I have KD30XS-955. When I connect my pc to hdmi port the video is overscanned which I understand, but the quality especially on the edges of the screen is bad. The lines are rounded and not straight. Is it normal? It looks like the tv is not calibrated correctly. I got the service manual for it but not sure what to do with all those settings. Can I reset everything to defaults? Will it do any damage? Does any one know any place where I could get a service where somebody would come to my house and calibrate that tv correcty?
Regarding reseting manual says:
4-1.5. RESETTING THE DATA
CAUTION: Be careful when using the remote! It will clear and re-
initialize ALL NVM data including deflection adjustment data if not
reset properly as follows:

4-1.6. RESETTING THE MID NVM DATA
1. Enter into Service Mode.
2. Press 7 then JUMP , and then press ENTER on the remote.

4-1.7. RESETTING THE SYSTEM NVM DATA
(This resets DEFL adjust and video white balance.)
2. Press 7 then 9 , and then press ENTER on the remote.


thx

WARNING!!! DO NOT ATTEMPT ANY OF THE SERVICE MENU RESETS. YOU WILL REGRET IT.

Sorry for shouting, but I wanted to get your attention, fast.

I have KD30XS-955. When I connect my pc to hdmi port the video is overscanned which I understand, but the quality especially on the edges of the screen is bad. The lines are rounded and not straight. Is it normal? It looks like the tv is not calibrated correctly.

I think its normal. My 34XS955 is ISF calibrated, and is like that. Many people here post about these CRT imperfections.

ok i wont,
So u guys think there is not way to tweak it so the lines are perfect like in LCD.
I personally prefer the quality of CRT tvs compared to LCD (especially motion), but I noticed that integrating those HDs with the computer is much harder due to the overscan issues. I looks like the overscan is needed not because there is some extra data, but because the edges of the crt hd are not as sharp.
What do you think?

i see there is a lot of different calibration dvds, which one do you recommend?

Avhed, you said that your tv is IVS calibrated,
did the tech use the service menu to perform the calibration?
Did he have to remove the case of the tv to do adjustments inside the tv?

thx

i see there is a lot of different calibration dvds, which one do you recommend?Joe Kane's DVE products (http://www.jkpi.net/index.php) are generally well regarded with SD and HD discs available.

Ovation products (http://www.ovationmultimedia.com/) are also well regarded.

I have used both JKP DVE NTSC and Ovation Avia with great results.

Many DVDs have the THX Optimizer built in, which can get you moving in the right direction.

thx,

According to the service manual there are below categories in the menu:

version
3d-comb
2103-1
2103-2
2170P-1
2170P-2
2170P-3
2170P-4
CXA2171
AUDIO
SNNR
CCD
3dnr
DRCV
OP
2170D-1
2170D-2
2170D-3
2170D-4
2170D-5
D-CONV(CXA8070)
LANDING
MID1
MID2
MID3
MID5
CXA3506R
ID

Does anyone knows the best approach in what order should the tv be tweaked? I mostly want to tweak the deflection of the screen?

it looks like that:
2170D-1
2170D-2

are good points to start,not sure about D-CONV and LANDING and CXA3506R.
Also all MID have fixed values according to the manual so I guess i should not touch them. Did anyone went through this crazy process?
I already tried to tweak some settings and I got much better geometry, but I did it in order. Maybe there is a specific order I should follow?
I will be using Nokia geometry test pattern coming into my HDMI input from the PC.

thx

FYI

For the pattern generators I found this excellent software:
http://www.spectracal.com/

thx

....Does anyone knows the best approach in what order should the tv be tweaked? I mostly want to tweak the deflection of the screen?

it looks like that:
2170D-1
2170D-2

are good points to start,not sure about D-CONV and LANDING and CXA3506R.
Also all MID have fixed values according to the manual so I guess i should not touch them. Did anyone went through this crazy process?
I already tried to tweak some settings and I got much better geometry, but I did it in order. Maybe there is a specific order I should follow?
I will be using Nokia geometry test pattern coming into my HDMI input from the PC.

thxYes, geometry can be adjusted using 2170D-1/2170D-2. The service manual has a good progression of adjustments in the section titled Picture Distortion Adjustments. A crosshatch pattern is required.

