Do cable cards carry HD signals? I just called my local Cox communications(san Diego,CA) and the guy told me their cable cards do not receive HD signals!?

To me this is hard to believe, can someone here verify to me if this is true or not?

Do cable cards carry HD signals? I just called my local Cox communications(san Diego,CA) and the guy told me their cable cards do not receive HD signals!?

To me this is hard to believe, can someone here verify to me if this is true or not?

If the cable company isn't offering any HD, then yes the TV won't receive any HD channels. I'm using cable card on this TV and I get all the HD channels from cable no problem. All the card does is authorize you for the channels; the TV receives the signal and does all the decoding.

2) I had bought a Logitech z5500 sound system for a next-gen console (xbox 360 or ps3) and I have it set up with the TV but can anyone give me advice how I can can have this surround sound system hooked up to a satellite receiver , DVD player, a 360 instantaneously. (The Logitech system has only an optical output, coaxial and a 6 ch. direct output)

I bought a cheap manual optical switch from RadioShack. It has 4 inputs and one output to the Z-5500. You just turn the knob to select the input. Otherwise there are remote and auto switches out there that can cost from $75 to $150.

I've had this tv for a bit but now I need a solid/sturdy stand for it. The sony one is impossible to find. Any recommendations?? Thank you.

I went to a used furniture store and found a very sturdy bedroom end table, and climbed up and stood on the thing and shifted my weight around to see how it would hold up. This one had a flat top so I didn't have to take off any molding, and mounted a lazy susan bearing mechanism and a piece of "cut to size" plywood. The whole thing cost me $25 and has to be turned on at the "angle of the day" so the de-gause electronics can work there magic.

I used the Ikea LEKSVIK stand... not too expensive... nice wood.... has glass doors in the front... the KD-30XS955 fits perfect on top... Ikea shows it with a Philips 30" which is lighter than Sony... the stand only supports 135 pounds but I modified it by putting four angle braces under the bottom and inside under the top near where they are attached to the sides... I sat on it and swayed back and forth and it doesn't budge... also added a SilenX muffin fan to the upper rear to exhaust heat... I bought a 12 V power supply at Shack to run the fan... I cut and extra hole at top of the back and at the bottom to allow extra air flow and additional cables... So far I have not seen any sag in the top or sides... It holds all of my AV gear and there is no heat problem... The SilenX fan only produces 9db of noise... I insulated it from the stand using extra rubber washers...I leave the fan running all of the time as I have a DVR recording from time to time...but you could switch it with the switched AC output on your audio receiver...

http://www.ikea.com/PIAimages/21712_PE106716_S4.jpg

Need a little help from you experts. My little cousin was screwin around with my tv and ruined the settings for brightnes, color, picture, ect. If you would, I would really appreciate it if some of you would list your/the best settings for the tv. Thanks

Need a little help from you experts. My little cousin was screwin around with my tv and ruined the settings for brightnes, color, picture, ect. If you would, I would really appreciate it if some of you would list your/the best settings for the tv. Thanks

PRO
Pic: 25
Bright: 47
Color: 32
Hue: R1
Sharp: 17
Color Temp: Neutral
ClearEdge: Off
Advanced Video: Monitor

These controls are there to allow the user to adjust the settings for differences in room light and source aterial differences. If you are afraid to rust your judgement, buy an AVIA or Video Essentials test disc and follow the setup directions. I adjust my settings every time I watch new material. It is absolutely necessary because there is a great deal of difference in the way various broadcasters and disc authors adjust these parameters. As a rule of thumb I adjust according to these "standards".

I adjust Color and sharpness all the way down. I then adjust Contrast to its mechanical mid point. Then I adjust Brightness until I can see the lapels on men's jackets. --THIS SETTING IS MOST IMPORTANT---

Color TEMP should be neutral for color programs. Warm works better for Black and White programming.

I adjust Color and Hue for good natural flesh tones. Lastly, I turn up the contrast until bright objects begin to wash out or images bloom whichever comes first. Sharpness should be increased until you just begin to see a white linne around objects. Then, back off until it is not visible. I've used this scheme for over 30 years successfuly. I jhave set up hundreds of TV's successfully. GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!

I adjust my settings every time I watch new material. It is absolutely necessary because there is a great deal of difference in the way various broadcasters and disc authors adjust these parameters.

That's a bit extreme. Just my opinion but you can get pretty close to set it and forget it with a minor tweak here and there. Re-adjusting every time you change the channel IMO would get old real fast.

Golferadam posted a good starting point, eyeball it and adjust from there based on your room lighting and what makes you happy.

Extreme to one person is normal to another. I've invested enough in my system to provide me a picture I can take pride in. Last night I watched "Rumor Has It" off a DVVD. The picture was outstanding due in large part to the quality of the transfer to DVD. In order to get accurate flesh tones, the color setting had to be reduced 20 % from the setting one must use to achieve prpoer color levels with the Video Essentials disc. The Hue was right on. Because it was 10:00 PM when I watched it, every light in the house was off and there was no ambient lightI. I turned Brightness down from 50 to 30 and left contrast at the VE level of 30. Sharpness had to be turned to max because the print is rather soft compared to other discs. I turned up sharpness to 3 out of 3 watching for the white edge which was just visible. Outdoor scenes required less sharpness.

You may think i am a "tweaker". My wife and kids do. But i believe those variable pots are there for a reason and if it provides a more accurate rendition of material, i am going to use it. i ecommend ohers learn to do the same. Guess it is like driving a real sportscar with 5 forward speeds that can be chosen automatically or manually. When I feel like getting the full measure of joy and excitement from the car, I shift manually. On other ocasions, I am glad I have an automatic transmission that makes the shift point choices for me.

Hi all,

I am a 34xs955 owner who has a new problem. Just last week out local cable co. (Cox) made a cutover to all digital. Around that time our analog stations became scrambled and had no color. A few days later the set was registering "No Signal" from all analog stations. I still pick up all the digital stations that the QAM tuner locked onto before. I should add that I have Basic service and just run cable directly into the set. The Cox service tech checked the signal and said everything was "great" and he even showed the analog stations on another set.
My question to you good people is, does this sound like my tuner went "kaPoof!" at that time (coincidence)? Or, could there be something that changed in the way they are broadcasting the signal that is making the analog tuner not be able to see/discern the signal. Better yet, is there any way to verifiy if the tuner is shot without having a repairman out? How about a way to override the "Auto Scan" so that it only searches for analog signals? If not, how regular of an occurence is a defective tuner? The cheapest optin in the "blown tuner" scenario is to pony-up for a CableCard to act as a tuner (I'm not into a STB or antenna.) I just want the basic channels I am paying for.
I've had this set for about a year and everything has been Hunky-dory so far. HD DVD looks stunning!
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Bryan Gumm

I have a 30XS955. On my set, the pillar boxes while watching digital OTA 4:3 content are much smaller than when I watch 4:3 content from my DirecTV receiver. Another way of saying that, is the image from 4:3 OTA fills more of my screen than my DirecTV content does. Is that normal, or is it a difference in overscan between the two inputs?

Hi all,

I am a 34xs955 owner who has a new problem. Just last week out local cable co. (Cox) made a cutover to all digital. Around that time our analog stations became scrambled and had no color. A few days later the set was registering "No Signal" from all analog stations. I still pick up all the digital stations that the QAM tuner locked onto before. I should add that I have Basic service and just run cable directly into the set. The Cox service tech checked the signal and said everything was "great" and he even showed the analog stations on another set.
My question to you good people is, does this sound like my tuner went "kaPoof!" at that time (coincidence)? Or, could there be something that changed in the way they are broadcasting the signal that is making the analog tuner not be able to see/discern the signal. Better yet, is there any way to verifiy if the tuner is shot without having a repairman out? How about a way to override the "Auto Scan" so that it only searches for analog signals? If not, how regular of an occurence is a defective tuner? The cheapest optin in the "blown tuner" scenario is to pony-up for a CableCard to act as a tuner (I'm not into a STB or antenna.) I just want the basic channels I am paying for.
I've had this set for about a year and everything has been Hunky-dory so far. HD DVD looks stunning!
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Bryan Gumm


This isn't a complete answer but I would just run a complete Auto Program scan to see if the analogs come back. I think it goes through the analogs first so if you let it find those first and then exit, I think you will see if you have analogs without having to wait the long time it takes to find the digitals.

golferadam,

Thanks. I had tried that. No dice. I even unplugged the set for a while to reset the software. Ran the Auto program. No analog channels. Just digital.
I guess my real question is: Of the internal tuners, is there one that only handles analog signals? ATSC or QAM.
Is my logic off by thinking that if I hooked an antenna to the UHF input and ran a scan that found analog stations, my tuner is OK? Or does the Cable input and Antenna input route the signal to different tuners? :confused:

I'm having a Tylenol moment (and I'm kinda hoping it has some Cyanide in it.....)

I am sure my conspiracy-theory loving alter-ego would like to believe that Cox is changing how they broadcast their analog signals because they don't like how we QAM-tuner-holding, no-set-top-box-renting, Basic-cable-rate-paying folk are not filling their coffers and have found a way to give our tuners fits so that we are forced to use their box/cableCard/whatevers. I'm not buyin'. I've got my HD DVD but my kids need their Sesame Street for cryin'outloud! What is my Basic cable fee getting me now? 2 digital locals and 6 channels of someone elses VOD. No thanks!

End rant.

Bryan

golferadam,

Thanks. I had tried that. No dice. I even unplugged the set for a while to reset the software. Ran the Auto program. No analog channels. Just digital.
I guess my real question is: Of the internal tuners, is there one that only handles analog signals? ATSC or QAM.
Is my logic off by thinking that if I hooked an antenna to the UHF input and ran a scan that found analog stations, my tuner is OK? Or does the Cable input and Antenna input route the signal to different tuners? :confused:

I'm having a Tylenol moment (and I'm kinda hoping it has some Cyanide in it.....)

I am sure my conspiracy-theory loving alter-ego would like to believe that Cox is changing how they broadcast their analog signals because they don't like how we QAM-tuner-holding, no-set-top-box-renting, Basic-cable-rate-paying folk are not filling their coffers and have found a way to give our tuners fits so that we are forced to use their box/cableCard/whatevers. I'm not buyin'. I've got my HD DVD but my kids need their Sesame Street for cryin'outloud! What is my Basic cable fee getting me now? 2 digital locals and 6 channels of someone elses VOD. No thanks!

End rant.

Bryan

I hooked up my cable from the cable co. to my "UHF In" connection one time and it only found a few channels. I posted the results and someone said that based on the results it appears that the "UHF In" only had the ATSC tuner while the Cable In has the QAM tuner. You may do better posting this issue in the Local HDTV Info and Reception forum for the area that you live in. Other people with Cox in your area may have some better info.

does anyone remember the name to give the root folder in the Sony memory stick so that it will be recognized in my kd30xs955?.. I could not find the reference in the AVS forums... I had seen it somewhere before...

I have a 30XS955. On my set, the pillar boxes while watching digital OTA 4:3 content are much smaller than when I watch 4:3 content from my DirecTV receiver. Another way of saying that, is the image from 4:3 OTA fills more of my screen than my DirecTV content does. Is that normal, or is it a difference in overscan between the two inputs?


Tanglemac76 - I have noticed this, but I will caution that it depends on the source. If the show is 4:3 but broadcast on an HD channel (at either 720p or 1080i), then the sidebars (which will be black) are fixed within the 16:9 image.

Now, if the 4:3 material is brodcast on an SD channel at 480i, a few different things can occur, all depending on your settings for D* Ratio, D* output resolution, and Sony TV "screen."

If D* output is 480i, then you have 2 scenarios to maintain proper aspect ratio of the 4:3 show: (A) Set Sony TV to Normal and D* Ratio to Full (or stretch or wide - can't remember exactly the term that is used. Using method A, you will always get Black sidebars (because the Sony is creating them). Option (B) is as follows - Set Sony TV to Full and D*Ratio to Panels. Using Method B you have the option of Black or Grey sidebars becasue the D* box creates them and give you a choice (I choose grey so I can tell difference between 4:3 at 480i and 1080i) In either instance you should get a proper 4:3 image, however for some reason option B provides more picture information horizontally. It is not stretching the image - it actually displays more information. For this reason, I use option B.

If D* output is 720p or 1080i, the Sony set will default to Full, so you will need to set the D* ratio selection to Panels - otherwise you'll get a stretched version of the 4:3 image. I believe the overall width of the image will be equal to option B above.

Hope this helps.

I hooked up my cable from the cable co. to my "UHF In" connection one time and it only found a few channels. I posted the results and someone said that based on the results it appears that the "UHF In" only had the ATSC tuner while the Cable In has the QAM tuner. You may do better posting this issue in the Local HDTV Info and Reception forum for the area that you live in. Other people with Cox in your area may have some better info.

I did just that. Thanks for your input.

Regards,

Bryan

Not sure this is right section to put in but as I'm using it with Sony 30xs995 I think I'll put it here to see if anyone seen this issue in past.

I've Gateway GT 5056 with AMD X2 3800+ (which has onboard nvidia card). I've reinstalled computer from recovery CD so there is nothing extra on computer except MCE 2005 and all bundled crapware. I installed ATI x800 XL AIW card in PCI-E slot and everything works fine as long as I keep resolution to 800x600. When I increase resolution from 800x600 to something else like and watch DVD after 10 minutes my computer reboots on its own. I've connected it to 30" Sony HDTV using DVI to HDMI cable. I checked under device properties and everything shows okay there is no "?" signs on any of my video adapter or display sections.

Any idea what is going on here ? Do I need anything specific to my computer to make this work beyond 800x600 ?

The PC rebooting should have nothing to do with the TV - there's something amiss with that setup.

That sounds like a power supply problem. You need more juice for that card.

the computer power supply I mean.

I found the answer to my question regarding using Memory Stick in Sony TVs with non-Sony digital pictures...



You must have the correct DCF folder structure and file name structure to the television to find the files. Sony has an example in their knowledge base:
The following are the Design rule for Camera File system (DCF) standards.

Image file names must be named DSCxxxxx.JPG, where the x represents a numerical digit.

Image files must be stored on the Memory Stick® media in the DCF file structure.

NOTE: The DCF file structure requires a folder named DCIM on the Memory Stick® media. Inside the DCIM folder should be a folder named 100MSDCF or 101MSDCF. The image file must be stored in one of these two folders.

The picture names must be DSC0001.JPG. DSC0002.JPG, etc.

Here are some programs I found for batch renaming files...

http://www.download.com/Batch-Rename-EXE/3000-2248-10252127.html?part=dl-BatchRena&subj=dl&tag=button

http://www.krename.net/



All of the above is not true for the firmware in my Sony KD30xs955...

I was able to put standard windows folders on the formatted memory stick... using the memory stick menu I was able to select folders and view JPEGs...

I was also able to use sub folders... I was able to sort by date taken and alphabetically... Picture info can be displayed....

