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The Official Pioneer 9G Elite KURO Owner's Discussion Thread - Page 571

post #17101 of 28727
5/22/09 at 10:39am
Quote:
Originally Posted by James W. Johnson View Post

BTW there is not a huge difference between properly calibrated ISF-Day and ISF-Night viewing modes.

Actually I would say there's a significant difference between ISF-Day and ISF-Night, at least to my eyes. Also the Contrast settings are significantly different between the 2 modes and it would be hard not to see a significant difference just based on the very different Contrast settings.
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post #17102 of 28727
5/22/09 at 10:54am
Quote:
Originally Posted by heatwave3 View Post

I think you might be on to something with that "test". If you like or even prefer Pure mode, you're more likely to fully appreciate the investment in a professional calibration. If Pure mode isn't to your liking as a regular viewing mode, you might not fully appreciate your investment in a pro-calibration.

yup. there's something to be said for determining up front whether or not the user is pre-disposed to liking something... if they don't like pure, they are unlikely to like a "more accurate" pure... as noted, they can still have their sets calibrated in other modes, but since that calibration is likely to take away what is attracting them to those modes in the first place, i don't know what they gain...

on my 150fd, to my eyes, the isf modes are like pure on steroids, but with only the good effects...

my 111fd is just running in pure, getting enough hours on it for umr's next visit to the toxic waste dumps...
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post #17103 of 28727
5/22/09 at 11:21am
What is the story with the proper viewing distance on TVs? I have read that you should never be more than 10ft from a 50" TV, and never more than 12ft from a 60". I sit about 11ft from my 111-FD, however the viewing distance varies as we have 2 couches positioned like a sectional. So if you are on a far end of either couch, you're probably only 8-9' from the screen, whereas, if you were to sit where the couches meet (and the most centered view to the picture) you're closer to 11.5-12ft.

If I was trying to set up a true home theater experience, I dont think I would even consider a flat panel television. Personally, I would get a projector. Unless you had a small enough room where you could arrange seating about 6feet from a 50" without wasting space in the room.

I bought the TV out of space concerns, I have cathedral ceilings that slope down towards the walls and the fireplace area is really the only place to put a television without wasting a tremendous amount of space on an awkward setup elsewhere in the room. A 6020FD wouldnt comfortably fit without being jammed up against the ceiling/mantle, because of the speaker on the bottom, and a 151FD is a tad out of my price range. I was considering a 58" Panasonic/Sammy that would have fit, but I liked the picture on the pioneer better, even though I lost 8" (plus the pioneer was actually a couple hundred dollars cheaper). Its also an absurdly nice upgrade from my 37" Olevia, which went in the game room.

Long story short... IMO, your viewing distance doesnt really matter if you bought the TV as a general TV for your living room where you watch tv shows, sports and the occasional blu-ray - as long as it looks big enough to you. The Society of Motion Picture and Technology Engineers (SMPTE) recommends a maximum viewing distance of about 17 feet for a 50" TV. If you bought the TV for a home theatre experience and you want to take full advantage of 1080p HD viewing, the maximum recommendation is 6.5 feet (8ft on a 60").
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post #17104 of 28727
5/22/09 at 11:29am
Quote:
Originally Posted by pdogg93 View Post

I have also been using pure mode for blu-rays, as per d-nice's setting post break in... My only issue is that these colors look way too warm, i.e. the whites look more milky yellow.

I don't understand why this is considered accurate? Is there a way to achieve the same color accuracy by cooling the color temp a bit (within pure mode). I mean when i'm in the ps3 menu, i can see where the lettering is supposed to be white, it's actually an off-white.

Although Pure mode may be more accurate than some other modes, it is still not accurate. The color temp for Pure is a bit low.

I cannot stress enough how much improvement you can achieve by activating and using the ISF modes. It is an inexpensive and easy tweak.

There is not a single person who has watched my 151 who has said it looked dull (and these are average people who give a flip about tweaking, calibrating, etc.).
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post #17105 of 28727
5/22/09 at 11:33am
Sit at whatever distance you prefer, some folks prefer sitting back aways and some prefer sitting close.

I sit 9' back from my 151 60" and I would not want to sit a single foot further back, I think this chart is fairly accurate.

But it really does not matter, sit back at whatever distance you are comfortable with.

Based on my personal preferences id sit 6-7' max from a 50" HDTV.

