I received a 50a10 for Christmas. After setting it up I noticed a gray/white vertical line down the middle of the screen when the unit is off. It's not a defined line, more like a spray can of paint type of line. It goes from the top to about 3/4 of the way down.

When the unit is on and you stand right in front of the TV you can look down and see the lighter band.

Is this normal?

I ended up returning mine and the new one is straight what that is from is geometry is of. try running some test not sure if you have avia but that is what I used and it was not straight so I returned it. now I this new set I have blue patch in the top left corner of the tv. Iam about to give up as this will be by 3rd return to Circuit City. I called Sony and they said to return it the blue patch is not normal they had me reset the tv to factory settings to see if it would go away and it did not.

I also went through 3 sets and all 3 had the blue patch. Seems to be a common problem lately. I've completely given up on this set.

Mike

I was wondering if anyone could post settings that they use for their A10 and an xbox 360. I just got my 360 yesterday and was actually pretty unimpressed w/ the graphics quality on my 50" tv. It looked pretty dark and grainy. I am using darkrain's settings for hdtv and those work well, but for xbox 360 gaming I think I need something else.


There is an A10/Xbox 360 thread on this forum so I'm sure there is info there on what are the best settings for the A10 for 360. The thread is under the Rear Projection section of avsforum.

Welp, the problem count is up as of last night folks. My one stuck pixel now has 2-3 offspring lol. In the same general area. And it looks like I too have the notorious blue patch. Can be seen easily on letterboxed dvd's. The bars are black except the top left quarter, it has a distinct blue tent to it =(. Damnit.........bah!!!

I received a 50a10 for Christmas. After setting it up I noticed a gray/white vertical line down the middle of the screen when the unit is off. It's not a defined line, more like a spray can of paint type of line. It goes from the top to about 3/4 of the way down.

When the unit is on and you stand right in front of the TV you can look down and see the lighter band.

Is this normal?
It's normal.

It has been discussed several times before. Here (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=6709350&&#post6709350)
is one of the posts about it. Someone even posted a picture of it several weeks ago.

Relax and enjoy your new Christmas present. :)

Yep, that is normal. It's a reflextion from inside the tv.

Thanks

Troub, get set number 3 yet? Any luck with it? Between my multiplying dis-gruntled pixels and the blue in the left corner, I'm thinking of having cc bring another ass well......

I've been debating between getting a 50inch A10, a samsung dlp of the same size, or a JVC Lcos 52inch. So far this is looking like a good choice, considering it has a high userbase (unlike lcos) and there aren't really any reports of problems like lag and such. Can anyone link me to an actual review of it? I've had very little luck finding just about any hdtv reviews on the web.

jcacosta - make sure you have the 360 set to HD...there is a little switch on the plug into the xbox that is set to SD by default. Heard this same complaint from some others and it's because they didn't have it set to HD.

Troub, get set number 3 yet? Any luck with it? Between my multiplying dis-gruntled pixels and the blue in the left corner, I'm thinking of having cc bring another ass well......

Toggleswitch iam on my way now to CC to get an exchange probably wont have it delievered withen a few days we will see. I will post results here when I get it

A couple of things -

Would it be a better solution for my PC to use a VGA cable, purchase powerstrip, and set a custom resolution to fill the screen OR buy a DVI/HDMI cable and use that? Does the PC fill the screen with HDMI? Am I going to miss having the HDMI port when my new cable box finally comes in and I have to use Component instead of DVI/HDMI to connect it?

Also - to those of you with the colored "splotches" in the corners of your screens - do you notice that it actually bugs you while viewing programming? Sometimes I get a red splotch in the lower left hand corner of the screen. If I actually see it, a cycle through all of my video inputs seems to get rid of it. I also see the blue splotch in the upper right hand corner from time to time - however - I only really notice it if I'm switching inputs and catch a glimpse of it on a video input where nothing is running. If there is actual content on the screen I can see no flaws.

Basically, what I'm saying is, does it really bug you enough to keep swapping the TV's out? Is it something that is actually affecting your viewing of the TV, or just something you happen to notice on a completely black screen with no video being fed to the TV? I certainly agree that for the price we paid for these sets we should be happy with them, but I'd be more frustrated with constantly disconnecting and reconnecting my components than I am occasionally seeing a slight discoloration on a black screen.

re: blue splotch.

I noticed last night that my splotch is actually getting smaller and fading in intensity a bit. It's not nearly as bold as it was a couple of weeks ago. I'm hoping this will be a trend and that it will fade out soon.

It sticks out for me, I stare right at it during all movies that end up letter boxed because it makes 1/4 of the top black bar on the top left blue where the rest of the letter boxing is black.

Also - to those of you with the colored "splotches" in the corners of your screens - do you notice that it actually bugs you while viewing programming? Sometimes I get a red splotch in the lower left hand corner of the screen. If I actually see it, a cycle through all of my video inputs seems to get rid of it. I also see the blue splotch in the upper right hand corner from time to time - however - I only really notice it if I'm switching inputs and catch a glimpse of it on a video input where nothing is running. If there is actual content on the screen I can see no flaws.

Basically, what I'm saying is, does it really bug you enough to keep swapping the TV's out? Is it something that is actually affecting your viewing of the TV, or just something you happen to notice on a completely black screen with no video being fed to the TV? I certainly agree that for the price we paid for these sets we should be happy with them, but I'd be more frustrated with constantly disconnecting and reconnecting my components than I am occasionally seeing a slight discoloration on a black screen.

If you bring up a completely white screen from DVE or AVIA you can't see any color blotches. It's only noticeable on b&w stuff or looking at a dark movie. But even then it's very faint. It's not worth exchanging the TV to get one that is "perfect" because you'll never find one. Better maybe, but not perfect. This problem is a flaw of LCD RPTV technology and currently there is no fix for it. I've just decided to live with it since it doesn't affect my viewing experience and seems to have gotten better over the last few months that I've owned it. In reality I think you eventually just get used to these things if you quit looking for them.

I noticed today that while playing PS2, even in widescreen mode, I get small black bars on the left and right sides of the screen.

Is this normal for the ps2? I tried composite and s-video hookups.. both did the same thing. PS2 was set to either Full or 16:9 and both still gave me a black box around the picture, similar to what you get when using the VGA input.

Anyone know why?

That is normal. The Settings menu allows you to widen the screen up to 2 sizes (approximately 1 inch per increase for a total of 2 inches on each side). You may have to have the input set to "Game" if I recall.

I noticed today that while playing PS2, even in widescreen mode, I get small black bars on the left and right sides of the screen.

Is this normal for the ps2? I tried composite and s-video hookups.. both did the same thing. PS2 was set to either Full or 16:9 and both still gave me a black box around the picture, similar to what you get when using the VGA input.

Anyone know why?

I have the same problem. I get small black bars on the side (not as big as the non HD 4:3 bars however). But when I play my X box I get it in full 16:9 (no bars). Perhaps it is just the PS2 showing its age as it is unable to show full 16:9 but I know I never had this problem with my old 30" widescreen Samsung CRT. Any ideas?

That is normal. The Settings menu allows you to widen the screen up to 2 sizes (approximately 1 inch per increase for a total of 2 inches on each side). You may have to have the input set to "Game" if I recall.

Yah... if I increase it by 2% or whatever the highest option is, the black around the top and bottom goes away completey, but there is still a tiny bit around the left and right. The only really annoying thing about that method is having to turn the zoom off when I'm done playing ps2, as it seems to stay that way through all inputs.

It's not a huge deal.. just wanted to make sure it was a normal occurrence and not a problem with the tv/ps2.

Yah... if I increase it by 2% or whatever the highest option is, the black around the top and bottom goes away completey, but there is still a tiny bit around the left and right. The only really annoying thing about that method is having to turn the zoom off when I'm done playing ps2, as it seems to stay that way through all inputs.

It's not a huge deal.. just wanted to make sure it was a normal occurrence and not a problem with the tv/ps2.

That is what I do although you are correct in it is a pain to reduce the screen when I am done playing. I play mostly X box anyway and that does not have that problem so no big deal to me. Come on PS3.

I have done a search and found lots of people asking why the A10 leaves lines around the side even in 16:9 mode but no answers as to why. I am assuming it is just a limitation of the PS2 (wich would explain why the X box does not have this problem) but can anyone answer this 100% why the PS2 is underscaned?

Say we just installed a 50a10 in a friend of ours apt. On the right the part of the picture is missing. Not like a bar more like a semi-circle is missing. There is no image in the missing chunk. Just to the left is another line that almost looks like a fracture. Like a single stalk of wheat or something. I am obviously going to call Sony repair,but has anyone seen this problem?Or have any insight?

Just a quick question, I just purchased this HTIB Samsung HT-HDP40 (http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=ELEC&pid=05798675000&subcat=Home+Theater+Systems) for my apartment. I loved the fact that it has HDMI output/input and an upconverting dvd player 720p/1080i. I have had the Sony 50" A10 since Sept. and absolutely love it. My question is, will I notice a difference with the upconverting dvd player since the sony already has a scaler. I have been using my old xbox and now the xbox 360 to watch movies and haven't been too impressed w/ dvd playback although I realize that the xbox and 360 aren't the best dvd players.

I guess what I'm asking is will the picture look the same when having the tv scale a 480i image opposed to having an upconverting dvd player scale it?

It depends on the quality of the Samsung scaler

The builtin Sony scaler/deinterlacer is pretty good, but there are some upconverting DVD players out there that have better ones.

The only way to know for sure is to do a direct comparison and return the player if you don't like it.

Still deciding between the Sony 50A10 and a Panasonic 42" plasma. The plasma will cost more but appears to have fewer problems!

Seems that there are a lot of problems with the 50A10 from the people that are posting here. Are these common problems or isolated ones? I've read almost every post in this thread and I'm still not sure!

Why would I want to buy a Sony 50A10?

Still deciding between the Sony 50A10 and a Panasonic 42" plasma. The plasma will cost more but appears to have fewer problems!

Seems that there are a lot of problems with the 50A10 from the people that are posting here. Are these common problems or isolated ones? I've read almost every post in this thread and I'm still not sure!

Why would I want to buy a Sony 50A10?

From what I have heard plasma's suffer from burn in and the picture quality degrades over time unlike the Sony. Those two things alone were enough to sway me to purchase the Sony, but to each his/her own. As far as my Sony 50" A10 goes, I have had zero problems with it. I haven't experienced any of the problems listed on this thread. I am pretty particular almost to the point of obsessive compulsive about things being perfect and I can tell you that I have no buyers remorse whatsoever regarding the purchase of the Sony A10.

First, I'd like to say how informative and educational this forum is and many thanks to all the contributors who have helped me with my decision making. I realize this has probably been discussed previously, but I'd like some current feedback if possible.

I probably will purchase the 42", but will I regret not moving up to the 50"? The set will be in the corner of a rectangular family room and will face a couch at an angle (viewing distance will be 6'-8') and my recliner will be at the far end of the couch in the opposite corner from the TV (10' distance). Due to the position of a fireplace and doorwall, there's no other furniture arrangement possible, so I'm stuck with these varying distances. Will the 50" overwhelm and will there be SDE issues? Do those of you who own the 42" feel satisfied with that size?

I have the 42 A10 unit. I sit 8 ft from the set and its great. Of course this is my first rp set up from a 27 inch flat screen. HD is fantastic and SD marginal. I cannot get use to the zoom feature as I like images in the proper aspect ratio. The problem that you might want to check out at the store is the angle that you will be watching. This set does exhibit rp characteristics of deminished brightness at angles although not as bad as crt rp sets. I believe that the 50 inch might be too big for the 6 ft viewing distance that you will have. Take your tape to the store before you buy and check it out. Good luck

First, I'd like to say how informative and educational this forum is and many thanks to all the contributors who have helped me with my decision making. I realize this has probably been discussed previously, but I'd like some current feedback if possible.

I probably will purchase the 42", but will I regret not moving up to the 50"? The set will be in the corner of a rectangular family room and will face a couch at an angle (viewing distance will be 6'-8') and my recliner will be at the far end of the couch in the opposite corner from the TV (10' distance). Due to the position of a fireplace and doorwall, there's no other furniture arrangement possible, so I'm stuck with these varying distances. Will the 50" overwhelm and will there be SDE issues? Do those of you who own the 42" feel satisfied with that size?


I sit 8ish feet from my 42 and it looks great. I won't lie- I find myself questioning whether I should have gotten the 50 instead. I just felt it might overpower the room so I went with the 42. The thing that bothers me most is 2.35:1 movies since the picture is smaller on them than other movies and I think the 50 would be better in that respect. The 42 doesn't bother me when the picture fills the entire screen, though. Conversely, I think that the 50 wouldn't look as good with full screen stuff at the distance I am from the screen since I can already see a lot of "film imperfections" on the 42 as it is.

First, I'd like to say how informative and educational this forum is and many thanks to all the contributors who have helped me with my decision making. I realize this has probably been discussed previously, but I'd like some current feedback if possible.

I probably will purchase the 42", but will I regret not moving up to the 50"? The set will be in the corner of a rectangular family room and will face a couch at an angle (viewing distance will be 6'-8') and my recliner will be at the far end of the couch in the opposite corner from the TV (10' distance). Due to the position of a fireplace and doorwall, there's no other furniture arrangement possible, so I'm stuck with these varying distances. Will the 50" overwhelm and will there be SDE issues? Do those of you who own the 42" feel satisfied with that size?