GO FIGURE!

Not sure this is right section to put in but as I'm using it with Sony 30xs995 I think I'll put it here to see if anyone seen this issue in past.

I've Gateway GT 5056 with AMD X2 3800+ (which has onboard nvidia card). I've reinstalled computer from recovery CD so there is nothing extra on computer except MCE 2005 and all bundled crapware. I installed ATI x800 XL AIW card in PCI-E slot and everything works fine as long as I keep resolution to 800x600. When I increase resolution from 800x600 to something else like and watch DVD after 10 minutes my computer reboots on its own. I've connected it to 30" Sony HDTV using DVI to HDMI cable. I checked under device properties and everything shows okay there is no "?" signs on any of my video adapter or display sections.

Any idea what is going on here ? Do I need anything specific to my computer to make this work beyond 800x600 ?


One other idea from me. ATI cards run very HOT! I had a similar problem in the past. It only happened when playing certain games (the only time I cranked up the resolution). But it was a little different in that my PC would lock up, and I'd have to manually reboot. Someone suggested heat as a problem, so to test it, I took of the side panel of my machine. This cooled the interior and my games ran fine. So, I'd recommend opening up your case and running at the higher resolution, just as a test to see if it helps. Let me know if you try it.

I am using an ATI All-in-wonder x800 xt to display on my Sony KD30XS955. I have had that problem before (and many others). Most are due to faulty ATI drivers.

I also changed my power supply because as mentioned that card uses a lot of power. If the power supply fails to deliver adequate power to any critical component the system will crash/reboot, even for the smallest amount of time.

Its working now and I find the best resolution for text is 1152x864. (running in 720p compatibility mode)

I am using an ATI All-in-wonder x800 xt to display on my Sony KD30XS955. I have had that problem before (and many others). Most are due to faulty ATI drivers.

I also changed my power supply because as mentioned that card uses a lot of power. If the power supply fails to deliver adequate power to any critical component the system will crash/reboot, even for the smallest amount of time.

Its working now and I find the best resolution for text is 1152x864. (running in 720p compatibility mode)

Thanks so it seems my problem is resolved. I've latest ATI driver so it is not issue with ATI driver. ACtually I installed AMD CPU driver from Gateway's website (for FoxConn motherboard) and after that it started working fine. I'm also using 1152x864 and seems that is best I can get without making it absolutely unreadable. I'm not sure if I get LCD display I'll be able to get any bigger resoultion than what I've for now. I dont think I need to change powersupply for now (although I've 3HDD and one DVD-RW on my machine.

Sorry for the OT post, but I submitted a post a while ago in which I stated that some of my adjustments in the 2170D-1 menu stopped having an effect (VCEN and VPIN in particular.)
Now, to my horror, I recently discovered that the Vertical Tilt and Centering adjustments in the User Menu don't respond to adjustment either. I haven't come across any other SM adjustments that have lost their effectiveness. Any ideas as to where this problem could be based?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Regards,

Bryan

I've noticed on my KD30XS955 that the top middle of my screen seems to be pulled in slightly towards the center. For example: When watching a ball game with the scores across the top, the graphic seems to bow in slightly at the middle. I'm not sure exactly how to correct this. I've tried UCP, but that really distorts the corners and does nothing for the middle. Anyone got any suggestions?

Thanks!

This should give you everything you need to adjust that out of your picture.
Service Manual Geometry PDF (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=42213)
There is also an awesome Excel spreadsheet with Service Manual info that was provided by KenTech. It is post # 374 in the Sony Service Code thread.

Cheers,

Bryan

Could one of you do me a favor? Could you switch your 30XS955 to a blank (black) screen and press the menu button? Now, what color is the outline box around your menu display?

Mine is gray for the horizontal lines and light blueish for the vertical lines. This is consistent for all the different onscreen displays, not just the menu. It is also visible with any kind of image in the background, but it is really obvious on a black background. I'm suspicious that the menus shouldn't look like that and that I have some color problem.

Thanks.

Could one of you do me a favor? Could you switch your 30XS955 to a blank (black) screen and press the menu button? Now, what color is the outline box around your menu display?

Mine is gray for the horizontal lines and light blueish for the vertical lines. This is consistent for all the different onscreen displays, not just the menu. It is also visible with any kind of image in the background, but it is really obvious on a black background. I'm suspicious that the menus shouldn't look like that and that I have some color problem.

Thanks.

I did what you suggested and mine are consistently gray.

I did what you suggested and mine are consistently gray.

Thanks, golferadam. I've been suspicious that I have a color problem on my set for a while. Time to figure out how to fix it, I guess.

I have had my Sony for about 5 months and just noticed today that the upper left corner of the screen has a slighty blue tint. you only notice this on a very white bright background. This blue is only a little in the corner and then fades out. Is this a problem? and if so how do I fix it? I just happened to see it when I recorded the HD test screen off HD Net. I have not noticed it before. I did just recently switch to using hdmi as my connection to my TWC 8300HD DVR box. They did a recent update that allowed hdmi to work good. I was previously connected by component.

Any help or suggestions is appreciated.

Does anyone have an upconverting DVD player paired with their 955? I'm wondering what kind of improvement it makes with this TV...

You describe a beam landing or purity issue. This can be caused by an unshielded piece of electronics that is influencing the beam landing. As a first step, I would move any electronics or speakers away from the set while watching the picture. If that does not work, I use small round mafnets tthat you can buy at Radio Shack. Take the back of the set off, attach a cheater cord to keep the set on. Move the magnet around the edges of the tube at the front of the set until you eliminate any stray tint or blotches. Get some double sticky tape and glue the magnet exactly where you found it worked the best. I have used this method on Sony sets since the '70's. It always works. BE CAREFUL

Mr. Hifi -

Thank you for responding. I have two small surround speakers that are part of my Home Theater set up on that side - one is sitting at the bottom edge of the tv and the other is on a stand at almost the exact height of the problem. The only other electronic device is my 8300HD DVR that is actually sitting on top my tv. Do you think that it is the speaker?

Thanks dbalone

Most certainly that is the problem. Just move each one and watch the area that has the blue tint. This is quite common. The DVR could also be causing the problem. I urge you to move it. That is not where a DVR belongs. Without shielding around devices with magnets or motors, Purity problems are inevitable.

Thanks again -

How far away should the speakers be from the tv? I will move the dvr also, the only place to move it to is below the tv on the middle shelf of a three shelf stand. Will that be ok? Should the problem correct itself? I have to get too work so it may be later today before I can read your comments. Thanks for your help.

Dbalone,

The easiest way to determine whether the speakers and DVR are far enough away is too watch the screen. At some point you should see a screen that has no anomalies. BTW, you may have to turn the set off and on after moving the offending devices. This will activate the degaussing coil and get rid of any stray magnetic fields that might be causing slight impurities.

A good rule of thumb is 3 feet for unshielded bookshelf speakers and 2 feet for electronics. Placing TV's on top of large floor standing speakers used to cause a lot of trouble. I remember someone who had a 25" Zenith sitting on top of an Altec A7-500 Voice of the Theater speaker. I placed a piece of sheet metal between the two and everything was fine.

Dr. Spankenstein,

Where is the Sony Service Thread? I am trying to locate the service access codes for my KDL-32XBR950.

Mrhifi

I did move all of my speakers a good 3+ ft. away from the tv. I moved the dvr to below the tv in its stand. The blue tint still seems to still be there. Any suggestions? Will the problem get worse? If it does not get any worse, i can live with it.

Mrhifi

I did move all of my speakers a good 3+ ft. away from the tv. I moved the dvr to below the tv in its stand. The blue tint still seems to still be there. Any suggestions? Will the problem get worse? If it does not get any worse, i can live with it.

Try unplugging the set for a while then plug it in and turn it on for a complete degaussing.

You told me the tint was in a corner of the screen, correct? If moving the components did not work, you will have to get the magnets I suggested. If you are not technically able to do this, ask for help getting the back off the set and try placing the magnets as I described. BE CAREFUL THIS IS DANGEROUS. I used to do it on every Sony I purchased because the Trinition tube is very susceptible to beam landing erors. Point is that it is fixable. Sony used to recommend the placement of the round magnets as part of the set up procedure. Sets like the ProFeel from 1983 all had these magnets in them.You just need to do it. Good Luck

John, she has turned that set on and off after moving the components so degaussing is not going to fix it.

I doubt I would take the back off. I guess if it got worse, then maybe. This blue tint is just up in the upper left corner and fades out down that side. It is only a slight tint and can only be seen on a bright white background. I did have two surround speakers on that side. If I would ever want this professionally fixed do you recommend a service tech or someone who can actually tweak the setting (calibrate) at the same time. By the way I am not a she.

dBalone,

Either something is important or it is not. I told you how I would fix it. The way you fix it is up to you. I can only suggest. Beam landing, purity, convergence are all issues that occur with CRT TV's. Perhaps that is why the industry has moved away from CRT's. At the level of precision required to set up a 1080p capable CRT set, one can expect that the nice ladies in Mexico who build these large CRT sets, may not understand our passion for precision.

Should you desire to hire a tech, expect to pay at least $500.00. If he is any good at setup, he will charge a lot. It is an art.

MrHifi -

Thanks for your help and suggestions. I will see what I can do. I would like to fix it and certainly cannot afford $500.

Doesn't say much for my house cleaning but I had a similar problem, it turned out to be dust on the screen, hope yours is that easy :D :D :D :o

Does anyone have a upscaling DVD player that they use with their xs955? I've been thinking of trying one out, but wanted to see what other people's experiences have been. In a related question, who turns on "progressive scan" on their standard DVD players and who lets the TV do all the work? I can't really tell much of a difference, but I think the xs955 does a little better job than my JVC n50

Does anyone have a upscaling DVD player that they use with their xs955? I've been thinking of trying one out, but wanted to see what other people's experiences have been. In a related question, who turns on "progressive scan" on their standard DVD players and who lets the TV do all the work? I can't really tell much of a difference, but I think the xs955 does a little better job than my JVC n50
I have the Sony 34" set and I am very satisfied with the Oppo OPDV971H DVD Player.

Progressive Scan - for me it all depends on which device does the better video processing. I use the HQV Benchmark DVD to determine video processing quality of tvs and dvd players. Only recently did it become available to the general public. It has historically been used by HT magazines and others to test tvs and players. The Benchmark DVD has 10 essential tests that reveal the overall PQ of the device. You can test the video processor of the tv by connecting your dvd player with composite cables, and there's no reason to worry about the progressive scan setting because over composite cables all you'll get is an interlaced signal. You could use component cables and set the player to interlaced but it's best to use the composite cables so that all the video processing is done by the tv. When that test is completed then you can set the player to progressive scan mode using component cables and test the player itself.

In the tests I have run the tv has not scored all that well, as has been confirmed by others using the Benchmark DVD. My older PS dvd player scored a bit better than my tv, and the Oppo passed all the tests with flying colors. In all honesty the real strength of the Oppo player is in its video processing, not necessarily the upconverting. In fact, I bought the player for its video processing capability, and the upconversion is a nice extra.

Does anyone have a upscaling DVD player that they use with their xs955? I've been thinking of trying one out, but wanted to see what other people's experiences have been. In a related question, who turns on "progressive scan" on their standard DVD players and who lets the TV do all the work? I can't really tell much of a difference, but I think the xs955 does a little better job than my JVC n50
I have my 30" XS955 being fed by a Panasonic DVD-S77 at 1080i over HDMI. It looks fantastic! Though I have little to directly compare it to. I have had a few audio/video sync issues that I am trying to work out, but I'm not sure if that is the player, the TV or some HDMI glitch.

Hey guys, I am copying and pasting a post I made in the Direct View (single tube based) Displays thread here. Hopefully you can help me figure out what is going on with my tv...

I was watching some of my '24' DVDs on my xbox 360 with my kd30xs955 earlier (I purchased the TV in march) when I all of a sudden got some crazy flickering that projected different colors and weird things on my screen which also made an audible flicker noise. I also noticed that the standby light would go on and off. For instance the screen may flicker pink, then all of a sudden the tv would shut off, turn on again and flicker blue, etc. I also noticed that it would flicker different colors with horizontal lines spanning the screen. This is the first time I have ever experience anything like this, and I was wondering if anyone had any idea what this could be? The tv is under warranty which is good, but I just wanted to know a little about what exactly may be going on.

This problem also occurs even when I change my inputs. I also tried removing my Tv from the power strip and plugged it directly into the wall with the same problem.


EDIT: Hey I was wondering guys for the warranty on this tv, is it only 90 days labor, 1 year parts? I was told it was 1 years parts and labor but the sony reps told me otherwise.

Hi all,

I just purchased a KD-36XS955 the other day and the set has poor image quality,especially when viewing non-hdtv cable channels. Video from the dvd player is good and hdtv from antane is ok but cable channels are very grainy and out of focus. My 10 year old Toshiba looks much better :)

Is this normally an adjustment issue, or do I need to let it burn in, or should I call for service, or return the set? I played with the video settings, turning vivid off, went to movie mode and adjusted the other settings but it still looks very grainy. Any ideas? BTW I'm an HDTV newb so forgive my bad hdtv-lingo. :P

Analog cable is awful. Your high rez set is having to multiply all the crap to achieve the 720P or 480P that CRT's are capable of showing. Before I get dumped on, i know the set can show 1080i but I do not believe that CRT tube has 1080 lines.

Anyway, that is not what this is about. Switvh to digital OTA or cable. You will be much happier.

Hi all,

I just purchased a KD-36XS955 the other day and the set has poor image quality,especially when viewing non-hdtv cable channels. Video from the dvd player is good and hdtv from antane is ok but cable channels are very grainy and out of focus. My 10 year old Toshiba looks much better :)

Is this normally an adjustment issue, or do I need to let it burn in, or should I call for service, or return the set? I played with the video settings, turning vivid off, went to movie mode and adjusted the other settings but it still looks very grainy. Any ideas? BTW I'm an HDTV newb so forgive my bad hdtv-lingo. :P
Welcome to AVS! ;)

The problem you describe is probably the number one complaint of all first-time HDTV owners. Take a 480 line signal and expand it to fit into a 1920x1080 format, and all the little things you never noticed before, now stand out like a sore thumb.

But analog material does not have to look bad on an HD set. I have a 34" Sony HD crt set, and my analog channels look outstanding, even better than they looked on my 27" analog set. It all boils down to the quality of the source material. In my case I have Comcast Digital Cable, with a set-top-box (STB). The STB has an analog tuner and a digital tuner. Unfortunately, the analog tuner sucks. So I went around it by adding a splitter to the coax cable right as it comes out of the wall. I sent one split to my tv and the other to the STB. I use the tv's internal tuner for the analog cable channels and it look great. Some folks have satellite service and most analog material has been digitized and compressed heavily, meaning really poor PQ. That's what I meant about source. If the signal coming in is poor there's not much you can do.