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post #17106 of 28727
5/22/09 at 12:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by heatwave3 View Post

Actually I would say there's a significant difference between ISF-Day and ISF-Night, at least to my eyes.

That depends entirely on how they're both set up.

ISF Day and Night are functionally identical. They only look different when you apply different settings to each.
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post #17107 of 28727
5/22/09 at 12:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by lightforce18 View Post

well from the pics ive seen isd day looks very bright i think i would like it over performance, but im afraid to unlock the mode lol.

There's nothing at all to be afraid of. All you do is make those modes available. They don't fundamentally change your panel in any way, and unlocking them doesn't mean you have to use them.

Quote:
Originally Posted by heatwave3 View Post

According to many on this thread, you're supposed to "appreciate" those milky yellows. After months of owning my 151, I still find Pure to be the worst viewing mode for my tastes (as well as anyone else that's viewed Pure on my 151). I much prefer ISF-Day over Pure. In fact I prefer just about evry other mode over Pure.

Watch whatever mode you happen to like best and don't worry too much about what others think is the most "accurate" mode to use. Use whatever mode maximizes your viewing pleasure from your POV.

+1
Anybody else's opinion about what they like and even what they think you should like or might like is utterly irrelevant. Everybody should just use their own panel the way that they like it best.....the judgments of a bunch of strangers on an internet forum don't mean rat's a** if your TV looks crappy to you. Pioneer recognized that people have different tastes and included a variety of AV modes to accommodate them. 'Nuff said.
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post #17108 of 28727
5/22/09 at 1:33pm
No one to pickup the pieces

http://www.dealerscope.com/article/d...-407401_1.html
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post #17109 of 28727
5/22/09 at 1:54pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by gene9p View Post

No one to pickup the pieces

http://www.dealerscope.com/article/d...-407401_1.html

It's a shame to let all that great technology go to waste.

Glad I got one while I could.
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post #17110 of 28727
5/22/09 at 1:59pm
I apologize if this should be in another board, but I recently got the 111FD and think it's awesome. I used the break-in and D-Nice settings for the ISF modes. They look phenomenal. I just picked up a Sony S350 Blu Ray player and would like to get down to one remote. I'm currently using a Charter Cable remote, the KURO Remote and the BD remote. It's getting annoying having the 3 remotes going. Also, I have a Apple TV remote that I also use for that input. All of this equipment is sent to the KURO using HDMI cables.

My question is, can I use the KURO remote to control these devices or are there any recommendations for an appropriate, medium priced universal.

Thanks for your help.
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post #17111 of 28727
5/22/09 at 2:13pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by lightforce18 View Post

yea reading those reviews made me want to like pure mode. But once you put it on performance and go back to pure its like a night and day difference.

Before I respond directly to your post, let me give you some brief history of my experience with my former Samsung DLP. The first six months of ownership I watched the Standard Mode, but I kept reading of members who preferred the Movie Mode, which, they said, was much more accurate for gray scale, colors, skin tones, etc. I decided to give it a three-day test and I came to love this mode even though it was definitely "darker" and a bit on the "soft" side. When I turned to other more "dynamic" modes I couldn't bear seeing the reddish skin tones and the washed out look from too high a contrast.

Two weeks ago I received my new PRO-151 and I immediately put it on the Pure Mode and it was quite similar to the Movie Mode on my Sammy DLP; in other words, I liked it! I have done some tweaking though in order to give it a little more "pop" and "brightness" and I do plan to get the software so I can activate the ISF-modes.

I should add that when I watch animated titles I do switch it from Pure Mode to Standard in order to get even more "pop," for with animated titles you aren't sacrificing accurate skin tones by using a mode with more contrast, sharpness, etc.

The bottom line is, as has been said, you really need to watch "what you like." But I'm here to say that you can indeed develop a taste for a more accurate setting like the Pure Mode gives you. And once you do, I doubt you would want to go back to a mode that sacrifices accuracy, especially accuracy in skin tones and color. But if you decide you don't even want to try developing a taste for a more accurate setting, by all means stick with what you like now and enjoy your set. This is just my 2 cents worth, FWIW.
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post #17112 of 28727
5/22/09 at 2:33pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by sct980203 View Post

I apologize if this should be in another board, but I recently got the 111FD and think it's awesome. I used the break-in and D-Nice settings for the ISF modes. They look phenomenal. I just picked up a Sony S350 Blu Ray player and would like to get down to one remote. I'm currently using a Charter Cable remote, the KURO Remote and the BD remote. It's getting annoying having the 3 remotes going. Also, I have a Apple TV remote that I also use for that input. All of this equipment is sent to the KURO using HDMI cables.

