OK to all sony hdtv crt owners!

[Soshnick93]

So for all of you guys that have a sony hdtv crt. like the xbr955 xbr 960 xhr 970.

Post pics of you tv.

Discuss problems.

post your settings.

anything you have to say about a sony hd crt.

my settings are



try them out see how you like them. i calibrated with dve.

picture 70

brightness 60

color 40

hue r1

color temp neutral

sharpness 38 clear edge off.

im no expert so if there is something rong with my settings can you please let me know?

i am having a bit of geometry issues so if you guys have any ideas to fix them let me know.

[Jerm357]

Heres a pic of mine, Its a Sony 30XS955. You can even see my new DIY subwoofer in the corner :D

[Soshnick93]

so how do u like these sony crts? lol i love my 970. try my settings and what settings do u use? i stink at calibrating so my setings are probly bad.

[Soshnick93]

nice setup man. how do u like that antenna. i got this terk hdtva and it sucked. if i get ur antenna will it work better?

[adavis720]

Heres a pic of mine, Its a Sony 30XS955. You can even see my new DIY subwoofer in the corner :D

I'll bet your lizard appreciates that... :p

[Soshnick93]

how big is that sub lol is it that big a s s thing? lol how much was it thats nice

[jpl3447]

My settings are:

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f378/jmanatease/DSCN23780966.jpg

Advanced menu is set to
DRC Mode: Cinemotion
DRC Palette: Custom 2 (the default)
Color Axis: Monitor

Service menu settings:

2103-1
(RF & V5/V6)
SHAP: 1
SHFO: 3
PREO: 1
SSMD: 3
PPHA: 6

2170P-1
(This is universal)
SRBT: 29
RDRV: 43
GDRV: 27
BDRV: 16
RCUT: 42
GCUT: 26
BCUT: 20

2170P-4 (inputs 1, 5 and 6)
(Normal Axis)
RYR: 14
RYB: 14
GYR: 6
GYB: 4


(The following GAMMs are what I changed from the default)
GAMM=0
GAMB: 1

GAMM=1
GAMR: 3
GAMG: 3


And I followed the advice in this link (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=7026367&&#post7026367) for centering the picture and subsequently adjusting the overscan. I then adjusted a lower right geometry "off" using CXA-2170D-1 LCP to better than it was before.

I also tweaked the audio per this post (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=7487516&&#post7487516) . I am a little hearing impaired and trust another person's ears over mine.

These are all for a 34XBR960.





http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f378/jmanatease/DSCN23770965.jpg

[Redfin]

I have a 2003 34XBR, something er other...I can't remember the specific model number off the top of my head. I've had two plaguing issues with the set since the beginning -- first, with a 1080 input feed I had the horizontal line that wiped across the screen from right to left. I probably should have had it looked into years ago, but when I set the cable box to 720p it was clean, and after I put off calling for a while, I kind of forgot about it. The second issue I had was with the overall geometry. It had a pincushion type effect along the bottom especially. It wasn't too bad, I guess, because everyone including my wife said they couldn't see anything wrong...but it always kind of bugged me, especially when I could see the curve in the painted lines on the football fields.

[Jerm357]

My settings are........

For standard cable and OTA HD
Standard
Picture - 31
Brightness - 35
Color - 36
Sharpness - 19
Hue - 0
Color Temp - Neutral
Clear Edge VM - Off
Color Axis - Default
DRC Mode - Interlaced

For the HDMI input (OPPO 971 DVD)
Pro
Picture - 31
Brightness - 31
Color - 33
Sharpness - 31
Hue - 0
Color Temp - Neutral
Clear Edge VM - Off
Color Axis - Monitor

The settings for the HDMI input are all set in the service menu. These are the settings from someone who had there set ISF calibrated. They match up perfectly with the AVIA calibration disc for me.

Changes all under Pro with the color axis set to monitor setting and the OPPO set to 1080i.