Your new HD set represents a serious investment. To get the best out of it you need to calibrate it properly. Another excellent investment is a calibration dvd like Avia or DVE. Using these discs you can calibrate your set to NTSC standards for the best PQ possible. Also, since crt sets are analog, the settings tend to drift over time and a simple yearly re-calibration keeps the PQ up to snuff.

Before your calibration dvd arrives, you might want to reduce Sharpness to less than 30, turn off "ClearEdge" in the user menu, Keep Contrast (Picture) below say 60%, and keep Color at or below 50%. Use the Pro picture mode (instead of Vivid or Movie) which has the least amount of edge enhancement and other artificial enhancements.

Edit: If the numbers in the paragraph above leave you with a picture that's too dark to enjoy, go ahead and adjust Brightness upward.

Analog cable is awful. Your high rez set is having to multiply all the crap to achieve the 720P or 480P that CRT's are capable of showing. Before I get dumped on, i know the set can show 1080i but I do not believe that CRT tube has 1080 lines.

Anyway, that is not what this is about. Switvh to digital OTA or cable. You will be much happier.
You shouldn't get dumped on for that. I've known for some time that these sets cannot fully resolve the 1080 vertical resolution. In fact, I don't know of any crt sets that can resolve the full 1080 lines. But these Sony sets with the super fine pitch tube probably get closer than any other sets.

Does anyone have a upscaling DVD player that they use with their xs955? I've been thinking of trying one out, but wanted to see what other people's experiences have been. In a related question, who turns on "progressive scan" on their standard DVD players and who lets the TV do all the work? I can't really tell much of a difference, but I think the xs955 does a little better job than my JVC n50
I have a JVC progressive DVD player going to the xs955 thru component inputs... Movies look as good as they do on INHD when they run in 1080i. I think we would notice the difference if we were viewing on larger screens but for 30 inches it's not worth the extra investment in an upscale DVD player or HD DVD. The TV does a super job. I use monitor mode on the TV and turn down the detailing. Flesh tones on good quality DVDs look perfect...

Welcome to AVS! ;)

The problem you describe is probably the number one complaint of all first-time HDTV owners. Take a 480 line signal and expand it to fit into a 1920x1080 format, and all the little things you never noticed before, now stand out like a sore thumb............enhancements.

Thanks much for your input and great tips, buying a TV is a little more difficult than it used to be. heh I will try out your advice and get back to you guys in the near future. Thanks again!

Bah, I can't find this thing anywhere :( 30-inchers in stores now are absolutely terrible ...

Any recommended method of acquisition ? :D

Check with your local Sony Outlet.... I picked up mine at the end of July for $525.... its a refurb, of course, but its still great! They may be having a big sale again come Labor Day.

Hi all,

I just purchased a KD-36XS955 the other day and the set has poor image quality,especially when viewing non-hdtv cable channels. Video from the dvd player is good and hdtv from antane is ok but cable channels are very grainy and out of focus. My 10 year old Toshiba looks much better :)

Is this normally an adjustment issue, or do I need to let it burn in, or should I call for service, or return the set? I played with the video settings, turning vivid off, went to movie mode and adjusted the other settings but it still looks very grainy. Any ideas? BTW I'm an HDTV newb so forgive my bad hdtv-lingo. :P


Just an update for those that are considering purchasing this unit. My poor analog picture quality was indeed a source problem and the set looks great now that I figured out what the problem was (had cable in running through the vcr first then to the TV, once I went straight from the wall to the TV it looks much better). The widescreen hdmi from the DVD player to the TV is amazing looking and the few hdtv channels I get right now are also great. I also heeded your advice and picked up an Avia DVD on Ebay to fine tune the set. So a big thumbs up for this set from me. :) Thanks for your troubleshooting help!

I purchased this set a few months ago and have gotten the avia calibration disc. I have only used the basic methods to calibrate. How difficult is this set to calibrate in more detail? How is it done? Is it worthwhile? If Mr. Hifi is out there, has he done this before? I have noticied a little bit of a convergence issue. I do consider my picture good.

Just an update for those that are considering purchasing this unit. My poor analog picture quality was indeed a source problem and the set looks great now that I figured out what the problem was (had cable in running through the vcr first then to the TV, once I went straight from the wall to the TV it looks much better). The widescreen hdmi from the DVD player to the TV is amazing looking and the few hdtv channels I get right now are also great. I also heeded your advice and picked up an Avia DVD on Ebay to fine tune the set. So a big thumbs up for this set from me. :) Thanks for your troubleshooting help!
This is all great news.

Yours is a classic success story. I wish you many years of viewing enjoyment. ;)

I've recently noticed that my set is exhibiting some ghosting problems. I have almost completely followed the service menu instructions provided by KenTech in the service codes thread. Yet, I see image ghosting on nearly every input (satellite, HD DVD, ps2) Any suggestions on how to get rid of it? :confused:

Is anybody using an HD-DVD player or Blu-Ray player with their tv yet?

I am itching to buy an HD-DVD player but keep holding off since I will be purchasing a PS3 the day they come out.

Specifically I would love to hear if you are currently watching either format on your Sony, and how you would say these discs compare to an updscaled old format DVD.

I have heard that my Sony 30 incher is not large enough to really get the full benefit from either HD format, but I am hoping that isn't true.

my local hhgregg has an open box of the 30XS955, and it is dirt cheap, should i get it instead of the XBR970

What is an XBR970?

my local hhgregg has an open box of the 30XS955, and it is dirt cheap, should i get it instead of the XBR970
It really depends on the condition of the set, and upon what circumstances it was returned.

If the reseller is local and offers a 30 day return policy on open box items, then you might give it a try. If you don't like it you can always go for the 970.

What is an XBR970?
The 970 is a 34" widescreen Sony HD set with a built-in digital tuner.

It's a very nice HD set.

Check it out at sonystyle.com

my local hhgregg has an open box of the 30XS955, and it is dirt cheap, should i get it instead of the XBR970

Where you at ?

Where you at ?

im in Cleveland Ohio...

2 years ago I bought a KDL-32XBR950 for $4,000.00. My disappointment with Sony will last a long time. I've been buying nothing but Sony TV's since 1971, a KV1500. This flat panel LCD KDL-32XBR950 came with a digital tuner that only processes QAM64 signals not QAM256. The picture is outtanding when watching OTA ATSC but if you can't get any of the Comcast channels, it is not much good. You would think that a company like Sony would offer a firmware upgrade. They will not even acknowledge the problem.

Hi I got this set a few months back and I'm happy with it. I have some over/underscan issues with the tv that I adjusted with the v/h siz and h/v pos options and I'm familiar with that and all.

Here is my problem, when i adjust the position and get centered it makes it so that when I switch my screen mode to normal (reverse letterbox in other words 4:3) the picture is not centered it to far to the left. Is there a way to adjust the display positioning for the normal 4:3 mode independently from the rest?

There's an order in which settings must be adjusted for image centering and overscan. Go to the Sony Service Codes thread for guidance on properly centering the picture, which includes a few setps before the HPOS, HSIZ, VPOS and VSIZ. Then, for overscan, go to the first page of KenTech's Sony Service Codes thread for a link to whereever that topic is covered.

Can you guys who have calibrated this set with Avia tell me what your settings are both through the Oppo and through the HR10-250 (DirecTivo)?

Thanks.

I've got a curious question for all you 955 owners out there.
Almost every person on this thread has advised to use either the "movie" setting or more often the "pro" setting on their TV. What do you guys (and or gals) think about "standard"??
For me, that's the setting that looks about right to my eyes. Not as bright (eye piercing) as "vivid" but not as dark as "pro".
But then again I have yet to dive into the SM. (Maybe that's the issue?)
Let me know what you think.
Thanks

It's all subjective - about the only thing most folks would agree on is that vivid is way too bright - Sony probably put that in there as a store display setting. I have mine set to standard and like it.

Here is my problem, when i adjust the position and get centered it makes it so that when I switch my screen mode to normal (reverse letterbox in other words 4:3) the picture is not centered it to far to the left. Is there a way to adjust the display positioning for the normal 4:3 mode independently from the rest?

Are you POSITIVE you centered the raster(background) image? If you dont then everything else will be off-center. Centering the raster is important for 4:3 material with bars on the sides, it will be off.
You cannot just adjust mid3 or mid2 only, you must do the raster first. After the raster has been centered you go into Mid3 which is for 1080i/720p/480p. Adjust the picture for the desired amount of overscan. Mid2 is for 480i material.
Hopefully this helps :rolleyes:

Hi all- I'm trying to get the straight dope if I would get a better picture or sound using an upscaling DVD player with HDMI connection verses a progressive scan player with my 30xs955 TV? I'm talking about players in the 150 dollar range. (retired and trying to stay on budget) Would the TV's upscaler do as good as job as the upscaling player?

Hi all- I'm trying to get the straight dope if I would get a better picture or sound using an upscaling DVD player with HDMI connection verses a progressive scan player with my 30xs955 TV? I'm talking about players in the 150 dollar range. (retired and trying to stay on budget) Would the TV's upscaler do as good as job as the upscaling player?
I can't speak for the $150 range, but if you can go to $199, I can speak to that.

I've got the 34" set with an Oppo upscaling player, and the picture quality (PQ) is much better than it was from my progressive scan player. It all has to do with the player's internal processors. Some of the players come with video processing chips sets, like the Oppo 971 that employ Faroudja video processing. If integrated properly (by the player's OEM) the PQ can be far better than that provided by the tv's internal processors. You can go to the Oppo web site to read about it.

Your TV doesn't upscale 480p, but displays it natively. A decent upscaling DVD player should yield a very big improvement. I think Sony has a new model that sells for only about $120.00.

Hi Whitey,

I've been playing with this stuff over 50 years. Listen to me...I seriously doubt whether you will perceive any difference between one scaler and another on a 30" set. Do not spend the extra money. I use a component (Red Green and Blue 480i output, Pioneer Elite DV-09 DVD player from the late '90's that employs 24 bit/96kHz dacs for the audio and 10 bit video processors. I rely on a DWIN Transcanner to multiply the 480i signal up to a 725 line picture. I use a 120" 4x3 diagonal screen and sit about 13 ft. from the screen.

If you sit more than 2x your screen width, resolution differences make no difference in terms of what yo see. More important is the ability to resolve dark material. Getting a different scaler will not help that. Unless you hate what you have forget buying a $200.00 DVD player. They are junk compared to the beasts made with real metal that the industry used to provide. That quality is in the HD DVD players. If you have to buy a new one, be sure it is an HD player. I like the HD DVD machines.

Hi Whitey,

If you sit more than 2x your screen width, resolution differences make no difference in terms of what yo see.


By that logic, I should not bother upgrading to an HD-DVD player, since I sit more than 60 inches back from my 30 inch set. The 4X increase in resolution will not be noticeable.

I hope you are incorrect but I won't be *that* surprised if you are dead on.

Nebrunner,

To be quite frank, I can see a noticeable and dramatic difference between the two on my 120" DWIN HD700/Transcanner projector. On my Sony KLD-32XBR950, the difference is imperceptible at a distance of 8 feet (the closest I can watch that set [it is in the bedroom]. At 3 -5 feet I can see a difference in edges and detail. The picture is more three dimensional. Of course, this set's maximum is 768 lines not 1080. Anyway, as a physicist, i believe that the final judgement on whether technical "innovation" provides perceptible benefits is whether my wife says the picture looks better or different. We have been married 34 years and in that mount of time she has developed a keen sense of qualitative judgement. She agrees with my observations. I am in the proces of upgrading my TV toan Optoma HD81 1080p "TI Darkchip 3" single chip DLP projector. I am purchasing it sight unseen because I trust the persons who have seen it. I hope that the scaler provided in the separate STB that is part of the 2 piecedesign will generate perceptible damatically improved picture quality vis-a-vis my DWIN Transcanner/HD700 combo. At 12 lbs, it certainly will weigh less than the HD700.

I'm no expert, but have tried a few DVD solutions for my Sony 30" tube. I've used my XBox (component output at 480i - think?), XBox 360 (component output at 480p) and my PC DVD (component output at 1080i). I can't justify purchasing a standalone DVD player when I've got 2 viable options currently.

My wife and I noticed a huge difference stepping up to the PC DVD output from the XBox and only a noticible improvement from the XBox 360 to PC DVD. If I didn't have the PC, I wouldn't spend the $100-200 for the "noticible" difference between the 480p and 1080i that I experienced.

Don't know if that helps, just some of my experiences. (Also note that the DVD playback of the original XBox is subpar).

Hello all,

I am rapidly approaching the end of my warranty period. I have recently lost the ability to adjust some of the vertical corrections within the service menu and was planning on taking the set in for repair or replacement of one of the boards. I have also notice more recently that I think I'm seeing some burn-in from my family's viewing of 4:3 material. I can only describe the burn-in as areas that are a shade darker/dimmer and a slight linearity issue when an image moves past these areas (like a right to left pan or vise-versa.) Does this sound like a form of burn-in or maybe an aperture grill failure? If so, show I look into having the tube replaced since they aren't going to be producing these tubes anymore?
It seems like it would be reasonable timing to have something like this done while the parts costs are being taken by Sony.

Any thoughts?

Bryan

Hi, I tried to contact Sony about this but they are very vague so i'll try you guys. When it comes to TV's im kinda a n00b so I guess i'll explain this as best as I can. I bought a Sony 30XS955 TV about 6 months ago and love it. Everthing is great but I have noticed something peculiar. Sometimes when the TV has a black screen I can see these horizontal faint red lines going across the TV (sometimes their all squiggly sometime they looks straight.) It happens a lot when I play my Xbox 360 on the television, I also notice them when im cycling through the video inputs sometimes. Does anyone have any suggestions about what this might be or is this normal? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Any tips on where to buy one of these bad boys? It looks like the set for me. However, it's obviously out of production and gone from most stores. A Sony outlet about 80 miles from me has three refurbs but they won't state the price over the phone, other than it's under $1000. It'd be nice if I could find a closer source, or even some new, unused sets.

Any suggestions, or should I just make that road trip and maybe overpay? I'm in the SF Bay Area, if that matters.

BJT,

I held out for many years before buying a flat panel set. I bought a Sony KDL-32XBR950 and while I donot recommend that model today, I can ste unequivocably that today's flat panel LCD TV's look as good as the TV I replaced, a Sony ProFeel from the 1980's. That set had always provided the most beautiful picture but like all picture tube TV's it did have convergence and burn in problems that are non existent on LCD sets. My main TV has been a 3 gun CRT projector since the mid 1980's. While I am fighting to keep it alive to keep proviing its 96" wide HD picture, I must concede that the latest crop of 1080p projectors look every bit as good without the burn in and bem landing issues to say nothing of the almost perfect gray scale and color temperature available on the newer sets. These are extremely hard to achieve on CRT projectors and any TV's with CRT's.

