I'm dizzy from searching, so I'm hoping someone might have a suggestion...

We recently got a new TV and sold our old Sony Wega 27" KV-27FV16 to my best friend and his wife. It has worked flawlessly since we bought it back 2001.

My buddy got it home and all hooked up as follows:
DVD - Component Video
CATV box - RF

Component video looks fine. RF has "ghosting", but it sounds like it might be chroma delay, as he said that yellow is bleeding or streaking.

He tried composite for CATV next, and it was slightly better. He switched the CATV box (now on component) and DVD (now on composite) and the composite video still exhibited the aforementioned problems.

I had him try using the component cables for the composite connection, trying to eliminate the cables, and that supposedly didn't help at all.

He bought a S-Video cable, and apparently the "bleeding" is gone, but the "ghosting" is there, though minimized. That really makes me think he's seeing chroma delay.

I'd like to think it's still a cable issue, but I'm not so convinced anymore. Unfortunately, they live about an hour away, so I can't troubleshooting it myself easily. The only other theories I can come up with are:

A. Dirty power
B. Damaged during transport or he powered it on too soon after bringing it indoors. He transported it in an SUV, so I can't imagine it got that cold.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
Glenn

Edge enhancement circuitry can cause ghosting. Sony usually calls it velocity modulation or VM. Have your friend turn off any edge enhancement in the user menu.

I agree, I find that VM (Velocity Modulation) is best turned off. Also, the set may be in Vivid mode and simply turned up too high (Picture/Brightness). Try Standard or Movie.

I had him check VM and it was turned off. It always was when I had it. I'm not sure what mode he has it on. Hopefully not Vivid.

Apparently he may have spoke too soon concerning S-Video. He has only tried it with the cable box, and the slight ghosting (again, as he described it) may only be on NBC when using S-Video. He said that DVD over composite is gorgeous, so I can't imagine there's anything wrong with the tube.

I still don't understand what could be going on with the composite input. And I really don't know why the RF input would be horrible (i.e. the worst). He hasn't tried the front inputs yet, and I'm curious what that will yield. My intention is to bring one of my own DVD players over there and some of my cables and see what's what. Maybe even try ferrite cores.

It sounds like they intend to keep the TV, but I hate to leave them with a damaged TV, even if it was perfect when we had it. I don't think it's straining our relationship, but it's nonetheless frustrating and disappointing. Shoulda insisted on transporting it in the box. :(

Thanks for the suggestions!

If ghosting is only NBC, could be there is "ingress"- If local NBC is on the air at the same channel as the cable system, you can get ghost (bar on left or right). I get this sometimes, worse when cable system or house wiring was in poor shape. If there is "push on" connector wires for RF, replace with "screw on"(common if VCR or DVD recorder connected).