I wouldn't sweat it. It's not even 3" above recommended target, and depending on how high up your furniture is it might be perfect.

Thanks for the input. I just opened the box and looked at the top glass piece and I'm like, holy mother... the thing is huge, didn't seem that big at the store.

Now I just notice the depth of this thing too, 25"!!! The stand will come out further than my current cabinet with 32inch CRT by a couple inches. Here's what my current 32inch setup looks like (http://premium1.uploadit.org/TimothyB/livingroom.jpg)

I just picked up the...Bush Universal Stand... at Best Buy today.

It's a nice width and double shelf with plenty of space. Though, it is 22" 7/8 tall. I ordered the 55inch 55xs955, will this stand be too high? It's about 5 or sinces taller than the Sony matching stand. Being a little high doesn't matter too me unless it effects the viewing angle.

...should I find a 17inch instead?

...I just hope I don't have to return the stand and assembling it.

I also originally had that stand. It made my XS loom menacingly over everything else in the room, like living with the obelisk from 2001: A Space Oddysey. That was just one problem, and a huge "wife factor" issue at that. A 16" Sony stand made the set much more furniture-friendly.

RPLCDs have a critical viewing angle of about 25 degrees in the vertical plane, unlike a plasma or CRT that you can stick over a mantle or even down by the floor with no such penalty. The trick is to find your seated eye height, and then find the distance from the bottom of the set to the vertical center of the screen. Subtract B from A, and that is your ideal stand height, which for me and pretty much everyone else (unless your furniture is up on blocks) is about 15 inches. Otherwise, you will have brightness fall-off, and decreased contrast ratio, and you will not be happy. Dump the Bush, and thank me later. (Dump the other Bush, too :D ).

Hmmm...I had been planning on using my Salamander SVDO stand which on casters is also 22.5" high. I have a 36" Wega XBR tube on it now and it's fine. I was worried too about height since I originally had it on the Sony made stand for it. Now TomCat's post has me worried.

I put something togethor roughly to get an idea on the vertical angle I'll have with the Bush stand and 55xs955.

Take a look, do you think there will much loss of brightness or will I just find it annoying to look slightly up, both? The sony stand might be perfect though.

http://premium1.uploadit.org/TimothyB/vertical_angle.gif

Here are two stands that are 20" and 18 3/4" high, look similar to the Bush and are reasonably prices. I've seen them at BB and Sears:

Tech-Craft (http://www.racksandstands.com/prods/Tech-Craft/PTV58/TechCraft/0C56/0PTC0087.htm)

Sanus (https://www.sanus.com/cgi-bin/web_store.cgi?page=products/furniture/steel/SFV65s.html&cart_id=2643464_3544)

The Sanus one looks better in person compared to the picture.

I've been very pleased with this one.


http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Nea-Moda-Wide-TV-Stand-220337-/sem/rpsm/oid/110765/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do

I have the 60XS955 and the Tech Craft Monaco series PTV72 stand. The stand is absolutely perfect height and width-wise for the TV and was $300 cheaper than the Sony stand. I bought it in December from standsandmounts dot-com (board won't let me post a URL) and I highly recommend it.

Well cablecard has been installed and I have successfully become another statistic of those with cablecards that don't work. A tech is supposed to come on Tuesday to check it out though I'm not very excited about that. The guy who installed it, just put it in an ran. The guy on the phone offered no troubleshooting tips whatsoever. Looks like I'm stuck with OTA hd during primetime only.

Well cablecard has been installed and I have successfully become another statistic of those with cablecards that don't work. A tech is supposed to come on Tuesday to check it out though I'm not very excited about that. The guy who installed it, just put it in an ran. The guy on the phone offered no troubleshooting tips whatsoever. Looks like I'm stuck with OTA hd during primetime only.

You need the firmware flashed. Don't let them open the TV for anything!!!

I plan to give the bush stand a shot. I got a private message from someone who made a good comment that I even thought about, he got a 23inch on purpose to look slightly up for a more theater like experience.

Plus, I already have the heavy stand box opened and partially removed and it would be a pain to return. Hopefully assembly is easy and quick.

Lookig at my chart above, will I have any serious problems or even notice any dimming at those angles and distance? Could you check with your tv?

I'm 99% sure I checked it when I first got the set in March and it was spot on. Now however I see a red shift to the left (please no jokes about the expanding universe) and green shift to the right of white text. Not by much but easily seen. It's not noticeable on moving video but it bugs the hell out of me. Has anyone else check his or her set for RGB register lately? Is this a mechanical adjustment? Is it easy to do?

Thanks in advance
Joe

I'm 99% sure I checked it when I first got the set in March and it was spot on. Now however I see a red shift to the left (please no jokes about the expanding universe) and green shift to the right of white text. Not by much but easily seen. It's not noticeable on moving video but it bugs the hell out of me. Has anyone else check his or her set for RGB register lately? Is this a mechanical adjustment? Is it easy to do?

Thanks in advance
Joe

Are you seeing this with all sources and all inputs? That's important before going any further. While it is possible there may be some obscure adjustment related to the optics/light engine there is no convergence involved in the process that would require periodic adjustment. Either it's spot on, or not.
If this is a constant condition, regardless of source or input selected, I would be concerned there might be such a defect related to the light engine.
If it's not constant I doubt it's related to the display. Not sure what you are implying by 'RGB register'. I can think of few test screens on Avia, or DVE,. etc. that might catch this.

I will mention the firmware flash to the tech. Is it downloadable so I can do it myself? The first tech mentioned that when cablecards first came out the cable companies had to have sony send the information through the cable line to the set (with serial info on the set). He said now though the cable company is supposed to be able to do it themselves.

I will mention the firmware flash to the tech. Is it downloadable so I can do it myself? The first tech mentioned that when cablecards first came out the cable companies had to have sony send the information through the cable line to the set (with serial info on the set). He said now though the cable company is supposed to be able to do it themselves.

The Sony tech has the firmware. There's no official download site.

When you insert the cablecard it pops up a screen with number. The installer relays those to the cable company and your set is identified and authorized. After that you have channels. Mines working since the flash.

the internet price. cause it is like 55.00 more in the store.

Help
I have a KDF60SAX955 and when I play a VHS tape or DVD the picture is awful. Is there something I need to do with the TV? The VHS deck is connected with Video Out and the DVD with component out to the TV
seabee

One thing you might try is to set your DVD player to output 480i rather than 480p, and let the TV do all the scaling (since the DVD material is 480i anyway). I had the same issue with my 55xs and switching the DVD output to 480i made all the difference in the world.

You guys should check Best Buy this weekend. Mine just put the KDF-55WF655 up as open box, but as a package. They included some huge monster outlet thingy probably worth $150+, monster 600 component wire, cleaning supplies, something I forgot, 4 year something warranty and the $500 matching stand for at total of $3050. That's a hell of a deal compared to getting a new A20 that has less features for around the same price without a stand or warranty.

Oldnacl
Thanks for the info,I will give it a try. That may just be my trouble.
seabee

Well I may be screwed on the firmware flash because they only have cable techs coming to check it out. I don't think the cable company has any sony techs working for them and I don't know of any around my area. I will call sony to see if they can email it to me.

Are you seeing this with all sources and all inputs? That's important before going any further. While it is possible there may be some obscure adjustment related to the optics/light engine there is no convergence involved in the process that would require periodic adjustment. Either it's spot on, or not.
If this is a constant condition, regardless of source or input selected, I would be concerned there might be such a defect related to the light engine.
If it's not constant I doubt it's related to the display. Not sure what you are implying by 'RGB register'. I can think of few test screens on Avia, or DVE,. etc. that might catch this.

I see it in the lettering with the tV's menu up. Register just refers to the overlaping of the three primary colors, Red, Green & Blue. I think I will have to call a service agent.

Since you bought back in March, no way even a local dealer will give you a goodwill exchange at this point. Let us know what happens, and what they find. Good luck!

Hey joe221,

I just talked with sony and the top level tech and they said there is no firmware update for this set at all. They said if the cable company says the card is working they will have to send a representative to fix the tv. Otherwise they said they would have emailed it to me. They're hoping the cable tech can fix the problem. I just know the cable company is going to send a momo who is going tell me the TV has to be on cable input or something stupid like that.

Well I may be screwed on the firmware flash because they only have cable techs coming to check it out. I don't think the cable company has any sony techs working for them and I don't know of any around my area. I will call sony to see if they can email it to me.

This is a Sony (or your extended contract) thing. It's a warranty issue.

Hey joe221,

I just talked with sony and the top level tech and they said there is no firmware update for this set at all. They said if the cable company says the card is working they will have to send a representative to fix the tv. Otherwise they said they would have emailed it to me. They're hoping the cable tech can fix the problem. I just know the cable company is going to send a momo who is going tell me the TV has to be on cable input or something stupid like that.

Sorry, you talked to an idiot. Keep trying till you get someone with a brain. You have an XS955, right?

That's correct on the model number. Persistence is the key. I've had the set less than 30 days so I may be able to get Best Buy involved if it comes to that.

That's correct on the model number. Persistence is the key. I've had the set less than 30 days so I may be able to get Best Buy involved if it comes to that.

One possiblility, is you have a recent vintage. Mine is from October of 04, you MAY be up to date based on your serial number. BUT one of the flash issues was CC compatibility fixes. I don't know how to see the version number without inserting an upgrade MemoryStick. My version is 1.52.

Slight digression: My 5 year warranty arrived yesterday. I bought it because it "included" bulb replacement. It does - ONCE only. And I may be required to return the burnt-out bulb before they replace it, an exercise that could take 2 weeks or more?

Was I expecting too much in thinking that the bulb would be replaced every time it gave out for the five-year term? Would someone advise having a spare bulb on standby? Can anyone share any experience in this?

Thanks!

Manhar

Slight digression: My 5 year warranty arrived yesterday. I bought it because it "included" bulb replacement. It does - ONCE only. And I may be required to return the burnt-out bulb before they replace it, an exercise that could take 2 weeks or more?

Was I expecting too much in thinking that the bulb would be replaced every time it gave out for the five-year term? Would someone advise having a spare bulb on standby? Can anyone share any experience in this?

Thanks!

Manhar
Actually, I purchased a 5 year warranty without lamp replacement and I purchased a spare lamp from SonyStyle for $199. As I read most of the lamp replacement warranty material, I noticed that they mostly seem to be very specific about what they cover and what they don't (I only read 3 of them so your mileage may vary). None of the 3 I read replace a bulb that burns out naturally. Say for example, you watch a lot of tv and your bulb burns out after 10,000 hours in 3 and a half years. That's not covered under the warranties I read. Only burn out due to defect.

I also weighed the fact that more than likely the lamp is not going to burn out at a convenient time. Even a 2 or 3 day wait could cause a problem. I went with the 5 year Warrentech warranty for $265 + $199 for a lamp that I now have in hand and can replace immediately if need be. That's still cheaper than the 4 year, lamp replacement warranties that BB and Tweet... tried to sell me.

I also originally had that stand. It made my XS loom menacingly over everything else in the room, like living with the obelisk from 2001: A Space Oddysey. That was just one problem, and a huge "wife factor" issue at that. A 16" Sony stand made the set much more furniture-friendly.

RPLCDs have a critical viewing angle of about 25 degrees in the vertical plane, unlike a plasma or CRT that you can stick over a mantle or even down by the floor with no such penalty. The trick is to find your seated eye height, and then find the distance from the bottom of the set to the vertical center of the screen. Subtract B from A, and that is your ideal stand height, which for me and pretty much everyone else (unless your furniture is up on blocks) is about 15 inches. Otherwise, you will have brightness fall-off, and decreased contrast ratio, and you will not be happy. Dump the Bush, and thank me later. (Dump the other Bush, too :D ).


Guys,
I don't mean to beat this one to death. But seriously look at this stand. It is a great stand at a great viewing angle and a great price.
$99 and believe me it is solid!!! I am using the 55xs955 and I could not be more happier about it. The wood is 2 1/2 inches thick on the top bottom and sides.
The casters on the bottom are a nice touch. And for $40 you can buy a swivel stand for the TV. You can't beat this anywhere. I have built many "do it yourself" entertainment centers and tables. This buy far was the highest quality piece I have ever put together. Even if the stand was $250 it would still be a bargain. But for $99 at IKEA it is great. The hight is at a perfect viewing angle.

Check it out!!!!

IKEA OPPLI TV stand (http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10101&storeId=12&productId=11149&langId=-1&parentCats=10104*10174)

IKEA was one of my first choices. It was only blending in the right style for our room that made me pick otherwise. But their stuff is great!

I like the Ikea stand, but I'm always leary about using particle board in an application where weight is constantly applied to a particular surface or face (i.e.- bookshelf, component rack, TV stand, etc.). The max load on that piece is 154 lb, which while probably underrated, is still too low. Also, the design of the Sony sets don't spread the weight out to the end of the width of the TV (like Mits TVs do), but focus in the middle (where there's not continuous support on that stand). I know that the majority of TV stands out there incorporate some sort of particle board (if not all), but for something like this, I'll only use solid hardwoods (maple, cherry, oak, etc.). I'm actually in the middle of building my own stand (17 1/2" inches tall) out of cherry, even though I don't know for sure what TV I'll be buying...

I do like the design of that stand, but the integrity of it would concern me.

Just my .02...

Jason

Does anyone know if there is a way to change the Color Decoding Matrix on the video inputs thru the service menu?

I have an upscaling DVD player (Denon 3910 to video7, 1080i), but I believe the XS955 is appying the SMPTE 274M/296M color standard, where the output from the DVD us still SMPTE 170M color standard (normal non-HD).....

is there a way to go to the service menu and change this? I believe the XS is appying the HD color matrix as soon as it sees the input as 720p or 1080i.

Any help here is appreciated

I just installed a 6x6 kodak 0.6 neutral density gel filter last night in my sony 55xs955 and it looks incredible! My ISF tech verfied the calibration after the filter install and agreed that the set produces a very nice film-like picture. Blacks are very black wth lights on, and are very theater-like with no lights in the room.

I'm honestly surprised how bright the TV is even with lights on and the 0.6 filter. This is due to the 132 watt lamp in the set.

Btw, the cheap Lee filters do NOT work with this line of TV. I spent 4 hours trying to get several Lee filters to produce a good picture, to no avail. There were enough imperfections in the Lee filters to introduce ill effects in the picture. Also, a polyester filter with this tv produces a cloudier image.