I have the 50" and sit about 7-8Ft and love it .Only see SDE if really looking for it .If you go withe larger do so . You may question not doing so later.Just my opinion. I upgraded from a sony 51 inch crt RP. Have not regreted this purchase yet. Thanks to all the helpful folks on this site.

Hhgregg in the Ohio area is having a 5 day sale for $1497.97 and no interest untill Jan. 2007. Best Buy is still at $2000 but they will price match + 10% if you bring the ad in. This is so far the best price in our area since Labor day sales. I got my 42A10 from BestBuy in Sept. for $1475.00 + taxes and they gave me free delivery (you could save $25 by picking it up by yourself). Time to buy if you were on the fence. So far I have what I consider , the best HDTV for the price. No problems from the get go. After Dark Rain tweeks, the picture is perfect.

Just got the 42A10....love it so far. Couple of questions....

1) The sets native resolution is 720p correct? That means anything displayed is either upconverted or downconverted to 720p correct?

2) I have the Comcast Motorola 3412 hooked up to the 42A10 via HDMI. Should I be setting the HDMI input to output 1080i or 720p?

As I understand it, networks like NBC etc, transmit at 1080i....which means the cable box doesn't do any converting, the TV downconverts it to 720p. However ABC, ESPN transmit at 720p....does that mean the cable box converts to to 1080i, then the TV converts it back to 720p?

Which is the better setting for the cable box....1080i or 720p?

3) For SD signals, there is a 4:3 Override option....should this be set to 480i or 480p? I haven't really noticed much difference.

So far this TV is awesome.....Xbox 360 looks great on it!

-Kevin

[QUOTE=kbmb]Just got the 42A10....love it so far. Couple of questions....

1) The sets native resolution is 720p correct? That means anything displayed is either upconverted or downconverted to 720p correct?

......yes.....

2) I have the Comcast Motorola 3412 hooked up to the 42A10 via HDMI. Should I be setting the HDMI input to output 1080i or 720p?

...........set it to "pass through" if you have it

As I understand it, networks like NBC etc, transmit at 1080i....which means the cable box doesn't do any converting, the TV downconverts it to 720p. However ABC, ESPN transmit at 720p....does that mean the cable box converts to to 1080i, then the TV converts it back to 720p?

Which is the better setting for the cable box....1080i or 720p?

.......again "Pass through" if you have it.. let the TV do the converting.....

3) For SD signals, there is a 4:3 Override option....should this be set to 480i or 480p? I haven't really noticed much difference.

....480i ..Don't forget to set up "DRC" mode for 480 signals...for each input......


"Dark Rain" posted these settings...good starting points....I don't see the need for the "red push" service mode tweek ( or perhaps I just fear messing with the service mode)...................

Iris - 1 or 2 depending on room lighting
Picture - 75
Brightness - 43
Color - 38 (CH-AXIS1 0002 or 003b red push fix - 42)
Hue - 0
Color Temp - Neutral
Sharpness - 33
Noise Reduction - Off
Black Corrector - Off
Advanced Iris - Low
Gamma - Low
Clear White - Off
Live Color - Off

Just got the 42A10....love it so far. Couple of questions....

1) The sets native resolution is 720p correct? That means anything displayed is either upconverted or downconverted to 720p correct?

2) I have the Comcast Motorola 3412 hooked up to the 42A10 via HDMI. Should I be setting the HDMI input to output 1080i or 720p?

As I understand it, networks like NBC etc, transmit at 1080i....which means the cable box doesn't do any converting, the TV downconverts it to 720p. However ABC, ESPN transmit at 720p....does that mean the cable box converts to to 1080i, then the TV converts it back to 720p?

Which is the better setting for the cable box....1080i or 720p?

3) For SD signals, there is a 4:3 Override option....should this be set to 480i or 480p? I haven't really noticed much difference.

So far this TV is awesome.....Xbox 360 looks great on it!

-Kevin

Yes, the native resolution is 720p - your tv upconverts or downconverts as required. Usually it's best to let the tv do the upconverting or downconverting. You should be able to tell if your STB does a better job at this or not. Try to avoid converting the signal more than once. If there's a way to send signals to the display in their native resolutions and let the display do the converting, this would be ideal. If this isn't an option, use whatever looks best (720p or 1080i). Your understanding of the conversion process in question 2 above is correct. For your SD signals, if you don't see a difference, then I would just select 480i.

The recent posts has lead me to ask the following question(s).

I know it's subjective but I'd like to get a feel for what folks are doing to get the best picture quality? Are you having your STB perform the conversion to 720p (native display resolution) and sent to the display OR are you "passing-through" the signal to the display and have the it perform the conversion? Is there a best practice?

I'm currently having my STB perform the conversion internally to 720p and then sent to the display.

The recent posts has lead me to ask the following question(s).

I know it's subjective but I'd like to get a feel for what folks are doing to get the best picture quality? Are you having your STB perform the conversion to 720p (native display resolution) and sent to the display OR are you "passing-through" the signal to the display and have the it perform the conversion? Is there a best practice?

I'm currently having my STB perform the conversion internally to 720p and then sent to the display.
If you are using a Motorola 6412 DVR box then you just set it to ouput at 1080i. Setting it to 720p makes 1080i signals look soft. This is because the scaler in the cable box is poor.

There is no pass-thru on the 6412.

I have done a search and found lots of people asking why the A10 leaves lines around the side even in 16:9 mode but no answers as to why. I am assuming it is just a limitation of the PS2 (wich would explain why the X box does not have this problem) but can anyone answer this 100% why the PS2 is underscaned?

the ps2 is really underscanned so it is very normal, even 16:9 games. I had the same effect on my 36" sony crt, although the bars all around were smaller, so it really depends on how much overscan your set is set at.

I don't know about everyone here, but I just cannot get use to SSE, but it's tolerable.

The SSE gets less distracting over time. Anymore I only notice it about 5% of the time and it's usually on a scene with a lot of bright white color.

Just got the 50A10 .. i regreted getting it as i paid too much for it at CC BUT when i got it home I love it... just need to wait for a good sale so I can get the price match!!

Now to find codes for my devices!

This may be off topic, but if anyone has a CC coupon code they arent going to use. I would greatly appreciate one. Or a point in the direction of one. I am now addicted to HD tv and need a small one for the bedroom. =)

mglines, I too had buyers remorse (and I got mine for 42 for 15ish delivered for free). But after I got her set up I was in heaven, minus my few issues with pixels. Hell just having this thing sitting in the living room, make the house look more swanky ;).

And Dark Rains tweaks really helped =)

I have the 42 A10 unit. I sit 8 ft from the set and its great. Of course this is my first rp set up from a 27 inch flat screen. HD is fantastic and SD marginal. I cannot get use to the zoom feature as I like images in the proper aspect ratio. The problem that you might want to check out at the store is the angle that you will be watching. This set does exhibit rp characteristics of deminished brightness at angles although not as bad as crt rp sets. I believe that the 50 inch might be too big for the 6 ft viewing distance that you will have. Take your tape to the store before you buy and check it out. Good luck

I've stood in the stores viewing the 42" from approximately the same angle and distance (some store locations this wasn't possible to do) and the picture looked quite good. The "angle aspect" is not the major thing as the set will be turned a bit. How much is not known yet as I don't know precisely what kind of stand will be used, but I thought I'd mention it as merely a factor nonetheless. Perhaps your thought about the 50" being overwhelming sitting less than the 8-10' range is same as mine. Given that most of the viewing will be done from the 8-10' seats, I'm still unsure if the 50" might not be a better investment. Thanks for your input.

Hi all, first time poster...

had my 42a10 for a week now and generally i really like it, but i do have that faint blue tint in the upper left corner as some have talked about (im glad its not just me!)...it's a bit annoying but i can get used to it i suppose.

so..

#1 - is there any point in returning the set or getting that blue splotch fixed or should i just suck it up. its not that bad, its invisible when anything other than black is shown...only really see it during very dark scenes, end credits or the letterboxing outside the picture, which doesn't actually affect the actual image as such. i have the whites set on cool (snow looks way better i think)...will medium or warm help? is there a "final" word on this problem?

#2 - my tv occationally switches "wide" mode on its own...it'll be 4x3 one second and then it flips to stretched or something...weird eh? only happened a couple times... anyone else have ghosts pressing buttons?

thanks!
-Andrew-

p.s. what are the chances of pixels dying out on these sets (like the "dead pixel road map" lcd screens thing)

should i go back and shell out for the extended warrenty??

I just spent most of yesterday shopping DLP and CRT units. The last of the day was spent in a Sony store looking at the KFE50A10 & KDFE50A10 models and I was very impressed with the look of the units as well as the picture quality. I then came home and ran a couple of searches to see just how well they were accepted by the general purchasing public and what problems had surfaced in these models. I in doing so I came across a site or two (being new on this forum I can't post the addresses here apparently) where owners basically trash either of those and many similar Sony models manufactured in the past couple of model years in general due to the light engine problems and especially the reluctance of Sony to help much if any with compensation to those (and there seems to be a substantial number) who have experienced screen / lamp problems.
I know that many of these sites can give one the impression that all of the product line is flawed, and I am realistic enough to know that is not the case - but I am wondering just how common these light engine / mirror/ screen problems are, and are they turning up in the newer 50A10 units with as much frequency as previous ones?
Seems that Sony is buying their glass from other sources for the light engine and mirrors because they can't or won't make their own and that is where the problem lies - as they are reluctant to do warranty claims on something someone else has been outsourced to make for them.
I was previously and I am again, now strongly considering a Samsung DLP HLR5064 and similar Toshiba models prior to seeing the Sonys and realize its comparing apples and oranges to some degree, but the DLPs don't seem to have near the negative comments or problems associated with them in comparison. Sites like those I mentioned scare the Hell out of me since my pockets aren't deep enough to just go out and just get another unit if a significant problem materializes in one I purchase, as some apparently are able to do...
Sony in my eye was always a premiere brand and I hestitated even looking at them since I assumed the pricing would be far out of my reach. Once I found that not to be the case with these units, the issues that have been posted are keeping me from buying one...
I know "get an extended warranty" will be the general phrase I will hear somewhere here and I intend to, but that said I want to get something that I can be proud to own and use with some confidence and not end sitting awaiting it's return from the repair depot all the time...
I would appreciate some input from those who would wish to comment re: Sony's customer service / warranty for units out of warranty period, as well as these screen "roadmapping" issues and light engine / mirror problems....

Thanks to any and all who care to respond.

i just read the same page you did (see my above post)...and i bought mine a week ago (42a10) and im think im gonna go back to 2001 audio video and shell out the extra few hundred for the 5 year extended warrenty...just for peace of mind...so if these scary problem arise, at least i'll be covered...i'll make sure to specify these issues before i buy the warrenty. arrgh!

#2 - my tv occationally switches "wide" mode on its own...it'll be 4x3 one second and then it flips to stretched or something...weird eh? only happened a couple times... anyone else have ghosts pressing buttons?

should i go back and shell out for the extended warrenty??

In the Settings, you can program whether you want the 4:3 content (non-HD channels) to be case in Full, Wide, Wide Zoom, etc. You can separately program the native 16:9 content (HD channels) to Full, Wide, etc. If you are switching between HD and non-HD channels (or inputs) this may be your problem.

I sprung for the 4-year warranty based on (1) bulb replacement and (2) light engine issues with prior models. Even so, it is still much cheper than last year's DLP and LCD RPs which did not include the HD tuner and Cablecard features. Most places reduce the price to offset at least half the cost of the EW.

i just read the same page you did (see my above post)...and i bought mine a week ago (42a10) and im think im gonna go back to 2001 audio video and shell out the extra few hundred for the 5 year extended warrenty...just for peace of mind...so if these scary problem arise, at least i'll be covered...i'll make sure to specify these issues before i buy the warrenty. arrgh!


The roadmap issue had me scared as well. However, I still went with the Sony A10 because:

1. Those problems have not arisen in the KDF-E50a10 yet.
2. I was going to get an EW anyway.
3. The roadmap issue is the only issue I have seen with these TVs as opposed to the DLPs which have had numerous problems.
4. If the roadmap did occur: (a) my EW would cover it up to 4 years; and (b) I could still enjoy 90% of the TV until the light engine or TV is replaced. With the DLPs, a problem with the bulb, color wheel, etc. will leave you with no TV at all for an extended period of time.
5. The A10s are selling so well that I expect parts availability (i.e. - bulbs) and service will be easier in the future than with other models.
6. No rainbows or lag like the Samsung (not slamming Sammy as I nearly bought one, but the rainbows were too obvious to me).


Finally, I thought the Sony picture is better than everything else within this price range.

Has anyone encountered this problem? When hooking up PS2 to #2 input composite on the A10, it works fine. When I try to use a component cable, the audio works fine but the picture flickers. I have tried two Monster component cables and a Sony component cable, so a defective cable is not the problem. I just wonder if there is some sort of setting adjustment that I may be overlooking? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Has anyone encountered this problem? When hooking up PS2 to #2 input composite on the A10, it works fine. When I try to use a component cable, the audio works fine but the picture flickers. I have tried two Monster component cables and a Sony component cable, so a defective cable is not the problem. I just wonder if there is some sort of setting adjustment that I may be overlooking? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

2 things might be wrong:

There is a setting on the PS2 you are supposed to adjust when using component cables if I recall. It is in the system settings. You have to change it to RGB or the other option.. I can't remember which is right. I think you have to do it before swapping in the component cables as well, otherwise you get the flickering.

If that is set right, maybe it is something wrong with that input?
Have you tried hooking anything up to that component input other than the PS2?