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

The antenna works great for me. I get 12 digital channels with it and I dont have to move it around much at all to get them all. I cant realy say if it will work good for you though. It all depends how far you live from the broadcast towers.
Hope these help. ;)

About the sub its an RL-P15 D2 in a 8.5 cubic foot ported enclosure tuned to 17hz.
Its a downfiring design that is about flat down to 15hz in room (not EQed). Its powered with a Behringer EP1500 pro amp. Heres the design threads.........http://www.hometheatershack.com/forums/soundsplinter/1676-rl-p-15-project-pics.html

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=722363

The first one is has better pics but you have to be registered. It has since been painted black and sounds great. The whole project was about $650 and sounds much better than the SVS 20-39 isd I had right before it.

[Soshnick93]

http://s100.photobucket.com/albums/m7/Soshnick93/?sc=3 heres my setup hope u like it lol. so how did u guys get into the serv menu and how did you know what to do?

[Soshnick93]

have you guys tryied my settings? the prob suck so can u tell me what i am doing rong? im new i need advice.

[Redfin]

have you guys tryied my settings? the prob suck so can u tell me what i am doing rong? im new i need advice.

Are you unhappy with your picture? Why do you say your settings suck?

[justsc]

have you guys tryied my settings? the prob suck so can u tell me what i am doing rong? im new i need advice.
You gotta give yourself more credit. Your settings look very reasonable. And since all of our tvs are unique none of us can really judge the other's settings.

How did you like your first calibration experience? Intimidating? Enjoyable? A little of both? I am so happy you took this step instead of relying on someone's else's settings. Now you can practice over and over again. We get better each time we calibrate. It's not easy, but we get better over time. Soon you'll begin to see the interrelationships between some of the settings like contrast and brightness. I have to go back and forth between them until I'm happy with both.

Good job with this thread as well - I like it! ;)

[justsc]

All,

As you may have noticed already, there are significant differences in how certain Sony models guage settings.

For instance, I have the KV-34HS420 and my setting "ticker" only goes to 62 tics, while the 970 goes to 100 I believe. Obviously, my midpoint is 31, while on the 970 it's 50. For me, I have "Picture" (contrast) at 38, while Soshnick93's 970 is at 70, and both are correct for their given model.

So be sure to ID which model you have along with your settings. The XBR960s, XS955s, HS420s all have the 62 tic "ticker." The 970 has the 100 tic "ticker." I'm not sure about the HS510s and earlier models. So how does one translate? Probably percentages work best.

Cheers! ;)

[justsc]

I have the KV-34HS420. I also use Comcast's HD DVR STB and it is connected via component cables. I have audio coming out of a home theater system (Sony 5.1). I own the Oppo OPDV971H and it is connected via a DVI-HDMI cable. (sorry, no pics). I tune in analog cable signals via a 1GHz splitter at the wall with it's split going directly to the tv, bypassing the STB's crummy analog tuner.

I have used Avia, DVE and Sound & Vision's Home Theater Tuneup calibration dvds. I actually prefer the latter for ease of use (when calibrating user menu settings).

Each of my inputs has their own settings, and I'll list them accordingly.

For analog cable 480i:

Input=antenna/cable port
Picture Mode=Standard
Picture=33
Brightness=45
Color=31
Hue=31
Sharpness=28
Color Temp=Neutral
ClearEdge=Low or Off
DRC=Interlaced (960i)

For Digital Cable SD @ 480i & HD @ 1080i:

Input=Input 5 (component)
Picture Mode=Standard
Picture=39
Brightness=50
Color=34
Hue=31
Sharpness=27
Color Temp=Neutral
ClearEdge=Low or Off
DRC=Interlaced (960i) for SD and "irrelevant" for HD as this feature is essentially bypassed and defaulted at Interlaced (on my set it's greyed out for 480p and higher input)

For Oppo set at 1080i:

Input=Input 7 (HDMI)
Picture Mode=Standard
Picture=42
Brightness=53
Color=35
Hue=30
Sharpness=28
Color Temp=Neutral
ClearEdge=Low
DRC=Greyed out but defaulted to Interlaced

I have made numerous, but not extensive, SM adjustments that I will share at another time, when I locate my notes ;)

Cheers!

