Official Sony KDL-XXZ5100 Owner's Thread - Page 71

Do you have HDMI CEC activated? We've all discovered a plethora of issues with this feature. For me, my AVR would turn itself on and off constantly, whilst everything else is powered down. I would go into preferences and make sure that HDMI control is off, on your TV and any other CEC compliant devices. A great concept on paper...Crappy in execution. And everybody is rushing 1.4a to market. I sure as hell won't be in that line!

Thanks Will. I did have it activated. I will see if this helps. This is the first issue that I have had in almost a year of ownership. This TV has been great so far.

Just a thought, but if you purchased the Sony TV with a credit card, many of the upper tier credit cards provide a doubling of the manufacturer's warranty. You have to contact the credit card company and use their warranty service, but an extra year of warranty for free is worth it.

I'd suspect Comcast and/or their STB. Comcast is having a lot of system issues as they end analog transmissions and roll out their new HD package. Their HD STBs aren't up to the quality and capability of the DBS providers either. If other suggestions don't improve your situation you may have to just wait out Comcast's transition issues or switch to DBS.

I can't speak or compare since we got our 52" last fall I really haven't had a reason to look at any other TV's. The first time I saw a "Z" series was back in 2008 when we replaced our ancient but trusty Sony 36: CRT XBR. I've been a XBR fan for years and was dead set on getting a newer XBR. Last year we wanted a newer set to replace the MITS RPTV and was set on a LG LED. But the sets were having a audio sync issue so that was ruled out. My wife spotted a unadvertised 42" Z5100 ($400 off). She loved the picture better than the LG. They checked and was out but the salesman said they had the 52" on sale at a insane $1000 off!!!. We haven't looked back since.

Bottom line the reviews and specs speak for themselves. I prefer the matte screen instead of the clear gloss which many feel give colors bit more richer appearance. I look at the Z5100 as a "XBR Lite". Using some of the posters settings here we've got a outstanding picture.

Just curious as to "settings" with Cable/DBS vs Blu-Ray. Are there some that either needs to be adjusted and tuned or help in the PQ. Righ now I have mine pretty much set across the board the same but was wondering if something in the Advance Menu needs to be changed?

I thought Comcast ended their analog transmissions many months ago? I remember this when I was still living in California, 1-2 years ago now. Could it have been regionally phased out?

Comcast just ended their analog broadcasts in metro-Denver in June of this year and they are currently in the process of rolling out their new Xfinity HD package. These two actions have caused considerable system problems for Comcast, at least in the metro-Denver area. If your area is now getting all the Xfinity commercials, you are part of the system upgrades that are taxing Comcast's reliability.

Well following up on my previous posts. I finally had a tech out to replace the main board and the power source on my set. Its only been a couple days and so far so good however the new board is at least 2 versions behind in firmware. Its 0136 and the set is asking me to upgrade now. I'm afraid if I do I'll go right back to the rebooting problem. If i don't I wont be able to access all the internet features. Decisions , decisions....

It's not the firmware that gave you the problems, or we would all be experiencing it.

-Best,
John

Any update on the service of your Sony set with the vertical line of pixels? A buddy of mine has the 52 Z and has a similar problem. Sony sent a contractor out to replace one of the main boards and that didn't fix the issue. Next step is to replace the whole panel, just waiting on part to come across the ocean.

Hey guys, I'm sure this has been previously discussed in this thread, but I am on my iPhone and it's not practical to search from here.

Does the Z output 5.1 through the optical out regardless of source or input used? In other words, if I am using a DVR connected via HDMI can I output the DD signal to a soundbar that decodes DD? The new Vizio VHT210 decodes DD.

I'll need to double-check when I get home, but I'm fairly certain that's exactly how I have mine set up. I do get DD through my AVR from the set.

I am connected via HDMI from STB/PVR and then output 5.1 from the TV to my AVR, so what you want to do should work

Thank you gentlemen! Still wondering about possible audio lag, so I guess I'll have to try it to be sure.

I was supposed to have my panel replaced today (I'm the guy complaining of the blue line a few pages back). Honestly, and I do not kid or exaggerate here, this is the sequence of events today:

- Quoted an install window of 1-5. Worldwide Techservices is the company.

- Get home at 1.

- No show at 5. Call company. They say the tech will call me.

- Tech calls 2 hours later and says his car was stolen, and then found by the police 4 hours later with the GPS still inside. He still wants to do the install tonight but has another one in Seattle.