Dr. Cheesesteak, I want to thank you for solving a 2 week dilemma. It was set to composite in the PS2 console. If you only knew how many BB and CC clerks I asked about this problem, it would make your head spin. Thanks again.

Dr. Cheesesteak, I want to thank you for solving a 2 week dilemma. It was set to composite in the PS2 console. If you only knew how many BB and CC clerks I asked about this problem, it would make your head spin. Thanks again.

Haha... cool. Glad to hear the TV wasn't the problem.

FYI,

The 2.35:1 black bar issue exists for all 16:9 (aka "widescreen") televisons because of math and geometry, IE:

2.35 / 1 does not equal 16 / 9

For high quality signals like DVD or HDTV, I just push the wide/zoom button and I am happy with the results.

As for Screen Door Effect (SDE), you can also see this effect on plasma displays when sitting too close to them.

The best cure for SDE is to either sit back from a normal viewing distance, or purchase a good and expensive 1080p television.

Finally, regarding the whole roadmap thingie, it is clear from the differences in the Service menus of the old Sonys versus the new ones that this TV is not just a slightly repackaged set with new edge trim. So hopefully the old light engine defects have been solved and do not become a problem with this set. But I still think it is better to err on the safe side and buy an extended warrantee. The long term Sonystyle.com one is reasonably priced and can be purchased even AFTER you have already bought the TV set so that will be my choice.

FYI, some people I know consider plasma TVs to be rather fragile and carry a significant risk that they will not work properly when they are moved from one house to another which is why some moving companies charge a hefty premium (hundreds of dollars) when you ask them to move a plasma TV for you.

Just my $0.02

I've had our 50" A10 for almost three weeks now and I still love it. I just wish someone would keep the matching stand in stock. Everyone seems to be out of it. The pretty Sony is sitting on an old kitchen table now.

Hi folks. I got the 50" A10 this weekend and I've been very happy so far. Like many others, the choice was this, the sammy DLP, or the Panny Plasma Panel (say THAT 5 times fast!). I just could not warm up to the DLP, finding it to be more punishing when viewing at angles and generally darker than the Sony. I also did notice the AV lag issue with the new 1080p version of the Samsung which really threw me off.

Being down to two choices, I hit the local Costco since they carry both (although the panny is the 42" model) and brought home the A10 to see if it works for us. So far so good...display has no defects that i can see (I'm avoiding looking too closely), and the wife is very pleased.

Here's the one issue. For reasons of room configuaration, the TV must sit in a corner. I like that the RP sets are angled enough to sit almost right up against the wall on both sides. It seemed like a bonus compared to the plasmas which are really at their best mounted on a wall. The problem I am having is this...

Is there a nice-looking, wood corner stand out there? Rectangular stands just jut out too much, and the only other stands I've seen that are wedge shaped are usually glass/metal. I did see one picture an earlier poster shared that was wood, but it had rounded corners which doesn't fit well with our decor.

To make matters more challenging, the set would really be best situated at a roughly 30 degree angle from one wall. 45 degrees will work, but 30 would be optimal to minimize the worst viewing angle in the room. I'm almost resigned to having to custom-build one, which is going to get expensive. Before I proceed along this course, does anyone have any ideas or has anyone seen a nice corner piece that might work?

Thanks everyone for all of your great thoughts so far. It really helped me narrow down my choices and feel comfortable with buying this set.

-Dan

Has anyone encountered this problem? When hooking up PS2 to #2 input composite on the A10, it works fine. When I try to use a component cable, the audio works fine but the picture flickers. I have tried two Monster component cables and a Sony component cable, so a defective cable is not the problem. I just wonder if there is some sort of setting adjustment that I may be overlooking? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Do you have the 50 inch? For some reason whenever I hook up my PS2 with composite I only get a black and white picture. Don't know what the problem is... :confused:

I believe the older models are the ones known for the road maps. I dont recall in all my digging finding anyone on here with an a10 with that problem.

This thread has been damn helpfull guys, thank you. I bought the 42A10 today and didnt get the warranty, it was $399 for 4 yrs. I now see you can get it directly from Sony thanks to this thread so that is what i am going to do. It's half the price and is a 5 year plan. It doesnt include the bulb but i figure I am saving $200 now and the bulb costs $199 so if/when i do need one I am still spending the same as i would at the store and i have an extra year over their plan.

Thanks again

:(

I had this set for 2 weeks, I Love it !

Until today, I happened to be very close to it changing a DVD and noticed 2 or 3 small green pixels :mad:

If you are past3-4 feet you cannot see it at all.

Should I return to COstco ?

Is this normal ?

If any of u look real close, do you have any stuck pixels ?

TIA.

UDFlyer

Ya raise your hand if you dont have stucck pixels.... or a blue upper corner for that matter =)

First I would like to say I love my 50' A10 but I have noticed something that does not seem right when I am watching anything that is wide screen with the black bars on the top and bottom the top left side is noticeably lower. ( it not a straight line ) The bottom is perfect. I didn't notice it at first but now that I have I always see it and it's bugging me is this normal ? Does anyone else have this problem ? Can it be fixed ? Also what is causing it ? If some of you guys can answer these questions that would be great. On a side note I guess I am lucky not to have any of the other problems people have been posting about like stuck or dead pixels or the dreaded blue splotch in the upper corner.


Thanks guys

Has anyone figured out a way to fix the underscan issue using the DB15(Monitor) input?

I have been using DVI-HDMI cable for my Media PC. I had to create a custom resolution of 1232x692 to fill the screen 99% correctly. If I use the monitor input from system I always have about a inch of underscan all the way around the 1280x720/768 resolutions. I think this will be a service menu adjustment, but not sure. I haven't checked back in months sense I got the TV when it first came out.

Anyone know how to use the monitor input on the A10, that allows the 1280x720 but without any underscan?

If there is no fix I will just continue to use the lower resolution with my DVI cable. Wish I could free up my HDMI/DVI input for something else like HiDef TV, currently running component.

Has anyone heard an occasional loud popping noise from the set? I heard it twice tonight while watching DVD's (24 season 2) but there was no other symptom. Video didn't waver and everything looked fine. A little scary though.

I haven't noticed any dead pixels, geometry issues, or the colour splotching on my A10. I've had it for over a week so far.....and it's been perfect!

Thanks k2koq and dusterscott for the replies. Unfortunatley I don't think the Mot 3412 has the pass through option....I'll double check but I'm pretty sure it doesn't.

I'll just keep things at 1080i for now unless I see any issues come up.

-Kevin

Another quick question for people with the 42A10.....has anyone had any lip sync issues with Comcast cable?

On some HD channels when the program isn't in HD...like the local news or a old sitcom, I get some out of sync mouths. I've switched to the regular Non-HD channel and I don't see it as much. I also switched between the HDMI and Component to see if that made a difference...but it did not. Also tried between the Optical Digital out and just composite outs and they were the same as well.

It's off and on. Could it be the cable broadcast or the cable box?

I have not experienced it yet on my TiVo or any DVD's.

I want to make sure that it isn't the TV.....I don't want to have to take it back.


-Kevin

There's an option in the audio section to synch lips. It might only be for external speakers though. Not sure since I'm at work. But it's pretty easy to find if you want to give it a try.

There's an option in the audio section to synch lips. It might only be for external speakers though. Not sure since I'm at work. But it's pretty easy to find if you want to give it a try.

Problem is that I'm experiencing this while using the Optical audio out directly to my receiver.....bypassing the TV.

-Kevin

Problem is that I'm experiencing this while using the Optical audio out directly to my receiver.....bypassing the TV.

-Kevin

What you are experiencing is video delay. I see this occasionally on certain channels myself. PBS can be a problem sometimes. Yesterday I was watching one of the local network channels (sorry can't remember which one) through Time Warner Cable Cincinnati and experienced severe video delay. So I switched inputs to watch it over the air (roof-top antenna) and it was barely noticeable. The analog channel was perfectly in sync. So in this case it seemed that there was already some video delay as broadcast by the channel and that TWC added to the delay while passing the signal through all of their equipment and then to my home. It's conceivable that a display can add to the delay when processing the video but I would rule out the source first. Click on this link for more info on lip sync...

http://lipfix.com/technical_details.html

I believe the older models are the ones known for the road maps. I dont recall in all my digging finding anyone on here with an a10 with that problem.

As far as the road map defect, it seems like the bulk of the TVs it happened to were about 18 months to 2 years old. Many of the people who had this problem (and had no Ext. Warranty) were able to get sony to pay for the parts and the owner had to pay for the labor ($200). You can read all about it by google-ing 'Sony LCD problems' - it's the thread at ecoustics.com.

another new 42A10 owner checking in with the blue cloud in the upper left corner. I only notice it in dark scenes (such as the matrix, which is the first movie I watched on this TV).

So has anyone had success exchanging it at circuit city? I'm trying to decide if its worth the hassle to try and exchange this...

kev, if you had the in home delivery service they should I believe bring you a new one and take the old one away, free of charge. As for problems exchanging it in general. You shouldnt have any. CC's 30 day satisfaction gaurantee is quite liberal. You could probbably exchange it every other day for a month, and not get much flak from them LOL.

Thats the reason I bought from CC. After bad past experiences with returns with other places. And the negative vibe I got from a couple other bigger name electronics stores when I enquired about thier return policy.

One way to save $$$ on the EW is to get it directly from Sony. If you go to sonyStyle, add the 42A10 or 50 to your cart and you'll see the prices for the EW available.

I think it's 150 for 3 years and 200 for 4 years and 260 or so for 5 years. Also, you can buy that EW within the next year, since it comes with a 1 year warr.

Do you have to buy the tv from Sony to also get the extended warranty from them?

Or can you buy it later no matter where you bought the tv?

kev, if you had the in home delivery service they should I believe bring you a new one and take the old one away, free of charge. As for problems exchanging it in general. You shouldnt have any. CC's 30 day satisfaction gaurantee is quite liberal. You could probbably exchange it every other day for a month, and not get much flak from them LOL.

Thats the reason I bought from CC. After bad past experiences with returns with other places. And the negative vibe I got from a couple other bigger name electronics stores when I enquired about thier return policy.

Oh by "successful" I meant did the new TV that they got not have any of the problems? Because I don't want to exchange the set and then get a new one with similar or worse problems...

Ya, I'm about to swap as well. I've got the blue cloud and 4-5 stuck pixels. If it was just one or the other I'd probbably just suck it up and keep it. But even being what considered an "entry level" tv for the cash I dropped I feel I should demand a bit better (shrug). Watch though the new one I get will probbably have stuck pixels, blue cloud, green blotch, and geomety issues LOL

I'm the guy who this crap allways happens to it seems,......you get used to it though LOL.

I did the 03b red push fix along with dark rains dvd setting last night and am quite impressed with the movie watching experience now =)

I will give it this, it makes the panny 44" lcd rptv i first brought home look like a joke, the pq difference is that big.

Ahh sorry must have mis read your reply. Sorry

I have a feeling quality control in the plant these are made in, south of the border consists of a big fat goofy looking, color blind guy propped on a bar stool at the end of the production line. Nick named booger picker (for good reason).

"Entry level" - haha, everyone I know is floored that I spent 2000 grand on a tv yet I have merely a wee little "entry level" tv.

Oh and where can I find that red push fix and DVD settings? In this thread?

The post at the top of this thread will tell you step by step how to do it. Also all of dark rains setting are on this page. good stuff
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=6258295#post6258295

"Entry Level" I'm in the same boat as you on this one. But alot of the ppl on this board refer to it as an entry level set. Most of which must have much deeper pockets than us mear mortals ;) lol.

I'm running an HDMI cable from my 50" A10 to my HD DVR. Scientific Atlanta Explorer 8300. Which setting should I use for the picture format?

Fixed or Auto DVI/HDMI?

It's currently on Fixed. And I really can't tell a difference between the two.

thanks

First I would like to say I love my 50' A10 but I have noticed something that does not seem right when I am watching anything that is wide screen with the black bars on the top and bottom the top left side is noticeably lower. ( it not a straight line ) The bottom is perfect. I didn't notice it at first but now that I have I always see it and it's bugging me is this normal ? Does anyone else have this problem ? Can it be fixed ? Also what is causing it ? If some of you guys can answer these questions that would be great. On a side note I guess I am lucky not to have any of the other problems people have been posting about like stuck or dead pixels or the dreaded blue splotch in the upper corner.


Thanks guys

Can someone help please.

"Entry level" - haha, everyone I know is floored that I spent 2000 grand on a tv yet I have merely a wee little "entry level" tv.

You spent 2000000 on your TV? You were ripped off... ;)

TorturEd, from what I have read. The crooked letterboxing is a geometry issue. From my research, the only way to fix this is to replace the light engine, or if within your return period swap it for a new set.

I believe I remeber reading some of the pros on here state that the geometry on an lcd set can not be adjusted, unlike crts.

If its off is off for good.

If I have this wrong someone please correct, as this is just what I have gathered from diggin on the site.

I just picked up my 50A10 this week. I love it, except I have one complaint. I can definitely see SDE at 8ft.

Sometimes it's more noticeable on different sources, different settings, etc. Is it possible to minimize this effect via calibration?

Do you have to buy the tv from Sony to also get the extended warranty from them?

Or can you buy it later no matter where you bought the tv?

does anybuy Know this answer?? Sony extended warranty is alot cheaper.

I'd also be interested to know if you can get it online or you need to call them. I found the prices but couldn't find any way to purchase it.

I just picked up my 50A10 this week. I love it, except I have one complaint. I can definitely see SDE at 8ft.