My question is, can I use the KURO remote to control these devices or are there any recommendations for an appropriate, medium priced universal.

Thanks for your help.

The Kuro remote can be used as a universal, though it's not the most user-friendly way to go. You always have to make sure that you put it into the proper component mode for each device, and you can't make macros....but that's pretty typical for a manufacturer's stock remote.

You shouldn't have any trouble getting it to perform all the basic commands for the BD player and the cable box, either through device codes or learning the commands. Set up the BD player as the DVD/DVR device, and the cable box as the CBL/SAT device. (See the manual for precise instructions on how to do this.) I don't know much about the Apple TV, but I would think you could learn it's commands as one of the remaining devices, TV/RCV or VCR.

All that said, even a basic third-party universal will give you more functionality than any of the manufacturers' remotes used this way. Take a look at some of the Harmony remotes. Many people like them a lot and they offer products across a wide price spectrum. ("Medium-priced" can mean very different things to different people....)
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post #17113 of 28727
5/22/09 at 8:31pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by progprog View Post

The Kuro remote can be used as a universal, though it's not the most user-friendly way to go. You always have to make sure that you put it into the proper component mode for each device, and you can't make macros....but that's pretty typical for a manufacturer's stock remote.

I concur (and actually think progprog's post is an understatement).

IMHO, the remote supplied is really suboptimal from an ergonomic standpoint--lot's of identical feeling little buttons with tiny print. The earlier generation (circa mid to late 1990's) Pioneer remotes were much more innovative. It's a shame the design of the remote doesn't hold a candle to how good the set is---the Kuro deserved better.

I use a Harmony One to run everything--has worked well thus far.
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post #17114 of 28727
5/22/09 at 8:43pm
I think the factory remote is a joke. Especially for a plasma of this calibre. It's "the best on the market". Pioneer should have struck a deal with one of the better remote companies. Like "Universal Remote Control" or even Logitech.

I'm considering the 141 + SC-07 (as far as Pioneer products go). And am also looking at getting a universal remote. The Harmony One is definitely on my list as you can program it using a Mac. Among other reasons. And the URC MX-450. Much better remotes by far. Good ergonomics. Button layout..etc.

I'm just still trying to convince myself the 141 is THAT MUCH better than the competition I've demoed (e.g. Sony XBR6/7, Panasonic 800 series plasma...etc.). Though difficult as not every shop has done any real calibration. I know about the Pioneers awesome CR. No one else comes close. Yet.
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post #17115 of 28727
5/22/09 at 11:41pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mvp2005fan View Post

It's a shame the design of the remote doesn't hold a candle to how good the set is---the Kuro deserved better.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dark7pt1 View Post

I think the factory remote is a joke. Especially for a plasma of this calibre. It's "the best on the market". Pioneer should have struck a deal with one of the better remote companies. Like "Universal Remote Control" or even Logitech.

I have a theory on this. The more a expensive a component is, the crappier the remote, because I think manufacturers pretty much assume that people buying such "high-end" gear will employ a higher-end, programmable control. Seriously. (And I don't think it's such a far-fetched assumption on their part....)

The two most-expensive components in my system, one of them certainly also the most complex, have by far the worst remotes. Practically useless. I've gotten to where I don't even bother putting batteries in new stock remotes anymore. (I have a couple new Oppo players where I have literally never even removed the remotes from their little plastic baggies...) Programming new components into my universal is the first thing I do whenever I add gear.
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post #17116 of 28727
5/22/09 at 11:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by progprog View Post

......I have a couple new Oppo players .....

You have TWO new Oppo BDP-83 units??

.....cool
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post #17117 of 28727
5/22/09 at 11:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by dssturbo1 View Post

You have TWO new Oppo BDP-83 units??

.....cool

Yup! And TWO Oppo remotes in plastic bags!
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post #17118 of 28727
5/23/09 at 6:43am
Quote:
Originally Posted by KMacBlue View Post

crap... did i just ruin my Kuro Elite screen?