[Soshnick93]

bump

[Jerm357]

Im not too sure your ready for the service menu yet . You can realy mess things up in there and cause your display not to work any more if your not careful. You must realy be prepaired and know what your doing before you start with the service menu. Plus you realy should realy wait until you have about 100hours of break in time on yout Tv. In the mean time you should study this thread.........

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

[justsc]

Im not too sure your ready for the service menu yet . You can realy mess things up in there and cause your display not to work any more if your not careful. You must realy be prepaired and know what your doing before you start with the service menu. Plus you realy should realy wait until you have about 100hours of break in time on yout Tv. In the mean time you should study this thread.........

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

One must have great respect for the SM, and approach it with a plan. Unfortunatelly, many go into the SM like a bull in a china closet and regret the venture forever. Real damage can be done by taking the SM too casually.

However, approached correctly, working in the SM can be extremely rewarding. The SM is there for authorized service technicians to resolve problems that cannot be addressed in the user menus. That's why there's a special method of accessing the SM.

For now, try to create a list of those things you find bothersome, whatever they are. If you can't solve them in the user menus post questions. As your list of problems that are only serviceable in the SM begins to grow, start asking where in the SM to address them. Create a plan that prioritizes the problems with the most troublesome first.

Plan to attack ONE problem at a time - I can't emphasize this strongly enough. And apply ONE fix at a time. Otherwise you won't know which adjustment paid off.

Part of your plan MUST include writing down the default values of all settings you intend to adjust, BEFORE you adjust them. This is what trips up most folks - after playing with adjustments and finding nothing works they have no idea what value to return it to and are left to trial and error. If they've made numerous adjustments then they're out of luck and may now have a tv with terrible PQ and no easy way to return to what they started with.

KenTech's Sony Service Codes thread is THE best reference for learning about the SM and what you can do to improve the PQ of your set. You don't need to read it all, but start by skimming it and trying to learn about principles, like what overscan and greyscal are and why they're important. That kind of stuff. The more you understand the theory, the better job you'll do. Don't be intimidated. You only address one setting at a time. The thread will always be there so you don't need to memorize it.

Most of all - HAVE FUN. This is supposed to be fun. When you're ready let us know and we'll get you into the SM slowly, one step at a time.

Cheers!

[Compass]

Part of your plan MUST include writing down the default values of all settings you intend to adjust, BEFORE you adjust them. This is what trips up most folks - after playing with adjustments and finding nothing works they have no idea what value to return it to and are left to trial and error. If they've made numerous adjustments then they're out of luck and may now have a tv with terrible PQ and no easy way to return to what they started with.

Good suggestions, justsc. But it's my understanding that each change in the SM must be written to memory individually for it to be saved. Is this not the case?

And it's always good to be careful, but I think a lot of this caution might be overstated. I had fairly severe convergence and geometry problems (from a picture tube replacement) that I fixed after tweaking around for about twenty minutes. I think I ended up changing and saving a grand total of maybe three SM settings (changed plenty more, only saved a few) with the help of KenTech's thread. It really was not a big deal at all, and I'm glad I didn't read some of these warnings or I might have been too scared to try it!

Heh, yeah, anyway, I certainly agree it never hurts to be careful, as I said, but you'd have to be pretty damn foolish and careless to manage to mess up your TV with the SM imo.

[justsc]

Yes, you do have to write changes to memory, on a Sony. That's not the case with all sets however. On my Samsung there's no such protection.

You'd be amazed to read some of the stories about folks who have totally ruined their sets via playing in the SM. They're the type that insist on other's settings so they can avoid the work of using test patterns and calibrating - they just go in there and fire away.

I agree that it's not such a big deal. But there are those who've had to throw away or sell their sets, or otherwise start from pure scratch. It happens more than I would ever have believed, ergo my warnings.

[Compass]

Yes, you do have to write changes to memory, on a Sony. That's not the case with all sets however. On my Samsung there's no such protection.

You'd be amazed to read some of the stories about folks who have totally ruined their sets via playing in the SM. They're the type that insist on other's settings so they can avoid the work of using test patterns and calibrating - they just go in there and fire away.