There is a reason why the Kodak gel filters are expensive :p I got the 6x6 for $99 from Adorama.com and received it within a week of ordering.

I believe the XS955 is appying the SMPTE 274M/296M color standard, where the output from the DVD us still SMPTE 170M color standard (normal non-HD).....


It's an interesting question. Out of curiosity -what makes you think the XS is changing the color standard for non-HD coming in on an "HD" input?

I'm not saying it is or isn't... I'm just wondering what it is you are observing.

Last night I was watching "Hell's Kitchen" on FOX HD via cable card on Charter Cable. During the end of the show the picture was stuttering every 15 seconds or so. My wife was upstair for the last 10 mins with the TV on in the bedroom and she said that the TV was on delay.

Has anyone else observed this stutter before? Also why would the Sony 55XS955 delay the signal(Is it processing the information?)?

I did not change the channel to something else. I will see what happens today when I get home.

It's an interesting question. Out of curiosity -what makes you think the XS is changing the color standard for non-HD coming in on an "HD" input?

I'm not saying it is or isn't... I'm just wondering what it is you are observing.


The colors are not crisp, with not enough tones on the greens and reds.....and the omnious sign is the dreaded "green push" when playing the DVDs.

I know how to access the service menu and all, but I don't know where (if anywhere) the setting is for this....any help is appreciated.

I just installed a 6x6 kodak 0.6 neutral density gel filter last night in my sony 55xs955 and it looks incredible! My ISF tech verfied the calibration after the filter install and agreed that the set produces a very nice film-like picture. Blacks are very black wth lights on, and are very theater-like with no lights in the room.

I'm honestly surprised how bright the TV is even with lights on and the 0.6 filter. This is due to the 132 watt lamp in the set.

Btw, the cheap Lee filters do NOT work with this line of TV. I spent 4 hours trying to get several Lee filters to produce a good picture, to no avail. There were enough imperfections in the Lee filters to introduce ill effects in the picture. Also, a polyester filter with this tv produces a cloudier image.

There is a reason why the Kodak gel filters are expensive :p I got the 6x6 for $99 from Adorama.com and received it within a week of ordering.


Hey Bitwize, could you share with us a DIY instruction on how you applied the filter...some of us are VERY interested on doing it, but have no clue how to do it.

Also, which Kodak Filter did you use? The only ones I've found on B&H are in the hundreds! :confused: Also, i've been recommended to use a 0.4, but you used a 0.6....any comments or thoughts on which to use?

edit- never mind...I see where you got yours from ;)

but please do share with us the instructions on how to do this....preferably with pics :D

I just got my 55xs955, still in the middle of auto-program. But you guys might remember my posts on the Bush stand that's 22" 7/8th high, I found the height to be perfect with the set, in fact I might not have liked it as low as the sony stand would have made it. It just seems the right height to make it feel like a movie theater.

I'll post links to 5 megapixel images of it on the stand later.

Also why would the Sony 55XS955 delay the signal(Is it processing the information?)?

.

I've noticed that the HD signals for broadcast stations lag the analog signals (both over Comcast cable) by 1.5-2.0 seconds. I can use twinview to show the signals side-by-side and see the obvious delays. The HD signal delay is also apparent when watching an HD broadcast on the Sony while watching the analog signal on a different TV in an adjoining room. Not really a problem, but it can be annoying when watching the same program on two TVs (one HD, one not) because the audio is so far out of whack between the two.

I've noticed that the HD signals for broadcast stations lag the analog signals (both over Comcast cable) by 1.5-2.0 seconds. I can use twinview to show the signals side-by-side and see the obvious delays. The HD signal delay is also apparent when watching an HD broadcast on the Sony while watching the analog signal on a different TV in an adjoining room. Not really a problem, but it can be annoying when watching the same program on two TVs (one HD, one not) because the audio is so far out of whack between the two.

Unfortunitely this is normal. It's the same as using a ReplayTV, TiVo or Moxi. All have a delay problem. For broadcast HD I don't see an excuse, just don't be counting down New Years in HD, you'll be late! :eek:

I'm trying to find a post on someone's settings for what I think was for the XS955 that people seem to suggest that helps overall picture, atleast as a starting point. I tried searching but couldn't find it, I even remember someone asking for these settings which got a quick reply with a link, I should have bookmarked it.

Anyone recall this?

I'm trying to find a post on someone's settings for what I think was for the XS955 that people seem to suggest that helps overall picture, atleast as a starting point. I tried searching but couldn't find it, I even remember someone asking for these settings which got a quick reply with a link, I should have bookmarked it.

Anyone recall this?


I did make a note of the settings and will be pleased to email them to you, but the originator may want to respond to this him/herself.

Manhar :)

I did make a note of the settings and will be pleased to email them to you, but the originator may want to respond to this him/herself.

Manhar :)

If it's not much trouble, please private message it to me.

Thanks

Guys,
I don't mean to beat this one to death. But seriously look at this stand. It is a great stand at a great viewing angle and a great price.
$99 and believe me it is solid!!! I am using the 55xs955 and I could not be more happier about it. The wood is 2 1/2 inches thick on the top bottom and sides.
The casters on the bottom are a nice touch. And for $40 you can buy a swivel stand for the TV. You can't beat this anywhere. I have built many "do it yourself" entertainment centers and tables. This buy far was the highest quality piece I have ever put together. Even if the stand was $250 it would still be a bargain. But for $99 at IKEA it is great. The hight is at a perfect viewing angle.

Check it out!!!!

IKEA OPPLI TV stand (http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10101&storeId=12&productId=11149&langId=-1&parentCats=10104*10174)

Nice looking stand. Great price!

How tall are the spaces for AV gear?

How tall is it without the castors? Would a 60" SX be too low on this stand without the castors?

If it's not much trouble, please private message it to me.

Thanks


Don't know how to do the private message thing, but here are the settings, with which I was quite happy:

"Contrast 46
Brightness 30
Color 26
Hue 0
Sharpness 5

Using Avia the correct color was actually around 30 but due to red push I lowered it to 26 and used live color to compensate. "

I believe the credit goes to Ben

Manhar

Don't know how to do the private message thing, but here are the settings, with which I was quite happy:

"Contrast 46
Brightness 30
Color 26
Hue 0
Sharpness 5

Using Avia the correct color was actually around 30 but due to red push I lowered it to 26 and used live color to compensate. "

I believe the credit goes to Ben

Manhar

When you say Contrast, did you mean Picture, because I don't remember contrast. I guess I'll have to wait for the link to get all the details, like black correction, gamma, detail, reduced power, and so on. Thanks though.

When you say Contrast, did you mean Picture, because I don't remember contrast. I guess I'll have to wait for the link to get all the details, like black correction, gamma, detail, reduced power, and so on. Thanks though.


Picture = Contrast
Manhar

Hey bitwise,

I noticed you just put in a .6 stop filter. I know in another thread that you said you had put in a 1 stop. Later you said you were going to go with a 2 stop filter. With the advice of the ISF calibrator you recommended, I ordered a 1 1/3 stop filter because of the extra 5 inches in screen. That way with a 1 1/3 stop I won't lose too much light because I'm still using a 132 watt for a 60 in. screen vs. a 55 in. screen. I'm beginning to think I ordered too dark a filter.

Some photos I took with the 55xs on that Bush stand. Note, I did not install the round metal feet to lower it and I didn't like how they looked.


Angle 1 (off and no flash) (http://premium1.uploadit.org/TimothyB/tv_angle1.jpg)

Angle 2, with standard cable at 4:3 (http://premium1.uploadit.org/TimothyB/tv_angle2.jpg)

Front 1, Standard cable 4:3, no flash (http://premium1.uploadit.org/TimothyB/tv_front.jpg)

Front 2, standard cable set to zoom (http://premium1.uploadit.org/TimothyB//tv_front2.jpg)

Looks very nice! Especially against the over priced MDF special Sony sells.

Looks almost like mine. Very nice. How much did it cost? I didn't know that the 55in. model had the same speaker setup as the 60in version. Very interesting......

Looks almost like mine. Very nice. How much did it cost? I didn't know that the 55in. model had the same speaker setup as the 60in version. Very interesting......

Yeah, the 55xs955 and 60xs955 are both the same design.

The stand was $304 at Best Buy:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=5902302&type=product&id=1060605669796

You'll notice the feet I kept off in the Best Buy photo.

After nine days of sitting in my foyer, my 55XS955 has been temporarily set up until my salamander system arrives. I've got a million questions so I'll break them down over a few days and hopefully edit the list down substantially.

Minimalist set up>Scientific Atlanta Explorer 3250 HD box connected to the Sony via component cables (dvi on the cable box isn't functional per the cable company's plans)

1). I get grey bars framing the tv content. Fault of the cable or TV and how can I change them to black? I can't seem to find a setting in either to fix the problem.

2). I have the cable box set to 'bypass'. I think that means it will display the best resolution possible given any particular broadcast. I can also set the cable box' picture settings to "zoom", "stretch" or "normal". Should I use the cable box for this or use the Sony? If the Sony, then would the cable box best be set to "normal"? Is there something here I'm not thinking of and should be?

I've read through this thread twice now and will start on the GWIV thread again tomorrow. Lots of tweaking to do and to be honest, I really don't know what on earth I'm doing. Don't want to sabotage a good picture by having simple settings screwed up.

Thank you,
jc

Maybe the overscan control can help your border problem. There's a -1 settting, normal, and +1. Maybe there's another feature similar to that on the cable box.

But on that TV content, are you saying there are grey bars on just the sides, like when viewing 4:3, or some on the top and bottom all at once?b And whatever bars there are, isn't that just blank area no being used so it should be as dark as the screen can be, unless the cable box is outputting a different way. It's hard to unerstand without a photo.

1). I think your grey bars are coming from the cable, not the set. I get black bars and red bars depending on what channel I'm watching. I don't think you can change the colors.

2). I would use the tv to stretch the picture per type of signal it receives and leave the cable box alone. If for example ou set the cable box to stretch, it might work fine on 480i 4:3 material, but when you change to say a 1080i 16:9 material it will probably stretch the same signal and you will lose some of the picture. You really have to get a feel for what you plan to watch and set your tv up accordingly so. I no longer get side bars except during movie intermissions on the HD premier channels (HBO, showtime etc...).

You are on the right thread. I tried reading the GWIV thread but I found the content specifically for the xs lineup to be much more helpful than just GWIV in general.

Maybe the overscan control can help your border problem. There's a -1 settting, normal, and +1. Maybe there's another feature similar to that on the cable box.

But on that TV content, are you saying there are grey bars on just the sides, like when viewing 4:3, or some on the top and bottom all at once?b And whatever bars there are, isn't that just blank area no being used so it should be as dark as the screen can be, unless the cable box is outputting a different way. It's hard to unerstand without a photo.

I found a setting on the cable box to change the borders from light>Med>Dark

At first it didn't do anything, and then magically it was all dark. Actually the grey bars where on the top and bottom of only the HD channels. I dunno, seems to be fixed so whatever I guess. I appreciate both the responses.

I found a setting on the cable box to change the borders from light>Med>Dark

At first it didn't do anything, and then magically it was all dark. Actually the grey bars where on the top and bottom of only the HD channels. I dunno, seems to be fixed so whatever I guess. I appreciate both the responses.

In HD you should have any bars anywhere, should be full screen, unless it's a movie that's wider. So you got them to be dark, but again they shouldn't be there unless I'm misunderstanding something. Did you try setting overscan to +1 in the tv options to hide the bars?

In HD you should have any bars anywhere, should be full screen, unless it's a movie that's wider. So you got them to be dark, but again they shouldn't be there unless I'm misunderstanding something. Did you try setting overscan to +1 in the tv options to hide the bars?

No, I have not done that yet. First thing tomorrow that's on my to do list. Many thanks for the direction.

jc

...All have a delay problem. For broadcast HD I don't see an excuse...
It is not a problem, and no one should expect an excuse. It's just the natural way it works, just like hot water appears only some time AFTER you turn the faucet on. Most west coast programming is "delayed" by three hours, and no one considers that to be a "problem".

Digital processing has unavoidable inherent delay, especially MPEG encoding/decoding, where frames are sent out of order and held in a buffer before being reconstructed. PVR delay is primarily due to read/write time (and in some instances encode/decode time), and DBS delay is due to the 45,000 mile roundtrip to the sat and back, plus digital processing. In fact, this changes a lot. You can have two STBs side-by-side and one time the first one lags the second, and the next time the second lags the first. Analog processing has delay, also. OTA signals typically arrive a frame or so ahead of cable signals.

But true delay implies a reference. IOW, it's not delayed if you have no point in time of origin to compare it to or no expectation of when it is should arrive. If it all gets there when it's supposed to, no delay is perceived. Also, there is no true delay between analog signals OTA and DT signals over the air, because one is not a true replica of the other. They are unique signals originating from unique transmitters, and are typically received by the station as unique feeds originating from unique sources. While the HD signal may appear to be a delayed version of the SD feed, it is not.

I received my 60xs set on Wed. and I find it amazing. One thing I noticed when the TV was off is a glare, an iridescent glare that seems a bit more concentrated. I thought it was coming off the hardwood floor as a reflection, and it is a reflection I guess of sorts. It doesn't affect the picture quality as far as I can tell but it seems to be upper center of the screen. In fact, there seem to be about three spots/areas/glares. Is this normal? I know I'm probably being oversensitive but they are definitely there apart from the incidental stuff. No, I'm not seeing visions of the Virgen Mary, etc.

Again, thank you for your help, looking for any commentaries. Set was built June 05.

Lum

p.s. What is the best way to clean off fingerprints on the screen from children?

I think the manual might have instructions on how to clean, but I haven't looked at them myself. I noticed at Best Buy a bundled Sony 55wf655 had cleaning supplies, so maybe they make some specific stuff for this purpose.

.... One thing I noticed when the TV was off is a glare, an iridescent glare that seems a bit more concentrated. I thought it was coming off the hardwood floor as a reflection, and it is a reflection I guess of sorts. It doesn't affect the picture quality as far as I can tell but it seems to be upper center of the screen. In fact, there seem to be about three spots/areas/glares. Is this normal?
I believe this is normal. I have it and have seen it in the showrooms. I believe someone said it was due to light (leaking into?) and the cabinet. I assured myself it wasn't permanent by standing to one side at a sharp angle, and then walking across the set to the opposite side to a similarly sharp angle. By doing so the appearance of the glare varied, and was not fixed. It also happens during day, not evening when the room is not lighted.