So, I mounted the Elite last night above my fireplace, unfortunately one of the guys helping me wasn't as careful as i'd hoped he'd be and left a bunch of fingerprint smudges on the screen. I tried to follow pioneer's instructions to the T about only wiping the screen with the included dry cloth. This method alone would not remove the finger prints from the tv (there was a vivid hand mark right in the top center of the screen). So, I dampened the cloth, this hid the smudges for about 5 minutes, then they reappeared. Finally, I just wanted the smudges gone, so i sprayed 2-3 sprays of monster cleaner (blue bottle) on the cloth and gently rubbed the screen and the fingerprints finally disappeared.

Did I just ruin the anti-reflective coating on the screen by doing this? I tried to use as little cleaner as possible, and only sprayed it on the cloth and quickly dried the tv with a dry portion of the cloth. Unfortunately, this hand mark was just not coming off with any other method. I joked with my fiancee that the manufacturer said to return the TV if it ever got a fingerprint smudge on the screen.

well you should have had them wear gloves and not touch the screen, but whatever

OK so I have had my 111 since 11-2008 and I have had some problems to say the least (check my posts) the anti-reflective coating was causing some sorta lines when the picture was moving up and down but not side to side - it looked like a bunch of dirty spots all over the screen and it was there from the start and I went into the store and saw it on the display model

so I asked the sales person who I bought it from (same person I got my 1150HD from and a whole lot of other stuff for my setup) and convinced him to let me clean the display model with Agent Blue and 99.99% pure Ethanol using a microfiber cloth and it removed the anti-reflective coating and left the surface looking much better in the place I applied it - you could see the light from a D6500 bulb reflected off the screen and it looked blueish, but in the spot that was cleaned it looked like a mirror reflection with almost perfect color reproduction after the fact - this was after hours at the store and there were some ISF dudes there and we called them over to show them it and at first they were like "Agent Blue and Ethanol is for cleaning lenses not the whole screen, ha!" but after I asked them to look at the reflection they were stunned, they told me that "it appears that if the anti-reflective coating was not applied correctly or damaged causing spots over the screen then it would cause inaccuracies in the picture in small places so it was best to remove it all together if it has been compromised, this will need further review" looks at the other one and says "lets get the meters" the other one turns to me and says "get this whole screen completely cleaned of this anti-reflective coating by the time we get back with the measuring equipment so we can test this and see if you are right" so I did and what they found was that it cause the display to need to be re-calibrated it was to "warm" and needed some "blues" one guy said - but it didnt ruin the display

the only problem was that the edges of the screen were hard to get to and I ended up not getting them done completely on that display, so on my display we took off the front bezel so you can get behind where it is covered up and to the edge of the screen - it took 2 hours because we were being careful not to press to hard on the screen (not wanting to crank it or anything like that) and it was hard to get off completely - it was definitely not on evenly in all places, it came off easier in some places and not so in others like it was thicker or something like that - but when done and re-calibrated using controlcal it was looking the same as before without the dirty spots but we had to move it up from like D4800 or so from the last settings but you couldnt tell from looking at content only the meters showed that change


so I say get some Agent Blue and Ethanol and go to town if you are so inclined - I believe the screens are Optical Grade Plastic not actual "Glass", OGP is called glass because it is hard and usually made from synthetic sapphires so it is harder than any other clear substance than Diamonds
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post #17119 of 28727
5/23/09 at 7:03am
Quote:
Originally Posted by mvp2005fan View Post

I concur (and actually think progprog's post is an understatement).

IMHO, the remote supplied is really suboptimal from an ergonomic standpoint--lot's of identical feeling little buttons with tiny print. The earlier generation (circa mid to late 1990's) Pioneer remotes were much more innovative. It's a shame the design of the remote doesn't hold a candle to how good the set is---the Kuro deserved better.

I use a Harmony One to run everything--has worked well thus far.

Home Theater Magazine recently reviewed the remotes that came from some of the top display manufacturers including Pioneer. Their observation was that Pioneer opted to have so many tiny buttons on the Kuro remotes so you would have "one touch" access to virtually all of the commands in the various menus on the set. On the other brands you have to go into numerous sub menus to achieve the same result. That being said, the Kuro remote is not user friendly and in plain English as a universal remote it "sucks"!