I agree that it's not such a big deal. But there are those who've had to throw away or sell their sets, or otherwise start from pure scratch. It happens more than I would ever have believed, ergo my warnings.

Ah, of course, makes sense not all SMs would work the same in all brands. Caution away then. Be careful out there, kids. :o

[Soshnick93]

well i dont really want to do a lot of reasearch can someone just walk me through it to help me fix my geometry problems?

how do u even get into the service menu and what do u do?

[jpl3447]

well i dont really want to do a lot of reasearch can someone just walk me through it to help me fix my geometry problems?

how do u even get into the service menu and what do u do?


The thing about the 970 is that since it is a relatively new model the Service Menu is not that well explored. For example, know how the user menu goes from 1 to 100 increments? Well in the TV's talked about the the Sony Service Menu thread they go from 1 to 63. And if you read some of the posts towards the end it happens that 970 users are finding that the Service Menu is completely different, at least in some of the code groups.

I am sure there are some similarities and hopefully the geometry problems can be fixed by the same code group adjustments. You know to write down all the default values before changing them right? Anyways with the TV off press within one second of another Display, then 5, then Vol up, then power. That is the sequence that gets you into the SM. To get out of it simply hit power again (to power off) and when you hit power again you will be in normal mode. Try that a few times until you are comfortable at least bringing up the SM and getting out of it. Don't do anything else. Now, I don't know if this is the way to get into the SM on the 970. It is the way with the 910/955/960's. Come back with questions on how to scroll through the SM and change values and make them permanent. Let us know if you are able to even get into the SM in the first place. All this I am telling you is on the third post of the Service Menu thread referenced earlier. That tells you how to navigate it.

[Soshnick93]

wat do u mean with the tv off within one second of another display then 5 then vol up wat does that mean lol

[Jerm357]

wat do u mean with the tv off within one second of another display then 5 then vol up wat does that mean lol


See if you dont even understand this I realy dont feel good about you in the service menu but its your decision so heres goes.........


To enter the Service menu
-with tv off
-hit the "Display" button (all buttons are on the remote)
-hit the "5" button
-hit the "Volume Up" button
-hit the "Power On" button
To navigate use the remote's "1" and "4" buttons
To change values use the "3" and "6" buttons
To save and write a change first hit "Mute" and then "Enter."

Good luck and be carful.

[kigasman]

How does analog material look on the Sony CRT HDTV? I have a 32" Bravia XBR2 and the analog picture sucks; it looks great with HD loop at best buy. but a bit fuzzy with non hd digital dish network signals and analog over antenna. I am very disappointed and unsure if its a LCD thing or a HD / analog signal issue. I have also been looking at a Samsung slimfit tx-s3080wh as the 34" sony is a bit wide overall for me; but that seems to have lots of geometery issues, how are the Sony 34" CRT?
Thanks,
Kevin

[Soshnick93]

sony makes defenitly the most amazing crt tube hdtvs!

[justsc]

How does analog material look on the Sony CRT HDTV? I have a 32" Bravia XBR2 and the analog picture sucks; it looks great with HD loop at best buy. but a bit fuzzy with non hd digital dish network signals and analog over antenna. I am very disappointed and unsure if its a LCD thing or a HD / analog signal issue. I have also been looking at a Samsung slimfit tx-s3080wh as the 34" sony is a bit wide overall for me; but that seems to have lots of geometery issues, how are the Sony 34" CRT?
Thanks,
Kevin
Analog and digital SD look great on my 34" Sony crt set. But it took some work with a calibration dvd (e.g. Avia, DVE). Unfortunately, HD sets tend to bring out the worst in analog and SD material.

But, I'm concerned that it looks so bad on such a good Sony LCD set. My Dad's got a 32" Panasonic LCD set and analog material looks wonderful. Your XBR2 set is supposed to be top of the line, and I've seen how good it is. I'm just wondering if you have bad cabling or a bad satellite box?