In HD you should have any bars anywhere, should be full screen, unless it's a movie that's wider. So you got them to be dark, but again they shouldn't be there unless I'm misunderstanding something. Did you try setting overscan to +1 in the tv options to hide the bars?

Then something is wrong. I set the overscan to +1 and I still get borders on HD channels. For example I have the British Open on this morning and here's what I'm finding:

A little dialogue box pops up saying I'm getting normal-720p. I'm thinking that this message is from the cable box.

On the TV-wide mode full is a rectangle with borders all around

Wide mode zoom has borders on both sides

Wide mode normal is a square with borders on all sides

If I'm not supposed to be seeing borders at all I must be doing something wrong.

Sorry for the persistent problems.

jc

I have a 60xs and have this problem 3 times. When turning on the tv, the screen is full of snow. You can hear sound and barely see the picture through the snow. If I turn the set off for a while it fixes the screen and pictures look fine. Anyone else have this problem????

I have the same problem on my 55xs and I didn't see any follow-up on getting the problem solved. In my case, I doubt it's anything to do with cable connections as I get the exact same problem whether using cable box, CC or external antenna. As Riddy described above, the problem goes away if I turn the set off and then back on after a while. This has happened four times in the past week. Has anyone had this problem diagnosed and repaired? TIA

Then something is wrong. I set the overscan to +1 and I still get borders on HD channels. For example I have the British Open on this morning and here's what I'm finding:

A little dialogue box pops up saying I'm getting normal-720p. I'm thinking that this message is from the cable box.

On the TV-wide mode full is a rectangle with borders all around

Wide mode zoom has borders on both sides

Wide mode normal is a square with borders on all sides

If I'm not supposed to be seeing borders at all I must be doing something wrong.

Sorry for the persistent problems.

jc

The BO is not in HD regardless of the setting. ABC (at least here in LA) zooms their pictures from SD to something wider, but doesn't fill the frame.

I think I had the snow problem on my set but it only appeared with my dvd player hooked via hdmi. I think it would be caused by turning on the player without having the set on the proper video input at the same time. I haven't seen it since though.

For jimclark,

You probably aren't receiving an hd signal sent in 16:9 format. I get that problem all the time. The only way you won't get bars on the sides and top is if you watch 1)Prime time OTA hd SOMETIMES, 2)Movies on hd premier channels like HBO (occasionally their movies will have bars on top and bottom for anamorphic movies). I often find myself in the same situation where the set says it is receiving something it is not.

Thank you Wolf.

I see it more in the daytime and much less at night - of course. At first I tried convincing myself that I was seeing things. Then my wife said she noticed it too. It's just like you said - at the side you can't see it; then as you move to the other side you see like three areas that seem to grab the light more. Anyhow, thank you very much.

Lum

I see it more in the daytime and much less at night - of course. At first I tried convincing myself that I was seeing things. Then my wife said she noticed it too. It's just like you said - at the side you can't see it; then as you move to the other side you see like three areas that seem to grab the light more. Anyhow, thank you very much.
Lum

When I got my 55xs, I noticed something very similar to what you are talking about. I could only see the spot if the TV was off, while the lights were on. If the TV was on, i could almost never see it, except for during a very dark scene. I had CC swap it out for another one, and the second set did not have the problem.

Also, I remember there were some other posts about similar problems. Follow from here... Sony Spot (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?postid=5296876#post5296876)

Hi there, new member here, and recently new owner of a 55xs955. I've been following much of this thread and wantred to chime in here.

Yes, I thought I saw a "spot" on the 55xs955 when it was off and in the daytime. As I moved around to investigate, it seemed to disappear as if I was blocking the light coming in from the window, so I dismissed it as unimportant. I'll check it later at home to see if indeed it is a real flaw, or just a light reflection.

Two minor problems I've encountered are occuring on a sporadic basis, and I wonder if anyone else here has had similar experiences.

(1) While watching a DVD last evening - a 2.35:1 movie, all of a sudden the "display" information popped on the screen, like it does when the set is first powered on. I got the full grey boxes with the program info, channel or video input, the wide mode, the fact that I was in reduced power mode, and the current time. Pressing "display" of course turns it off, but this isn't the first time it's happened. I can recall at least two other times that it's happened, but wasn't SURE until last evening.

(2) With the set hooked up to send audio to my receiver (both analog and digital), and with the DVD and LaserDisc players hooked up with their audio also to the receiver, I rarely have been using the TV's own speakes. So naturally, I've set the speakers to "off" and the audio output to "fixed". However, on a couple of occasions, with the receiver busy doing something else, I've turned the TV's speakers back on. So far, so good. Several times, however, in returning the settings to "speaker off" and "audio out fixed", I've gotten nothing through the receiver. It's as if it didn't recognize the commands or the settings didn't "take". After switching things back and forth, ultimately I've gotten things back to the way I usually leave them, but it's a concern that something I'm pretty comfortable doing, doesn't seem to respond properly.

Are these problems worth bothering CC with? (That's who we purchased the set from, along with extended warranty.)

Harry
...admitted newbie...

I would defintely bug CC about the first problem. Just as long as you can reproduce the symptom when they are there. I thought I had an audio problem but mine just went a away one day. I think I just really had to push in the connector for the optical cable because of the design.

For problem one, maybe try turning off the info banner option, worth a shot.

I would defintely bug CC about the first problem. Just as long as you can reproduce the symptom when they are there. I thought I had an audio problem but mine just went a away one day. I think I just really had to push in the connector for the optical cable because of the design.

Yeah, well that would be the problem, now wouldn't it? Reproducing it when it's sporadic is not easy.

As for the audio, I'll recheck my audio cables to make sure that they're tight, just in case.

Thanks,

Harry

When I got my 55xs, I noticed something very similar to what you are talking about. I could only see the spot if the TV was off, while the lights were on. If the TV was on, i could almost never see it, except for during a very dark scene. I had CC swap it out for another one, and the second set did not have the problem.

Also, I remember there were some other posts about similar problems. Follow from here... Sony Spot (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?postid=5296876#post5296876)

I'm definitely not referring to anything like the wavey thing in the "Sony Spot" link you provided. I'm certain that the "light" spot I'm referring to is not from or on the LCD (at least on my set). If your set looks like the one in the reference link, then I'd return it.

i see the light on my set when it is off as well. it's position varies due to light that is entering the cabinet from various sources during the day, ie. sunlight, room lighting, etc.. it is definately not a problem, all it is is light entering the tv's cabinet. nothing to worry about.

Carmine.

I found a setting on the cable box to change the borders from light>Med>Dark

At first it didn't do anything, and then magically it was all dark. Actually the grey bars where on the top and bottom of only the HD channels. I dunno, seems to be fixed so whatever I guess. I appreciate both the responses.



Interesting thread. [Side note that I've found this forum to be a wealth of information, especially to such a layperson as myself (thanks to all)].

I've really enjoyed my 55XS for over 6 months now, and this is probably the first post I had seen regarding the color of sidebars. As much of my viewing is 4:3 content, I've come to terms with sidebars that have been grey in color. From what I am gathering from this short thread, grey sidebars are not necessarily inherent with the set, but are being broadcast by, say, Comcast, and that this might be a changeable characteristic?

Interesting thread. [Side note that I've found this forum to be a wealth of information, especially to such a layperson as myself (thanks to all)].

I've really enjoyed my 55XS for over 6 months now, and this is probably the first post I had seen regarding the color of sidebars. As much of my viewing is 4:3 content, I've come to terms with sidebars that have been grey in color. From what I am gathering from this short thread, grey sidebars are not necessarily inherent with the set, but are being broadcast by, say, Comcast, and that this might be a changeable characteristic?

From what I've learned here and elsewhere, the bars are transmitted. They control them. We don't. For me CBS is gray ESPN is a styalized logo, most are black. I prefer black too as it's most neutral.

From what I am gathering from this short thread, grey sidebars are not necessarily inherent with the set, but are being broadcast by, say, Comcast, and that this might be a changeable characteristic?

It could be the channel that's broadcasting - for example, when Knoxville's NBC affiliate is broadcasting locally (during the day or during local commercials at night) the sidebars are grey, but during 4:3 NBC material the bars are black. All the other channels in town have black sidebars during 4:3 source shows.

I would say most likely it's the box used to receive the signals and output to set. I know the HD DirecTivo defaults to grey sidebars, but there is an option to change the color to black in the menus.

Check your menus or setup options with your Comcast box... I'll bet it's in there somewhere.

btw, the reason to have grey bars is for people who own plasma displays to avoid permanently burning in black sections on the sides of the screen. Us LCD-RP people don't have to worry about this burn-in problem. :cool:

It could be the channel that's broadcasting - for example, when Knoxville's NBC affiliate is broadcasting locally (during the day or during local commercials at night) the sidebars are grey, but during 4:3 NBC material the bars are black. All the other channels in town have black sidebars during 4:3 source shows.

I would say most likely it's the box used to receive the signals and output to set. I know the HD DirecTivo defaults to grey sidebars, but there is an option to change the color to black in the menus.

Check your menus or setup options with your Comcast box... I'll bet it's in there somewhere.

btw, the reason to have grey bars is for people who own plasma displays to avoid permanently burning in black sections on the sides of the screen. Us LCD-RP people don't have to worry about this burn-in problem. :cool:



Thanks for the feedback (Joe as well). I'll definitely try this tonight. Interesting fact on the reasoning (plasma people). Cheers!

On my 55xs955, I noticed films wider than the screen, so black bars on the top and bottom, are not centered vertically. It's kind of annoying, seeing the film a bit closer to the top, making a larger bottom black bar and smaller top one. The only adjustment I could make was the game setting to change horizontal postion, but not vertical, which is grayed out.

Is this common, is my set just not set up right? Any way to get it centered?

timothy, in regards to centering, yes it can be corrected if you feel comfortable enough entering the service menu. i don't have the registers in front of me to tell you which items have to be adjusted though. if you do a search under "official sony grand wega IV tweaks" you will find the info you need.

On my 55xs955, I noticed films wider than the screen, so black bars on the top and bottom, are not centered vertically.

Timothy... you might want to confirm this with a calibration DVD. Check something like Avia or Digital Video Essentials - I believe both of those have charts that will show where the edges of the screen should be with circles in the corners. If you are not seeing 4 full circles in each corner, then there is something wrong with your set and may need professional calibration. At the very least, check a movie DVD that is THX certified... that edge chart might be in the THX Optimizer tests.

Good luck!

Timothy... you might want to confirm this with a calibration DVD. Check something like Avia or Digital Video Essentials - I believe both of those have charts that will show where the edges of the screen should be with circles in the corners. If you are not seeing 4 full circles in each corner, then there is something wrong with your set and may need professional calibration. At the very least, check a movie DVD that is THX certified... that edge chart might be in the THX Optimizer tests.

Good luck!

I tried the THX optimizer test on a Disney dvd. The tests with the circle and double square was off. If overscan set to normal, the top of the outer square was touching the edge, while the bottom had plenty off room. I used the game option to center it left and right, but no up and down.

This service menu, I noticed something like that on the back of the set, a small hole, is there a button inside there that activates it? At first I though maybe some special equipment was needed to connect there.

no. the service menu is an on-screen display of various categories. within each category are numerous values. you have to know which items you are altering or you can render your display inoperable. NEVER tinker with the service menu unless you first write down the original values you are going to be changing, & second, you know what each value means. there are various posts on this forum that give very valuable info on service menu adjustments & also how to enter the service menu for your particular display device.
if you need further assistance, feel free to pm me. i will be glad to help a fellow sony owner.

regards,
Carmine.

I don't know which key(s) I pressed on my remote, but my KDF60WF655 (which I love, btw) has gotten into a weird state. The input name (e.g. "Video 7") is displayed permanently on the screen. Normally, when you change inputs, the input name is displayed for a few seconds, and then it goes away. In my case, it stays on forever. Its been like this now for a couple of weeks. I have gone through all the menu options (I think), but couldn't find anything relevant. Disconnecting and reconnecting power cable doesn't help either. Any ideas?

Thanks

Have you tried pressing the "display" button on the remote?

I don't know which key(s) I pressed on my remote, but my KDF60WF655 (which I love, btw) has gotten into a weird state. The input name (e.g. "Video 7") is displayed permanently on the screen. Normally, when you change inputs, the input name is displayed for a few seconds, and then it goes away. In my case, it stays on forever. Its been like this now for a couple of weeks. I have gone through all the menu options (I think), but couldn't find anything relevant. Disconnecting and reconnecting power cable doesn't help either. Any ideas?

Thanks

All tvs I've known have always have a button on the remote to display info like the channel and keep it there. My grandpa likes to do this, he always watches tv with the channel number displayed like that. You must have hit that option on the remote.

On my Sony 55xs955 the button is called "display", like the other person said. But for example my 20inch Toshiba with built-in VCR the button is called "call." It's not usually an option in the menu system.

it's definitely the 'display' button. it'll toggle the display on your tv ... just keep hitting it until the display turns off.

iirc, there is some issue with some of these tv's where the display does intermittently pop up ... that's some kind of known issue. read through this thread ... it's already been discussed.

Now I can sing the praises of this set! Something was obviously messed up on my 55XS955, which led to the posts a couple of days ago. Last night the light bulb finally showed up over my head and I figured out what I was doing wrong. I had the STB hooked up over component, but I also had coax from the STB going directly into the TV. This is a very stupid thing to do and causes all of the problems I was having. Now real HD broadcasts look gorgeous and do in fact present without framing. This is the pic I was counting on and it's even better than I had hoped. Now I can bust out Avia and get down to business. I'm up to page 56 on the GWIV thread, quite a ways to go.

I'd also been having a weird popping noise through digital channels. These may have also been corrected, if not I'll come back here begging for help.

Regards,
jc

Thanks for the responses. It was the "Display" button, as you guys pointed out. Pressing it eliminated the problem.
it's definitely the 'display' button. it'll toggle the display on your tv ... just keep hitting it until the display turns off.

iirc, there is some issue with some of these tv's where the display does intermittently pop up ... that's some kind of known issue. read through this thread ... it's already been discussed.

I am pretty much ready to place my order for a 60XS. Is there any reason to expect a price drop in the next month or two, or should I go ahead and pull the trigger?

TIA!