I also decided to use the Harmony One as all six of my components are 10 feet across the room in plain sight and there was no need for an RF type of remote. The H1 which is an IR remote is great for this type of setup and I found a website on the H1 thread here on AVS where you can download all of the channel icons for your display. The setup for the H1 is easy and believe it or not their tech support department is extremely knowledgeable and have offered easy fixes to any setup issues I have had. They do the programming on their end when you tell them what you want the remote to do and you only have to sync your remote online with them to update it.
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post #17120 of 28727
5/23/09 at 7:44am
Quote:
Originally Posted by leftkidney View Post

well you should have had them wear gloves and not touch the screen, but whatever

OK so I have had my 111 since 11-2008 and I have had some problems to say the least (check my posts) the anti-reflective coating was causing some sorta lines when the picture was moving up and down but not side to side - it looked like a bunch of dirty spots all over the screen and it was there from the start and I went into the store and saw it on the display model

so I asked the sales person who I bought it from (same person I got my 1150HD from and a whole lot of other stuff for my setup) and convinced him to let me clean the display model with Agent Blue and 99.99% pure Ethanol using a microfiber cloth and it removed the anti-reflective coating and left the surface looking much better in the place I applied it - you could see the light from a D6500 bulb reflected off the screen and it looked blueish, but in the spot that was cleaned it looked like a mirror reflection with almost perfect color reproduction after the fact - this was after hours at the store and there were some ISF dudes there and we called them over to show them it and at first they were like "Agent Blue and Ethanol is for cleaning lenses not the whole screen, ha!" but after I asked them to look at the reflection they were stunned, they told me that "it appears that if the anti-reflective coating was not applied correctly or damaged causing spots over the screen then it would cause inaccuracies in the picture in small places so it was best to remove it all together if it has been compromised, this will need further review" looks at the other one and says "lets get the meters" the other one turns to me and says "get this whole screen completely cleaned of this anti-reflective coating by the time we get back with the measuring equipment so we can test this and see if you are right" so I did and what they found was that it cause the display to need to be re-calibrated it was to "warm" and needed some "blues" one guy said - but it didnt ruin the display

the only problem was that the edges of the screen were hard to get to and I ended up not getting them done completely on that display, so on my display we took off the front bezel so you can get behind where it is covered up and to the edge of the screen - it took 2 hours because we were being careful not to press to hard on the screen (not wanting to crank it or anything like that) and it was hard to get off completely - it was definitely not on evenly in all places, it came off easier in some places and not so in others like it was thicker or something like that - but when done and re-calibrated using controlcal it was looking the same as before without the dirty spots but we had to move it up from like D4800 or so from the last settings but you couldnt tell from looking at content only the meters showed that change


so I say get some Agent Blue and Ethanol and go to town if you are so inclined - I believe the screens are Optical Grade Plastic not actual "Glass", OGP is called glass because it is hard and usually made from synthetic sapphires so it is harder than any other clear substance than Diamonds

Wow man, you have some guts LOL! I would have never done that as I assume that would void your warranty let alone compromise the picture. Hey if you are happy with the final image, that's all that matters. I will tell you though that I am 99% sure what you had before you stripped the anti-reflective coating off was dirty screen. If it was only visible during up and down pans than that is what it is (of course some people have dirty screen vertically and horizontally). Again though, if you feel the picture is better than that's great. I know DSE can be a major issue if it is bad enough. Do a search on dirty screen effect and you will find a bunch of threads on this (included one I started).
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post #17121 of 28727
5/23/09 at 9:12am
Quote:


Originally Posted by YOTR

Wow man, you have some balls LOL!

+1 !!
99.99% pure Ethanol LOL!!!!

You coulda just use some of this..>>
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post #17122 of 28727
5/23/09 at 10:34am
Quote:
Originally Posted by KMacBlue View Post

What is the story with the proper viewing distance on TVs? I have read that you should never be more than 10ft from a 50" TV, and never more than 12ft from a 60". I sit about 11ft from my 111-FD, however the viewing distance varies as we have 2 couches positioned like a sectional. So if you are on a far end of either couch, you're probably only 8-9' from the screen, whereas, if you were to sit where the couches meet (and the most centered view to the picture) you're closer to 11.5-12ft.

If I was trying to set up a true home theater experience, I dont think I would even consider a flat panel television. Personally, I would get a projector. Unless you had a small enough room where you could arrange seating about 6feet from a 50" without wasting space in the room.