Sometimes it's more noticeable on different sources, different settings, etc. Is it possible to minimize this effect via calibration?

I see it too from the same distance. I really noticed it last night on CSI. But I've found I don't see it so much on other channels/shows, and hardly ever on DVD.

Reducing the 'Picture' setting and sharpness seems to help for me.

Nope you dont have to buy direct from sony to get thier warranty. And you have until your original warranty expires to pick it up. The down side from what I have noticed is, the CC Extended warranty may be easier to deal with even if it is a bit more. Read sonys policy closely. The amount of dead pixels and how close they have to be to each other to get the warranty to cover it is in my mind friggin rediculous. Also they dont cover the bulb. The guy a cc told me 1 bad pixel during the term of the EW meant a new tv.

If I've got it all wrong on the sony EW please tell me!! I'd rather save the cash lol.

Hey fatguy, where is you sharpness set at? Look to the link in my previous post for some really good set up specs.

ok guys im set on getting the a10 but what size, i will be sitting anywhere from 8-13 feet away??
thanks

I sit 8' away and I think the 42" is more than enough.


Question about CC return policy: Does it matter which store I return it to? I bought it at a place near my parents but that is about 1hr away, and there is a closer one I would rather take it to.

TorturEd, from what I have read. The crooked letterboxing is a geometry issue. From my research, the only way to fix this is to replace the light engine, or if within your return period swap it for a new set.

I believe I remeber reading some of the pros on here state that the geometry on an lcd set can not be adjusted, unlike crts.

If its off is off for good.

If I have this wrong someone please correct, as this is just what I have gathered from diggin on the site.

Thanks Toggleswitch


Anyone else

"Entry level" - haha, everyone I know is floored that I spent 2000 grand on a tv yet I have merely a wee little "entry level" tv.

Oh and where can I find that red push fix and DVD settings? In this thread?

2000 Grand? Wow, I'd be floored too!

Here's the thread where the red push fix is located...

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=567709&page=1&pp=30

Hhgregg in the Ohio area is having a 5 day sale for $1497.97 and no interest untill Jan. 2007. Best Buy is still at $2000 but they will price match + 10% if you bring the ad in. This is so far the best price in our area since Labor day sales. I got my 42A10 from BestBuy in Sept. for $1475.00 + taxes and they gave me free delivery (you could save $25 by picking it up by yourself). Time to buy if you were on the fence. So far I have what I consider , the best HDTV for the price. No problems from the get go. After Dark Rain tweeks, the picture is perfect.

Just picked up one at CC for my FIL. I'll end up setting it up for no doubt. The sales guys
eyes about popped out when he saw the ad but they didn't argue. Maybe it was because
the MIL bought a 26" LCD Sony.
Grateful11

Ya, I'm about to swap as well. I've got the blue cloud and 4-5 stuck pixels. If it was just one or the other I'd probbably just suck it up and keep it. But even being what considered an "entry level" tv for the cash I dropped I feel I should demand a bit better (shrug). Watch though the new one I get will probbably have stuck pixels, blue cloud, green blotch, and geomety issues LOL

I'm the guy who this crap allways happens to it seems,......you get used to it though LOL.

I did the 03b red push fix along with dark rains dvd setting last night and am quite impressed with the movie watching experience now =)

I will give it this, it makes the panny 44" lcd rptv i first brought home look like a joke, the pq difference is that big.

With 4-5 I can't blame you, I'd take it back too. I've only got one so far, a couple more
and it's going back. Other than that I love the set.

ok guys will CC price match online stories? I want to buy the tv locally, that way I can take it back if the tv has problems. But onecall is about $300 cheaper on the 50inch.

I just picked up my 50A10 this week. I love it, except I have one complaint. I can definitely see SDE at 8ft.

Sometimes it's more noticeable on different sources, different settings, etc. Is it possible to minimize this effect via calibration?

Do not focus your eyes on the surface of the screen...look "Into" the picture. After awhile the SDE goes away...8ft is a bit close for a 50' set however.

yep watch the movie, not the tv ;)

I consider myself reasonably HDTV savvy. I know the history of the Grand Alliance, I know the 18 ATSC video standards [480(30Hz)i, 480(60Hz)p, 720(60Hz)p, 1080(30Hz)i, etc.] and I waited until the planets aligned (i.e., good HDTV content and reasonably priced equipment) before I bought into the technology. So I bought the 42” Sony Grand Wega A10 and I’m generally very happy with it. I’m currently only getting HD from the antenna (LA area) until my digital cable gets installed. But, I’m getting a bit confused as to what is actually being broadcast to my set. When you hit the A10 remote’s Display button, you see channel identification, program info (if available) and an indication of type of input signal, i.e., 480i, 720p, 1080i, etc. I realize the A10’s native resolution is 720p (1280 x 720), so regardless of the input signal, everything gets up-converted or down-converted to 720p. My question is: If my local ABC station (a 720p provider) is broadcasting the news as a SDTV quality signal, why doesn’t the Display feature show 480i (or possibly 480p)? Does ABC up-convert to 720p before broadcasting the signal? Another question concerns 16:9 SDTV (704 x 480) versus 4:3 SDTV (640 x 480). Is there any indication (other than visual inspection and guessing) to learn which of the 18 formats is being decoded and eventually being displayed as 720p?

New to this forum. After reading and seeing, I am pretty much set on getting a 42A10, but was orginally thinking about a 30XS955, but found that I can't fit it into the space where the TV has to go. Since I cannot find the 30XS955 anywhere locally, it is almost impossible to know what I am missing vs the HS that I did see. I know the two are different technologies, but really want to hear what people think on this thread. I am really concerned about SD and want to make sure it is at least as good as what I currently have (6 year old 27" CRT JVC non-flat). To put it lightly this is a BIG upgrade for our family. What do you think the Pro's cons will be and what do you think I should do?

Do not focus your eyes on the surface of the screen...look "Into" the picture. After awhile the SDE goes away...8ft is a bit close for a 50' set however.

Funny, the consensus of this thread (and I read the entire thing over 2 weeks) was that the 50" was good at 8 ft.

I don't mind it really, I don't see it in sports broadcasts, which is 90% of what I watch.

I consider myself reasonably HDTV savvy. I know the history of the Grand Alliance, I know the 18 ATSC video standards [480(30Hz)i, 480(60Hz)p, 720(60Hz)p, 1080(30Hz)i, etc.] and I waited until the planets aligned (i.e., good HDTV content and reasonably priced equipment) before I bought into the technology. So I bought the 42” Sony Grand Wega A10 and I’m generally very happy with it. I’m currently only getting HD from the antenna (LA area) until my digital cable gets installed. But, I’m getting a bit confused as to what is actually being broadcast to my set. When you hit the A10 remote’s Display button, you see channel identification, program info (if available) and an indication of type of input signal, i.e., 480i, 720p, 1080i, etc. I realize the A10’s native resolution is 720p (1280 x 720), so regardless of the input signal, everything gets up-converted or down-converted to 720p. My question is: If my local ABC station (a 720p provider) is broadcasting the news as a SDTV quality signal, why doesn’t the Display feature show 480i (or possibly 480p)? Does ABC up-convert to 720p before broadcasting the signal? Another question concerns 16:9 SDTV (704 x 480) versus 4:3 SDTV (640 x 480). Is there any indication (other than visual inspection and guessing) to learn which of the 18 formats is being decoded and eventually being displayed as 720p?

It's common for the local networks to upconvert SDTV to 720p or 1080i.

Funny, the consensus of this thread (and I read the entire thing over 2 weeks) was that the 50" was good at 8 ft.

I don't mind it really, I don't see it in sports broadcasts, which is 90% of what I watch.

Well, if I can see SDE on my 42" from 7 feet then I would say most, if not everyone, who own the 50" can see SDE from 8 feet. 9-10 feet is probably a better sitting distance from the 50".

I consider myself reasonably HDTV savvy. I know the history of the Grand Alliance, I know the 18 ATSC video standards [480(30Hz)i, 480(60Hz)p, 720(60Hz)p, 1080(30Hz)i, etc.] and I waited until the planets aligned (i.e., good HDTV content and reasonably priced equipment) before I bought into the technology. So I bought the 42” Sony Grand Wega A10 and I’m generally very happy with it. I’m currently only getting HD from the antenna (LA area) until my digital cable gets installed. But, I’m getting a bit confused as to what is actually being broadcast to my set. When you hit the A10 remote’s Display button, you see channel identification, program info (if available) and an indication of type of input signal, i.e., 480i, 720p, 1080i, etc. I realize the A10’s native resolution is 720p (1280 x 720), so regardless of the input signal, everything gets up-converted or down-converted to 720p. My question is: If my local ABC station (a 720p provider) is broadcasting the news as a SDTV quality signal, why doesn’t the Display feature show 480i (or possibly 480p)? Does ABC up-convert to 720p before broadcasting the signal? Another question concerns 16:9 SDTV (704 x 480) versus 4:3 SDTV (640 x 480). Is there any indication (other than visual inspection and guessing) to learn which of the 18 formats is being decoded and eventually being displayed as 720p?

Basically, its an expensive proposition for stations to replace all their cameras and associated equipment with HD version.

The usual giveaway that they're originating in SD and broadcasting in HD is when you see 4:3 format on your 16:9 screen on a digital OTA station.

Then of course its just blurrier. :D

Depending on which subchannel, the station can be broadcasting this 480 originated signal over 1080i, 720p or 480i.

I'm running an HDMI cable from my 50" A10 to my HD DVR. Scientific Atlanta Explorer 8300. Which setting should I use for the picture format?

Fixed or Auto DVI/HDMI?

It's currently on Fixed. And I really can't tell a difference between the two.

thanks

After a lot of testing It looks like "Auto DVI/HDMI" works better with 1080i broadcasts (like CBS) I can't see any difference with 720p broadcasts (like FOX)

The down side...it takes a moment for the TV to sync up when going from a 720p to a 1080i broadcast.

CableVision sent a software update to my 8300 box and I started to have a problem with the "Auto DVI/HDMI"

If the box was set to start up on CBS (1080i) I would get audio and a snowy blank screen...If I set it up to start on FOX (720p) it would then work fine on all other channels.

Funny, the consensus of this thread (and I read the entire thing over 2 weeks) was that the 50" was good at 8 ft.

I don't mind it really, I don't see it in sports broadcasts, which is 90% of what I watch.


Taken from crutchfield.com

HDTV-capable TVs with 4:3 or 16:9 aspect ratio

Screen size Suggested viewing distance
30" 6.25 feet
35" 7.3 feet
40" 8.3 feet
45" 9.4 feet
50" 10.4 feet
55" 11.5 feet
60" 12.5 feet
65" 13.5 feet

I sit 10' from from a 50a10 and sometimes it seems to big, I think I could have gotten by with a 42"

BTW I use Deconvolver's custom set up (with a couple of tweeks) and it is awesome when I hit CBS' HD5.1 shows

ok guys, going to buy the 42A10 on monday!!!

The local Costco does not carry it (would love to have picked up there for the return policy). So it looks like I am going to CC. I do not think I am going to get the CC ew and maybe wait to pick up the sony ew during the year.

Hopefully the 30 price guarentee will help me out if prices fall before the superbowl.

Any tips would be appreciated guys.

<--- so excited

I got 50" A10 recently and was told by comcast there is no compatible cable card for this set, has anyone else had a cable card installed on the A10

ok guys, going to buy the 42A10 on monday!!!

The local Costco does not carry it (would love to have picked up there for the return policy). So it looks like I am going to CC. I do not think I am going to get the CC ew and maybe wait to pick up the sony ew during the year.

Hopefully the 30 price guarentee will help me out if prices fall before the superbowl.

Any tips would be appreciated guys.

<--- so excited

I just got the 50 inch yesterday at CC. I wanted to buy local that way if I had any problems with it I could take it back, but if you want a good price from a good online store check out onecall.com prices cant be beat, I was going to print out the page and take it to cc and see if they would price match but I forget the page at home.

2 things might be wrong:

There is a setting on the PS2 you are supposed to adjust when using component cables if I recall. It is in the system settings. You have to change it to RGB or the other option.. I can't remember which is right. I think you have to do it before swapping in the component cables as well, otherwise you get the flickering.

If that is set right, maybe it is something wrong with that input?
Have you tried hooking anything up to that component input other than the PS2?

I am getting the same problem for about a month. I have a hdmi panasonic dvd player hooked up, an xbox 360 with component cables. The picture on the screen will flicker so that you cannot distinguish what the actual image is supposed to be anytime I change the resolution on the 360 or sometimes when I just turn on the dvd player. Usually turning the tv off and then back on will solve the problem but this is very annoying and the problem did not occur for the first 2 months I owned the set. I have also tried using different inputs with the xbox 360 without any resolution of the problem. Does anyone think this warrants a service call?

UPDATE: After searching the sony website, I came across som info suggesting I perform a hard reset. This encompasses turing off the tv, unplugging it, and leaving it off for 60 seconds. I tried this and it seems to have worked. Any of you with similar problems, try this too. I don't understand why this would cause the problem, but I hope that this is a permanent fix.
Thanks.

I got 50" A10 recently and was told by comcast there is no compatible cable card for this set, has anyone else had a cable card installed on the A10


I have insight and they installed a cable card 2 weeks ago, no issues, works great.

I have no idea what brand it is or anyting.

UDFlyer

ok guys im getting hd next week, but normal tv looks like crap anything I can do to make it look better, I about rather watch my 27 inch tv.