[raouliii]

well i dont really want to do a lot of reasearch can someone just walk me through it to help me fix my geometry problems?

how do u even get into the service menu and what do u do?
wat do u mean with the tv off within one second of another display then 5 then vol up wat does that mean lol
See if you dont even understand this I realy dont feel good about you in the service menu but its your decision so heres goes.................
Good luck and be carful.
Geometry is VERY difficult to correct without good patterns such as crosshatches. It is also difficult to help someone do these corrections via posts. I'm expecting this to turn out bad. :( I hope I'm wrong. :rolleyes:

[DJF(NJ)]

LOVE my 2004 XBR960!!!! It's been ISF'd calibrated WITH geometry and is only used with my Toshiba XA1 HD DVD player on the weekends to show its true potential! No problems at all and I really hope this TV lasts a VERY long time.

[ncasebee]

I have a KV-36HS500 CRT Trinitron Sony HDTV. I don't really like it that much. 4:3 480i/480p content is ok. However, HDTV 720p/1080i sucks. The geometry is whack, and the focus is not uniform over the tv which IS WAY more evident in HDTV modes. I've tried to fix it via service menu, but I gave up. The HDTV is also way to small in WideScreen for the 12 feet that my couch is from the TV. Widescreen isn't immersive at all.


I'm thinking about trying to sell it, and get a larger widescreen DLP projection.

[jimboj]

does anyone have this hulk of a crt... the xbr800? its the 40 inch crt from years back. I have a 2000 xbr400 and love it. I am presently shopping for an additional hdtv and the only one I absolutely love is the discontinued sxrd 50" rp. sears had it an ran their hawaiin island loop on it. absolutely stunning video!!!

but now I need a flat panel and it kills me that image quality will not be far better than my sony crt. tell me what out there will work for me ...thanks, jim

[dontdropthesoap]

Hi... I got the XBR970 a few months ago. When I first got it, the HD was crystal clear. However, it is either that I am wrong and I just, got use to it, or the picture became less concise, a little blurry and fuzzy, the black lines(the grids?) are SLIGHTY more visible, and the picture is somewhat dark. Is this normal? Should I be worried? Any suggestions?


Thanks

[Mathesar]

Currently own the following Sony CRTS:

27FS12 Standard definition TV: A little over 6 years old , The convergence has slipped pretty bad in the upper left corner ,Unfortunately this model doesnt have any convergence adjustments in the service menu. The contrast tends to bloom when looking at white text (it didnt do this when new) this tv didnt age very well overall. Pretty weak sound from the built in speakers , Made in Mexico.

32HS510 HDTV: 3 1/2 years old, Excellent picture quality overall except for some minor convergence errors at the extreme left of the screen, also the focus is slightly 'softer' in the extreme left as well, really only noticeable when looking for it while viewing HD material (Im very picky about this stuff im guessing a lot of people wouldnt even notice), geometry is pretty decent overall, This one has the best sound ive heard coming from built in speakers on a CRT. Tons of bass and clear high end, Made in Mexico.

34XBR960 HDTV: 8 months old, Excellent picture quality minus minor geometry bends in the corners, This is my main tv for gaming (cube / ps2 / xbox / 360) and movies and its been *great* so far ,even PS2 looks nice on it via 480i (Svideo) best overall black levels ive seen on a CRT ,built in speaker sound quality is pretty good overall but no match for my HS510. , Not sure where sony got 'cheap' here but the HS510 sounds like its using a much more powerful audio amplifier despite the audio specs being the same on both models, luckily I use a 5.1 setup when watching dvd's or gaming on the 960. Made in Mexico.

24" GDM-FW900 PC CRT: 5 1/2 years old, Excellent picture quality in fact my only gripe with it is the slow warmup time ,it takes about 15 minutes before the picture quality is 100% (black levels suffer the most during this time) After warmup the picture is superb, Best geometry & convergence ive witnessed on a CRT. Capable of 2304x1440 @ 80hz max resolution (16:10 aspect) Made in Japan.