I bought the TV out of space concerns, I have cathedral ceilings that slope down towards the walls and the fireplace area is really the only place to put a television without wasting a tremendous amount of space on an awkward setup elsewhere in the room. A 6020FD wouldnt comfortably fit without being jammed up against the ceiling/mantle, because of the speaker on the bottom, and a 151FD is a tad out of my price range. I was considering a 58" Panasonic/Sammy that would have fit, but I liked the picture on the pioneer better, even though I lost 8" (plus the pioneer was actually a couple hundred dollars cheaper). Its also an absurdly nice upgrade from my 37" Olevia, which went in the game room.

Long story short... IMO, your viewing distance doesnt really matter if you bought the TV as a general TV for your living room where you watch tv shows, sports and the occasional blu-ray - as long as it looks big enough to you. The Society of Motion Picture and Technology Engineers (SMPTE) recommends a maximum viewing distance of about 17 feet for a 50" TV. If you bought the TV for a home theatre experience and you want to take full advantage of 1080p HD viewing, the maximum recommendation is 6.5 feet (8ft on a 60").

I'm 6 feet from my 111FD and it provides the perfect "immersive" experience for me. YMMV.
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post #17123 of 28727
5/23/09 at 10:58am
Quote:
Originally Posted by leftkidney View Post

this was after hours at the store and there were some ISF dudes there ...

Were the "ISF dudes" the Geek Squad by any chance? If not, who were they?
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post #17124 of 28727
5/23/09 at 11:12am
Quote:
Originally Posted by progprog View Post

Yup! And TWO Oppo remotes in plastic bags!

I have only one (it arrived yesterday). But then, I have only a 1-bedroom apartment; you have a house, or at least more space than I. However, I DO have an 09FD. Are we even?
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post #17125 of 28727
5/23/09 at 11:20am
Quote:
Originally Posted by prepress View Post

I have only one (it arrived yesterday). But then, I have only a 1-bedroom apartment; you have a house, or at least more space than I. However, I DO have an 09FD. Are we even?

LoL! Not a contest....we're totally even! Is the Oppo for a bedroom setup, or are you pitting them against one another in your HT?
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post #17126 of 28727
5/23/09 at 11:20am
Quote:
Originally Posted by KMacBlue View Post

What is the story with the proper viewing distance on TVs? I have read that you should never be more than 10ft from a 50" TV, and never more than 12ft from a 60". I sit about 11ft from my 111-FD, however the viewing distance varies as we have 2 couches positioned like a sectional. So if you are on a far end of either couch, you're probably only 8-9' from the screen, whereas, if you were to sit where the couches meet (and the most centered view to the picture) you're closer to 11.5-12ft.

If I was trying to set up a true home theater experience, I dont think I would even consider a flat panel television. Personally, I would get a projector. Unless you had a small enough room where you could arrange seating about 6feet from a 50" without wasting space in the room.

I bought the TV out of space concerns, I have cathedral ceilings that slope down towards the walls and the fireplace area is really the only place to put a television without wasting a tremendous amount of space on an awkward setup elsewhere in the room. A 6020FD wouldnt comfortably fit without being jammed up against the ceiling/mantle, because of the speaker on the bottom, and a 151FD is a tad out of my price range. I was considering a 58" Panasonic/Sammy that would have fit, but I liked the picture on the pioneer better, even though I lost 8" (plus the pioneer was actually a couple hundred dollars cheaper). Its also an absurdly nice upgrade from my 37" Olevia, which went in the game room.

Long story short... IMO, your viewing distance doesnt really matter if you bought the TV as a general TV for your living room where you watch tv shows, sports and the occasional blu-ray - as long as it looks big enough to you. The Society of Motion Picture and Technology Engineers (SMPTE) recommends a maximum viewing distance of about 17 feet for a 50" TV. If you bought the TV for a home theatre experience and you want to take full advantage of 1080p HD viewing, the maximum recommendation is 6.5 feet (8ft on a 60").

My non-scientific suggestion is to sit far enough away so that the screen fills your field of vision while yet enabling you to take in the entire screen. For my 111, that's about 10.5 ft. If you have sensitive eyes or are prone to dizziness/motion sickness, too close isn't good. The SMPTE specs don't seem to take that into account.
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post #17127 of 28727
5/23/09 at 11:30am
My 151 from BB was delivered yesterday and the guys were great. They made sure everything was working properly before they left. The panel seems to be problem-free. There are no cracks, the anti-glare coating seems to be even (there's a bluish tint to the screen when its off, which I'm guessing is the coating), there are no dead pixels (which I checked using the USB slideshow) and there is no audible buzz.

