Hi all
Sony has nothing on their website (EDIT: on 12Sep2002 I saw http://www.sonystyle.com/home/item.j...ps=null&type=s ) about a TV that several of us own of many are interested in. Here is an early press release http://news.sel.sony.com/pressrelease/2021 or one can easily find threads by doing a search with "34xbr800" in the title like: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...hreadid=157865
This might be ambitious but with the help of Hoppy, Magic123, Brad Hood, MSmith and others we might help establish a FAQ (or something like that ). How about if I start off with some obvious things and we all chip in. Much of the below is straight from the manual and some is opinions. Thanks.
1. What is the Sony KV-34XBR800?
This is Sony's 34" widescreen flatscreen (16:9) Trinitron Wega Hi Definition TV released ~ August 2002. It features an adjustable line doubler (DRC Multifunction V1), Twin View, Memory Stick Picture Viewer, Component Video Inputs (a total of 7 inputs including DVI), and the usual 3-2 pulldown. The 34xbr800 has no OTA HD tuner but here is a link to what do I need to get OTA HDTV on the 34xbr800? .
2. How big is it?
The manual says 39 1/8" X 24 1/2" X 23 1/4" at 201 lbs.
3. How much does it cost?
MSRP around $2500 or about the same as new Toshibas and Pannys. Street price may be 10% lower depending on features such as home set-up, packaged with warranty & stand, etc.
4. How is the Picture Quality?
This varies on the source. A good land cable signal will look good. DVDs are awesome. There is reported on another thread some "soft edge focus" by machine measurement. See: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...readid=158391. There have been no visual complaints registered by users when using only eyes unless one gets closer than about 6'. See: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...hreadid=160745
5. How are the speakers?
Much better than average.
6. What about stretch?
With programs not in 720p or 1080i there 4 "wide mode" choices.
From the manual . . . "Wide Zoom enlarges the 4:3 picture, while the upper and lower parts of the picture are condensed to fit the 16:9 screen. Normal returns the 4:3 picture to the original size. Full Mode stretches the 4:3 picture to fill the 16:9 screen. Zoom Mode enlarges the 4:3 picture horizontally and vertically to an equal aspect ratio that fills the 16:9 screen. Useful for watching Letterbox movies."
From MSmith . . . "Here's what the stretch modes mean:
Normal - 4:3 (or sometimes auto-16:9)
Full - 16:9, stretched horizontally if necessary
Zoom - zoom in so that 4:3 horizontally fills the screen, cutting off top and bottom
Wide Zoom - Like Full, but the stretch is more extreme at the edges of the screen and the center is mostly left alone. Supposed to make people look human while filling the screen."
I have used stretch for NTSC 4:3 but not yet on a DVD quality 4:3. Stretch definitely worsens picture quality (grainy) and distorts images (widens 4:3 images) so everyone has to decide what is most pleasing to his/her eyes.
7. If I don't use stretch will I get a burn-in?
Burn-in is unlikely with direct view especially if it is not left on with a 4:3 image for long periods (like overnight) and if it is calibrated to be less vivid.
8. How do I calibrate?
The 34xbr800 is amazingly well calibrated at the factory - better than older Sony's for sure. The "View Mode" includes Vivid (which must be for factory showroom floors because it is WAY too vivid = distortion), Standard (less vivid), Movie (less vivid) and Pro ("to display a picture with minimum enhancements" quoting from the manual but put those enhancements like SVM (scan velocity modulation) in quotes because it may be sacrificing picture quality. Out of the box, I used Pro Mode. On AVIA I only needed to drop Picture/Whiteness by 1/4 or 3 notches and do the same for Sharpness. I did not have to change Brightness/Blackness, Color, or Hue. Some like the picture straight out of the box so setting up the 34xbr800 to look nice is easy.
9. What is DRC?
Digital Reality Creation is the Sony name for their line doubler. It comes in 3 flavors: As per the manual, Interlaced is "recommended for moving pictures", Progressive for "still images and text", and CineMotion "provides an optimized display by automatically detecting film content and applying a reverse 3/2 pulldown process. Moving pictures will appear clearer and more natural-looking".
Confused yet? I just leave mine on CineMotion and cannot tell a difference flipping through the 3 modes.
10. Do you like it and would you buy it if you had the same choices again?
I love the TV at 24 hours. The 34xbr800 picture looks great with regular cable and is mind-blowing with DVD, has a bunch of connections so I won't run out of upgrade add-on connections, and is the best TV with the most options I have seen or owned. It was hard to wait for the 34xbr800 to land in the local stores but it was worth the wait.
OK everyone please correct and add to this thread and it will make an easy place for 34xbr800 owners and potential buyers to give & get the inside viewpoints they will never get from the owner's manual or from Sony. Hope someone does this for my next purchase. Hooray for avsforum!!! Thanks and happy viewing.
Rick
PS at edit, I add links to update the FAQ such as . . .
What TV stand for 34xbr800? and 34xbr800 service mode and 34xbr800 adjustments and 32hv600 geometry and Tweaking the 34xbr800 and 34xbr800 owner's manual and Sony service manual and vertical bars when viewing 1080i and what do stretch modes look like on a widescreen monitor? and choosing a calibration DVD and anyone got a HTPC hooked up to a 34xbr800? and do the DVI inputs on current TV sets accept a signal from the DVI outputs on a computer video card? .