D-CONV parameters can be used for horizontal convergence of vertical lines per the section titled Dynamic Convergence Adjustments. The crosshatch again. Vertical convergence of horizontal lines requires magnets on these crts.

The white and black level and color decoder can be adjusted using 2170P-1 SBRT (brightness/ black level), 2170P-4 SPIC (picture/contrast/white level) using a half black/half white pattern and RYR, RYB, GYR, GYB for the decoder using color bars. The guns can be adjusted individually using the RGBS parameter but you must be very careful not to turn all of the guns off or the service menu will disappear.:eek: The other option is to use color filters to view the bars.

You should leave the Drives and Cuts (xDRV and xCUT) alone since grayscale adjustment requires test equipment such as a color analyzer.

I recommend adjusting in Pro and Neutral.

I also recommend you write down your starting values and never attempt a reset. The service menu is not for the faint of heart. A lot of pain can be caused by fat fingering many of these parameters. Move slow and deliberate and you'll be just fine.

thanks for the all tips, it sounds like you know the topic very well,
I am totally new to this stuff and just started to read about it,
I will ask more questions and I hope you can answer:

My plan is: (not sure If I should start with geometry first?)
- set mode to pro
- send crosshatch pattern through hdmi (720P) I will use HTPC Pattern Generator from my earliest post. Should I use 1080I signal? I noticed that when I project in 1080I everything is very small and not that sharp.
I guess maybe once changes are made in 720p and look good i can switch to 1080i?
- correct convergence according to section titled Dynamic Convergence Adjustments,
Here I have a question: In the manual I see two squares for each setting, and I am not sure what they mean. There are BR letters. Do they mean Black, Red colors? My understanding is that I need to move the stripes in the pattern so i see only white colors?
- Correct the geometry according to PICTURE DISTORTION ADJUSTMENTS
- send overscan pattern and correct the size of the screen
I will go for 1% overscan?

I will leave the rest for now, and do some reading before I start playing with with balance , RGBS ,etc.

What is Landing? Do I have to touch that?

thx

thanks for the all tips, it sounds like you know the topic very well,
I am totally new to this stuff and just started to read about it,
I will ask more questions and I hope you can answer:...I haven't been in my service menu for a few years but I'll help where I can.

.....My plan is: (not sure If I should start with geometry first?)
- set mode to pro
- send crosshatch pattern through hdmi (720P) I will use HTPC Pattern Generator from my earliest post. Should I use 1080I signal? I noticed that when I project in 1080I everything is very small and not that sharp.
I guess maybe once changes are made in 720p and look good i can switch to 1080i?......I suggest hitting reset on the remote prior to starting. This will set all of your USER menu items to their defaults. That way you can always get back to your calibrated condition. Use Pro and Neutral. I'm not sure how this will work with an HTPC as your source. I guess as long as you are secure in knowing that the signal is an exact duplicate of other HD inputs that you will expect to be calibrated. I performed my calibration using a 480i anamorphic source.

......- correct convergence according to section titled Dynamic Convergence Adjustments,
Here I have a question: In the manual I see two squares for each setting, and I am not sure what they mean. There are BR letters. Do they mean Black, Red colors? My understanding is that I need to move the stripes in the pattern so i see only white colors?.....The two squares are kind of a before and after representation. They are meant to give an understanding of what effect the parameter has on the convergence. BR is Blue/ Red. Yes, adjust until the white line of the crosshatch has as little BR bleed as possible.

....... Correct the geometry according to PICTURE DISTORTION ADJUSTMENTS
- send overscan pattern and correct the size of the screen
I will go for 1% overscan?..... 1% may be difficult. I believe a standard factory overscan is 5% and many tweakers shoot for 2-3%.

.....I will leave the rest for now, and do some reading before I start playing with with balance , RGBS ,etc.