Andy

Hi All,

I have been doing some research on avs forum and other resource on the net and have narrowed down to this TV. On one of the sites I read that with LCD rptv's over a period of few years (3-4 or more) the PQ starts to dim out/ fade as the crystals start to loose their intensity. Is this true ? Also I know just like the DLPs, LCD's also have a bulb/ lamp that needs to be changed probably in that time frame. Will changing the bulb restore the PQ to "as good as new" or is this something that is totally unrelated to the lamp ?

Thanks much for your 2 cents.

M

I am pretty much ready to place my order for a 60XS. Is there any reason to expect a price drop in the next month or two, or should I go ahead and pull the trigger?

TIA!

Andy

There could be more price dropping going on. You are planning on a very nice display. The biggest advantage of new one is the automatic iris for improving black level. I have yet to read a review of how well it works. I read on another forum that the owner's manual says a small mechanical noise is normal during operation of the iris...huh??
I will look that one up myself.
Well, my prediction is the price could go down another $200 through Sept . but that's another 2 months without HD.
Another way to look at, you will not be paying for HD programming for 2 months, or you will, but enjoying it!

How many LCD chips does the XS have? I've seen that the new Sony LCDs have a sticker that says 3-LCD Technology. Does that mean that the XS only has 1?

How many LCD chips does the XS have? I've seen that the new Sony LCDs have a sticker that says 3-LCD Technology. Does that mean that the XS only has 1?
All of the Sonys have 3 chips, including the XS. They've re-dubbed them all 3 LCD to try to make them seem new and revolutionary...when in reality they're the same as they were before.

Jason

Well I did it. Finally took the plunge. I went to a local store to check out the new A10 42". They didn't have one, so I started talking to the guy and he said he had a 50" 655 VVega 4 50" that he would sell to me for $700 off the MSRP. !!!!

I just hope my room is big enough.

I compred the price with BB, CC and some other major outlets....the price was 2-300 lower with my deal.

I feel like I won at life!

How many LCD chips does the XS have? I've seen that the new Sony LCDs have a sticker that says 3-LCD Technology. Does that mean that the XS only has 1?

Nope, all have 3 like the other person said. Check out sonystyle.com and when you view the list of their projection tvs they all have 3lcd in their name

couple of q's for someone:

1. is the a10 the replacement model for the 655 series and the a20 the replacement for the 955 series?

2. what exactly does the newer "A" series offer? it looks like the 3lcd panel (what do the current models use), perhaps that wega-gate doohickey (no biggie) ... what else?

For hyimted: if you check the Sony launches new 720p projectors thread it has lots of info on the new sets. The KDF A20's just seem to have some reduced features from last years models but the A10's have some improvements. The biggest change for the A10 is that the set can change the light output with a "cinema black pro" iris or light shutter (shown in the photos on sonystyle for the 42" set) The brightness can be set to several levels, it isn't clear yet if the set automatically reduces the light output during dark scenes like the Qualia dynamic iris does. The sets are also much more compact for a given screen size- just check the photos at sonystyle.

Isn't it a little interesting that sony is releasing the A10's and A20's now, and in a couple of months will release the 50 and 60in sxrd line? I wish they made a 60in qualia model.

I have had my 60XS for about 5 weeks. I have been very happy with it. I felt the blacks were fine until I watched some dark show this weekend. Is there any service menu tweak to improve the black level? I've heard of the ND filter mod but am reluctant to mess with the innards.

I've also heard of some making some service menu adjustments to improve the detail. How is this done?

Thanks,
jason

I have had my 60XS for about 5 weeks. I have been very happy with it. I felt the blacks were fine until I watched some dark show this weekend. Is there any service menu tweak to improve the black level? I've heard of the ND filter mod but am reluctant to mess with the innards.

I've also heard of some making some service menu adjustments to improve the detail. How is this done?

Thanks,
jason

Are you using the black corrector feature? If not, then you should try it. To access it, switch to "Pro" and go into the "Advanced Menu Settings" submenu. From there, you can set the black corrector to low, medium, or high. (I prefer low myself.)

I have had my 60XS for about 5 weeks. I have been very happy with it. I felt the blacks were fine until I watched some dark show this weekend. Is there any service menu tweak to improve the black level? I've heard of the ND filter mod but am reluctant to mess with the innards.

I've also heard of some making some service menu adjustments to improve the detail. How is this done?

Thanks,
jason

You can also try reduced power mode to dim the light, only a slight difference though.

I've put the TV in reduced power mode as well as altering the black corrector. I might just go down the filter path.

Jason

Jason...

I know what you mean. As great as this TV looks most of the time, those dark scenes from SD sources (inc. DVD) just don't hold up. I have mine set so I can see all the dark detail, but what is supposed to be 7.5ire looks closer to 15ire.

hi. i've recently noticed a slight delay on my 55XS when switching between format modes (480i, 720p, 1080i) with my scientific atlanta 8000hd box. i know it never use to take this bit of time to switch in the past. could it be a software upgrade on my cable box that has caused this delay? if anyone else has noticed this or knows if it is a potential problem arising, i would greatly appreciate a response.

thanks so much guys.
Carmine.

hi. i've recently noticed a slight delay on my 55XS when switching between format modes (480i, 720p, 1080i) with my scientific atlanta 8000hd box. i know it never use to take this bit of time to switch in the past. could it be a software upgrade on my cable box that has caused this delay? if anyone else has noticed this or knows if it is a potential problem arising, i would greatly appreciate a response.

thanks so much guys.
Carmine.

Here in Raleigh, we now have digital channels from TWC in lieu of the old analog ones (since early this month). I have noticed a longer delay when surfing those channels than there was before. The delay is now comparable to the channels that were already digital ( > 100 range). Any such changes from your provider?

i'm not too sure if Comcast has made those changes. but the delay i'm referring to is not while changing channels, it is when i change between format modes (480i, 720p, etc.)

I see Abt no longer lists the 55XS on their site, but still hae the 60. Wonder if this means they are being discontinued by Sony already?

Are you using the black corrector feature? If not, then you should try it. To access it, switch to "Pro" and go into the "Advanced Menu Settings" submenu. From there, you can set the black corrector to low, medium, or high. (I prefer low myself.)
Thank you for the info. I set the black corrector to low and it made a big difference. You made my day
:)

Thank you for the info. I set the black corrector to low and it made a big difference. You made my day
:)

You're quite welcome and I hope you're enjoying your XS955 as much I'm enjoying mine. I've had one for 8 months and have enjoyed it immensely. Two months ago, I got hi-def cable and since then I've been enjoying it even more.

As far as I can tell -- and I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong -- the black corrector simply lowers the black levels to below normal levels. As I said, I do, overall, prefer the quality of the picture with the corrector on low, but the drawback to it is that you lose a lot of the detail in darker parts of the image.

...As far as I can tell -- and I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong -- the black corrector simply lowers the black levels to below normal levels. As I said, I do, overall, prefer the quality of the picture with the corrector on low, but the drawback to it is that you lose a lot of the detail in darker parts of the image.

From what it appears, the black corrector does a little more than that. You can also lower the black level with the picture/contrast settings, but those adjustments retain the 1-to-1 linear relationship between different steps of the gray scale, and neither picture/contrast or BC can affect the actual absolute black level. IOW, you can lower the black level, but at the point it coincides with the absolute black level, it can not be adjusted lower than that. It appears that the BC distorts the lower 2 steps of the gray scale while leaving the upper steps unaffected. And this definitely pays a penalty in detail. There is a "soft knee" in the black response approaching actual crush, or clipping, when BC is turned on. To me that is unnatural.

I find that adjusting the gamma corrector instead gives a much better result. It changes the relationship between black and the mid-grays, and between white and the mid-grays. IOW, if you crank gamma, 0 or 7.5 IRE (black) stays exactly where it originally was, and 100 IRE (white) also stays exactly where it was, but the lower steps of gray up to 50% gray are stretched (as if you turned UP "contrast" on just that portion of the gray scale) and the upper gray steps are compressed (as if you turned DOWN "contrast" on just that portion of the gray scale). This has the net effect of making the detail in the lower steps brighter and easier to see without washing it out, and making the mid tones brighter and easier to see while the overall brightness and contrast appears the same as before. It makes a LCD display appear more "CRT-like" and more watchable, and seems to give more brightness and contrast headroom. IOW, those settings become less critical.

It gives an overall general impression that black response has improved, although in reality, the absolute black level remains exactly where it was. The fact that the relationship between absolute black and the rest of the picture appears improved is a real perception, though, because the relationship between what you perceive as mid tones and black has indeed changed, and we automatically compensate and accept a higher absolute black as within the shifted margins of "acceptable", even though it is still at exactly the same level, and that has great perceptual value. Neither GC or BC can actually change the absolute black level, but both appear to. It's just that GC seems to do it effectively, and BC seems to do it harshly and with loss of detail.

There are also a couple of things that you can do to improve the actual absolute black level. One is installing a ND filter, which is effective, but expensive and messy, and if it were REALLY a good idea, Sony would have simply made the lenticular screen itself with a higher neutral density factor. The other thing is subtle, but effective, which is to go into power saver mode. This lowers the ambient light inside the cabinet, which lowers the absolute black level. I also extends lamp life, and the brightness reduction in the picture can be made up by cranking the brightness back up (which has no negative effect on absolute black).

Power saver combined with gamma correction seems to be the magic formula.

TomCat,

Which setting on the gamma correction do you recommend? When I turn it to low, it seems to make the blacks worse/washed out.

Jason

I had not seen a formal review of either the 60 or 55XS995 until I came across this one. Favorable review of the Sony.

www.avguide.com (http://www.avguide.com/index.jsp)

You must register for free, then navigate through a few pages of Rear Projection Product Reviews to get to the Sony one for download.

Do owners think this is a fair and accurate review?

I had not seen a formal review of either the 60 or 55XS995 until I came across this one. Favorable review of the Sony.

www.avguide.com (http://www.avguide.com/index.jsp)

You must register for free, then navigate through a few pages of Rear Projection Product Reviews to get to the Sony one for download.

Do owners think this is a fair and accurate review?

This was one of the reviews that sold me on my 55WF655. I think it shows the Tosh in a good light too. But the Sony is a real sucker for calibration ... the potential is great.

Hey guys, just joined this forum. Nice to be here. Im mainly a Sony guy when I can catch em at the top of a quality wave.
Ive been talking my wife into letting me get the 60xs955 for some time now.

I found a place online that I trust and will deliver for $3300

Anyone else know of a reputable online dealer who can beat that price?

I'm ready ta buy!

Cheers

I was just reading some info from the power thread. Is it really true that in order to power down this set you must unplug it every time? It's been said by sony that the set should be unplugged every night when not being watched to prolong the longetivity of the set.

I was just reading some info from the power thread. Is it really true that in order to power down this set you must unplug it every time? It's been said by sony that the set should be unplugged every night when not being watched to prolong the longetivity of the set.

I think we need more definition. I find it hard to believe you are expected to unplug it in-between viewing times if you watch on a daily basis. On vacation, etc., that makes sense.
I think having surge suppression and/or an UPS is important.

Another sony owner said that when he called the sony tech support, they recommended that set be unplugged every night. There should be some other way to completly power down this set.

BTW, has anyone here purchased a TV from Abe's of Maine?
How was the experience?

BTW, has anyone here purchased a TV from Abe's of Maine?
How was the experience?

A good site I always use before a purchase is resellerratings.com for quick user opinions.

Here are the opinions for Abe's of Maine:
http://www.resellerratings.com/seller2003.html

7.19 is pretty decent, but are they an authorized dealer for Sony?

Here's who I ordered from, 9.76:
http://www.resellerratings.com/seller1873.html

TV Authority currently has a 10.00:
http://www.resellerratings.com/seller6574.html

TomCat,

Which setting on the gamma correction do you recommend? When I turn it to low, it seems to make the blacks worse/washed out.

Jason

Maybe it's an acquired taste. It is a little tricky until you get the hang of it, because it might mean that you have to adjust picture and brightness to compensate, which is not what we are used to from CRTs. The first day I had mine I tried gamma, and didn't feel that it was of any real value. Once I had spent a couple weeks with the set and had built up some familiarity with the adjustments and had everything else about where I thought it should be, I went back to gamma and discovered that it made a whale of a difference if you had previously adjusted the rest of the set properly. A little further tweaking at that point made that fact completely obvious.

Gamma by definition of what it adjusts, can not make the absolute black level higher (or lower for that matter). Absolute black, as well as 100% white, are totally not affected by gamma correction. It typically gives the impression of an improvement in black performance because even though black itself does not change, the ratio between absolute black and lower levels of grey increases without actually creating a "washed out" look in the blacks. To my eye it is all improvement with no compromise of any kind. I have it on high 100% of the time, and I have never seen a situation where setting it any lower would be an improvement beyond that.

If you have set the picture and brightness so that the black detail does not crush, but is just above that threshold (and it sometimes takes precise back-and-forth interaction to get there on an LCD, while each can be easily adjusted independently on a CRT), and so that the brightness level is acceptable, invoking gamma correction of any level should give you an apparent improvement to the blacks, and should never give the impression of them being "washed out".

The typical "incremental improvement" approach to tweaking works most of the time, but occasionally you have to just ignore or have faith that certain "pre-adjustments" that don't intrinsically improve the picture (and even seem to degrade it until further adjustments are made) will pay off once a further tweak is invoked. This is kind of counter-intuitive, so difficult to master. I like to think of it as the "Use the Force, Luke" approach, as it takes faith in the end process and ignoring the intermediate perceptions to get the best end result.

In that spirit I recommend trying to set the gamma high first (ignoring that visible change at first), and then going back and adjusting picture and brightness back-and-forth until you get the best result. At that point only, turn down the gamma correction (if needed) to whatever level pleases you. It might feel like you are out on a limb with a saw, but there is always an easy path back to factory settings, so the risk is not as great as it feels.

Hey guys, just joined this forum. Nice to be here. Im mainly a Sony guy when I can catch em at the top of a quality wave.
Ive been talking my wife into letting me get the 60xs955 for some time now.

I found a place online that I trust and will deliver for $3300

Anyone else know of a reputable online dealer who can beat that price?

I'm ready ta buy!

Cheers

$3300 including shipping is the best I have been able to find from online places that look reputable to me. Vanns and OneCall are the ones I am thinking of, but recently the 60XS has disappeared from the OneCall site. All those stores in NY that have very low prices come across as a bit shady to me and they all get lots of bad reviews on the ratings sites.

