard audio/video cables. If the distance from your source to the display were more
than 6 feet, I would recommend using high-quality cables. If the distance is less than 6 feet, the
difference is not as obvious, but you should still see/hear an improvement over standard cabling.
For additional information on the differences between standard and low-loss cabling you can visit
their web site: www.monstercable.com
.
Q: Do you have drivers for my PC?
A: Our monitors are supported by plug-n-play O/S (Win9X, Win2000, and WinXP). There is no
need for a monitor driver. The O/S will use the windows default driver.
Q: How can I view 2 channels at the same time using Picture-in-Picture
or split screen?
A: Picture in Picture modes require at least 2 distinct video inputs to function properly. These
inputs can be TV, AV1, AV2, Component 1 or Component 2 (RGB depending on the
combination).
To view 2 channels at one time you require 2 tuner inputs. These can be in the form of a cable
box, satellite box, VCR, air antenna, etc.
Example:
First input: cable from cable company connected to TV input on the back of the display.
Second input: Air antenna connected through the “antenna in” on a VCR. Connect the VCR to
AV1 input on the display.
Choose “TV” as your main picture using the INPUT select key on the remote control. Activate
the Picture-in-Picture mode by pressing PIP on the remote control. Using the SOURCE button
on the remote, toggle through the inputs until you arrive on AV1 as your sub-picture on the
display. Your first channel is being selected and displayed using the internal tuner on the display
(use the remote control for the display to select this channel). Your second channel is being
selected by your VCR and displayed through the AV1 input (you would use the remote provided
with your VCR to select this channel).
This example is just one possibility. Please refer to the user manual for additional combinations.
Q: I can see the picture, but I cannot get any sound?
A: Some things you may want to check on the Maxent 27” LCD.
If you are using the Composite (Referred to as AV1 or AV2) input you must connect the Red and
White audio connections on the right next to the Video input. You would have a total of 3
connections running from your source (DVD, VCR, etc.) to the back of the monitor (Yellow for
Video, Red for Right Audio, and White for Left Audio). Please refer to pages 14 and 15 of the
user manual for additional detail.
If you are using the S-video (Also referred to as AV1 or AV2) input you must connect the Red
and White audio connections on the right next to the S-Video input. The S-video input is a single
black multi-pin connection. You would have a total of 3 connections running from your source
(DVD, VCR, etc.) to the back of the monitor (Black for Video, Red for Right Audio, White for
Left Audio). Please refer to pages 14 and 15 of the user manual for additional detail.
If you are using Component Video input (Component 1 or Component 2) you must connect the
Red and White audio connections on the right in line with the Component Video inputs. You will
have a total of 5 connections running from your source (DVD, HDTV Receiver, etc.) to the back
of the monitor (Red, Green, and Blue for Video, and Red for right audio and White for left audio
(The Red and white for audio will be next to each other)). Please refer to page 15 of the user
manual for additional detail.
The Audio Out on the far right of the Input box is used only to send the audio from the selected
source to an external device (Amplifier, etc.). This level can be fixed or variable depending on the
menu setting (see page 48 in the user manual to set). Please select “Fixed” if you are connecting
to an external source with
a volume/level control, or select variable if the source does not have a
volume/level control.
…Using the Remote Control for the MX-27X1, select the following:
Press MENU
Select SOUND
Verify the Speakers are set to ON
…You may also want to verify that the source you are using has the audio enabled properly. You
can sometimes verify this by connecting the audio from your device to another monitor or audio
system.
Q: Will your displays support another broadcast system such as PAL or
SECAM?
A: All Maxent products released in North America are designed to work with the NTSC
broadcast system. The inputs are designed to accept only NTSC. If you want to use this product
outside of North America please keep the following in mind:
1. Since the monitor will only accept NTSC you will need to have a converter box. This
converter box must translate the output signal (regardless of the input (PAL, SECAM, etc.)) into
NTSC.
2. Our products are warranted within the United States only. Use outside the United States
constitutes use outside the normal operating parameters and may not be covered by warranty.
Q: There are faint lines when I am watching a program. What causes
this?
A: The rolling lines you are seeing are probably noise bars. Digital display monitors are more
sensitive to extraneous frequencies that normal TVs.
Noise bars are usually generated by an external device and are received and displayed by the
monitor. These devices are electronic in nature and can be anything from custom lighting to other
electronic components. You may want to try unplugging electronic devices in the same area as
the monitor to isolate which external device is causing the problem.
If you are getting these noise bars when using a cable box (or a standard VHF/UHF antenna) to
view TV or just using the supplied coax cable line from your cable provider, verify there are no
breaks in cable and that the coax is properly grounded. You may want to contact your cable
company to have them verify this if you are unable to do so.
The outer shell of a coax cable shields the TV signal from outside frequencies and noise. If the
shield is not properly grounded, the shield will not isolate the TV signal and you will receive
extraneous noise on the display. Also, if you are using any splitters in the coax line, verify they
are also properly grounded and of good quality.
Q: What are the different display modes and why are they not available
all the time?
A: The following modes are available via the WIDE key on the remote control:
4:3 Normal = The original image is preserved but black bars are used to fill the extra space on the
left and right.
16:9 Full = The original 4:3 is proportionally stretched to fill the entire screen.
Panorama = The original 4:3 image is stretched only on the left and right sides to fill the screen,
leaving the center image unchanged.