MrHifi,

Thanks for sharing your experiences. That said, my choice of the XS955 comes after a good deal of research on very specific needs. I'm a professional in the game industry who wants to / has to play a lot of games at very high quality without input lag. Thus far most fixed-pixel display technologies fall short in meeting my demanding requirements, and price is also a big factor. The XS955 is basically a placeholder set. A very nice placeholder that'll last at least two years, hopefully. So, if anyone has any leads on other sources for 'em, I'm all ears.

BJT -

Kudos on that tactful reply - way more tactful than I could have been in response to that complete non-sequiter of a post.

I think you should make the trip to the outlet. It's been a while since they stopped production, I think. You'd have to be EXTREMELY lucky to find one on the shelf somewhere.

- msc

Any tips on where to buy one of these bad boys? It looks like the set for me. However, it's obviously out of production and gone from most stores. A Sony outlet about 80 miles from me has three refurbs but they won't state the price over the phone, other than it's under $1000. It'd be nice if I could find a closer source, or even some new, unused sets.

Any suggestions, or should I just make that road trip and maybe overpay? I'm in the SF Bay Area, if that matters.

Fry's electronics. Let your fingers do the walking. Though, you might want to go to the nearest Fry's and get one of the salespeople to pull it up on the computer. There might be a "loner" sitting in another store. If it's a no-go, then head on down to Sony.

Oliver and SCriss,

Sounds sensible, thanks. I guess I'll just suck it up and gas up my car. Of course, there's also the matter of trying to cram that set into a Saturn SL2. Hrm. Better find its measurements and make a mock-up before I hit the road.

So I was reading about everyone ranting over the new ABC and NBC HD bugs (logos) and realized that those bugs are not cut off on everyones picture as they are in mine. Is there something with the xs955 so that it wouldn't display the full width of 16x9 HD programming or is it my local station or something?

So I was reading about everyone ranting over the new ABC and NBC HD bugs (logos) and realized that those bugs are not cut off on everyones picture as they are in mine. Is there something with the xs955 so that it wouldn't display the full width of 16x9 HD programming or is it my local station or something?

Sounds like too much overscan.

Sounds like too much overscan.


Is this common for the xs955? Is it easy to fix?

nick,

Sony TV's have traditionally been factory set to overscan about 5%. If you prefer less overscan, you will have to adjust the service menu for overscan ( horizontal width, size) at the particular frequency att which you see the overscan.

Out of the box my 34" set had approximately 10% overscan. It is now at about 5%, which is actually recommended. Much less and you risk bringing in artifacts not intended to be viewed.

FWIW, my set sometimes cuts off portions of the logos. I just ignore it.

Mine has quite a bit of overscan as well, but I am afraid of the service menus, so I just ignore it as well.

- msc

Thanks for the replies, I probably won't mess with it either - I'm kinda scared of the service menus too!

Out of the box my 34" set had approximately 10% overscan. It is now at about 5%, which is actually recommended. Much less and you risk bringing in artifacts not intended to be viewed.

FWIW, my set sometimes cuts off portions of the logos. I just ignore it.

Really steve? Mine was pretty dead on at 5% overscan right out of the box, only thing that was wrong was the picture was positioned too much to the left but that was an easy service menu fix.:)

I just want to say I am a proud owner if this fine TV. I was asking around for a KD-34XBR960 at a local dealer and while they didn't have one, they did have this (the 955) in the showroom as a display. The build date is January 2006. Knowing about the SPF tube and how hard they were to find now, I bought it the next day, getting a nice discount.

I read every page in this thread and ordered the Avia DVD. I hope this set will be a great TV for many years to come!

I just want to say I am a proud owner if this fine TV. I was asking around for a KD-34XBR960 at a local dealer and while they didn't have one, they did have this (the 955) in the showroom as a display. The build date is January 2006. Knowing about the SPF tube and how hard they were to find now, I bought it the next day, getting a nice discount.

I read every page in this thread and ordered the Avia DVD. I hope this set will be a great TV for many years to come!

Based on my experiences with this TV you will be happy for quite a while. Congrats on the new purchase and good luck with the calibration.

"Setup" or "Adjustments" is the proper terminology. Calibration refers to a very specific activity in which an unknown device is adjusted to values established by a standardizing body or against a known "reference" standard traceable to the NTIS. Please don't think ill of me but te bastardization of the English language is one of my pet peeves. The use of the word "calibration" inappropriately runs rampant throughout the AV literature. Those involved with the setting of National and world class reference standards like the dedicated scientists and engineers at the NTIS find this quite disappointing as do I a retired physicist who spent five wonderful years at the old National Bureau of Standards.

"Setup" or "Adjustments" is the proper terminology. Calibration refers to a very specific activity in which an unknown device is adjusted to values established by a standardizing body or against a known "reference" standard traceable to the NTIS. Please don't think ill of me but te bastardization of the English language is one of my pet peeves. The use of the word "calibration" inappropriately runs rampant throughout the AV literature. Those involved with the setting of National and world class reference standards like the dedicated scientists and engineers at the NTIS find this quite disappointing as do I a retired physicist who spent five wonderful years at the old National Bureau of Standards.

Thanks for the clarification.

"Setup" or "Adjustments" is the proper terminology. Calibration refers to a very specific activity in which an unknown device is adjusted to values established by a standardizing body or against a known "reference" standard traceable to the NTIS. Please don't think ill of me but te bastardization of the English language is one of my pet peeves. The use of the word "calibration" inappropriately runs rampant throughout the AV literature. Those involved with the setting of National and world class reference standards like the dedicated scientists and engineers at the NTIS find this quite disappointing as do I a retired physicist who spent five wonderful years at the old National Bureau of Standards.
My understanding is that these disks, specifically Avia and DVE, assist one in adjusting the settings to comply with NTSC standards. At least that's what the authors claim to be the primary purpose of these discs. Assuming that's the case, then I believe it is appropriate to use the term calibration.

My dear sir,

These discs are hardly reference standards.

My dear sir,

These discs are hardly reference standards.

Which discs do you use and are they referenced to the NTIS?
I ask, because I've never heard if those discs. TIA.

I use AVIA and Video Essentials. These are not refeference standards but they do offer many patterns like the pluge, and burst frequency tests to name a few used by the television industry to set up TV monitors. Various audio frequency, position and phasing tests are also available on these discs. These levels in no way constitute "standards" but are instead reference levels used by he audio and video indudtry so that all may adjust TV's to a common set of parameters.

I use AVIA and Video Essentials. These are not refeference standards but they do offer many patterns like the pluge, and burst frequency tests to name a few used by the television industry to set up TV monitors. Various audio frequency, position and phasing tests are also available on these discs. These levels in no way constitute "standards" but are instead reference levels used by he audio and video indudtry so that all may adjust TV's to a common set of parameters.

Okay, thanks.

Sounds like semantics.
I thought you were on about some new super-duper calibration tool.

I'm new here, I occasionally look through this forum because I own the 30xs955, and I've been thinking to get the hd-a1 and I finally did last night. I was wondering if there is a difference in image quality compared to dvd. the first hd-dvd to grace my screen was Fast & Furious Tokyo Drift. The picture quality is so cleen and sharp it looks like your looking through a window. If you enjoy watching CSI or other great HD programming, well HD-DVD looks just as good but without the graininess. I was impressed. BTW I was sitting around 6 feet from the screen. Now, the biggest thing that impresses me about HD-DVD is the Dolby Digital Plus track. In order to play it you need either HDMI or Analog Out which is what I use hooked up to my Denon 1904. I'll tell you what, it is a treat. It's hard to explain just what the difference is between DDplus and regular DD, but it seems more like you're there, the sound envelopes you more. very exciting, and this was at low volumes because we have a new baby, so I can't even imagine what it'll be like when I can crank it.

So, my impressions so far, after viewing fast and furious and Last Samurai, the Picture is very sharp and clear, and the colors are so much more vibrant than regular dvd.
One reason I chose the HD-A1 over the upcoming xbox360 addon, is the audio. for me, this is just as important an upgrade as the picture. so my advice, if you have the receiver/theater setup to take advantage of the DDplus and TrueHD, Then I would definately get the HD-A1, but if your just looking to upgrade the picture, then go for the 360 add on.
don't know if this will help anyone, but there it is.

I tried to find a deal on 30XS955, XBR960 or XBR910 for my girlfriend's house without any luck. I settled on a refurbished Philips 30PW8402/37 30" CRT HDTV at $335 shipped plus sales tax from the Philips outlet store. I have a KV-30XBR910 and love it and would have preferred another of the excellent Sony sets, but we are happy with this Philips. The super fine pitch Sony sets are getting hard to find at bargain prices now.

Chris

Hi, I tried to contact Sony about this but they are very vague so i'll try you guys. When it comes to TV's im kinda a n00b so I guess i'll explain this as best as I can. I bought a Sony 30XS955 TV about 6 months ago and love it. Everthing is great but I have noticed something peculiar. Sometimes when the TV has a black screen I can see these horizontal faint red lines going across the TV (sometimes their all squiggly sometime they looks straight.) It happens a lot when I play my Xbox 360 on the television, I also notice them when im cycling through the video inputs sometimes. Does anyone have any suggestions about what this might be or is this normal? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Bumping this request cos I have the same problem. Seems less noticeable when it's warmed up, maybe.

Anyone know of a table of codes available for the remote of this TV besides the listing in the manual? I'm trying to control an older JVC reciever with the TV remote but none of the codes in the manual work - of course there's no listing for recievers.

Did anyone notice that it takes about 45 mins to an hour for the black levels to settle in... the set seems to lose a little luminance and the blacks become slightly blacker and the colors more saturated. It's subtle but I can see it... I guess this is why it's recommended that you keep the set on for at least an hour before going into the service menus.... this can also explain why the default black level settings are way too low... they probably set these up in the factory when they are set's still cold...

Hey guys, I have a degauss issue.

The upper left corner of my screen is discolored. It's especially obvious on a white screen. I believe I had an external speaker too close to the monitor, and have since moved it.

I'm in the process of moving, so I don't use the TV much, but I've been making a point to turn it on once a week or so for the internal degauss to do its thing, but apparently to no avail.

Would a handheld degaussing coil do the trick for me?

I have a problem where I accidentally used the 'system off' button on the remote and now I can't get the tv to turn back on. Nothing happens on the screen when I hit the button. It sounds like it's going to and I see the red light blinking, but nothing shows up on the screen.

I was able to get it back on, whew that was a scary moment.

From the manual:

How to reset TV to factory settings:
Turn on the TV. While holding down the RESET button on the remote control, press the POWER button on the TV. (The TV will turn itself off, then back on again.) Release the RESET button.

There might be another way, but this worked for me.

My set has done this a couple times as well.

After freaking out a bit, I unplug it and wait a minute, plug it back in and it powers on.

Any idea why the heck it is doing this?

After freaking out a bit, I unplug it and wait a minute, plug it back in and it powers on.

Any idea why the heck it is doing this?
Freaking out is right. I tried that method and it didn't work for me, maybe I didn't leave it off long enough. I had never used the system off button before. Won't be using it again.

So is the consensus still that component is better than HDMI with the DTV HR10-250 and this set?

Bad news for me I'm afraid.

I was watching football last Sunday when I heard a *POP* and the picture went black. When I tried to turn the set back on the standby light blinked and I heard a few faint pops in the set, after which the standby light blinked 7 times in succession quickly. This has happened every time I've tried to power up since. I have tried unplugging the set and using a different outlet, no dice.

I bought it 15 months ago, leaving me 3 months out of warranty. Wonderful. Fixing it will probably be at least $250. Is it even worth fixing?

It's times like this that the size/weight of CRTs are a major disadvantage over a flat screen.

Whether it's worth fixing is up to you - most of the time it's not worth fixing something if the repair cost is more than 1/2 the value of the unit.

Well, it all depends on how much you like the set. If you find that it is awesome, like most folks on this forum, I'd say it's worth fixing.

A couple of considerations: It cannot be replaced. It's been discontinued, and sightings in store of the few stragglers left to be sold are so rare, you might as well start from the premise that it literally cannot be replaced. So if you like this television enough, that should answer your question.

Another consideration: Can you replace it with another set that has as good an HD or SD picture? IMHO, no. There is no set on the market, LCD, Plasma, or CRT (any variety) that can match the picture on this set. For me, that's reason enough to get it fixed.

One last note: the only tube TV that Sony sells now is NOT a replacement for this television. They discontinued the SFP tube so the current TV they sell is not substitute for the xs.

Of course, this is all my humble opinion, YMMV.

I have had my set for over a year now. Got it & xbox 360 at the same time. I love the Tv. I am having a problem though. The tv is in my computer room and I have the cable going directly into the back of it (no cable box). Every time i put on NBC HD, ABC hd, Fox Hd etc I get "no signal". I have gotten a signal in the past. I re-ran auto program and still nothing. Do you think my Hd tuner is shot or is it the cable?

thanks!

Are you sure you have the cable going to the 'cable in' rather than the 'vhf/uhf in'? Not sure off the top of my head if that makes a difference, but it might.

Depending on how far you are from your TV stations's towers, you might think about getting a cheap antenna to attach to the vhf/uhf in, and see if your tuner finds any HD stations. If you are within 20 miles or so, rabbit ears could probably pull them in. That way you'll at least know if it is a bad tuner.

When I bought mine, it had a bad tuner that Sony replaced for me in the first month of ownership.

I am confused about the utility of an upconverting DVD player. They are so cheap now, they are tempting. But do I need one? Since the native resolution on the set is 1080i, doesn't that mean the TV upcoverts incoming signals to 1080i anyway? If so, then what's the use of an upconverting player?

Is it just the quality of the upconversion? If so, am I likely to find a player in the sub-$150 category that does a better job than the xs955?

I echo your question. I am trying to decide whether to get one of these upconverting players for my 34xbr960, but I don't know if the scaler (DRC) in the tv is better or worse than those in the Oppo players I'm looking at.

Is it just the quality of the upconversion? If so, am I likely to find a player in the sub-$150 category that does a better job than the xs955?
Yes, unlikely.

I have had my set for over a year now. Got it & xbox 360 at the same time. I love the Tv. I am having a problem though. The tv is in my computer room and I have the cable going directly into the back of it (no cable box). Every time i put on NBC HD, ABC hd, Fox Hd etc I get "no signal". I have gotten a signal in the past. I re-ran auto program and still nothing. Do you think my Hd tuner is shot or is it the cable?

thanks!
Check in the HDTV local threads for your area and your cable provider to see if anything has changed in the recent past with the clear QAM channels - that's what you had. It could be that the cable co changed something - like moved the channels (do a scan to get them back) or inserted a filter (you won't get them back). Or it could be the TV - does it receive any QAM channels? If it gets any of them, then the issue is with the cable co - if it doesn't get any it might be the TV. I'm betting something changed with the cable co.