[RedFerret]

I've had my 30XS955 for about a year and have never regretted the decision. I haven't done any real calibration w/ AVIA or DVE but its on the list. My roommate has a giant Sony rear projection set that could probably also use a little adjusting too.

I have gone into the SM to correct some small overscan issues w/ some xbox games. I was quick about it; got in, found the setting, made my change and got out before I hit the wrong button and made the whole thing FUBAR. ;)

[10th St.]

Well, I have a dinosaur compared to most of you. I have the 34xbr800. Of course, when sony came out with the later models (900, 960, 970?) I regretted not waiting for one of those - that is until I look at the HD on my set which actually looks amazing to me still. I'm sure there are people who can tell the difference, and maybe if I was looking for it I could too - but I must say, it lightyears from my old SDTV and may incrementally behind the later models (not that I wouldn't like one).

I guess the 970 will be the last of it's kind? I don't really see any more investment into CRTs anymore (and honestly, can they get any better?).

The PQ is still amazing to me. Sometimes when I'm watching a football game or really good HD broadcast the image is so good it's hard to believe it's televised.

I never had it ISF'd but simply calibrated the settings based on the sound&vision cd. After that, I'd tweek it from time to time to my liking.

Sometimes on a verticle pan, I can detect a slight wave sometimes if I'm looking closely - is this a geometry problem? Can that be fixed?

As much as I love this set - my next TV will be thin. Most likely I'll be getting a 46" LCD. I've never had reason to complain about any Sony product, so I'll probably be getting the XBR2 when the prices drop.

[Soshnick93]

bumpege.

[Garvey]

Soshnick:

Why bump this thread? Can't it die or continue on its own accord?

[jpl3447]

OP, did you ever figure out how to get into the service menu? The real tweaks are in there.

[Soshnick93]

ya i got into the service menu but just shut it off lol because i had no clue what to do.

[justsc]

...Sometimes on a verticle pan, I can detect a slight wave sometimes if I'm looking closely - is this a geometry problem? Can that be fixed?...
This is pretty much normal with an interlaced set - we all get it from time to time.

[dflock]

Is seeing a darkened line about 1/2" thick across the XBR970 common? I have noticed it to the point of annoyance in standard definition (cable). It shows up about 1/3 way down the set and is more obvious in lighter backgrounds. Is there a way to remove or lessen this annoyance? Any help is appreciated.


Thanks.

Derek

[G-Bull]

I've been seeing something like this, too, on my XBR970. Mainly on lighter backgrounds, as you describe. I don't see it most of the time, but it's happened twice - once when watching TV from my HDMI cable box and once during a DVD via component. Horizontal darkened line, maybe a quarter of an inch thick, appears a third of the way down the screen then SLOWLY moves toward the bottom of the screen. And I mean slowly - takes maybe five minutes to get to the bottom of the screen, then I don't see it again. I thought I might just be seeing things, since it's really faint. Is yours really faint, too? Do you see it often? I've seen it twice in two months. I have no ideas yet about what it is.
Is seeing a darkened line about 1/2" thick across the XBR970 common? I have noticed it to the point of annoyance in standard definition (cable). It shows up about 1/3 way down the set and is more obvious in lighter backgrounds. Is there a way to remove or lessen this annoyance? Any help is appreciated.


Thanks.

Derek

[dflock]

I've been seeing something like this, too, on my XBR970. Mainly on lighter backgrounds, as you describe. I don't see it most of the time, but it's happened twice - once when watching TV from my HDMI cable box and once during a DVD via component. Horizontal darkened line, maybe a quarter of an inch thick, appears a third of the way down the screen then SLOWLY moves toward the bottom of the screen. And I mean slowly - takes maybe five minutes to get to the bottom of the screen, then I don't see it again. I thought I might just be seeing things, since it's really faint. Is yours really faint, too? Do you see it often? I've seen it twice in two months. I have no ideas yet about what it is.


I it see fairly often. It is a strange occurance. I have realized that is isn't always there. Sometimes its more revealed than other times. But if it is there, then it is more visible on lighter backgrounds. But yes, we have the same issue. It is about 1/4 - 2/5" wide going from left to right of the screen. I'm just glad I have not seen it on my DVD viewing / XBOX360 or I'd be sending the TV back. Let me know if you figure anything out about it.