There are also 3 zoom modes available for use when viewing wide-screen content:
ZOOM 1 = Shifts the image up to facilitate the viewing of subtitles.
ZOOM 2 = Made to stretch 2.35:1 content to full screen eliminating the black bars.
ZOOM 3 = Further zooms in on 2.35:1 content.
The above modes are available when viewing programming through the TV input, AV or S-video
inputs, or component input of 480i. When viewing HD content (480p, 720p or 1080i) through the
component, only the 4:3 and 16:9 modes are available.
Q: I hear a buzzing sound coming from the back of my plasma, is that
normal?
A: All electronic devices emit an electronic noise. Depending on the amount of electrical current
running through the device there can be an increase in the amount of noise emitted.
There are 2 PC boards on the right and left in the back of the Plasma TV. These 2 boards connect
to the plasma display panel and are responsible for providing the electricity to light the individual
cells on the plasma. Each of these boards is connected directly to the main power supply of the
unit. When there is a bright scene, these boards have a great deal of electricity flowing through
them. Under this circumstance, you may detect a small amount of electronic noise. This is
because the power supply is working harder delivering the amount of power necessary to these
boards. The electronic noise you are hearing is actually coming from the power supply. When the
scene displayed is dark, there will not as much.
If the screen is next to the wall, some of that noise will be reflected out into the listening area. It
the environment the plasma is in an “echo-rich” environment, this may also cause the electronic
sound to be more apparent.
Each of these screens has been tested and is within the sound levels listed by the manufacturer
(under 40db). This value is the same for nearly all plasma manufacturers.
This type of electronic sound is completely normal and is not serviceable.
Q: Now that I have a High Definition TV how do I view HD content?
A: To be able to view HDTV broadcasts on your Maxent display you will need to verify the
following.
A. You will need to have an HDTV decoder box. Depending on your location this device may be
provided by your local cable or satellite company. The company you are subscribing to may
require an additional subscription for this device.
B. The HDTV decoder box will need to be connected through the component connection on the
back of the Maxent display. This input is sometimes labeled as YPbPr as well. If the cable box is
connected through Coax, AV1 (single yellow RCA connector) or S-Video; the image displayed is
not HDTV.
NOTE: Not all channels are broadcast is HDTV. If the channel you are watching is not
broadcast in HDTV, some HDTV boxes may simulate HDTV by up-converting the signal. Please
check with your local cable or satellite provider to determine which channels are HDTV and
which channels are not.
Q: Why is there is a humming sound coming from the back of the LCD?
A: The 27X2 requires an internal cooling fan to keep from overheating. The sound that emanates
from the fan should be no noisier than the sound coming from your desktop PC power supply
when operating normally. If it is louder than that, there may be a defective fan or fan mounting.
Q: My user manual states that the Maxent LCD is an EDTV. The
Specifications state that it is an HDTV compatible Display. Which is
correct?
A: There is a mistake in the user manual for the MX-27X2 on page 69. The paragraph states:
"This monitor is qualified as an EDTV monitor. This means that the monitor can display up to
480 lines using progressive scan format; therefore resolutions higher than 480 lines must be
down-converted in order to be displayed. This EDTV monitor includes advanced digital process
circuitry where the down-conversion process is done automatically while maximizing picture
quality.”
This paragraph was placed in the manual by mistake. Please disregard this paragraph. The MX-
27X2 is qualified as an HDTV. This means that monitor can display most high-definition formats
without down-conversion (Some high-definition formats above 1280 x 720p will require down-
conversion).
Q: How do I remove the table stand from my LCD/Plasma?
A: To remove the desktop stand, please do the following:
1. Place the LCD/Plasma face down on a soft flat surface allowing the table-stand to protrude
over the edge of the surface.
2. Looking at the lower back of the monitor you will note a silver bar across the bottom of the
monitor. The color of this bar will be the same as the table stand.
3. At either end of this bar, you will note that there are 2 indented screws on the back of the
monitor.
4. Remove the 4 indented screws (2 on each side) from the back of the monitor.
5. Once the above screws are removed, the entire stand assembly slides out from the
LCD/Plasma.
Q: High definition looks great, my normal cable looks grainy. Why do
they look so different?
A: The LCD monitor is a High definition compatible monitor. This means that it is capable of
displaying approximately 1000 lines of resolution. Since this is a digital TV it can only display
this amount. High-definition signals are approximately 1000 lines of information. This high
definition signal is input to the monitor and is displayed on the screen with very little processing
done by the conversion software in the monitor. This allows for a very vibrant image when you
are displaying a true HDTV signal.
When you are using a standard definition signal of less than 250 lines the monitor has to
reprocess this signal to make it fit on the high definition screen. This is called “up conversion”
and, depending on the quality of the input signal, can cause the image to look extremely grainy
and sometimes can exhibit a decrease in color and sharpness.
If you are connected from a cable box into the TV in, composite or AV1, or S-video on the
monitor you are providing a standard-definition signal.
If you are connected through a component input from a cable box you are probably viewing a
high definition signal.
Note: Just because you are viewing a “high definition” signal from a cable box the signal may not
be true high-definition. Since there are very few HDTV channels being broadcast, when the cable
box receives a standard definition channel it will attempt to up-convert the image (the same
process the TV will do when it receives a standard definition signal). You can also encounter the
same image problems when viewing an up-converted signal in this manner.
/