$3300 including shipping is the best I have been able to find from online places that look reputable to me. Vanns and OneCall are the ones I am thinking of, but recently the 60XS has disappeared from the OneCall site. All those stores in NY that have very low prices come across as a bit shady to me and they all get lots of bad reviews on the ratings sites.


On 7-20 i purchased the 60sx955 (had 6 left) from one call for 3300 delv (7-25) with no problems. One call, Sony and crutchfield told me last week Tv on back order from Sony/factory with no firm delivery date. This may be the last 60sx's we will see in the states except what is in inventory at various dealers. The new "A" series is definitely a lower grade product in function and viewing, so I felt compelled to jump in. Avoid the NY bunch if you can with the exception of JR's on any purchases.

Best to check with cable provider on selection of boxes with HDMI/DVI before you purchase although component video works fine. I picked up all my cables at cablewholesale (6'HDMI $21) works great and of high quality (better then monsters hype). The optical cable connection appears to be 3.5mm mini with the toslink 5mm size not seating properly. Can anyone confirm this ? 3.5 's on the way now.

I'm going to save the 2 wraps over the screen and throw out the box which with handhelds made it easy for 2 adults to move. I purchase the sony 975 dvd which is incredible from onecall and the panamax 4310 & sony 2500 remote from newegg. Anyone using the 2500 now, thoughts ?

Now i'm experimenting with diff. cable configs to to maximize flexibility and ease of use. Very happy with LCD which replaces a 9yr old 36" sony tube, keep in mind time could be be running out on the 60sx955's.

Thanks to all for info. on this forum.

For leftovers,

I have the same issue with certain optical cables not seating on the set. Not quite sure of the measurements but eventually I will try my non-monster version to see if it stays in there better.

For leftovers,

I have the same issue with certain optical cables not seating on the set. Not quite sure of the measurements but eventually I will try my non-monster version to see if it stays in there better.

I should be getting the 3.5's ($12each 6')which have a dual connector at each end (mini fiber optic connector and a fiber optic connector) from cablewarehouse (dot kom ) mid next week, i will post either way if correct.

Using them in conjunction with sony 975 dvd, sony c77es cd changer, sony STR -DA50es and a scientific american 3250 hd cable box. Its ashame that sony customer service and the manuals are lacking this information.

The 5mm are all to large in all outputs, the outside dimension line up but are to long to insert properly so 3.5mm is only choice i can find. Anyone else know what will work for connector size ?

Hey all,

I got my 60WF955 about 3 weeks ago as an exchange for a Hitachi lemon. From day one I noticed a pretty profound Edge Enhancement type of effect on all sources. HD, DVD, and SD. What I mean specifically, is that right at the edge of a dark object, the background has a lighter colored edge or ring. It's pretty distracting because it makes everything look like old Sci-fi movies special effects.

I'm within my 30-day return period, but I would really prefer to adjust this out. Maybe something in the service menu? I already have the sharpness turned all the way down.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

Hey all,

I got my 60WF955 about 3 weeks ago as an exchange for a Hitachi lemon. From day one I noticed a pretty profound Edge Enhancement type of effect on all sources. HD, DVD, and SD. What I mean specifically, is that right at the edge of a dark object, the background has a lighter colored edge or ring. It's pretty distracting because it makes everything look like old Sci-fi movies special effects.

I'm within my 30-day return period, but I would really prefer to adjust this out. Maybe something in the service menu? I already have the sharpness turned all the way down.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

Probably want to start off with all your adjustments in Pro Mode. Remove all the enhancements and then run Avia, etc and see how it adjusts out. What you describe does not sound typical, and if doing the above does not help you may be looking at another exchange.

Planning to install a 0.4 filter in my 55WF655 this weekend. I plan to take more pics but doubt if you will see anything new.
What I really want to do, is catch a picture on HDNet, etc. and since they repeat programming, take it again after the filter install. I need to find a suitable one. On Dish they do have a demo channel that has some trees and snow pictures that have great detail, but lack in contrast. See what I can do......

I plan to take more pics but doubt if you will see anything new.


Thanks! I would love to see more pics of the process.

Good luck with the install addikt...I have been quietly following this thread have been looking forward to hearing the results of your filter! Let us know how it turns out. By the way... I assume the mod would be the same on a 60wf655....is this correct??

Good luck with the install addikt...I have been quietly following this thread have been looking forward to hearing the results of your filter! Let us know how it turns out. By the way... I assume the mod would be the same on a 60wf655....is this correct??

Yes it is. Only a few less inches to grabble with. :)

It would be nice if the set was also capable of outputting 5.1 when it receives the information from the hdmi cable slots.

For leftovers,

I have the same issue with certain optical cables not seating on the set. Not quite sure of the measurements but eventually I will try my non-monster version to see if it stays in there better.


Just installed the 3.5 mini jack opticals, the fit is seemless and all are functioning well. Good Luck

I just got a KDF60Xs955. I hjave direct tv. I want the tv to choose the screen format. Is there anyway to do this.??

rtfm

Hey all,

I got my 60WF955 about 3 weeks ago as an exchange for a Hitachi lemon. From day one I noticed a pretty profound Edge Enhancement type of effect on all sources. HD, DVD, and SD. What I mean specifically, is that right at the edge of a dark object, the background has a lighter colored edge or ring. It's pretty distracting because it makes everything look like old Sci-fi movies special effects.

I'm within my 30-day return period, but I would really prefer to adjust this out. Maybe something in the service menu? I already have the sharpness turned all the way down.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance.
The factory settings for SD include a lot of over-enhancement, and that can be adjusted out in the DRC. But, DRC is out of the circuit for HD content, so I am puzzled why you perceive that on HD. I have a XS and have never seen a hint of this on HD images. I guess it is possible that some processing of the signal before transmission might be doing this, but that is both unlikely and ludicrous. Are all HD sources doing this? It could be your DT stations are not sending true HD.

Austin has a FOX O&O (as well as great Tex-Mex food :D ), so if you have DBS and a HD STB or PVR, you could get them to turn the NY or LA station on for you (for free). They definitely transmit HD in prime.

The factory settings for SD include a lot of over-enhancement, and that can be adjusted out in the DRC. But, DRC is out of the circuit for HD content, so I am puzzled why you perceive that on HD. I have a XS and have never seen a hint of this on HD images. I guess it is possible that some processing of the signal before transmission might be doing this, but that is both unlikely and ludicrous. Are all HD sources doing this? It could be your DT stations are not sending true HD.

Austin has a FOX O&O (as well as great Tex-Mex food :D ), so if you have DBS and a HD STB or PVR, you could get them to turn the NY or LA station on for you (for free). They definitely transmit HD in prime.


Not to mention great BBQ!! But, that would be OT. :D

Have you ever seen or heard of a vga to hdmi cable? I would like to try and hook up my laptop to my tv but I can't seem to find this cable anywhere.

Thanks for the input on my EE problem. I have been able to greatly reduce the effect with some more 'seat of the pants' tuning. Specifically, I turned the brightness up a bit. Lost some of my black level, but it looks A LOT better.

BTW, I think you're right about the DRC causing it. The effect never was as bad on HD, and it could have been program specific. This time of year I don't watch too much HD content because the networks are all reruns and there's no NFL. Gettin' geared up for fall!

Considering purchase of KDF -55 XS 955 . Price Less than the Sony 55 in. A20 .Would this be Reccomended or should I go for the Supposedly Newer Technology Of the A20.Your comments Would be appeciated.

Considering purchase of KDF -55 XS 955 . Price Less than the Sony 55 in. A20 .Would this be Reccomended or should I go for the Supposedly Newer Technology Of the A20.Your comments Would be appeciated.

I would go for the XS if you can find one (looks like they are on the way to being discontinued for th SXRD XBR model). I don't think the A20 really has any newer technology. You lose twin view and just get the non-essentially Wega-Gate interface.

Have you ever seen or heard of a vga to hdmi cable? I would like to try and hook up my laptop to my tv but I can't seem to find this cable anywhere.
VGA is analog and HDMI is digital. I don't see you finding a cable that will convert the signal.

VGA is analog and HDMI is digital. I don't see you finding a cable that will convert the signal.

Would this work?

This adapter to chance vga to dvi on the laptop (will not work with DVI-D ports it says):
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814999504

Then one of these to turn the hdmi port to dvi on the tv:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16812105832

Then a regular dvi cable to connect them?

I have a question about aspect ratio. Although many channels show their output to be 16:9 (and say, 1080i), their picture appears more 4:3. Why is that? Given that 60XS is 16:9, why don't I get an exact-fitting pro-rated picture when I press the zoom button? Do I need to change any of my settings?

Thanks!

Manhar

Would this work?

This adapter to chance vga to dvi on the laptop (will not work with DVI-D ports it says):
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814999504

Then one of these to turn the hdmi port to dvi on the tv:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16812105832

Then a regular dvi cable to connect them?

No, that will not work. The VGA-DVI adapter is not converting the signal to digital. It is simply using the analog pins on the DVI connector. DVI is kind of weird like that... it has pins for both digital and analog.

No, that will not work. The VGA-DVI adapter is not converting the signal to digital. It is simply using the analog pins on the DVI connector. DVI is kind of weird like that... it has pins for both digital and analog.

Then could there be some kind of box converter that could do it? I know there are those boxes for helping to connect consoles to computer displays or turn them into tvs, like a tv tuner box, but I haven't found one that's dvi, which I think is odd as you'd think a lot of people would want to turn flat LCDs into TVs without loss in quality for computer use. Like a poduct such as this but with dvi: click here (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16815116003)

Could there be a dvr or HD tuner box out there that connects to hdmi on the tv but has many inputs itself like a vga?

I have a laptop too with only vga out, that's why I'm also interested in finding this out.

So it looks like if you have a laptop with only vga out, there's no way to hook it up to an hd set that has hdmi only.

I have a question about aspect ratio. Although many channels show their output to be 16:9 (and say, 1080i), their picture appears more 4:3. Why is that? Given that 60XS is 16:9, why don't I get an exact-fitting pro-rated picture when I press the zoom button? Do I need to change any of my settings?

Thanks!

Manhar

Even though a digital channel says it's broadcasting 16:9, the substance of the picture could be 4:3.

In reality, they ARE broadcasting 16:9 - part of what they're sending is the black (or grey) side bars.

Most filmed, primetime, entertainment shows (in HD) on the major networks will fill out your 16:9 screen.

Harry

Most filmed, primetime, entertainment shows (in HD) on the major networks will fill out your 16:9 screen.

To continue Harry's post...

Most commercials (primetime and local) and non-network shows will be 4:3 with black or grey bars on the side, even though the TV's info banner will display it's 16:9 (720p or 1080i).

Hello-

I have been reading the wealth of info in this particular thread, and I have a noob question. I have a 60" Sony RPTV that is giving me some grief. It's still covered under the extended warranty that I bought, but I was in BB the other day, and I was drawn to the TV with the best picture, which turned out to be the Sony KDF-60XS955.

I'm debating on getting the RPTV set fixed, or pulling the trigger on the purchase of the XS955.

Any thoughts?

TIA

Is the rptv hd or just digital? If it's not hd, then I would go ahead and get the xs. I have my 61 sony rptv which is analog, and even though the set still works I went ahead and bought the 60xs because I was ready for an upgrade in picture quality that would eliminate those large scan lines.

Is the rptv hd or just digital? If it's not hd, then I would go ahead and get the xs. I have my 61 sony rptv which is analog, and even though the set still works I went ahead and bought the 60xs because I was ready for an upgrade in picture quality that would eliminate those large scan lines.

Thanks for the reply. The RPTV is a Sony KP-61HS30, which is HD ready. It's still in pretty good shape, except for the trouble that I have been having with it, and convergence issues.

What model of RPTV did you have, and if you don't mind me asking, what did you do with it when you bought your 60XS?

Thanks.

My model is KP-61S70. It's probably a little bit older than yours. I was fooled into thinking my set was hd-ready because it had component connections. That was when I was much less wiser than I am now. It turns out you can't even send a 480p signal to the set. And now it has convergence issues which the magic focus can't fix. I was going to put the set in my daughter's room but it was too big to turn the corner so it's in my room now. It's my going-to-sleep set now. If I can get it into my daughters room, I'd like to put my other hd crt in my room. The tv still provides the basic services which is displaying video signals, it just doesn't do it as good with the misconvergence in the corner of the set.

My model is KP-61S70. It's probably a little bit older than yours. I was fooled into thinking my set was hd-ready because it had component connections. That was when I was much less wiser than I am now. It turns out you can't even send a 480p signal to the set. And now it has convergence issues which the magic focus can't fix. I was going to put the set in my daughter's room but it was too big to turn the corner so it's in my room now. It's my going-to-sleep set now. If I can get it into my daughters room, I'd like to put my other hd crt in my room. The tv still provides the basic services which is displaying video signals, it just doesn't do it as good with the misconvergence in the corner of the set.

Yeah, I feel your pain about the convergence issues. I have the same thing happening to my set now. I had the repair guy out a couple of weeks ago (warranty repair, no charge), and he was able to fix it. He went into some sort of "repairman mode" by hitting a bunch of keys on the remote. It brought up (among other screens) a screen that had a white grid on a black background. He went to each individual grid, and adjusted the guns. This initially fixed the problem, but it's starting to come back again. It doesn't happen all of the time, and until it does, I don't see a point in calling him back out. I have the warranty until 2007, and I think that it is transferrable, but I would have to check on that. I am pretty sure that it is HD ready, at least that's what the specs say. I have yet to connect a HD source to it, aside from my progressive scan DVD player, and the component connections from my Yamaha RX-V2500 receiver. I would love to see if I could sell it to someone, but I don't think that I would get very much for it, if I could.

Thanks for the info, and as far as getting the RPTV into your daughter's room, drywall is pretty easy to repair! :rolleyes:

I would have to tear down a corner of a wall to get it to fit. It's just too wide to turn the corner. You are pretty lucky that you have a service menu that allow manual convergence of your set. I tried to get into mine and found out my tv doesn't have one. The only way I could manually converge my set is to pay an ISF tech $300 to adjust the trimpots inside the tv. You could sell the set but you definitely won't get a alot of money for it. The movers had the nerve to offer me $200 for my set. I told them I wasn't that desperate to get rid of it.