I've been digging in here for some help.... maybe someone could help me out. I want to fix the red push issue on this set. I want to know the BEST way to do this. Thanx in advance.

In the service menu change the setting for RYR and RYB to 14 and the red push is gone. Also for green I use GYR 6 and GYB 4. Heres all the settings I changed, These settings match up with perfect with Avia test patterns for me. Im using an Oppo 971 dvd player.

All these changes are on the hdmi input set to Pro,1080i,Clear edge-off, color axis-monitor, color temp-neutral and all the user menu set to 31 but color set to 33

YOSW 0
YOF 15
CBOF 45
CROF 47
SBRT 28
RDRV 53
GDRV 35
BDRV 26
RCUT 60
GCUT 19
BCUT 27
WBSW 1
GDOF 34
BDOF 45
GCOF 37
BCOF 63
VMLM 3
VMDL 15
MIDE 20
VMH 0
VMM 0
VML 0
SPIC 0
SCOL 36
SPIO 7
SCLO 7
RYR 14
RYB 14
GYR 6
GYB 4

I've had this set for a while now, and just recently I noticed that when it's at 480p, the picture is shifted too far to the right (it's only really a problem with a 16:9 picture since the black bars on the side work as a buffer otherwise). Oddly though, this doesn't seem to happen when viewing 480i or 1080i material.

Is there any way to fix this in the service menu (i.e. changing it for 480p, but not 480i and 1080i)? Thanks in advance.

will the color setting have to be changed for each input and/or resolution? in other words I'd have to do it several times; for 480p, 740p, 1080i, ect?

I got the geometry looking great last night after 3 1/2 hours... but the work payed off. I was so happy once I popped in a 360 game to test the adjustments out. games are good for geometry due to all the boxed menus ect.

Now what I want to do is fix the red push/color settings. Next I want to adjust the contrast/brightness/gamma type settings. I'm a bit clueless in this department. I'm not sure of the best things to touch in this regard and how/if they are related. Last would be the shadow detail/blacks ect. This might be related to the other options I just listed? This set seems a bit dark at times. Now i like my blacks, black and colors rich, turning up the contrest, gamma ect makes it easier to see dark areas ect, but it washes out the colors, at least from what i've done.

Any help or points in the right direction would be great.

Jerm357 has answered your question regarding red push (and green push). I have slightly different numbers than he does (RYR=13, RYB=15, GYR=5, GYB=6), it's all a matter of taste.

Your very best bet is to wade through the Sony Service Codes thread. This is ALL covered in there.

Setting black level (brightness) and white level (contrast) is best done with a calibration dvd like Avia or DVE. For some the resulting picture is too dark. You must give it time to adjust. If after a couple of weeks you still don't enjoy the picture, then adjust brightness to taste, just up to the point where it's highest but doesn't wash out the blacks.

You can read this thread about the red push, This is where I learned how to fix this problem.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=626330

And this thread has a lot more info on the Sony service menu.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=531494

Have Fun :D

I've been enjoying this TV for 9 months now. I'm wondering what it's native resoultion is. Also is it interlaced or progressive scan?

So does this crt put out true 1080i? or 720P?

I've been enjoying this TV for 9 months now. I'm wondering what it's native resoultion is. Also is it interlaced or progressive scan?

So does this crt put out true 1080i? or 720P?
With its Super Fine Pitch tube it has a resolution of 1400x1080i.

I've set the raster on my TV but I need to know how to adjust the "picture within the canvas"...


it's shifted to the right WAY to much

ok... let me be specific actually.

when i am in full screen and it's centered, then nomal view will be off. if i adjust the normal view to be centered, the full is going to be off. right now i am using video imput 6 with a 480p signal.

so far any of the mid 1 2 or 3 settings don't seem to make adjustments independently. if i correct one then it throws off the other.

ok... let me be specific actually.

when i am in full screen and it's centered, then nomal view will be off. if i adjust the normal view to be centered, the full is going to be off. right now i am using video imput 6 with a 480p signal.

so far any of the mid 1 2 or 3 settings don't seem to make adjustments independently. if i correct one then it throws off the other.

edit: 1st line removed for accuracy.
First, make sure that the raster is centered with HCNT (I'm assuming yours is similar). MID is not for centering.

MID settings can be used to fine tune the horizontal fit, but refrain from compensating for vertical problems here. Models vary, with regards to which MID category is appropriate.
Do the heavy lifting with HPOS/HSIZ/VPOS/VSIZ.

With its Super Fine Pitch tube it has a resolution of 1400x1080i.

So if interlaced 1080i has 960 (1920/2=960) horizontal lines. Where do the other 440 come from? (1400-960=440).

Or am I totally off?

The 1400 is just the lines of resolution the set is capable of - remember this is a CRT, not a fixed pixel display. Everything gets scaled to be displayed within that 1400 lines.

HPOS should have separate settings for Full and Normal (at least my 34xs does).
First, make sure that the raster is centered with HCNT (I'm assuming yours is similar). MID is not for centering.

MID settings can be used to fine tune the horizontal fit, but refrain from compensating for vertical problems here. Models vary, with regards to which MID category is appropriate.
Do the heavy lifting with HPOS/HSIZ/VPOS/VSIZ.
HPOS didn't seem to have separate settings for my TV. My problem was/is similar to his except that my image was centered properly on normal mode, but not in full mode. When I was experimenting a bit, HPOS seemed to have independent settings for each resolution but not each screen mode.

What I ended up doing was adjusting everything to the left with HPOS, then using MDHP (in MID1 I think) to move the image for normal mode back to the center. Is this bad for my TV? I worry when you use the word "refrain." MDHP seemed to make pretty large adjustments at each increment as well.

As for HCNT, for me that was causing one side of my screen to be squeezed (or stretched) horizontally.

Hey guys.

Im getting a replacement for my samsung lcd tv from circuit city, and this one seemes to be the best tv in my price range. I wana go back to tubes, because of true darks, no backlight leakage, and ghosting, and this one deffently cought my eye.


But it seems im cursed with bad luck when it comes to tvs. Are there any major errors, problems, etc with this tv. Im going to be using it for gaming on the 360 and HD TV, and i wana make sure im not going to get screwed over again.

Ive read through this fourm quickly, and im still not sure about this one...what do u guys recomend?

If you can get a Super Fine Pitch tube you should get it.

i dont think they sell those no more. And besides im limited to circuit citys stock! So, idk. It might be too big for the bedroom. I want the best tv i can get for the money (900 dollars) and will be using it for gaming and movie watching. I dont wana go back to LCD if i dont have to (ghosting, backlight leakage, not true darks) so...it seems to fit, but ive read reports about power problems with this unit, and not true 1080i

Well the 30XS955 is a SFP set and you are posting in the thread dedicated to it. There is the XBR970. Not as high resolution as a SFP set but still a good TV.

i dont think they sell those no more. And besides im limited to circuit citys stock! So, idk. It might be too big for the bedroom. I want the best tv i can get for the money (900 dollars) and will be using it for gaming and movie watching. I dont wana go back to LCD if i dont have to (ghosting, backlight leakage, not true darks) so...it seems to fit, but ive read reports about power problems with this unit, and not true 1080i

You probly wont find this set at circuit city, They have been out of production for some time now. Also I think this set is the closest to 1080i you are going to get with a CRT type display.

HPOS didn't seem to have separate settings for my TV. My problem was/is similar to his except that my image was centered properly on normal mode, but not in full mode. When I was experimenting a bit, HPOS seemed to have independent settings for each resolution but not each screen mode.

What I ended up doing was adjusting everything to the left with HPOS, then using MDHP (in MID1 I think) to move the image for normal mode back to the center. Is this bad for my TV? I worry when you use the word "refrain." MDHP seemed to make pretty large adjustments at each increment as well.

As for HCNT, for me that was causing one side of my screen to be squeezed (or stretched) horizontally.

MID horizontal changes are alright. It's the vertical settings you should avoid. The reason to avoid MID vertical is a subtle loss of resolution.
MID 1 has a couple of sets of items that affect size/position. Plus, there is a set of items in MID 2 that will also affect size/position.

You are correct, with regards to the screen mode and HPOS. It is not mode-independent, but resolution-independent. It been months since I'd been in the SM (will edit previous post).

<Also I think this set is the closest to 1080i you are going to get with a CRT type display. >

Unfortunately you are almost right. I just went over to the dark side and bought an Optoma HD81 1080P projector that is incredibly sharper than anything I've ever seen.

That's not quite true. I have a 20" NEC MultiSync FP1370 21" set. It can resolve 1600x1200. When you run HD through it, you can almost walk into the picture. I urge others to find used high quality computer monitors if you want to see the best picture on a CRT.

Well I too have a 22" NEC Multisync FE2111sb that can do 2048 X 1536 for my pc, but I did not think pc monitors counted as CRT HDTVs. ;)

A display is a display. I've been considering getting a FW900 widescreen 24'' Trinitron PC monitor and not just using it as a PC monitor but also as a second HDTV for my X360 and HD DVD add-on since a PC CRT monitor can resolve more resolution than any CRT HDTV.

Thanks vazel,

The picture out of high resolution monitors is far better than what is available from so called HDTV's. Try hooking up an old RCA DTC100 to a CRT computer monitor with native resolutions of 1600x1200 or greater. They cost around $800.00-$1,500.00 and provide outstanding bang for the buck. In this price and quality range, the gray scale and color temperature settings will be extremely accyrate. Geometry issues are non existent or can be easily adjusted with front panel settings. In fact, with something like a Progressive Labs 6 colorimeter and an Avia or Video Essentials disk, one can get displays that are as close to perfect as any off us can achieve.

So if interlaced 1080i has 960 (1920/2=960) horizontal lines. Where do the other 440 come from? (1400-960=440).

Or am I totally off?


I think you are off. 1080 represents the number of horizontal scan lines (measured from top to bottom). 1920 represents the number of pixels (in the digital image) per horizontal line (measured from side to side). The super fine pitch aperture grill/mask enables separation of approximately 1400 elements per scan line (which is less than the 1920 in an 1080i signal

Thanks vazel,

The picture out of high resolution monitors is far better than what is available from so called HDTV's. Try hooking up an old RCA DTC100 to a CRT computer monitor with native resolutions of 1600x1200 or greater. They cost around $800.00-$1,500.00 and provide outstanding bang for the buck. In this price and quality range, the gray scale and color temperature settings will be extremely accyrate. Geometry issues are non existent or can be easily adjusted with front panel settings. In fact, with something like a Progressive Labs 6 colorimeter and an Avia or Video Essentials disk, one can get displays that are as close to perfect as any off us can achieve.

Although I'm new to this forum, I've owned the Sony 30XS955 for around 6 months and I love it. The HD from Directv is great but I'm wondering if there is a way to improve my SD signals. Would an iScan HD, V-20, or V-30 video processor marketly improve the television pictures that I receive in SD. Thanks.

Although I'm new to this forum, I've owned the Sony 30XS955 for around 6 months and I love it. The HD from Directv is great but I'm wondering if there is a way to improve my SD signals. Would an iScan HD, V-20, or V-30 video processor marketly improve the television pictures that I receive in SD. Thanks.
Welcome to AVS! :)

Before looking at scalers, first invest in a calibration dvd like DVE or Avia. This is an essential for all home theaters (audio and video). Give your set a proper calibration and see what you think of your new picture quality (PQ). Then, if you're still unhappy, look further.

I have calibrated numerous sets, my own and others. The improvement in PQ ranges from good to stunning. Either dvd can be purchased from Amazon.com.

Cheers!

I'm trying to figure out where to find this info. I looked through the Sony Service Codes thread but didn't see it.

An example of my problem is when I watch Battlestar Galactica on my cable DVR using component input 5. The show is in SD and letterboxed. I use the zoom feature of the Sony to fill the screen, but it zooms in too much, cutting the edges of the picture.

I'd like to adjust the zoom setting on this input to zoom a bit less. Any idea where this info might be found?

Go back to the Sony Service Codes thread, post #1. Part way down the "table of contents" you'll find a section called "Forum Pages 11-20 #301-600." Within this section click on the item called "- - The geometry pages from the above manual (PDF file)." On my computer clicking this link downloads and brings up a pdf file called "Pages from KD34XBR2.pdf." Go to the 6th page of this file and you'll find instructions for "4-3. ZOOM MODE GEOMETRY ADJUSTMENT." I believe this will tell you what you need to do.

If you need guidance on navigating and saving adjustments in Service Mode, go to Post #3 "02 - NAVIGATING SERVICE MODE."

Write down all default values before making adjustments.

Cheers!

justsc

Thanks for the advice. I just purchaed the Avia dvd.

Go back to the Sony Service Codes thread, post #1. Part way down the "table of contents" you'll find a section called "Forum Pages 11-20 #301-600." Within this section click on the item called "- - The geometry pages from the above manual (PDF file)."

Thank you!!! I'll try it this week.

(Edit) After playing around w/o saving any settings, it looks like most adjustments to ZOOM also affect NORMAL mode. However, apparently my set is way overscanning, so I've been missing the outer edges of the picture since I bought my set a year ago.

So is it that if I adjust my overscanning, my zoom will also be adjusted? To reduce my zoom I need to reduce my overscanning?

Can someone with experience chime in if you know?

In what way does it affect Normal mode?

Overscan s/b adjusted (calibrated) as a matter of course, best done with Avia or DVE. So, you are correct, do that first. Shoot for around 5%. Be sure to undo the most recent changes first, before adjusting for overscan. Then, if you find that your Zoom mode still needs attention you can return to it.

Keep in mind that when Zoom is selected while watching 4:3 Normal, the only part of the picture that is clipped is the vertical, and should be the only portion adjusted, with the SCRL and ASPT settings. No changes should be needed in the horizontal plane. And you must take a few steps before making these adjustments, including ensuring that the Tilt correction in the user menu is at zero and well as the Vertical correction. Also, you must be in the 4:3 Zoom mode when making the adjustment in the SM.

According to the service manual, the Zoom mode shares the adjustments with the FULL mode. If the Normal mode is impacted it means something has been done incorrectly.

Alrighty. My problem is really annoying me and I think it can be fixed, but I am so confused on all this overscanning, service menu things that I decided to post my problem instead.

When I play my PS3 or Xbox 360 in widescreen, the screen is cut off on both sides. It's basically acting like it's a 4x3 picture being outputted in full when it should be true 16x9. Here's a picture of what it should look like and what mine looks like.

I put in Ridge Racer 6 to show this problem.

This is what mine looks like.

http://img288.imageshack.us/img288/3295/r6ga2.jpg

This is what it should look like.

http://www.hcgamer.hu/shot/2143/31877.jpg


As you can see, a ton is being cut off and it's really annoying.

Any help will be appreciated.

In what way does it affect Normal mode?

According to the service manual, the Zoom mode shares the adjustments with the FULL mode. If the Normal mode is impacted it means something has been done incorrectly.