Sony has nothing on their website (EDIT: on 12Sep2002 I saw http://www.sonystyle.com/home/item.j...ps=null&type=s ) about a TV that several of us own of many are interested in. Here is an early press release http://news.sel.sony.com/pressrelease/2021 or one can easily find threads by doing a search with "34xbr800" in the title like: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...hreadid=157865
This might be ambitious but with the help of Hoppy, Magic123, Brad Hood, MSmith and others we might help establish a FAQ (or something like that ). How about if I start off with some obvious things and we all chip in. Much of the below is straight from the manual and some is opinions. Thanks.
1. What is the Sony KV-34XBR800?
This is Sony's 34" widescreen flatscreen (16:9) Trinitron Wega Hi Definition TV released ~ August 2002. It features an adjustable line doubler (DRC Multifunction V1), Twin View, Memory Stick Picture Viewer, Component Video Inputs (a total of 7 inputs including DVI), and the usual 3-2 pulldown. The 34xbr800 has no OTA HD tuner but here is a link to what do I need to get OTA HDTV on the 34xbr800? .
2. How big is it?
The manual says 39 1/8" X 24 1/2" X 23 1/4" at 201 lbs.
3. How much does it cost?
MSRP around $2500 or about the same as new Toshibas and Pannys. Street price may be 10% lower depending on features such as home set-up, packaged with warranty & stand, etc.
4. How is the Picture Quality?
This varies on the source. A good land cable signal will look good. DVDs are awesome. There is reported on another thread some "soft edge focus" by machine measurement. See: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...readid=158391. There have been no visual complaints registered by users when using only eyes unless one gets closer than about 6'. See: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...hreadid=160745
5. How are the speakers?
Much better than average.
6. What about stretch?
With programs not in 720p or 1080i there 4 "wide mode" choices.
From the manual . . . "Wide Zoom enlarges the 4:3 picture, while the upper and lower parts of the picture are condensed to fit the 16:9 screen. Normal returns the 4:3 picture to the original size. Full Mode stretches the 4:3 picture to fill the 16:9 screen. Zoom Mode enlarges the 4:3 picture horizontally and vertically to an equal aspect ratio that fills the 16:9 screen. Useful for watching Letterbox movies."
From MSmith . . . "Here's what the stretch modes mean:
Normal - 4:3 (or sometimes auto-16:9)
Full - 16:9, stretched horizontally if necessary
Zoom - zoom in so that 4:3 horizontally fills the screen, cutting off top and bottom
Wide Zoom - Like Full, but the stretch is more extreme at the edges of the screen and the center is mostly left alone. Supposed to make people look human while filling the screen."
I have used stretch for NTSC 4:3 but not yet on a DVD quality 4:3. Stretch definitely worsens picture quality (grainy) and distorts images (widens 4:3 images) so everyone has to decide what is most pleasing to his/her eyes.
7. If I don't use stretch will I get a burn-in?
Burn-in is unlikely with direct view especially if it is not left on with a 4:3 image for long periods (like overnight) and if it is calibrated to be less vivid.
8. How do I calibrate?
The 34xbr800 is amazingly well calibrated at the factory - better than older Sony's for sure. The "View Mode" includes Vivid (which must be for factory showroom floors because it is WAY too vivid = distortion), Standard (less vivid), Movie (less vivid) and Pro ("to display a picture with minimum enhancements" quoting from the manual but put those enhancements like SVM (scan velocity modulation) in quotes because it may be sacrificing picture quality. Out of the box, I used Pro Mode. On AVIA I only needed to drop Picture/Whiteness by 1/4 or 3 notches and do the same for Sharpness. I did not have to change Brightness/Blackness, Color, or Hue. Some like the picture straight out of the box so setting up the 34xbr800 to look nice is easy.
9. What is DRC?
Digital Reality Creation is the Sony name for their line doubler. It comes in 3 flavors: As per the manual, Interlaced is "recommended for moving pictures", Progressive for "still images and text", and CineMotion "provides an optimized display by automatically detecting film content and applying a reverse 3/2 pulldown process. Moving pictures will appear clearer and more natural-looking".
Confused yet? I just leave mine on CineMotion and cannot tell a difference flipping through the 3 modes.
10. Do you like it and would you buy it if you had the same choices again?
I love the TV at 24 hours. The 34xbr800 picture looks great with regular cable and is mind-blowing with DVD, has a bunch of connections so I won't run out of upgrade add-on connections, and is the best TV with the most options I have seen or owned. It was hard to wait for the 34xbr800 to land in the local stores but it was worth the wait.
OK everyone please correct and add to this thread and it will make an easy place for 34xbr800 owners and potential buyers to give & get the inside viewpoints they will never get from the owner's manual or from Sony. Hope someone does this for my next purchase. Hooray for avsforum!!! Thanks and happy viewing.
Rick
PS at edit, I add links to update the FAQ such as . . .
What TV stand for 34xbr800? and 34xbr800 service mode and 34xbr800 adjustments and 32hv600 geometry and Tweaking the 34xbr800 and 34xbr800 owner's manual and Sony service manual and vertical bars when viewing 1080i and what do stretch modes look like on a widescreen monitor? and choosing a calibration DVD and anyone got a HTPC hooked up to a 34xbr800? and do the DVI inputs on current TV sets accept a signal from the DVI outputs on a computer video card? .