I would have to tear down a corner of a wall to get it to fit. It's just too wide to turn the corner. You are pretty lucky that you have a service menu that allow manual convergence of your set. I tried to get into mine and found out my tv doesn't have one. The only way I could manually converge my set is to pay an ISF tech $300 to adjust the trimpots inside the tv. You could sell the set but you definitely won't get a alot of money for it. The movers had the nerve to offer me $200 for my set. I told them I wasn't that desperate to get rid of it.

I kind of figured about the corner. I can't believe that your set doesn't have a service menu. That kind of sucks. I also can't believe that the movers offered you $200 for a $1800+ set...nice...

Does anybody know if the 60xs has a onscreen tv guide if you use a cablecard? I keep hearing about one for other tv's but didn't know if my set had one.

Does anybody know if the 60xs has a onscreen tv guide if you use a cablecard?

I don't use Cablecard, but it's my understanding that because CC is a one-way device, the onscreen guide will not work. But now as I say this, I'm not sure how the onscreen guide works for OTA. :confused:

Can a cc user confirm or refute this?

Does anybody know if the 60xs has a onscreen tv guide if you use a cablecard? I keep hearing about one for other tv's but didn't know if my set had one.

I have the CC and no it doesn't. It does label all the channels, but some are bizzare choices and I re-label those. For the most part my relabeling sticks but some dissapear and I have to redo them.

The Sony service technician came over to evaluate the problem and although seemed confident and intelligent, he had limited experience with this technology. After two hours of searching through the service mode, while in contact with tech support, they came to the conclusion the set had a defective “B” board. (RF shielded card furthest to the right behind the input panel) After a week he returned, with a trainee I might add. They replaced the board and discovered that it did not repair the problem. (It didn’t surprise me) Another call to tech support and more flipping through the service menu a decision was made to order the “Opto-box” To be continued…


Joe

The Sony service technician came over to evaluate the problem and although seemed confident and intelligent, he had limited experience with this technology. After two hours of searching through the service mode, while in contact with tech support, they came to the conclusion the set had a defective “B” board. (RF shielded card furthest to the right behind the input panel) After a week he returned, with a trainee I might add. They replaced the board and discovered that it did not repair the problem. (It didn’t surprise me) Another call to tech support and more flipping through the service menu a decision was made to order the “Opto-box” To be continued…


Joe

Welcome to the club, from another Joe!! :eek:

It's kind of crazy because whenever you change the channel the display comes up and says no information available. My old rear projection is able to pull XDS data to tell me the length of the show, name of the show and time left before the show is over from analog cable. What the heck do you have to send to the set to get it to display the info on the channel? Satellite has it's own on-screen display, and OTA displays nothing on the set either.

It's kind of crazy because whenever you change the channel the display comes up and says no information available. My old rear projection is able to pull XDS data to tell me the length of the show, name of the show and time left before the show is over from analog cable. What the heck do you have to send to the set to get it to display the info on the channel? Satellite has it's own on-screen display, and OTA displays nothing on the set either.

My XS955 does all that, when the info is available. OTA and Cable.

I have recently been hit the the intermittent menu screen popping up. I remember reading something on this issue a while back. Has this been resolved? If so what do I need to d? I have the 55xs955 with the extended warrenty from tweeter. Suggestions??

Thanks
Brian

The question is when is the info available. XDS data I understood was supposed to be part of the signal sent to the set 24 hrs a day. With everything I have hooked up to the tv; cable, dvd player, video games; the set never has any info except the resolution. It seems like a waste to have an info display that keeps popping up everytime you change a channel or input with no info to display. I'd rather it just not be there to begin with.

I have recently been hit the the intermittent menu screen popping up. I remember reading something on this issue a while back. Has this been resolved? If so what do I need to d? I have the 55xs955 with the extended warrenty from tweeter. Suggestions??

Thanks
Brian

That just happened to me for the 5th or so time, too. I have the 55xs. Is there a fix for it yet?

With these new sxrd's coming out... does that mean our beloved xs's are now outdated? :confused:

That just happened to me for the 5th or so time, too. I have the 55xs. Is there a fix for it yet?

With these new sxrd's coming out... does that mean our beloved xs's are now outdated? :confused:

None that I know of.

Yes :( :( :(

None that I know of.

Yes :( :( :(

One time it happened to me 3 times in one day. Since then, I have not seen it in 2 weeks. I did turn off the 'banner' in the menu. But I am not convinced that has any effect on the anomaly.

One time it happened to me 3 times in one day. Since then, I have not seen it in 2 weeks. I did turn off the 'banner' in the menu. But I am not convinced that has any effect on the anomaly.

It happens on my 55xs once in a while. I've had the banner turned off since I got it In March..
Joe

"It's not a bug, it's a feature!" :D

It's a quirk of the GWIV's. Mine does it too, but rarely. Most of us think it's a response to a break in signal continuity. Even though we might not see such a break, bits are either not received or received corrupted enough to not be decoded all the time. If the ratio of corrupted to successfully decoded bits becomes great enough, the signal breaks up. If those bits happen to be in the PID that carries the channel info rather than in the active video, we might not see a breakup, but the receiver might interpret that as a loss of signal. When the GWIV sees a loss of signal or a new signal it automatically displays the banner info, but when this particular anomaly is detected it seems to want to activate the "display" info for 60 seconds or so. It might be a sensitivity issue. IOW, in newer versions of the OS they may fix this by extending the timeout before the display activates, so that it does not respond to minor discrepancies in the signal. Just a theory.

It might also be interesting to see if anyone who's had a recent memory stick upgrade done still reports this problem, as it seems like something that an up rev could also fix.

"It's not a bug, it's a feature!" :D


It might also be interesting to see if anyone who's had a recent memory stick upgrade done still reports this problem, as it seems like something that an up rev could also fix.


What's the story on a 'recent' MS upgrade? Something we can all do?

Good luck with the memory stick upgrade. I tried getting it from sony and they "claim" to have no knowledge of such a thing. Some people have gotten it but a tech came out to their house and installed it. Otherwise I don't see why it can't be emailed to a user with a serial number.

Good luck with the memory stick upgrade. I tried getting it from sony and they "claim" to have no knowledge of such a thing. Some people have gotten it but a tech came out to their house and installed it. Otherwise I don't see why it can't be emailed to a user with a serial number.

I had it done, but my set has an Oct. 04 build date. Maybe more current builds are up t date, so no knowlege from Support.
I still get the pop up banners one in a while. Nothing compared to my original problems.

I have a 60XS955 and love it for the most part. Some posts on this thread talk about how it is probably better to run the video from a DVD player straight through to the tv rather than through the receiver (I imagine then the audio would still do through the receiver first).

Should I run my other video sources (Xbox, Cable, etc.) through the tv too? Right now all my video and audio sources run into my Okyno receiver and then to the HDTV.

I guess one could also run everything (audio and video) to the hdtv and then out to the receiver for surround sound setups.

Pretty confusing actually. I had always though since we;re dealing with digital signals there would be no loss of quality so it wouldn't matter which way stuff went in.

Thanks

Finn123

since we;re dealing with digital signals there would be no loss of quality so it wouldn't matter which way stuff went in.



It is confusing, and one thing to remember - DVI and HDMI transmit digital video signals... component is analog.

It depends on what type of receiver and what's comfortable for you. Everything hooked up to the tv and the sound to the receiver would not only require you to constantly change the inputs on the tv and the receiver. However though, you will be able to calibrate all of your inputs for each of devices hooked up to the tv. Hooking everyting up to the receiver should cause no noticable degradation in the picture qualty unless you use a very, very cheap receiver. And it makes it easier to switch through less inputs on your tv and just switch everything through the receiver. But now you won't be able to calibrate each device as an individual entity on your tv. I currently use the harman/kardon AVR 635 receiver which upconverts every signal to component out. The real good receivers can upconvert every signal to hdmi but you will pay a hefty price for those.

Hi,

I just received my service manual (thank you Sony), but there is *very* little info about service menu parameters. If I wished to build a new TV from discrete components, however, I'm way ahead of the game :-).

I'm thinking I got the wrong document set. I'm looking at a part number (front lower left) of 9-965-974-04. Could someone who has the correct manual clue me in?


Thanks!

Well I finally did it.

I pulled the trigger on a 55XS955. How something I researched for a couple months could feel like an impulse buy I'll never know but I can hardly wait until it's delivered.

I had a hard time choosing between this piece and a Toshiba 62HMX84 that was on sale stupid cheap at another store. In my case price matching was my friend. An online price at a B&M store. I have a feeling I simply couldn't go wrong choosing between these two...but I'm really happy I have the Sony for my new house.

Time to track down all the calibration information I can find.

-Fernando

I have a 60XS955 with an onkyo 602 receiver and Sony DVP-NS775 DVD player. I run the 775 through the reciever with a component cable and then from the receiver to the TV with another component cable.

The 775 has three "modes" for progressive vs. interlaced output:
1) Interlace
2) Progressive Auto
3) Progressive

When trying them out I thought that Progressive Auto "looked the best." Vader's smooth, rounded shoulders in Star Wars looked less jaggy in Progressive Auto than in Interlaced. However, I know there's some post about how the XS955 has a better system for making the signal progressive than the DVD player. ( I forget what the name is of the part of the tv that does this; comb filter?)

Can someone explain in layterms why the TV would do a better job than the DVD player? And if the TV should be doing a better jo, so I need to turn someting "on" in my TV settings to get the best effect?

Thanks

-Finn

Finn...

The Sony RPLCDs use DRC ("Digital Reality Creation"... I know, it sounds fake! :D ) to de-interlace incoming interlaced signals and upconvert or downconvert to the LCD's native resolution of 768p. Because DVDs are 480i, if your DVD player wants to put out a progressive signal to TVs that don't automatically convert (like CRTs), then the DVD must perform this conversion, defeating the de-interlacing part of the DRC funtion.

Some DVDs do this very well, so if you've experimented with having the TV do it versus the DVD player do it and you find that DVD looks better, then by all means have the player do it. But be sure to test out the DRC features on the TV before you firm your conclusion. Somewhere in the menus there's a box with a dot in it and if you move the dot one way it changes the smoothness, and the other way it changes the "reality" or something, I forget what Sony calls it. Note that the source has to be 480i to access these features.

Good luck! Be sure to post your finding when you've done more testings.

Woefully I must depart from my 55xs955 :(

If interested, please see my AVS Forum listing here....

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=574327

...Somewhere in the menus there's a box with a dot in it and if you move the dot one way it changes the smoothness, and the other way it changes the "reality" or something, I forget what Sony calls it...

"Clarity". An equally inscrutable term.

I agree. Try both, use what works the best. DRC seems to have tons of adjustments and bells and whistles, and does a pretty good job at what it does, but it is still only for non-HD sources (automatically out of the circuit when inputting video formatted at 720 or 1080), and it's difficult to make premium-quality chicken salad even when using premium-quality chicken sh*t. IOW, there is only so much you can do to improve 480.

The service tech returned on Monday, this past week, with the "Opto box". This is the complete light engine from just past the lamp to the main lens. I took less than a half hour to replace. It gave me plenty of opportunity to get a good look at the insides and where to put a NDF, if I decide to go that route. Final outcome? Convergence problem no more. The service tech, although limited in experience with this technology did a great job.

Cheers
Joe

Sorry to hear about that Bitwize...Just wanted to thank you for all your work you put into the GWIV threads. I did months of research before I bought mine and you and a couple others really influenced my purchase (relax I couldnt be happier) What are you downsizing to???

Thx, Couch Commander. I'm probably going to get a sony 34" direct view. But my wife and I are stilling debating that one...heh.

I'm glad to hear you are happy with your televsion :) It really is a nice TV with a good amount of potential. Have you had yours ISF calibrated yet?

Thx, Couch Commander. I'm probably going to get a sony 34" direct view. But my wife and I are stilling debating that one...heh.

I'm glad to hear you are happy with your televsion :) It really is a nice TV with a good amount of potential. Have you had yours ISF calibrated yet?

The KD-34XBR960 is a thing of beauty! It's only drawback is the lack of a large screensize, but sounds like that's a plus for you! Good luck in whatever you choose.

BTW, have you removed your ND filter? Just wondering if it will be flotaing around your GW if you move and sell it. :)

Finn...

The Sony RPLCDs use DRC ("Digital Reality Creation"... I know, it sounds fake! : Somewhere in the menus there's a box with a dot in it and if you move the dot one way it changes the smoothness, and the other way it changes the "reality" or something, I forget what Sony calls it. Note that the source has to be 480i to access these features.

Good luck! Be sure to post your finding when you've done more testings.


The testing went well. I was able to produce an image at least as good if not better than just putting the DVD player in progressive mode. However, the most improvement to me came from setting DRC Mode to Cinemotion rather than from adjustments to the DRC Pallette.

I find it interesting that the DRC Pallette had 100 unites of Clarity and Reality on each axis. Seems a bit overkill. I found I really had to skew it higher or lower to make much of a difference for better or worse.

Admittedly, my sample was small (1 DVD) but I look forward to further "testing."

Thanks for the earlier direction.

Finn

What settings did you come up with for the differant inputs on the D R C .

guys,

my 55xs-955 seems to be getting "blurry" as of late...what gives? the non-HD programs specially, are much more blurry than a couple of months ago..

should I call the service tech? is there something in the service menu I can tweak?

has anyone experienced this?

anyone? :o

anyone? :o

My 60XS is not blurry, received last November. Call for service.

anyone? :o

Is it only broadcasts that look worse? Through a dish or cable? Or those through an external antenna?
How about DVD? you need to provide a more info. ....

If DVDs are still looking good, then maybe it's your cable, or satellite, or???

Lots of topics here for tweaking on the Sony Grand Wega...

My 60XS is not blurry, received last November. Call for service.


Ditto here, although DVDs look blurry to me compared to HD, but that's just a limitation of blowing up a 480 image so big.

That's something you might want to check... if you are using a set-top box from sat or cable, make sure it's output is 720p or 1080i.

Does anyone have recommendations as to which memory sticks to buy that work best with these TV's (I have a 60XS955)? The user manual states that the TV supports memory stick PRO up to 1 GB and doesn't support high speed data transfer, MagicGate copyright protection, or access control security procedures. So would I be OK with a regular 1GB memory stick PRO then? I'm buying a digital camera for my honeymoon and just want to make sure I can display photos on the TV when we get back. I appreciate any advice - thanks!