I have the KDF-E50A10 the DVR is showing at 1080i. How do i change it to 720p? Also, my wife brought home Monster hdmi cables to see how they would make the pictures look and all we kept getting was a flick of a picture and it would go black. It was intermitted like this, off and on. Anyone know what the problem was because it was just a hdmi connection from the DVR and TV.

HDTV-capable TVs with 4:3 or 16:9 aspect ratio

Screen size Suggested viewing distance
30" 6.25 feet
35" 7.3 feet
40" 8.3 feet
45" 9.4 feet
50" 10.4 feet
55" 11.5 feet
60" 12.5 feet
65" 13.5 feet

I sit 10' from from a 50a10 and sometimes it seems to big, I think I could have gotten by with a 42"

BTW I use Deconvolver's custom set up (with a couple of tweeks) and it is awesome when I hit CBS' HD5.1 shows


LOL, this would've been helful LAST WEEK!! :)

My thinking was, and I stick by this, is that this is the first TV I've bought in 10 years. Assuming that this pattern remains consistant I'll have this TV for a while..much longer then I will be in my current "shoebox" of an apartment.

Basically, I bought the 50" for future use...and after 4 days of viewing I don't really notice the SDE anymore...so I'm content.

ok guys im getting hd next week, but normal tv looks like crap anything I can do to make it look better, I about rather watch my 27 inch tv.

I guess you could say that's one of the pitfalls of HD, it ruins us. Some of the SD
channels on my 50" look great like AMC, Weather Ch, and some others but channels like
SciFi suck even the digital one. Sunrise Earth on DiscoveryHD, LOST on CBS-HD and
others are to die for. If all channels were HD I'd never get anything done around the
house.
Grateful11

I have the KDF-E50A10 the DVR is showing at 1080i. How do i change it to 720p? Also, my wife brought home Monster hdmi cables to see how they would make the pictures look and all we kept getting was a flick of a picture and it would go black. It was intermitted like this, off and on. Anyone know what the problem was because it was just a hdmi connection from the DVR and TV.

It would be nice to know what DVR you have. If its the SA 8300, then you press the 'settings' button, then 'more settings'. Scroll down the menu and change your output resolution to 720p.

anyone here think about getting their set isf calibrated? I been thinking about it, but I am wondering if I should get a better dvd player first. Does an isf calibrator use your dvd player for the process or do they calibrate another way?

anyone here think about getting their set isf calibrated? I been thinking about it, but I am wondering if I should get a better dvd player first. Does an isf calibrator use your dvd player for the process or do they calibrate another way?

I've never had it done but I believe a good calibrator would bring their own equipment.

I've never had it done but I believe a good calibrator would bring their own equipment.

A calibrator would have his own signal generators (hopefully) and other calibration equipment which is what he would base his adjustments on.

But you certainly want to have a solid DVD player that he could optomize the player and input.

Some of the older players are good solid units. But if you have one that's suspect, you might want to go ahead and replace it witha better one.

I got 50" A10 recently and was told by comcast there is no compatible cable card for this set, has anyone else had a cable card installed on the A10
Your cable company is wrong (probably knowingly). The cablecard slot is a standard; sometimes there are issues that are usually caused by the clueless cable techs not knowing how to enable the card properly but if you check this thread you will find that many people are using cablecards with this set with no problems. The FCC requires the cable system to provide you with a working cable card when you request one. Tell them that if they refuse that you will ask the local licensing authority to revoke their license for failing to meet their requirements.

Say we just installed a 50a10 in a friend of ours apt. On the right the part of the picture is missing. Not like a bar more like a semi-circle is missing. There is no image in the missing chunk. Just to the left is another line that almost looks like a fracture. Like a single stalk of wheat or something. I am obviously going to call Sony repair,but has anyone seen this problem?Or have any insight?

It turns out the mirror was cracked during shipping! The Sony tech would not repair it under warranty. We are following up with the shipper. The box looked perfect. No technical issues anyways.

[QUOTE=deconvolver]Your cable company is wrong (probably knowingly). The cablecard slot is a standard; sometimes there are issues that are usually caused by the clueless cable techs not knowing how to enable the card properly but if you check this thread you will find that many people are using cablecards with this set with no problems. The FCC requires the cable system to provide you with a working cable card when you request one. Tell them that if they refuse that you will ask the local licensing authority to revoke their license for failing to meet their requirements.[/QUO

You said the slots are standard but is it possible that the cable card from comcast is not compatible?

WoW!!! What a nice and very imformative site! I read and I read till my eyes hurt and I have my 50 a10 up and running and tweaked to a very nice picture. I have my dvd, vcr, PC and dishnetwork all running smooth as silk. On Dec. 19th I bought a JVC 52 ILA and 3 days later the sound went on the unit. It was replaced by another 52 ILA a few days later. After more hours of tweaking got it running ( not as nice as the a10 by the way) and 3 days later the picture went out. Back to the store and the salesman said your in luck we have one JVC left. I said no thanks let me see your Sony's (KARMA...it was the TV I was orginaly debating on to get but no one had any so I went with th JVC because of the ILA tech.). Took her home and was not impressed with the SD. After many hours of tweaking and reading I am very very happy with this unit. Thank you everyone here for your posts. I will be hanging out here for a long time

Happy New Year everyone!!!!

I have my HD8300 cable box hooked up to the TV via HDMI. My question is should I let the cable box switch the aspect 720 etc or is there a way to do it in the TV? When the cable box does it the screen and sound blanks out when you change channels. Would this be harmful to the tv? As you can see from my previous post I'm a little gun shy on setting up the system hehehehe

ok guys, going to buy the 42A10 on monday!!!If you are near an HH Gregg store, they are on sale through Tuesday for $1,497.00 and Circuit City will price match plus give you 10% of the difference. Mine netted $1,467 before tax and CC delivered free. ;)

anyone here think about getting their set isf calibrated? I been thinking about it, but I am wondering if I should get a better dvd player first. Does an isf calibrator use your dvd player for the process or do they calibrate another way?

I would suggest you talk this over with whomever you select to calibrate your display. I can frequently provide display and owner specific advice that can save my customers money while improving performance on a variety of equipment for home theater use. You should have your final DVD player available for the calibration so it can be setup properly.

ok guys im set on getting the a10 but what size, i will be sitting anywhere from 8-13 feet away??
thanks


I sit like 10-11 feet away, and I have the 50 inch. I think it is perfect.

If you are near an HH Gregg store, they are on sale through Tuesday for $1,497.00 and Circuit City will price match plus give you 10% of the difference. Mine netted $1,467 before tax and CC delivered free. ;)

Pulled the trigger today at HH Gregg. Awesome deal they had running.

I have the KDF-E50A10 the DVR is showing at 1080i. How do i change it to 720p? Also, my wife brought home Monster hdmi cables to see how they would make the pictures look and all we kept getting was a flick of a picture and it would go black. It was intermitted like this, off and on. Anyone know what the problem was because it was just a hdmi connection from the DVR and TV.


If you are using the direcTV HD DVR, there is a button on the front that toggles 720p, 1080i, etc. You can use the remote, it is the up arrow button to cycle

I had friends over for new years eve, and we watched the Giants game on ESPN. Everybody was very impressed and thought the picture looked amazing. Granted none of them are really HD savy. Can't wait for the superbowl, what station is it on?

Oh, and PC Richard had a great deal on the 50 inch. I wish I waited, lol.

Will there be a picture quality difference on my a10 if I upgrade my cable box (that currently only has coaxial and composite inputs/outputs) to a cable box that has either hdmi or component or something of that type. Granted, I am not going to be getting any cable HD channels for a little bit, otherwise I would obviously have to upgrade boxes... So will I get a better pq on 'normal' cable channels with either hdmi/component cable box or will my regular coaxial box work until I take the HD cable leap?

I added a cable amp that I bought sometime ago from Radio Shack and it made a difference in the PQ. Is this going to harm anything? I added it at the head of the cable into the house and it is split about 4 times. It made a difference.

If you are near an HH Gregg store, they are on sale through Tuesday for $1,497.00 and Circuit City will price match plus give you 10% of the difference. Mine netted $1,467 before tax and CC delivered free. ;)

None near me :( look like I'm gonna get screwed on the price.

So I thought I read in the thread that some like SD through composite (yellow) over s-video. Something-something about giving the TV a worse signal to deal with.

Going to pick up the TV tomorrow AM, Cablecard should be installed in the PM :D

im trying to decide if i should purchase a 19 inch lcd or use my sony wega 42" hdtv as a display to replace my samsung 730b. i play alot of games but how would the HDTV look with surfing the web and text applications?

heres my model

http://esupport.sony.com/perl/model-home.pl?mdl=KDFE42A10

my video card is an evga 7800 GT

http://evga.com/products/moreinfo.asp?pn=256-P2-N518-AX

anybody have a similar setup?

You said the slots are standard but is it possible that the cable card from comcast is not compatible?
If the card from Comcast is not compatible with a TV with a certified cablecard slot like the A10 then it is up to Comcast to fix the issue. From reading some threads in the HDTV hardware forum it seems that some cable co's drag their feet on providing up to date cable cards until you force them to meet their FCC mandated obligation to provide one. Getting it to work is their problem not yours.

Will there be a picture quality difference on my a10 if I upgrade my cable box (that currently only has coaxial and composite inputs/outputs) to a cable box that has either hdmi or component or something of that type. Granted, I am not going to be getting any cable HD channels for a little bit, otherwise I would obviously have to upgrade boxes... So will I get a better pq on 'normal' cable channels with either hdmi/component cable box or will my regular coaxial box work until I take the HD cable leap?
Since an A10 is digital HD cable ready I suggest that you try plugging the cable directly into the TV cable input without a box and do a scan- this should give you the best possible picture quality. You might even get some of your local stations in HD without needing a cablecard. You could also just get a cablecard from your cableco - that will be able to get any station including encrypted premium ones that you subscribe to (but it cannot be used to order video on demand). Your cableco may force you to have some minimum service level (like digital cable service) before you see HD stations either way but there is no harm in trying to see what you get.

so: the blue splotch...upper left, faint but there, only on black scenes,

any point in trying a different set or am i just going to have the same thing?

just how common is this?

when set to a "dead" input and the tv is on a black screen...the black looks bluish at the top left and sort of hazy/lighter through the center.

does everyones set look like this?

should it be perfectly even over the whole black screen?

thanks.

Since an A10 is digital HD cable ready I suggest that you try plugging the cable directly into the TV cable input without a box and do a scan- this should give you the best possible picture quality. You might even get some of your local stations in HD without needing a cablecard.

Don't say that too loudly the Cable companies might hear you. ;) Mine is getting
something like 81 digital channels and 97 analog channels, including TNT HD and
Discovery HD all without a box.

Since an A10 is digital HD cable ready I suggest that you try plugging the cable directly into the TV cable input without a box and do a scan- this should give you the best possible picture quality. You might even get some of your local stations in HD without needing a cablecard. You could also just get a cablecard from your cableco - that will be able to get any station including encrypted premium ones that you subscribe to (but it cannot be used to order video on demand). Your cableco may force you to have some minimum service level (like digital cable service) before you see HD stations either way but there is no harm in trying to see what you get.
Don't say that too loudly the Cable companies might hear you. ;) Mine is getting
something like 81 digital channels and 97 analog channels, including TNT HD and
Discovery HD all without a box.
Sounds like a plan. Thanks for the help. Hopefully I'll get lucky and maybe get a little something extra. :D

Hey everyone,
I am in the process of diving into the world of HDTV. One of the TV's i'm considering is the KDF-E42A10 3LD RPTV. I understand that this tv uses 3 individual lcd panels and 1 lamp/bulb to create it's great pq. My friend was trying to tell me that it actually uses 3 bulbs, meaning i'd be spending $600 ever 2-3 years to replace the bulbs. This is incorrect right?

I am trying to weigh the pros and cons of this HDTV and the Panasonic TH-42PHD8UK or TH-42PX50U (can't decide which one i'd go for if i went plasma). The plasmas cost a bit more but don't have bulbs or LCD panels to replace or that can go out of alignment. But the pq will degrade over time and I have to be carefull to avoid burn in. Especially early on until i break it in. None of the stores around me have both in stock so i haven't been able to compare them side by side. The TV would mainly be used for DVD's and HDTV Cable... also a bit of Xbox 360 when i get it.
Anyone have any experience with these two tvs or technologies?

so: the blue splotch...upper left, faint but there, only on black scenes,

any point in trying a different set or am i just going to have the same thing?

just how common is this?

when set to a "dead" input and the tv is on a black screen...the black looks bluish at the top left and sort of hazy/lighter through the center.

does everyones set look like this?

should it be perfectly even over the whole black screen?

thanks.

This is a common issue with LCD RPTVs and it varies from set to set. Mine has this issue as well but it is pretty faint. I'd only exchange it if it's REALLY bothersome. The next one could look worse, the same, or better than the one you got now.

I personally know 5 people (including myself) that have recently bought the set with no splotch problems. Maybe the QC is getting better - my advice would be to exchange it if it's that noticeable. It might take a few iterations to get a set that's of acceptable quality (that's what it took me) but don't settle for something if it bugs you!

Finally I decided to purchase this unit KF-E42A10 after reading so many positive comments though this unit has less features as compared to the model mentioned KDF-E42A10.

Prior to the purchase, I did some video demo & testing based on some of the set-up mentioned here....I'm really impressed with the PQ! Whoa! :)

I had friends over for new years eve, and we watched the Giants game on ESPN. Everybody was very impressed and thought the picture looked amazing. Granted none of them are really HD savy. Can't wait for the superbowl, what station is it on?