- I get a call at 10:15pm (?!) from this guy saying he still wants to come tonight - and that he'll be at my place by midnight! I nix this idea and he says I'm now first in line on Monday.

He seems like a nice guy... but wow!

I have had my 4600Z for a few months and with the settings help provided here, the picture quality has been great. There is one problem that I'm having that is very annoying. The picture is cut off on the top and bottom of the screen. It tends to cut in half information bands that are so popular today and run across the screen, usually on the bottom.

I also notice that the picture is frequently squashed vertically making people look shorter and fatter than normal.

I am usually watching satellite signal and watch HD and non HD programming.

I would be grateful if someone explain why these problems exist and tell me how to adjust them out?

What screen aspect ratio are you utilizing?

Could be STB

dsskid - My screen aspect ratio is 4:3

castaban - If you were referring to my question... I don't know what STB is.

These are my screen settings


wide mode = full
auto wide = on
4:3 Default Full
auto display area on
display area Full Pixel
screen position
vertical size 0

STB stands for set top box, in other words what you will get from your cable/sat. company to watch TV. Usually they have different zoom/stretch options

I have Dish Satellite if that helps

Wide mode stretches the picture, change this to Normal.
4:3 Default set to full will also stretch the picture, set to Normal.

There will be black bars on non-HD programming but the picture will not be distorted from stretching. Some programming is broadcast with black bars, that's normal.... the full setting stretches (distorts) the picture so it will fill the frame on both sides.

I think that would "fix" your concerns. Let us know.

chinee,

Wide mode gives me four options but none of them is "normal"

I see no difference in picture size when changing to the four options listed under 4.3 Default.

It is interesting to note that when viewing HD or non HD I can scroll through the four options given with the "wide" button. All choices fill the screen. "Full" appears to give me the smallest picture that incliudes the most content.

Thanks for responding. Unfortunately, no joy yet. I have spent most of the day on this with no result.

HD is Full , Full Pixal will be smaller with no overscan... Some old shows in wide screen You may notice on Left & Right it don't go to the end of the screen...

Success!!! I found the information that put me on track to solve my picture size/distortion issue on page 52, post #1557. See below.


castaban had responded to my question with, "could be STB" or Set Top Box. This information went right over my pea brain. Hey, I've got Dish HD signal that goes right into my TV via HDMI cable I thought. It must be the TV settings... So I diligently set about reading every post of this owners thread thinking I would find the answer somewhere about how to set the aspect ratio or some such. When I read the above post the light finally blinked on. The problem must be with the Dish Network setup. I went into the setup menu and tried various settings with no luck. Finally, I called Dish customer service and requested a technician, thinking I had tried everything and ready to tell him/her so. When I explained the issue to him he said to press the star button on the bottom of the Dish remote. To my amazement the picture size immediately shrunk. Repeated pressing of the star button produces different picture sizes/formats. I found one that works great. Most of the programming fills the screen and is no longer distorted. It magically changes size when programming changes or when commercials come on to keep the proportions accurate.

Reading the thread was time consuming but informative but I'm going to read the last twenty pages or so to see what else I can absorb.

I want to thank all the people that have contributed to this information base. Especially Will & John for their incredible effort and diligence in sharing their considerable knowledge with us.

I have the same issue with my Comcast HD DVR. I have never been able to pinpoint the cause. I have no issues with a Sony BDP-S360. Both the Comcast box and BD player go through a Sony HT-S360 HTiB via HDMI.

So I am not sure where the problem arises, but I suspect that when I get the blanking it is due some sort of HDMI HDCP handshake. Again I never get lose of signal on the BD player.

Sorry about responding with less-than-accuarte info... I was sitting in front of my W4100 when I typed my post and used the menu info from that set. The Z5100 menu choices are different, yet perform the same functions... why can't manufacturers show some consistency within their product lines?

But anyway, glad you found the solution. Your viewing pleasure will now be so much more satisfying!

Hello
We just went to AT&T Uverse from DISh and right away I noticed the blacks are blacker yet skin tones are pretty close as before. I'm using "dsskid" settings he's posted. I'd like to dial back the overall darkness or increase the lightness but still retain the blacks. I mean they make the set look like a LED compared to DISH. All the other tones and colors look dead on, just need to lighten it a bit. Where do I need to start? Thanks