Does anyone have recommendations as to which memory sticks to buy that work best with these TV's (I have a 60XS955)? The user manual states that the TV supports memory stick PRO up to 1 GB and doesn't support high speed data transfer, MagicGate copyright protection, or access control security procedures. So would I be OK with a regular 1GB memory stick PRO then? I'm buying a digital camera for my honeymoon and just want to make sure I can display photos on the TV when we get back. I appreciate any advice - thanks!

I bought a SanDisk Memory Stick Pro and it works fine. It says Magic Gate on it too.

Question, how do I clean the screen of my set without damaging the screen? My son has put his little hands on there and left some nice smudges.

What settings did you come up with for the differant inputs on the D R C .

FWIW Here's the settings I ended up with:
Mode: Pro
Picture: 56
Brightness: 39
Color: 31
Hue: 0
Sharpness: 35
ColorTemp: Neutral
Noise Reduction: Off
Mild Mode: Off
Power Saving: Reduced

DRC Mode: CineMotion
DRC Pallate: Reality 82, Clarity 90
BN Smoother: Medium
Live Color: Low
Clear White: Off
Detail Enhancer: Off
Black Corrector: Off
Gama Corrector: Medium
White Balance: all zeros

Special Note: I think the first set of settings (Picture, Brightness, etc) I "swiped" from DaverJ's earlier post.

Also, my recent testing with the DRC pallate with an interlaced, rather than progressive, setting on the DVD player has been less acceptable. Fairly regularly I get a very brief and very subtle fuzziness when playing back a DVD. It either wasn't happening before or I didn't notice it. It seems to be regularly spaced.

I'll keep checking it out. "Testing" as they say.

Finn123

Question, how do I clean the screen of my set without damaging the screen? My son has put his little hands on there and left some nice smudges.


Yeah, they are good at that... :)


Try 1 part white vinegar to 2 parts of warm water with a very soft cloth, like a microfiber. Wipe it away gently, no hard rubbing.

Hello-

I just got my 60XS955 on 9/6/2005, and I have a question. I need to see about installing my center speaker above the TV. I got the matching stand for the TV, and the speaker is not a good fit on the lower shelf. That, coupled with the fact that I have two small dogs, I would like to put the speaker above the screen.

I have been looking for a shelf to install on the wall, but haven't had much luck. I searched on this forum, and found that other members are using this stand. It's from Circuit City, and it runs around $40.

Here is the picture, and a link.

http://www.circuitcity.com/IMAGE/product/detail/oms/EC.OMS.CCH1B.jpg

OmniMount-Center-Channel-Speaker-Shelf-CCH1B (http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/OmniMount-Center-Channel-Speaker-Shelf-CCH1B-/sem/rpsm/oid/108951/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do)

My question is this. Is anyone using this speaker shelf with their XS set? I'm concerned that it might be too much weight for the top of the set. The speaker that I have is a Polk CSi5, and it weights around 25-28 lbs.

Thanks in advance.

EDIT:

I should have spent more time using the SEARCH function...stupid noobie! :rolleyes:

This question was already answered here.

DaverJ's answer, post #48 (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=5169481&&#post5169481)

Note:Propman07, DaverJ lives in TN. You and I live in Southern CA. It don't shake all that much in TN, it do here! :D
I'd love to do the same thing, I just have had speakers fly (1994) from an upper shelf area, they don't look that good when they land, and look at what's just under it, if it goes up, then comes crashing down. The TV has a pretty low center of gravity and will mostly not go very far. the speaker will turn into a missle. CRUNCH.

Note:Propman07, DaverJ lives in TN. You and I live in Southern CA. It don't shake all that much in TN, it do here! :D
I'd love to do the same thing, I just have had speakers fly (1994) from an upper shelf area, they don't look that good when they land, and look at what's just under it, if it goes up, then comes crashing down. The TV has a pretty low center of gravity and will mostly not go very far. the speaker will turn into a missle. CRUNCH.

joe221-

Thanks for the reply. Yeah, it probably will shake a little more here than in TN. I didn't have my setup in 94, so I guess that I was lucky. This shelf is probably going to be a temporary solution until I can find a shelf to put on the wall that the Wife approves of. I have the matching stand for the XS, so I'm hoping that that little strap in the back is going to do it's job.

What kind of speakers did you have in 94? I'm assuming that they didn't survive the "launch"...

joe221-

Thanks for the reply. Yeah, it probably will shake a little more here than in TN. I didn't have my setup in 94, so I guess that I was lucky. This shelf is probably going to be a temporary solution until I can find a shelf to put on the wall that the Wife approves of. I have the matching stand for the XS, so I'm hoping that that little strap in the back is going to do it's job.

What kind of speakers did you have in 94? I'm assuming that they didn't survive the "launch"...

They "were" Cerwin Vegas, 10" 3-Ways. They were on top of my Wall Units and when it started a-rockin' they eventually launched and dropped over 6 feet. With the insurance money I got Speaker City "Wally's".

To confirm the "shaky situation" - very good points and I agree. The 60XS is already a wobbly TV, and a heavy speaker mounted on the top makes it even more tip-ready. :eek:

If I lived in a quake zone, or a house with active kids and/or large dogs, I do not recommend mounting the speaker on top of the screen unless you have the TV firmly planted and harnessed.

To confirm the "shaky situation" - very good points and I agree. The 60XS is already a wobbly TV, and a heavy speaker mounted on the top makes it even more tip-ready. :eek:

If I lived in a quake zone, or a house with active kids and/or large dogs, I do not recommend mounting the speaker on top of the screen unless you have the TV firmly planted and harnessed.

I am not in a major 'zone' but have a non-Sony stand, so I used a large cable tie to strap the set to the after-market stand. I think it's always a good idea even if you don't have pets or kids that might accidently push or tilt it. The display can slip fairly easy especially on glass shelves. I use a center channel tilted up to the audience just below the display. It works great!

I am not in a major 'zone' but have a non-Sony stand, so I used a large cable tie to strap the set to the after-market stand. I think it's always a good idea even if you don't have pets or kids that might accidently push or tilt it. The display can slip fairly easy especially on glass shelves. I use a center channel tilted up to the audience just below the display. It works great!

I removed the lower drawer in my cabinet and positioned my center channel there. I don't have a good solution to tilt it up. What did you use?

Hey guys...just picked up my 60XS today. Looks a little better than my old 27 trinitron. I do have one question for you, when I view HD channels from my cable box and hit the display button on the tv remote it says I am getting a 480p signal. I thought the HD channels would be higher? When I adjust the DVD output 480-720-1080 it is correct on the tv display. I am using component cables for my connection. Is my motorola box bad or is this normal? And before you ask, yes I am paying for HD service. Thanks!

Hey guys...just picked up my 60XS today. Looks a little better than my old 27 trinitron. I do have one question for you, when I view HD channels from my cable box and hit the display button on the tv remote it says I am getting a 480p signal. I thought the HD channels would be higher? When I adjust the DVD output 480-720-1080 it is correct on the tv display. I am using component cables for my connection. Is my motorola box bad or is this normal? And before you ask, yes I am paying for HD service. Thanks!

What is you Cable Box's output set to. I assume it previously was controlling your 27"?? Or, is this a new HD box, which it needs to be.

It is a new HD box... and I just figured it out. I could not find the menu to adjust the output. It seems that to adjust the output signal you have to turn the box off first and then go into the menu. Who would of thunk it? Looks great now!

It is a new HD box... and I just figured it out. I could not find the menu to adjust the output. It seems that to adjust the output signal you have to turn the box off first and then go into the menu. Who would of thunk it? Looks great now!
Enjoy!! :)

I went to make some adjustments on my 55xs this past weekend and was surprised to find that the advanced functions, gamma, live color, power save, etc. were not there, missing, gone. :mad:
I thought I was going nuts. I reset the unit but still had the same issue. Apparently, when it was serviced last month and the technician replaced the "B" board, to troubleshoot my convergence problem, it was replaced with a unit that either doesn't support the higher functions or is defective. So I opened another service ticket with Sony. Here we go again. Has anyone experienced anything like this?

Joe

Remember, this extra stuff is in the PRO setting , not Vivid or Standard....

I have a 60XS955 with an onkyo 602 receiver and Sony DVP-NS775 DVD player. I run the 775 through the reciever with a component cable and then from the receiver to the TV with another component cable.

The 775 has three "modes" for progressive vs. interlaced output:
1) Interlace
2) Progressive Auto
3) Progressive

When trying them out I thought that Progressive Auto "looked the best." Vader's smooth, rounded shoulders in Star Wars looked less jaggy in Progressive Auto than in Interlaced. However, I know there's some post about how the XS955 has a better system for making the signal progressive than the DVD player. ( I forget what the name is of the part of the tv that does this; comb filter?)

Can someone explain in layterms why the TV would do a better job than the DVD player? And if the TV should be doing a better jo, so I need to turn someting "on" in my TV settings to get the best effect?

Thanks

-Finn
Remember that Sony is a maverick in that it's "native resolution" is 768P. I don't think any players or other devices output 768P, so.... no matter what you do with the signal prior to it reaching the Sony, the TV is going to remap it again anyway. To cut down on the number of times the signal is messed with, the best bet is to send the most basic signal your device can output directly to the Sony and let it's thankfully very good interlacer do its business.

Remember that Sony is a maverick in that it's "native resolution" is 768P. I don't think any players or other devices output 768P, so.... no matter what you do with the signal prior to it reaching the Sony, the TV is going to remap it again anyway. To cut down on the number of times the signal is messed with, the best bet is to send the most basic signal your device can output directly to the Sony and let it's thankfully very good interlacer do its business.

LCD panels in the newer Sonys are 720. Typically, only external scalers or scaler/swtiches, ie; Lumagen, DVDO, etc. output 768. But the 768 Sonys will only accept 480, 720, or 1080i.

Remember, this extra stuff is in the PRO setting , not Vivid or Standard....


Yes I am aware of this. But thanks for the reminder.

Joe

Search is disabled now so I may be asking something already answered:

How good is this unit's deinterlacer for HD signals. I.e. feed it a 1080i signal--theoretically this should yield a higher resolution result than letting some cheap box do a conversion to 720p, because this set has 768 lines of resolution. Does this Sony TV actually deinterlace a 1080i signal into a 1080p frame with some motion-adaptive circuit & scale it down? Or does it just do some half-assed crap where you get only the 540 lines from each 60th of a second, contributing to the reconstructed full-screen frame (like bob/weave to 1080p, then scale down)???

I have a question on my 55xs955.

Anyone get a high pitch sound from the tv even when it's been off for a full day?

I've had the tv for around 2-3 months now. This last month I've noticed this high pitch sound. I think it's coming from the area where the power cord attaches, which is the right side if looking at the front. It's really noticable when I walk past it to enter my hallway.

It's kind of like that high pitch sound you normally hear from tube tvs when they're on, but it's there on the 55xs955 even when off for a full day. When I put my ear up to the problem spot (that side where the power cord is) I can also here a bleep in it, like a pulse on top of the continues tone.

I find it annoying to have such a sound coming from it when i just want to relax in my livingroom or listen to music. So it's even noticable while setting on my couch 10 feet away, and gets twice as loud as I walk by it. I'm sure it wasn't there when it was new.

Is there a problem with my tv, anyone else have a high pitch sound all the time?

I have a question on my 55xs955.

Anyone get a high pitch sound from the tv even when it's been off for a full day?



I don't... the cooling fan emits a mild "whurrrr" that sounds like a small room fan. Could it be a failing cooling fan, maybe the barrings worn?

If it's under warranty, I would call someone on this.

I tried to read through most of this thread.. But did not make it.
I have the 60" (middle model) Grand wega.. Sometimes I'll turn it on and the screen will be snow like with the picture kinda in the background. It's got to be the tv because i can try different sources and it does the same thing. The only fix is to unplug the TV and plug it back in. Anyone ever had this? I just don't want the repair guy to come over and unplug it and plug it back in a say "all done". It happens about once a month.

Thanks
Ferrari

Costco.com is now selling the 60" for $3400 with the matching Sony stand. The S&H is $400!!!
Just remember, you can lug the TV in if it's no good! I might have with all the trouble I had earlier this year!

I don't... the cooling fan emits a mild "whurrrr" that sounds like a small room fan. Could it be a failing cooling fan, maybe the barrings worn?

If it's under warranty, I would call someone on this.

I don't think it's the fan since it's not the same sound the fan makes when it's on and running even at low speed, and 24hrs off the fan shouldn't be running. So again the sound is like that high pitch sound a regular tube tv makes when on. Some people can't hear that tone though. Back in high school a teacher played a video and left the tv on with a blank screen until someone finally asked for him to turn if off because of the tone, he said he couldn't hear it at all.

I just want to confirm with you guys that your 55/60xs tvs don't have that high frequency sound while off, even 24 hours later, before I call Sony.

I just want to confirm with you guys that your 55/60xs tvs don't have that high frequency sound while off, even 24 hours later, before I call Sony.

Sorry Timothy, I didn't notice you said it made the sound when it's off. Yikes! :eek:

I can't image why a digital set would make that frequency whine. I know the sound you speak of and remember hearing it from TVs and the fluorescents in department stores when I was younger. I'll have to say lately I don't think I hear the sound as much.... :o

You might want to unplug the set for the night as see if the sound starts back up in the morning.

I don't own the XS955 and have limited experience in general with this newer tech. However, I would not feel comfortable sleeping under the same roof with a tv with the symptoms you describe, if it were left plugged in overnight.

I say this because you are hearing unusual noises from a turned off set in the area where the plug goes into the set and that is often the area where the set's power supply is located. Do you notice any unusual heat coming from that area? Is the power cord unusually warm? Do you smell anything unsual. Probably not or you would have said so, I guess.

If unplugging the set overnight as suggested above doesn't solve the problem, I would definitely have it looked at by a service tech just to be safe. And I would continue to unplug it when going to sleep or leaving the house for extended periods.

Don't mean to be an alarmist, since I know nothing about the XS (except I almost bought one before I heard about the SXRD's coming soon). I've just dealt with too many appliance-caused fires as a volunteer rescue guy in younger days to take any chances.

If I'm way off base here, I'll be quiet. Good luck.

Update on missing menus..
One change in the service menu was all that was required to bring back the advanced menus. Apparently once the "B" board is disconnected it defaults to the simpler menu structure.

Joe

I just unplugged it and the sound went away instantly. Though, plugging it back in the sound also came back instantly...