ABC

DANG!!!! CC raised the price $100 yesterday :mad: oh well it is here... if this set is perfect I may go and see if I can get it cheaper at BB and return the BB one to CC :D

wow....not one answer.... :(

Fathead is there a Bernie's near you? I saw the 42" their for $1799, maybe CC will match that price

There is only one (1) bulb inside the A10 television sets. It retails off the Sony web site for $200.00 today.

I have my HD8300 cable box hooked up to the TV via HDMI. My question is should I let the cable box switch the aspect 720 etc or is there a way to do it in the TV? When the cable box does it the screen and sound blanks out when you change channels. Would this be harmful to the tv? As you can see from my previous post I'm a little gun shy on setting up the system hehehehe
Set your cable box to pass-through and let the TV do the work. The pause between channels is normal as the display is adjusting for the resolution.

I saw this yesterday in a Fatwallet thread. The guy didn't give the model number but sounds like it may be an A10.

"on a similar note, yesterday i noticed my sam's had the 50" sony wega lcd projection for $1,500 regular $2,399. i've got the same one but in the 42" and i LOVE IT. i paid $1900 for my 42" so this seemed pretty hot to me"

His location was in New Jersey. I'm gonna check a Sam's here in Arizona and see if they are closing them out.

Fathead is there a Bernie's near you? I saw the 42" their for $1799, maybe CC will match that price

We have Sound Advice (tweeters), BB, Sears around, all $1899 :(

ok guys, so what is the trick to getting SD look decent? Mine is pretty fuzzy. Do not know if it is the feed (Comcast) or the distance (8-9 ft)

I really doubt the 50 inch A10 was on sale for $1500 - unless it was an open box return or floor model. Today Sams Club in NJ is selling it for $2399 with stand.

What is the best way to test if the convergence on these sets is alright. I know that it isn't user adjustable and a factory pre-set.

I really doubt the 50 inch A10 was on sale for $1500 - unless it was an open box return or floor model. Today Sams Club in NJ is selling it for $2399 with stand.

It's possible. I paid under $2k CDN for a KF-E50A10, and I've read that the KDF-E50A10 was going for $2kCDN in Calgary for boxing week. Even with the exchange factored in, you can always find TV's for less in the US than in Canada.

I really doubt the 50 inch A10 was on sale for $1500 - unless it was an open box return or floor model. Today Sams Club in NJ is selling it for $2399 with stand.


You can find it online for $1800 if you look carefully. Also try your local electronics dealer, got our's with the stand for $2200.

Set your cable box to pass-through and let the TV do the work. The pause between channels is normal as the display is adjusting for the resolution.

The only setting on the Explorer hd8300 is auto dvi/hdmi. the other settings are upconvert 1 and 2 and fixed. Also you can select how many aspects the tv can handle in the hd8300 and there are 8 screen formats.

We have Sound Advice (tweeters), BB, Sears around, all $1899 :(

ok guys, so what is the trick to getting SD look decent? Mine is pretty fuzzy. Do not know if it is the feed (Comcast) or the distance (8-9 ft)

I put a cheap radio shack amp online and it made a big difference. I put it on the head of my cable run and there are one split before it gets to the a10. Then there are 4 splits after that. My SD was awful but it is bareable now. I will be dumping this amp for a better one as soon as I can source one out here in Toronto. Here is a thread on the subject >>>> http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=606981&page=2&pp=30&highlight=cable+amp

I really doubt the 50 inch A10 was on sale for $1500 - unless it was an open box return or floor model. Today Sams Club in NJ is selling it for $2399 with stand.


The best price I have seen on the 50 inch A10 was 1899 at PC Richards in NY

Hi all,I got the KDF-E50A10 about a month ago,from Circuit City for $2249 with a free stand.
I had tested 5 other sets here in my living room and liked none of them.

I started with the Older unit that this TV replaced,I think it was 655 model #.
Anyway I didnt like that so I took it back and got a Hitachi Plasma 42 inch,the picture with Disk Network was terrible,so it went back then it was a Samsung with DLP and wasnt happy with it either.
The last was a Panasonic PT-52LCX65 and it was the worsted of them all.

Anyway I ended up with this set,I dont know much about HD,but this set was far better picture quality than anything I had seen.
Monday night football through an HD antenna was simply AWSOME.
I have an HG DVD player and it has great picture quality too.
I thought the 50 inch would be to big in my house but it is just right,I have never been so happy with a TV set.
Circuit City was great with me changing my mind,never no questions just took back the set and gave me another that I had picked out,very flexible with me,I am a pro at boxing these things up.
I did have to take back an E50A10,I though there was something wrong with it,it had a green spot right in the middle of the screen,like a single pixel,was showing a different color.
I am totally happy with this set,I got a 2 year extended warranty just in case,it covers everything.
It was manufactured in September 2005
I thought I would pass along this info FYI.

This is a great infomative site,thanks:)

ok guys I got charter cable, I have digital cable till thursday when they hook up hd. When I do a scan with the cable box in the cable input it shows no digital channels. If they was showing up as digital wouldn't they look better?? And why are they not showing as digital??? I would like to get the best pic as I can for tonight game UGa vs WV. Wish I could watch in hd.

I really doubt the 50 inch A10 was on sale for $1500 - unless it was an open box return or floor model. Today Sams Club in NJ is selling it for $2399 with stand.


Ditto - the Sam's Club in Austin, TX is also selling today for $2,399. I took the opportunity to ask the manager if he would price match Home Theather Store's $1,999 one-day-sale of the A10, and he responded that they "do not match sale prices, only regular prices." In any case, it does include the stand for the $2,399 and he touted Sam's Club's gracious return policy and promised me that he had personally researched the Sam's warranty and said it DOES include replacement bulbs/fans (3 yrs for $198).

What is the best way to test if the convergence on these sets is alright. I know that it isn't user adjustable and a factory pre-set.

Use a crosshatch pattern. If you have a calibration DVD like AVIA or DVE the pattern is on there. Or use any DVD that has the THX Optimizer on it. One other way to check it is to just watch for anything with white text. Then get up next to the screen and look for any color fringing around it. If it's off you should see pixels around the text that look red or green in color.

After you check it near the screen then get back to where you normally sit and check it. If you can still see color fringing then you may want to call Sony and get the light engine replaced.

ok guys I got charter cable, I have digital cable till thursday when they hook up hd. When I do a scan with the cable box in the cable input it shows no digital channels. If they was showing up as digital wouldn't they look better?? And why are they not showing as digital??? I would like to get the best pic as I can for tonight game UGa vs WV. Wish I could watch in hd.

You've got to plug the cable directly into the TV, not through the box unless it has a passthrough of some sort.

Even then, you will likely only pick up the unencrypted locals, but at least you will get some HD/Digital content until your box arrives. In order to pick up your other digital channels, you've got to use the box, and SD resolution digital or not still might not look great.

Plugging the cable directly into the TV may also let you pick up other peoples OnDemand programming. :D The PQ on those programs pretty nice, but still only 480i.

ok guys, this set rocks after a day with it.

No blotches I can find on mine :D
HD and Xbox look amazing, cannot wait for X360 in its 720p goodness.

SD is a little grainy. I think it would be non-existant at 10-11 feet, but I'm at 8-9

DarkRain - thanks for the great starting settings :D, running 003b

Ok, now time for a Q: It seems like text likes to move (up and down slightly) and it leaves a black outline where the top used to be.

I got 50" A10 recently and was told by comcast there is no compatible cable card for this set, has anyone else had a cable card installed on the A10
I purchased a 50" A10 in early December and had a Motorola cablecard installed a few days later. All went well until the tv was turned off. When it was powered back on, the tv had lost the digital channels, analog was still there. I was forturnate enough to actually speak with a Sony engineer (not consumer rep) and he admitted that some of the A10 units had this problem and that there was a known fix. A local authorized Sony repair center should be contacting me this week for the repair. Apparently some of the A10's have this problem with the card reader. Until then, I go through the menus and do a "RESET" of the cablecard and in about 15-20 seconds the tv finds the digital channels and all is well. Sometimes when I power up, the digital channels are there and sometimes they are not. Hopefully this temporary fix will be history when a new cablecard reader is installed. The Sony engineer was great and very willing to talk. The digital and HD on the A10 are all fantastic, even my SD is extremely clean, definitely as good or better then before.

I have had my a10 for a couple of weeks now, I have hooked up component and dvi/hdmi for both my D:satellite receiver and dvd player. I have changed the settings on both to 16x9 for my display settings. On the Satellite receiver under the component connection when I hit the display button on the TV remote I get 480p 16x9 but when I switch over to the dvi/hdmi I get 480p 4x3 also on my dvd player when I change to progressive scanning I get 480p 4x3 but if I turn off the progressive I get 480i 16x9. I can tell the difference the way the picture looks between these two settings so I would like to stay with 16x9. My PS2 does the same thing with component connections and setting ps2 settings to 16x9. Has anyone experienced this and have any suggestions.
Thanks
jdmac29
Please private message me with any answers or e-mail.

The only setting on the Explorer hd8300 is auto dvi/hdmi. the other settings are upconvert 1 and 2 and fixed. Also you can select how many aspects the tv can handle in the hd8300 and there are 8 screen formats.
Set the box to auto dvi/hdmi and let it pass through all 8 available resolutions. Let the TV do the work.

I found this response on CNet to someone who was having a prob with stuck pixels on their LCD PC monitor:

QUOTE

Also, if you're the risk-taking type, you can try massaging stuck pixels back to life. Simply wrap your finger in a soft cloth (not a paper towel) and very gently rub your finger over the offending pixel for a few seconds. While doing this, it helps to have a movie or color changes on the screen to stimulate the pixel. But be careful if you choose to do this: pressing too hard could cause more damage.

UNQUOTE

Think this would work on the Sony? Anyone got the balls to give it a try?

Use a crosshatch pattern. If you have a calibration DVD like AVIA or DVE the pattern is on there. Or use any DVD that has the THX Optimizer on it. One other way to check it is to just watch for anything with white text. Then get up next to the screen and look for any color fringing around it. If it's off you should see pixels around the text that look red or green in color.

After you check it near the screen then get back to where you normally sit and check it. If you can still see color fringing then you may want to call Sony and get the light engine replaced.

Going through this thread has been very informative and thanks DarkRain -- I'm using 003b.

Question on your post above...

I was watching the the INHD set-up program (DVR'd of course) and saw only a little color fringing on the outermost left vertical line. Is this acceptable or something to call Sony about? Also, this pattern showed that the picture was slightly askewed but it is not noticable in normal viewing.

I found this response on CNet to someone who was having a prob with stuck pixels on their LCD PC monitor:

QUOTE

Also, if you're the risk-taking type, you can try massaging stuck pixels back to life. Simply wrap your finger in a soft cloth (not a paper towel) and very gently rub your finger over the offending pixel for a few seconds. While doing this, it helps to have a movie or color changes on the screen to stimulate the pixel. But be careful if you choose to do this: pressing too hard could cause more damage.

UNQUOTE

Think this would work on the Sony? Anyone got the balls to give it a try?

In order to do that on one of these sets you would most likely have to take apart the optical block to get to the LCDs. That's a $1200 part and no doubt made with high precision. If a few black dots bother you that much to take that kind of risk you would be better off selling your A10 and buying a DLP set.

Use a crosshatch pattern. If you have a calibration DVD like AVIA or DVE the pattern is on there. Or use any DVD that has the THX Optimizer on it. One other way to check it is to just watch for anything with white text. Then get up next to the screen and look for any color fringing around it. If it's off you should see pixels around the text that look red or green in color.

After you check it near the screen then get back to where you normally sit and check it. If you can still see color fringing then you may want to call Sony and get the light engine replaced.
Or if you wear glasses the mis-convergence could be from not looking straight through the glasses. If I tilt my head and look through the top of my glasses the world becomes mis-converged. Same thing with looking out the side of my glasses.

I found this response on CNet to someone who was having a prob with stuck pixels on their LCD PC monitor:

QUOTE

Also, if you're the risk-taking type, you can try massaging stuck pixels back to life. Simply wrap your finger in a soft cloth (not a paper towel) and very gently rub your finger over the offending pixel for a few seconds. While doing this, it helps to have a movie or color changes on the screen to stimulate the pixel. But be careful if you choose to do this: pressing too hard could cause more damage.

UNQUOTE

Think this would work on the Sony? Anyone got the balls to give it a try?

No but it works on my wife :P

Going through this thread has been very informative and thanks DarkRain -- I'm using 003b.

Question on your post above...

I was watching the the INHD set-up program (DVR'd of course) and saw only a little color fringing on the outermost left vertical line. Is this acceptable or something to call Sony about? Also, this pattern showed that the picture was slightly askewed but it is not noticable in normal viewing.

I wouldn't worry about it because that's not bad at all.

That was hilarious suds. well my 50a10 is shipping tonight, got it from vanns $2199. no tax & free shipping. i really excited cause its been a long 4 months researching and reading, reading, reading! Thank god fort his forum. i was really tempted by the price of the panny pt52lcx65 but didnt really see a lot of feedback on the set so i bucked up and spent the extra cash for the a10. And from what i've read here, i think i made the right choice : ) Although it didnt look too bad in the store.9the panny that is) But then i went to CC to take one last look and the a10 was really shining playing a giants game in hi def. Well guys when it gets here i'll be plugging in darkrains settings to start things out. Thanks again for all the post here to everyone, even the not so positive ones, cause they all helped and im sure i'll be back lots more too. :D

I got this home today and so far i'm very happy with it. The 42" is perfect for the size of my living room. HD looks amazing and SD is pretty good but I was wondering if I would get a better SD picture splitting the cable and sending one straight into the TV? Does the box knock the signal down some?