My mistake. It does state FULL mode. However, I don't see where it says you must be in the 4:3 Zoom mode when making the adjustment in the SM.

My issue is is when watching a letterboxed program broadcast in 4:3, specifically a show like Battlestar, from my cable box. When I zoom it cuts maybe 10% of the letterboxed picture. Am I supposed to connect my DVD player to this input temporarily so I can use V. E.?

I was thinking of making a small adjustment and then watching a couple of affected programs. If more adjustment is needed, I could always go back and make another small one.

BTW - I finally decided to see how the component output of my D* HR10-250 High Def Tivo reciver compared to the HDMI output that I've been using for six months since installation (connected directly to my XS955). I have to say that prefer the component cable connection. For one thing, when I switch from 480i to 1080i on the remote, there's still a brief interuption in the signal, but there's no loud noise. And, when I change from panel to full, it is instantaneous over the component connection without any loud noise. More importantly, while the HD signal appears to be identical to that travelling via HDMI, the SD pictures are far superior.

Lastly, the SD 480i output over HDMI was offset on my screen to the right by about 2 inces. Over component - perfecly centered. Allows for perfect zooming on Battlestar Galactica using 480i with Sony's scaler instead of out at 1080i using the D*/Tivo scaler.


Hopefully someone can explain something to me. Ever since I bought the Sony 30XS955 some 8 months ago, I have connected it to my Directv receiver using a HDMI cable. While the HD signal produced an amazing picture, I was very disappointed in the SD picture. It seemed so dark and flat that I found myself adjusting the brightness and sharpness to the maximum to compensate. When I came on this forum to mention this and ask whether an iscan processor might help, another forum member suggested I get a Avia calibration DVD first to see if it helped. I did order one online and am waiting for delivery. I then decided to go through some older posts on this forum and came across this one quoted above.
This forum member decided to change from his HDMI connection to component cables and saw a vast improvement in his SD picture. So I decided to try the same thing. Well, I feel that I have a new TV. The difference in the brightness and clarity is amazing. I now found myself turning down the brightness and sharpness and using the Pro setting. After I made the change on the TV, I connected the HDMI cable to my Sony DVD player and immediately saw the same dull picture that was evident from the set box to TV picture using the HDMI connection. So I got out a second pair of component cables and connected the DVD player to the TV using them. The same thing happened. The improvement was obvious. Now I hope someone can tell me why this is the case. Has anyone else tried to do this comparison between these different connections? Were the results the same or different? Finally, perhaps someone more technically informed than myself can tell me why this is the case. I thought the HDMI connection was the best.

I get the best result using S-cable for my SD viewing.
My Sat. box up converts all SD material through component and HDMI and I believe the Sony does this also=to much upconvertion= blooming and other artifacts. I may be wrong but the proof is in the picture!! Maybe your Sat. box doesn't up convert the component out put.

Edtome - Glad to see that one of my old posts helped you. From what little I know, HDMI carries signals in a digital format to the Sony wherein they are then converted to analog for display on the tube. When using component connections, the satellite receiver handles the digital-to-analog conversion so that analog signals are sent to the Sony set. To this day, I still use component for connecting an HR10-250 and a 480i DVD player to my 30XS955.

Conversely, several months ago, I purchased a Pioneer Elite 50" Plasma TV. I use HDMI connections for both Sat and DVD with the Plasma. I've read enough posts by other users who have this set that I never bothered to try component. Plasmas and LCDs are digital display devices so they are better suited for digital connections. At least, that's they way I understand it.

Greetings, this is my inaugural post on the AVS forums.

Our current TV has begun its slow death (variant red and green tints) and I am looking to purchase a used 30XS955. After reading on the forums for a while, and checking on what is avialiable in stores, I decided it is too early to get into 1080p (still costly and no small sets), but HD resolution would be nice. The XS955 is well sized for our bedroom location, though a 34XS955 or 960 is an outside possibility, but not preferred. The plan is to closely watch the Craigslists for 4 local cities, and move quickly on anything that pops up.

I have an Oppo 981 that I will take with me to trial the set with a couple of HD recorded DVD's. I have read this entire thread, but I am hoping someone would be willing to indicate what testing or checks would be useful for verifying the function of the used TV. The TV will not be used for gaming.

Thank you in advance for your time.

Greetings, this is my inaugural post on the AVS forums.

Our current TV has begun its slow death (variant red and green tints) and I am looking to purchase a used 30XS955. After reading on the forums for a while, and checking on what is avialiable in stores, I decided it is too early to get into 1080p (still costly and no small sets), but HD resolution would be nice. The XS955 is well sized for our bedroom location, though a 34XS955 or 960 is an outside possibility, but not preferred. The plan is to closely watch the Craigslists for 4 local cities, and move quickly on anything that pops up.

I have an Oppo 981 that I will take with me to trial the set with a couple of HD recorded DVD's. I have read this entire thread, but I am hoping someone would be willing to indicate what testing or checks would be useful for verifying the function of the used TV. The TV will not be used for gaming.

Thank you in advance for your time.

PBONNIWE - It might be helpful if you put your city in your bio so that it shows below your name. There might be posters here that are interested in selling and would contact you via PM, if they knew were you lived.

Taking you DVD player to check out the functionality of the TV is more than most folks do - just make sure you test all the inputs and the tuner. As long as all that works most adjustment issues can be fixed in the service menu. The oldest used 955 is probably only about 2 years old so there shouldn't be any issues.

When I was experimenting a bit, HPOS seemed to have independent settings for each resolution but not each screen mode.

I think this may be true, b/c I noticed that progressive signals are the ones that are moved to the right. progressive is the only signal i use that can be put into a "normal" aspect ratio. I assumed it was the flipping of ratios but now it seems it must be the resolution after reading the replys.

whats the best way to set the raster?

Greetings,
I am experiencing an extemely noticeable picture shift at the bottom of my screen (sony kd-30xs955). This is not adjustable with the LCP setting in the service menu. The geometry of my tv is very close to perfect (after hours of adjusting!), however at the very bottom of my screen my picture shifts HARD to the left. Has anyone experienced this before? Here is what it looks like:

|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| < Image with great geometry
//////////////////////////////////////// < Image shifted left at very bottom of screen

If I switch APSW to 1 in the service menu this problem disappears on 1080i mode but comes right back when I am viewing dvd's. Any help on this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks-

"What I ended up doing was adjusting everything to the left with HPOS, then using MDHP (in MID1 I think) to move the image for normal mode back to the center. Is this bad for my TV? I worry when you use the word "refrain." MDHP seemed to make pretty large adjustments at each increment as well."

Thanx!! worked on my TV. exactly what i needed

I tried to look at some overscan settings in the SM, but there was no picture on the screen. Is this normal? My TV is connected to a Moto 6416 via HDMI on Input 7. If so, how do people use the HDNet patterns to make SM adjustments. Also, the SM overlay was showing 480i. How do I change that to 1080i?

The only thing I could guess was to get the settings right for Input 5 (the DVD player) in 16x9 mode, then copy them to Input 7.

lastly, much thanks to justsc for his advice and pointers.

I am a new poster to AVS, but have done a good bit of reading the different forums. After much reading on what new HDTV to invest into I decided to try and find a 36xs955 and 32xs945, I believe that is the correct model numbers, anyway. I went to town and began looking and of course could not find either one. But I did find 2 KD30xs955's at a local AV store. Of course the display model and was told by the salesperson that there is one new in box in the back. The advertised price is almost a couple hundred below a thousand. Now knowing that they are no longer manufactured and that price for a new in box doesn't seem to overly priced to me I believe that I will invest in the new one. I will be using this one for my bedroom.

I also came across either a 34xbr960 or a 34xs960, I do not remember the exact model number, it is an open box item with a price almost two hundred above a thousand dollars they are also offering a best buy gift card worth four hundred dollars. I had little time to examine it, but it seemed fine. I was thinking of buying this one for my living room if I can get them to sell it for less. Even though it is a display model I believe it would make a fine purchase if they would come down more.

I am posting this just to show that while scarce there are still new sony sfp tv's still available to purchase.

Do a google search for either a Sony 34xs955 or a 34xbr960 or a 36xs955. I have found several places that still have some in stock for around 1100-1300 dollars plus shipping. XS955 have a 1 year waranty and the XBR sets have a two year warranty plus a few more bells and whistles. Basically if you can get a 960 get that first. PQ on either model is outstanding. Much better then what I am seeing on the LCD and Plasmas at CC or BB.

I went to BB and it was a KD34xbr960. It showed some signs of wear from being moved around the store, a few minor case scratches and such. There is a definite geometry issue, hopefully I can correct it through the service menu. I was able to pick it up for 699 plus tax. I also purchased the BB 4yr extended warranty as an extra cushion. If it goes up in smoke, I hope it doesn't, I will have the option of getting my money back or a suitable sub, the xbr970, which I have read isn't that bad of a TV. The only problem I had with the purchase is that they lost the remote. I was told I should be able to buy a proper factory remote for the xbr960. If I cannot find one maybe someone here can point me in the right direction.

I will be purchasing the 30xs955 new in box either this week or the next. I don't think I will get as good a deal as I did with the xbr960 but we will see.

I was told I should be able to buy a proper factory remote for the xbr960. If I cannot find one maybe someone here can point me in the right direction.


You can get one off Ebay or search around online, the xbr960's remote model number is RM-Y201.

Thanks will do.

I could be remembering this wrong, but didn't the last generation of either the XS or the XBR (or both) NOT have the spf tube?

- msc

I could be remembering this wrong, but didn't the last generation of either the XS or the XBR (or both) NOT have the spf tube?

- msc

That is correct.

XBR960 = SFP
XBR970 /= SFP

You can get one off Ebay or search around online, the xbr960's remote model number is RM-Y201.

Any of the latest remote will work with the set. Some have less buttons so not all the features can be accessed. You can call Sony and they will order one for you if you are under warranty. It may take a few months. I called Sony because CC game me a remote that was not the original. I then went to CC and they found me a differerent model number but essantially the same as the one that was supposed to be with the TV. A few months later Sony sent me the right remote and now I have a backup. The remotes are exactly the same except the model number.

whats the naitive resolution for this set? i can't seem to find an answer....

whats the naitive resolution for this set? i can't seem to find an answer....

1080i

The native resolution of this set is 1152x648. Do not let anyone tell you anything different. Although it will accept signals with higher resolutions, it will not resolve anything greater than 648 lines.

My first anniversary with my kd30xs955... still cranking out great pictures... never made it into the service menus... no problems yet... my friend is looking at the 34xbr970 with the deal at circuit city... she needs a better stand however to support it... suggested she also get an aftermarket warranty from repairmaster thru a discounter... for that set you could get a five year in home policy for a good price... another friend just got a Bravia 40" lcd and is very pleased... tuner setup and menus very similar to ours...

Hey Everyone:

Well I have finally made the plunge. I upgraded my system to a Yamaha 661 receiver, Oppo 981 DVD, and am getting Directv HD (with HD DVR) as we speak. I just set up the Oppo. My TV is the 36xs955. My hookups are as follows:

HDMI from Oppo DVD to receiver
HDMI from HD DVR to receiver
HDMI from receiver to TV

I have heard the Oppo would upscale better than the TV. It says in the OPPO manual that I should set the OPPO to match the tv's native resolution for best picture. It gives examples, but does not have an example of an HDTV CRT. Should I set the OPPO at 1080i? If I set the Oppo at 1080i what adjustments need to be made to the TV (for example, the DRC modes, etc). Will the tv then be operating in 1080i from the DVD, or less (if less, and the DVD is on 1080i, then the tv would be downconverting it).

Thanks for your help.

This week I've developed an interesting audio problem with my 30XS955. As we all know, it's a generally nice loud set. With my HDMI input from my cable box to the tv, I could typically fill the room with the volume set to 7, and at about 14 for analog inputs from my Xbox, DVD player, and Xbox 360. On Sunday evening, while watching tv, there was a sudden brownout for about 45 minutes. Everything, at the time, seemed fine. It wasn't til Tuesday or so that I happened to notice that I now have a significant overall sound reduction, from any source. Now, to get the same level of sound from my HDMI source, I have to crank the tv to 14-15. For DVDs and gaming, I'm now in the high 20s. Resetting the tv to factory defaults didn't help, so I've called in my extended warranty and an authorized Sony tech is coming out to my place tomorrow. Has anyone encountered the likes of this before or have an idea what happened? Someone never having heard this set before this happened (like a few of my friends over the weekend) would have no idea anything was wrong by listening to it since the set is still sounds fine while turned up. But as I'm not going to be getting a good HDMI a/v receiver and surround system for a while yet, it'd be nice to get my volume back the way it was. The set's only 5 months old (though a Nov 05 manufactur date), so I'm hoping it's a minor fix as opposed to the sound system being damaged and needing replacement.

I've been hit with this problem. My house tends to lose power frequently when too many electronics are used simultaneously... So the power is getting cut from this TV once a week or more. Anyway, while the TV used to be loud at volume 11, now I have to turn it up to 23 or 24 to get a decent sound output. And it's not just the speakers, because I'm using one of the audio outputs on the back as a headphone jack (I bought an audio out to headphone jack converter), turning the speakers off in the audio menu and using the TVs volume control to manipulate the headphone volume. I used to get a good level of sound around 45 or 46. Now, even at max volume, the headphones just aren't loud enough. So my theory is that the speakers on the TV are fine, but some kind of internal amplifier is either damaged or needs to be reset or something...

It is possible this is a problem that can be fixed without calling a repairman? Any suggestions on how to get the TV back to its normal volume level?

The native resolution of this set is 1152x648. Do not let anyone tell you anything different. Although it will accept signals with higher resolutions, it will not resolve anything greater than 648 lines.

Resolution of this set and the 36xs955 is 1440X1080i.

I've done some reading on the green blob as well as other problems with this set. I've had it about 2 years now with no problems.

Suddenly last month the entire screen had a greenish tint to it. If i turn off the set, sometimes it goes back to normal. Sometimes the set is fine for a few days, then this green tint comes back.

Currently running a receiver through component but the green tint problem happens with OTA antenna hooked up as well.

Do I need to go in the service menu and mess around with settings (much reading to do!)? Any suggestions are welcome, thanks.

How about HDMI? You may want to check that connection and see if you see the same problem. If it is still there you might need a new set. Chad is coming down in August to calibrate my 36xs955 and my Panny CT-34WX54. Both have problems that all can be corrected in the Service Menu. My Panny has geometry issues and accuracy of colors. My sony is crushing blacks which can happen if the video setting for that is set too low out of the factory.
Love both sets and am waiting for Plasmas to go 1080p and the prices to drop.

Resolution of this set and the 36xs955 is 1440X1080i.

I'm curious where you discovered this information? I too thought it was closer 1152x648, although I can't for the life of me recall where I found that info.

rbphillip,

You are correct not theroys88. CRT's have lower absolute resolutions. That does not mean they look worse. In a 2" set, it does not matter.

rbphillip,

You are correct not theroys88. CRT's have lower absolute resolutions. That does not mean they look worse. In a 2" set, it does not matter.