Yes, the sound is coming from area the power cord is attached. I checked that area for hotspots and the powercord, perfectly cool.

I'll have to message Sony about this. It's really bugging me having to hear it every time I walk by it.

EDIT: I also want to comment that after unplugging the tv and back in it, I can say now that the frequency of the high pitch sound keeps changing, higher and lower,so it's not a constant tone, but harder to notice the further I'm away.

Don't mean to be an alarmist, since I know nothing about the XS (except I almost bought one before I heard about the SXRD's coming soon). I've just dealt with too many appliance-caused fires as a volunteer rescue guy in younger days to take any chances.

If I'm way off base here, I'll be quiet. Good luck.

You are far from off base. ANY electrical device can be a hazzard if malfunctioning. Unwanted sounds can definitely be a warning. I have no such noises from my XS and I pick up unusual high pitched noises. If it's that annoying unplug it and get it serviced ASAP!

I have no such noises from my XS and I pick up unusual high pitched noises. ...


Ditto, and as a wolf I'd begin to howl automatically - even if the rest of you didn't hear the sound.

Service call.

Ditto, and as a wolf I'd begin to howl automatically - even if the rest of you didn't hear the sound.

Service call.

I sent an e-mail to sony and pulled up a list of the nearest service centers, which was only one that's 33 miles away. I'll wait for a response from Sony before making a call. I'm worried this thing is so little I'll be told it's normal or something with no way to fight back.

Good day, folks. It has been a long while since I last frequented the forums. Probably 7 months or so, I can't even remember. I've had the 55XS955 since December - obviously not as long as some others but for the most part, I got it when it was rather new.

Since then, it was put to its ultimate stress test. I've watched it nearly 7 hours a day during some times - I usually don't turn the TV off if I intend to view it after an hour of interlude.

My comments reiterate those of what I've said many times before on the forums. Standard analog signals look acceptable. Digital stations look better, sometimes DVD-quality. There is no motion blur - that I must attribute to source feeds since playing DVDs result with no motion blur, contrary to most LCD myths. Most HD feeds I've seen have partial pixelation/blur sometimes, other times it's less noticeable, i.e. when watching HD sports such as the U.S. Open, NFL, etc. Some stations have poorer HD quality than others. CBS, ABC, and PBS appear to look best for me. There has just been loads upon heaps of loads of HD to watch. Almost all NFL games are broadcast in HD on the locals. After 8 PM, nearly all the prime time shows on the locals are all in HD. On top of that, some of them are great HD shows (some even with great 5.1 surround sound, which makes my theater setup even 10X better) - 24, Lost, Desperate Housewive, House, Prison Break, a whole slew of comedies...the list goes on. There was the U.S. Open, Nascar races in 5.1, of course the Superbowl, the MLB games, and all of those HD movies broadcasted on the locals over the weekends (putting DVDs to shame).

I attached my computer to my TV via HDMI using a DVI-HDMI adapter cable. It looks great, although it is nearly impossible to get 1:1 pixel mapping. I quit after numerous attempts but regardless, it's pretty much unnoticeable unless you are sitting within 5 feet from the TV. I watched DivX movies from the computer and they looked excellent too - my computer isn't strong enough to run high resolution (widescreen 1200x700) movies, however, as it begins to clip. EDIT: I also played Half-Life 2 on the computer through the TV in widescreen - the PQ is UNBELIEVABLE...but unfortunately, my computer beings to clip/lag at such a high resolution! I believe I had it running at 1200x720 or 700...

I attached an Xbox via component and it looks superb, especially when playing 720p/1080i games (Crash Nitro Kart, X-Men Legends, MVP Baseball 04/05, NBA Ballerz, etc. etc.) They look insanely good.

The DVD player is hooked up via component as well and it's perfectly fine. The issue of black blacks and lack of shadow detail is overhyped, as I've watched many dark movies perfectly fine (i.e. Harry Potter, Bourne Supremacy, etc. etc.). Obviously a little adjustment/calibration helps make wonders.

I remember the first time I brought this TV home, I thought there was a smudge smack dab in the center of the screen, when the TV was off. I tried wiping off this smudge until I realized it's an inherent trait of the TV's reflectivities or something. With the TV on, I realized this spot contributes to the 'silk screen effect'. Rather annoying at first but I quickly learned to adapt to it. Most of the time now I never notice it unless I a) scrutinize for it up close or b) when scenes make it easy for it to appear (i.e. show a solid, single tone color). The SDE is doggerel. Truly truly overhyped by most folks. I can notice it if I wish, but it doesn't detract the actual experience at all.

The sound sounds great - I only use my receiver when I'm expecting a DD sound source. I just let the TV handle the rest of the sound sources. There's good bass, a lot better bass than most other TVs.

So in the end, I'm truly satisfied with this set and it will be excruciatingly difficult for me to revert back to anything smaller or poorer in image quality. After coming back to check out the forums today, I'm rather amazed by all the advances HDTV technology has surpassed in such a short amount of time. Now there's 50 and 60" SXRD's? Wow!

I don't feel much regret for not waiting, obviously - as my current set is satisfactory. I have to go back to the shops later one day when I get time just to check out the 006 and its little siblings. The last time I read about the 006, the 006 was a disappointment because although it's chips are 1080p, the set itself lacks any 1080p-capable inputs! A shame, because next spring, Sony will be releasing 1080p-outputting PlayStation 3's that are capable of playing Blu-Ray movies! Correct me of my thoughts are wrong, folks!

The price of the 50" SXRD is pretty cheap, too! Perhaps about only $1,000 more than what I paid for for my 55XS955 in Dec'04, but still quite impressive at the pace this technology is traveling at. I myself may be upgrading in the late future, but that's quite questionable :) Afterall, it's hard to want to upgrade after knowing how pretty HD already looks on my set!

I hope all of you folks out there who haven't purchased an HD set yet to make a smart choice and in the end, become truly addicted/pleased with high definition...no matter what choice of set you might come across!

Very nice and accurate review. For those looking at the XS as the model year draws to a close, I concur. I've had issues earlier in the year as some know, but the solution was so simple that I shouldn't have been put through that ordeal. The set is truly nice.

Excellent summary. I have a KDF-50WE655 and I agree that with DVDs, there is non motion blur. Motion blur does depend on the specific broadcast and never involves movies in HD. I think that LCD is more prone to motion blur than DLP during certain broadcasts. Regarding black level, the only time my WE655 is annoying is if the scene is dark with little key lighting like scenes in "Mulholland Drive". But for the most part, even a dark film like "Sin City" look great on my TV. I have had this TV since March and love it.

Excellent summary. I have a KDF-50WE655 and I agree that with DVDs, there is non motion blur. Motion blur does depend on the specific broadcast and never involves movies in HD. I think that LCD is more prone to motion blur than DLP during certain broadcasts. Regarding black level, the only time my WE655 is annoying is if the scene is dark with little key lighting like scenes in "Mulholland Drive". But for the most part, even a dark film like "Sin City" look great on my TV. I have had this TV since March and love it.

Just watched Sin City yesterday, fantastic. Looked great to me saw no artifacting or MacroBlocking or anything other than a great looking film. Panny S97 DVD via HDMI.

Hi!! so you guys are saying that new SXRD version wont accept ps3 , blue ray capability via hdmi?

Hi!! so you guys are saying that new SXRD version wont accept ps3 , blue ray capability via hdmi?

From my knowledge, SXRD will accept PS3/blu-ray's 1080p signal...but since all of the inputs can only accept 720p/1080i as the maximum resolution, the signal will actually just be 720p/1080i upscaled to 1080p resolution.

Obviously at this point in time, people don't buy the SXRD over LCD/plasma because of greater resolution (or greater number of pixels) but because the SXRD offers superior contrast, color, and clarity (i.e. smaller 'gap' between pixels).

Sources today don't even come in 1080p as of yet.

Just received my 55XS955 on Wednesday, and my HD cable yesterday. I just wanted to thank this forum thread because it helped me make the right decision.

P.S. This TV ROCKS!

I'm also considering the 60XS955 for my recently finished basement. But with prices dropping on 50 inch plasmas, I'm now torn. I think the plasma image is somewhat sharper, but the Sony looks pretty darn good too (and it's bigger). Current owners, what do you think? Would you give up your xs955 for a decent 50 inch plasma if the price was about equal?

I'm also considering the 60XS955 for my recently finished basement. But with prices dropping on 50 inch plasmas, I'm now torn. I think the plasma image is somewhat sharper, but the Sony looks pretty darn good too (and it's bigger). Current owners, what do you think? Would you give up your xs955 for a decent 50 inch plasma if the price was about equal?

Not even a thought. I have a 13'+ throw and a 50" is not a choice. Size matters. I'd certainly and did consider other 60" choices. The Sony won at the time (last Nov) I was concerned about "rainbows" or the Samsungs might have been my choice, better now with ATSC tuners and cablecard.

I wouldn't even compare on that one at all. 60 inches is 60 inches. The only way I would be swayed is if I there was a hdtv 60" plasma that was close the price range of the xs. I'll be getting my set ISF'ed and having a nd filter installed tomorrow so hopefully that should seal it for this set.

Does anybody know if the set outputs an analog audio signal at the same time from the red/white audio jacks while using the optical output? I'm trying to figure out how to get sound out from the analog cable channels to my stereo.

Does anybody know if the set outputs an analog audio signal at the same time from the red/white audio jacks while using the optical output? I'm trying to figure out how to get sound out from the analog cable channels to my stereo.

It does NOT. BIG ADA shortcoming of this set (XS) and never gave it a thought as my old Sony did just this. You need to turn off the internal speakers for audio out to work. I previously had wireless headphone for my (Senior citizen) Mom to use when she watched the old set. I now had to rout the headphones through my Amp to pick up the sound from the Moxi and now it's kinda complicated for Mom to use (even with a Harmony!). Shame on Sony!! AND they sell wireless headphones that now won't work with this set!!!
:mad:

Would you give up your xs955 for a decent 50 inch plasma if the price was about equal?

For my setup, no way... I need every inch of the 60" :cool:

But if space was tighter and I could sit closer to the set, I would consider it as long as the plasma was full HDTV and not EDTV.

I'm talking with even the speakers turned off. I leave the speakers off all the time but I don't get audio out to my receiver.

I'm talking with even the speakers turned off. I leave the speakers off all the time but I don't get audio out to my receiver.

I think I found the same problem. I connected the optical out to my Harman Kardon and it will only receive sound from digital stations, not analog. I guess the only way is to also connect the analog composite cables at the same time, haven't tested the analog out yet though. My HK receiver has some auto poll thing were if it doesn't detect a digital signal from optical it will switch to analog, but I'm not sure if it will ever switch back to optical again after that without going into the on screen display to do it manually. Then with auto poll still on it will actually switch back to analog again while still in the menu only seconds after changing it when you didn't even plan to use it yet.

...Current owners, what do you think? Would you give up your xs955 for a decent 50 inch plasma if the price was about equal?
Not on your life. Not even a 60 plasma. In fact, I would rather have the 50 XS instead of the 60 plasma.

I really don't see the advantages of plasma displacing the disadvantages, or ranking it higher than LCD or DLP. The burn-in alone is enough reason, plus the energy consumption. If you place yourself directly in the sweet spot for a properly set up and configured XS, there is no plasma PQ that can beat it, maybe no other display of any kind that can.

There are two unique advantages to plasma (neither of which applies in my house):

1. You can hang it on a wall (over-rated, and usually a bad idea for a number of reasons). I prefer my TV to stand alone away from the wall anyway. You can do that with a plasma, but that can end up looking kinda weird or out of place. It looks like it should actually BE up against a wall, while a microdisplay looks like it should be out on a stand, or maybe sunk into a wall unit.

2. If you have seating for multiple viewers off-axis, the PQ is the same for all positions, which the microdisplays aren't so good at off-axis.

Wow Timothy, that's the exact same problem I'm having right now. I have both the optical and analog cables hooked up to my hk 635 but my receiver only reacts to the optical input.

Wow Timothy, that's the exact same problem I'm having right now. I have both the optical and analog cables hooked up to my hk 635 but my receiver only reacts to the optical input.

And you've turned off the internal speakers??

How did you make out with those alien noises emanating from within your set in the area of the power supply?

I'm getting the filter installed in the set and the set isf'ed right now so I will check again. Setting the analog audio to fixed usually doesn't allow me to turn on the speakers. I know I like to keep the speakers off because people will come over and try to turn up the volume on the tv instead of the receiver.

I just got my tv calibrated with the nd filter installed and the set looks incredible. I highly recommend owners of this model get it calibrated and get the nd filter if possible. It was definitely worth the money. The website of the person that calibrated my set is www.hdtvbychadb.com. I highly recommend and trust this person to calibrate most if not all types of sets. He has three years experience, very friendly and polite, and most of all, very knowledgable in the calibration and picture quality department. I will probably have him come back and calibrate my other hd set when I have time. Blacks are deeper, movies looks more filmlike and I haven't tested the video games yet but will post in a few my results. Just watched Sharks tale and bourne supremacy in HD and there was a dramatic improvement. Watched Aliens Resurrection and Star Wars Episoded II upconverted to 1080i on a Samsung DVD player and picture was greatly improved. Will try to post pics as soon as I can.

I just got my tv calibrated with the nd filter installed and the set looks incredible. I highly recommend owners of this model get it calibrated and get the nd filter if possible. It was definitely worth the money. The website of the person that calibrated my set is www.hdtvbychadb.com. I highly recommend and trust this person to calibrate most if not all types of sets. He has three years experience, very friendly and polite, and most of all, very knowledgable in the calibration and picture quality department. I will probably have him come back and calibrate my other hd set when I have time. Blacks are deeper, movies looks more filmlike and I haven't tested the video games yet but will post in a few my results. Just watched Sharks tale and bourne supremacy in HD and there was a dramatic improvement. Watched Aliens Resurrection and Star Wars Episoded II upconverted to 1080i on a Samsung DVD player and picture was greatly improved. Will try to post pics as soon as I can.


Excellent... What type and %filter did you get... How hard was the install?

There has not been much discussion about the filter lately. I have to say I am very pleased with the results of mine, after more than a month. I did have to go back and do some re-tweaking but nothing very involved. I'm using the 0.4 Kodak gel filter and find little reason to change. The improvement in detail is quite noticeable, and the reduction in SSE is a plus and, likely due to the reduction in peak brightness.