I got this home today and so far i'm very happy with it. The 42" is perfect for the size of my living room. HD looks amazing and SD is pretty good but I was wondering if I would get a better SD picture splitting the cable and sending one straight into the TV? Does the box knock the signal down some?

Check this web site for info on cable amps. I put a cheap radio shack one on and it made a difference. I'm trying to find a better one that is recomended here as soon as I find one here in Toronto. Then this Radio Crap amp is history. Look about 3 or 4 messages back and i posted a link to cable amp thread.

Thanks, will have to check that amp out

Could someone who owns the 42 or 50 inch post some pics of what Xbox 360 games or Dvd's look like on it? That would be awesome.

Could someone who owns the 42 or 50 inch post some pics of what Xbox 360 games or Dvd's look like on it? That would be awesome.


I'll try to get some up sometime soon, but alls I know is that PGR3 and Kameo look absolutely redonkulous on it. It's pretty incredible.

I'll try to get some up sometime soon, but alls I know is that PGR3 and Kameo look absolutely redonkulous on it. It's pretty incredible.

So is it a consensus that if I have around 2G to spend and motion blur drives me crazy (LCD) and burn-in issues scare me (plasma) this would be the television to purchase for gaming? Thanks

I just wish this technology would go on a major sale :(

So is it a consensus that if I have around 2G to spend and motion blur drives me crazy (LCD)...(These sets are RP LCD technology. Will that make a difference for you?

I was watching the the INHD set-up program (DVR'd of course)....

Was wondering exactly what the "INHD set-up program" is?

thnx

I'll try to get some up sometime soon, but alls I know is that PGR3 and Kameo look absolutely redonkulous on it. It's pretty incredible.

Awesome!! I just can't get over how great these tv's look in the store. The 42 looks 50 percent better then the samsung 42 dlp next to it. I mean it looks so much better you ask yourself, how can dlp even exist next to this? Can't wait to pick up the 42 inch model in the coming weeks.

I have a question about these tv's. I know that they have an optical out on them. if I used it, would it cover all the inputs on the tv of sound coming into it? For example my 360 and cable box. Or does it just cover one input?

Was wondering exactly what the "INHD set-up program" is?

thnx

It is a program on INHD that runs about 15 minutes. It is like a mini AVIA or DVE, but in HD. You can set contrast, overscan, colors, etc. I think it is played on Saturday morning around 7 AM ET.

I have a question about these tv's. I know that they have an optical out on them. if I used it, would it cover all the inputs on the tv of sound coming into it? For example my 360 and cable box. Or does it just cover one input?
The optical out on the TV only outputs audio from over-the-air broadcasts (using the internal tuner).

These sets are RP LCD technology. Will that make a difference for you?


I thought that projection LCD technology doesn't have the problems the regular LCD techonology had in terms of Motion blur? Am I wrong?

I'm about to leave to go pick a tv out in a 15 min :confused: :(

I thought that projection LCD technology doesn't have the problems the regular LCD techonology had in terms of Motion blur? Am I wrong?

I'm about to leave to go pick a tv out in a 15 min :confused: :(


NO BLUR. blur is only a problem on panel LCDs since every pixel has to refresh when the screen changes.

It is a program on INHD that runs about 15 minutes. It is like a mini AVIA or DVE, but in HD. You can set contrast, overscan, colors, etc. I think it is played on Saturday morning around 7 AM ET.

You're absolutely right! I've just set my DVR to record it this Saturday...

Thnx for the quick response!!!!

I thought that projection LCD technology doesn't have the problems the regular LCD techonology had in terms of Motion blur? Am I wrong?

I'm about to leave to go pick a tv out in a 15 min :confused: :(

You know what to get, the 42 or 50 inch A10!!

I have a question about these tv's. I know that they have an optical out on them. if I used it, would it cover all the inputs on the tv of sound coming into it? For example my 360 and cable box. Or does it just cover one input?


I think that it will work, but you will not be getting true 5.1 on those sources unless they are going into the TV via a digital signal. If you input sound via RCA into the TV, then your receiver will output a false 5.1 sound since the source is actually 2 channels. I got an optical splitter so my 360/DVD/42" can all go into the single optical input of my receiver for true 5.1 sound to remedy that problem.

NO BLUR. blur is only a problem on panel LCDs since every pixel has to refresh when the screen changes.

whew, this message board is great, thanks for the reply.

And thanks sasquatch, I'll reply when I have everything set up on my brand new A10


thanks again

Okay, I'm having some problems with my 50" A10. I did a quick search and couldn't find anything, so I'm sorry in advance if this is a repost.

The other day, I turned the TV on like normal, nothing seemed out of place, however when the screen came on I noticed that the display overlay put up by the TV scrolls from top to bottom about every 1-2 seconds. Basically any kind of display that the TV generates itself will constantly move from top to bottom until it goes away. I tried turning it off and unplugging it to no effect. It happens on all the inputs, not just one certain one. I've had the TV for about 2 months or so and no problems up to this point, but wanted to see if maybe someone on here had an idea of what was going on before I call BB(bought the extended warrenty, so everything should be covered).

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide me with.
-Greg

Just saw this on monoprice.com

Does anyone see a reason why this WOULDNT work?

LINK (http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10422&cs_id=1042203&p_id=2522&seq=1&format=2)

Ditto - the Sam's Club in Austin, TX is also selling today for $2,399. I took the opportunity to ask the manager if he would price match Home Theather Store's $1,999 one-day-sale of the A10, and he responded that they "do not match sale prices, only regular prices." In any case, it does include the stand for the $2,399 and he touted Sam's Club's gracious return policy and promised me that he had personally researched the Sam's warranty and said it DOES include replacement bulbs/fans (3 yrs for $198).
Are you aware of any restrictions from Sam's pertaining to bulb replacement (1 per year, or unlimited over the life of the contract?) Perhaps this is an open question to everyone : where is the best value/investment..CC, BB, Sony's website, etc. as compared to this one from Sam's.

costco because if it does not work you can get your money back and they are leaneant on their return policy.
Are you aware of any restrictions from Sam's pertaining to bulb replacement (1 per year, or unlimited over the life of the contract?) Perhaps this is an open question to everyone : where is the best value/investment..CC, BB, Sony's website, etc. as compared to this one from Sam's.

Could someone who owns the 42 or 50 inch post some pics of what Xbox 360 games or Dvd's look like on it? That would be awesome.

Check the video game forum. I believe someone has posted pics of the 360 displayed on an A10. Just so you know, it looks fantastic. :)

costco because if it does not work you can get your money back and they are leaneant on their return policy.


This does bring up an interesting question. With Costco, you have a major problem, you just return the set. But if you're pleased with the set and just need a replacement bulb, is that your best option? Having a more generious bulb replacement warranty could be a better deal.

This does bring up an interesting question. With Costco, you have a major problem, you just return the set. But if you're pleased with the set and just need a replacement bulb, is that your best option? Having a more generious bulb replacement warranty could be a better deal.

Agree w/ your view. Perhaps we could hear from owners that have the various warranties and they could share the key points of their EW like cost per year, bulb replacement frequency, in-home service, etc. Sure would be helpful for those of us who are about to purchase one. Thanks.

I bought my 50A10 at Sears (they pricematched the Costco deal, including the stand). However, I did not get the EW. I checked with Chase Visa, and they offer warranty protection. They automatically double the Sony warranty. And since the 1 year Sony warranty includes bulb replacement, I am covered on the bulb replacement for 2 years. In addition, I have the option of getting an EW through Sony within the first year of purchase or through Chase Visa.

hello has all, I am French I am owner of Sony kdf 50 the same one
which little thing meadows has you, but I have a problem of rather
strong noise of ventilation,je would like to know the instructions has
to follow once in the menu machines to apparament change the speed of
the ventilator on your model, it is possible thank you of your
assistance @

hello has all, I am French I am owner of Sony kdf 50 the same one
which little thing meadows has you, but I have a problem of rather
strong noise of ventilation,je would like to know the instructions has
to follow once in the menu machines to apparament change the speed of
the ventilator on your model, it is possible thank you of your
assistance @
Turn on the high altitude setting to set high speed fan; high altitude should be off for low speed fan.

thank you for do this answer but on our premises I think that it is
necessary to return in the menu machines (I am same step on) of other
reponses??

thank you for do this answer but on our premises I think that it is
necessary to return in the menu machines (I am same step on) of other
reponses??

Désolé, nous ne vous comprenons pas. :confused:

Ok guys I got hd today, got the sa 8300 box. As of right now I got it hook up on my cable outlet.. Do I need to hook it up another way for best pic?? And i keep seeing on here where people are changing their pic setting from 720p 1080i how do you do that, I see nothing when I go into settings??

Ok guys I got hd today, got the sa 8300 box. As of right now I got it hook up on my cable outlet.. Do I need to hook it up another way for best pic?? And i keep seeing on here where people are changing their pic setting from 720p 1080i how do you do that, I see nothing when I go into settings??
The booklet that *should* have come with your 8300 goes into this. You should connect it to your tv vi hdmi cable or component cable, not coax. Once it's connected turn the 8300 off and press the two button combination on the unit (described in the booklet) to enter the hd set up menu.

The booklet that *should* have come with your 8300 goes into this. You should connect it to your tv vi hdmi cable or component cable, not coax. Once it's connected turn the 8300 off and press the two button combination on the unit (described in the booklet) to enter the hd set up menu.

they did not give me a booklet, so Im really just going by what you guys say to do
thanks

they did not give me a booklet, so Im really just going by what you guys say to do
thanks

If you have a PC, you might want to go SA's website to get lots of info:

http://www.scientificatlanta.com/consumers%5Fnew/cableboxes/8300hd.htm

If you have a PC, you might want to go SA's website to get lots of info:
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say he/she probably has web access :D

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say he/she probably has web access :D

I know, I know, but the way some folks obsess over the lowest possible price, I wonder if they cut out ALL other expenses so that they can get that 50" set...... :rolleyes:

I know, I know, but the way some folks obsess over the lowest possible price, I wonder if they cut out ALL other expenses so that they can get that 50" set...... :rolleyes:

nope not me I got the 50 and still have plenty of money lefted over for other things.

nope not me I got the 50 and still have plenty of money lefted over for other things.

If you have PC access, I'd highly recommend you pay a visit to the SA website. I was given a number of pamphlets with my 8300, but found even more info on their website.

What I really found strange was that wiring suggestions were different in the info provided by SA and info from SONY. (I think I found SA's suggestions worked out best.....)

Good luck!

If you have PC access, I'd highly recommend you pay a visit to the SA website. I was given a number of pamphlets with my 8300, but found even more info on their website.

What I really found strange was that wiring suggestions were different in the info provided by SA and info from SONY. (I think I found SA's suggestions worked out best.....)

Good luck!

ok thank you I will read up on that site, hd is new to me so Im learning as much as I can.

The booklet that *should* have come with your 8300 goes into this. You should connect it to your tv vi hdmi cable or component cable, not coax. Once it's connected turn the 8300 off and press the two button combination on the unit (described in the booklet) to enter the hd set up menu.

unless you have Time Warner Cable. The SA8300 HD that TWC uses has "Passport" as the software as opposed to the software described on the SA website. You have to use the advanced settings accessed with the remote that comes with the SA8300 to select the different resolutions you want the cable box to pass to your TV. I have selected all the resolutions so that the TV can do all the converting instead of the cable box.

I have the cable from TWC going into the cable box and then have component cables to hook the cable box to the TV

I've had my 50A10 since mid-November and love it....No stuck pixels, no dust blobs, no strange blue hues in the corner, no rpoblems with the picture not being centered....no problems period!!

Also, don't be afraid to experiment with your picture settings. I tried Dark Rain's suggested settings but did not like them. the picture was too dark for me. I don't know if it is because his settings are for a 42A10 instead of a 50A10 or if I just like my picture brighter. This is not a knock on his info but Find what YOU like and not what someone else says is the best .

OK, I searched the thread to see if this has happened to anyone else. Maybe my parameters of "power+down" might not have been the best, but I didn't find anyone posting on what happened to me today.

I picked up the 42" A10 in Sept. and haven't had any issues until today. I was leaving the house and hit the power button on the remote. The led on the front of the unit went out, but the screen didn't power off, live TV was still being displayed. I hit the power button on the front of TV, but the same thing happened. I went to the other inputs, but nothing would display. I had to leave so I left everything as it was. When I came back, the TV was still powered on and unresponsive to power down prompt, but now when I changed the input, it showed what was on Video 1 which was the input the set was on when the trouble started.

I was going to call for tech support, but I figured I'd try a reset so I pulled the plug. I had it set at Video 6 where my HR10-250 is connected via HDMI and when I restored power, it was showing Discovery-HD. All the inputs were back to normal.

So, has this happened to anyone else? Did I miss any posts by anyone who has? If so, could you point me to them. It kind of shakes my confidence in the set because if it happens once, it could happen again.

RE: Cooling Fan

Maybe the cooling fan speed is temperature controlled like the newer Dell PC cooling fans. So if you want a quieter fan, mount the TV on a stand that gives plenty of good airflow from the ventilation openings to the rest of the living area. Other than this, maybe turn the heater/air conditioner thermostat down in your living area?


RE: Powerdown wackiness

Your A10's embedded control system probably locked up somehow. I don't know the details, but Sony uses some kind of embedded Linux operating system to run the A10 series and some other TV models.