1152 MIGHT be correct for Sony 30 inch CTR sets with SFP tube like 30 inch xs955 and 30 inch xbr910, but I am pretty sure it is not correct for 36 inch and 34 inch Sony sets such as 34 xs955/36 xs955 and 34 xbr910/ 34 xbr960.

If you read CNET review on 34 inch xbr 910, you will notice that Sony claims that the set has 1401 horizontal resolution. In their review, CNET's reviewers state that their tests results prove that Sony claim on 1401 horizontal resolution is accurate. I have also read some reviews of xbr 960, which state that the set has 1440 horizontal resolution.

If one assumes that the pitch is the same in all SFP tubes regardless of their size, the 30inch and 36 inch sets will have lower horizontal resolution. In case of 30 inch SFP Sony sets, horizontal resolution might be indeed 1152. In case of 36inch xs955, it is probably just a little less than 14001 or 1440 in horizontal resolution.

I also remember reading that vertical resolution on all Sony HDTV sets is 1080 due to Trinitron tube desing.

I've done some reading on the green blob as well as other problems with this set. I've had it about 2 years now with no problems.

Suddenly last month the entire screen had a greenish tint to it. If i turn off the set, sometimes it goes back to normal. Sometimes the set is fine for a few days, then this green tint comes back.

Currently running a receiver through component but the green tint problem happens with OTA antenna hooked up as well.

Do I need to go in the service menu and mess around with settings (much reading to do!)? Any suggestions are welcome, thanks.

I unfortunately don't have any HDMI devices to check on my set. All I know is my component and OTA antenna both exhibit this problem. It's not even a small corner of the screen. The entire picture has this off tint, then it will go back to normal for a few seconds, then back to the greenish/yellow tint.

I just bought this set off Craigslist for $250.

The previous owner never had anything attached via coax, component or HDMI, he only used composite. Thus the other inputs need calibration.

Where can I get a service manual for this set.

btw I am pretty new here. this is my first HD set.

I've been hit with this problem. My house tends to lose power frequently when too many electronics are used simultaneously... So the power is getting cut from this TV once a week or more. Anyway, while the TV used to be loud at volume 11, now I have to turn it up to 23 or 24 to get a decent sound output. And it's not just the speakers, because I'm using one of the audio outputs on the back as a headphone jack (I bought an audio out to headphone jack converter), turning the speakers off in the audio menu and using the TVs volume control to manipulate the headphone volume. I used to get a good level of sound around 45 or 46. Now, even at max volume, the headphones just aren't loud enough. So my theory is that the speakers on the TV are fine, but some kind of internal amplifier is either damaged or needs to be reset or something...

It is possible this is a problem that can be fixed without calling a repairman? Any suggestions on how to get the TV back to its normal volume level?

Kythlyn, were you ever able to find a way to resolve the volume drop? When the technician examined my set a year ago, he didn't see any problem during his diagnostics, including on the soundboard. It's a relief to know it's not the speakers themselves, however, thanks to that good bit of testing you performed. I've got a 5-yr RepairMaster warranty on it, so just figured I'd leave it be until something else happened, unless someone else found a solution. It'd be irritating to have to get a UPS just for the tv, though, on the chance this could happen again on a brownout. My tech didn't want to open up my brand new set if it wasn't absolutely necessary, not wanting to introduce any new issues, but if it can be confirmed that a board replacement will restore it, despite lack of bad diagnostic readings, I'll certainly go for it. If anyone else has any suggestions, they're much appreciated.

I bought my new KD30XS955 in March 2006, a model built in January 2006. I have been using it with a Comcast cablecard since I brought it home and it has performed splendidly until this morning.
Last night everything was fine, but when I turned it on today, no digital channels would tune in. The one analog PBS channel still came through, though. I suspected trouble with the cablecard, so I ejected it and tried to tune QAM without it, but still no digital channels, although the multiple analog channels did come through. I connected an antenna, but the ATSC tuner wouldn't bring in any over the air digital signals either. I finally unplugged the set for awhile, but when I plugged it back in, the digital channels were back, but my screen only displayed a pattern of horizontal and vertical lines. I could hear the audio frrom the channels but could not get any image. I flipped through the video inputs as well and only the pattern would display.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1110/939584559_760dc5b057.jpg
Frustrated, I shut off the TV again and waited. I plugged it in again, directly to the wall outlet rather than the power strip I have been using, and finally the picture was back on all channels. The cablecard was reinserted and worked fine. After some time, I decided to unplug the set from the wall and try the strip again. This proved to be a mistake as I went back to no digital channels tuning. I powered down once more, and the TV came back with the cross hatch pattern again. I returned to the wall outlet, but didn't get anything different.
Right now, I have the TV unplugged, and I will try the wall outlet one more time after leaving the set unplugged for a couple of hours.
I also have a KDL-V32XBR1 LCD tv with cablecard, and that is working fine.
Have any other members had any similar problems? I figure I'll have to call for service if this persists for the next couple of days. I did get a 5 year extended warranty from Sony when I bought the set.
Thanks.

That is strange. Hopefully they can fix the set because a 970 is not a equal replacement. I have a 36xs955 and have never been able to get QAM channels. Out of the cable input I get nothing and the UHF channel I can only get 20 analog channels. Fortunately I use a cable box so that has not been a issue. Good luck.

I bought my new KD30XS955 in March 2006, a model built in January 2006. I have been using it with a Comcast cablecard since I brought it home and it has performed splendidly until this morning........... I figure I'll have to call for service if this persists for the next couple of days. I did get a 5 year extended warranty from Sony when I bought the set.
Thanks.The pattern you are getting is one of the built in test patterns. The test patterns are created within the Q-box assembly, which also contains the QAM tuner. I seem to recall previous threads here in which the Q-box was causing problems in the XS955/XBR960 sets.

Good Luck

Thanks very much for the info about the Q-Box. That sounds like my problem.
To update, my screen has been back to normal but my digital tuners, both QAM and ATSC, are no longer working, so I am using by DHG-HDD250 as the tuner and the XS955 as simply a monitor. I am going to call for service to have the set fixed.

Greetings Programs! (obscure Tron reference...)

Ironically I said this in another thread here on July 31st:
------------------------------------
"Best" is subjective. I am still flip-flopping between getting a $200-$300 used Sony HD CRT or putting that money into a low-budget 37" LCD at the end of the year for around $550 (prediction). Yes, I like certain aspects of the CRT picture - they are vibrant and smooth.

HOWEVER - as my use will include Xbox 360 at 720p the detail/resolution of even cheapo LCDs becomes an advantage for them (especially splitting the screen 4 ways for 4 players...) I love a good CRT picture, but I like small text to be CRISP! And I like my straight lines straight! AND I like ALL the picture there! (Booo overscan.... Boooo!)

I have seen the (probably awesome) Sony 32HS500/510 sets selling for under $300 and the older KV30HSXXX wide screens for around $300. Now, I have yet to see these in person, but I even can enjoy the crappy MGA 19" CRT I have over COMPOSITE!! (Yikes!) So, I'm pretty sure these will look phenominal to me. I think of these as awesome, bulky plasmas, with geometry errors...

Anyway - just what I've been kicking over in my mind lately...
----------------------------------------

And on August 4th I ended up buying a KD-30XS955 in good shape for $300 used... :eek: I brought a DVE disk with me and threw up some test patterns - mostly OK. Convergence off slightly in upper left. Geometry mostly OK. Set was NOT on vivid mode, so I think the guy didn't view in that mode.

I have looked at this thread before for some information, but now I am IN! I will read all of it in detail now (I'm at about page 25....) We'll see how it works out. I have only briefly tried widescreen 480p with one PS2 game - very nice. Later this week I will try normal Xbox. I do have a 360 but I am not willing to extract it from my projector setup until I get an extra set of compontent cables for it - but I am really eager to see HD on this thing!

It's kind of a compromise really - I like CRTs but I was just about to give up on these and save up for a cheap LCD. This is a smaller screen, but if there is still good clear detail for Halo3 out of a 360, then this will do quite nicely.

So, after a lot of research, I ended up with the super-duper, killer awesome little brother to the infamous 960... wow. I really wasn't expecting to have this opportunity - I am very blessed!

And on August 4th I ended up buying a KD-30XS955 in good shape for $300 used... :eek:

Nice! I think you'll get your $300 worth out of it. :)

I've had my set for almost two years now. The past two weeks, I've had to take out the plug and replug it back in because my set didn't turn on. Once I replug it back in, the tv turns on fine. But I'm afraid, one of these days, the set will die on me. Any suggestions?

I had the exact same problem happen last night for the 1st time which resolved when i unplugged and replugged the power cord. I suspect there is a problem with the power supply or it's control board.

Sony stuff has deteriorated dramatically in the last 10 years. Your observations are just more of the same. I would chuck it and buy a projector.

Sony stuff has deteriorated dramatically in the last 10 years. Your observations are just more of the same. I would chuck it and buy a projector.

Please save these type of comments for your internet chat room. They are not even remotely constructive.

You must work for Sony. I on the other hand have over 50 years of experience loving Sony products and believing they incorporated the finest and the most current electronic components and technologies available. I owned 2 ProFeels, 2 XBR's, a myriad of sorround processors, noise reducers and amps, preamps and decoders made by Sony. They were amazing. In 2003, I bought a KDL-32XBR950. Sony claimed it could receive digital cable. It could only receive QAM 64 not QAM 256 which is what every cable system uses. When I approached Sony, they said I should talk to my cable company not them. More recently the Sony BDPS300 BluRay player fails play audio codecs the manual says it can. These are not isolated instances of Sony's deterioration.

The 955 should have been the greatest TV ever built. This thread demonstrates a high failure rate and premature failure. I have a KV-1500 that I bought in 1971. It works perfectly after 36 years of continuous use including 12 years as the Nintendo/Atari/SEGA monitor. I use it in my breakfast nook every day for at least an hour a day. My Profeel sets lasted from 1983 to 2001. Not bad for a bedroom set and a playroom extra set.

As far as constructivity, let me offer the following. Late model Sony TV's are turned on and off with the remote. If one turns off the set at the TV, Standby is turned off and in order to turn the TV on again, the TV button must be used to turn it on/activate standby. After that the remote will work fine. If there was a power interruption that turne off the TV ecen if it wa on satndby, the results would have been as described. A replug and turn on would have made the emote function again.

You must work for Sony. I on the other hand have over 50 years of experience loving Sony products and believing they incorporated the finest and the most current electronic components and technologies available. I owned 2 ProFeels, 2 XBR's, a myriad of sorround processors, noise reducers and amps, preamps and decoders made by Sony. They were amazing. In 2003, I bought a KDL-32XBR950. Sony claimed it could receive digital cable. It could only receive QAM 64 not QAM 256 which is what every cable system uses. When I approached Sony, they said I should talk to my cable company not them. More recently the Sony BDPS300 BluRay player fails play audio codecs the manual says it can. These are not isolated instances of Sony's deterioration.

The 955 should have been the greatest TV ever built. This thread demonstrates a high failure rate and premature failure. I have a KV-1500 that I bought in 1971. It works perfectly after 36 years of continuous use including 12 years as the Nintendo/Atari/SEGA monitor. I use it in my breakfast nook every day for at least an hour a day. My Profeel sets lasted from 1983 to 2001. Not bad for a bedroom set and a playroom extra set.

As far as constructivity, let me offer the following. Late model Sony TV's are turned on and off with the remote. If one turns off the set at the TV, Standby is turned off and in order to turn the TV on again, the TV button must be used to turn it on/activate standby. After that the remote will work fine. If there was a power interruption that turne off the TV ecen if it wa on satndby, the results would have been as described. A replug and turn on would have made the emote function again.

Your ramblings above have nothing to do with my posted comment. Your original post "chuck it and buy a projector" bring nothing constructive to this thread.
I wont debate you.

Can someone tell me how to fix the geometry of this screen when using HDMI? There is a bit of a curved black border at the top left corner of my screen when using HDMI and some image clipping on the right side.

Thanks very much for the info about the Q-Box. That sounds like my problem.
To update, my screen has been back to normal but my digital tuners, both QAM and ATSC, are no longer working, so I am using by DHG-HDD250 as the tuner and the XS955 as simply a monitor. I am going to call for service to have the set fixed.

To update my tale, the warranty provider determined the cost to repair my set was too much (I think over $400 for the new Q-box plus whatever the labor was going to be) so they sent me a refund in the amount I originally paid for the TV. I am actually pretty disappointed the set wasn't fixed, but the picture on the TV has been fine and I am still using my Sony DHG-HDD250 DVR with CableCard as my tuner. It's a bit clunky compared to tuning via the TV itself, but I'll get by.

I've owned this tv for almost two years now and love it dearly. I've been using the TV's speakers only for audio so far, but I'd like to use a receiver and external speakers for movies and video games. I hooked up a receiver and thought I was good to go, but I wasn't getting any external speaker sound. Upon getting into the Audio menu it looks like I have to turn off the TV's speakers to get the receiver to push sound? So it would seem like it's a 'one or the other' situation - is this correct or am I missing something? It would really be a pain to have to get into the menu and turn off/on the TV's speakers just to toggle between regular TV and movie/game watching. It'd be nice if I could always push to both speaker sources and just turn on my receiver when I need it. Is this possible?

Hi Sony CRT´s fans
I found a site where you can download the SERVICE MANUAL FOR FREE of 30/34/36xs955 and 34xbr960(all with DA-4 chassis):go to www.schematicsforfree.com and 1)click on "Click here to see the files" in blue big letters 2) click on "Sony" 3)click on "Video" 4)click on "KD34XBR960" or "KD34XS955".It´s a Zip file.

drudiggs: Don't know if you are still monitoring this thread, but my memory is that it is an either/or proposition if you are using the audio out from the TV to your receiver. It's either TV or External speakers. I agree, that's kind of dumb. If you are using a cable box, the solution is to run the audio out directly from that to your receiver. Then, with the TV set for TV audio, rather than external, your audio defaults to the TV speakers, and you can turn on your receiver when you want to use the external as well. Of course, then, you'd need two separate remotes to control the volume: one for the TV's volume, and one for the receiver's volume.

I am thinking about buying a PS3, but the thing holding me back is on Sony's website it says the PS3 can only output Bluray at 1080p. Has anybody bought a PS3 and used bluray with this TV?

Not sure why that'd be a problem. It would just deinterlace the 1080p to display it at 1080i. That's what it does with the 720p signals it gets, right?

- msc

Hey there..

I've a 955 that I've had for a couple of years. It's great in most aspects, but I've notice an oddness recently.

When I re-scan the cable to find new and moved channels, the TV completely misses digital channels that are there. I need to go back and add them in manually to my favorites.

Anyone else experience this? Any solution to the problem?