Derek

[Ozymandis]

I've got a 30HS420 and an FW900. Sony makes incredible tubes. For the size I don't think anything can compare to the FW900 as long as the previously-mentioned warmup time is allotted. The 30HS420 is about to go to my bedroom, as it is WAY undersized for the living room. I will miss it despite having to sit on the floor on a bean bag to get the best cinematic experience, lol. The blacks and overall picture are great on DVD/480p games, but the size/resolution and "almost CRT" images of quality plasma are too much to resist :)

[jpl3447]

ya i got into the service menu but just shut it off lol because i had no clue what to do.

That is good actually, that you shut it off. You see, that is the beauty of going into the SM, is that if something doesn't seem right, all that needs to be done is to shut it off and when the TV is powered back on it will be as it was before the SM was accessed. I actually did the same thing, shut it off right away the first time I accessed the SM. Now that you know how to get into it, the next thing to do is to see what happens when the 1 and 4 buttons are pressed, the 2 and 5 buttons, and the 3 and 6 buttons. Get familiar with that and then shut it off. Any changes made won't be made permanent unless Mute then Enter is hit. Once I got comfortable navigating the SM then I got curious as to what something did and then did the Service Menu thread make a lot more sense.

[Compass]

lol you guys treat it like an atom bomb. It's good to be cautious and everything, but the SM really isn't *that* big a deal.

[jamare]

Wow I guess I'm the first to post with my Model. I have a Sony KV-40XBR800 (yeah the 305pound plus XBR king gorilla). Setup includes Bose Lifestyle 28, JVC Hr-s7800u, Ipod 60Gig, Xbox, Xbox 360, PS2 Slim, PS3, Samsung Sir-T351 OTA reciever, Terk tv55 outdoor antenna,FiOS internet,Xbox Gold(over 2 years left). Gamertag jamare79

[apexgrin]

I'm picking up a 34XBR800 locally this Friday for $300, does this seem like a fair price given the age of the set? My budget was limited to $300 and this seems to be the best way to go for PQ (once I get a good signal going in) within that price point, and my apartment would max out at this size anyways.

What should I be looking for on these used sets? Are there any obvious signs of a dying set? I've read about the line problem, seems like many people have fixed it in the service menu. Anything else?

[10th St.]

I'm picking up a 34XBR800 locally this Friday for $300, does this seem like a fair price given the age of the set? My budget was limited to $300 and this seems to be the best way to go for PQ (once I get a good signal going in) within that price point, and my apartment would max out at this size anyways.

What should I be looking for on these used sets? Are there any obvious signs of a dying set? I've read about the line problem, seems like many people have fixed it in the service menu. Anything else?


Sounds like a fair price to me. . .

I still have mine - still looks amazing.

[apexgrin]

Picked up the TV and hooked up a Philips up-converting DVD player to the DVI port. I have the scan line problem in 1080i, but 720p looks AWESOME. (I'm coming from a world of $89 20" junk TVs) I was most surprised by the sound quality of the built in speakers, which has bumped a 5.1 system down on the priority list and bumped an HD tuner up to the top. I'm assuming the current Samsung model is what everyone is using? Anything else I might be able to get a better deal on that would be adequate for my TV? I live in Salt Lake City, Utah and we have quite a few OTA HD channels that I'd like to pick up.

Also, is there any guides or tips/tricks articles online for use with Avia? I went through the basic calibration but haven't touched the advanced stuff yet.

[au revoir]

I have not tried the Samsung, and generally try to avoid their products, but it's virtually impossible these days.

If you are on a budget, look into one of the retired USD TV boxes made by Hisense. They go for $40-50 on EBay and there is an extensive thread on them in the HDTV Reception Hardware forum:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=479882

[mogumbo]

I've had a Sony 34XS955 for a year now. I've used DVE and the thread about Sony service codes to tweak it out as well as I can. So now I have super-accurate color quality (best I've ever seen on a TV), and better focus and geometry than the set came with. I keep the regular menu settings all at neutral and just did all my adjusting in the service menus. The picture is *gorgeous*. I drool over it all the time.