Maybe there is a bug in the firmware that is triggered under certain special conditions? Try to document all of the operating conditions for your TV (Channel number, TV show name, number of hours turned on continuously, etc) when the failure happened. Maybe Sony can figure out the problem and issue an updated firmware to solve it.

That's good thinking, cbagger01. I've got a good amount of distance from the back of the unit to the wall, enough for me to easily move in and out, but there did seem to be quite a bit of heat generating from the fan. I've got vacuum extensions that fit into small places and I think I'll vacuum it out the next time I power down.

Thanks for your input.

Well my CableCard is doing the daily reset (bummer)

Talked to the local repair guys and this is the 6th one that they have had to fix. Suposively the Lamp is overheating the cablecard and causes the reset. Sony knows about the problem and has a kit (a heat shield) to fix.

Guess Sony just figures that not everyone will use the cablecard so therefore they do not do the fix on all of them.

ok 1 more ? about my tv to cable box is this the cable I need to hook it up with?
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10231&cs_id=1023102&p_id=2526&seq=1&format=2&style=

Just a quick update on my blue blotch repair:

I called Sony, and they sent out a local service tech from American TV the week before Christmas. He tried cleaning the screen to no avail, and he decided to have the light engine replaced. The engines have been on back order at Sony, and I've had two service calls postponed. The part should be in "next week", but they said that last week, too. I'll update again once it's fixed (hopefully on the 18th). I can only hope the new engine is problem-free...

Hi all,I have a question,my screen on my 50-A10 seems to have some sort of a blotch or something,it is hard to discribe,you can see it when the TV is off,or when the room is bright,like mid day.
I have only cleaned it once with the cleaning solution from Circuit City,they gave me when I bought it.
I noticed it right after I got it home,the tech guy from CC said it will go away,but 2 months and it is still there.
It looks to be on the inside of the screen,if you look at the screen real close you cannot see it,from a distance you can,it is starting to bother me.
Any ideas would be helpful..Thanks

My 50a10 will be here on monday :D Sorry if this is a repost, but my question is.... if im using the component outs on the 8300 for HD can i still use the coax for sd channales. Man im so amped!!!!

My 50a10 will be here on monday :D Sorry if this is a repost, but my question is.... if im using the component outs on the 8300 for HD can i still use the coax for sd channales. Man im so amped!!!!

Yes I think so, I had components hooked up, and also had it going to my tv though the cable outlet. When I had the compnents hooked up, I really though the pic look bad, the cable outlet looked alot better. Im buying a hmdi cable and going to hook it up that way.

My 50a10 will be here on monday :D Sorry if this is a repost, but my question is.... if im using the component outs on the 8300 for HD can i still use the coax for sd channales. Man im so amped!!!!

RUN do not walk to your favorite TV supply store and get a monster HDMI cable. You will not regret it.

Since this is the "official sony grand wega" thread. And I'm a new user, or soon to be at least, i wanted to ask a somewhat practical question. I'm planning on getting a 50A10 tomorrow. What i was wondering is, can i lay it down in my truck bed? I cannot stand it up b/c I have a cover on it. And it occurred to me these things might not like to be laid down horizontally. Any problems with this?

I have a Dodge with a cab high topper on it and it just fit under it.
Not sure on laying it down,however when I picked mine up the guy next to me had them lay his face down in tha back of his truck.

RUN do not walk to your favorite TV supply store and get a monster HDMI cable. You will not regret it.

You won't regret an HDMI cable, but you may very well regret grossly overpaying for the Monster brand name. Check out some of the forum sponsors and get a great cable AND a good price.

Has anyone compared this set to the Hitachi 50VF820? They seem to be pretty similar in price/features.

TIA.

I have a Dodge with a cab high topper on it and it just fit under it.
Not sure on laying it down,however when I picked mine up the guy next to me had them lay his face down in tha back of his truck.

I'm definitely sure that it wouldn't fit upright in my Dodge. But my cover is bed height. So thats only like 2 feet. I'd HAVE to lay it down. I suppose I can ax at the store.

bidger: Something very similar happened to my 42A10 last Saturday. I turned off the cd my wife was playing through the av receiver and changed the input to the cable box input, but got no picture, just a black screen. I thought my 8300 box might be the culprit, so I tried the dvd input with the same result. When I tried ota reception, I got a normal picture. I tried turning off the set, but even though the green light indicator went off, the set remained on. I called Sony tech support and reported the problem. The tech seemed very knowledgable and seemed to be familiar with the problem. He had me unplug the set from the surge protector and take the batteries out of the remote. He then had me press each button on the remote twice in sequence from let to right and top to bottom, then replace the batteries and plug in the tv. He then had me turn on the set with the remote power button, and everything was back to normal and has stayed that way. I suspect the power was turned on then off then back on again in rapid sequence, and that might be what caused everything to lock up. Whatever the reason, I'm just glad everything is working ok without a service call.

Since this is the "official sony grand wega" thread. And I'm a new user, or soon to be at least, i wanted to ask a somewhat practical question. I'm planning on getting a 50A10 tomorrow. What i was wondering is, can i lay it down in my truck bed? I cannot stand it up b/c I have a cover on it. And it occurred to me these things might not like to be laid down horizontally. Any problems with this?


Do not lay down in your truck bed. Find a different way of getting it home (such as renting a pick up from Home Depot or Lowes), or maybe take it out of the box.

Laying down is prohibited by Sony, and I think some people have had problems if after the shippers layed them down.

You won't regret an HDMI cable, but you may very well regret grossly overpaying for the Monster brand name. Check out some of the forum sponsors and get a great cable AND a good price.

TOTALLY agree. I bought my HDMI cable from monoprice and paid <$20, with S/H.

Glad I didn't listen to the salesman at the TV store saying how nice the $120 Monsters were......

I got this TV last month and just got an HD box from comcast (they ran out). Today they came out and installed the box. They used component cables which initially i was pleased with. However, when i view HD channels on "Full" display mode, it seems like the sides of the picture are cut off. the Discovery HD logo says "Discove" the ESPN logo on the ticker on the bottom says ES and INHD sayd INh...When i try to change the display mode to normal, where the signal is not altered, it blocks it out. I can only choose Zoom, Wide Zoom, and Full, but all of them slice the picture. Any suggestions or ideas as per how to fix this problem?
Thanx

Thanks for the input, JC. Now that you mention it, the input the 42A10 was on at the time it started going wrong was Video1, which I have feeding from my A/V receiver for my SD D-TiVo and a SA TiVo. I don't use the original remote, but it straightened out without having to go through the procedure the tech had you do. Working OK today so far.

TOTALLY agree. I bought my HDMI cable from monoprice and paid <$20, with S/H.

Glad I didn't listen to the salesman at the TV store saying how nice the $120 Monsters were......

with hdmi cable did you buy??was it this one
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10231&cs_id=1023102&p_id=2283&seq=1&format=2&style=

or

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10231&cs_id=1023102&p_id=2526&seq=1&format=2&style=

I really dont know what the different is, which one do I need??
Thanks

with hdmi cable did you buy??was it this one
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10231&cs_id=1023102&p_id=2283&seq=1&format=2&style=

or

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10231&cs_id=1023102&p_id=2526&seq=1&format=2&style=

I really dont know what the different is, which one do I need??
Thanks


This is the one I ordered....just kinda guessed....works fine:

# 2412 Certified HDMI Cable male to male 28AWG - 6ft w/Ferrite Cores (Gold Plated) $7.65

I got this TV last month and just got an HD box from comcast (they ran out). Today they came out and installed the box. They used component cables which initially i was pleased with. However, when i view HD channels on "Full" display mode, it seems like the sides of the picture are cut off. the Discovery HD logo says "Discove" the ESPN logo on the ticker on the bottom says ES and INHD sayd INh...When i try to change the display mode to normal, where the signal is not altered, it blocks it out. I can only choose Zoom, Wide Zoom, and Full, but all of them slice the picture. Any suggestions or ideas as per how to fix this problem?
Thanx


Just guessing, but the HD Box might be set to zoom or something similiar....I had the same problem with my SA8300 at one point.

We just got the 50a10 two weeks ago, and absolutely LOVE IT. Don't have the DirecTV HD/Tivo setup yet (requirement for the female of the household), but OTA is AMAZING.

Now, I've been looking at ISF calibration. As far as I can tell, the colors are already great - I should mention I ran a couple of the THX optimizers (One from the Indiana Jones box set, the other on the Fight Club DVD). Do you think an ISF calibration would be worth it? Where would I see the most improvement from a calibration? It's so hard to decide, everyone on here swears by the calibration, but we asked the guy s who came out to install the TV and will install the DirecTV (they work at a local satellite video products/av company) and they insist ISF calibration is not necessary, and overpriced.

It seems this is a pay to play situation, to even tell the difference I would have to schedule an appointment with a calibrator and have them come out and complete the service to even tell if it was worth it. I'm afraid of doing that and not seeing a significant difference, thereby wasting someones time and being out $350.

So, in conclusion:
Has anyone here had their a10 calibrated? Was it worth it? Where did you see the most improvement? Could you have done the same thing with the Avia disc and THX optimizers? Do you have before-and-after pictures to share?

i fixed my ES, INh, DISCOV problem...the HD box was set to zoom...thanx anyway

Did anyone consider a low-end Plasma before settling on this set (e.g Vizio/Maxent 50" or similar).

I looked at the Sony today at Costco, and while it's a few hundred cheaper than the plasmas I mentioned, it just didn't look very bright compared with the plasmas. Of course, it could be the lighting and the settings.

I'm planning to put a set in a large family room w/ lots of windows, am I better off with RP LCD over Plasma?

Taken from crutchfield.com

HDTV-capable TVs with 4:3 or 16:9 aspect ratio

Screen size Suggested viewing distance
30" 6.25 feet
35" 7.3 feet
40" 8.3 feet
45" 9.4 feet
50" 10.4 feet
55" 11.5 feet
60" 12.5 feet
65" 13.5 feet

I sit 10' from from a 50a10 and sometimes it seems to big, I think I could have gotten by with a 42"

BTW I use Deconvolver's custom set up (with a couple of tweeks) and it is awesome when I hit CBS' HD5.1 shows
it all dependes on what you like. I sit 9.5 ft away and went from a 42 inch to the 50a10. I think I could have stepped up to a 55

I bought my 50A10 at Sears (they pricematched the Costco deal, including the stand). However, I did not get the EW. I checked with Chase Visa, and they offer warranty protection. They automatically double the Sony warranty. And since the 1 year Sony warranty includes bulb replacement, I am covered on the bulb replacement for 2 years. In addition, I have the option of getting an EW through Sony within the first year of purchase or through Chase Visa.


That is a most excellent deal

Well, I just pick up my 50A10 last night from Ultimate Electronics. It is a little big for my room, but I will get used to it. I will post my impressions after I have some more quality time.

RUN do not walk to your favorite TV supply store and get a monster HDMI cable. You will not regret it.


Don't waste your money on a monster cable, get another brand hdmi cable that is cheaper. hdmi cables are all the same

nik54, can you descride exactly what is going on with your blue blotch?

Hey Troub, whats the word man get set number 3 up and running yet?

I'm on number 2 as of late lastnight, jury is still out. First one went back for what I thought was just to many bad pixels, and a blue haze in the top left corner.

nik54, can you descride exactly what is going on with your blue blotch?

Sure, essentially I have a 3"x1" kidney bean-shaped blotch or spot in the center of the screen 4" from the bottom. It's always a dark blue. It's especially visible in dark material, and is washed out in bright scenes. My eyes jump straight to it whenever it's visible, and I elected to have the TV serviced.

I also happened to notice today that the lower left quadrant of my screen has a red hue to it. However, it's only visible on the 20% through 80% gray flat field patterns in DVE. I'll check this on the new light engine as well.

so far so good with set number 2. Have been trying not to look too close though LOL. But it does seem to have a bit grainier pitcher though. Everything is setup the same as the first one...........I'm probbably just loosing my mind.

I'm getting popping sounds coming out of my speakers whenever I'm on HD channels now. It used to not do this. It just started today. It doesn't do it on sd broadcasts. I'm using the tv speakers for audio. Any ideas? Thanks for the help

Having read through the forum dedicated to discussion on cable cards, there seems to be a lot of issues (primarily Comcast related) with cards. No one there specifically mentioned owning an A10. For those of you that have had either 42" or 50" A10 for a while now, (I still remain undecided which one to get), which method is working best for you (STB or CC) and how much of a hassle has it been?

RUN do not walk to your favorite TV supply store and get a monster HDMI cable. You will not regret it.

Monster? Way over-priced. Better cables can be had for much less money.

yahoo...just bought my 50A10 today. Granted it won't be delivered until next saturday, but hey, I'm excited.

Been monitoring this thread for some time now, but haven't been around since the holidays so sorry if this has been posted already. I was just at Best Buy and they had the 42A10 shown for $1599. Asked the salesman if this was a sales price and he said "no", so then asked if I could use my 10% off coupon to get the price down to ~$1440 and he said "yes". He said he didn't have any more in stock, but could get it to the store shortly.

I'm going back to make the deal tonight just in case the price decides to disappear tomorrow (Sunday), although he assured me the price would still be valid. Just wanted to let any other "fence-sitters" know about this deal.

Thanks to everyone for their input, it has been most helpful.....

I'm trying to hook up my computer to my tv. Initially it worked with a little bit of wiggling on the dvi port going into the video card. Now when I plug it in there's no video at all. I'm super pissed off!!! I think I may have buggered my dvi port on my video card now. Any suggestions?!?!