What is Landing? Do I have to touch that?

thxThe Landing adjustments can be used to adjust color purity. If, after making sure there are no external magnetic fields near the set (ie speakers, power supplies, etc.) there are color impurities (colored blobs on a solid color screen) the Landing adjustments can be used to get rid of them. If solid colors are pure then you don't need to touch them.

Good Luck and be careful.

thx again,
I will take some pictures to show the before and after,
i hope i can make this better then it is now,

The white and black level and color decoder can be adjusted using 2170P-1 SBRT (brightness/ black level), 2170P-4 SPIC (picture/contrast/white level) using a half black/half white pattern

Last though before I do anything. What is the expected result when setting above. Any tips how to proceed?

thx

I would definitely do geometry and overscan before convergence adjustments.

I don't know if this set has the MID 1 and 2 settings like the later models, but if so don't we need to warn him about universal vs. resolution & input specific settings?

I did overscan and geometry first. Then I did convergence.
I see that convergence is applied to whatever was done before. (geometry,overscan) and it must be done after that. I did my first two rounds of tweaking and I see difference, but I am still not happy about the lines on the edges of the screen. They look like they moving and are not solid, some rounded. It is super hard to get the perfect straight line. I will be trying to tweak it over and over, so I get the best results. After playing with overscan settings I noticed that test pattern signal coming from the pc through the hdmi is not fully displayed. It is cut at the top and the bottom , no matter what I try. I guess now I know why overscan!!!
I see the tv has great potential picture, but I am not still there.

thx

Does anyone have any advices regarding the geometry setting order?
I followed what was in the manual but I though maybe there are different approaches. I need to some how make everything even somehow? Once that is done the convergence settings are much simpler.

Avhed, you said that your tv is IVS calibrated,
did the tech use the service menu to perform the calibration?
Did he have to remove the case of the tv to do adjustments inside the tv?

thx

Did not do a Intravenous Service calibration, he did a Imaging Science Foundation calibration.
No case removal.

Does anyone have any advices regarding the geometry setting order?
I followed what was in the manual but I though maybe there are different approaches. I need to some how make everything even somehow? Once that is done the convergence settings are much simpler.I always work in the order shown in the manual. It will be impossible to get the geometry "perfect", especially with low overscan.

It will be impossible to get the geometry "perfect", especially with low overscan.

I got 3% overscan. I set it up this way so the circle in the middle is perfec circle. I measured it so horizontal diameter = vertical and this was only possible with 3% overscan. I was not able to go below. Are you saying that if I would go to 5% overscan I could get better results? Can you explain why?

The extreme edges are just the most difficult to correct for geometry and convergence.

I got 3% overscan. I set it up this way so the circle in the middle is perfec circle. I measured it so horizontal diameter = vertical and this was only possible with 3% overscan. I was not able to go below. Are you saying that if I would go to 5% overscan I could get better results? Can you explain why?

IMO if you set the overscan so that you don't see the edge of the picture when the set is cold, that's good enough.

Guys, I set the overscan back to 5% and it is much better now.
I thing those type of tvs need be set like that to get the best quality.
I don't see a point in going to 3-4% overscan because I will loose all the pros of HD tv picture quality. I will leave it at 5% and then try to tweak the geometry and convergence. Time for the new years eve party !!!


thx

If my tv has 1080I native resolution would not this mean that the highest progressive resolution would be 540P, not 720P as advertised by sony?

thx

If my tv has 1080I native resolution would not this mean that the highest progressive resolution would be 540P, not 720P as advertised by sony?

thxSony has never advertised that the crt sets can display 720p, only that they will accept 720p as an input. 720p is converted to 1080i for display.

yes you right,
http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=11038291

i dont see it there,

So when 720P is output to the tv, there has to be lost of resolution, due to the conversion, right?

I noticed that when I input 720P there is no flickering,
when I input 1080I i see some flickering,

if 720P is converted to 1080I should not I see a little of a flicker to to the interlacing mode?

thx