Thanks.

Still need help in regards to the weird geometry of my HDMI connection. Using my PS3 through the HDMI cables, the top left corner of the screen is curved in to the right and the picture doesn't really fill the whole screen, whereas with a Component cable, it does fill the whole screen and the geometry isn't an issue. Is there any way to correct this problem?

Has there been any reported history of HDMI ports going bad on this set?

I've had my 30XS955 for several years now and just recently tried to hook up a component to the HDMI with no luck.

I've tried several different components and several different cables and still can't get video from the HDMI port. I've tried plugging it into the HDMI then turning the tv off and back on, unplugging it, nothing.

I know its out of warranty and really don't want to spend a fortune to fix this as I'm probably going to be going to a larger LCD soon anyway. But anyone run into this or see something I might be missing?

Thanks for the help.

I've heard of problems with 960 HDMI boards going bad, I believe it's the same board on the 30" 955?

By chance anyone had a guess on if its even possible to get a replacement HDMI board (assuming that's the problem)? And is this something I could change out myself? Everyone who owns these sets know how heavy they are and the last thing I feel like doing is dragging it to a shop.

Sony support best place to start, I suppose?

I just got a good deal on two refurb'd 30XS955's (249.95 each) but one turned out to have a problem. When I turn it on it'll go to a bright green screen and will quickly shut down. Anyone here experience anything similar to this? It looks like I'm going to be able to get it fixed under warranty so it's not that big of a deal. I'm just curious to find out if it's a major problem or just some small replaceable part.

I also have a good chance to buy a refurb'd 30XBR910 for 180.00 but with a faulty screen. There's this small area of the screen that has a purple tint to it. Seems like it's a simple degausing issue but wanted to find out here if it's worth the trouble to buy it and get it fixed. Any ideas?

No one has any ideas?

Went back today to check on the 910 and they refused to sell it to me, even as is. This was at the local Sony Outlet, FYI. Did I miss a good deal? I've been bit by the CRT bug pretty hard this last two weeks. All started with a open box 34" 970 I bought from Bestbuy for 399.00 plus 50 for the extended warranty. I remembered reading about the top of the line Sony CRT's a while back and always wanted one. This was two weeks ago. A week after I drove to our local Sony Outlet to see what they had and found they had just sold three 910's for 180 with only the defective screen floor unit still available. After a few questions, I found they had three 420's for 185 and two 955 (all 30 inchers) for 250 at "the warehouse." I bought the two 955 for myself, a 420 for my dad and the other two 420's went to a few relatives I pass the deal along two. Unfortunately, one of my 955's was dead on arival. Service tech will be here tomorrow, hopefully it'll be a quick fix. Just though I'd share my newfound journey into the world of HD CRT's. Wish me luck.

pappucho,

In my state, Maryland, we have 3 days in which we can return anything or get out of a contract. Having worked on CRT TV's for the last 40 years, I recommend you return the CRT's ASAP. The reason manufacturers have moved to LCD and DLP is that the technology is simpler, less prone to failure and the picture looks better. Like you I refused to get rid of my SONY CRT sets until the early 2000's. What a mistake I made waiting. Now I own a SONY KDL-32XBR950 and an OPTOMA HD81-LV front projector. They are gorgeous. No more worrying about geometric aberrationss,convergence errors, color fading and screen burn in. Take them back. You will be happy you did.

I also plan on getting a DLP or Plasma sometime in the near future for my main viewing. The CRT's are relagated to bedroom duties for myself and my kids. I'm happy with the picture so far. Where can you get comparable HD quality for under 1K? Give me a model number and I'll go check it out to see if it's true. I know there are those here such as yourself that feel the newer technology is better, I'd like to get some model numbers and see for myself. Thanks for the advice but I'd like to see it for myself before returning anything.

The reason manufacturers have moved to LCD and DLP is that the technology is simpler, less prone to failure and the picture looks better.

I think all three of those points are highly debatable.

By chance anyone had a guess on if its even possible to get a replacement HDMI board (assuming that's the problem)? And is this something I could change out myself? Everyone who owns these sets know how heavy they are and the last thing I feel like doing is dragging it to a shop.

Sony support best place to start, I suppose?
I have a similar problem to yours. I was replacing an HDMI cable and the one I pulled out wound up destroying the HDMI port on my Sony 30XS955. Since it was out of warranty, I was stuck calling a place Sony recommended to me. The estimate was going to be $400 to fix the HDMI port because they said they had to replace the whole board (every input) as opposed to just the HDMI port. I declined since there's really not a big difference between Component and HDMI anyway. I didn't bother to call anyone else because I got burned on the house-charge (cost $100 just for them to tell me my HDMI port was broken just in case I wasn't aware). I'm not sure if they were BSing me but this is what they said. They were also going to have to take it into their shop to do it.

I owned several Sony CRT's. Repairs always had to go to the shop. Good reason to get a projector or a flat panel.

My original remote broke, and the replacement I bought doesn't have a tuner button to change between uhf and cable. Is there another way to change it? Because it doesn't look like there's an option in the menu system. I have a Sony RM-v310 remote.


EDIT: It's the ANT button my universal remote is missing

Are there optimum settings posted somewhere for this set? Can't seem to find any using the search. Thanks

Are there optimum settings posted somewhere for this set? Can't seem to find any using the search. Thanks

Type in the word "settings" in the search this thread box. 117 posts regarding settings will come up. A number of them have what people are using.

Type in the word "settings" in the search this thread box. 117 posts regarding settings will come up. A number of them have what people are using.

As noted in my post; been there, done that. Thanks anyway.

As noted in my post; been there, done that. Thanks anyway.

You may want to try again the info is there. it's not that hard to find just takes a little reading. But hey, I'm not the one who needs help setting up my set. :rolleyes:

You may want to try again the info is there. it's not that hard to find just takes a little reading. But hey, I'm not the one who needs help setting up my set. :rolleyes:

Sure. Thanks again

Happy owner of a 30XS for Xmas gift. Got a deal on a floor-model sale w/full-factory warranty. Replaces a Westinghouse LCD in my LR. Wish it had been a 34XS - but in my LR w/8+' from viewing area... the 30" is very adequate! I wanted one of these Sony's when I got my Westy for HDTV viewing... but the price-tag was still a bit steep - so when they had a 1/2-off floor model sale - bada-bing, home she came. Love the set - have always loved CRT's over anything else, being a graphic-artist/newspaper person for a long time.

I will gladly share my settings... tho I am no pro. I used Avia disk, but do not have the color filters... so my color/hue settings are by-sight.

Firstly... find which video ports you will use... HDMI/#x - Component 1/#x, etc... with nothing plugged into the ports... go into your settings and choose pro-mode on each port... then scroll down to the "Advanced" button at bottom... click that and set the DCR mode - I use "Cinemotion" on each of my ports. Under that choose "color axis" - set to "monitor" - this will help a ton w/red-push. You have to choose your DCR setting before you plug in a device... it will be grayed-out once you plug something in, and you can not change it.

You can also turn off video ports you are not using, say you use #1 and #7 only... go into the others and turn them off, that way when you cycle thru with the "video" button on the remote, only those you use will be chosen.

I use "Pro" mode and "Natural" color temp on all my devices. These are the settings I achieved with Avia in daylight, blinds pulled, and night w/dim-light using those blue-bulbs, whatever they are... spose to be like natural daylight bulbs.

Mode: Pro
Picture: 22
Brightness: 42 to 45
Color: 22
Hue: G2
Sharpness: 20
Color Temp: Neutral
Clear Edge: Low
Advanced:
*DCR: Cinemotion
*Color Axis: Monitor
*Mode Memory: On

Maybe this will help a bit... again not a pro... tho I will soon get the nerve to dive into my service-menu and tweak a bit.

Cheers...
Nate

Thanks Nate. Greatly appreciated, and it didn't hurt one bit did it?
Thanks again.................

Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Teach him how to fish and he eats for a life time. ;)

Show him a fishing program in HD and he'll never get off the couch.

Show him a fishing program in HD and he'll never get off the couch.


:D:D

I've had my Sony KD-30XS955 for about a year & a half. The picture couldn't have been more perfect. Recently I've noticed a sharp decline in the color & quality on all inputs. The best way I can describe it is it seems to be overly brownish, sometimes metallic looking, sometimes, like cotton candy colors, by that I mean the colors just don't seem true. Can a set lose calibration that quickly? I emailed the ISF guy, and he suggested going back & hitting reset to bring his original settings back, but that didn't really work. I am stumped as to what may have caused this quick decline of what had been an outstanding picture. It seemed to happen almost overnight. I recently added a PS3 & the blu-ray was fantastic, but it to now looks lousy. Any insight or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Also would be helpful to see others video settings. I'm using Pro- picture- 45, brightness- 42, color- 22, hue- 0, sharpness- 26 color temp. neutral.

FRANKIN...

If you have been running your "picture" at 45 for 1+ years... that is a extremely HIGH setting on the phosphor of the tube. Maybe when you reset the settings... it defaulted back to 45. That high a setting could be washing-out your colors also.

Look at my settings a few posts up and try those... also... bump your sharpness down to about 14 and turn on VCM to low - everything else seems to be set decent... If you had a ISF to adjust the set... did he give you a warranty period? Have you moved the set since the initial set-up? May have jarred the guns perhaps?

Cheers...
Nate

Thanks for the quick response. I haven't moved the set at all, with what it weighs, I was hoping I would never have to move it again. I will try your settings. The only thing that I've changed recently was adding a ps3 which I use for the blu-ray player. At first I thought maybe my component cables were lose or shot, but the blu-ray via hdmi looks just as bad of late.
Frank

FRANKIN...

If you have been running your "picture" at 45 for 1+ years... that is a extremely HIGH setting on the phosphor of the tube. Maybe when you reset the settings... it defaulted back to 45. That high a setting could be washing-out your colors also.

Look at my settings a few posts up and try those... also... bump your sharpness down to about 14 and turn on VCM to low - everything else seems to be set decent... If you had a ISF to adjust the set... did he give you a warranty period? Have you moved the set since the initial set-up? May have jarred the guns perhaps?

Cheers...
Nate

Yeah your picture setting seems a little high. Here is where I run mine:

PRO
Pic: 25
Bright: 47
Color: 32
Hue: R1
Sharp: 17
Color Temp: Neutral
ClearEdge: Off
Advanced Video: Monitor

I believe standard procedure for ISF calibration would be to set all of the user settings to default prior to adjusting service menu offsets for calibration. However, your calibrator may not have adjusted that way.

frankincensed - In Pro mode, after you select reset on your remote, what values do you see in the Pro user menu? Pro mode defaults are all 31s and neutral

I've had my Sony KD-30XS955 for about a year & a half. The picture couldn't have been more perfect. Recently I've noticed a sharp decline in the color & quality on all inputs. The best way I can describe it is it seems to be overly brownish, sometimes metallic looking, sometimes, like cotton candy colors, by that I mean the colors just don't seem true. Can a set lose calibration that quickly? I emailed the ISF guy, and he suggested going back & hitting reset to bring his original settings back, but that didn't really work. I am stumped as to what may have caused this quick decline of what had been an outstanding picture. It seemed to happen almost overnight. I recently added a PS3 & the blu-ray was fantastic, but it to now looks lousy. Any insight or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Also would be helpful to see others video settings. I'm using Pro- picture- 45, brightness- 42, color- 22, hue- 0, sharpness- 26 color temp. neutral.

When you had the set calibrated are these the settings left by your calibrator or did you make adjustments to get these setting after calibration?

As others have said these seem high on face value but could be meaningless and just "default" values left after calibration.

Yes everything defaulted back to 31, so not sure that was from the ISF calibration or not. I am experimenting with different suggested settings, but everything looks equally bad right now. I do have an extended warranty on this set via servicenet who handles them for Sony. They sent a local repair guy out to evaluate the set & he said he thought the picture tube was "going soft" w/ red flaring in high contrast. Haze over entire picture. Colors are deeper due to lack of contrast/brightness on picture. Blue drive seems to be weak." I hope thats not to generic to keep Sony from doing something about it. Also curious as to what they will do since this model is discontinued. I do have a claim # & am hoping I will hear back from them soon. I have purchased many Sony products in the past couple years, so hope they come through for me on this. Does anyone have any experience with the Sony warranties? Again thanks for the input, I will keep experimenting with the different settings.

I think I've decided to buy this set from someone at craigslist - however, I will have to drive over 5 hours to get it. I was wondering if it is worth it. I think the screen size is good for me - but mainly I'm worried about whether the set will have geometry or discoloration problems. PQ flaws such as those will drive me insane. I need the screen to look relatively perfect.

Will be using the set to watch SD and HD media, and for gaming only.

I'm also nervous about craigslist and the process in general. Should I do this or just forget it?

This set had the most tremendous picture I have ever seen, until my recent problems with it. Also if you are driving that far to get it, make sure you have someone to help you load it, as it weighs in at close to 200 lbs.

I think I've decided to buy this set from someone at craigslist - however, I will have to drive over 5 hours to get it. I was wondering if it is worth it. I think the screen size is good for me - but mainly I'm worried about whether the set will have geometry or discoloration problems. PQ flaws such as those will drive me insane. I need the screen to look relatively perfect.

Will be using the set to watch SD and HD media, and for gaming only.

I'm also nervous about craigslist and the process in general. Should I do this or just forget it?

It would def be best if the owner will let you view the set before you purchase it, and hopefully he/she has a HD source that you can view also.

The one thing you have to think of... perhaps the owner just plugged in the set when they bought it, and never tweaked around with the settings... so it may not show its true potential even if you view it at their home. If you do get it... "be careful" moving it... you could misalign the color guns if you do not handle it with care... so def bring at least one other "healthy-sized" person to help load/unload it.

I would say... if it does not have any hot-spots or burn-ins on the picture - it is def worth the trip to get it. You would then really need to spend a bit of quality time tweaking in the service-menu... if you are not comfy with that, maybe have a friend that can dive into it.

I had never been in a service menu before yesterday... tho I do consider myself a tech-geek - so I read the great "Sony Service Menu" thread here, and printed-out all the .pdf guides and spent several hours in front of my set yesterday and began tweaking away. After you navigate the menu for 10 mins or so... you will master it.

My results/rewards... Luckily as I was finishing my tweaks... one of my fave newer movies was coming on my StarzHD channel "The Prestige". I have to say... I have watched this movie a dozen times from standard DVD, but this time it was if I was watching an entirely diff movie. All the subtle details came to life. This movie has some really nice artistic details, being a period piece. When Hugh Jackman "The Great Dantain" arrives in Colorado to see Dr Tesla, he is wearing a beautiful full-length leather coat... The scene as he arrives at Tesla's lab shows the coat well, and I must say... it looked so real, I could almost smell it :)

Seriously... the true beauty of these CRTs are not met until you make them "come to life" with the service menu tweaks. Now I want to find a 34XS.

Nate