Only problems I still have (and suggestions on how to fix these would be nice):

Slight bends in the geometry near the corners, but it doesn't bother me that much. Sorry, I don't have a digital camera so I can't post a picture.

Vertical convergence problems near the edges of the screen. The service menus let you adjust horizontal convergence but not vertical.

I don't have the equipment to pick an accurate white. I can only eyeball it.

Twice this set has turned on with no picture and no sound. I had to do the "factory defaults reset" to fix it and then it worked fine. Fortunately, this didn't change any of my service menu settings.

[Mark_Likes_Games]

Apexgrin - sounds like you got a killer deal on that XBR800! That one is definitely on my list to look for... what is the 1080i issue you mentioned? How is the geometry? Do horizontal lines bend down in the corners? Have you tried any game consolse on it? How does 4:3 material look on it?

Thanks!

[apexgrin]

Apexgrin - sounds like you got a killer deal on that XBR800! That one is definitely on my list to look for... what is the 1080i issue you mentioned? How is the geometry? Do horizontal lines bend down in the corners? Have you tried any game consolse on it? How does 4:3 material look on it?

Thanks!

Better late than never I guess. heh

I do get a little of the horizontal bending in the corners, but I rarely notice it. There is a large thread on the scan line problem with 1080i material.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=190083&highlight=xbr800+horizontal

I haven't tried the service menu fixes yet as I have the DVD player running in 720p all the time. I've played the Wii on there and a Gamecube, as well as DVDs and it all looks amazing considering the price.

I bought an HDTV tuner but live behind the buildings here in downtown and have yet to get an antenna powerful enough.

It seems like the newer 960 might be a better way to go if you can find one, but I'm completely satisfied with my 800. :)

[hyghwayman]

Settings on Pro, Color axis set to Monitor (picture taken at night in low light w/ no flash - picture on TV much brighter)
http://byfiles.storage.live.com/y1pyDTXCw47wymy2UimFIHPluDRHmAqlsViGc-tBlmUABcgTC8ujEQHjKeRY8cB8m0ux08QPyDXhLU

My Sony XBR970, Xbox360 Elite, Pioneer VSX-816 and RCA 4 Head VCR

http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/504/medium/My_Sony_XBR970_Xbox360_Elite_Pioneer_VSX-816_and_RCA_4_Head_VCR_a.JPG (http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/504/My_Sony_XBR970_Xbox360_Elite_Pioneer_VSX-816_and_RCA_4_Head_VCR_a.JPG)http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/504/medium/Side_View_Of_My_Gear_a.JPG (http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/504/Side_View_Of_My_Gear_a.JPG)http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/507/medium/My_1st_Antenna_a.JPG (http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/507/medium/My_1st_Antenna_a.JPG)

Homemade HD Digital Antenna

HM Antenna Location

http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/504/medium/HM_Antenna_Location.JPGhttp://gallery.avsforum.com/data/504/medium/DCFN0015.JPGhttp://gallery.avsforum.com/data/504/medium/DCFN0016.JPG

My Games & Videos (On the floor you can see my powerfull 40W powered amp.)

Had Geomentry bowing at bottom of picture

http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/504/medium/DCFN0022b.JPG (http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/504/DCFN0022b.JPG)http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/504/medium/geometry.JPG (http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/504/geometry.JPG)http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/504/medium/geometry_b_.JPG (http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/504/geometry_b_.JPG)


Before fix After fix thru service menu

I luv my HDTV in 6.1 Surround Sound,
hyghwayman

[RandyChicago]

Just thought I'd let anyone interested know that I'm selling my 40XBR800. I bought a Panny projector and a 106" Da-Lite screen, so the beautiful Sony has to go. My last CRT television, I guess... Everything works flawlessly, at least to my eyes.

http://cgi.*********/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120164039796

You can e-mail me directly if you have any questions about it.

mikado95@aol.com

Randy in Chicago