Anything else I forgot to test?

I've already started playing around with the settings and I already love this TV. I still have to order TurboHD from Dish so right now I'm viewing SDtv and obviously its blurred from up close, but from a 8ft viewing distance its acceptable. I also haven't received my HDMI cables from Monoprice yet so I connected my new BD51 player via the component cables to test out Iron Man and Wall-E on BluRay was very impressed. I also tried my FightClub DVD and was happy with the upconversion. I can't wait to see the difference when I connect the player via HDMI!

The amount of dust the bezel has already accumulated is worrisome. I'll have to find a solution for this. I was also worried about glare because my room has a skylight but the only reflections I see come from the bezel and not from the screen.

I think Performance Mode is too bright. Pure Mode seems to replicate what I would expect to see when viewing a film in a movie theater. I really like it but feel like its a bit dull at times and needs a slight "pop." Hopefully I can tweak it. For TV viewing, the "dullness" in Pure Mode is more noticeable. I think Optimum mode is pretty good too, but in comparison to Pure Mode there is a little too much "pop" and it needs to be toned down a bit.

I'm very happy with the screen stretch modes. The BB guys told me to leave it one Wide for TV and I'm happy with it. I've seen other TV's where the stretch makes everyone look fat, but this mode does a really good job. I don't think I'll ever need to use 4:3 mode. For DVDs, I've been using the Cinema mode to eliminate the black bars, and am very happy with this as well. I thought I might have to use Zoom and suffer a loss of content on the sides, but then I discovered Cinema mode and its so much better.

I've read the manual and am trying to differentiate between all the advanced settings. I'm sure I'll have questions for you guys soon. I also hope to get ControlCal . It seems like I'll be happy with the ISF modes. I'm glad its Memorial Day weekend because it will give me a chance to play around with the TV. I don't intend on using D-Nice's formal breakin procedure, but I will make sure to avoid black bars and static logos especially for the first 150hrs. I'm very happy with the TV out of the box and I know it can get better, but I don't have plans for a pro-calibration in the near future. I'm hoping I can use D-Nice's tips and ControlCal to tweak the settings to make me satisfied.

I was so ecstatic yesterday when the TV arrived and am happy everything has worked out. I can't wait to play around with it more and ask you guys for more advice.
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post #17128 of 28727
5/23/09 at 11:43am
Quote:
Originally Posted by progprog View Post

LoL! Not a contest....we're totally even! Is the Oppo for a bedroom setup, or are you pitting them against one another in your HT?

Once I set the 83 up, both will be in the system but serving different functions. The 09 is the main DVD/BD source, with the Oppo as a backup and the main source for immediate viewing, what I call "quickie" viewing. The difference is the 09's audio goes out to the full system; the Oppo's will go to the 111. I wanted players with much the same features for each role, and the Oppo fills the bill well. Believe me, both will get work.

I hadn't planned to do a formal comparison but with the setup I'll have, video comparisons may be unavoidable. And if my VP ever goes down, both players have the processing chops to keep the great pics going.
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post #17129 of 28727
5/23/09 at 11:51am
Quote:
Originally Posted by prepress View Post

Once I set the 83 up, both will be in the system but serving different functions. The 09 is the main DVD/BD source, with the Oppo as a backup and the main source for immediate viewing, what I call "quickie" viewing. The difference is the 09's audio goes out to the full system; the Oppo's will go to the 111. I wanted players with much the same features for each role, and the Oppo fills the bill well. Believe me, both will get work.

I hadn't planned to do a formal comparison but with the setup I'll have, video comparisons may be unavoidable. And if my VP ever goes down, both players have the processing chops to keep the great pics going.

Sounds good. I know you use an external VP, but I think Pioneer and Oppo make the best upscaling players available (IMHO), so you're pretty well-set if anything goes down! (Do you send Source Direct from both players to your Edge and always just let it do the work?)
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post #17130 of 28727
5/23/09 at 11:51am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Smartkid View Post


I've read the manual and am trying to differentiate between all the advanced settings. I'm sure I'll have questions for you guys soon. I also hope to get ControlCal . It seems like I'll be happy with the ISF modes.



I'm hoping I can use D-Nice's tips and ControlCal to tweak the settings to make me satisfied.

from your username....

Well, all the "Smart" ones around here get it.. LOL
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